[{"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-59":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},2268679,4429,"Chapter 59","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-59",59,"\u003Cp>Fifty-Nine: The Liu Family: The County Magistrate’s Cold Violence\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They appointed him as a parent-official, not an actual parent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near the sparse Liu family porridge stall and orphanage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin, usually hot-tempered, today wore an unusually calm expression, turning to his two older brothers with seriousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen said nothing, silently watching the cold, desolate porridge stall and orphanage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rice prices in Longcheng have dropped to rock bottom; anyone with even modest wealth has no trouble eating rice, while the destitute remain in the city’s relief camps. Even those who come to freeload only take one bowl of porridge each morning and evening and leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one now sits starving beside the porridge stall, staring hopelessly for a bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Longcheng County is hiring everywhere; as long as a refugee has an arm and a leg, they can find odd jobs, earn wages, and eat well—no one wastes time waiting here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The orphanage is even more so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumor has it the county office has a new female private secretary who reorganized a clerk’s quarters and opened an orphanage bureau specifically to shelter abandoned infants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She even recruited many women of childbearing age from the suburban relief camps to care for the children, paying them nearly as much as dock laborers, with lighter work—many refugee women are fighting to get in…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this Liu family place… this time, they’ve truly become benefactors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the eldest silent, Liu Zian and Liu Zilin stood quietly beside him, keeping still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the three brothers stood the old steward who managed the porridge stall and orphanage, hunched and bowing, awkwardly waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut it down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian spoke first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been overseeing a swordsmith and a furnace inside the sword shop when Liu Ziwen suddenly sent for him. Liu Zilin must have been summoned too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian always looked sickly; now, with lowered eyelids, he gazed at the two ancient, money-losing relics, his expression dull and listless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liu family’s true source of wealth is not the porridge stall or orphanage—it’s the ancient Yue Sword Shop, their money tree. The former is barely pocket change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The poor of Longcheng have been squeezed dry; to make money, you must target the nobles and wealthy of the Great Zhou Dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian had long advised his elder brother to shut it down, but he’d seen the latter ignore him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The porridge stall steward, hearing the second young master’s words, immediately wore a pained expression, flustered: “Young Master, we’re useless—shall we follow Second Young Master’s advice…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The porridge stall and orphanage cannot close.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen said seriously, stating a fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, raised his hand to straighten the trembling steward’s hat, and said calmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tai Bo has done well these years. Father’s porridge stall has always been under your careful care. You’ve worked hard. Hold on a little longer. After this year, Tai Bo may join the Sword Shop’s procurement bureau and choose a light post to retire in peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not hard at all! Grateful the Young Master still remembers this old servant…” Tai Bo wept uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian watched coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin looked indifferent, focused only on one thing: whispering incessantly beside his elder and second brother, trying to undermine the illustrious parent-official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big brother, closing the porridge stall is minor, but losing the Liu family’s face is major! He’s been in office for days and hasn’t even come to pay his respects at our door!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen ignored him, took his two younger brothers to each get a bowl of hot porridge, drank it quietly, then shook his head and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too thin. Make the next pot thicker.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Tai Bo bowed and retreated, Liu Ziwen didn’t turn, barked: “Drink it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian, still bent over sipping, drained the remaining half-bowl in one gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin, still muttering, panicked, tilted his head back, and swallowed the hot porridge clinging to his thumb in one go—too hastily, he coughed violently, choking through nose and mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liu family’s young master asked his two bewildered younger brothers:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you forgotten Father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian fell silent. Liu Zilin’s face hardened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter gritted his teeth:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I haven’t forgotten. It was these commoners who killed Father!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Father opened the porridge stall out of kindness during the famine, helping these commoners. When grain ran out, we naturally reduced the number of stalls. These commoners showed no gratitude; instead, incited by malicious people, they stormed Father’s house and looted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian also spoke coldly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And after Master Di left, the new county magistrate, jealous of Father’s reputation and coveting our wealth, blamed the starving dead on poison in Father’s porridge, tortured confessions out of people, and the world turned cold—no one spoke up for Father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen stared at his two brothers: “Before Father died unjustly, do you know what he told me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Liu Zian and Liu Zilin shook their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He told me to keep the porridge stall open.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen suddenly smiled, pointing at the porridge stall and orphanage ahead:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A grain of rice brings gratitude; a bushel brings resentment. Fine. Then we’ll run it differently. Look—don’t all the people in the county now call the Liu family great benefactors? And who dares to curse us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So as long as I live, Father’s porridge stall must remain open.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian nodded coldly: “Our Longcheng County will not allow such defiant commoners again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin’s eyes glinted with malice: “Nor will we allow any official who stands tall—either behead them, or make them kneel like dogs!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen clapped his two younger brothers firmly on the shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the three left the porridge stall and returned to their carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen glanced at the bustling street still lively from the Dragon Boat Festival’s end, lowered the carriage curtain, and turned to his second brother—the deep, reserved one—and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch the sword shop. You were right last time—now isn’t the time to stir up major turmoil. The quieter Longcheng’s situation, the better. The sword shop matters most!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin was dissatisfied: “Are we just going to let that Ouyang guy get so arrogant?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen looked at his third brother, expression unchanged:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I won’t let him feast easily. Since he’s brought in a flock of sheep, and Longcheng has more than just him as a wolf, let them all eat—and maybe even turn and devour him too…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Liu family’s young master chuckled softly: “When rice prices fall below five cash per dou in the next couple days, we’ll strike to buy low.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zian’s lips curled slightly in a smile: “Don’t worry, Big Brother. I’ve been watching. We’ve been ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this must be done quietly. When rice prices crash to worthless, Second Brother will take our goodwill to Master Ma and Master Li—adding flowers to brocade is nothing compared to giving coal in snow; that’s how you make true friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin’s face flushed deeper with every word; had the carriage not been cramped and bumpy, he’d have jumped up, pacing and rubbing his hands in excitement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Brother and Second Brother nailed it! Ambush! I love ambushes! Hahaha—when that Ouyang dog of an official sees it, his face will be priceless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen turned and asked: “Last time I told you to think hard about how to reattach your broken leg—what’s your plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Zilin nodded vigorously, face alight: “I’ve thought of it! I’ve prepared for this for ages! Didn’t you say killing isn’t skill—destroying the heart is the ultimate move?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen said calmly: “Good. When we return, explain it to your second brother—he’ll vet your plan. Soft knives sometimes draw no blood; sometimes you need hard ones too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving these orders, the Liu family’s young master sighed again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why must we endure this? Holding on so long, and now it’s the rainy season—without our Liu craftsmen, can Master Di’s dam even be repaired?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He won’t look up until he’s bloodied his head. Came to Longcheng to do one thing? Yes, one thing… come to eat a meal and apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three Liu brothers exchanged glances and laughed together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the carriage slowed to a stop before the towering stone lions at the entrance of the Liu family mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen, Liu Zian, and Liu Zilin stepped down, preparing to enter and attend to their duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a limping servant who had been waiting at the gate, face grim, rushed forward and said at once:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Masters, trouble! The county magistrate suddenly convened a meeting in the county office hall today—invited all sixteen outside grain merchants still in Longcheng, and twelve other local gentry, but… didn’t invite us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three Liu brothers froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Ziwen’s usually calm, steady expression shifted slightly—a bad premonition rose in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve o’clock still to come\u003C\u002Fp>",1477,"2026-06-19T21:28:25.445Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e7719d579a18cd2f5b1976f6abe007068796a9db28da7a7bbce11d4897b9a8be","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-60","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-58",864,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feven-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-cover.jpg"]