[{"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-46":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},2268666,4429,"Chapter 46: Forty-Six: Boredom Demands a River of Blood","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-46",46,"\u003Cp>Forty-Six: Boredom Demands a River of Blood\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Wang, you recognize that County Magistrate Ouyang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Cao returned to the spectators’ platform where the grain merchants gathered; Li the Merchant stroked his goatee and voiced the question on all their minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Cao gave no direct answer, merely lifting his chin slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A certain lady of the Xie family, whom I know well, happens to be in Longcheng. Her father is a renowned Confucian scholar of the literary world, with disciples scattered across the land—Ouyang Lianghan is one of his pupils… So yes, I know him. We just made plans for dinner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone was casual, as if chatting idly, yet Li the Merchant, Ma the Merchant, and the others exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A junior grain merchant sighed: “No wonder the Wangs of Langya and the Xies of Chenjun can weave connections everywhere in the Jiangnan Circuit. We’re all in business, but Young Master Wang… sigh, I’m truly envious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short young man modestly waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the more he downplayed it, the more Li the Merchant sucked in his breath; after a moment’s thought, he whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… was the recent easing of grain prices in Longcheng County also orchestrated by you, Young Master? No wonder you arrived so quickly with your grain—so you’re the house behind this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone turned to stare; even Ma the Merchant, with his powerful backing, glanced over with surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Cao merely smiled faintly, waved his hand, and went on eating his sweet rice dumpling, offering no explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he was a collateral branch member, lightly regarded within his clan, he had traveled far and wide since youth, running a major trading house, cultivating stable connections across factions and making many friends—all through this tactic: “Never say all the truth, never say any falsehood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grain merchants on the viewing platform raised their cups and began toasting and chatting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Merchant put down his prayer beads, smiled, and raised a cup in toast—but then turned back to the main competition platform and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Wang, what’s the relationship between County Magistrate Ouyang and that Xie lady? They seem quite close—could there be romantic feelings? Otherwise, why would a Xie clan daughter come all the way to this poor place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time Wang Cao was no longer calm; he replied at once, as if hearing something absurd, and laughed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Xie sister is a scholarly prodigy, famous even among our Wang and Xie clans. She’s studied since childhood under her father at the academy—close ties with fellow students are natural. How could she marry outside the clan? She’s a direct-line daughter of the Chenjun Xie family. To be blunt—even the heir of your own powerful house couldn’t win her hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma the Merchant wasn’t offended; he nodded. “True. Even His Majesty can’t touch your few forbidden-marriage clans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd’s doubts vanished; they resumed lively talk about profiting from grain sales. Other matters might spark disputes, but on making money, they were united as one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Cao stood, raised his cup, and gestured to all:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come, a toast to you all! Grain prices have been stuck at twenty cash per dou for too long. Look outside—these people are still fine. Clearly, everyone’s rich. After this Dragon Boat Festival, tomorrow, grain prices must rise uniformly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short young man pointed to the wealthy patrons who had privately rented the viewing platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The burly Ma the Merchant clapped his hands and roared with laughter: “Hah! Well said! Raise them! Raise them to hell! We just got another twenty thousand dan delivered this morning—Longcheng’s grain prices are ours to decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, look!” As he spoke, Ma the Merchant suddenly brightened, rushed to the railing, and hurled his sloshing cup into the river, pointing ahead at the dragon boat race:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My dragon boat won! Hahahaha! A great omen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Cao, Li the Merchant, and the others immediately stood, smiling and applauding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, by Butterfly Creek, amid thundering gongs and drums, the first champion dragon boat of the morning emerged—and the day’s atmosphere reached its peak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless eyes along Butterfly Creek converged on the main viewing platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oarsmen, helmsmen, drummers, and gong-beaters of the winning boat, bare-armed, climbed the stage, where County Magistrate Ouyang personally awarded them wreaths and honor plaques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet amid the jubilant clamor on all four sides of the platform, as Ouyang Rong rose to greet the winning team, he seemed momentarily dazed—though none of the surrounding officials—Assistant Magistrate Diao, Yan Liulang, or Xie Ling who had just returned from the Zhen family—noted anything amiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flushed helmsmen approached him, Ouyang Rong’s unusual expression smoothed back into composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve worked hard, brave men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled warmly, placing wreaths and plaques on each of them, then turned to face the crowd below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people of Longcheng, the competing dragon boats, and the local gentry and merchants fell quiet, awaiting the magistrate’s customary speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Down the long street, a fast rider suddenly appeared, galloping toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first only a few outer spectators noticed—but when County Magistrate Ouyang Rong, the focal point of the entire crowd, silently stopped speaking and turned his head toward the rider, most others noticed the anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bustling crowd parted, and the rider charged in; the mounted courier’s hoarse cry rang across the entire venue:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgent report from Jiangzhou! Urgent report from Jiangzhou! County Magistrate of Longcheng, receive this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Murmurs erupted—but Assistant Magistrate Diao’s booming command of “Silence!” silenced them again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwén and Liu Zian frowned at each other; on another viewing platform, Wang Cao, Ma the Merchant, Li the Merchant, and others stared curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All saw the weary courier rein in his horse before the main viewing platform, dismount, stumble, then limp up the stage to hand over the sealed document.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young magistrate frowned slightly, glanced back at his attendant officials, then stepped forward, verified the courier’s identity, and accepted the urgent official document. In full view of all, he opened it and read silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless eyes fixed on the magistrate’s calm face. He said nothing—and the atmosphere grew tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew: such urgent reports, sent over hundreds of li, always signaled serious, negative matters requiring immediate local notification. Simple matters could wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last similar report had been about the Ji Min Granary corruption case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of it, many in the crowd felt a dread: another natural disaster? Or war and chaos?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Local gentry and landowners grew anxious too—policy shifts most directly affected them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wang Cao and the other outsider grain merchants felt no such worry. Jiangzhou’s edicts rarely impacted mobile traders like them—they couldn’t restrict their freedom—so most watched with curiosity, hoping for new business opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet no one expected it: the young magistrate, standing tall and silent as he read the document, suddenly smiled lightly, raised his head, shook his head at the crowd with a grin, and waved reassuringly to his tense subordinates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—it’s nothing serious, nothing to do with you all,” he said casually. “Carry on with your Dragon Boat Festival. Keep playing music. Keep dancing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heavy stone on many Longcheng hearts lifted slightly; the silent crowd resumed its bustle. Wang Cao and the outsider merchants, however, felt a tinge of disappointment—no entertainment to be had… Boredom demanded a river of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But my colleagues and I must get back to work. Ugh—just got a holiday for Dragon Boat Festival, and now an official document calls me back to duty…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young magistrate folded the letter back into its original seal and tucked it away. Then, as if remembering something, he looked up and asked casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, since everyone’s here—anyone in my county holding large grain reserves? Please come to the county office for tea and register. Don’t worry—it’s nothing serious. Inspector Shen suspects the stolen Ji Min Granary grain is still within Jiangzhou’s borders, so after seeking imperial approval, he’s ordered: all large grain reserves in Jiangzhou counties are forbidden to leave without official documentation. Only after local authorities verify their origins and issue travel permits may they be transported…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words ended; the crowd’s noise dipped slightly, then returned to normal. It was indeed a minor matter. Most didn’t care—or even understand—and dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one viewing platform, Wang Cao, Ma the Merchant, Li the Merchant, and the other grain merchants—all preparing to leave for a group outing—froze in place. Some even doubted their ears, muttering several “Ah?”s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the young magistrate’s gaze swept the crowd—and “accidentally” stopped precisely on their platform. In his line of sight, the young magistrate’s smile revealed white teeth, utterly sincere. Wang Cao and the others shivered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forty-Six: Boredom Demands a River of Blood. Yet no one questioned the origin of this ability—after all, the Peacock Demon Clan’s innate talent is the very art of Star-Shift. Her technique shares the same essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After countering Cao Yuwei’s attack, the Beauty Lady did not press forward, but stood still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yuwei frowned. Was this girl’s perception so sharp? After donning his flame-armored form, he had other means at his disposal—if she pressed the attack, he could easily subdue her. But she didn’t advance, forcing his ready ability to stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His battle blade slashed again, its blade intent stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with the blade, merging man and weapon, charging straight at the Beauty Lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Beauty Lady’s Tianji Feather executed Tian Zhi Xuan Yuan once more, then instantly shifted position—dodging his attack and breaking his lock. In the next instant, she was elsewhere. A flash of gold-red light vanished from Cao Yuwei’s body—if she hadn’t evaded so swiftly, another ability would have struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Endurance battle! She seems determined to outlast Cao Yuwei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The computer version page is closing, please\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please exit the translation page, please.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet no one questioned the origin of this ability—after all, the Peacock Demon Clan’s innate talent is the very art of Star-Shift. Her technique shares the same essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After countering Cao Yuwei’s attack, the Beauty Lady did not press forward, but stood still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Yuwei frowned. Was this girl’s perception so sharp? After donning his flame-armored form, he had other means at his disposal—if she pressed the attack, he could easily subdue her. But she didn’t advance, forcing his ready ability to stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His battle blade slashed again, its blade intent stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with the blade, merging man and weapon, charging straight at the Beauty Lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Beauty Lady’s Tianji Feather executed Tian Zhi Xuan Yuan once more, then instantly shifted position—dodging his attack and breaking his lock. In the next instant, she was elsewhere. A flash of gold-red light vanished from Cao Yuwei’s body—if she hadn’t evaded so swiftly, another ability would have struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Endurance battle! She seems determined to outlast Cao Yuwei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>,\u003C\u002Fp>",1797,"2026-06-19T21:28:25.445Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0ed83b9a05b951cede332a8cc927a22e3f2b007921e7ba8de612e1f0188acea5","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-47","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-45",864,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feven-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-cover.jpg"]