Chapter 473
“Rest assured, Lord Liao. I will ask Private Advisor Zhang to open the storehouse and sell the provisions. When the allocated funds have arrived, I will immediately find a way to steal it!” Old Master Yan said decisively, unaware that Helian Wei Wei already had a notion to arrest him…
At noon, in the Liu family’s house…
Helian Wei Wei smiled gently as she looked at Liu Yin. Then, she spoke in a clear voice, “This is roughly my plan, I hope Miss Liu can come to the yamen tomorrow to testify against Old Master Yan. The outcome would be better if the other victims can step forward as well.”
Liu Yin considered for a while and said, “Lord Wei, I heard that Magistrate Liao is here. He had been protecting the Yan Manor all these years. Even if we work together to make an official complaint, it will only make things difficult for you. Yan Manor has very powerful people supporting them. Magistrate Liao has it too, from even more influential backers. Lord Wei, are you really not afraid?”
“He’s merely a tiny, insignificant magistrate. Our master can just flick a finger and make him…” Da Xiong had not finished speaking when Helian Wei Wei interrupted him, “Even so, he shouldn’t deceive the people. There must be a way around this.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Yin began wondering about her real identity, asking, “Lord Wei, do you have any connection with the Wei family in the Capital?”
“No.” Helian Wei Wei smiled and asked, “Why? Is this Wei family very powerful?”
Liu Yin lowered her eyes disappointedly, lamenting, “They are one of the influential families. We might have a fighting chance against Magistrate Liao if you have their support. It would be a tough mountain to climb with merely Lord Wei alone.”
“Our master would prefer it if the case is more troublesome to handle.” Da Xiong realized that he said too much just now and was trying to remedy his mistakes, saying, “He favors this kind of task.”
Helian Wei Wei smiled slightly and reassured her, saying, “Liu Yin, don’t worry. I will definitely take the necessary measures, since I requested you all to testify against him. There’s no need to worry too much, I promise to resolve those matters that are troubling you.”
“I may know Lord Wei’s character well…” Liu Yin hesitated before continuing, “But the others aren’t like me. Everyone has been afraid of Old Master Yan for years. If we can’t completely eradicate him in one attempt, it’s better if we don’t do anything to stir up the hornet’s nest. Cases like this have occurred before. Even though the criminals were arrested, they would be released after a few days, according to Old Master Yan’s commands. Furthermore, they would even take revenge. I’m not afraid of them. At worst, I’m just going to accept my fate, my parents are relocating tomorrow anyway. However, for the others, nobody would want to leave their hometown unless it is absolutely necessary.”
When Helian Wei Wei finished listening to Liu Yin, she stared at her seriously and said, “I won’t allow any residents in Fuping County to be chased away from their home. The one who should leave are not all of you, but Old Master Yan and Magistrate Liao.”
“Lord Wei…” Liu Yin’s eyes reddened as she was about to speak again. If given a choice, she would get married to a kind, honest man and never leave her parents.
Helian Wei Wei closed the paper fan in her hand and smiled, saying, “Let’s put this matter aside. Since you’ve stayed in Fuping County for so long, I want to ask you something. Which problems do the villagers need me to resolve the most? Is it related to road construction?”
“Yet again?” Liu Yin was about to speak when Father Liu came in from outside and put away the hoe he was holding. With an extremely exasperated and forlorn expression on his face, he lamented, “There were already four road constructions in the past few years. It was painfully torturing every time it happened. Not only did they force us to cough up our savings, but our harvest was also delayed. Little Yin, it’s better for us to leave Fuping County, it’s impossible to stay here any longer. Dear God, are you seeing this?”
Liu Yin could not swallow the sight of her devastated father. She held him up, her eyes completely drowned in tears, as she begged, “Father, please don’t be like this. Don’t we have Lord Wei here now? There is still hope.”
“Lord Wei.” Father Liu forced a bitter laugh before continuing, “I heard your conversation just now. You would be in hot water if you continue to oppose them. Do not meddle in the road construction or you will be targeted. Truth to be told, even if the road is not built, this place is hopeless. We can no longer grow crops here. The land has completely dried out, the seeds we sowed are dying because it has not rained for half a month. The good days are gone, it’s better if we leave earlier.”
Helian Wei Wei took one step forward and helped Father Liu up, saying, “If you really want to leave, you won’t be so sad at the moment. Father Liu, I promise you that no one will extort money from the people by using the road constructions as an excuse anymore! As for the dry farmlands, I already have a plan in mind. Even though the land in Fuping County is extremely dry, the crop yield has always been abundant every year. After all, 60 percent of the grains in the Capital comes from here. The higher-ranked officials regard this county with great importance. Unfortunately, the regional officials’ mistakes have made Father Liu greatly worried. As I was traveling here, I discovered a river somewhere in Fuping County. All is not lost yet.”
Father Liu’s eyes glimmered with hope when he heard Helian Wei Wei mentioning a river. Then, he let out a sigh of relief, saying, “Lord Wei, you are indeed different from the others. We have had quite a few county magistrates taking office here, but none of them had noticed a river before.”
“Maybe they did, but they kept it to themselves,” Helian Wei Wei said calmly.
Father Liu seemed to be in a daze as he replied, “True, nobody would be willing to mention it. All of them were too busy embezzling money.”
“I will solve this problem.” Helian Wei Wei looked away and said, “I will make sure the water from the river would irrigate the farmlands before I tried the case in the yamen tomorrow. I hope you will allow Miss Liu to appear in the yamen to testify against Old Master Yan.”
Father Liew could not believe his ears, muttering, “But it’s only a day left…”
“It will be sufficient,” Baili Jia Jue finally opened his mouth. Compared to Helian Wei Wei, his voice exuded an air of innate nobility, everyone could not help but respect and obey his words.
Before Father Liu could respond, Helian Wei Wei asked with a smirk on her face, “Private Advisor Long, do you have any good ideas?”
Baili Jia Jue glanced at her without uttering a word, a hint of ambiguity lurked in his smile.
His smile sent shivers down Helian Wei Wei’s spine. She coughed lightly and continued, “Hmm, I understand Private Advisor Long’s meaning, we should take a trip to the provincial capital, right?”
“I will do as Lord Wei ordered. I’m just a private advisor, of course, I have to listen to Lord Wei,” Baili Jia Jue replied with an obviously teasing tone.
Has His Highness become addicted to this act?
Helian Wei Wei felt hurt hearing his reply, so she turned around to Da Xiong, who was equally saddened, and complained quietly in her heart to him.
“The provincial capital?” Father Liu gazed at them anxiously and hastily stopped them, saying, “That is Lord Liao’s primary headquarters! Everyone there has connections with ministers in the Capital. You will lose your life if you go there! Lord Wei, please don’t act on your impulse, it won’t do you any good.”