Chapter 275: Slapping My Face!

A water monster was making trouble near Yixing Town.

A rare thing.

There was a most basic and long-lasting source of merit in the River Patrol—exterminating underwater spirit monsters.

Its main purpose was to maintain the safety of trade routes, expand the fishing range of fishermen, and indirectly provide more tax revenue and more precious plants.

The River Patrol had limited manpower, and the Jianghuai Great Marsh had vast waters.

Other River Lords and River Chiefs responsible for governance often had situations where they failed to exterminate them effectively, and spirit monsters appeared in the marked safe waters, destroying boats and killing people.

Liang Qu remembered that several were making serious trouble and were punished, with notices posted in the document room, and one serious one was even stripped of his official title.

However, near Yixing Town, the powerful spirit monsters were under his own command.

According to the judgment of the Water Minister, the safe waters around Yixing Town were marked as sixty li, which ordinary fishermen couldn't walk back and forth in a day, far surpassing other River Lords.

As long as nothing happened in the marked waters every month, in addition to the ten-li basic waters that should be there, five li each, he could add ten small merits!

He really didn't expect such a disaster to appear under his rule.

This was not a spirit monster making trouble.

It was clearly slapping his Yixing River Lord's face!

Without hesitation, Liang Qu changed into his official uniform, put on his arm guards, and took Fubo out with Li Libo.

"Binghuo curfew, everyone goes out to catch fish during the day, and Chen Jiechang and I go to the martial arts hall to teach every morning, and go out to patrol the river in the afternoon.

Today, after dark, I was preparing to go home for dinner, but when I reached the pier, I heard that a spirit monster had appeared, saying it was more than three zhang long, and had broken two fishing boats; it was very close to the shore, only seven li away."

Li Libo explained in more detail on the way.

"Two fishing boats? Did anyone die?"

"No one died, but one was injured; his son said that when he jumped into the water, his feet slipped and he hit the edge of the boat, breaking his arm.

When he fell into the water, he couldn't swim and choked until he fainted, but he was saved by his son; when he returned to the shore, he was conscious and didn't seem to have any major problems.

Jiechang took them to the medical hall and asked about the situation clearly, and I came to find Water Brother first."

"Three zhang, it's almost in the category of a great spirit monster, even if it's not, it's a relatively strong one among spirit monsters." Liang Qu pondered.

With such strength, ordinary River Lords couldn't deal with it, yet it had slipped into his waters without him knowing.

His fat catfish and the others had killed so many spirit monsters, clearly telling the spirit monsters in all directions that there were "fierce beasts" here.

Was it because of the Binghuo day?

He thought of the otter family in his own garden that had failed in their infighting.

Li Libo couldn't help but nod: "Three zhang is too big, Jiechang and I didn't dare to look for it; I guess it's because of the Binghuo day, more than ten have appeared in the last half month."

Liang Qu was startled: "Ten or more? Are there that many? Why didn't I know?"

"Twelve or thirteen, I guess; they are all small characters, mostly not spirit monsters, but big crocodiles and big fish; Jiechang and I can handle them with our Profound Water Forks; one fork down, and even the thickest skull will be pierced through.

If not, we ask people from the martial arts hall for help; that bunch of people have high energy and are very active; hearing that they can kill spirit monsters, they run faster than anyone, so there's no need to come out and trouble Water Brother."

Li Libo patted his chest.

Liang Qu suddenly realized.

Each River Lord was equipped with a Profound Water Fork, which he didn't use himself, so he left them to Li Libo and Chen Jiechang for self-defense.

In addition, the fat catfish and the others had cleaned up the vicinity, and the remaining guys couldn't form a climate; even if they encountered the Binghuo day, the destructive power was limited.

The two of them could indeed solve it.

Only this time, knowing there was a three-zhang-long big thing, they couldn't handle it and came to tell Liang Qu.

He felt ashamed.

Since taking office, Liang Qu had basically done no work; the daily patrol tasks were handed over to Chen Jiechang and Li Libo, and all the small merits were obtained by the group of water beasts under his command.

The most he did was go to collect merits and exchange for precious plants.

The Shangrao Pier was lit with a few torches, and shadows were flickering on the bluestone slabs.

Sampans and covered boats were piled up at the berths, colliding with each other under the pushing of the river waves.

Near the curfew time, all the fishing boats were docked; looking from afar, the shore looked like a layer of fine fish scales had grown.

The fishermen who had just returned from the boat were discussing heatedly.

"Strange, is that water monster really three zhang long?"

A black-faced man gestured wildly: "How can that be fake? Did you see the red water monster at the River God Festival? Its size might be even bigger than that! It just looks a bit different."

Someone questioned: "How do you know? Did you run into it too?"

The black-faced man shook his head: "Didn't run into it."

"Then how do you know?"

"Ah Liang lives next door to me; he said so when he came ashore; people are not worth much when they get old, you didn't see, Ah Liang's father's hand was broken terribly, swollen so big, if he went late, he would be a cripple!"

Everyone felt a little regretful when they heard this.

"Such a big water monster, it must weigh tens of thousands of jin, right?"

"Tens of thousands? How many people are there on our pier? That red demon had leftovers after being divided, I think it must be hundreds of thousands of jin!"

"We won't be able to eat that much meat in our whole life."

"Eat, eat, eat, only know how to eat; seven li away! It's so close, if it's alive, do you dare to go out to catch fish? If you don't catch fish, you won't even be able to eat rice!"

"Shh, shh, Master Liang, Master Liang is here!"

"Where, oh, oh, saw him, saw him!"

Moonlight spilled.

Liang Qu walked over from the bluestone street with a long spear on his back, which was very eye-catching.

Everyone surrounded him, talking all at once.

"Master Liang is here, the Great Marsh will be peaceful!"

"Thank you for your hard work, Master Liang."

"Master Liang, smoke!"

Don't know who stuffed a yellowed tobacco pipe filled with tobacco leaves toward Liang Qu's mouth, but it was politely pushed away by him.

Li Libo looked around and didn't see Chen Jiechang.

"Jiechang hasn't come back yet?"

"Didn't see him."

"I guess he'll be back soon."

"Eh, he's here, he's here, there!"

Liang Qu looked in the direction people were pointing, and just happened to see Chen Jiechang running over from the bluestone street with a young man.

The young man was Ah Liang, who was mentioned by the fishermen on the shore, and was also the party involved in encountering the spirit monster.

Seeing that they had arrived, Liang Qu waved for the crowd to disperse.

"There is less than a quarter of an hour until the curfew, everyone go back quickly, don't wait until it's late and get caught by the county government."

Curfew!

Liang Qu had an official position so it didn't matter, Chen Jiechang and the others were also acting on orders, but ordinary people didn't dare to break the law; as soon as these words were spoken, they scattered like birds and beasts.

Only the black-faced man was bold, and asked before leaving: "Master Liang, can you catch the water monster tonight?"

The fishermen who hadn't gone far paused slightly, all wanting to know the answer.

However, things went against their wishes, and Liang Qu shook his head.

"Hard to say, if the water monster is in the original place, I can naturally solve it; if it's not there, I might not be able to find it."

The black-faced man's head was flexible: "That is to say, Master Liang can handle it?"

"Must find it first."

Liang Qu emphasized again.

"Thank you for your hard work, Master Liang!"

"Master Liang, you've suffered!"

"Master Liang, you are righteous!"

Everyone was overjoyed when they heard this, completely forgetting the prerequisite Liang Qu mentioned, leaving a few flattering words and leaving the pier; in the wind, one could occasionally hear a few "I said so", "Master Liang is a resounding..."

Liang Qu shook his head.

After everyone had dispersed.

Only Liang Qu, Chen Jiechang, Li Libo, and Ah Liang were left on Shangrao Pier.

Liang Qu looked at Ah Liang: "Do you still remember where you encountered the incident?"

"Remember... remember."

Ah Liang's face was nervous, and his speech was stuttering.

"Take us there." ===== CHAPTER 276 =====