Kill the enemy and get a wife? I'll single-handedly slaughter my way through the Northern Barba

"Miss Anuka, you flatter me."

Lin Feng gently took her arms.

"I was just speaking my mind; how could that be considered 'noble'?"

"Combating human traffickers traveling between the two countries is a long and arduous task."

Ruzhou was a place of thriving commerce, involving a complex web of interests.

Unless Lin Feng can completely control the military and political power of Ruzhou, this line cannot be touched for the time being.

A tender look appeared on the girl's beautiful face.

"It's commendable that you think this way, young master. Are you... a member of the government?"

Lin Feng hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Yes."

Anuka lowered her head slightly and smiled shyly: "No wonder you speak so eloquently, young master. You are a high-ranking official from Ruzhou."

She couldn't help but look at the mural.

"In my hometown, there is also a mural depicting the transformation of a Bodhisattva."

"I've seen this many times since I was a child, and seeing it here today makes me think of the people I remember."

Anuka's eyes flickered, and she mustered her courage to say, "Young master, could you come here again tomorrow night? Around this time?"

Lin Feng was slightly taken aback: "You came here again?"

Anuka's expectant gaze made it hard for Lin Feng to refuse.

But Raymond Lam didn't immediately agree: "What do you want? Do you want me to interpret the mural for you?"

Under the moonlight, a man and a woman talking intimately, it's hard not for Raymond Lam to have all sorts of wild thoughts.

"I……"

Just as Anuka was about to explain, a harsh, gruff voice suddenly came from the edge of the stone forest: "Anuka! Anuka? Where the hell have you been?"

Anuka's body trembled slightly, and she grabbed Lin Feng's hand.

"Young master, please, you must come at this time tomorrow night."

"Anuka has something very important to tell you."

"Please..."

The sound grew closer, mixed with shouts and curses.

"Anuka!"

"Get out here right now!"

"You've gotten so bold, you still dare to run around like that?"

Anuka gave Lin Feng a pitiful look before hurriedly running away.

Shortly after, Lin Feng heard a loud slap.

The wealthy businessman's curses mingled with Anuka's pitiful explanations, making Lin Feng feel a tightness in his chest.

He looked down and saw a pale red sachet lying on the ground.

The sachet is also embroidered with pomegranate patterns.

"well……"

Lin Feng casually picked up the sachet and sighed softly, "He's a person with a tragic fate too!"

The sachet still carried the scent of Anuka, not strong, but subtly alluring.

When Lin Feng returned from the Shibi Forest, it was already late.

Song Yuwei and Su Wan'er were extremely excited, pulling Lin Feng and insisting that he wear the newly obtained amulet.

In order to obtain the amulet, the two of them donated a total of one thousand taels of silver.

Four amulets were chosen, one for each of Lin Feng, Song Yuwei, Su Wan'er, and Yingtao.

Raymond Lam never believed in the usefulness of amulets. If he could turn bad luck into good, it was because of the "lucky charm" that Song Yuwei brought him.

As night fell, Lin Feng inhaled the scent of the sachet, and the image of Anuka from earlier that day kept replaying in his mind.

Her every smile, every gesture, seemed to be etched into Lin Feng's mind.

Lin Feng thought for a moment, then put the sachet into his leather pouch and put it away.

I've decided to keep our appointment under the moon tomorrow night and see what Anuka has to say to him.

The second day of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Festival.

The number of pilgrims visiting the mountain to worship Buddha has not decreased but increased, especially today when three venerable monks are taking turns giving sermons.

The main hall is no longer able to accommodate all the pilgrims listening to the sermons.

Zen Master Huiguan set up his lecture hall at the lecture platform and gave three consecutive lectures.

Afterwards, Zen Master Tanying and Zen Master Huiyan gave lectures one after another, and the seats were packed.

For those who are well-versed in Buddhism, their sermons are full of witty and insightful remarks.

For someone like Raymond Lam who doesn't know much about him, it's like listening to gibberish.

He only attended one lecture before leaving the preaching platform.

Buddhist stupa forest, afternoon.

Lin Feng and Chen Pi strolled through the pagoda forest, their expressions slightly solemn.

"The situation...is it really that serious?"

Lin Feng frowned and asked Chen Pi, "Is the source of this information reliable?"

Chen Pi cupped his hands in greeting and said, "My lord, I would not dare to be careless or deceive you in such a matter."

"My subordinates first sent their brothers who knew the ins and outs to investigate, and then sent someone to buy information from Tian Liuzhi."

According to Tian Liuzhi, the situation is similar in all the Buddhist temples in Ruzhou.

"It was common for people to secretly conceal their land and keep slaves on their estates."

Upon hearing this, Lin Feng sighed deeply: "There are many Buddhist temples in Ruzhou, at least eight hundred if not a thousand."

"Monks do not engage in production, and temples hoard land; no wonder Ruzhou is getting worse year by year."

Chen Pi advised Lin Feng, "Sir, Buddhism is flourishing in Ruzhou, and eight out of ten people are Buddhists."

"The number of believers is...too large."

"Moving so many temples is difficult!"

Before Lin Feng came to Ruzhou, Zhang Liao had warned him that Ruzhou was a very dangerous place.

Lin Feng could only truly understand how deep the water was after he personally entered it.

With the opening of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Festival, the people of the entire Ruzhou were attracted and mobilized.

A single word from the three venerable monks of Qianfo Temple could be more effective than that from Wu Xu, the provincial governor of Ruzhou.

"Is it not difficult for the imperial court to transfer me here? Is it not difficult for General Zhang to send me here for training?"

Lin Feng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the majestic, towering pagoda-like structure.

"Let's go pay a visit to Lord Wu!"

Chen Pi hurriedly followed Lin Feng, asking in confusion, "Sir, you're going to see Lord Wu. Can that old fox Lord Wu help you?"

Raymond Lam smiled enigmatically: "Let's sound him out first. Maybe that 'old fox' has ambitions too?"

Qianfo Temple, Wu Xu's lodging courtyard.

When Lin Feng visited Wu Xu, he was engrossed in reading a Buddhist scripture.

"Master Lin?"

Upon seeing Lin Feng's arrival, Wu Xu put down his Buddhist scriptures and asked, "What brings you here?"

Lin Feng greeted Wu Xu with a smile, saying, "I had nothing to do at the Buddhist temple and would like to discuss Buddhism and Taoism in Ruzhou with Lord Wu."

Wu Xu raised a slight brow: "Discussing Buddhism? Lord Lin has such leisure and refined tastes? I thought Lord Lin wasn't interested in Buddhism or Taoism!"

Lin Feng sat down and nodded: "As Lord Wu said, I have no knowledge of Buddhist scriptures and doctrines, nor am I interested in them."

"What interests me is the Buddhism and Taoism of Ruzhou, as well as its numerous temples."

Wu Xu stared at Lin Feng for a moment, his deep eyes scrutinizing him.

He waved his hand, dismissing the entourage in the courtyard.

"Please speak, Lord Lin!"

As shrewd as Wu Xu was, he had already sensed that what Lin Feng was about to say was not simple.

Lin Feng's eyes flickered slightly as he cut to the chase: "I've learned by chance that many temples in Ruzhou have hidden farmland. Is Lord Wu aware of this?"

Lin Feng wanted to discern any emotional fluctuations from Wu Xu's face.

Unfortunately, Wu Xu only uttered two words: "I know."

Lin Feng took a deep breath and continued, "Temples have hidden fields, which are exempt from taxes and also generate a hidden population."

"If every temple is like this, then a large portion of the land and population of Ruzhou will be outside the control of the imperial court."

"Furthermore, is Lord Wu aware that the temple is secretly engaging in land annexation?"

Wu Xuqian's thin face remained calm as he looked up at Lin Feng and said, "I know."

Lin Feng's brows furrowed more and more tightly, until they were almost creased into a small knot.

"Temples are hiding land, keeping slaves, annexing land, and accumulating wealth. If this continues, won't Ruzhou be hollowed out by them?"

"Is Lord Wu unaware of the dangers and hidden risks involved?"

Lin Feng's temper grew increasingly heated, especially upon seeing Wu Xu's attitude.

Wu Xu's face finally showed some change in emotion.

He gave a helpless look and replied to Raymond Lam, "I know."

Lin Feng almost laughed out of anger at Wu Xu, saying, "Since Lord Wu knows this, why doesn't he take action? Aren't you afraid something might happen one day?"

Faced with Lin Feng's questioning, Wu Xu gave Lin Feng an unexpected answer: "But nothing's happened yet, has it?"