Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 86: Killing is to protect lives, killing karma is not killing people
Thinking of this, Chen Shunan felt both amused and helpless.

He also said he would help Zhao Dongjia grow his business and expand his profits.

How could someone so inexplicably help him retrace Ahua's steps?!
Ah Hua is a good guy, but he's taken the wrong path and chose the wrong people.

Chen Shunan sighed silently.

However, he will not be taking any action to compete for or plan for the vacancy of the manager position in the near future.

With his colleagues' bodies barely cold and Zhao Dongjia in a state of utter chaos, it would be too much of a show of loyalty or an attempt to impress others at this point.

Chen Shunan knew how to strike the right balance.

He leveled the Wanlong Rice Mill, presented the treasured Litan flag, devised a plan to pay off the debts of the old lulutou, and used the Lingguan interception to reveal his lightness skill, which was no less than that of a second-rate late-stage master...

Chen Shunan has already done enough.

All he needs to do now is wait.

Haste makes waste; befriend time.

……

With Lin Shouzhou watching over Chaodou Hutong, Chen Shunan could finally go out with a bit of peace of mind, and San Dezi followed along.

First go to Silver Ingot Street and ask Scholar Ma and the other benefactors.

Then Chen Shunan realized that he might have been overthinking things.

The three parties—the water pit, the mill, and the gonglu—fought fiercely, resulting in countless deaths and injuries overnight, but this seemed to have little impact on ordinary people.

It even became a pastime for them after meals. The old men and women would gather at the market entrance and under the banyan tree early in the morning, vividly talking about the chaos they had seen and heard the night before.

In a way, they profited from the bloodshed of the four tyrants of Kyoto.

As for the bandits who take advantage of the chaos, they are dealt with by righteous people from the countryside.

After all, the Holy Dynasty is full of martial virtue and there are many people who practice martial arts. It is not to say that there are martial artists in every household, but when there is chaos in the city, those martial arts schools, local militias and retired soldiers will not stand idly by.

The Holy Dynasty has lasted for nine hundred years. Although it is showing signs of decline, it has not yet reached the point where the great edifice is about to collapse and the rites and music are in ruins.

Order was barely maintained.

Then Chen Shunan and San Dezi went to Weiheng Street again and saw many Shui San'er with their families under the well shed, sleeping on the ground and wrapped in straw mats, huddling together for warmth.

Those gazes, some pleading, some envious, some indifferent, were directed at me.

Chen Shunan had no more power to protect these people; he could only offer them some comfort and reminisce for a while.

In reality, these people do not need Chen Shunan's protection.

Only if they follow the rules and don't touch what they shouldn't touch will they not lose their lives for no reason.

……

Not long after, Chen Shunan received two pieces of news.

After discussion, the nine owners of water stalls in Wuqing County unanimously decided to conduct an internal investigation to find out who was secretly burning money and remove them from the team!

In response, Zhao Guangxi, who has always maintained that Shui San'er is his brother, publicly stated that...

"Anyone who breaks the rules and has no principles is not my brother!"

The water-filled pit is used for timely cutting.

Besides, the four major mills and Wuqing Water Nest have already been manipulating public opinion, quietly guarding the county government, and demanding that the imperial court intervene to arrest the Guolu Society and a group of rebels.

Although Liu Sui had spoken on behalf of the county government, stating that the matter was a gang dispute and that difficulties should not be sought from the government.

But it is clear that there are many clever people inside Wanlong Mill and Water Pit.

If your government is unwilling to get involved, we will force you.

As a result, the water mill and the mortar in the county went on strike and went into disarray.

They don't offer water or scoop rice.

When asked by a customer, he said that he was currently being harassed by bandits and his life was hanging by a thread, so he had no time to make a living.

When will we be able to start a business again?
Let's talk about it when the officials are willing to solve the people's problems!

Therefore, without the need for the members of the millstone gang and Shui San'er to intervene, the conflict shifted to the people and the government.

Of course, this matter was mainly spearheaded by Wanlong Duifang, while Shuiwozi was just there to create an atmosphere and cheer them on.

So, when Chen Shunan was carrying a basket and San Dezi was carrying half a pig, they passed by the Wuqing County government office.

Then one sees a county magistrate, a second-rank official of the eighth grade, standing at the entrance of the county government office.

He was earnestly proclaiming and persuading a large group of people, including many gentry and elders, who were sitting on the ground.

The county magistrate promised to restore peace to Wuqing County and ensure the smooth running of the Lingguan Temple Fair!

Therefore, all the constables, bailiffs, and even patrol inspectors received the county proclamation, selected their respective troops, and went off to patrol.

The crowd shouted "Your Honor, the Upright Official!" and then dispersed in a large group.

Upon seeing this, Chen Shunan understood.

The chaos is about to end.

Time is running out for the Guolu Society.

Chen Shunan and San Dezi walked towards Chaodou Hutong.

The streets and alleys are bustling with people, and occasionally you can see the palanquin carrying the gods, with music playing as it heads toward the Lingguan Temple.

However, the festive atmosphere of Lingguan's birthday is still maintained.

After walking through several streets, Chen Shunan suddenly noticed that many shops located at major intersections with high foot traffic had been re-rented out and were undergoing renovations.

He was fiddling with some strange and ingenious tools that Chen Shunan had never seen before, which looked like lamps and cups.

Covered with brocade, gauze, or glass, and painted with figures, landscapes, or even obscene erotic pictures, they are colorful and beautiful.

Chen Shunan casually asked, "It looks a bit like the lanterns from the Taigu area, but it's not quite the same... San Dezi, what is this? Do you know?"

San Dezi thought for a moment and hesitated, "I remember there were merchant ships coming from the South China Sea Prefecture, carrying some novelties. Could they be Western items?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Shunan glanced at the lamps and frowned.

"Master Lü! Why is this water full of dregs and mud? How can we use it?"

"Uncle Lü, I'll pay you for the water, I'll give you everything, please don't hit my child!" "Ah? Uncle Lü, no way, that's money for my child's medical treatment and life-saving! Your white flour dumplings are a scam, they're completely useless!"

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from a nearby alley.

A waterwheel was parked in front of a house. Lu Ze, with a fierce look on his face, rolled up his sleeves and took off his shirt. He snatched a few strings of coins and stuffed them into his pocket.

Inside the room was a young man with a sallow complexion, emaciated and seemingly suffering from tuberculosis, lying on the floor clutching his chest.

Faced with the woman's persistent pestering, Lü Ze kicked her to the ground, then threw out a handful of pills made of white flour, saying,
"What white powder and black powder? This is the real Longevity and Strengthening Pill, which cures fatigue and replenishes weakness. You'll be cured as soon as you take it!"

Lu Ze's slanted eyes flashed with a sinister light as he quickly scanned the room. Seeing that he couldn't squeeze any more out of her, he suddenly noticed the woman's rather graceful figure.

A lewd glint flashed in his eyes.

Damn it! Old Chen is so ungrateful, he turns his back on us and won't even help with that little favor!
The higher-ups have started another internal investigation. What if they find out I'm also burning incense and joss paper?

No, we can’t sit still and wait for death!
I'll make a quick buck and then find a way out of the county. If all else fails, I'll hide near Chaodou Alley. If something unexpected happens and some Guolu Society members come to kill me, I'll just run into Chaodou Alley!
I refuse to believe that Old Chen won't take action!
As Lu Ze thought to himself, he covered the mouth of the woman who was still shouting, and was about to close the door and loosen his belt.

At that moment, a cold voice came from behind him.

"Lu Ze, you've broken the rules."

Lu Ze stopped what he was doing, turned around and saw the person who had come, and felt a chill run down his spine.

"Old Chen...Master Chen, you've misunderstood. I saw that this mother and daughter were all alone and lacked a pillar of support, so I became the child's father and the woman's lover!"

Lu Ze blurted out some nonsense in his panic. Seeing that Chen Shunan's expression was indifferent and unmoved, he gritted his teeth and took out a crystal clear South China Sea pearl from his belt.

The quality is so good that you can tell it's top-grade and worth a lot of money.

"Mr. Chen, I found this on the road. Please take it. Just bear with it and treat me like I'm nothing!"

Upon seeing this, the woman's eyes showed despair. She hugged her child and refused to look any further.

Chen Shunan ignored the pearl, glanced at the mother and daughter, then at the distance between them and Lü Ze, his eyes flickering, and suddenly said,

"San Dezi, go to the well and tell Manager Li and the brothers to come here. In chaotic times, harsh measures are used, which only breaks the rules. So let's do it according to the rules of the trade."

There are many unspoken rules in the water-dwelling business.

Especially for water that is turbid, the water is cloudy and tends to sink to the bottom.

Whether or not the water is shaken or stirred before being poured into buckets for customers will greatly affect the water quality.

Not to mention, some water brokers, in order to falsely report the amount of water they sell, mix mud or even sewage from ditches into the water to pass off inferior products as superior ones, thus ruining the reputation of the water den!

During holidays and festivals, people also have to offer gifts and local specialties to please others!

Many employers, including Zhao Guangxi, were well aware of this, but since things were too clear, they all turned a blind eye.

As long as no victim files a complaint, and things don't get too out of hand, or involve going to the authorities and risking death, they won't interfere much.

Now, Lu Ze's actions of exploiting the people and bullying men and women have crossed the line.

The punishment ranged from caning to expulsion from the water-dwelling trade.

San Dezi nodded, thinking that Chen Shunan wanted to act impartially, and immediately turned and left.

Seeing this, Lü Ze knew there was no room for negotiation, so he yelled and grabbed the mother and daughter, trying to use them to blackmail Chen Shunan.

Upon seeing this, a sly glint flashed in Chen Shunan's eyes, a look of triumph crossing his mind.

Without hesitation, he took a step forward and followed Lü Ze like a ghost.

His right hand suddenly shot out, seemingly effortlessly, yet carrying immense strength, like the flapping of a butterfly's wings. He lightly tapped the back of Lü Ze's head, then withdrew, lifting Lü Ze's body back to the original spot.

Lu Ze hung limply in Chen Shunan's arms, his face deathly pale, blood flowing from his seven orifices, clearly beyond dead.

Upon seeing the corpse, the young man was not afraid at all. Instead, he stared at it with wide eyes, his eyes revealing the satisfaction of having avenged his great enemy.

The woman, however, looked timid and quickly turned her head away in fright.

The young man coughed, struggled to his feet, and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, benefactor."

San Dezi hadn't gone far when he heard the commotion and turned back. He was startled by what he saw.
"Brother Chen, why did you kill him?"

Chen Shunan's expression remained unchanged as he said, "It was a momentary lapse."

Upon hearing this, San Dezi opened his mouth wide in astonishment.

Brother Chen, you're already a second-rate cultivator, how could you still make a mistake?

People become more timid as they get older.

Chen Shunan was a little scared.

He feared that Lu Ze, having survived the gang's rules, would harbor hatred and seek revenge.

After all, he had refused Lu Ze's request for asylum.

Lu Ze's ancestors were armory soldiers, and he himself burned hibiscus oil for fuel, making his martial arts skills increasingly proficient and brave...

This kind of person is even more worrying to Old Chen than the green-skinned man he knew back then.

The only option left is to die.

Perhaps it was the woman's struggles that had attracted the attention of those around them.

A constable dressed in the uniform of the Holy Dynasty's training rank patrolled past the alley entrance.

One of the newly recruited constables, upon seeing Chen Shun'an and the corpse in his hands, had his pupils shrink and a hint of surprise appear on his face.
"Brother, the money's coming in!"

White-collar workers are different from regular employees; they receive no salary or preferential treatment and are considered "temporary workers" who help regular employees complete their duties and make money.

Their only source of income is extortion!

So when the servant saw that a murder had occurred, he couldn't be happier.

However, the bailiff accompanying him kicked him hard, and didn't even glance at Chen Shunan and the others in the alley, as if they were invisible, and passed directly through the alley entrance.

The bailiff admonished, "Watch your eyes! That's a scoundrel, a second-rate fighter!"

"You and I only earn a few taels of silver a month. We're only good for bullying the weak and fearing the strong, not for risking our lives! Do you understand?"

The young Bai Yi's worldview was rapidly reshaped; it was as if he had discovered a completely new world. He said, somewhat bewildered...

"I understand, I understand."

(End of this chapter)