Chapter 352

First Volume, Chapter 352: The First Well

Liu Leng paced restlessly in front of the Yamen, unable to stand still for a moment.

The County Assistant Magistrate glanced around, confirmed the Lin family was not nearby, then lowered his voice to a whisper: "Your Excellency, word has spread through the city—Qin Feng doesn't care about us at all; he's only digging wells outside the city to secure water. Once he solves the water problem, he'll order the Tianji Camp Guards to strike with one-Strike Victory and seize the County City."

"At that time, the tragedy of Pingyao County may repeat itself…"

To make Liu Leng grasp the gravity of the matter, the County Assistant Magistrate's voice grew grim: "Think of what happened to the Local Strongmen of Pingyao County…"

At the mention of Pingyao County, Liu Leng shuddered.

Had it not been for the Lin family's interference, Liu Leng would have already led all the officials and Country Gentlemen of Changping County to welcome Qin Feng ten Li outside the city.

He had intended to curry favor with Qin Feng, yet ended up becoming his enemy—what should he do now?

Liu Leng swallowed hard and asked with difficulty: "Do you think Qin Feng will really launch a military siege?"

The County Assistant Magistrate's eyes brimmed with deep fear: "This is unlikely to be false—Qin Feng has already sent envoys to the Zhou Fu. The State Inspector will arrive in Changping County soon. Once the Supervising Official is present, Qin Feng will have no restraint in raising his blade against us."

"Every single person in the county—whether Local Strongmen or officials like us—will have no chance to escape."

Liu Leng was now utterly trapped between a rock and a hard place.

On one side stood the ruthless Qin Feng; on the other, the all-powerful Lin family. Whichever side he offended would bring him utter ruin.

Two Harmful Weights Choose the Lighter.

Liu Leng pulled the County Assistant Magistrate behind the Screen and whispered: "In your view, how does Qin Feng compare to the Lin family?"

The County Assistant Magistrate gave a bitter laugh: "Your Excellency, the knife is already at our throats—why are you still beating around the bush? At a time like this, we must clearly choose a side and commit fully. If we hesitate in the middle, indecisive and weak, we'll offend both sides."

"In wealth and clan power, Qin Feng cannot be mentioned in the same breath as the Lin family. That Qin Feng is, after all, merely a Jingdu merchant—worst case, he holds onto Beixi County. But Beixi County brings no profit; it's a bottomless pit, draining his blood day and night."

"Now look at the Lin family—they control all of Jiangnan, and in Jingzhong they have Lin Taibao and the Imperial Consort protecting them. They are immovable as a mountain."

Hearing this, Liu Leng frowned tightly: "So you mean we should continue siding with the Lin family and fight Qin Feng together?"

The County Assistant Magistrate shook his head decisively and blurted out: "Precisely the opposite!"

"It's true the Lin family is powerful, but shaking Qin Feng won't be easy—otherwise, why would they have planted ambushes in the city to assassinate him directly? This proves they have no better way to deal with Qin Feng and are forced to resort to this desperate tactic."

"Which side is stronger between Qin Feng and the Lin family doesn't concern us. What we must consider is which side will kill us."

Liu Leng's eyes lit up.

It was like a single sentence waking a dreamer.

Qin Feng's arrival in Changping County means the Emperor has made up his mind to eradicate Changping County's hidden threats with one-Strike Victory. Even if Qin Feng fails, the Emperor will send another official—after all, the National War is imminent; to repel the foreign, one must first secure the interior.

It's clear that as Changping County Ling, Liu Leng will inevitably bear the blame—this blade will strike him no matter what.

Meanwhile, Qin Feng is currently busy constructing outside the city, digging Deep Wells to resolve Changping County's water problem at its source.

Clearly, Qin Feng genuinely intends to govern the People's Livelihood of Changping County.

If we fully support Qin Feng and restore Changping County to order, fulfilling the Emperor's wish, whether Liu Leng will be punished or rewarded remains uncertain.

In plain terms:

Supporting Qin Feng still offers a path to survival.

Following the Lin family? Either way, you'll get the blade.

Liu Leng's panicked, uncertain gaze had gradually hardened; his voice now rang firm and strong: "How do we handle the Lin family?"

The County Assistant Magistrate had many ideas—he clearly had already planned this out in his mind.

Without hesitation, he blurted out: "Ignore them!"

"The feud between Qin Feng and the Lin family isn't a secret—these two mad dogs will eventually tear into each other. The Lin family won't have time to care about us minor players. As for short-term retaliation from the Lin family, I do have a solution."

Saying this, the County Assistant Magistrate leaned close to Liu Leng's ear and whispered.

Liu Leng's eyes grew brighter by the second; he immediately clapped his hands: "Do it!"

…

"Young Master, it's done!"

At dusk, Qin Feng was standing beside his carriage, pondering what to eat for dinner, when Qin Xiaofu ran up, panting heavily.

From afar, he waved his arms and shouted excitedly: "Young Master, the first well has struck water!"

So soon?!

Qin Feng had expected at least four or five days before the first well would be dug.

The location of this first well was an abandoned farmland five Li south of the County City.

The land appeared flat, but in truth, its terrain was lower than surrounding areas.

When Qin Feng arrived at the well's edge, the Civilian Laborers had already drawn up the first bucket of murky yet cool water.

Qin Feng himself felt a surge of excitement; he plunged both hands into the muddy water, scooped up a handful, and splashed it over his face—the coolness seeped into his skin, bringing an indescribable comfort.

"How many zhang deep is it?" Qin Feng asked urgently.

The Captain of Construction Team One was a thirty-year-old strongman, equally thrilled: "Water began seeping in at nine zhang. We kept scooping water out while digging deeper—by ten zhang, the water wouldn't stop flowing. We had no choice but to withdraw."

"Who would've thought that beneath years of drought, so much water lay hidden? Young Master, if you hadn't come, we'd never have dreamed of this."

Qin Feng nodded, patted the Captain's shoulder, then turned to face the Civilian Laborers: "Well done. Everyone has worked hard. From now on, for every Deep Well dug, each of you will receive one liang of silver extra. I'll have Qin Xiaofu teach you the method to locate deep water."

"Once you finish digging at the spots I've marked, go find other water sources on your own—the more Deep Wells, the better."

"But one rule: whenever you dig a Deep Well, build a shelter over it and post warning signs around it. These wells are too deep—if anyone falls in by accident, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Amid the cheers of the Civilian Laborers, Qin Feng felt one burden lifted; on his way back to camp, he was noticeably lighter.

With the water problem solved, he could now turn his full attention to the rot inside the city.

But as soon as Qin Feng returned to camp, Zhao Yuxiong called out to him.

"Brother Qin, someone from the city has come."

Following Zhao Yuxiong's gesture, Qin Feng saw a plain-looking man standing nervously at a distance.

Qin Feng let out a quiet laugh: "It seems the officials of Changping County aren't beyond saving."

"In that case, it saves a lot of trouble."

Qin Feng immediately called the contact man forward.