SCT-Novel #299 - Tiancan Temple invites you
#299 - Tiancan Temple invites you
"Qin Prefect!"
"Where is Qin Prefect!"
Even as he was being dragged away, Sima De continued to shout.
He roared, demanding to know whose orders the deputy general was following, daring to arrest them, the aristocratic clans.
His words, inside and out, were nothing more than the same old rhetoric: their ancestors had performed great deeds, and they were the pillars of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Then, mixed in, were ridiculous allusions to 'punishments not extending to high officials, and guilt not reaching the aristocratic clans'.
"Heh heh, you really are something, truly a toad yawning, what a big mouth!"
Xu Chengxian was amused by his anger. With a flick of his horsetail whisk, he pointed at Sima De and said, "Always talking about how amazing your ancestors were, as if the wealth of the aristocratic clans is something you deserve."
"'The favor of a gentleman ends after three generations,' don't you know this saying? Have you never read a book, or is there no one around you who can speak human language?"
"The ancestors of the aristocratic clans braved hardships, leading the people to create the foundation of the human race?"
"Good heavens, so you do know that one person can't accomplish everything!"
"The common people don't remember your kindness? The aristocratic families have been eating and taking for generations, isn't the tribute they enjoy enough to reward their merits?"
"Who exactly is it that's greedy, ungrateful, and sucking the marrow from the bones of the common people?"
These words held no profound meaning, and couldn't even be considered enlightening.
But as they drifted on the wind into the ears of all the common people present, what was more important was that Xu Chengxian had almost plainly expressed his position.
He wasn't standing on the side of the aristocratic clans.
He even faintly implied that he was their enemy.
"It's you!"
Sima De's swollen, dizzy head felt as if it had been struck heavily with a club.
He suddenly looked up at the city wall.
The appearance of the drill ox in the mansion was strange, but he didn't immediately suspect that it had been driven there by this Taoist priest.
After all, if a demon were to be controlled, the deaths and injuries caused by its trampling would also be counted against the mastermind.
So doing that would be like burying one's head in the sand.
But at this moment, Xu Chengxian's words made him almost certain that the drill ox that had destroyed all his savings and injured his family was definitely related to this Taoist priest!
However, before he could say more, his mouth was stuffed and he was bound and taken away by the soldiers.
The heads of the Zheng and Wang families were both very calm. From the soldiers' actions of binding them, they sensed something ominous.
They were aristocratic clans, and even if they were convicted and imprisoned, they shouldn't be subjected to such humiliation.
The two men were instantly shocked into a cold sweat, wanting to quickly inform their families to flee.
Unfortunately.
It was over.
Their mouths were stuffed, only able to whimper a few times.
Their family members and servants couldn't possibly hear their inner thoughts like Xu Chengxian.
"Damn it, Sima De is about to die and he's still wrongly accusing me," he stood on the city wall, smelling the aroma of cooked rice porridge wafting up from below, and cursed inwardly.
He hadn't summoned the drill ox.
The restraints of the Heavenly Dao weren't so easy to circumvent.
This thing judges both actions and intentions, very annoying.
Xu Chengxian had no strange癖 to create trouble for himself.
Besides, he clearly had a group, no, a team, under his command that had already carried out several demolitions and accumulated experience, so there was no need to drive an uncontrollable ox monster over.
He was also very surprised when he received a message from Da Hei.
What do you mean a bull demon escaped using earth遁 and happened to flee from underground into the tunnel beneath the Sima De mansion?
It seemed to be attracted by some aura, not sure if it was related to the layout.
Since that was the case, he simply decided to use it to his advantage.
He immediately had a flash of inspiration and decided to give Qin Hong a little shock.
Creating a strong illusion that 'these people, either you kill them, or I'll drive demons to kill them'.
Offerings, I'll kill them like dogs in the dirt.
Family heads, I'll play with them in the palm of my hand.
Prefect, will you listen to me or not!
Isn't it great?
Great!
"Hehe." Xu Chengxian couldn't help but look up at the sky.
The development of the situation was too smooth.
He couldn't help but suspect that the Heavenly Dao really existed.
Ever since Da Hei passed by and kicked Zhang Wan's knife away, just at the moment it was about to kill Little Black King, he had a constant illusion.
Especially when certain particularly agreeable coincidences suddenly appeared, he couldn't help but feel a momentary chill down his spine.
It was as if there was an unpredictable, unknowable existence, casually manipulating things, helping him along.
"Ai!" He thought for a moment, then suddenly sighed.
He really shouldn't be doing this, shouldn't he be relapsing into this disease of feeling too good about himself?
He's just an ordinary little flowery snake after all.
It's an honor to be born in the same nest as the Empress sister and the Dao Lord brother, but it's hard to hide this fact.
So, how could there be such a powerful existence, focusing its attention on him?
"Those who commit many injustices are bound to destroy themselves, this is their retribution!" Xu Chengxian smiled, "Maybe my appearance is their retribution? That's perfect."
Then he could be considered to be working for the Heavenly Dao.
I wonder if the Heavenly Dao will give him a salary.
Moreover, it's said that good people have good rewards.
He looked down at the people under the city wall, who were lining up to receive porridge because the porridge in the pot was ready, and couldn't help but smile slightly.
Then good snakes should also have good rewards, right?
He's both a person and a snake, shouldn't he have two shares of good rewards?
He just doesn't know where to collect these 'good rewards'.
No one will give him clear directions.
"Forget it, I'll take the good rewards for White Madam first."
… …
Lingzhou City, the sky has changed.
The aristocratic clans were all as silent as cicadas in winter.
In addition to the heads of the Zheng, Wang, and Sima families who were arrested, the heads of several other local aristocratic clans were also thrown into prison.
But for the common people, it was a good thing.
There were fewer evildoers in the city.
Also, the government took out money and grain to hire people to work.
The work done by the common people in the city was to clean up the Sima family's mansion.
Those who wanted grain were given grain, and those who wanted copper coins were given copper coins.
If they were willing, they could also eat two full meals while working.
Of course, it would be deducted from their wages.
But it was still worth it.
The government hired people to cook, and they were willing to use oil!
There was no shortage of salt either.
And there was dry rice without any water added, and they could even eat meat!
It was said that the chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep raised on the Sima family's manor outside the city had been frightened to death by monsters overnight. It was too hot to keep them, so the government bought them at a low price.
Over the past few days, everyone felt that life was better than before.
Not only could the people in the city go to work to supplement their families.
The refugees who had fled from the prefectures, counties, townships, and towns below could also find work outside the city.
"They're building roads outside the city, go sell some soup that you've cooked yourself."
The shopkeeper of a street-facing shop waved, stopped a couple carrying a carrying pole, and asked them what they were doing.
He got such an answer.
He couldn't help but be surprised and said: "There are so many refugees outside, you're still going?"
"Shopkeeper, it's okay, there are Yellow Turban Warriors watching," the couple laughed, "The Divine General attendants of the White Madam Temple are also patrolling back and forth."
Several Yellow Turban Warriors stood there, emitting golden light, clearly observing everything that happened.
Who would dare to act rashly?
Not to mention the Divine Generals of Song Family Village who had obtained the protection of Divine Light, watching and patrolling.
"Then are they willing to spend money to buy your soup?" the shopkeeper asked again.
They were all refugees who had fled from disaster, they had food to eat when they worked, would they still have money to spend on this?
"There are many people working, and not all of them are refugees."
There were also many people who wanted to accumulate merit and strive to build a temple for White Madam as soon as possible.
White Madam said that the road must be built to Song Family Village, and the statue of the Divine General must be invited over before the temple can be built.
When there are more people, there will always be someone willing to spend money.
There will only be more and more people going to the city to do small business.
More and more people are coming to the city to sell small things such as wild vegetables, eggs, and bamboo baskets.
Many merchant groups also came to join in the fun.
Lingzhou City actually presented a prosperous and lively scene for a time.
Early this morning, several monks entered the Prefect's Mansion.
Then not long after, Prefect Qin came to find Xu Chengxian.
"The Abbot of Tiancan Temple has invited this official to go for a visit."