NOVEL NEXT Chapter 69: Performance
Chapter 69: Performance
The district magistrate arrived quickly. He was tall, wearing a black gauze cap and a 7th rank official’s robe embroidered with intricate patterns.
Xu Lian felt a sense of pressure, not from the official’s authority, but from the mutual perception between martial artists. This county magistrate was undoubtedly a martial artist, and his strength was at least on par with Xu Lian’s.
Moreover, the ethereal shadows surrounding the county magistrate added to his imposing presence.
What kind of strange thing is this?
Xu Lian was surprised. Could it be that officials have some kind of official soul?
“Stop right there.”
Xu Lian’s eyes narrowed and he did not allow the county magistrate to get too close. He wasn’t sure what the strange thing was or what it could do.
Seeing Gu Yanming’s miserable state, the county magistrate’s face darkened and he slowly stopped. “One of my subordinates just reported to me. I have a general understanding of what happened. Young sir, allow me to give you some advice: there’s no need to escalate a minor misunderstanding on the street to this extent.”
“A minor misunderstanding?”
Xu Lian rebuked, “As the chief official of Pingyang County, it is your duty to maintain order. Yet your precious son’s carriage was rampaging through the streets. Is that how you maintain order? Can you live up to the trust your superiors have placed in you?”
The county magistrate was taken aback by the tone of a superior speaking to a subordinate. He looked at Xu Lian with a strange expression. “May I ask about your background, sir?”
Xu Lian slowly pulled out the purple jade token from his robe. An ordinary person might not recognize it, but the county magistrate being the county magistrate, upon seeing the purple jade token, the county magistrate’s eyes widened and his expression changed. He quickly bowed and clasped his hands together. “This humble servant salutes you, sir!”
This thing is really useful… Xu Lian said calmly, “There is no need to call me ‘sir’. You should be able to sense that my strength might not be as high as yours. I am just a messenger sent by the higher-ups to inspect Pingyang County for a while and assess the situation here.
I didn’t expect that on my first day in Pingyang County, your precious son’s carriage would go on a rampage, bumping into me and publicly insulting me, and that the constables would drag me into the dungeon and try to kill me, which made me very angry.
For the past few days, I’ve been in the dungeon, constantly thinking about whether I should use the secret communication to report this matter to the higher-ups.
If I report this, the higher-ups will surely be very disappointed in you, and the consequences are unpredictable.
But then I thought that I shouldn’t let your son’s mistake tarnish your achievements in governing Pingyang County. Even if you haven’t made any significant contributions, you’ve certainly endured a lot of hardship.”
The county magistrate bowed again and clasped his hands together, pleading, “Please, sir, do not report this matter to the higher-ups. From now on, I will strictly supervise my son to ensure that such incidents never happen again.”
Xu Lian said, “Words alone are not enough. I need to see your actions.”
The county magistrate replied, “Yes, sir.”
Yes, to what end? Xu Lian was growing impatient, finding it hard to keep up with the act. He slowly lifted his foot from Gu Yanming’s face, “Take your son away and treat his injuries. I deliberately held back my strength; otherwise, he would already be dead.”
“Thank you for showing restraint.”
The grateful county magistrate quickly waved his hand and had Gu Yanming carried away.
He extended his hand in a welcoming gesture, “The dungeon is filthy. Please, sir, come to the county office and allow me to offer you my hospitality.”
Who needs your hospitality? I need the cultivators’ resources, which are Spirit Stones…, Xu Lian thought frustrated, why doesn’t the county magistrate understand? Could I have been too subtle?
Immediately, Xu Lian decided to repeat, “There is no need to visit the county office. The higher-ups sent me to inspect Pingyang County mainly in secret, so there’s no need to publicize it. Just show your willingness to improve. If you show genuine improvement, I will see it. Words aren’t enough. I need to see concrete action.”
The county magistrate nodded, “Understood, sir.”
Understood, hurry, but the County Magistrate showed no immediate signs of improvement. His consciousness was too low.
Xu Lian waited, but the magistrate still showed no clear signs of understanding. His insight was too low.
The county magistrate said, “Since you cannot go to the county office, please, sir, come to my residence tonight. I must receive you and wash away the dust of your journey. Additionally, my son will also apologize to you.”
Could it be that this county magistrate doesn’t carry spirit stones with him and keeps them at home?
Xu Lian thought for a moment and agreed, “All right, I will definitely come tonight.”
The county magistrate showered Xu Lian with more compliments before leaving the dungeon.
Xu Lian returned to the cell and was about to ask Qin Liu to leave together when he saw a black shadow rushing out from the haystack and hugging his thigh.
“Brother Xu, I’ll follow you from now on. If you tell me to dig up someone’s ancestral grave, I’ll do it!”
Qin Liu had overheard the conversation between the county magistrate and Xu Lian. The chief official of Pingyang County, who was usually so dignified, had been like a child who had done something wrong in front of Xu Lian, being thoroughly disciplined. Xu Lian must be a trusted confidant of a high-ranking official.
Xu Lian had no interest in digging up ancestral graves, “Let’s go. How long has it been since you last had a bath? We need to visit a bathhouse.”
Qin Liu stood up confusedly and followed him, “What’s a bathhouse?”
“A brothel.”
“…”
They left the dungeon.
Xu Lian hired a carriage and took Qin Liu to the nearest brothel.
It’s worth noting that those imprisoned in the dungeon are usually searched and made to change into prison clothes. However, since Xu Lian was ordered to be imprisoned by Gu Yanming and wasn’t a regular prisoner, he wasn’t searched or made to change his clothes. The guards also didn’t dare touch Xu Lian without Gu Yanming’s orders.
At the brothel
Without much ado, Xu Lian began his bathing session, lying down and letting the girls scrub him thoroughly, removing a thick layer of grime.
Qin Liu was even worse off. The girls pinched their noses and scrubbed him, reluctantly doing so because Xu Lian had paid a high price.
It must be said that Qin Liu was an interesting character. After washing off the mud brought from the cell, he reached out and asked the girl who disliked him the most to serve him. He is a model of repaying evil with kindness.
The girls were quite jealous of Xu Lian and offered to give him a discount. Xu Lian refused, thinking, “Who do you think you’re looking down on? Do I need a discount?”
In the evening.
Qin Liu stayed at the brothel for the night, and Xu Lian had already paid for his stay.
Xu Lian left the brothel alone, hired a carriage, and went to the county magistrate’s residence.
Upon arriving, he was warmly welcomed.
Fine wine, delicious food, and many beautiful attendants.
Besides the county magistrate, Gu Yanming, whose head was swollen like a pig’s, also sat at the table, toasting and apologizing to Xu Lian.
But Xu Lian was not satisfied. Despite the drinking and toasting, the county magistrate showed no significant signs of improvement. Even when he saw Xu Lian off at the gate, bowing and clasping his hands, there was no real indication of change.
“Does this county magistrate not understand my meaning, or is he pretending not to? Could he be a miser, a tight-fisted man who won’t part with a single coin?”
Xu Lian’s expression was grim.
“I might as well be more obvious. I’ll go back to the dungeon and see how this county magistrate reacts.”
After some thought, he returned to the dungeon.
The guards were taken aback, not daring to ask or stop him, and let him choose a cell.
As expected, when the county magistrate arrived at the office from home the next morning, ready to handle the day’s affairs, he learned that Xu Lian had returned to the dungeon. It was like a bolt of lightning on a clear day, and his face turned pale, his entire demeanor deteriorating.