Chapter 60: Old Gu, Your Image Is Falling Apart!
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So it was all just for show? Cheng An suddenly looked up, his expression complex as he glanced at Wang Shan. The pride in his heart vanished in an instant. Two lifetimes lived—so what? Have you ever held office? The world is never short of clever people! But from Wang Shan’s perspective, this was indeed the most practical and beneficial approach.
If that’s the case... Cheng An’s gaze slowly shifted, ignited by a sudden surge of something called ‘desire.’
“Sir...” His tone was steady. “If that’s so, why not take an even bigger gamble?”
“What do you mean?” Wang Shan’s eyes flickered briefly.
“Thirteen years may not be long, but how many thirteen-year spans does a person have in a lifetime? If you were to lead Pinggu County, surely it would take on a whole new face!”
“Do you have a good plan?” Ambition is never in short supply among officials. Even if the chance is one in ten thousand, someone would dare to try.
...
Dongzhai Village. The closest settlement to Qingliang Mountain and the area hardest hit by banditry. Wang Shan came with only Cheng An and two constables. When they arrived at the village head’s house, Gu Changqing and Liu Qi were already waiting.
“Reporting to you, sir, everything has been settled!”
“Good!” Wang Shan patted Liu Qi’s shoulder, his voice grave. “If we truly achieve a great victory, you will have made a tremendous contribution.”
“I will do my utmost, sir!” Liu Qi’s voice trembled slightly. Though he tried to control himself, his excitement was evident. To suppress banditry—and with real weapons and bloodshed! Throughout the history of Pinggu County, how many officials had such resolve? Everyone seeks promotion when they hold office, but in the vast empire of Da Zhou, officials are as numerous as grains of sand, while opportunities to make a true merit are so scarce.
“Six...” Gu Changqing stood aside, worry etched deeply on his face—a stark contrast to Liu Qi’s fervor. He beckoned Cheng An inside.
“Are you really going to fight the bandits?”
“Yes!” Cheng An did not feign innocence this time; his tone was firm and resolute.
Gu Changqing struggled. “But the villagers are innocent. They should never be used as pawns by officials!”
...
Cheng An was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected old Gu, a lifelong merchant, to still be such an idealist. Weren’t landlords supposed to be bastards? Old Gu, your image just shattered!
“Uncle Gu, you’re mistaken...” He shook his head, speaking gravely. “Though Wang Shan and I may have our selfish motives, this is ultimately a good thing for the county and the people!”
Do you expect all officials to be wholeheartedly devoted to the people? Sorry to say, that’s reserved for saints, not mere officials!
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“I know that!”
“But I just feel...” Gu Changqing’s eyes were clouded with doubt, but Cheng An understood him well. His voice deepened.
“Sometimes, pursuing self-interest isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as kindness remains in the heart, one is true to oneself.”
“True to oneself?” Gu Changqing murmured to himself, pondering the meaning of those words, momentarily lost in thought.
Cheng An smiled and added, “Uncle Gu, sometimes you can’t expect too much from people, or you’ll never get a good night’s sleep.”
When Gu Changqing came back to himself, Cheng An had already stepped outside, discussing matters with Wang Shan.
“Five strings of cash!”
“No more than that. Otherwise, the Gu family won’t be able to explain it to their students,” Wang Shan hesitated briefly, then nodded.
“Good!”
“I’ll cover the rest. If we succeed in wiping out the bandits, what’s money compared to that?”
Shortly after, the village head of Dongzhai returned, followed by over a hundred villagers.
“Fellow villagers! The bandits on Qingliang Mountain have terrorized us for years! Now, Deputy Wang brings troops to suppress them. This is a great opportunity! Shouldn’t our Dongzhai villagers lend a hand?”
The village head’s words stirred strong emotions. For a moment, the crowd erupted in cheers and shouts.
“Kill the bandits!”
“My wife was kidnapped by those bastards. I’m not afraid to die!”
“My wife too...”
“And my sister-in-law!”
“Count me in!”
The atmosphere was rousing, yet Cheng An’s mind drifted.
Are all the women of Dongzhai village goddesses? Or do these bandits really have no other interests...
In any case, the momentum was building. This was a very good start.
“Uncle Gu...” He waved to the dazed Gu Changqing, whispering, “It’s your turn to perform.”
“What?”
“Oh...” Gu Changqing snapped back to reality, emotions mixed as he stepped forward.
“Fellow villagers!”
Liu Qi seized the moment. “This is Gu Yuanwai from Hexi Village—many of you know him. Gu Yuanwai says that anyone injured in this battle will be generously compensated by the Gu family!”
“Five strings of cash for the wounded, ten for the dead!”
A buzz of excitement swept through the crowd. It’s said that great rewards bring brave men; Dongzhai was no exception. In an age when just two hundred copper coins could decide life or death, was life truly so precious? Ordinary people cannot truly empathize with the wealthy; their values are worlds apart.
Gu Changqing had always believed himself to be a good man, hence his earlier indignation. But today, these villagers taught him a solid lesson.
“Fellow...”
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“Fellow villagers!” Gu Changqing steadied himself and spoke loudly, “Bandits are ruthless! Just days ago, my two daughters nearly suffered the same fate. Thankfully, Cheng An, the worthy nephew of the Cheng family, was quick-witted and saved our family’s honor...”
Hmm? Cheng An listened nearby and suddenly felt something was off...
Old Deng! At a time like this, you’re still thinking about ‘catching’ a son-in-law?
“So!” Gu Changqing’s voice rang out powerfully, cutting through the noise.
“Every villager who participates in suppressing the bandits will receive an additional string of cash from the Gu family!”
“This is throwing money at the problem!”
Even Liu Qi and Wang Shan sighed with envy.
Cheng An cursed silently. Old Deng! Weren’t you just acting like an idealist? Now you’re back to buying hearts?
Sure enough... rich people are bastards!
...
Two hours later. The constables and villagers joined forces, a large procession heading toward Qingliang Mountain. Cheng An remained at the forefront.
“Six...”
“Dad?” He turned to see Cheng Dashan sprinting over from a distance, followed by several others.
Before Cheng An could speak, his father erupted.
“You idiot! Do you think you can meddle in such dangerous business as fighting bandits?”
Looking at his furious father, Cheng An’s heart felt warm, and he smiled slightly.
“Why are you smiling!” Cheng Dashan scolded. “Do you know your mother fainted when she heard about this?”
“Is she alright?!” Cheng An finally panicked. Even in the darkest dungeon of Black Wind Stronghold, he had never been so anxious. But some people mattered more than his own life!
“Nonsense!” Cheng Dashan barked. “Your mother said she’d carry you back herself if she had to!”
He tried to take action immediately.
“This...”
“Brother Cheng!” Wang Shan and Liu Qi stood awkwardly together, wanting to intervene but too embarrassed to speak. Was it wrong for a father to worry about his son? Besides, for such a young lad, the mere fact that no one accused them of child abuse was already a kindness.
But the truth was... this entire plan was Cheng An’s idea! Everyone was still waiting for him to scout ahead. Moreover, from the design involving Dong Dakang onward, every link was flawless. The methods Cheng An displayed had unknowingly made everyone rely on him...
If Wang Shan were familiar with the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, his unspoken thought would be: Losing Cheng An would be like losing an arm.