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is a fool

is a fool

“As long as I’m here, there’s hope for the human world?”

In the small courtyard, Ali gently swayed in the rattan chair, recalling someone’s words from just moments ago, spoken without a hint of hesitation.

A trace of realization flickered in her eyes: “Quite confident, aren’t we.”

“This world isn’t hopeless, as long as I’m here…

the world itself exists!”

Another person’s words flashed through Ali’s mind, that individual had been just as confident back then, which was why at the time, eighty percent of the reincarnating demons were serving him.

Nobody understood where his charisma came from, nor why everyone believed his wild claims.

He really was formidable back then, almost as if nothing could stop him.

Ali reminisced about that era, the time closest to hope.

During their most successful moments, all reincarnating demons, including herself and Mister Hua Pi, even began to dream of their own futures.

But he still died…

Without him, there was no longer the slightest hope left for this human world!

Ali gazed somberly at the spot where Chen Qing had departed from the doorway.

“In today’s world, even if you’re the same kind of person as the King of Qin, you can’t save it anymore!”

A melancholic sigh sounded out as, unbeknownst to when, a figure appeared behind the rattan chair.

Donned in blue, slender and handsome like a scholar from a painting, if not Cui Yan, then who could it be?

He looked at Ali with immeasurable tenderness, softly rocking her rattan chair, but when his gaze fell upon Ali’s stomach, a hint of unspeakable horror flickered in his eyes…

——————————————

“Boss, you’re finally back!”

“I’ve told you to call me Lord!” Chen Qing said with an exasperated face to Zhou Haitao.

How many times had he corrected him?

Why couldn’t he shake off that businessman’s air?

No wonder since ancient times, Huaxia did not allow businessmen to hold office; this chubby fellow running a few business trips with his father in his youth really was a hard habit to break.

“Lord…” Zhou Haitao rolled his eyes: “Do you know how many issues have piled up at the government office by now?”

“How many issues?” Chen Qing asked curiously, sipping his tea.

“We need to reconcile the accounts for tea, salt, waterway trades from before, organize the multitude of land deeds you purchased, the returning trade caravan means many citizens from North Street are moving back, so we have to register their households.

Plus, there’s that jail you haven’t cleaned out for a month.” Zhou Haitao said disapprovingly: “It’s lucky that the returning government officer warned me, or else those guys you dislocated the jaws of might have rotted in jail without anyone noticing!”

Chen Qing blinked in surprise: “Eh, sounds like there’s quite a lot to do, but…

wasn’t that what I hired you for, to handle these miscellaneous matters?”

“I…”

Zhou Haitao burst into an incredulous laugh: “The government office isn’t up and running yet, Lyuzhou has no major construction, the departments that used to manage such work aren’t needed for now, but what about officials for tax and household registrations, and criminal cases?

You’ve got to hire some people, right?

And more government officers for the jail—there’s not even a jailer.

Do you really think I can handle all this by myself?”

“Can’t you…

handle it by yourself?” Chen Qing muttered, stunned.

Zhou Haitao widened his eyes and stared at Chen Qing before finally speaking: “I thought my old man was already cutthroat enough, but Chen Qing…

are you sure your family sells tofu?

Why do I feel like you’re even more ruthless than those pit owners in West Mountain who make people dig their own graves?”

“Cough…” Chen Qing gave a light cough, then embarrassedly scratched his head: “Well…

it’s just that we’re short on funds, right?”

“Short on funds, yet you’re so generous?” Zhou Haitao shrieked: “You’re paying ten taels each for the city gate guards?

Hiring an accountant isn’t even that expensive!”

“How can that be the same?” Chen Qing said with a smile: “The guys at the city gates are responsible for killing demons, risking their lives for their work.

Who would do it if the pay were any less?

Did you really think they would work for free just because they believe in the Gate Deity?”

“Well, that’s true…” Zhou Haitao nodded, but then added: “I don’t care, I can’t handle it alone anymore!”

“Don’t rush, no need to hurry…

just endure a few more days!” Chen Qing chuckled: “The money is on its way.”

“The money is on its way?” Zhou Haitao blinked in surprise: “Has the Provincial Governor sent you more funds?”

“How could that be possible?” Chen Qing rolled his eyes: “That old man talks a big game, all about full support, yet he sends so few resources that we couldn’t even purchase all the properties on South Street.”

Seeing Zhou Haitao’s eye twitch, as if to say “how could you still find that lacking,” Chen Qing didn’t bother arguing and went straight to the point: “Where’s the money?”

“Aren’t some people locked up in jail?” Chen Qing yawned lazily: “Those are scions of significant families; when their relatives come to bail them out, we can hit them up for a good sum…”

“Scions of significant families?

And you’re thinking of extorting a hefty sum?” Zhou Haitao said, bursting into incredulous laughter: “Are you serious?”

“I’d really like to know…” A cold voice came from outside: “Do you seriously plan on extorting money from the Shen Family, Lord Chen?”

The two looked over and saw Chen Ying pushing Wei Gongcheng into the room.

“What’s the problem?” Chen Qing yawned: “They blatantly attacked an Imperial Official, which is a capital crime.

Under our Imperial law, at the very least they should be sentenced to exile.

Wouldn’t their families be reluctant to let their scions suffer such a fate?”

“And you’re contemplating exiling a few of them?” Chen Ying was stunned.

Had Wei Gongcheng not clarified how influential the Shen Family was?

“Why not?” Chen Qing looked at her seriously: “Assaulting an Imperial Official is indeed grounds for such a sentence.

If they want this official to show leniency beyond the law, naturally, they must show some goodwill.

Isn’t that how it’s done?

When I was studying, I observed that’s how officials operate.”

Chen Ying: “…”

Wei Gongcheng chuckled: “How much do you plan on collecting?”

“Considering the status of those young masters, ten thousand taels each isn’t excessive, right?

I’m really short on cash here, and within the government office, we haven’t even staffed the six bureaus.

It’s tough…”

Chen Ying took a breath, setting aside the matter of the imminent extortion of the Shen Family, which seemed like a death wish, and began with a different question: “Lord Chen, do you understand what the spiritual medicine offered by the Mountain God of Nanshan today represents?”

“Represents what?” Chen Qing said languidly, drinking his tea.

“It means if you don’t have significant backing, the Shen Family will eat you alive, leaving not even bones behind!” Chen Ying said solemnly: “Are you truly unafraid?”

“Who told you I don’t have backing?”

Chen Ying frowned, did he truly have support?

She had checked, the newly arrived Magistrate was just an ordinary peasant’s son, not born into any family of magicians.

“I am an imperial official appointed by the Imperial Court, personally conferred the title of Marquis by His Majesty, and moreover, I am the Consort Prince to Princess Yong’an.

Who has a stronger backing than I do?”

“You’re a Consort Prince?” Chen Ying and Zhou Haitao almost exclaimed in unison….

“Didn’t your master tell you?” asked Chen Qing with an amused look at Chen Ying.

Chen Ying shook her head in confusion, feeling her mind a bit muddled.

This guy is a Consort Prince?

That’s not right, is it?

Can a Consort Prince even have beautiful concubines?

And delivered personally by his own master…

What exactly is going on?

Chen Ying looked at the young man, feeling increasingly unable to understand him, but the less she understood, the more she felt that he was no simple character.

Zhou Haitao, on the other hand, looked at Chen Qing with a face full of envy and jealousy.

I was wondering why this guy climbed up the ranks so fast, starting directly at Fourth Rank, turns out he got his hands on the Emperor’s daughter!

Damn, being handsome sure is great!!

Wei Gongcheng shook his head with a chuckle.

He had known since yesterday about Chen Qing’s intention to flaunt his connections.

The title of the Emperor’s son-in-law sounded impressive, but it could only bluff those who were ignorant.

Those who really understood His Majesty all knew that he didn’t value his daughters who could not continue the bloodline much; several of them were sent straight to marry into the barbaric lands of The Ancient Wilds.

Reportedly, more than half of them have perished in violent deaths…

Trying to use this as a cover would work temporarily, but when facing a family with the influence of the Shen clan, the bluff wouldn’t last long.

Chen Qing looked at Wei Gongcheng’s gaze and remained silent, quietly sipping his tea.

He didn’t want to make a high-profile, but practicing the spiritual path meant standing out was unavoidable.

The more renowned he became, the more he could attract worship, and with the imminent emergence of ghost immortals, he didn’t have much time left.

————————————

“Consort Prince?”

Inside the Shen family, a meeting had just been called because the three legitimate sons of the senior branch had been detained.

The Family Head, Shen Yixin, had seriously convened the heads of all branches, among whom… the most conspicuous was the matriarch of the senior branch, a northerner from the Celestial Wolf Family: Murong Yunji.

Different from the dignified dress of the women of the Central Plains, especially those from Jiangnan, even after many years of marriage, she still preferred the style of the northern grasslands, her body wrapped in a gorgeous fur coat, while her lower half exposed her tanned and shapely thighs – hardly the appearance of a reserved family matriarch.

In Jiangnan noble families, especially a top-ranked family like the Shen’s, such unrestraint would not be permitted.

But due to her special background, no one in the Shen family dared to gossip about her now.

“The Emperor’s son-in-law?” Murong Yunji chuckled: “Does Old Liu fear him for that?

If Emperor Siao really cared about his daughters, he wouldn’t have let so many of them jump into the pit of the Ancient Desolation Country.”

“The situation is complicated now…” Old Liu looked at the matriarch of the senior branch, who seemed unconcerned, his headache intensifying.

“That Chen Qing may seem to have a simple background, but that’s not the case.

According to the letter from Fifth Brother, Chen Qing was courted by many factions in the Capital City, including Duke of Qin, the Crown Prince, and even His Majesty to different extents.

If he were just a young man with a valuable treasure, he would have been devoured bone and ash in the Capital City.

How could he still come to Lyuzhou to be a Magistrate?”

“You’re oversimplifying things, Big Sister.”

“I think you’re overcomplicating things,” Murong Yunji said disdainfully, “Always hesitant, not even half as decisive as your big brother!”

The other family heads in the hall turned sour-faced.

This woman of the senior branch still had no concept of propriety!

“Big brother was too decisive, and now…

isn’t he gone?”

A gloomy voice piped up; Murong Yunji’s smile remained unchanged, but her eyes flashed with a fierce green light as she looked at the speaker: “Old Jiu, care to repeat that?”

“What if I do?” The addressed was a man as thin as a monkey, garbed in loose robes beneath which something seemed to wriggle, creating an unsettling sensation for onlookers.

“You barbarian…”

“Insolence!” Shen Yixin immediately spoke up to interrupt, glaring sternly: “Old Jiu, that’s enough!”

“Hmph!” Although the man was reprimanded by Shen Yixin unlike his defiance towards Murong Yunji, he simmered with dissatisfaction but ceased his ruckus.

“As for the one in Lyuzhou…” Shen Yixin continued, addressing the man, “Let Old Jiu go and probe him, but remember… be measured.”

“Sure, Old Liu…” Old Jiu said grudgingly, “I’m the one to clean up someone else’s mess, you truly are a good Old Liu.”

Shen Yixin let out a helpless wry smile, about to add something, but saw Murong Yunji standing up directly.

“There’s no need to trouble yourselves, I’ll go in person!”

Saying this, she didn’t wait for a response and strode out of the hall, her steps swift and resolute.

Shen Yixin covered his forehead, unable to bear it, while Second Elder Shen chuckled in the shadows: “Just look at the wife our eldest brother married, only he could handle her.”

“Second Brother, choose your words wisely,” Shen Yixin frowned, “Big Sister was personally sought by our father for our eldest brother.

Do you have complaints about father’s actions?”

The mention of their father seemed to cast a shadow over the entire hall, as the atmosphere turned chilly and no one spoke further.

After about a quarter of an hour, having thought it over, Shen Yixin then said: “Second Brother, take Old Jiu with you, keep Big Sister from causing too much of a fuss.”

Second Elder Shen set down his teacup and smiled, “Big Sister has been gone a quarter of an hour already, with her pace how could we catch up?

By the time we get there, the Magistrate’s corpse will be cold.”

“If he’s just that kind of person, then extract the soul of that Magistrate and pry out his techniques!”

Shen Yixin spoke, his demeanor seemingly gentle and kind, yet his words carried a dismissive brutality.

“But if he withstands Big Sister for a while…”

“How could that be possible?” Old Jiu interjected with a laugh, “I might not like that woman, but her ability is not something a twenty-year-old young man can withstand, right?”

Second Elder Shen was curious as well, “Old Liu, you think so highly of the one from Lyuzhou?”

“Not sure…” Shen Yixin narrowed his eyes and said, “In theory, it’s impossible.

But if he were to brazenly show off so much without any precaution, unless he’s a fool!”