Shulong Daojun

The situation in Chuxian County was somewhat unexpected.

He had assumed that Jiang Heng had not been able to persuade Gu Changming, which was why he had said those words. He never expected that it would concern the righteous gods of the remaining counties under the jurisdiction of Pingjiang City.

But this is just right; it suits my wishes perfectly.

Lin Shu nodded slightly upon reading this and said with a smile, "To receive such a high evaluation from Gu Zheng Shen, it must be quite good. There's no harm in meeting him."

"Thank you, sir!" Gu Changming's expression brightened with joy, and he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect with a hint of excitement.

With most of his worries relieved, he was overjoyed, but he also knew that the opportunity was too good to pass up and that he had to seize it.

Without much thought, he respectfully said, "This humble official will go and summon them to meet with you, sir."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.

Inside the temple hall, only Lin Shu and Jiang Heng remained.

At this moment, a soft voice suddenly rang out: "Indeed, Chuzhou County has been pacified and the people are living in peace. As a foundation for starting an uprising, it already has some potential."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Heng's heart stirred slightly, and a smile appeared on his face. He was about to speak when another voice rang out:

"That alone is not enough."

Lin Shu's heart stirred, and he slightly raised his hand, picked up a little salt, and gently handed it to Jiang Heng, saying, "I just returned from Yan and saw a prince named Li Chengqian who has rebellious intentions."

Then, he recounted what he had seen and heard in Yan and the two incidents of the clam spirit causing trouble.

He paused briefly at the end of his speech.

Lin Shu looked up and saw that Jiang Heng's expression was becoming more and more solemn. He smiled slightly and said softly, "Yan is still far from Chuzhou, so there is no need to worry about the King of Yan sending troops."

I came to Chuzhou County because I had a sudden feeling and wanted to inform you in advance so that you could be prepared.

At the same time, I also want to ask you a question—

"Jiang Heng, the time is ripe. Are you willing to seize Pingjiang City and its subordinate counties and townships?"

These words were spoken lightly, as if casually, but to Jiang Heng they were like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

His face froze, his heart pounded, and his throat tightened; he was momentarily at a loss for words.

At this moment, Jiang Heng suddenly understood the meaning of the phrase "when things are urgent, one should act expediently," and he was also somewhat tempted by the opportunity before him.

He harbored grand ambitions for the Celestial Dynasty and naturally hoped to seize more land and gradually expand his power. However, forced to start from scratch, he had no choice but to proceed step by step.

Now, upon hearing the words of the righteous god Xianyou...

Jiang Heng took a deep breath, a broad smile spreading across his face, his eyes shining as he said, "I am willing to give it a try."

However, this matter is of great importance, and in my humble opinion, it should be addressed from two perspectives.

"Oh?" Lin Shu raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and said, "Brother Jiang already has a plan? Please speak freely."

Jiang Heng did not hesitate and said directly: "First, we need to summon Brother Beichen and prepare a batch of weapons, the quantity of which will depend on the situation at that time."

Secondly, we should first investigate the situation in Pingjiang City and its subordinate counties and townships, choose a location, and either launch a night attack or bribe an inside agent, depending on the circumstances.

but......"

Jiang Heng changed the subject, his expression becoming serious, "Pingjiang City is a city, and the garrison is naturally large, so the main force should be the county and township troops."

As for the county and township areas, Gu Zhengshen had just gone to invite the two county Zhengshen, and they would arrive soon.

At that time, we might be able to subtly probe and glean some useful information.

Since the two county magistrates were not on their side, they would not truthfully disclose the number of troops and soldiers in their respective counties, a fact that Lin Shu was also aware of.

Therefore, after listening to Jiang Heng's words and thinking for a moment, he felt there was nothing wrong with them, so he nodded and waited for Gu Changming and the others to arrive.

Before long, a series of hurried footsteps sounded in the temple, stopping abruptly at the front of the hall.

Gu Changming walked over, followed by two people who looked somewhat reserved.

Upon Fang Yi's arrival, Gu Changming bowed slightly to Lin Shu and spoke first, "Greetings, Your Excellency."

He then gave a wink, and the two men followed suit and bowed.

Lin Shu nodded slightly, glanced at him, and said gently, "You two need not be so formal. I have known Gu Zheng Shen for a long time, and I am not here today as the City Zheng Shen. Please feel free to make yourselves at home."

Upon hearing this, both of them breathed a sigh of relief, but dared not actually do anything rash.

They then exchanged glances, not rushing to state their purpose, but instead giving a general account of the situation in the county and briefly explaining how to temporarily stabilize the county.

It was more like they were showing off their talents.

Lin Shu did not interrupt the two, but nodded and listened quietly, his eyes slightly lowered, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

After the two finished speaking, he paused for a moment, raised his eyelids slightly, and said, "You two are indeed as Gu Zhengshen said, with excellent character and ability."

"If you two have the leisure to invite me to visit your territory in the future, I will certainly not refuse."

The two men relaxed slightly and quickly replied with respectful smiles, "You're too kind, sir. It's only right."

Having heard from Gu Changming that Lord Youcheng Zhengshen was coming, and hearing his old friend's words imply that he was very humble and seemed to have the intention of recruiting him, I hurried over to see him.

Looking at it now, it's definitely true.

Whether or not to pledge allegiance remains to be seen, as the new righteous god of Pingjiang City should be taking office soon.

To be loyal to Chu while harboring ambitions for other countries is not a good thing.

Fortunately, the person in front of me did not force me. I will meet him today, think it over when I get back, and then make a decision.

Having achieved their goal, the two were about to exchange a few more pleasantries when Lin Shu spoke first: "I just heard you two say that the refugees outside the county are showing signs of unease. Could you elaborate on that?"

The man beside me, Brother Jiang, was originally a refugee, but now he's co-governing Chuzhou County with the county magistrate. He does have some skills; perhaps he can help you two out of your predicament.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Shu raised his hand and gestured.

Jiang Heng understood the meaning and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting, "This humble commoner, Jiang Heng, greets the two righteous gods."

Upon seeing this, the two smiled and nodded.

After a few breaths, one of them frowned and said, "Initially, people often stole grain from the villages outside the county, but now it's farm tools like hoes, sickles, and machetes that are being stolen."

According to the land deeds, the thefts were all committed by refugees, and the thefts were escalating.

Another person, looking distressed, continued, "In my territory, towns have already been destroyed, villages burned, and hamlets looted."

Although the county magistrate would also send troops out of the city, it was only a dozen or twenty men who went out to investigate and find out where the refugees had gone, and then they would hurriedly retreat back into the city.

He would occasionally throw a few blows, but it was just for show before he withdrew. Sigh.

At this moment, the two were grateful for Lin Shu's kindness and were indeed in dire need, so they did not hide anything and told each other about the situation of the people who had taken refuge outside their respective counties.

Finally, she cast an expectant glance at Jiang Heng, then focused her gaze entirely on Lin Shu.

Both men knew in their hearts that this official was the one who could truly make the decisions.

"You two don't need to worry too much."

Lin Shu pondered for a moment, smiled and offered a reassuring remark, then continued seriously, "Soon, Brother Jiang will discuss this matter with the magistrate of Chuzhou County and lend a helping hand. I believe it will be resolved soon."

Only by taking a look at the territories of the two rulers can one have a clear understanding of the situation.

What are your thoughts, both of you?