The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

The woman tugged at Xi Yu's clothes, her face showing worry, and said softly: "Sir, why don't you just forget it? We can't afford to offend you."

Xi Yu leaned slightly to the side, gave her a comforting look, and said, "Don't worry, today's matter will not be let go."

He looked at the shop owner again, feeling a surge of determination in his heart to seek justice for the people no matter what.

The atmosphere was tense, like the depression before a storm. The shop owner crossed his arms, a fierce and disdainful expression on his face, and squinted at Xi Yu, sneering, "If that's the case, if you want to die, don't blame me for being rude. Then ask my cousin to come. Don't say you can't ask him to come. Even if he does come, my cousin will be on my side."

He raised his chin slightly, looking confident of victory.

Xi Yu's eyes were icy cold, as if they could shoot out cold arrows. Without hesitation, he whispered to the secret guard, "Hurry to the palace to find Ouyang Lian." However, the secret guard did not show up and left directly.

The owner was stunned at first, then burst into a shrill laugh, "Haha, who are you talking to? You're bluffing." He laughed and shook his head, his face full of sarcasm.

The woman next to her bit her lip, her eyes full of anxiety and suspicion.

She secretly looked at Xi Yu, thinking to herself: Is this man mentally ill? Can he really help me? Is he reliable? But at the moment, she had no other choice but to worry about it.

Xi Yu ignored the shop owner's ridicule, his face was as cold as an ice sculpture.

The shop owner stopped laughing, his eyes became more sinister, he took a step forward and threatened: "Boy, don't even think about leaving this door today."

The woman nervously tugged at the corner of her clothes, while Xi Yu straightened his back like a pine tree, looking fearlessly at the owner, waiting for the coming storm.

The shop owner became even more arrogant. He put his hands on his hips, his eyes sparkling, and shouted loudly: "Come on, come on, everyone come and see this madman!"

As he spoke, he waved his arms like a funny clown attracting the audience.

When passers-by heard the shouting, they stopped and soon gathered around, blocking the store entrance.

People were whispering to each other, their eyes full of curiosity and excitement, as if they were expecting a wonderful farce to be staged.

As the shop owner saw more and more people coming, the smile on his face became brighter, and there was a bit of pride and greed in that smile.

He raised his voice and continued to shout: "Dear fellow villagers, please come to my store and have a look. I have some great products today, you are welcome to buy them!"

He turned around, picked up an item from the shelf, and waved it in front of everyone, trying to attract everyone's attention.

The woman hid behind Xi Yu, her eyes full of fear and helplessness.

As she looked at the increasing number of people around her, she felt more and more desperate, thinking that in front of so many people, it would be even more impossible for Xi Yu to turn the situation around.

She sobbed softly and her body trembled slightly involuntarily.

Xi Yu frowned slightly and glanced at the crowd around him with a cold gaze.

He was waiting for the secret guard to bring Ouyang Lian back.

The shop owner continued to brag about his wares to everyone, occasionally casting a provocative look at Xi Yu. The commotion escalated under the shop owner's instigation.

Ouyang Lian sat in the magnificently decorated room of the palace. The sunlight shone on him through the carved windows, but he felt no warmth at all.

He frowned slightly, with a trace of regret and confusion in his eyes, and kept thinking in his heart: "Why was I so confused today that I didn't even ask where he lived? Will I be able to see him again in the future?"

His fingers unconsciously rested on the armrests of the seat.

Just as he was deep in thought, a steady sound of footsteps came closer and closer.

The eunuch's shrill voice came: "Sir, someone from the Prime Minister's side has brought him here."

Ouyang Lian came back to his senses instantly and looked up.

A secret guard in black appeared in front of him.

He introduced himself directly and said that he was a secret guard.

Ouyang Lian was a little surprised. He originally thought that it was an attendant of the prime minister, but he didn't expect it to be a secret guard.

He sat up straight and asked in confusion, "Are you the secret guard beside the prime minister? What are you doing here?"

"The Prime Minister has arrived in Fang County and is handling some business at a store. He wants you to come with me."

When Ouyang Lian heard the secret guard's words, his eyes lit up instantly, and his face was full of surprise and expectation.

"The Prime Minister has come to Fang County?" he asked excitedly, his voice unconsciously rising a few degrees.

His heartbeat suddenly quickened and countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He was excited about meeting the prime minister and curious about what had happened in front of the store.

The secret guard frowned slightly, with a hint of warning in his eyes, and said in a low voice: "Don't ask too much, we have to go there quickly."

Ouyang Lian then realized his gaffe. He smiled sheepishly, but his heart was still beating like a little rabbit in his chest.

"Okay, I'll go with you." He said without hesitation.

He quickly straightened his clothes and quickly followed the secret guards.

As he walked, he thought to himself, "It must be a big deal for the Prime Minister to personally come forward to solve the problem. So what did the shop owner do?"

All kinds of questions swirled in his mind, but his steps did not pause at all.

Ouyang Lian and the secret guards hurried out of the palace, and the sunlight outside shone on them.

Ouyang Lian looked ahead, his eyes filled with anxiety.

"We have to hurry and not keep the Prime Minister waiting for too long," he said to the secret guard.

The secret guard just nodded slightly without saying anything, but his pace became faster and faster.

As they walked through the streets, the people around them cast curious glances at them, but Ouyang Lian didn't care about that at the moment. He was filled with anticipation and anxiety about what he was about to face as soon as possible, as well as meeting the prime minister.

"I wonder what kind of scene I'll see when I get there. Can I help?" Ouyang Lian thought silently in his heart and clenched his fists unconsciously.

As he got closer to his destination, his breathing became a little rapid.

Xi Yu's posture is as straight as a pine tree.

The woman next to her clutched the corner of her clothes tightly, her eyes were wandering, her feet were moving back and forth unconsciously, and her face was full of panic.

Xi Yu tilted his head slightly, looked at the woman, and said softly: "You are the victim, why are you panicking?" His voice was gentle but with a hint of doubt.

The woman looked up at him, then quickly lowered her head and stammered, "I...I'm afraid things will get worse."

The surrounding area was bustling with people and noisy discussions were heard everywhere.

"This shop owner is so despicable. He relies on having the governor as his cousin and does whatever he wants." A passerby whispered.

The shop owner's face instantly turned red, veins popped out on his forehead, his eyes widened, and he shouted at the crowd: "Why are you talking nonsense?"

Xi Yu looked the shop owner straight in the eye and said calmly, "They are not wrong."

The shop owner suddenly turned his spearhead towards Xi Yu, pointed his finger at him, and shouted angrily: "Who do you think you are? You are talking nonsense here!"

There was a kind of frightening confidence in Xiyu's eyes.

The crowd began to whisper again: "See how calm he is, maybe he has something to rely on."

"Humph, I think he is just trying to show off. When the governor comes, he will know how powerful he is."

Xi Yu seemed not to hear the discussions. He just stood there quietly, like an unshakable mountain.

The woman's emotions gradually calmed down beside him. She looked at Xi Yu's profile and a sense of inexplicable trust surged in her heart.

Ouyang Lian and the secret guards hurried on their way to their destination. The buildings on both sides of the street quickly receded, and Ouyang Lian's heartbeat accelerated because he was about to meet the prime minister.

Bits of news about the Prime Minister kept coming to his mind. He knew that it was the Prime Minister who had chosen him to be the Governor of Fang County among many other candidates. This favor was like a heavy stone that had always weighed on his heart.

"The Prime Minister has been very kind to me, but I have never had the opportunity to thank him in person." Ouyang Lian thought to himself, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and expectation.

As he quickened his pace to catch up with the secret guard, he organized words of thanks in his mind.

"I must express my most sincere respect and gratitude to the Prime Minister, and I will do my best for him in the future." He clenched his fists, as if to cheer himself up secretly.

Ouyang Lian followed the secret guard and quickly arrived in front of the store.

The owner's arrogant expression froze the moment he saw Ouyang Lian. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly opened, and he stood there as if he was under a spell. His mind was blank, and he couldn't believe that the person in front of him was really his cousin.

Xi Yu heard the noise behind him and subconsciously turned around to look. When his eyes met Ouyang Lian's, time seemed to stand still. Surprise, confusion and complex emotions flashed in both of their eyes.

Ouyang Lian's steps also suddenly stopped. He stared straight at Xi Yu, with countless questions in his mind.

"Why is he here? What's going on?" His lips trembled slightly, but he was unable to speak for a moment.

Xi Yu's mind was also a mess. He never expected to see Ouyang Lian again under such circumstances.

The noise around them seemed to fade away gradually, and the whole world seemed to be left with only the two of them staring at each other.

The woman noticed the strange atmosphere and looked at Xi Yu, then at Ouyang Lian, her eyes full of confusion.

The crowd that was originally talking around them also quieted down, and everyone's eyes were moving back and forth between the three of them.

The shop owner was the first to come to his senses. He stammered, "Cousin, why are you here? This...this person..." He pointed at Xi Yu, his face full of helplessness.

Ouyang Lian ignored the shop owner and continued to stare at Xi Yu. He took a small step forward, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know where to start.

Xi Yu also opened his mouth slightly, but no sound came out either.

Ouyang Lian's voice, with a hint of doubt and surprise, broke the brief silence: "Why is Brother Sun Zhe here?"

When the secret guard heard this, he immediately said seriously: "How dare you! This is the Prime Minister!"

When Ouyang Lian heard this, his eyes widened instantly, his face full of disbelief.

When Xi Yu heard Ouyang Lian's words, he was also slightly startled, and then asked: "Could he be Ouyang Lian?"

Ouyang Lian reacted immediately, straightened his clothes, took a step forward, saluted respectfully and said, "Fang County Governor Ouyang Lian pays his respects to the Prime Minister." His voice trembled slightly, and his heart was full of shock and tension.

Everyone present was so surprised when they heard this conversation that they couldn't close their mouths.

The noisy discussions suddenly stopped, and everyone's face was filled with astonishment.

Their eyes moved back and forth between Ouyang Lian and Xi Yu, as if they couldn't believe what was happening before their eyes.

The shop owner was so frightened that his face turned pale and his legs went weak.

He could never have imagined that the person he had been provoking was actually the Prime Minister.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably, his mind went blank, and he felt that a disaster was about to happen.

Xi Yu looked at Ouyang Lian with mixed feelings. He recalled the time when he met Ouyang Lian before, and he didn't expect it to be such a coincidence.

He raised his hand slightly and said, "Governor Ouyang, there is no need to be so polite."

Ouyang Lian stood up slowly, his eyes still filled with awe and confusion. He never thought that the person he once knew would be the high and mighty Prime Minister.

The shop owner stood aside, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He didn't know what kind of punishment was waiting for him.

Xi Yu's gaze slowly swept across the crowd and finally landed on the shop owner, with an unfathomable look in his eyes.

Ouyang Lian's face was full of shame, and he lowered his head slightly and said, "My Lord Prime Minister, I didn't expect that the friend I just made today would be you. I didn't tell you my real name at the time, and I hope the Prime Minister won't blame me." His tone was full of nervousness and uneasiness.

Xi Yu looked at Ouyang Lian, smiled gently and said, "I never thought that you were Ouyang Lian, and I didn't say your real name." There was a hint of understanding in his eyes.

Ouyang Lian felt relieved after hearing Xi Yu's words. He raised his head with sincerity in his eyes: "Mr. Prime Minister, what happened today was an accident. If I have offended you, please be magnanimous."

Xi Yu waved his hand slightly and said, "Don't be so nervous. What happened today has also allowed me to see what kind of person you are." There was a bit more appreciation in his eyes.

Xi Yu turned around and pointed his sharp eyes at the owner.

He raised his chin slightly, his expression serious, and said, "Is this your cousin?"

Ouyang Lian looked in the direction Xi Yu pointed, only to see the owner huddled together, his eyes evasive, not daring to look him in the eye.

Ouyang Lian's heart sank suddenly, as he knew very well that his cousin was always fond of stirring up trouble.

Seeing his cousin like this, he felt that he must have done something bad.

Ouyang Lian frowned, with a stern look in his eyes. He took a step forward and asked, "What did you do?" His voice was low and majestic.

The owner's lips began to tremble slightly and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He secretly looked up at Ouyang Lian, then quickly lowered his head, rubbing the corners of his clothes unconsciously with his hands.

He was terribly scared and was thinking about how to make up an excuse to get away with it.

"I... I didn't do anything, cousin." His voice was obviously trembling and his eyes were wandering.

Seeing his guilty look, Ouyang Lian became even more certain that he had done something wrong.

He took a deep breath, tried to suppress his inner anger, and said, "Tell the truth! What's going on?" His eyes were fixed on the owner, as if he could see through him.

Xi Yu folded his hands in front of his chest, looking at them quietly, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth.

He wanted to see how Ouyang Lian would handle this matter.

The woman stood aside with expectation in her eyes, hoping to get fair treatment.

The crowd around also quieted down, waiting to see how things would develop.

The shop owner felt that the gazes from all around him were like needles piercing him. His body was shaking slightly, his mind was in a mess, and he didn't know how to respond.

Ouyang Lian took another step forward and asked again: "Tell me! What did you do? Don't force me to ask someone to investigate."

His voice rose a few notches, carrying an irresistible majesty.

The shop owner felt that he had nowhere to escape and hesitated whether to tell the truth.

The shop owner lowered his head and said in a trembling voice: "I...I just gave that woman less weight."

As soon as he said this, Ouyang Lian's eyes widened instantly, and anger suddenly surged up.

He raised his hand without hesitation and hit the owner hard in the face with a "slap".

The shop owner's face was hit to one side, and a clear slap mark immediately appeared on his face.

Xi Yu crossed his arms, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said coldly: "And he also said that you are his cousin, so he is fearless here and thinks no one dares to deal with him."

When Ouyang Lian heard this, he was so angry that he trembled all over. He raised his hand again and slapped the shop owner in the face again.

This slap was harder than the previous one, and the shop owner staggered and almost fell to the ground.

"You bastard! You actually use my name to do evil things. Isn't this discrediting me?" Ouyang Lian shouted angrily.

The shop owner covered his face with tears in his eyes. He was scared and aggrieved, muttering softly: "Cousin, I know I was wrong..."

Ouyang Lian didn't listen to his explanation at all. He turned to the woman, bent down slightly, and said with a guilty look on his face: "Miss, I'm really sorry. It's my fault for not disciplining you properly."

The woman waved her hands in fear and said, "Sir, this... this is not your fault."

Xi Yu looked at this scene, nodded slightly, and said: "Governor Ouyang, your cousin really needs to be disciplined."

Ouyang Lian stood up straight, looked at Xi Yu, and said, "Prime Minister, I'm sorry to have embarrassed you. I will give you an explanation for what happened today."

After saying that, he glared at the owner fiercely again. The owner shrank his neck in fear and dared not say a word.

The people around saw that Ouyang Lian was so fair and strict, and they all nodded in praise.

The shop owner felt extremely regretful at this moment. He shouldn't have taken advantage of his power to bully others and now he has caused so much trouble.

When the shop owner heard Ouyang Lian's decision, he knelt down with a plop, hugged Ouyang Lian's legs tightly with both hands, and cried, "Cousin, no, I know I was wrong, please give me another chance. If my shop closes, I will have nothing." His face was full of fear and pleading, with tears and snot mixed together.

Ouyang Lian pulled his leg out in disgust, looked at him coldly and said, "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place. When you did this, you should have thought of the consequences."

His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

The woman looked at Ouyang Lian in surprise. She didn't expect Ouyang Lian to impose such a severe punishment. (End of this chapter)