Chapter 268: Plans Are Made by People, Success Is Determined by Heaven

Above the main hall.

Zhang Gui's head contained the Main Divine Cluster "Tai Sui Entering Spirit", which, though receiving no divine thought command, trembled faintly.

Two extremely fine streams of black fluid, like snot, slowly flowed out of Zhang Gui's nostrils.

They turned into mycelium, constantly extending toward the direction where those few clerks were running.

"Could it be that a treasure truly beneficial to me has emerged!

Is it really that coincidental?

Could this be the so‑called 'Qi Yun on the Body', where heaven and earth conspire in one's favor?"

A thought flashed through Zhang Gui's mind, and he no longer pretended to be a big shot.

He concealedly tugged his nose, forcefully shoving the roots of the "Tai Sui Entering Spirit" that had sprouted back into his nostrils.

He rose directly and walked toward Magistrate Fan.

"Magistrate Fan, human lives hang in the balance of heaven.

Moreover, now a shocking case has arisen where an Imperial Court appointed official's entire family perished!

Let's set aside the misunderstanding between us for now.

First, we should go to the crime scene; stabilizing the people's hearts is paramount."

In peaceful times, the authority of the government is weighty; when a murder occurs or rumors spread,

as long as the senior official steps forward and arbitrarily arrests a few rumor‑spreading townsfolk and slaps a small board on them,

the situation naturally calms down.

But now, on the eve of a great upheaval, the common folk can clearly feel that their lives are no longer secure from one day to the next.

Each person is actually panicking to death or to life, yet the world around them hasn't descended into chaos, so they forcibly suppress it.

But if at this moment a 'spark' lands upon the people's hearts,

it could instantly spark a wildfire, shatter morals, and must be guarded against.

"Exactly so; we must absolutely keep the people's hearts steady!"

Magistrate Fan, a graduate of the third imperial examination as a 'concurrent imperial scholar', naturally understood this principle and subconsciously nodded, like crushing garlic, and replied.

He turned and ran toward the outside of the magistrate's office.

At the same time, he shouted orders:

"Chief Du, gather all the clerks under your command and keep an eye on Kong Liu of the Chai Shan Gang.

Also Chief Yao, have him take men to watch Jiao Datou of the Chi Sha Gang…"

Zhang Gui followed behind Magistrate Fan, watching him sprint wildly yet arrange matters methodically, and he couldn't help but nod silently.

But alas, "Plans are made by people, success is in heaven."

The people's hearts, suppressed for too long, finally erupted into chaos due to the agitation of some 'well‑intentioned' individuals.

"Liu County Magistrate's entire family was killed by men sent by Magistrate Fan.

Grandfather Tai wanted to become a great loyalist of the Ming Song Kingdom, to be recorded in history, yet he would make the common folk of our whole city be buried with him!

When Liu County Magistrate learned of it, unwilling to simply die, Magistrate Fan dealt a ruthless blow.";

"Impossible, Magistrate Fan is such a virtuous senior official; my grandfather said he lived over a hundred years and never saw another as good…";

"It is precisely because Magistrate Fan is such a great official that he killed Liu County Magistrate, who wanted to surrender to the Yuanshan People,

and thus wants to drag all of us to sacrifice for the country.

Haven't you heard it in the teahouse? The tyrant even wiped out the entire family of Elder Yue Gong.

Didn't he also cut off his own head at Bo Feng Kou!

Those capable of such deeds are the once‑in‑a‑century good officials.

But would you be willing to bring your whole family, young and old, and follow the good official to become the rogue in that storybook legend?"…

The street chatter grew louder, more absurd, and increasingly unabashed.

The gazes of the crowd toward the officials shifted subtly from reverence.

When Magistrate Fan, in a single burst, ran to Liu County Magistrate's residence, the doorway was already blocked by several layers of people.

"Move aside, move aside, Grandfather Tai is here and you still won't let me pass."

The accompanying clerks hurried to disperse the crowd.

Because Magistrate Fan's reputation among the people had been built over years, it could not dissipate in an instant.

Thus, when he appeared, the common folk who came to watch the excitement naturally stepped aside.

But there were still a dozen or so people in this bitter cold of a lingering spring chill, dressed in short attire.

Half‑covered, their arms showed bulging blue veins and knobby flesh, and a burly city dweller with dragon and phoenix tattoos on his chest still blocked the door.

Seeing this, the clerk's face darkened, he drew the iron ruler from his waist to display his authority, but Magistrate Fan stepped forward quickly and stopped him.

Under a tea stall canopy a hundred steps away at the street corner.

Under the tea stall, Jiao Datou and Kong Liu, the heads of the two major gangs of Shanhai County, glanced furtively toward Liu County Magistrate's residence and muttered softly.

"Brother Kong, you say we prepared only one night and then suddenly launch to overthrow Magistrate Fan.

Isn't that a bit too rash, unreliable?"

"Brother Jiao, this is not rash.

Liu County Magistrate is a respectable Imperial Court Eight Grade official, holding the second seat on our Shanhai County official board.

His family's total annihilation is not as simple as the Zhang family of Gui Zi Xiang, which you buried on the mountain…

"Ah, Brother Kong, don't bring up unrelated matters; just say plainly that it won't work."

"Alright, alright, what I mean is, Liu County Magistrate's family dying is not a trivial matter.

and pinning it on Old Fan is like a thief's bite that penetrates three points into the bone."

Taking advantage of this chaos, we might be able to overturn him.

If we seize the county city then, it would be a completely different realm.

"You're saying this again, aren't you? I just don't believe that occupying the county city will make us ascend to the heavens."

Jiao Datou slammed his tea cup and muttered something.

"Brother Jiao, I've said it countless times: though Shanhai Xiancheng is small, taking it means a siege and seizing territory."

Even the mountain villages and large strongholds outside, even if they gather a million households, those who submit to Yuanshan are still righteous people.

That's not the same at all.

But the old Local Officials and leaders outside do indeed have great power.

Fan Qingbo can suppress them with his reputation, but we may not be able to.

We still have to consult Chief Manager Jiang of the Compassionate People's Association, and have him pull a string.

Only then will internal and external be coordinated.

"But that Chief Manager Jiang isn't an easy person to get along with; the death of County Assistant Liu's family is probably eighty percent tied to him."

"That's the Earth Fiend Calamity, the Earth Fiend Calamity!"

"So what then? What's the point, Jiao Datou?"

Kong Liu, who looks ten times more refined than Jiao's family, suddenly laughed.

"We all grew up eating at Gui Zi Xiang, have even gnawed on dead flesh, why still fear the Earth Fiend Calamity?"

"Are there any greater calamities than an orphan without parents trying to survive under the heavens?"

"That's true," Jiao Datou was stunned for a moment, lightly nodded, and fell silent.

When his focus scattered, no longer concentrating on County Magistrate Fan, he inadvertently caught sight of Zhang Gui, standing behind Elder Fan, flanked by a number of armored guards.

"Ah, who is that?"

"Sixth Uncle, I just spaced out for a moment; how did this person appear?"

"You're talking about the one dressed in a raincoat, leading armored soldiers, right? I saw him long ago."

"No need to mind."

"Why not mind? He seems to have a big background."

"The armored soldiers with him aren't wearing official standard armor; they're all soft armor."

"They must have been trained in the manner of sailors."

"Surely it's a descendant of a sea pirate family on a training journey, not inclined toward the government."

"You can rest assured."

(End of Chapter)