After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Jiang Xin Zhi brought Jiang Ruan back unscathed, leaving Jiang Quan in a state of melancholy. Unfortunately, Jiang Xin Zhi had achieved military merits and his temperament had changed greatly. He was not as easy to control as before. Jiang Su Su still wanted to add fuel to the fire, "Father, look at Da Jiejie …"
"Shut up!" Jiang Quan was in a fit of anger. Looking at Jiang Su Su's frail appearance, he felt even more annoyed and said, "Don't wander around if you have a filthy aura on you. Go back to your own courtyard!" Finishing, he glared fiercely at Jiang Chao before flicking his sleeves and leaving.
Jiang Su Su watched in shock as Jiang Quan left, but a trace of hatred flashed in Jiang Chao's eyes. The two siblings were silent, but at the same time, they hated Jiang Xin Zhi and Jiang Ruan.
The night passed peacefully. When they woke up early the next morning, Lu Zhu walked in with a bowl of rose pastries. As she walked, she said, "The rain has lessened. It looks like it's going to stop soon."
There was some worry on her face. She knew a thing or two about what Jiang Ruan wanted to do. Now that the rain had stopped, how could things be good?
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly and looked out the window. The raindrops were fine and concentrated, and the droplets of water falling from the eaves had slowed down considerably. The air had become gentler, and the gloomy appearance of the previous few days had been swept away. It seemed that before long, the rain would pass and the sky would clear up.
Lian Qiao handed the boiled red dates and longan honey to Jiang Ruan, "It's not time yet, let's wait a little longer."
Jiang Ruan took the honey water and took a sip. Her fingers unconsciously tapped on the table.
En, it looked like it was going to clear up soon, but in fact … the mountain rain was coming.
On the side of the dam of Bochang Reservoir, the reservoir manager wiped his sweat and ran back and forth attentively, constantly flattering the noble man in front of him. "The water is under control, and the dam is very stable. It seems that the rain will stop soon, and it won't be long before it clears up. The flood control is all thanks to Your Eighth Highness and Young Master Li. "
Xuan Li smiled warmly, "I'm just doing what I should do."
The reservoir manager's chrysanthemum-like face became even more radiant, "Your Highness is modest. The lives of the common people around the reservoir are in Your Highness's hands. The Great Jin dynasty has an official like Your Highness who wholeheartedly cares for the people. Once this matter is over, this lowly official will report every word of Your Highness's achievements to the imperial court. " Everyone knew that the current Crown Prince was not favored. Currently, the most powerful contenders for the position were only the Eighth Prince and the Fifth Prince. Even though the Fifth Prince was not bad, he was not as powerful as the Eighth Prince's birth mother in front of the Emperor.
No matter how he thought about it, the Eighth Prince still had a higher chance of winning. Now that Xuan Li had made a contribution in this matter, he took the opportunity to curry favor with him. If he could gain Xuan Li's favor, wouldn't his future career be smooth sailing? Thinking of this, Ku Chang smiled more sincerely.
Xuan Li smiled like a spring breeze, neither denying nor agreeing. Beside the dam, there were many people watching. These days, Xuan Li had put in a lot of effort to control the water in the reservoir, and the people had seen it. They were both fearful and grateful that someone in a high position had come down personally. The people are always the easiest to satisfy. In addition, the reservoir manager had boasted about Xuan Li's merits and virtues, so the people were even more grateful to Xuan Li.
Receiving the loving gazes of the people, the corners of Xuan Li's mouth curled up even more, and a trace of pride flashed in his eyes. This smile was very amiable in the eyes of the people, and when they looked at the Eighth Prince, who was widely praised by the people for his talent and skill, they all began to praise his contributions.
Li An, who was walking beside Xuan Li, still had a gloomy expression, but it was this expression that made Xuan Li even more approachable.
Just as the people in the dam were praising him, an untimely voice rang out, "Calamity! Calamity! "
This voice was not harsh in the midst of the praise, but it was exceptionally clear. Xuan Li's brows furrowed imperceptibly, and he turned his head to look in the direction of the voice.
When the people heard this, they gradually stopped and saw a yellow-robed monk slowly walking out of the crowd. He had a kind face, his robes were clean and unstained, and his movements were like a white lotus under the seat of Buddha, with a faint holy aura.
Someone in the crowd recognized him and said, "Isn't this Great Master Hui Jue? Why is Great Master Hui Jue here? "
"It really is Great Master Hui Jue! It's that holy monk in the capital, Great Master Hui Jue who has an extremely accurate prophecy! "
"What did Great Master Hui Jue mean by what he said just now?"
Xuan Li and Li An stared at this uninvited guest who had suddenly appeared. Hui Jue's reputation was now very popular among all the nobles in the capital, especially those who believed in Buddhism. They all knew that this monk was very capable. But Xuan Li and Li An were both atheists, and they had no fear of ghosts and gods, so they looked at Hui Jue as if they were looking at an ordinary swindler.
Hui Jue put his palms together and said, "Amitabha, last night this poor monk divined, and the divinatory signs showed that the Dragon Qi in the west had collided, and the water dragon had raised its head. I'm afraid a great storm is coming, and it's extremely dangerous, and the reservoir is at risk of collapsing."
"What?" The woman carrying the child immediately panicked and said, "Is what Great Master said true?"
Hui Jue put his palms together and nodded obediently.
Xuan Li brought Li An and slowly walked towards Hui Jue. When they were close, Xuan Li smiled warmly, "What Great Master said just now is true?"
"A monk does not lie." Hui Jue said lightly.
Xuan Li and Li An looked at each other, and Li An suddenly stared at Hui Jue and said, "Great Master, then what do you think we should do next?"
"The disaster has arrived, and it is imminent. The lives of thousands of people downstream of the reservoir are not to be trifled with. I ask the people downstream to evacuate this place overnight, and find a place with higher terrain to avoid the pain of being flooded."
Li An burst out laughing.
Xuan Li saw Li An laugh, and his heart calmed down. His expression was still warm, but his words carried an eerie chill, "Great Master, do you know the consequences of disturbing the people's hearts?"
Hui Jue looked back at him calmly, and did not avoid or give way. There was actually a bit of purity that was as clear as a lotus.
Xuan Li had originally thought that he was an ordinary swindler, but now that he saw that this monk had an extraordinary temperament and kept saying that he would bring the people downstream, he could not help but become suspicious. Subconsciously, he thought that it must be someone sent by the Fifth Prince to steal his credit. It was not a small matter for the people to migrate their families. If he really did this, and they were safe and sound, not only would he be said to have wasted the people's resources, he would also be laughed at by the world, saying that he was soft-hearted and listened to the demon monk's slander.
He stared at Hui Jue's face, and felt that it was more and more repulsive. The people from the Imperial Astronomer had also said that the rain showed signs of stopping. The credit was right in front of him, and the Fifth Prince wanted to interfere? Did he think that the people around him were stupid pigs?
"Great Master Hui Jue said so, do you have any proof?" Xuan Li said calmly.
Hui Jue lowered his head, "Amitabha, regarding the divination, the signs have already appeared, and I have no proof."
"Without proof, you are just spreading lies to mislead the people," Xuan Li said. The Fifth Prince's methods were too clumsy, and there was no need to spend too much effort.
"Great Master is not that kind of person!"
"Yes, what Great Master said has all come true!"
"What Great Master said must be true!"
Out of Xuan Li's expectations, most of the people in the crowd actually agreed with Hui Jue. He frowned without batting an eyelid. The Fifth Prince had actually invited such a person, and used Hui Jue's reputation to force him to give this order?
He sneered in his heart. Unfortunately, he, Xuan Li, had never been manipulated by others!
"You dare to spout nonsense here without proof? Great Master, a loose tongue can cause trouble." Xuan Li still wanted to resolve this matter easily, to maintain his image as a good person.
Hui Jue let out a long sigh, "Everyone praises Almsgiver for being wise and decisive, and for being kind to the people. Is the lives of the thousands of people downstream of the Bo Chang Reservoir not worth Almsgiver taking a risk?"
Xuan Li's expression changed, and the gazes of the people around him were no longer filled with love and respect. Instead, it was replaced with an expression of suspicion, anger, and doubt.
This monk was stirring up the hearts of the people, and provoking his supporters!
Without waiting for him to speak, Li An ordered, "Where did this demonic monk come from, to speak so rudely to His Highness? Men, capture this demonic monk for me!"
The corners of Xuan Li's lips curled up slightly. There were many things that he could not do, but Li An could do it. He kept Li An, not only because of his rare intelligence, but also because he was an expert in sensing people's hearts.
The crowd was agitated, and Xuan Li spoke in a timely manner, "Great Master is a monk, I will not be rude to a monk, but if Great Master continues to speak such nonsense, it will affect the security of the capital. I will find a place for Great Master to rest for a few days, and when the rain stops, it will not be too late for Great Master to come out."
Hui Jue lowered his head, "Amitabha, this poor monk is just a bag of skin, although I do not care about my life, but the thousands of people downstream had better evacuate tonight, or else their lives will be in danger."
A glimmer flashed in Xuan Li's eyes, and he said gently, "I have ordered that from today onwards, the people downstream of the reservoir are not allowed to take a step out. Those who leave will be regarded as disrupting the order, and will be beheaded. "
He actually did not give in to Xuan Li's tit for tat.
Now that the water situation was stable, if this monk's nonsense disturbed the originally stable hearts of the people, it would be very disadvantageous to the 'merit' that he had created.
Hui Jue looked at him indifferently, and no one could see the cold sweat that covered his back under his loose monk robe.
However, after tossing and turning throughout the night, before dawn broke, he finally made a decision.
The conditions that Jiang Ruan had set out were too tempting. The whole world was bustling for benefits, and the whole world was bustling for benefits. If he could really cure his son's illness because of this, then he would have made a fortune.
Although he did not know who was behind Jiang Ruan, from the previous events, if this little girl was so powerful, then the person behind her was certainly not an ordinary person. Even if the opponent was the Eighth Prince, riches and honor had always been found in danger. Moreover, this was riches and honor that could fill the sky.
Hui Jue had been swindling people all the way from Yuzhou to the capital, and he had never made a mistake in his dozens of years of swindling people. Firstly, it was because he knew some Buddhist scriptures, and secondly, his skill in swindling people was brilliant. Most importantly, he was bold and meticulous. Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth, it was difficult for even those who were proficient in this field to see through the flaws.
But today, when he faced the people of the imperial family, he could not help but feel a trace of apprehension. However, his many years of experience prevented him from showing even the slightest bit of it on his face. The more compassionate he sounded, the more Xuan Li felt that he had ulterior motives. If Xuan Li did not accept his suggestion, then his goal would be achieved.
Jiang Ruan had once reminded him that Xuan Li was a person who cared about his reputation. If he was caught under the watchful eyes of the public, then he would certainly not be punished. Otherwise, he would incur the wrath of the common people. Even if he was to be punished, it would be three days later. But after three days, would Xuan Li still have the opportunity to punish him?
Success or failure depended on this one move. Hui Jue shook his head and sighed. He clasped his hands together, and without saying anything more, he followed Li An's bodyguard and walked away.
The people who had originally surrounded the dam now had no love in their eyes, only fear. They were discussing the possibility of the dam collapsing in three days. For a moment, everyone was in a state of panic. Xuan Li felt vexed. He did not know why, but a faint sense of foreboding rose in his heart. He glanced at Li An. Li An understood and his face darkened. "Your Highness, did you not hear what I said just now? Do not listen to rumors and stir up trouble. Within three days, whoever dares to take a step away will be punished! "
Li An was not as amiable as Xuan Li. His originally gloomy expression, coupled with his gloomy tone, gave him a somewhat fiendish appearance. The common people immediately kept quiet out of fear. Xuan Li waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
The dam chief, who had long been frightened to the point that his face was ashen, hurriedly followed, nodding and bowing all the way to send him off.
Although the crowd could not help but be flustered, because of Li An's orders and the fact that there were soldiers guarding the area, they felt uneasy and quickly dispersed. After the crowd dispersed, only two people remained in the same place. One of them was dressed solemnly in a black robe. His expression was indifferent as he looked at the dam thoughtfully.
The person next to him, who looked like an imperial bodyguard, said, "Master, Jin One and Jin Two have been checked. There is no problem with the dam."
Xiao Shao said, "Pay close attention to the movements here." If there was no problem with the dam, then it was not man-made. There was also the theory that the rain had suddenly intensified. He looked into the distance, his long eyelashes drooping, concealing the deep meaning in his eyes.
"Let's go."
In the Jiang fu, Lu Zhu told Jiang Ruan the news she had just heard and said excitedly, "Great Master Hui Jue has appeared and the Eighth Prince has brought him back. Will he betray us?"
"He won't." Jiang Ruan said.
Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi looked worried, only to hear Jiang Ruan say, "Xuan Li is an unfathomable person and has a suspicious nature. He will not deal with Hui Jue so quickly. Even if he really wants to deal with him, Hui Jue will be able to distinguish the severity. If he does not endure, he will be a rotten corpse. If he survives, he will be overflowing with riches and honor. He is an intelligent person and will naturally know what to choose. " In fact, when Xuan Li controlled Hui Jue to enter the court, Hui Jue's position was not smooth sailing. There were many voices of opposition in the court, and there were also countless open spears and hidden arrows. However, Hui Jue still managed to achieve the position of State Preceptor.
Such a person only lacked courage now, but his temperament was extraordinarily unyielding.
In this life, would it be better to use Xuan Li's arrow to aim at him?
Her gaze suddenly turned cold. Lu Zhu noticed and said, "Miss, there is one more thing. This servant met Fifth Yiniang on the road. She said that Master received a letter today saying that Miss will be married to the Prime Minister's fu … to Eldest Young Master Li. Master seems to be preparing to send the geng invitation. "
"Ridiculous!" Lian Qiao could not help but say, "Miss is only eleven years old now. Any ordinary official's family would definitely not marry off their di daughter so early!"
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. Jiang Quan had only made this decision after receiving the letter. Li An liked to slowly torture, so it was definitely not his idea. It could be assumed that Eldest Young Master Li, who was bedridden, had woken up and was preparing to take revenge.
Jiang Su Su and her daughter were probably more than happy to divert the trouble.
"Miss, absolutely not," Bai Zhi anxiously said, "Why don't we go and ask Eldest Young Master, no, ask Master?"
"What's the rush?" Jiang Ruan said unhurriedly, "Whether or not he wants me to marry into the Li family depends on whether or not he is fated to do so."
"The geng invitation will be sent over soon." Bai Zhi anxiously said, "Master has always been so ruthless. He can't wait for Miss to replace Second Miss and jump into the fire pit. The people of Yan Hua Yuan are even more happy to see this happen. Miss, you have to plan for yourself!"
Jiang Ruan looked at her anxious appearance and suddenly smiled faintly, "You don't believe me? How about we make a bet? "
Bai Zhi stared blankly.
"Let's bet that in three days' time, Jiang Quan will cry and beg to take back the geng invitation," she said.
At this moment, in Yan Hua Yuan, the gloomy atmosphere of the past few days had been washed away, and the atmosphere was unusually cheerful.
Jiang Su Su nestled in Xia Yan's embrace and said, "So you're saying that Jiang Ruan will soon marry that useless Li Yang?"
Xia Yan looked at her reproachfully, "Keep your voice down." Although she said this, she could not help but reveal a slight smile on her face, "That's right, the Li family is not a simple place. If she were to enter, she would be no different from a prostitute in a brothel. That Li Dong …" Realizing something, she suddenly stopped talking and glanced at Jiang Su Su.
Although Jiang Su Su did not understand the matters between men and women, she could still guess a few things from Xia Yan's words. Not only was she not bashful, but she revealed a satisfied smile, "Is that so? She harmed me and my brother to this extent, and caused a rift between us and maternal grandfather. She is still extremely arrogant in the fu. If we leave her alive, wouldn't that be too easy on her? "
"If she were to enter the Prime Minister fu, her life would be worse than death." Xia Yan said coldly, "Li Yang hates her to the bone, so how could she get any benefits? When the time comes, even if you trample her under your feet, no one would dare to say a word. "
Jiang Su Su's beautiful eyes flashed, as if she was extremely pleased. Suddenly, she thought of something and said, "What about Jiang Xin Zhi? If he knew about this, he would definitely not let it go. "
"Your father and I have decided to hide this matter from him for now. After we've dealt with that little slut, it won't be too late to deal with him then." Xia Yan stroked Jiang Su Su's head, "Su 'er, Mother will make whoever hurt you pay a thousand times the price."
Jiang Su Su nodded obediently and nestled in Xia Yan's embrace, a malicious glint flashing in her eyes.
No matter how arrogant Jiang Ruan and her sister were, the person in charge of the Jiang fu was still her mother. Above her was Jiang Quan. So what if he was a Deputy General? So what if he had military achievements? If her father wanted Jiang Ruan to marry a cripple, she had no choice but to marry! Allowing her to enter the Prime Minister fu was already helping her. Now that the Geng invitation had been sent to the Prime Minister fu, Jiang Quan was determined to use Jiang Ruan in exchange for a friendly relationship with the Li family. This time, Jiang Ruan would not be able to escape this calamity!
"Mother, I want to see Jiang Ruan's miserable appearance when she marries into the Prime Minister fu," Jiang Su Su said.
"Soon," Xia Yan's lips curled into a sinister smile, "The Geng invitation has already been sent, and the date has been arranged by your father and Prime Minister Li. Li Yang hates Jiang Ruan to the bone, and his desire to torture her is probably even stronger. In my opinion, he will marry Jiang Ruan and bring her back to the fu as soon as possible. I will also take the opportunity to discuss this matter with your father, so as to avoid a long night and many dreams." Her voice was slow and low, "However, no matter how long the night is, it will definitely be a night without dreams."
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