Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 606 - 2: Examination at the Li Fire Daoist Academy (Da Zhang 12,000)_3

Chapter 606: Chapter 2: Examination at the Li Fire Daoist Academy (Da Zhang 12,000)_3

He immediately woke up: "Quick, get the carriage ready!"

...

Ordinary households, without an Earth Mirror, nor a way to send messages via Yin Gods, relied solely on carriages and horses for all communication.

By the time Song Chengde, who was in Nanliu County, received the news and inquired about the situation of Marquis Yuan Rang before rushing to the county government to handle the aftermath, it was already the seventh day since the incident had occurred.

And Song Ji, the Sixth-Rank Inspection Department Director, had been beaten for a full six days.

Long Xiao, with nothing better to do, woke up each day just to take Mountain Cat and Zong Shichang to block Song Ji’s path.

And he chose to attack specifically on Song Ji’s way to work.

After the beating, Song Ji, bruised with a swollen face, still had to go to work.

Long Xiao also forbade Song Ji from taking any leave.

If he dared to ask for leave, the beating would be doubled.

On this day, Long Xiao appeared again on the road passing the Inspection Bureau.

Catching Song Ji, he proceeded to slash wildly at him.

An hour later, Song Ji was battered and in a sorry state.

"Marquis Yunxiao, I’m on my way home from work now, why do you still beat me?" Song Ji asked.

Long Xiao snorted, "You took a day off yesterday, so you get beaten even after work."

Song Ji nearly cried: "I, I was just taking my regular day of rest..."

Long Xiao glanced at Zong Shichang, "Was yesterday your county government’s mandated day of rest?"

Zong Shichang clapped his hands, "Yes, I saw you were in high spirits, so I didn’t mention it just now."

"Well, what’s done is done," Long Xiao shrugged. "Anyway, I have nothing better to do."

Song Ji: "..."

At this moment, Song Ji only wished for his elder brother to come to the county government quickly to settle matters; these past few days had been more painful than death for him.

...

On the eighth day, Song Ji’s family head, Song Chengde, came to the Prefecture to meet Zhao Xing.

"Commoner Song Chengde pays respect to Marquis Yuan Rang, Marquis Yuan Zhen, and Marquis Yunxiao."

Song Chengde knelt and kowtowed sincerely.

Even though he held an honorary post, now was not the time for such considerations.

"What do you mean by paying respects to me?" Zhao Xing pointed to Zong Shichang beside him, "You haven’t offended me."

Song Chengde looked at Zong Shichang and gave him a kowtow as well, "Esteemed Nephew..."

"Old dog! Who is your esteemed nephew!" Zong Shichang exclaimed, "Don’t try to ingratiate yourself!"

Song Chengde could only bow again in helplessness: "Mr. Zong, I have offended you before, please instruct me on how to make amends and appease your anger."

Zong Shichang clapped his hands, "Simple, you just need to agree to three things, and this matter can be settled."

Song Chengde knelt on the ground, "Please instruct me, Mr. Zong."

"First, all the usurious loans your family has lent to villagers in Nanliu County over the years must be canceled in one stroke. You old dog, when the flood came, not only did you lack sympathy for the people, but you also took the opportunity to get rich and raise interest rates. Now, spit it all out!"

"Second, you bought land from others at a low price, now play the good guy and give it back for free, using the ledger from three years ago as the standard. Whichever family it used to belong to, return it to them, no more, no less. I’m giving you a chance to accumulate virtue."

"Third, from now on, when I’m working in Nanliu County, building embankments and fortifying defenses, if I need labor, your family will provide it; if I need money, you will pay. Do you understand?"

"I, the Pinghuai Commander, will decide where to build, and if the canal has to pass through your family’s side rooms, then you must demolishly obediently, got it?"

Zong Shichang finished and looked at Song Chengde out of the corner of his eye, "Can you agree to these three things?"

Song Chengde was already kneeling on the ground, what else could he not agree to?

Although it pained him, he immediately complied, "It can be done, it can be done."

Yet in his heart, he held some contempt for Zong Shichang, who didn’t want money or benefits for himself but bizarrely distributed all to those commoners, as if he had damaged his brain.

Zhao Xing had originally not wanted to interject, but his Bright Eyes Technique accurately grasped Song Chengde’s psychological tendencies.

He immediately said, "Let your brother resign from his post at the Inspection Bureau then. This matter will be considered resolved."

"What?!" Song Chengde’s face changed abruptly, "Marquis Yuan Rang, that’s not possible... If you want money or treasures, my family can agree..."

Zhao Xing cut him off, "You’ve been asking around these past few days and should have a clear idea about my background. I’ll ask you just one question."

"Can your Song Family withstand an investigation by the Prefecture City’s Inspection Bureau?"

Song Chengde’s breath caught.

The Prefecture City’s Inspection Bureau investigating the Song Family? That would be enough to ruin them even for the slightest fault.

And the Song Family had more than just a slight fault; they didn’t dare engage in murder or arson, but they were well-known for being oppressive bullies.

Zhao Xing, for his part, didn’t want to be overly meddlesome by uprooting the Song Family over this minor issue.

It wasn’t necessary, as removing Song Ji from his position would naturally lead to the gradual decline of the Song Family. There would be plenty of others waiting to devour them then.

Mr. Zhao cherished his own reputation and would rather not get his hands dirty with this affair.

Of course, Song Chengde had to be sensible.

If not, Zhao Xing wouldn’t mind writing a letter to the Prefecture City’s Inspection Bureau to bring the Song Family down right now.

"If there is no news by tomorrow, it means that you do not accept the dignity I’m offering your Song Family."

"If you lack self-respect, I’ll help you find it."

"That’s all I have to say; you may leave."

Zhao Xing waved his hand, and with a gust, blew Song Chengde outside the Prefecture gate.

Standing outside the gate, Song Chengde’s face was pale.

Not daring even to hold resentment, he quietly departed to relay the final verdict to his brother, Song Ji.

If accepted, the Song Family could still breathe for a few decades and train their clan members to become officials.

Not accepting would likely spell immediate doom.

...

The next day at Mao Hour, Song Ji came to the county government to submit his resignation and voluntarily stepped down from his official position.

Since he was not retiring naturally, and his honors and other statuses were reduced, his cultivation fell all the way down to the Secondary Eighth-Rank.

But volunteering to resign was better than being stripped of his post, as being stripped would certainly mean he was at fault.

His cultivation, granted by the National Fate and affected by his lifespan, would not be possible to maintain at the eighth-grade level anymore.