63: Chapter 60: The Shen Family 63: Chapter 60: The Shen Family “Dog official, do you know who we are?”
The three beaten magicians, no longer caring about their appearance, cursed loudly.
Chen Qing, too disinterested to listen, waved his hand and ordered, “Dislocate their jaws and throw them in prison!”
A few newly hired governnt officers chuckled maliciously, and with a snap, they dislocated the jaws of the incessantly babbling trio, a scene quite grueso to behold, which made the surrounding rchants feel both uneasy and excited.
Chen Ying frowned deeply as she watched; in her recollection, no official in Great Jin had ever treated magicians with such disrespect, and she promptly reminded, “My lord, the Shen family is not an ordinary presence in Jiangnan…”
Chen Qing, undisturbed, didn’t know exactly what the Shen family represented, but he couldn’t lose face in front of everyone and simply replied coldly, “What about the Shen family?
Can the Shen family attack an imperial official?”
“Uhh…” Chen Ying was montarily at a loss for words, as it was indeed the Shen family who had started the altercation, and they were technically in the right.
But to humiliate the young talents of the Shen family so carelessly, wasn’t he afraid of their retaliation?
Chen Qing no longer paid any attention to those Shen family mbers who couldn’t even speak, turning his gaze instead toward the Azure Bird, “On behalf of the distressed common folk, I thank the Mountain God.”
The Azure Bird nodded slightly, and several drops of green dew slowly flew toward the rchants afflicted with insect eggs.
The rchants eagerly watched the approaching substance, and without any prompting, their bodies instinctively craved the dew, much like a parched man seeing a source of clear water in the desert would desperately catch it with his mouth.
The mont the dew entered their mouths, they felt a wave of coolness travel down their throats, and in an instant, they felt a refreshing clarity throughout their bodies, a comfort so profound it made them all moan with relief.
Many onlookers were shocked to see the rchants’ bodies mysteriously begin to float, a truly curious sight.
But to the magicians, it was more than just curious—it was utterly astonishing!
Mortals had entered a state of deep ditation, and not just any state, but the deepest level of ditation!
They weren’t simply floating; their bodies resonated with the spiritual energy around them because they had achieved the greatest communication with nature’s spiritual energy, a phenonon that only occurred in the deep ditative state.
Such an occurrence was extrely rare; typically, a magician would need to be in a place abundant with family-provided spiritual energy, consu top-tier Spiritual dicine to saturate their body with spiritual energy, employ a superior ditative Technique, and be in the right state to possibly enter such a state.
Once there, the effect on their cultivation would be more than tenfold the usual!
These rchants, clearly regular mortals, had managed to enter this ditative state, shattering the magicians’ understanding of the world!!
“It’s that green dew!” Chen Ying imdiately realized, her eyes, which normally held little regard for material things, now revealed an intense desire.
The jawless magicians struggled frantically.
Had the Magistrate gone mad?
To give such Spiritual dicine to these lowly peddlers?
Did he understand what it was?
Did he comprehend what the effects of such ditation signified?
This was more blasphemous than an Empress gifting sothing to a beggar!
That Magistrate was a madman, a madman!
“Ugh!!”
About half an hour later, the rchants who drank the green dew landed and began vomiting.
They expelled stinking black water from their mouths, causing many onlookers to feel sick and back away.
However, it was also visible that what ca out were insect eggs, now the size of quail eggs.
After vomiting, the rchants took a mont to recover and then stood up, feeling refreshed and lighter than ever, especially the older ones, who stood straighter than before.
They felt as if old pains and ailnts had vanished, like returning to their youth of twenty years prior!
After a few breaths, it dawned on them that it was no illusion; they stretched out and felt an overwhelming excitent.
They couldn’t be wrong; their old physical problems were surely cured, or if not totally cured, significantly improved!
They were experienced rchants; had they not heard that oysters were good for replenishing yang energy, why else would they have eaten them raw?
Now, instead of boosting their yang, they had almost lost their lives!
Yet unexpectedly, from misfortune had co a blessing; they had co to Lyuzhou, not only had they retrieved their lives, but their long-standing problems also seed to have a chance at resolution?
Thinking of this, they disregarded the dirt and chaos on the ground, and knelt again to worship, “Thank you, Mountain God, thank you, Mountain God!”
“Rember your promises…” The Azure Bird nodded faintly, spread its wings, floated into the air, and slowly vanished into an illusory figure before disappearing from their sight.
All the onlookers finally grasped the situation and knelt down to worship, internally regretting why they hadn’t also asked for a few drops of the miraculous dew that could expel insect eggs, a true life-saving dicine for those at sea!
“My lord…” soone couldn’t help but inquire, “Could we also ask the Mountain God for so Spiritual dicine?”
All eyes, including those of the rchants who had already tasted the green dew, turned to Chen Qing, for nobody would think such a treasure too abundant!
“I wouldn’t know about that…” Chen Qing said with a smile, “If you believe in the Mountain God of Nanshan, when the temple is built, pay it frequent visits.
They say sincerity will be rewarded, and perhaps you will receive an answer…”
Upon hearing this, the crowd once again bowed in the direction where the Mountain God had departed, their devotion couldn’t be overstated.
This sort of temperant made Chen Qing feel that the people of this ga world quite possessed the style of Huaxia people—believe in those who give benefits, distrust those who don’t, incredibly realistic.
As for the Spiritual dicine that everyone desired, of course, it was not to be given away.
This morning dew was the essence of Nan Mountain; the new Qingque with shallow experience in the mystical arts being able to refine ten drops was already a struggle, let alone mass distribution.
Even if offerings were abundant later, it was still not possible to distribute on a large scale.
This thing was, after all, what Chen Qing planned to use to fill the gaps in finances, why would he foolishly make it common?
The rich must be thoroughly milked first!
——————————————–
anwhile, over at the Nanyang Shen Family’s side, the upper echelons of the family began to pay attention to the situation in Lyuzhou…
The Nanyang Shen Family, recognized as the number one Sorcerer Family of Jiangnan, boasts a family history that can be traced back to the Sorcerer Dynasty two thousand years ago!
During the waning days of the previous dynasty, warlords clashed and demons road free.
The Shen Family sheltered in Jiangnan, hidden from the world until twenty years ago when the new dynasty was established.
It was then that Liu Yu, the Duke of Song, led the Emperor himself to visit the Shen Family.
The family’s genius Magician, Shen Yinian erged, and promptly beca one of the nine Imperial Officials, assuming the role of Minister of War!
Nowadays, the direct line of the Shen family spanned twelve branches, and the family head was Shen Yixin of the sixth branch.
Since Shen Yinian was his full brother and they were close since childhood, Shen Yixin was elected as the family head by the many family elders shortly after Shen Yinian beca one of the nine Imperial Officials when the patriarch of the main branch passed away.
Shen Yixin handled affairs with generosity and integrity, and he was much more revered by the Shen family compared to the previous main branch head.
However, it was rare for him to have disagreents with another branch head.
“Old Liu, you’ve also seen the letter from Yiyang regarding the Gate Deity matter.
Such a Technique, with effects so marvelous—if it were to belong to our Shen Family, do you realize how imnse the profit would be?”
The speaker was Shen Yiyun, the current head of the second branch of the Shen Family.
His face looked like withered wood, his eyes cold and grim.
Those who were knowledgeable in the mystical arts would know that this man must have been engaging in the darker spectrum of sorcery for years.
“But that Chen Qing…
is an Imperial Official!”
The elderly man at the head was ruddy-cheeked, with a fat head and big ears, and his eyes were re slits, appearing to be a broad and generous person, like a smiling Maitreya Buddha.
“So what if he’s an Imperial Official?” Shen Yiyun sneered coldly.
“Have we not killed enough?”
“This person is no ordinary man…” Shen Yixin shook his head.
“I’ve already sent people to inquire about him.
For his great achievents in the Mister Hua Pi incident in Lyuzhou, not only was Chen Qing appointed as a Fourth Rank Magistrate straight from being an Imperial Scholar, but he was also granted the position of Marquis!”
“So what?” Shen Yiyun retorted sharply.
“Liu gave up so much for that Emperor; for the sake of stabilizing Jiangnan, how many benefits did we, the Shen Family, concede?
Without us, could the Siao Family have collected taxes in Jiangnan so smoothly?
Relying solely on Mu Hongqing?”
“Now, we rely seek to take back a little interest.
Would the Imperial Court really confront us over this?”
“Is that why you unilaterally dispatched so young mbers of the main branch to Lyuzhou?” Shen Yixin sighed.
“I just let them go and test the waters; I didn’t ask them to do anything…” Shen Yiyun chuckled.
“I’m not an impulsive person.
At the very least, we need to probe his foundation, right?”
“To probe his foundation, you send those from the main branch?” Shen Yixin scoffed coldly.
“Don’t you know what sort of temper those three brothers have?
You’re clearly stirring the pot!”
“So what?” Shen Yiyun replied unbothered.
“I’ve also inquired about your so-called Chen Qing.
His background is exceedingly simple; a native of Lyuzhou, his mother just a tofu seller, with no background whatsoever.
Who knows what fortune he’s stumbled upon to have such capabilities.”
“Sending those from the main branch over is to see just how capable this Magistrate is.
With such ostentation, does he even have the qualifications to securely hold onto what’s in his hands?”
“Do you really think it was his own fortune?
And not the inheritance of so great Magician from within the Imperial Court?”
“Old Liu, don’t start with !” Shen Yiyun laughed.
“Do you think we at the Shen Family aren’t aware of the depths of those court Magicians?
If there were such a Technique, would his Emperor be unable to protect even his own wife and children?”
“Don’t you know, if the Siao Family does?
If that boy really had such a miraculous Technique, would the Siao Family let him go?”
“That’s why I sent those from the main branch to make so noise…” Shen Yiyun laughed slyly.
“That woman from the main branch is famously unreasonable—no matter what irreparable situation her children create, isn’t she always there to cause a ruckus and throw things into chaos?”
“Take it easy, Second Brother…” Shen Yixin sighed, his voice low.
“You should be clear, Liu Yu is dead!”
At the ntion of this topic, Shen Yiyun’s smile vanished, and his expression darkened.
“Old Liu, that old man from the Siao Family has gone mad.
He even killed Liu Yu; this dynasty is likely not long for this world…”
Shen Yixin also sighed and shook his head upon hearing this.
He and his fifth brother had observed the head of the Siao family for a long ti and always thought of him as a ruler of grand strategy and vision.
If not just for Liu Yu’s introduction, the Shen Family wouldn’t have thrown so many benefits into supporting this new Emperor.
But now, that person’s actions were truly unsettling…
As they spoke, the Steward rushed into the living room in a hurry, his face unmistakably anxious.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Yixin frowned, looking over.
His Steward was always composed, seldom this flustered.
“Master…” the Steward hastily reported.
“News has co; the three masters from the main branch have been detained by the Lyuzhou Magistrate!”
“Oh?” Shen Yiyun’s eyes narrowed.
He was clearly surprised.
The three from the main branch might have problematic temperants, but their strength was not to be underestimated.
“See?” Shen Yixin sighed.
“Didn’t I say this new Magistrate was not simple?”
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