Chapter 134: Chapter 113: Lots of News
Cheng Zongyang recalled the scenes he had witnessed on the road. He shook his head slightly, glad he hadn’t brought his family.
’Otherwise, my family having food to eat and water to drink every day would easily make us a target. Unless we never lit a fire!’
’Besides, even if I could find an excuse to get at from outside the city, how would I solve the water problem? Make an excuse to leave the city and fetch it from outside the County Town? That might work a few tis, but if I did it too often, would all those people in town just turn a blind eye and not follow ?’
’It’s nothing like now, where I can eat and drink as I please in the mountains, carefree and happy. Even if we want to enter the city later, it will have to be after the drought, and not all of us can go.’
’By then, with several Martial Artists in our family holding down the fort, other than the local Noble Races, even the Gangs wouldn’t dare to provoke us.’
"No need to rush, take it steady," Cheng Zongyang murmured, covering the wellhead with a wooden plank and heading toward the backyard.
Re-entering the Wilderness World, Cheng Zongyang continued to practice the Wind-Stepping Step.
This Body Technique was about to reach the Beginner level.
「In the blink of an eye, night had fallen.」
Inside the Wilderness World, Cheng Zongyang glanced at the interface showing the progress of his Wind-Stepping Step and shook his head helplessly.
——
Wind-Stepping Step (94/100, Not yet Beginner)
——
He had only gained 8 proficiency points for most of the afternoon, leaving him feeling helpless.
’Matching the footwork to my breathing rhythm is a really slow process. It’s nowhere near as fast as buying sothing with experience and techniques from the market hut.’
’I can only figure out this Body Technique through my own trial and error.’
Glancing at the wall clock in the hut, he saw that it was already six in the evening.
He had Ma San butcher a wolf and remove both hind legs. One was for him and Ma San to eat; the other he planned to take out for Li Lu.
Ga was plentiful in the Wilderness World, so they could eat at every day.
’Martial Artists need at for sustenance. In the city’s current state, soone of Li Lu’s ans and status would be lucky just to buy grain.’
’As for at, only the wealthy and powerful can probably eat it whenever they want.’
’A wolf leg weighing over thirty pounds should be enough to feed Li Lu’s family for several days.’
After dinner, Cheng Zongyang quietly left, carrying a wolf leg in a burlap sack.
A quarter of an hour later, he knocked on the door of Li Lu’s ho.
Li Lu’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Cheng Zongyang.
"Brother Cheng, what brings you here?" Li Lu asked, stepping aside. "Co in, let’s talk."
Cheng Zongyang smiled and walked inside. Li Lu glanced outside before quickly shutting the door.
The main hall had been cleaned, but a faint sll of death still lingered in the air, masked by the remaining scent of incense.
"Aunty, please take this and prepare it, or it will spoil. I need to talk with Uncle Li," Cheng Zongyang said, handing the burlap sack to Mrs. Wang of the Li Family, whose eyes were red and swollen.
"What’s this?" Li Lu asked, taking the sack first. He didn’t intend to open it, as that would be impolite.
Cheng Zongyang said, "I hunted a wolf in the mountains, took one of the legs, and brought it for you. Uncle Li, you know how I am."
Hearing that it was at, Li Lu was about to refuse, but after that last sentence, he could only nod. He handed it to his wife, saying, "Go and prepare this. It must weigh twenty or thirty pounds."
’To be able to hunt at a ti like this is impressive enough, but to give away so much at... the debt is imnse.’
The color returned to Mrs. Wang of the Li Family’s face. For the past few days, they had been eating the rice and flour her husband had prepared beforehand. While they had no at, at least they weren’t reduced to a single al a day. But with two little ones at ho, they really needed to eat so at to keep their strength up.
"Thank you," Mrs. Wang of the Li Family managed to say, her voice hoarse. Then she headed to the kitchen.
"Brother Cheng, let’s talk in my room," Li Lu said, knowing Cheng Zongyang had co to discuss sothing important.
Cheng Zongyang nodded and followed Li Lu into the room.
「A mont later, in the room.」
Cheng Zongyang began to listen as Li Lu recounted the events that had recently transpired in the County Town.
Distributing porridge and water, administering dicine to the sick, digging new wells, eliminating the Martial Arts Gangs, consolidating all the Noble Races, and regulating all Independent Martial Artists...
As he listened, Cheng Zongyang’s heart pounded with fear. He felt even more fortunate that his family hadn’t co to the county. Otherwise, he would have been forced to take part in it all!
Now, in the city, four Gangs had been consolidated and six Noble Races had been unified, all under the command of Chang Younian.
But more importantly, all Martial Artists in the city were being investigated. They were given a choice: either leave or join the unified faction. The goal was to control these Martial Artists and make them work for Chang Younian!
As a result, many Martial Artists left the County Town, but even more chose to join the unified faction.
Li Lu’s hand had been broken during a fight with an uncooperative Independent Martial Artist who was making trouble. However, Li Lu had managed to stab the man to death.
Cheng Zongyang pressed, "Have you been able to find out what he plans to do by consolidating all the Martial Artists?"
Li Lu shook his head. "I’m just a governnt official. Unless I beco a constable, I won’t be able to find out more. But there is a rumor, though I don’t know if it’s true."
"What is it?" Cheng Zongyang asked.
"I heard that soone from the Capital City arrived this morning with an imperial edict. The word is that the County Magistrate is being transferred. He was supposedly so furious that he smashed his desk in the main hall."
At this, Cheng Zongyang’s face lit up. "Really?"
"It’s about eighty or ninety percent certain. Otherwise, no one would fabricate such an outrageous rumor," Li Lu said in a low voice. "If he really gets transferred, the arrest warrants for your two families might be canceled."
"Hahaha," Cheng Zongyang laughed cheerfully. "Excellent. A transfer is excellent. I won’t have to be so cautious anymore. But Chang Younian must be dying of anger. After setting up such a favorable situation, soone else is just going to waltz in and take it."
’Tonight’s visit was well worth it, I’ve learned so much.’
"Oh, right. I haven’t congratulated you yet on successfully reaching Entry Grade, Uncle Li," Cheng Zongyang said, cupping his fist in a belated gesture of celebration.
"It’s all thanks to that Tiger Bone Wine you gave . It was only half a pound, but the effects were incredible!" Speaking of reaching Entry Grade, Li Lu’s face broke into a wide smile. "This fulfilled a dream I’ve had for years. Truly, thank you! If you ever need anything in the future, just ask. As long as it’s within my power!"
His tone grew increasingly sincere as he spoke.
"Uncle Li, you’re being too formal. Helping you is also helping myself." At this, Cheng Zongyang suddenly asked, "By the way, Uncle Li, now that you’re a Martial Artist, can you be promoted to constable?"
Li Lu nodded. "The Inspection Bureau is short on constables right now. After Chief Wang learned of my situation, he already submitted a report to the Director to have
fill one of the vacancies left by the constables who died."
"An Eighth Grade Martial Artist can get promoted to Chief Constable?" Cheng Zongyang’s gaze was intense.
Li Lu, not understanding Cheng Zongyang’s intent, simply nodded again. "That’s right."
"And what about a Seventh Grade?" Cheng Zongyang asked.
"Well..."
Li Lu’s expression faltered, and he gave a wry smile.
"That’s sothing I’m not sure about. Normally, a Seventh Grade Martial Artist is already qualified to beco a Vice Director of the Inspection Bureau, or even the Director. That’s a position ranked Junior Ninth Grade or Standard Ninth Grade. It’s an official entry into the Da Liang bureaucracy, even if it’s the lowest level of office.
"But that requires a recomndation. You should know this as well—for official appointnts in Da Liang, personal ability is secondary. The recomndation is what truly matters!"
Cheng Zongyang nodded. Da Liang’s system was based on recomndations, and the promotions and demotions of officials were all influenced by the Noble Families.
This was also why the Gate Valves competed over counties. It not only increased their sphere of influence and territory but also allowed them to recomnd officials to strengthen their family’s power.
After hearing all this, a plan began to form in Cheng Zongyang’s mind.
’Help Li Lu get the position of Chief Constable.’
’As for Deputy Patrol Inspector of the Inspection Bureau, there’s no need to think that far ahead yet.’
’Once Li Lu becos a Chief Constable, his authority will grow. Besides, Chang Younian has already disrupted the stable balance of power between the families in the County Town, which will make it easier for Li Lu to operate.’
’Most importantly, based on Chang Younian’s thods, I don’t think he’s the type to do all the hard work just so soone else can reap the rewards.’
’The whole point of my earlier questions was to help Li Lu secure the position of Chief Constable!’
’Regardless of how much he could help
in the future, at the very least, I’d have a man on the inside in Jade Peak County’s governnt.’
’I might not need to use the connection, but I have to have it.’
’In the future, when we move into the County Town, I can use Li Lu’s status to help the Cheng Family quickly establish a foothold.’
’In a way, Chang Younian’s series of disruptive actions has given many smaller families a chance to rise. In the future, my Cheng Family will have that chance too.’
’The destruction of the established powers ans new powers will erge.’
’And before they do, everything is chaos.’
’And chaos is the perfect ti to fish in troubled waters and reap the benefits.’
Cheng Zongyang fell silent, lost in thought. Seeing his pensive expression, Li Lu also waited quietly.
Suddenly, Cheng Zongyang looked Li Lu straight in the eye and asked in a low voice,
"If Chang Younian is transferred and other factions start competing for power, the situation in Jade Peak County will be completely reshuffled. Uncle Li, do you think you can gain sothing from the chaos?"
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