Chapter 249

257. Father and Daughter Open Their Hearts

After Di Gong's dam collapsed and the great flood passed.

Longcheng County in Jiangzhou quickly regained its vibrant energy before the flood.

As a young county magistrate once told his colleagues at the government office: "If you retain the land but lose the people, you lose both land and people; if you retain the people but lose the land, you retain both people and land."

Moreover, Longcheng County now boasts a "miraculous" channel—the Zhe Yi Canal—that transforms decay into wonder.

Except for a few small villages upstream in the Butterfly Creek valley, which were immediately swept away, Longcheng County town and surrounding towns remained largely intact.

Thus, the very next day after the great flood, the people of Longcheng who had taken refuge on Mount Mount Dagu Mountain descended the hill with their families, joyful and elated.

The sun rose as usual, and all scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants across the county resumed their labor as usual.

Even though the Wei court proclaims this a time of peace and prosperity, one must still work hard to eat well before dreaming of greater things, right?

Most people did not know that Longcheng County's decades of flooding had forged the birth of a "Ding Yunmeng Jian."

This would be a monumental entry in the annals of our dynasty, a "myth" that, once revealed, would become legendary across the land, restoring the fame of "Longcheng" to prominence since the mad emperor of the Sui's final days.

Wei Wei Shaoxuan said loudly: "Truly, hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once." "Yes, Master."

Today, the sky was clear and boundless, and the dock had returned to its usual quiet.

Also, you unusually wore a white gauze veil hat. Father nodded slightly, then suddenly realized:

But as he listened, Father's hand stroking his beard froze, his brows tightly knitted.

Hou Hou Jingshi glanced at Wei Shi's serious expression, hesitated briefly, then revealed everything he had seen and heard.

Seeing Wei Shi remained silent for a moment, Wei Wei Shaoxuan looked up, frowning: "I didn't hide this to protect Ru Shixiong. Involving oneself in such matters naturally requires preparation—hiding it secretly does more harm than good."

At Wei Wei Shaoxuan's signal, the Jiangzhou boat once again sailed toward Songlin Ferry.

The square-faced young man bowed and accepted the order, turned, gave Wei Wei Shaoxuan a slight nod, and boarded. Wei Wei Shaoxuan silently ascended onto the Jiangzhou vessel.

"Why did Wanchan leave so quickly? Hasn't he been waiting there all along? Isn't he supposed to guide us?"

"Since Liang Han took office, in just a few months, this county and this creek have taken on an entirely new vitality."

At this moment, the group of academy students aboard the boat, regarding their master's only daughter, the young lady of the Seven Noble Clans, felt varying degrees of admiration, unfamiliarity, or longing.

"Wasn't Liang Han taken hostage by Liu Liu Zilin while trying to save people? Then how come, when he met you again, he had become the Sword-Bearer? How did he snatch the Ding Yunmeng Jian from Lady Yunmeng's Lord and Hou Hou Jingshi? Wait—he used the Ding Yunmeng Jian to kill Donglin Temple?"

A translucent gauze veil, reaching down to her fair, slender neck, concealed the once radiant, peach-blossom beauty of her face.

After a moment of silence, realizing the gravity of the matter, Father shook his head:

Wei Wei Shaoxuan said: "I've already handled matters concerning Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang."

"Liang Han, Liang Han—I knew you were extraordinary. Your strategic discourse in Wanchan's study, combined with your hands-on ability in disaster relief and flood control, already marked you as a statesman. But I never imagined you'd be so much more: a man of such fierce spirit, blessed with the Elixir of Transcendence to compensate for your lack of Qi cultivation talent... Your talent and fortune increasingly resemble the Master's..."

Father stood with his hands behind his back on the deck, gazing across both banks of Butterfly Creek. Beside him stood a solemn, square-faced disciple, holding a brush, sketching on a stretched blue silk scroll.

I nodded: "We'll wait until Liang Han awakens. Then I'll speak with him directly—some things should have been told to me long ago."

Speaking of that day, she still looked sorrowful.

"Well done." Father asked: "Now that Liang Han is the new Ding Yunmeng Jian Bearer and has slain Hou Hou Jingshi, besides you and me, who else knows?"

"That's good." Father nodded, exhaling deeply: "Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's medical skill is truly exceptional. Next time Liang Han nearly drowns, let Ru Shixiong lend a hand..."

"Wanchan knows enough." Father's expression turned unusually grave:

Wei Wei Shaoxuan couldn't help saying: "Wei Shi is never the kind of gentleman who considers others' wishes—he always makes decisions for others' sake, disregarding their will."

Wei Wei Shaoxuan's voice also grew hoarse.

"Are you referring to this Miss Zhen?" Father asked.

Father chuckled to himself, then noticed the awkwardness and quickly restrained it, studying his daughter's expression before asking with a slight frown:

"Ru Shixiong is Ru Shixiong—no one else." Wei Wei Shaoxuan suddenly said.

"He hasn't even told us how Liang Han's injuries are, which doctor was summoned, or how his condition was stabilized."

The crowd on the bow stepped aside, leaving only the father and daughter. Hou Jing turned, hands behind his back, and sighed:

In the past, before Liang Han's training in Longcheng, Wei Wei Shaoxuan had always disliked being around Wei Shi.

As soon as Father stepped into the room, he suddenly noticed the temperature inside had dropped sharply by ten degrees—he turned, stunned:

He noticed she still hadn't removed her veil. "Are Liang Han's injuries minor?" "Wei Shi thought of everything."

She fell silent for a moment, glanced toward Mount Mount Dagu, and asked: "What did Wei Shi just send out?"

"It's strange—since the seventeenth, until now, when I arrived in Longcheng, all reports indicate Chenjun Xie Xun's side has remained eerily quiet, no storms or upheavals. Could Peng Peng Lang Du and the others still be alive?"

Wei Wei Shaoxuan turned, glancing at the silk scroll in her square-faced senior brother's hand. When she heard of Donglin Temple's sudden fall, Wei Wei Shaoxuan's entrapment in the Thunder Pool, Father drew a sharp, cold breath.

He stroked his beard, gazing afar, and sighed: "Of course I know."

Wei Wei Shaoxuan glanced at the silk scroll that had been taken away. A faint corner revealed what seemed to be a depiction of the Zhe Yi Canal. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again.

Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan had once been among them, but later passed the imperial examinations and graduated successfully.

But even if they knew, to most Longcheng commoners, this "Ding Yunmeng Jian" still paled beside the myth of the young county magistrate who led them in building the Zhe Yi Canal.

Bustling crowds, carriages and horses in constant motion.

As for the lingering reverberations of the Ding Yunmeng Jian's birth on this day, though they concern most Longcheng citizens, right now they care more about the whispered rumors concerning the young magistrate's comatose condition...

Wei Wei Shaoxuan nodded, then shook her head: "His condition is stable—he's recuperating under Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang's care."

"Has Wanchan arrived?"

Ru Shixiong being acknowledged and praised by Hou Jing should have made Wei Wei Shaoxuan feel bitter—but instead, her spirits lifted.

At this moment, even though the graceful woman boarding at Peng Lang Ferry wore a veil, everyone immediately recognized her and greeted her warmly:

He paused, cleared his throat, and asked casually: "If Wanchan stayed longer in Longcheng, to keep watch over Ru Shixiong and care for him more?"

The crowd buzzed with enthusiastic greetings, but Wei Wei Shaoxuan seemed distracted today, walking past without stopping, merely nodding politely, her veil untouched, murmuring thanks as she headed toward the bow.

Inside the courtyard, Father was curious; Wei Wei Shaoxuan bit her lip and followed silently. "Is Wei Shi also worried about the Master?" Wei Wei Shaoxuan asked softly.

To the people at the dock, this journey seemed abnormal. "Has the junior sister arrived? The Master is waiting for you on the bow."

Wei Wei Shaoxuan murmured "Oh," her expression blank.

Father looked up suddenly and asked: "Since correspondence has become difficult, tell me in detail what happened that day—what did Hou Jing plan? What do you know? Did Chenjun Xie Xun obtain the Ding Yunmeng Jian?"

"I don't know. Guo'er might know something—she came with Ru Shixiong to rescue you. Ru Shixiong may have saved you first, but afterward, Guo'er remained tight-lipped, revealing nothing. We'll have to wait until Ru Shixiong wakes up to ask."

Walking to the bow of the ship cutting through the waves, Wei Wei Shaoxuan saw Wei Shi.

"Only Liang Han's canal is truly unprecedented—brilliantly solving flood problems, addressing both symptoms and root causes, transforming Butterfly Creek's terrible hydrology. From now on, Longcheng will no longer be among the poorest, most hostile lands in Jiang Nan Circuit... Liang Han's flood control is truly a marvel of human ingenuity."

Father looked curiously at her, then turned and asked: "Is Wanchan in low spirits? What do you mean by that?"

Songlin Ferry is near Mount Mount Dagu Mountain, and Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang Temple is a renowned Buddhist site in Jiang Nan—many pilgrims travel great distances to Longcheng to worship.

But what stunned me even more was yet to come. I sighed toward the heavens:

Now that the Zhe Yi Canal is complete, there's no need to board a boat at Qiushenji and sail further—travelers can now board directly at the canal's end at Songlin Ferry and ascend the mountain to worship.

Father, a great Confucian scholar of the age, renowned for his dignity, always travels with his core disciples. "That's good... This matter is extraordinary. Keep it sealed—do not tell anyone else."

Wei Wei Shaoxuan averted her gaze: "It's... someone who counts as Ru Shixiong's relative who's caring for him."

On the boat, a group of Confucian scholars and students, many wearing deer-shaped jade pendants, stood tall and refined.

Her tone was slightly disappointed. "How have you been lately?"

"Liang Han is only fourth rank—revealing his identity as Sword-Bearer too soon means exposing the Ding Yunmeng Jian, inviting fame that could be dangerous. If Chenjun Xie Xun targets him fully, even the Master may not be able to protect him... We must not publicize it, unless absolutely necessary."

This will be recorded in the Annals of Longcheng County.

"I've received multiple reports from Jiangzhou—Longcheng is now a chaotic mix of factions, many drawn here by foreknowledge. What exactly happened that day?"

Longcheng County's Qiushenji Dock was quickly repaired after the flood.

Wei Wei Shaoxuan lowered her eyes: "How will Hou Jing handle this? Should we inform Shenjing Luoyang...?"

"Little Sister, you're very discreet—you haven't told anyone else in the Li family, let alone outsiders. But even if you told Uncle Li, it wouldn't matter—he now trusts and relies on Ru Shixiong completely and would never harm him."

Hou Hou Jingshi fell silent, quietly gazing through the gauze at Wei Shi's stunned expression—not because Wei Shi was easily startled, but because no amount of composure could withstand such a truth.

The group boarded the boat; shortly after, they walked down the mountain to an unfamiliar Bahuai Courtyard.

Father pondered:

Father heard and turned, glancing at his daughter. Wei Wei Shaoxuan took a deep breath.

"I've long heard Liang Han and you speak of the Zhe Yi Canal, but only today, sailing here and witnessing it firsthand, did I realize its miraculous nature."

Hou Jing, deep in thought, suddenly frowned: "Why are you staring at me?" "Nothing." Wei Wei Shaoxuan looked melancholy.

But now, it all felt like fleeting clouds—unpleasant and irritating.

"Zhongchang, go ahead first." Hou Jing turned his head, pointing with his finger, and spoke seriously to his senior disciple: "Finish drawing the canal, then deliver it immediately to the Office of the Co-Chancellor in Luo Yu. You must deliver it personally."

"No—we must prepare. Assume for now that Peng Peng Lang Du and the others have all been dealt with by Liang Han... Liang Han is unconscious; I'll stay in Longcheng a few more days to clean up loose ends. If there are traces, erase them early—especially the remnants near Mount Mount Dagu... They must be thoroughly washed away."

The small boat paused only briefly at Qiushenji; a slender figure boarded the deck, and soon after, it sailed away again, heading faintly toward Songlin Ferry.

When a beloved, spoiled, and haughty senior sister interacts with her senior brothers, she sometimes feels out of place.

Hou Jing smiled: "Take it to the Master—he'll see his dam is no longer in use. My gifted disciple has built something even better. That's how it is: each generation produces its own talents. Ha ha!"

"Wanchan—you mean Liang Han has become the Sword-Bearer? The Ding Yunmeng Jian has chosen him as its master?!"

"Wait—where are Chenjun Xie Xun's people? They schemed secretly, pretending to deliver birthday gifts, and stole a march on us to seize the Ding Yunmeng Jian... Hou Hou Jingshi is dead—then what of Prince Wei's son Peng Peng Lang Du and his henchmen? Where did they go? Did Liang Han's acquisition of the Ding Yunmeng Jian have anything to do with them?"

The Co-Chancellor, full title "Co-Chancellor of the Phoenix Pavilion and Phoenix Platform," is the current Left Chancellor. Behind Magistrate Ouyang Rong's bed, a slender figure in a Wu-style skirt bustled about, attending to the young man personally.

"What tone is that? Don't hide meaning behind words or test me." Father laughed wryly. "You've learned cunning from your Ru Shixiong."

Not the usual dark red gown.

Hou Jing nodded urgently: "Let's go see Liang Han at Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Lingjiang first. When he wakes, we'll ask his wishes—and also inquire about the Li Su Xian family."

Wei Wei Shaoxuan wore a plain white dress today, simple and modest. "Mm."

Regarding his beloved disciple's affairs, Father sighed deeply and said with utmost seriousness:

"Worry? As long as Chenjun Xie Xun's side shows no reaction and doesn't cause an uproar before the Emperor, I won't inform Shenjing Luoyang. Only if we can no longer contain the truth and Liang Han's safety becomes impossible to guarantee—then we'll seek the Master's help."

A small boat from Jiangzhou city quietly docked at Leng Teng's ferry, unremarkable in the cold.

"Master, you are upright and loyal to the Xiao Li Qian cause, yet the court below is fractured—not a single loyal minister stands firm in conviction, nor any ambitious noble plotting for wealth, nor even a simple enemy of Hou Jing—let alone, if Master Li Han's prophecy proves wrong, and the Emperor's heart truly is as you say, we may yet face bitter disputes between the two imperial princes… sigh."

"I have long dwelled in the Jiang Nan region, overseeing countless water conservancy projects; when officials report upward, they boast extravagantly, but on-site inspection reveals nothing but new bottles holding old wine—merely recycling the scraps of those who came before."

"The Xin Dingjian is inherently ineffable; perhaps I am a man of fiery temperament, and fate moves in mysterious ways—or perhaps I was aided by a noble patron…"

He stopped short, but his father noticed his son's troubled expression, assuming he was unwilling, and said no more.

Before Wei Wei Shaoxuan could organize his thoughts, the boat had already arrived at Songlin Ferry.

Wei Zhou, Year Yuanli of the Sacred Calendar, the fifteenth day of the seventh month: Zhe Zhe Yiqu completed, the water hazard of Longcheng forever eradicated.

Beside the bed stood a Hu Ji with hair like flaming gold, clad in a fox-fur coat, her face grim. His father could not help interrupting his son's hurried recollection, his eyes wide:

Moments later, his father suddenly grew calm, locking eyes with Wei Wei Shaoxuan in intense silence, as if pondering something.