"The Liu family has a problem."
After walking out of Yuanming Tower, Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang stood on the steps in the evening breeze and paused to wait. The two red lanterns above their heads shed red light.
Liu Ashan drove a carriage out from the alley next to it and stopped in front of them. Ouyang Rong was the first to step forward. Before boarding the carriage, he turned to Xie Lingjiang and suddenly said this.
This is a declarative mood.
Xie Lingjiang's eyes were curious. She entered the dimly lit carriage. When Liu Asan drove the carriage to start slowly, the lady dressed in men's clothing curiously asked the young county magistrate who had his eyes closed to relax:
"what is the problem?"
Ouyang Rong didn't open his eyes and said:
"The Liu family knelt down too quickly and too decisively tonight. Although their words were still annoying, they were completely obedient to me, just like they were shouting that they don't need their bodies but they were very honest... It's no different from kneeling down to beg for food. It’s not like their previous style.”
What kind of weird metaphor is this? Xie Lingjiang was a little speechless:
"Is there something wrong with agreeing too quickly? Isn't it because the senior brother is too domineering and they are forced to submit to the senior brother?
"The Liu family has been suppressed and marginalized by senior brother for so long. It is not impossible that the knees are weak. As long as such local tyrants and evil gentry are not pushed into a hurry, they will be given a way to survive. They will naturally adapt to the wind and be weak and flattering. This is what senior brother said before. .”
"Then what if there is no way out and we are desperate?"
"What's the meaning?"
Ouyang Rong opened his eyes and said:
"I just made the decision to repair the Broken Wing Canal in two phases in the morning. Immediately after the discussion in the morning, a mole came to report the matter. In the afternoon, Liu Zian came to apologize. In the evening, Liu Ziwen put aside the past and expressed his sincerity. Many came over to shake hands and make peace.
"Is this still the same Liu family that used Di Gongzha and disaster relief food to support me before? The speed of surrender and peace talks is a bit dazzling. Someone is in a hurry. Why?
"If you insist that the Liu family was tamed by my senior brother, it's not unreasonable, but the contrast is too fast. Before today, the Liu family was as stable as an old dog. It's more likely that some change happened that caught them off guard and made them confused. .”
Ouyang Rong turned around and analyzed.
Seeing that the junior sister was speechless for a moment, he said calmly:
"I guess it's very likely that the decision to build the Zheyi Canal in phases made them anxious. To be more specific, it was decided to complete the first phase of the Zheyi Canal to connect water within two months. This may have touched the Liu family's pain point. .”
Xie Lingjiang said thoughtfully: "Senior brother, did you base your judgment on the extension conditions Liu Ziwen proposed to Zheyi Canal at the table just now?"
Ouyang Rong nodded and waved his hand:
"Don't listen to Liu Ziwen's nonsense. I'm almost drowsy after listening to it. No matter whether what he said makes sense or is illogical, I only see how his last request will affect our existing Broken Wing Canal plan. What kind of influence? This 'influence' is probably what the Liu family wants to achieve, and I will treat the rest as smoke bombs!"
Xie Lingjiang was a little confused and couldn't help but lean forward and asked:
"But what harm will the Zhiyi Canal after the staging have done to them?"
Ouyang Rong was silent for a while, then slowly shook his head:
"I don't know, but it is probably the core interest of the Liu family. A powerful family like the Liu family can only bow their heads if huge interests are involved."
He seemed to remember something and said doubtfully:
"After the first phase of the Zheyi Canal is completed, the current main road of Butterfly Creek may be diverted. The Liu family's biggest industry is the sword furnace on the west bank of Butterfly Creek. Is it possible that the water will be diverted as the superstitious people in the county said? Will Butterfly Creek affect sword making at Guyue Sword Shop?"
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but think of the doubts raised by someone after the new construction was announced in public on the street in front of the county government that day.
He thought for a while and then shook his head:
"That's not right. The Broken Wing Canal will always be opened. The water diversion of Butterfly Creek is fixed. This is a conspiracy. The Broken Wing Canal is now in the interests of most people in Longcheng County. It has become a general trend and the Liu family cannot stop it. And haven’t they also invested ten thousand dollars in it now? What are they doing, adding fuel to the fire?
"Or do you just don't want the Zheyi Canal to be opened in the short term? But what's the use of racing against time to make a few more swords? No, this doesn't look like the core interests of the Liu family. So what are they trying to do? "
The young county magistrate looked puzzled.
Xie Lingjiang pondered and said suddenly:
"Is it possible that I am worried that once the first phase of Zheyi Canal is completed, senior brother will not worry about flooding problems in a short period of time?
"And the Liu family heard some definite news before, and they bet that senior brother is worried about the flood in the short term, and will go to them to beg them for the only life-saving straw, Di Gongzha, so that they can control senior brother."
Xie Lingjiang became more and more fluent as he talked, and felt that this direction was very possible:
"And now this road may not be able to pass due to the phased plan of Zheyi Canal, so Liu Ziwen was anxious today and hurried over to find ways to stop senior brother!"
Ouyang Rong asked: "But when they come here tonight, they not only want to invest 10,000 yuan for the county government, but also contract the construction of Di Gong Gate. Is it just to prevent me from controlling the water? The Di Gong Gate is built better than Zheyi Canal." If the first phase is to be faster, isn’t it putting the cart before the horse?”
"Elder brother, think about it, if you really comply with Liu's request tonight and suspend the phased construction of the Zheyi Canal, will the Di Gong Gate be the only water conservancy construction project in Longcheng County in the short term? By then, Couldn't Mrs. Liu use it to manipulate you at will?
"So Di Gongzha is not a compromise of interests to senior brother at all, but a bait. If you eat it, you will be trapped!"
Ouyang Rong smiled bitterly and said:
"This direction does make sense, but there is still a flaw. For the Liu family, is it their core interest to control me? Can they not hesitate to consume so many resources for this? Can they still swallow their anger and keep their heads down?"
He laughed and said:
"If that's the case, it's like abandoning a chariot and replacing a cannon when playing chess. It's a bit stupid. Besides, I didn't agree to Liu Ziwen's request. The Zheyi Canal will still be built in phases, and the Di Gong Gate will be repaired immediately. You can't threaten me. Isn’t Liu Ziwen now at a disadvantage to his grandma’s family?”
Xie Lingjiang was speechless for a moment, feeling that what his senior brother said made sense.
She couldn't help but sigh: "What is Liu Ziwen going to do? Is he really giving in and choosing to cooperate honestly... But senior brother thinks there is something wrong with him..."
Ouyang Rong turned around and asked, "Am I bullying others tonight?"
When he mentioned this, Xie Lingjiang smiled in his eyes and said crisply: "It's a bit burning, but senior brother is so domineering...
"What's the point?"
"Very manly."
She enunciated the next few words a little slowly and looked at someone.
Unfortunately, Ouyang Rong was not thinking about this at the moment, so he immediately explained:
"I did it on purpose, deliberately putting on a high airs, but I didn't expect Liu Ziwen to be so tolerant, so I couldn't help but go too far, but he still agreed to all conditions... The more he acted like this, the more suspicious I became. People are so pushy."
Ouyang Rong sighed, wondering if he was suspicious.
Xie Lingjiang couldn't help laughing: "Senior brother, if Liu Ziwen hears these words, he might be angry to death."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, frowned and said:
"I don't care if he is angry or not. No matter how weak he is, I will not look down on him. Moreover, I just want to find out what kind of medicine he is selling in the gourd and what interests of the Liu family are affected by Zheyi Canal... "
The street lights outside penetrated through the gaps in the car curtains, and there were some interlaced lights and shadows in the carriage. Xie Lingjiang stared at the side face of the contemplative senior brother with clear eyes. She suddenly felt that from this angle, the senior brother's face looked a little good-looking.
She gently reminded:
"No matter what it is, senior brother, please be careful from now on. Senior brother rejected Liu Ziwen's proposal and continued to stage the Zheyi Canal. He also earned a Di Gong Gate from the Liu family in vain, in case they really have something unknown. His little thoughts may have angered them now."
After a pause, Xie Lingjiang said seriously: "From now on, every time you go out, I will follow you. You are not allowed to run away from me."
"The Liu family dare not bear the crime of harming an official of the imperial court."
"But it's hard to guard against hidden arrows."
"Yeah, okay."
Ouyang Rong came back to his senses and glanced at his junior sister. Without thinking much, he nodded lightly and agreed. He immediately changed the subject:
"Junior sister just said something that makes sense."
"What words?"
"De Gongzha may not be a compromise to me."
"What do you think, senior brother?"
"Junior sister, do you still remember that old Liu Tou?" Ouyang Rong suddenly mentioned.
"Of course I remember." Xie Lingjiang said curiously.
"Then do you remember what he said before the account-burning incident happened? This is what you mentioned to me last time."
"Remember." Xie Lingjiang's face turned serious:
"Old Liu Tou sighed after reading the Liu family's accounts and said... No wonder there are floods every year, but we get rich every year. It's like a prophet who predicts the future... Wait, what senior brother means is..."
Ouyang Rong nodded:
"I went to check the county government files carefully. From the time when Di Fuzi, who was demoted to Longcheng, first built the Dickong Gate, the Dickong Gate has collapsed almost every four years. The timing is also coincidental, that is, every time in the old and new counties When the order was handed over, the timing was almost the same.
"In order to draw the butterfly creek sand table, I visited the area near Dickong Gate in the upper reaches and asked some refugees about Dickong Gate. Most of them said that there is a dragon king in the water. He swims through it once every four years, but is blocked by Dickong Gate. He lost his way, so he destroyed it."
"Senior brother, do you believe this superstition?"
"Of course I don't believe it. I prefer man-made disasters to natural disasters."
Xie Lingjiang thought of Ouyang Rong's difficult questions at the dinner just now, and couldn't help but said: "Senior brother, are you saying...it was actually the Liu family who did something to Di Gongzha?"
"It's possible, but not necessarily."
Xie Lingjiang's tone was a bit unbelievable: "They are really crazy. If they dare to destroy the imperial water conservancy construction, if they are caught, it will be the death penalty of beheading. Even the prime minister of the dynasty will not be able to protect them."
Ouyang Rong nodded: "If there is no evidence, wouldn't it be fine if we are not discovered?"
"Then you will be punished by God!"
Ouyang Rong turned around and asked, "Do you still remember the last condition Liu Ziwen put forward just now?"
"He wants senior brother to hold a grand ribbon-cutting meeting, not only to invite the powerful squires from Longcheng, but also to invite senior officials from Jiangzhou City... Combined with what senior brother just deduced, this condition sounds a bit wrong now. .”
Xie Lingjiang couldn't help but raise his head and asked: "Senior brother, did you see something and want to reject it?"
Ouyang Rong didn't answer. He was quiet for a while, then narrowed his eyes and said:
"It's okay to let him repair Duke Di's gate. The same goes for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. If you want to hold it... then let's hold it. Junior sister, you also said that if you dare to destroy the imperial water conservancy construction, this is a capital crime of beheading. Even ten Liu families are not enough to offend."
Ouyang Rongruo had something to say, and Xie Ling Jiang Shen took it seriously.
The carriage fell silent for a while.
After talking about these twists and turns, Xie Lingjiang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She opened the curtains of the carriage, as if she wanted to get some air, but suddenly caught a glimpse of a figure outside. The noble daughter of the Xie family frowned and immediately The curtains were lowered.
Ouyang Rong saw her expression and couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"
Xie Lingjiang was expressionless and shook his head.
The young magistrate didn't believe it, so he stretched out his hand and opened the curtain. He immediately saw a staggering figure not far behind the carriage.
Ouyang Rong also frowned.
"Ah Shan, stop the car."
"Yes, sir."
The carriage stopped on the street. Ouyang Rong opened the curtain and leaned out half of his body. He asked with a straight face to the embarrassed Hu Ji who was timidly following:
"What do you want to do?"
Yingniang immediately knelt down towards the carriage, tears streaming down her face, and shouted "Thank you, girl", with words of regret and apology in her mouth. She kowtowed humbly and begged Xie Lingjiang for forgiveness, and said that she would do anything for her for the rest of her life. It's like a cow or a horse, I just want to thank the girl for taking him in.
Ouyang Rong watched silently, and the car behind him was also very quiet. He turned back and looked inside the car:
The little junior sister held the sword across her knees and stared straight ahead, saying nothing and turning a deaf ear.
The young county magistrate turned around and said softly:
"Junior sister treated you sincerely back then. She gave you the only pearl in her body. In fact, if you had any difficulties that day, you could tell her. With her soft temper, she could forgive and protect you. You said, Chen Isn't it possible that the Xie family in the county can't compare to the Liu family in Longcheng?
"But you still chose to betray that day and turned around to slander the only person who really wanted to save you... Now that the Liu family has let you go to please Junior Sister, just cherish and be content.
"Let's go, the farther away the better. This is the last time. If you dare to appear in front of junior sister again, I will send you back to the Liu family without her taking action."
After saying that, he didn't look back and returned to the carriage. Ah Shan waved his whip tacitly, started the car slowly, and drove away.
On the street behind, Hu Ji, who had been left alone, fell limply to the ground and fell on the cold bluestone of the street. She stared blankly at the shadow of the carriage that the noble lady of the Xie family was riding in, as it drove away. It wasn't long before she found out. This Miss Xie, who had been so eager to help her, was so important that even the Liu family of Longcheng, who she had always regarded as a giant, had to be polite and courteous to her. Hu Ji suddenly felt a twinge of pain in her heart, and she felt a lot of regret. …
Under nightfall, Youyou returned to the carriage on Luming Street.
"Poor people must be hateful." Ouyang Rong sighed, turned around and asked, "By sparing her life, does Junior Sister want her to live in regret for the rest of her life?"
"Not entirely." Xie Lingjiang put the sword aside in his lap and shook his head calmly: "Actually, I am a little grateful to her."
"Thank you for what?"
Xie Lingjiang suddenly grabbed Ouyang Rong's right hand and placed it on his bent legs. She naturally rolled up his sleeves and looked at the red mark on her senior brother's right forearm without blinking. She lowered her head and whispered softly:
"Senior brother, I'll lend you Qi, and you're at level seven."
Ouyang Rong looked stunned.
I got up late today and am in a bit of a hurry. I will combine the two chapters and publish another chapter in the early morning. The time is not sure yet. Good friends, don’t wait. Go to bed early and remember to cover yourself with a quilt~ (Reminder from the tough-guy white-haired maid)
