[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful":3,"chapter-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-39":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Even a Gentleman Must Be Careful",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2268659,4429,"Chapter 39: Thirty-Nine: From Fighting and Killing to Human Relations (4,000 characters, seeking follows and votes)","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-39",39,"\u003Cp>Thirty-Nine: From Fighting and Killing to Human Relations (4,000 characters, seeking follows and votes)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most terrifying moment for a sharp sword is when it hangs above your head, about to fall but not yet falling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if you can clearly know when it will fall, you can make up your mind—to close your eyes and wait for death, to resist stubbornly, or to go down together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the sword above your head is clearly raised yet wobbles precariously, the lamb beneath cannot fathom the wielder’s intent; every second of breath may bring the blade down—or may bring safety… not even granting a swift death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, it prevents you from letting go of illusions and preparing for struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the most tormenting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gentry and wealthy families in the top suite of Zui Xian Pavilion were now trapped in this torment, much like victims of a heartless county magistrate’s psychological manipulation, pacing and sighing within the room, torn between hope and dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sumptuous dishes on the table remained untouched by chopsticks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly is the magistrate planning? Didn’t we hear he’s not auditing the accounts anymore? Then why are those soldiers still circling our homes every day?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, who said he isn’t auditing? I heard that night, a demon infiltrated and burned the ledgers. The magistrate flew into a rage and personally beheaded a clerk who colluded with outsiders. He may not even need to audit anymore—he could just seize our homes under the pretext of hunting demons!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… brothers, you’re truly bold. Now you’ve directly enraged the magistrate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, Mr. Cheng? My Chen family are law-abiding subjects of the Great Zhou—how could we ever do something worthy of execution?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah, who doesn’t know your Chen family? You’re certainly old-school good citizens. I heard you secretly sent someone to Mei Lu Yuan last night to bribe the magistrate—and he turned you down. The funniest part. So why don’t you pay back all the overdue commercial taxes you’ve evaded? If you’re so respectful of the magistrate, why didn’t you donate more at last year’s fundraising banquet? Why join the crowd in unifying your stance? Oh, I see—you’re scared. Even your good-citizen doorstep is patrolled by elite soldiers, just like ours.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… you old fishmonger…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough!” Liu Ziwen, who had been sitting quietly sipping tea, suddenly clinked his teacup down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room fell silent. Everyone sat back down, sipping tea in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tall, round-faced young gentryman frowned and said: “Uncles, stop arguing. Don’t forget why we’re here today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elderly landowner with a wrinkled face and a futou sat further back and sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if the magistrate doesn’t come to this apology banquet? Why don’t we just take the silver straight to Mei Lu Yuan? Go to his door, beg forgiveness. He wants silver for disaster relief—let’s each contribute. Anything solvable with silver isn’t a problem. I’ve always said, why fight the officials in secret…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old landowner fell silent, because Liu Ziwen had risen, picked up the teapot, and politely poured tea for him. The head of the Liu family spoke gently, but his words carried no gentleness:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Wu, in the past, everyone honored us Liu family by asking us to lead. We’ve endured every previous magistrate of Longcheng the same way—and the results? Everyone saw them clearly and was satisfied. Back then, you never said a word. Now that we face a little setback, you speak like this—isn’t that inappropriate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-not appropriate.” Uncle Wu forced a smile worse than crying, then hesitated: “But the magistrate has soldiers…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen lowered his eyelids, gently pushed the teacup before the old man, and lightly patted his aged hand:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All this back-and-forth is just exchange of interests and conditions. Magistrate Ouyang hasn’t stormed in with soldiers yet—that means there’s still room to negotiate, not yet to the point of mutual destruction. We’re here today to host this apology banquet, and to donate money under the guise of repairing the government office—let’s see if Magistrate Ouyang is satisfied.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You all have faith in me, so I’ll consider everyone’s collective interests thoroughly. But…” Liu Ziwen shifted tone, “don’t kneel and surrender like Uncle Wu just did. That doesn’t just harm the Liu family’s interests—it harms everyone here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“O-okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen smiled easily at the group, projecting calm control. The others relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet inside, Liu Ziwen felt no ease. The earlier arguments had revealed these landowners’ weakness—and their hidden agendas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he knew the word “pig teammate,” he’d slap it on every one of their foreheads right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room fell quiet again. Liu Ziwen sipped tea calmly. Seeing this, the others regained a little confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Liu Ziwen’s mood was heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know how the incident at the East Warehouse had turned out. He didn’t know if his agent had burned the incriminating ledgers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All his men had learned today: that night, after Xie Ling Jiang chased the infiltrating Qi-refiner, Magistrate Ouyang arrived promptly at the East Warehouse, dragged out the head of an old clerk, hung it on the city wall at dawn, and immediately sealed off the warehouse with heavy troops. No further audit was conducted—but at sunrise, he rewarded the Zhechong Fu soldiers, as if preparing for some major operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These past two days, the gallant Commandant had been patrolling every alley of Longcheng, searching for the infiltrating Qi-refiner—or preparing to storm homes and seize property, especially targeting these very gentry families. Everyone was terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had they succeeded that night? What exactly did Ouyang Lianghan intend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen frowned inwardly. This sense of slipping control unsettled him deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, footsteps climbed the stairs outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the gentry immediately set down their teacups and rose to greet at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the door opened, it wasn’t the young magistrate’s figure standing there—it was a young blue-clad constable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Constable Yan? Why are you alone? Where’s the magistrate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang strode in boldly, eyes straight ahead, walked to the center of the suite, and casually bowed to all:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The magistrate is busy with official duties and cannot come. He sent me to deliver a message.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the others exhaled in relief. Though the man didn’t come, as long as he sent a message, it meant negotiation was possible—there was still room to maneuver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Constable Yan, please take your seat. Someone, serve tea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need. I have only a few words—I’ll speak and leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Won’t you sit and discuss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The magistrate says these matters aren’t open for discussion—and you’ll all agree anyway.” The blue-clad constable glanced meaningfully at the curious gentry and wealthy men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the others exchanged glances, then turned together and bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does the magistrate command? Constable, speak!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang raised two fingers, then lowered one:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First matter. The seven hundred and eighty taels raised at last year’s fundraising banquet, plus what you’re donating for this apology banquet… how much was it again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen replied: “We heard the magistrate’s residence behind the government office was washed away by flood, uninhabitable. We’re all concerned for our magistrate. This time, each family contributes one hundred taels—totaling thirteen hundred taels—to repair the official residence. We hope the magistrate will accept it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Thirteen hundred taels, right?” Yan Liulang interrupted. “Convert all this money into grain. Deliver it to the disaster relief camp outside the city—at ten wen per dou, the normal market price before the flood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen, Mr. Cheng, Master Chen, Uncle Wu, and others began whispering. Post-flood grain was now scarce—ten wen per dou was practically a tear-jerker. Their faces showed hesitation—until Yan Liulang calmly added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Zhechong Fu soldiers came to Longcheng under orders from Inspector Shen. They’ve been investigating the Ji Min Warehouse rice corruption case. They’ve nearly finished. The magistrate will soon send them back to Jiangzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen immediately decided: “Agreed. Two thousand and eighty taels total—I’ll add the change. We’ll convert it all to grain at ten wen per dou and deliver it to the relief camp by tomorrow morning. May it ease the magistrate’s burdens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang nodded, unsurprised. He lowered his final finger:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second matter. The Dragon Boat Festival is coming. It’s a major tradition in our Wu-Yue homeland. Normally we race dragon boats, eat zongzi, hang mugwort, and honor Qu Yuan. This year, despite the flood, we won’t skip it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But other counties around us aren’t holding it…” Mr. Cheng hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Other counties in Jiangzhou won’t hold it. But Longcheng will. And we’ll make it the biggest, best one—let everyone truly celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the others froze. Then they grew wary: “Is the magistrate going to ask us to donate again for the festival?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang shook his head and continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No donations needed. The magistrate says he’s new to Longcheng. He can’t just care for refugees—he must also show care for the gentry, landowners, and wealthy households. He won’t favor one side over another. This Dragon Boat Festival is for all the people of the county. The Longcheng government office will organize it actively, sharing joy with the people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the others exchanged glances. No one spoke immediately. Everyone wondered: what trick is this young magistrate playing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Yan Liulang nodded and added “But…” did all the old foxes in the room think: “Here it comes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this year’s festival must become the largest and liveliest in all of Jiangzhou. We must attract merchants and tourists from all directions. Longcheng already has excellent waterways—once word spreads, it will draw crowds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang pointed toward Butterfly Creek:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But before the festival, we must repair Longcheng’s city walls, both banks of Butterfly Creek, and Peng Lang Ferry. Don’t you agree? And this flood damaged many of your old homes and boats—repair them all together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen probed: “We’ll repair them—but how?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We won’t ask you to donate labor. The magistrate has decided to let able-bodied men from the refugee camp enter the city to help repair these facilities. But since these are your private homes and pavilions, the government office won’t pay. Each family pays the laborers’ wages. The government office will assist by organizing manpower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, during the festival, if you wish to host events or banquets, you may apply to the government office for able-bodied refugees—just don’t delay payment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the gentry fell into brief silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magistrate’s proposal was obvious—no hidden agenda. The men in the room were all seasoned foxes; they saw it clearly: this was “labor-for-relief.” The rich provide grain, the poor provide labor, the government provides legitimacy—each side gains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Longcheng’s thriving water routes connecting Yunmeng Marsh and the Yangtze were part of these gentry’s livelihoods. A grand Dragon Boat Festival attracting merchants and tourists would indeed mitigate the flood’s damage and boost trade along Butterfly Creek—benefiting them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen, Mr. Cheng, Master Chen, and Uncle Wu were all astonished. Just yesterday, this new magistrate had threatened to storm in and seize property—now he offered a gentle plan that balanced everyone’s interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This… was a leap from fighting and killing straight into human relations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could this really be the same man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few gentry murmured inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But perhaps they were still terrified of Ouyang Rong. Perhaps they suspected a trap. Or perhaps their family businesses didn’t touch this sector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen and the others didn’t respond immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang wasn’t in a hurry. He paced slowly around the opulent suite of Yuanming Pavilion, occasionally glancing at Liu Ziwen and the others, appearing utterly casual…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm. This was something he’d recently learned from the magistrate. As the magistrate said: to trap these people, you must appear calm and dignified—let them fill in the blanks themselves, strengthening your position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the moment was right, Yan Liulang turned and asked: “Have you considered it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen said nothing, silently studying Yan Liulang’s and the others’ expressions. He had no real interest in the Dragon Boat Festival—the Liu family didn’t profit from waterway trade. Their ancient Yue sword shop sold swords as usual; even the flood didn’t hurt sales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it brought no harm either. Feasible—or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, Liu Ziwen needed to stabilize the new magistrate, who held soldiers, while waiting for distant help. So why not grant face? Besides, the other gentry seemed quite tempted. Though the Liu family led, it couldn’t block its followers’ profit paths. Better to go with the flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen sipped his tea. Mr. Cheng, Master Chen, and Uncle Wu spoke up, asking probing questions. Yan Liulang answered each precisely as the young magistrate had instructed. The two sides conversed smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing everyone’s approval, Liu Ziwen set down his teacup and led the decision:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The magistrate loves his people like his own children. This plan benefits Longcheng—of course we agree.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll return and report to the magistrate. Later matters will be handled by Master Diao and other colleagues.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Constable Yan, take care.” The relieved group escorted him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang nodded and turned to leave. But just as he reached the door, as if remembering something, he stopped and turned back:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, one small thing I forgot. The magistrate says that if today’s talks go well, as a small token of goodwill, he will lift the price cap on grain across the entire county.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen blinked, thinking he’d misheard. “What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Literal meaning. From today, the government no longer restricts grain prices in Longcheng. You may raise prices freely—sell however you wish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tall, round-faced young gentry coughed into his hand: “Cough—these are market prices, not manipulated by us. It’s supply and demand. Constable, you’re joking, haha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Liulang copied the magistrate’s expression after giving that order, and smiled faintly: “Alright. Let’s all believe in the market. Farewell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He descended the stairs with effortless grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a group of local gentry and landowners remained, staring at each other in stunned disbelief, as if still reeling from a pie falling from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>",2334,"2026-06-19T21:28:25.445Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","438b77e17f4e1193e443433b5eeb3eeba429d9d62784b299a67c8ebd57f7557a","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-40","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-38",864,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feven-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-cover.jpg"]