Book 6: Chapter 12: Everything is Fleeting Clouds
Book 6: Chapter 12: Everything is Fleeting Clouds
Right now, Jiang Wenhe’s entire body was already soaked through. His body was originally not that great, complexion already pale, lips a bit dark black. However, when he heard Lin Xi’s words, his face became even more pale.
He understood the intention of Lin Xi’s words clearly.
Lin Xi was a Judicial Sector official. Even if this dam burst and many people died, it would still have nothing to do with him.
What he wanted to shoulder was the responsibility to use other sectors’ resources and the military.
Lin Xi’s objective was to protect this dam.
However, protecting this dam wouldn’t bring him any benefits.
When the time came, he would instead be accused of misconduct by others. How did he know that something bad would happen to the dam?
The more more he did to protect this dam, the better its condition, the harder it would be for Lin Xi to find any reason to retort.
Just using the Public Warehouse’s silver and using the military, these two alone might be enough for Lin Xi to lose his military rank.
Jiang Wenhe’s entire body was soaked, right now, he was shivering from the cold, inwardly full of an indescribable mood. He couldn’t help but take two steps forward, doing his best to widen his eyes, staring at Lin Xi and quietly saying, “You really want to do this? … is it worth it?”
Lin Xi looked at Jiang Wenhe who widened his eyes, rain flowing down his face. His mood was originally heavy, but when he heard Jiang Wenhe’s words, the corners of his lips instead curled slightly upwards, full of an incomprehensible pride, revealing a smile.
In this world, most people attached great importance to the so-called glory and official rank.
However, he truly didn’t care much about these things. When he did all those things, he had never thought about if it was worth it or not. He was just like Nangong Weiyang, only doing things because he wanted to.
He only knew that in this world, good people still exceeded bad people.
That was why when he blew away the Military Prison document that day, going against orders, yet he also received the respect of countless people. This was the reason why when Yunqin’s armored troops arrived on the streets, there were so many people who didn’t care about their own lives, blocking in front of him, this was why so many people enthusiastically called him ‘Young Sir Lin’, why so many people caught fish for him.
Inside this Mulberry Elm Circle, it was unknown just how many of them normally enthusiastically called him ‘Young Sir Lin’, which was why he didn’t wish for this dam to break.
As for official rank, right now, he didn’t even feel half an ounce of guilt towards his promise to Gao Yanan.
It was because this was a natural disaster… it’s not like he was provoking people.
“Fleeting clouds.”
When he heard Jiang Wenhe’s words, he only smiled proudly, saying, “Compared to the fields and people behind me, what is a military rank worth? All fleeting clouds.”
“Fleeting clouds?”
Jiang Wenhe didn’t know these words, but for Lin Xi, they were extremely fluent.
In this world, few people used the words ‘fleeting clouds’. For Jiang Wenhe, while they were being tossed about by wind and rain, on this dreadful river dam, Lin Xi’s words gave him an entirely different feeling.
When he looked at Lin Xi who had a faint proud smile on his face as he stood beside him, Jiang Wenhe began to lower his head in shame.
“I will go back to dispatch people.” After forcefully rubbing his hands, he raised his head, saying to Lin Xi.
“Transfer over all who can be transferred.” Lin Xi understood extremely well that when facing this type of natural disaster, he could only rely on a ‘sea of people’. That was why he looked at Jiang Wenhe, saying, “Call over everyone who is available from my Enforcer and Warden Offices as well. While following me, if they want promotions, then they need to work for it.”
After telling him these things, Lin Xi turned around, patting Jiang Xiaoyi’s shoulder and said, “Please help me escort him back.”
Jiang Xiaoyi understood Lin Xi’s intentions well. Only Jiang Wenhe had the authority to transfer over the things needed to repair this dam. However, Jiang Wenhe was only an old official. If something happened along the way, then even if Lin Xi went all out here, it would still be useless.
Because he understood this clearly, Jiang Xiaoyi didn’t say anything either, only giving the other side of the dam a worried look. He patted Lin Xi’s shoulder, and then turned around, getting on a horse.
“Sir Zou, what do you think now?”
When he saw Jiang Xiaoyi escort Jiang Wenhe into the downpour, Lin Xi turned around, looking at Zou Yishi next to him and asking.
Zou Yishi was still a Trade Sector official with a bit of talent after all. When he personally saw the river dam scene, he knew that his previous deduction would bring catastrophic consequences upon him. When he heard Lin Xi’s words, even under the torrential rain, he was still covered in cold sweat. He bowed in front of Lin Xi, not knowing what to say.
“Shifting the funds from the Public Warehouse and transfer of troops, I will shoulder this for you, but this river dam, you need to help me watch it tonight.”
What left his entire being shaken was that he heard Lin Xi say this calmly. When he raised his head to look at Lin Xi, he only saw that Lin Xi, whose face he couldn’t make out in the darkness anymore, already turned around to look at Elder Chen Yangzhi, asking, “Swallow Descent Town’s dam… is it the same situation?”
“Sir Lin, it is also this situation!”
The elder’s body shook, as if he captured some of his intentions. He began to speak loudly again, “If sir wishes to head to Swallow Descent Town, I will go with sir, help guide sir!”
Lin Xi nodded. When he looked at this half paralyzed elder whose throat was already a bit sore from shouting, he asked, “This dam, if you leave it, can it still be repaired?”
“With everyone working hard, it is already no longer in our hands, but rather the mandate of heaven. Haozhi! Come here!”
The elder shouted. Chen Haozhi quickly walked up. “Haozhi! I have already spoken to you about how to reinforce the dam. You are to support the sir who remains here with everything you have… My Chen Family will live and die with this dam!”
“Sir Zou, if my friend returns, have him and everyone from my Judicial Sector supervise the people dispatched to this dam. If they refuse to listen to Chen Haozhi and your instructions… because this matter is pressing, just directly have the Enforcer Office arrest them! If there are any unforeseen changes, please send someone to Swallow Descent’s dam to find me.”
Lin Xi bowed slightly towards Zou Yishi, saluting him seriously, and then left.
“Floating clouds…”
As Zou Yishi watched Lin Xi depart, the anger he originally felt towards Lin Xi interfering despite not knowing anything about the water channels now completely changed to a type of indescribable shock.
…
A wave of rushed hoof noises ran through the Town Supervisor Manor.
The soldiers defending the town that were originally sleeping in the Town Supervisor Manor’s barracks were all roused awake.
When he heard two sentinels quickly enter and report that the new Town Supervisor has arrived, giving the order to assemble everyone to carry out military affairs, the newly appointed military officer Chen Haotian quickly got dressed, and then left the barracks.
However, when he saw the military steeds in front of the barracks who were releasing white smoke into the night sky, saw the entirely soaked Jiang Wenhe order that aside from the ten rotating sentinels, the remaining close to two hundred soldiers were all to hurry and assist in reinforcing the dam, a hint of a cold smile appeared on Chen Haotian’s face.
He was promoted after his predecessor was dismissed and replaced precisely because of the Silver Hook Lane case, but his relationship with the previous military officer who held this position was extremely good, also inwardly feeling that Lin Xi gave their local army a fierce slap. Moreover, before Jiang Wenhe became Substitute Town Supervisor, he was only a civil officer in charge of reporting to higher ups, his authority far lower than a military official. If there was any emergency matter, sending out troops in the middle of the night was obviously not something he would refuse, but what aiding in the defense of the dam? For him who didn’t have any concept of the dam, it really was a bit too nonsensical.
“Sir Jiang.” Chen Haotian looked at the entirely shivering old civil officer, saying coldly, “Rushing here in such a hurry in the middle of the night, it was only for this?”
Jiang Wenhe clearly saw Chen Haotian’s sneer, but he suppressed his temper and said, “The river dam might burst at any time, thousands of lives are involved. The situation is extremely urgent.”
“In that case, I just need to send out thirty soldiers for sir to dispatch, that should be more than enough to satisfy sir’s orders.” Chen Haotian calmly looked at Jiang Wenhe, saying, “Why do you want all of us to leave the barracks for?”
Jiang Wenhe’s temper was normally extremely calm, if there were any disputes, he would also do his best to avoid them. However, when he recalled Lin Xi’s words and the dam’s situation, his temper still suddenly surged. He raised his head, roughly saying, “Lin Xi is the one supervising the dispatch to the dam. Right now, I am having you all go because there isn’t enough manpower, help with the reinforcements. Do you all really think that I only want you all to supervise the work?!”
“We are soldiers, we aren’t muddy water workers.” Chen Haotian’s face also suddenly sunk.
“According to Yunqin law, when the situation is urgent, the Town Supervisor can transfer the town’s soldiers at any time.” Right at this moment, Jiang Xiaoyi took a step forward, interrupting Chen Haotian who wasn’t willing to cooperate. “Regardless of whether you all are soldiers or muddy water workers, not obeying the Town Supervisor’s orders is going against the law.”
“Going against the law?”
Chen Haotian looked at Jiang Xiaoyi, saying with a sneer, “Who are you? What right do you have to say these words to me here? Could it be that every single youngster thinks they are Lin Xi now?”
Jiang Xiaoyi frowned. He never expected these people to actually argue because of some personal feelings even under this type of situation. He obviously knew that if Jiang Wenhe stood his ground, spoke more, these people would obviously step aside, but he also understood that these people might still be unwilling, not wanting to be dragged along.
That was why he didn’t say anything else, taking a step towards Chen Haotian who was dressed in copper plate armor.
A light zheng sounded.
A sentinel in front of Chen Haotian only saw a flash before his eyes, and then he lost track of Jiang Xiaoyi. Meanwhile, the long blade at his waist was already in Jiang Xiaoyi’s hands, stirring forth powerful blade winds, hacking towards Chen Haotian’s neck!
When he saw this youngster approach like a tiger, Chen Haotian opened his mouth in shock, subconsciously taking half a step back, bending down slightly. He suddenly twisted his body, the long blade at his waist also instantly leaving its scabbard.
Dang! An explosive sound rang out.
He blocked this blade with great precision. Where the two blades met, a string of dazzling sparks erupted. Then, a wave of great force directly split the space between his thumb and index finger, crushing down.
The back of his right hand that gripped the blade was pressed into his left shoulder. The other party’s blade continued to press down, crushing his blade, crushing him until he couldn’t stand, directly kneeling on the ground.
“Sir!”
After a flurry of weapon sounds, Jiang Xiaoyi was surrounded, pointed at by weapons flickering with cold light.
“You garrisoned soldiers don’t wish to listen to the Town Supervisor’s orders, wishing to plot a rebellion? All of you can be cut down according to the law.” Jiang Xiaoyi swept his eyes over the soldiers around him with a cold smile. With a press of the long blade in his hands, Chen Haotian who originally wanted to struggle to his feet was immediately crushed until he couldn’t stand up at all.
When he saw that Jiang Xiaoyi was actually another cultivator like Lin Xi, not to be trifled with, Jiang Wenhe immediately understood why Lin Xi had Jiang Xiaoyi specially accompany him back. He also released a fierce shout, “Good! You all wish to rebel, so we’ll start with executing Chen Haotian!”
“Put away all of your blades! My garrison army will listen to sir’s dispatch!” When he heard Jiang Wenhe’s words, Chen Haotian’s face immediately became pale like paper, screaming out.
Jiang Xiaoyi withdrew his blade, looking all around him, saying with a sneer, “Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink more.”
…
“What is going on?”
“What? Mulberry Elm Circle’s dam is extremely fragile, about to burst? Young Sir Lin already went to the dam, needing everyone to help out?”
“The garrison army was moved out and even Young Sir Lin is there, there is no way this is fake!”
“Hurry and go help out!”
Not long after the sounds of the garrison troops’ hooves rang through East Port Town, East Port Town’s households all already lit their lamps. Many people put on their raincoats, sprinting out with umbrellas, heading in Mulberry Elm Circle’s direction.
“It’s unknown if you’ll even be able to keep your life, yet you actually have the idle time to manage Trade Sector’s affairs?”
At the entrance of an inn, the fat merchant whose face always had a smile also unfolded an umbrella, walking into the street. When he heard what happened, this fat merchant wiped his hands on his sleeves out of habit, and then with a yawn, returned to the tavern. “I am definitely not senseless enough to see you at the dam… it’s already so late… I’m going to rest up well to give you some pleasant surprises tomorrow.”