Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 146 Has the world changed?
"You're here? Old Chen."

The thin fog of the night had not yet dissipated, and the courtyard was filled with a bitter and sweet medicinal smell.

Jinzhen Li was hunched over, holding a pair of glasses with a missing leg, preparing several medicinal herbs.

Hearing footsteps, he didn't even look up. With a wave of his withered hand, he directed Sun Xiao and the others to pour a large bucket of Eight Treasures Mercury into the bubbling pool.

The pool water immediately surged and boiled, rising up strange, colorful mist.

Jinzhen Li said, "This batch of pills, which have been infused with demon blood, can ward off evil spirits and transform demons, making them immune to demonic influences."

He paused, then pointed to several medicine jars bubbling on the stove in the corner.

"Besides that, there are some plasters for dispelling cold and detoxifying, which will probably take another half day to make. We estimate that we won't be able to prepare them all by noon tomorrow. You've been traveling all night, Lao Chen, you should go and rest first."

Chen Shunan put down the bucket and walked over, his gaze falling on Jinzhen Li's sallow, puffy face, with eye bags so deep they could almost trap flies. He raised an eyebrow and said...

"Golden Needle Li, how many hours do you sleep each day?"

"I've been sleeping for three hours."

"That is not bad."

"I mean I've only slept for three hours this month."

"What?"

Chen Shunan was slightly taken aback; twenty days of the month had already passed!

You only slept for three hours in total?

Chen Shunan felt that he had already worked hard by diligently practicing martial arts, working to support his family, and relying on Ran Yi'an's divine water, he only needed to sleep for an hour each day.

But unexpectedly, Jinzhen Li is about to become an immortal!

"Alchemy and medicine making are really hard work," Chen Shunan shook his head.

"It's not tiring at all, it's absolutely wonderful!"

To everyone's surprise, a fanatical look suddenly flashed across Jinzhen Li's face, and his withered hands gestured in the air.

"So many demons, bears, tigers, and fish! I've never fought such a rich and powerful battle before!"

"I have found a cure for several difficult and complicated diseases, including tuberculosis. Some expensive medicinal herbs can even be replaced with the scales of the demon fish! In the future, poor men may only need to spend five coins to get treatment!"

At this point, Jinzhen Li said with some annoyance, "It's just that time is too tight, and I keep feeling sleepy. If only there were some kind of magic pill that I could take, sleep for half an hour, and then be full of energy for several days without sleeping..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Shunan's expression turned somewhat strange.

What kind of alchemy maniac is this?!

The two then spoke in hushed tones for a moment.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Jinzhen Li paused, his hands moving, and he let out a deep sigh.

"By the way, the pair of star-crossed lovers you met in the riverside shantytown when you came to me to identify the medicine died a few days ago."

"Dead?" Chen Shunan frowned.

"Yes, he died at the hands of demons. What a pity. We finally made it to the point where his son could grow up and become successful..."

Jinzhen Li shook his head.

He recounted in detail the events of that night when the water demon attacked the crossroads.

With a doctor's heart full of compassion, even though Jinzhen Li has witnessed countless partings and deaths, the thought of wanting to nurture a seed only to find it too late still evokes a deep sense of regret.

Chen Shunan narrowed his eyes, recalling that warm, honest, and energetic face.

He had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

"I hope I'm overthinking it, otherwise... demons may be fierce, but humans are even more venomous."

……

As dawn broke, carriages and horses were already prepared outside Dingfu Village.

Ding Zhang, the old wheelbarrow operator, sets off today to take up his post in Tongzhou.

The nine owners of Shuiwozi in Wuqing County, along with important figures in charge of water transport in Wuqing County, such as the River God's ambassador and granary officials, all came here to respectfully see them off.

Ding Zhang traveled simply today, using ordinary carriages and horses, accompanied by his steward and a few trusted confidants.

Ding Zhang's promotion was hardly a promotion; he left behind a mountain of debt and also displeased his superiors.

Even if he has a very strong background, he will probably be reassigned and sidelined for several years when he returns to Tongzhou City.

Even so, Tongzhou was still a strategically important area near the capital, and his reinstatement was only a matter of time; it was merely a case of being demoted in name only.

"Lord Ding, have a safe journey."

"I am truly reluctant to part with you now, as I do not know when I will be able to receive your teachings again!"

"Over the years, we have been able to make a living entirely thanks to Lord Ding's hands-on approach and his consideration in every aspect. Without your guidance in the future, we really don't know what we would do!"

The eight owners, including Zhao Guangxi, Zhao Guanghui, and Guo Guanfu, were all excellent at performing.

They were clinging to the cart shafts, lying on the road in front of the wheels, all looking like they were trying to hold them back.

Liu Ruyue stood quietly to the side, her pretty face slightly stern. She felt that these colleagues were too shameless, and she, as a young woman, was still not quite used to it.

After all, her father was a finance advisor, and by virtue of his influence, he held a position of some authority, so there was no need for him to engage in such hypocritical behavior.

Despicable!

Zhao Guangxi's face tightened slightly as he looked at Guo Guanfu, who was lying on the ground, rolling around and throwing a tantrum, and being helped up by Ding Zhang.

He thought he was already shameless, but he didn't expect this guy to be even more shameless.

That's utterly despicable!

So Zhao Guangxi subtly slipped a thick red envelope into Ding Zhang's hand and said,

"Lord Ding, this journey is long and arduous, and we will be braving wind and rain. This is my travel money, along with some local specialties. I hope you will take good care of yourself."

Wuqing County is only about a hundred miles from Tongzhou City, and the roads are all official roads that can be traveled by six horses side by side. There are no mountain bandits or dangerous places, so it is difficult to travel even in wind and rain.

But Zhao Guangxi spoke with genuine emotion and without batting an eye—a skill honed over many years. Professionalism.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation."

"Travel expenses should be plentiful, not scarce. These are clothes I bought for you, sir..."

Zhao Guangxi's thoughts could not be hidden from the other eight people.
The other owners, including Liu Ruyue, also generously donated money, and red envelopes were stuffed into the hands of Ding Zhang and his entourage.

In the end, Ding Zhang, who was supposed to travel light, found himself with more than a dozen extra cartloads of luggage, filled with all sorts of clothes, books, and gift boxes.

After doing all this, the nine employers looked at Ding Zhang expectantly.

With Ding Zhang stepping down, the position was naturally vacated.

The appointment document from the North Canal branch is still in Ding Zhang's hands and has not yet been officially announced.

However, many people have already gotten wind of the situation and guessed who will be the next head of the winnowing basket.

So they looked at Zhao Guangxi with gazes that were sometimes complicated, sometimes envious, and sometimes indifferent.

"Zhao Guangxi's method is indeed effective; it actually filled the hole. I wonder who told him this. We should find a way to poach this top-notch advisor..."

This thought crossed the minds of many people.

Zhao Guanghui's expression kept changing, and the hand holding the carriage shaft tightened its grip slightly.

He had tried to stop his good younger brother, and even humbled himself to curry favor with the consul of the North Canal branch.

All of these efforts were in vain.

After all, he was a self-taught individual, not only the owner of a small business but also running various money shops and banks. In the eyes of some old-fashioned, conservative fellows, he wasn't exactly a model citizen.

Zhao Guangxi was no pushover either; he naturally countered each move with shrewd and experienced tactics.

Meanwhile, Guo Guanfu, who was wearing a high-brimmed hat and a mink coat and seemed to be extremely afraid of the cold, was thinking about something when he saw this.

He raised the corners of his mouth almost imperceptibly, and a deep, unfathomable look flashed in his eyes.

The other officials and warehouse managers who came to see him off were also very curious about who would be appointed as the next head of the well.

After all, this is a crucial matter concerning the distribution of interests and power dynamics in the entire Wuqing County, as well as the drinking water for the people.

The sooner you know something, the faster you can react.

Whether it's courting, showing goodwill, or making strategic moves...

It has a feeling of "choosing a son-in-law after passing the imperial examination".

Once back in the carriage, Ding Zhang counted the envelopes; there were exactly nine red envelopes, each containing silver notes ranging from one thousand to three thousand taels.

Seeing this, Ding Zhang was extremely satisfied.

From the debts left behind by Ding Zhang, to the treasure appraisals and cricket fighting on the three festivals and two birthdays, to the gifts given upon his departure, including travel expenses and money for his journey...

Ding Zhang served as the head of the Wuqing Lulu (a type of official) for only a little over ten years, but the amount of silver he directly and indirectly amassed was probably as high as 100,000 taels.

He then took out a letter, a windlass-head seal, and a short sword from his bosom.

The sword's blade resembles azure jade, with a cold, inner gleam. It is named the "Peaceful Well-Viewing Sword" and is a unique token belonging solely to the Windlass Head.

It cannot be swung or chopped, much less cut through iron like mud.

However, it has the ability to observe and manage the area, including the daily usage and consumption of all the wells, and can unleash a full-force attack comparable to that of a master who can slay five thieves.

It can be said that the windlass head is the biggest asset that can intimidate all the owners of the water pits.

Otherwise, given Ding Zhang's incompetence and inefficiency, shrewd people like Zhao Guangxi wouldn't be so wary of him or so eager to curry favor with him.

What they feared was not Ding Zhang, but the identity of the sword and the windlass head.

Some say that the "Chengping Guanjing Sword" is essentially a rare artifact, while others say that it is a derivative of a certain immortal destiny, a lower-level Guanjing Sword, just like the Flying Immortal Stele of the Zhang Mansion.

The true essence of the immortal destiny is still hidden within the Water Merchant Guild.

Upon seeing Ding Zhang's action, everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the thin document in his hand.

Ding Zhang slowly unfolded the appointment document.

In fact, the next head of the waterwheel in Wuqing County was Zhao Guangxi.

It was almost a foregone conclusion.

Ding Zhang, however, still felt a pang of reluctance as he stroked the document in his hand.

Tongzhou may be nice, but it's not as carefree as Wuqing County.

I won't go; he's a big shot, someone I can boss around.

He went there; he was just a nobody, bossed around like a servant.

Fortunately, Xiao Zhao is a very sensible and good kid, so giving him the seat is a good idea...

Ding Zhang said in a deep voice, "The position of head of the waterwheel in Wuqing County is vacant. The original owner should be transferred to fill the vacancy..."

"Wait a minute!"

Just then, a clear shout came from the official road in the direction of Tongzhou!

As everyone looked on in astonishment, they saw a silhouette riding a chestnut horse, galloping towards them like an arrow breaking through the morning mist.

Immediately, a lithe figure leaped into the air, landing steadily in front of the carriage, and proclaimed in a clear voice,

"By order of Consul Jiang Hui of the North Canal Branch, an additional document has been issued. Brother Ding Zhang, please wait before announcing! There has been another change regarding the position of Lulutou in Wuqing County!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

How can there be such a thing as changing orders in the morning and issuing additional decrees?

Isn't this just contradicting yourself?

Many people even thought that this was a false order.

However, looking at the newcomer's attire, he was dressed in a black battle robe, with dragon-head shoulder armor, and water-splitting spikes and chain darts at his waist.

Lanting Guard!
(End of this chapter)