Chapter 412: One Sentence to Make You Admit Your Mistake
Feng Jun was utterly stunned by the Saintess's relay of the message.
Li Daoxuan chuckled. "I am above, I don't need to abide by your earthly rules. So, I don't care whether the imperial court is pleased or not. I know this will cause you trouble, which is why I told you to bring your family here. I will ensure their safety."
Feng Jun let out a long sigh, a slow trickle of blood ran from his nose, and he didn't even have the heart to wipe it. He cupped his hands in a respectful salute to the sky, then turned to the Heyang County Inspector behind him. "You heard what the Heavenly Lord just said, didn't you?"
The Heyang County Inspector nodded.
Feng Jun continued, "You and I are now grasshoppers on the same rope; if our secret comes out, we'll both be charged with treason. Therefore, the best course of action is to conceal this from the imperial court. Later, bring your soldiers and station them in Qichuan Fortress as well. Display your banners and pretend that both Qichuan Fortress and the blacksmith workshops are under our official control. If any passing general sees it, just tell them that Heyang County is secretly building cannons and warships by imperial decree to combat the bandits. As long as they don't question the Emperor directly, they won't know the truth."
The Heyang County Inspector's eyes lit up. "That's an excellent plan."
Feng Jun added, "But if someone actually goes and asks the Emperor, then we're doomed."
The Heyang County Inspector murmured, "Not necessarily. Didn't the Heavenly Lord say he would protect us if we brought our families here?"
Feng Jun's face crumpled. "If we truly need the Heavenly Lord's protection, it means we're already considered full-blown rebels. Sigh, let's just take it one step at a time."
Feng Jun nodded. "Of course!"
Gao Yiye chuckled. "Are these fish delicious?"
Feng Jun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "This region is famed for a unique fish called the Qichuan Snakehead. Its flesh is exquisite, renowned for its ability to dispel bruises, promote healing, and nourish blood."
Gao Yiye's mouth watered profusely.
Li Daoxuan's mouth watered just as profusely.
Seeing Gao Yiye's expression, Feng Jun knew exactly what to do. He instructed a nearby constable, "Go ask the fishermen which of them has Qichuan Snakeheads for sale, and buy a few."
The constable quickly left and, shortly after, returned carrying four Qichuan Snakeheads. They were dark, torpedo-shaped fish that looked quite appetizing.
To keep them fresh, all four fish were in a bucket. The constable was clearly struggling, yet he refused any help from attendants, insisting on carrying it himself to curry favor with the county magistrate and the Saintess.
Feng Jun addressed Gao Yiye. "Saintess, I've got the fish. Please return to the county town with me. There isn't a good chef by the river, and cooking them improperly would be a waste. Only the master chefs in town can prepare them deliciously."
Gao Yiye replied, "That would be a great inconvenience, hehe."
She, along with Dong Xue and Qiu Ju, Padi Tu, Zheng Gouzi, and a hundred guards, followed Feng Jun back to the county town.
Now Gao Yiye could enjoy the Qichuan Snakehead, but Li Daoxuan was still without his.
He didn't even bother checking food delivery apps; he knew without even thinking that he wouldn't find Qichuan Snakehead in Shuangqing City. He gazed wistfully at the box, sighing to himself: *I shouldn't have expanded my field of view to Heyang County. This city, famed for its culinary culture, presents a new exotic dish every day, it's the death of me.*
Never mind. Li Daoxuan opened his food delivery app and scheduled a sour and spicy yellow catfish for dinner, hoping to soothe his wounded soul.
In the early evening, Li Daoxuan's sour and spicy yellow catfish arrived. He picked up his chopsticks, ready to eat, just as Gao Yiye and her group arrived in Qichuan County town.
The constable carrying the fish bucket was at the very front. He wanted to get the fish to the kitchen as quickly as possible so the chef could prepare them swiftly, earning the favor of the two important figures. So he pumped his legs, running at top speed, all while carefully tending to the four fish in the bucket, terrified they might die before reaching the kitchen.
A man who moves too fast isn't always a good thing; he can get scolded for it.
The constable ran so fast he crossed a street in three seconds. At a street corner, with a *thump*, he collided with a grimy fellow. The man yelped in surprise but was unharmed. The constable, however, lost his balance and fell hard.
The bucket toppled, water spilled everywhere, and the four fish flopped around on the ground.
The constable panicked, scrambling to his feet to haphazardly pick up the fish.
The grimy fellow he'd bumped into now understood what had happened and also rushed to help collect the fish. After a flurry of activity, the four fish were back in the bucket. The constable dashed into a nearby shop, scooped several ladlefuls of water from a tank, and poured it into the bucket. Seeing the fish seemingly unharmed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Daoxuan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the sight. *Look how frantic you are. While sucking up to the powerful might be a way for small fries to survive, there's a line. Cross it, and you just look ridiculous.*
Once the fish were safe, the constable's panic subsided, and anger flared up instantly. He grabbed the grimy fellow, indignant. "You nearly killed my fresh fish! If these fish had died, could you have borne the consequences?"
The grimy fellow, seeing that the person in front of him was a constable, roughly guessed the fish's purpose. He scoffed. "Fish for the magistrate, I presume? What's with all the fuss? You're the one who bumped into me and fell. I kindly helped you pick up the fish, and now you're trying to pin the blame on me?"
The constable retorted, "How dare you!"
He was slightly enraged. *This fellow has such bold audacity! He knows I'm a constable, and he knows I'm delivering fish for His Honor the Magistrate, yet he still dares to speak like this?*
The constable demanded, "Where are you from?"
The grimy fellow proudly declared, "Jingshui Ditch Coal Mine!"
The constable said nothing.
Li Daoxuan exclaimed, "Aha! So that's it."
The constable blinked in confusion for at least twenty moments before finally reacting. No wonder this grimy fellow was so arrogant; he was a coal miner from Jingshui Ditch.
Ever since Gao Family Village "took over" the mining operations there, the coal mine had fallen out of the government's grasp, becoming a private enterprise of Gao Family Village. The people working there earned exceedingly high incomes.
Moreover, these people constantly sang songs like "We Workers Have Strength," imbued with a sense of pride that "a new world is being forged by us." Naturally, they held little regard for a petty constable like him.
The constable snorted. "So, you're just showing off because you've got powerful backing, eh?"
The coal miner retorted, "I'm not showing off because of powerful backing; I'm relying on the fact that I'm in the right! You bumped into me, not the other way around. Why are you getting angry with me? I haven't even gotten angry at you!"
The constable sneered, "You want to talk reason, do you? Want to bet I can make you bow your head and admit your mistake with just one sentence, no need for explanations?"
The coal miner proudly scoffed, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
The constable delivered his line. "These fish are for the Saintess of Gao Family Village."
The coal miner instantly panicked. "I was wrong! Quick, quick, get those fish to the kitchen! Hurry, hurry, hurry! Don't let them die!"
Comments