Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 88 A Good Magistrate for the People
Outside Changshan City, on the official road.

The dust kicked up by the two horses slowly settled.

On horseback sat a young man and woman dressed in brocade robes, riding exceptionally fine steeds.

The woman had a beautiful oval face and slender willow-leaf eyebrows, but her bright and charming appearance was overshadowed by an unyielding coldness between her brows, making her seem distant and unapproachable.

The man was dressed in a brocade robe, his long hair was neatly tied up with a jade crown, and he had an extraordinary demeanor, clearly the air of a scion of a noble family.

Unfortunately, his appearance was rather ordinary, and standing side by side with the aloof and beautiful woman beside him, he seemed somewhat out of place. Furthermore, the plain-looking young man's words to the cold woman carried a very obvious hint of flattery.
"Ling'er, Changshan County is just ahead. My maternal grandfather's family lives here. I will definitely take you to see the local customs and culture when we arrive."

Upon hearing this, Han Ling'er's eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly, her tone cool:
“Senior Brother Xu, I have said it many times, please do not call me ‘Ling’er’. Our relationship is not that close yet.”

Xu Shenzhi chuckled, seemingly already accustomed to Han Ling'er's cold attitude, and said nonchalantly:

"Our marriage was arranged by our elders in our early years, and marriage is only a matter of time. Let's get closer now, so that things will be better in the future."

"enough."

Han Ling'er impatiently interrupted him, clearly unwilling to listen any longer: "Didn't you come here on important business? Why don't you hurry up and enter the city?"

Before she finished speaking, she spurred her horse and galloped towards the city gate.

"Ling'er, slow down. The Huang residence is in the east of the city."

Upon seeing this, Xu Shenzhi hurriedly urged his horse to catch up.

In front of the Huang Mansion.

The patriarch Huang Dongchun and elder Huang Ke were already standing outside the mansion gate, craning their necks in anticipation, their faces filled with anxiety and expectation.

They have received confirmation that the people sent by the Xu family will arrive in Changshan today.

"Why haven't they arrived yet?"

Huang Dongchun paced back and forth, his anxiety almost overflowing.

The Huang family's situation is now extremely precarious, and they could follow in the footsteps of the Gao family at any moment. Only the arrival of people from the Xu family can ease his anxiety. Otherwise, he will be living in constant fear and unable to eat or sleep.

"Brother, please be patient. The letter says it will arrive today, so it should be arriving soon."

Although Huang Ke tried to comfort him, his eyes kept glancing towards the end of the long street, showing that he was just as nervous.

Huang Dongchun sighed heavily, his unfinished words filled with helplessness. Huang Ke naturally understood his worries, but at the moment, the Xu family was the Huang family's only hope.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves grew louder as Xu Shenzhi and Han Ling'er rode up to the gate of the Huang residence.

Han Ling'er casually surveyed the somewhat dilapidated street scene around her, while Xu Shenzhi spurred his horse forward a few steps, his gaze landing on Huang Dongchun, who was at the head of the group, with a somewhat condescending scrutiny:
Is this the Huang residence?

Seeing that the newcomer was a strange young man with such a rude tone, Huang Dongchun, already annoyed, became even more displeased and coldly retorted:

"Who are you?"

Although Xu Shenzhi appeared obedient to Han Ling'er, the arrogance of a scion of a prominent family unconsciously surfaced in this remote county town.

"My surname is Xu. I have come to the Huang family on the orders of my clan."

"Surname Xu?"

Huang Ke was taken aback upon hearing this, and hurriedly asked, "What...what's your name?"

Before Xu Shenzhi could answer, Han Ling'er, growing increasingly impatient, spoke first:
His name is Xu Shenzhi.

Then he looked at Xu Shenzhi beside him and said:

"Is this really your uncle's house? How come there's not a single person I recognize here?"

"Shenzhi? You...you are not Yanmei's child, Shenzhi?"

When Han Ling'er revealed her name, both Huang Dongchun and Huang Ke were shocked. The latter asked with a mixture of disbelief and excitement.

Although they had never met Xu Shenzhi, Huang Yan, the younger sister who married into the Xu family, mentioned many years ago when she returned home to visit her family that her eldest son was named Xu Shenzhi and was the heir of the Xu family's direct line.

"That's right, and who are you?"

Xu Shenzhi frowned slightly as he sized up the two men.

“I am your third maternal uncle, Huang Ke, and this is your eldest maternal uncle, Huang Dongchun, the head of the Huang family.”

Huang Ke quickly explained, his tone eager.

Upon hearing this, Xu Shenzhi's arrogant expression subsided slightly. He dismounted and gave a perfunctory bow.

"So it's you two uncles. I was rude just now."

He then stepped aside to introduce, "This is..."

"Han Ling'er, a disciple of the Iron Sword Sect, is Senior Brother Xu's junior sister."

Han Ling'er introduced herself fluently, remaining aloof and never mentioning the engagement.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Xu Shenzhi's face, but he didn't dare to argue and could only give an awkward smile.

Huang Dongchun looked at the only two young men in front of him, his face darkening, and asked with a last glimmer of hope:
"Is it just the two of you who came this time?"

He originally thought that the Xu family would send at least one or two elders at the peak of Foundation Establishment to support them, so that they would have more confidence when dealing with Chen Sheng, and even if they had to bow down in the end, they could still save face for the Huang family.

To his surprise, the Xu family only sent a young man, which made him feel disheartened.

"Don't worry, Uncle."

Xu Shenzhi seemed to see Huang Dongchun's disappointment, and immediately puffed out his chest and said confidently, "This matter is more than enough for my nephew to handle alone."

Seeing this, Huang Ke quickly stepped forward to smooth things over:

“Brother, Shenzhi has come from afar and must be tired from his journey. Please come into the mansion first and we can talk in detail. Our great-uncle is still waiting in the main hall.”

Huang Dongchun suppressed his unease and forced a nod:
"Alright, let's go and pay our respects to our great-uncle first."

With that, he turned and led the way into the mansion.

The main hall of the Huang family.

Xu Shenzhi greeted his uncle Huang, who was seated in the main seat, according to etiquette, and was then invited to sit down at the head of the table.

Han Ling'er had no interest in the affairs of this place. After giving a brief greeting, she left the Huang residence and went to stroll around the city.

Huang's great-uncle remained calm and composed, his gaze deep, showing no disdain for Xu Shenzhi's youth.

Because he knew that this young man was not only an inner disciple of the Iron Sword Sect, a major sect in the prefecture, but also the future head of the Xu family. This dual identity alone was enough to make him significant.

"What is the Xu family's plan for this matter?" The Huang family's grand-uncle asked directly, his tone calm and unwavering.

Xu Shenzhi straightened his robes and calmly replied:

"Before I left, my father instructed me that the most important thing in this matter was to see what the Huang family wanted. If the Huang family was willing to turn hostility into friendship and settle the matter, then I would take the lead in negotiating with the person in charge of the county government."

If the Huang family does not wish to stop the fighting…

He paused slightly, not continuing, but the meaning was clear—the Xu family's inclination was to settle things peacefully.

After all, the Changshan County government represented the face of the government.

Although the Xu family can be considered a prominent family in Ning'an Prefecture, they are by no means top-tier, and their influence is not yet sufficient to directly affect the decisions of the prefect or the Ning'an general.

Completely breaking ties with the government would come at too high a price, and if things escalated, the Xu family might not be able to fully protect the Huang family.

Of course, if the Huang family insisted on fighting because of their kinship, he would do his best to support them and try to force the county government to give in. In his view, the officials in charge of Changshan County would eventually have to give the Xu family some face.

Huang's great-uncle was a shrewd and experienced man; he immediately understood Xu Shenzhi's implied meaning and promptly expressed his opinion:
"The Huang family has never intended to oppose the government. The reason we are troubling the Xu family is precisely to mediate and resolve the grievances. However... we are worried that Chen Sheng will not give the Huang family, or rather, will not give the Xu family the face."

"Chen Sheng?"

Upon hearing that his maternal grandfather had agreed to the peace talks, Xu Shenzhi was initially relieved, but then raised an eyebrow and asked with a puzzled expression, "I've heard that the magistrate of Changshan County is surnamed Lin, and the newly appointed county lieutenant is surnamed Wu. So who is this Chen Sheng...?"

"This young man is the newly appointed commander of the military camp, in charge of all the troops in the county. He wields immense power in Changshan County and has a close relationship with County Commandant Wu, with whom he is considered an inseparable confidant."

Huang Ke hurriedly stepped forward to explain, "Nowadays, many affairs in the county are controlled by this person. It can be said that he is the biggest obstacle to this peace talks."

Upon hearing this, Xu Shenzhi's lips curled into a relaxed smile, as if he had heard something insignificant:

"I wondered who it was, but it turns out to be just a military battalion commander. Uncle, there's no need to worry. I'll go and meet him myself. I'm sure he won't dare to disrespect the Xu family."

At the same time, Xu Shenzhi couldn't help but feel a bit contempt for the Huang family.

It's truly... undeserving of a reputation that a local tyrant who has held sway for a century has been forced into such a predicament by a newly risen military battalion commander.

He had originally thought his opponent would be at least a seventh-rank official, such as a county magistrate or county lieutenant, but he was surprised to find that he was just a mere commander. This made him realize that this mission was much simpler than he had imagined.

“This boy’s methods are extraordinary; he is no ordinary martial artist. The destruction of the Gao family serves as a warning. Shenzhi, you must not let your guard down.”

Seeing Xu Shenzhi's dismissive attitude, Huang's uncle felt uneasy and quickly reminded him.

The Huang family had initially underestimated Chen Sheng, focusing their main efforts on dealing with Wu Kuang. However, the series of events over the past few months had made them realize that this young local from Changshan was the truly terrifying character.

"Grandfather, rest assured, Shenzhi knows his limits and has his own ideas."

Xu Shenzhi smiled calmly, his tone humble, but the confidence stemming from his background and abilities was still evident.

However, seeing how seriously the Huang family was taking this, he also became somewhat wary.

But then he thought again that as the young master of the Xu family, with the powerful families of the prefecture and the Iron Sword Sect behind him, and the commander of the military camp named Chen Sheng, he should know how to assess the situation and give him some face.

On the other side, the county government office.

After having a complete showdown with Lin Shou and appeasing Madam Yang, Chen Sheng did not delay. On the one hand, he sent people to escort Madam Yang back to the Yang residence to settle down—since she had broken ties with Lin Shou, it was naturally inappropriate for her to stay in the Lin residence any longer.

On the other hand, he prepared to take Lin Shou, who had already 'seen the times,' to meet with Wu Kuang.

On the way, Chen Sheng seemed to remember something, and looked at Lin Shou, whose face was ashen, beside him with a hint of amusement, and said:

"Magistrate Lin seems to be quite knowledgeable in music? The flute music played in the mansion just now was melodious and lingering, sincere and heartfelt, truly extraordinary."

This was the second time he had heard Lin Shou play the flute. Although he didn't understand music theory, he could clearly feel the desolation and resentment contained in the flute's sound, which captivated him at the time.

Even Madam Yang was somewhat overwhelmed.

Such words, almost a direct accusation, caused Lin Shou's face to stiffen instantly, but he quickly forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and whispered:
"If Commander Chen is pleased, that's good."

“It is very good that Magistrate Lin has such refined tastes and is good at cultivating his character.”

Chen Sheng seemed oblivious to his embarrassment, speaking calmly, but then changed the subject: "This is the important matter. As for mundane affairs like the daily administration of the county government, if Magistrate Lin finds them too troublesome, he can simply delegate them to County Lieutenant Wu."

"Commander Chen is right."

Lin Shou's face grew increasingly grim, his nails almost digging into his palms, yet he dared not utter a single word of rebuttal.

After that 'negotiation' in the study, he had completely come to terms with reality and lost all confidence in bargaining.

Even when he was playing the flute alone to relieve his stress, he had come to realize that since he couldn't resist, he might as well endure it for the time being.

Chen Sheng is so young and has made great contributions. He will surely have a wider world to explore and cannot stay in Changshan for long. When he is transferred, it may be the time for him to regain power.

They traveled in silence and soon returned to the county government office.

When County Commandant Wu Kuang saw them arrive together and Lin Shou's respectful demeanor, he was greatly surprised and quickly gave Chen Sheng an inquiring look.

After receiving a meaningful "reassuring" look from Chen Sheng, Wu Kuang was even more astonished—could Chen Sheng really have completely subdued the county magistrate in such a short time?
How did he do it?
Despite his deep doubts, Wu Kuang remained outwardly calm and even treated Lin Shou with greater courtesy. He did not show any negligence despite the reversal of the situation, demonstrating excellent control over the formalities of officialdom.

Lin Shou felt somewhat relieved upon seeing this.

What he feared most was that Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang would humiliate him at will after gaining power. Now it seemed that at least they were willing to maintain a semblance of dignity, which was a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune.

After a seemingly amicable exchange of pleasantries, the conversation gradually veered towards the main topic.

Lin Shou glanced at the composed Chen Sheng beside him, sighed inwardly, and knew it was his turn to speak. He cleared his throat and said to Wu Kuang in a serious tone:
“County Commandant Wu, from now on all matters in the county will be decided by you and Commander Chen. I, Lin… will cooperate fully without any objection.”

Wu Kuang was overjoyed upon hearing this, but he showed no sign of it on his face. He personally poured Lin Shou a cup of hot tea and said with a smile:

"Haha, that's right, that's the kind of good magistrate our people should have!"

"Magistrate Lin need not worry."

Chen Sheng also spoke up at the right time, reassuring him: "I have already promised that as long as Magistrate Lin cooperates, he will receive his due share in Changshan County in the future."

Wu Kuang then added:
“Indeed, with the three of us working together, what powerful figures or bandits in Changshan County can’t be wiped out? Brother Lin will know in the future how wise our choice today was.”

Seeing that the two were playing good cop and bad cop, applying pressure while offering benefits, and maintaining a polite attitude, Lin Shou gradually suppressed his last bit of resentment, and finally managed a seemingly sincere smile on his face:

"Then... I, Lin, will wait and see?"

"Hahaha……"

Wu Kuang laughed loudly and patted Lin Shou on the shoulder: "Brother Lin, just wait and see!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Asking for a monthly ticket.

(End of this chapter)