Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 603 - 1: Return Home in Glory (Da Zhang Combined)_9

Chapter 603: Chapter 1: Return Home in Glory (Da Zhang Combined)_9

After swearing for a while, feeling tired, Zong Shichang lay back down on the bed.

However, just as he decided to sleep, someone knocked on the door outside.

This made Mr. Zong exceedingly annoyed.

"Damn it, that old bastard Song Ji!" Zong Shichang cursed through gritted teeth.

Why was he locked up here?

This matter had to be traced back to the previous flood diversion incident in Nanliu County.

Summer floods were frequent, and Nanyang County had many tributaries.

Though the water conservancy projects were well done, once the court waged war with the Southern Barbarians, the Lanjiang and Cangjiang also began to flood, affecting the counties downstream of the Great Zhou.

Even after several layers of mitigation upstream, there were still some minor impacts by the time the floodwaters reached Nanyang County.

Although Zong Shichang lacked great skills, he was well-informed.

Upon corresponding with Zhao Xing, he immediately realized that being appointed as Pinghuai Commander in charge of flood management was a good opportunity.

Thus, three years ago, he was transferred to the Doushui Bureau.

As he had anticipated, the annual rainfall and river water levels in Nanyang County were significantly higher than in previous years.

Zong Shichang diligently honed his flood management skills in advance and, thanks to his family’s background, rose from the secondary ninth rank to the regular eighth grade in just three years at the Doushui Bureau.

However, the higher he climbed, the more he felt the difficulty of promotion—doing things honestly meant stepping on others’ toes.

His confinement here was due to repeatedly offending another prominent family in Nanyang County, the Song Family, during his flood management efforts in Nanliu County a year ago.

During the recent summer flood diversion, Mr. Zong had two choices: divert the flood toward the Song family’s farmlands or toward the common folks of Nanliu County.

There was no way around it; losses were inevitable, so, as usual, Zong Shichang chose to side with the common people.

This thoroughly infuriated the Song Family.

After all, Zong Shichang was also born into a prestigious family; why make it difficult for another one?

Why pity those miserable commoners time and time again and shift the losses onto the Song Family?

The Song Family Master sent multiple warnings to Zong Shichang.

But who was Zong Shichang? A stubborn mule who never listened.

He even rebuked the Song Family Master: "Damn you, Song Chengde, where is your virtue? Your Song Family is vast and wealthy; a bit of loss does not affect your luxurious life. But the common people’s farmlands are gone; they might face ruin and death! Nanliu County is practically your family’s territory, why fuss over such minor benefits?"

What Mr. Zong said made sense, and the Song Family Master listened attentively.

He seriously analyzed Zong Shichang’s work hours, locations, and daily routines.

A month later, he found a minor mistake committed by Zong Shichang—drinking alcohol on duty.

Then he directly had Song Ji, the sixth-rank official working in the Inspection Bureau, arrest Zong Shichang and detain him for seven days.

He wanted Zong Shichang to properly understand the might of the Song Family.

So, on the day Zhao Xing returned, Zong Shichang sang the song of iron windows in the Inspection Bureau.

"Sigh, after three years of managing floods, look how skinny I’ve become." Zong Shichang rubbed his belly, "It’s really not easy."

Zong Shichang thought back to his past days, surrounded by luxury and indulgence.

The reason he had such a significant change was initially to prove himself to Liu Muqin, to show her that Zong Shichang could change for her.

But as time went on, Zong Shichang also experienced the hardships of the world. In the later two years, it was not solely for his lover’s opinion.

"Once I get out of here, I must take a massive dump on the Song Family’s ancestral tomb." Zong Shichang said furiously.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

There was another knock on the door.

"Get lost! I’m not asleep!"

With his back to the cell door, Zong Shichang cursed angrily, "Liu Silang, are you blind?"

But this time, the knocking was accompanied by the activation of an array and the sound of the door being turned.

"Hmm? Is the family here to bail me out?" Upon hearing the movement, Zong Shichang immediately turned around.

Moonlight streamed through the windowsill, and Zong Shichang saw a figure, both unfamiliar and familiar, standing there.

There were not just one but several figures, and the outside seemed filled with people.

The person in front, handsome and elegant, seemed to be wearing a marquis’s robe. Huh? Since when had Nanyang County had a marquis?

The person to his left seemed to be Prefectural Governor Wang Shiyang.

The one on the right was likely Prefecture Chief He Xian; why was that old dog here too?

Wait, the face of the person in the marquis’s robe seemed somewhat familiar?

Zong Shichang’s gaze refocused on the face of the young man at the front.

The next moment, Zong Shichang’s eyes became vacant.

"Zhao, Zhao Xing?"

Zhao Xing’s face was stern, but upon seeing Zong Shichang, it softened. He bent down and entered the narrow detention room.

Personally assisting Zong Shichang from the straw bed.

"You, are you really Zhao Xing?" Zong Shichang was overjoyed, "Why are you back? When did you return?"

"Mr. Zong, it is I." Zhao Xing smiled, "I have returned."

"Haha, not bad, you’ve become a marquis?" Zong Shichang tugged at Zhao Xing’s marquis robe, "Let me see if it’s real...oh, gold-threaded belt, fine silk, a real deal!"

Zong Shichang seemed to feel no shame, only joy.

Zhao Xing looked Zong Shichang over, also somewhat dazed.

Four years had passed, and the previously slightly chubby Zong Shichang had become sharp-featured and thinner overall.

But he also appeared more spirited, with a more solid foundation.

It seemed he truly had been diligently managing the floods these past years.

"Mr. Zong, let’s head out first."

Zhao Xing supported Zong Shichang, walking toward the cell door.

"Mr. Zhao, this matter..." Prefecture Chief He Xian started to say something.

"Woosh!" Suddenly, a burst of flames erupted from the iron bars.

The startled crowd stepped back.

"Snap, snap!"

The steel burned into molten iron, melting even the surrounding walls.

He Xian and Wang Shiyang, stepping back, felt a chill in their spines.

This was the array cell of the county Inspection Bureau!

With a wave of Marquis Yuan Rang’s hand, it melted?

Was he at the sixth rank?

Even the fifth-rank Minister of Agriculture did not possess such profound magic!

"Mr. Zong." Zhao Xing took Zong Shichang’s hand, "Let’s go freshen up."

"Sure, sure." Zong Shichang sniffed his sleeve, "I do smell a bit; I’ve been locked up for days without a bath."

These words inadvertently spoken by Zong Shichang made Zhao Xing’s brow furrow even more.

He immediately summoned four Ten Thousand Skill Avatars to open the door of the Inspection Bureau’s entrance.

"Hmm? How can your Grassman Skill turn into yourself?" Zong Shichang was quite curious. "Oh right, gentlemen, may I leave now?"

"Of course, of course." He Xian accompanied with a smiling face, feeling a tingling on his scalp because he was Song Ji’s recommender, a close associate.

"Someone, quickly escort Mr. Zong to freshen up!"

"No need for the trouble." All four Ten Thousand Skill Avatars spoke at once, "Let him wash up on my Qilin Flying Boat."

The officials present felt a tightness in their scalps, as they could not discern which was the real Zhao Xing.

Especially the justice Director of the Inspection Bureau, Song Ji, his heart seemed to be clenched in that instant.

Once Zong Shichang had left, Long Xiao, who had been watching the scene, grinned widely, "Well, well, well, someone is in for bad luck. I’ve never seen Zhao Xing this angry before. This trip to Nanyang County is definitely worth it."