Chapter 488: The Statue Has Been Moved, Yet You Still Light Incense?

"Madam Wang, I have heard that this child has been favored by our Fengyin County Demon‑Subduing Office officials Lü Tu and Lv Qianhu, who wish to take him as a closed‑door disciple, and even the chief of the Nine‑headed Mountain Fox Clan in our Qingyang County's Nine‑headed Mountain also covets this child, wanting to make him their clan's son‑in‑law?"

At this point, Tong Weicai paused, glanced at Wang Ping'an beside Liu Dongzhu, his face full of unmistakable envy, and said:

"Madam, may I ask whether this matter actually exists?"

This matter.

It was mentioned when Wei Yuan gave him a detailed briefing on Wang Ping'an's situation.

Whether it was the chief of the Nine‑headed Mountain Fox Clan or the Fengyin County Demon‑Subduing Office officials Lü Tu and Lv Qianhu, in his eyes they were all top‑tier big shots.

If he could attach himself to those two's connections, why would he be reduced to doing unsavory tasks for Wei Yuan, risking being used by Wei Yuan as a scapegoat?

How could he possibly not be envious? Someone like Wang Ping'an, right from birth, is favored by one notable after another. If he had such a fate back then, he would have dared to aspire beyond the county magistrate—perhaps even the prefectural governor or the chief administrator!

"Indeed, that is the case!"

Liu Dongzhu nodded, not denying it. This matter occurred within the Zhang Family, in broad daylight before many witnesses; countless people must have known, even the Qingyang County Magistrate himself experienced it firsthand. As the magistrate's senior official, Tong Weicai is the magistrate's confidant and could not be unaware of such a thing. He furrowed his brows and asked:

"Senior Official Tong, are you asking these because you intend to become a lobbyist?"

"A lobbyist?"

Tong Weicai smiled lightly.

Since learning that the Prime Minister's Daughter would certainly endanger Wang Ping'an's life, and the magistrate is still scheming how to attach himself to the Prime Minister's Daughter, how could he dare to involve himself with Wang Ping'an's affairs?

Even to lend Wang Ping'an as a lobbyist, to link up with the chief of the Nine‑headed Mountain Fox Clan or Lü Tu, he lacks the nerve.

Tong Weicai said earnestly:

"I would indeed like to act as that lobbyist, but I know, Madam Wang, you have your own ideas. I am ultimately an outsider and cannot meddle in your family affairs. Madam, the matter concerning your son Ping'an must naturally be resolved by you yourselves; how could I add my voice to it?"

Liu Dongzhu smiled and said nothing further.

She was fundamentally opposed to Hu Jianbai's desire to make her family a son‑in‑law of the Nine‑headed Mountain Fox Clan.

First, she hopes that her son Ping'an can find a girl he truly likes, rather than be treated like that brute, doing something worse than a pig or dog; therefore she will not overly interfere in Ping'an's marriage.

Second, even though the Nine‑headed Mountain Fox Clan is a benevolent race, they are still monsters; if her son Ping'an truly married a fox spirit, he would inevitably attract strange looks from the world, affecting her family.

Third, the precedent set by Hu Meiniang makes her wary of the Nine‑headed Mountain Fox Clan.

As for Lü Tu taking her son Ping'an as a disciple, she does not object much; she needs to assess whether Lü Tu's intention is sincere.

Wang Ping'an had originally been paying close attention to Tong Weicai, curious about the sudden sympathetic glance he offered; after listening to Tong Weicai's dialogue with his mother, he grew lazy to keep watching, clearly it would not be a good sign.

Of course.

It was still within the Mountain God Temple, where an unusual situation arose, drawing all his attention.

Mountain God Temple. Zhang Chengyong and the wandering village troupe left the Mountain God Temple, casting a cold stare at Zhang Guilian. To his surprise, Zhang Guilian seemed completely indifferent to him, even to his icy gaze, as if, in the Mountain God Temple, his presence mattered not. Zhang Guilian then produced three incense sticks from somewhere, lit them, and asked:

"Second Aunt, what are you doing? My father's Mountain God Statue hasn't returned yet; what meaning is there in lighting incense now?"

"The significance, of course there is meaning; you just don't know!"

Zhang Guilian sneered inwardly, a flash of malice flickering deep in his eyes before vanishing, yet his face showed no expression as he said evenly:

"What, even if I offer a single incense stick to my elder brother, you have to meddle?"

"Second Aunt, look at how you speak; you offer my father an incense stick, how could I possibly intervene?"

Zhang Chengyong, though finding it odd that Zhang Guilian would offer incense to his father at this moment, pondered for a long while, unable to see any danger in lighting a single incense stick—could it possibly cause a fire that would burn his father's Mountain God Temple? He retorted sarcastically:

"Don't tell me it's just offering my father an incense stick; even if you were to burn my father's grave, I still couldn't intervene!"

Zhang Guilian ignored Zhang Chengyong's sarcastic tone. If she could, she wouldn't just burn Zhang Deben's grave; she would even pull Zhang Deben out of the tomb, expose his corpse to the wilderness, and ask why his heart was so cruel, forcing his son and her own son onto a path of death.

But that would be her brother‑in‑law and her nephew!

She wanted to question whether Zhang Deben's conscience had been devoured by a dog, and whether Du Guan and his son had simply done a trivial wrongdoing? Since it caused them no real harm, why would Zhang Deben and his whole family refuse to forgive?

Zhang Chengyong was genuinely worried that during the incense offering, Zhang Guilian might set his father's Mountain God Temple ablaze. After all, his father's Mountain God Statue had not yet returned, giving no reason for incense. He stared intently at Zhang Guilian, ready to intervene the moment he detected any illicit move.

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What disappointed him was that Zhang Guilian's incense offering was indeed odd, yet showed no hint whatsoever of taking advantage to commit wrongdoing—no sign of arson on the Mountain God Temple.

"Did I misunderstand? She merely wanted to light a few incense sticks—though she placed many, inserting them throughout the entire Mountain God Temple, yet she never considered using the chance to set the temple ablaze?"

In Zhang Chengyong's mind, myriad thoughts swirled, and he silently denied:

"No, who is she that I could still not know? How could she possibly be just lighting a single incense stick? Her action must have a reason unknown to me; it cannot be something good!"

"What is going on?"

Wang Ping'an's paper puppet also noticed Zhang Guilian's abnormal behavior. Unlike Zhang Chengyong's doubts, he instantly recognized that Zhang Guilian's actions were 100% malicious. In his mind, countless thoughts surfaced, and he speculated:

"Is there something strange about the incense she burned?"

At that thought, Wang Ping'an, while Zhang Guilian and Zhang Chengyong were distracted, controlled the paper puppet, stealthily moved to an inconspicuous spot, and pulled out a lit incense stick.

to examine…

Unfortunately.

He could not discern any difference in that incense stick; when trying to identify it by scent, he was still controlling the paper puppet, unable even to speak, let alone sniff, so he could only stealthily retrieve the incense, seeing that aside from filling the Mountain God Temple with incense, Zhang Guilian took no other action.

He then guided this miniature paper puppet, carrying the incense stick, back!

(End of Chapter)