Demon, don't come any closer!

Chapter 26 The Great Uprising in Lang County

The county government office, the back hall.

A profound silence fell, and the atmosphere was oppressive.

Three waist tokens were thrown on the table, and anyone could see them simply by looking up.

After some shirking of responsibility, Cui Shuyu didn't overturn the table, so Dou Changsheng and the others tacitly agreed to Cui Shuyu's consent. This made County Lieutenant Lin and Constable Wang feel incredulous, as Cui Shuyu didn't seem to resist such a serious crime as killing an official.

Both sides couldn't help but despise him in their hearts, thinking he was a complete coward. However, they didn't show it on their faces and still respected Cui Shuyu. Little did they know that Cui Shuyu was the source of all this. He only admitted it because he knew he had no way to avoid it or hide from it. If they had known this, they probably would have torn Cui Shuyu apart.

After a long pause, it was Constable Wang who couldn't hold back any longer and asked first, "What does the magistrate think we should do next?"

Cui Shuyu glanced at Dou Changsheng, and finally sighed, saying, "Since someone from the Golden Jade Guard has died, they will definitely have to send someone else."

"The Golden Jade Guards have come secretly this time, they must be here to investigate something. They're not going to let this go easily, let alone let the dead be."

Cui Shuyu glanced at Dou Changsheng again, which puzzled Dou Changsheng, who couldn't help but touch the bridge of his nose. Cui Shuyu shifted his gaze and slowly continued, "What major event has recently occurred in our Lang County?"

Cui Shuyu's rhetorical question made Constable Wang ponder deeply. He tried hard to recall everything and slowly said, "A lot has happened recently. The biggest disturbance was the Chen family's infestation of demon rats, but only a few people died. How could it have alarmed the Golden Jade Guards, let alone the arrival of a centurion from the capital?"

Cui Shuyu nodded with satisfaction and said, "Not bad."

"Don't say we didn't report it. Even if we did, it would fall under the jurisdiction of the Jinyu Guard in the prefecture. No matter how you look at it, it has nothing to do with the capital. But in other words, the capital knows about it, which means it must be a matter of great importance that has reached the highest levels of government."

Cui Shuyu glanced at Dou Changsheng again. He found inspiration in Dou Changsheng. Since things had come to this point, it was no longer just his business, but a major event for the entire Lang County. He would take advantage of this opportunity to directly involve all the powerful families in Lang County.

As the saying goes, the law does not punish the masses. If the Jin Yuwei really takes action, then in their desperation, Lang County will rebel. As long as they are united and find an intermediary to recommend them to Qin, they will definitely fail in the end, but they will certainly be able to stir up a great chaos.

At the time, Qin and Chu were locked in a standoff, and Chu was in chaos in its rear. This created an opportunity for Qin. Wasn't this a golden opportunity? With the Cui family's connections, Cui Shuyu transformed himself into a meritorious official of Qin. It didn't matter where he held office.

Originally, Cui Shuyu only wanted to save his life. He had thought of this before, but the chances of success were slim. After all, the people in Lang County had been Chu people for generations. They could be corrupt, but few would be willing to betray the country. However, if they were forced into a corner by the Jin Yuwei, they would be willing to do anything to survive.

He glanced at Dou Changsheng again. This young man is really ruthless. He'll do anything to survive.

Cui Shuyu paused deliberately, giving County Magistrate Lin and Constable Wang time to make their connections. Feeling the time was right, Cui Shuyu lowered her voice and asked, "What do you think it is?"

Cui Shuyu's deliberate attempt to stir up the atmosphere was undoubtedly very successful. Head Constable Wang had already fallen into the trap and couldn't help but lean forward, getting close to Cui Shuyu, and whispering, "Is it the Yellow Leaf Spirit Spring?"

Cui Shuyu shook his head and said, "The nine Yellow Leaf Spirit Springs have been continuously embezzled by you local thugs, and they have gradually withered away. Now, only four Yellow Leaf Spirit Springs are still producing water on the official front; the other five have been illegally intercepted."

"This is no small matter. But even if you put it in perspective, it will only have a huge impact on the county. For the capital, it's a very minor issue."

Cui Shuyu deliberately stretched out her finger and pointed to her fingernail, implying that this matter was even less important than a fingernail, and then continued, "The capital city is responsible for the whole country. If they have to do such trivial things themselves, then these officials will be driven crazy with worry."

"Therefore, there is only one thing that really attracted the Golden Jade Guards from the capital to come here, and that is the issue of faith."

Cui Shuyu pointed eastward, and Constable Wang immediately understood that she was referring to the Donghuang Temple and the issue of the Taiyi God's faith.

Officer Wang's expression immediately collapsed, and he said weakly, "If that's really the case, then our entire Lang County will be finished."

"I didn't take much, just from Chenjiazhuang. But County Magistrate Zhang and the Wang family even messed with the Donghuang Temple in the county. They colluded with the temple keeper in private and have committed countless heinous crimes. We are just innocent bystanders this time."

Cui Shuyu immediately set the tone, saying, "That's right."

"It was precisely because they went too far that the Jin Yuwei secretly came to Lang County to investigate. Unfortunately, due to the death of the old steward, we made a wrong judgment and mistakenly killed the Jin Yuwei, leading to our current predicament."

County Magistrate Lin looked extremely grim. He had actually believed Cui Shuyu's nonsense. Considering the current situation in the Great Chu, it was quite normal for the capital to distrust the local authorities and personally send the Golden Jade Guards to investigate.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 10 ...

If Langxian is like this, how much better can other places be?

The belief in the One God has generally gone wrong; this is a consensus among those who care about this issue.

It's just a matter of the size of the problem; nobody knows the specifics. Nobody dares to expose this malignant tumor because whoever touches it will die. Usually, since Taiyi God is stationed in the capital, nobody pays much attention and just lets things slide.

However, when the Qin state launched a large-scale invasion, the Taiyi God was moved. Once this move was made, its true nature could no longer be concealed. This matter caused a great uproar and was the biggest case since the founding of the Chu state. As a result, even the Chu prime minister was dismissed.

The commotion was quite fierce in other places, but because Lang County was remote, the impact was not too great. However, Lang County was also Chu territory, so it was normal for it to be affected. Therefore, County Commandant Lin never expected that the arrival of the Golden Jade Guards would be different.

This is because there are no people in the capital, and information is not readily available.

For the sake of the Chu state and to enhance the power of the Taiyi God, it is essential to manage corruption.

At this moment, County Lieutenant Lin also understood Cui Shuyu's meaning. This was not just a matter for a few people, but for Lang County. Anyone who accepted the offerings would not be able to escape.

Dou Changsheng stared at the waist tag and slowly said, "Now that the Golden Jade Guards are dead, if we expose them directly, they will definitely deny it to the death and instead betray us."

Upon hearing Dou Changsheng's words, Cui Shuyu sneered. He didn't look at Dou Changsheng, but instead looked at Constable Wang. Without Cui Shuyu's prompting, Constable Wang knew what to do and said ruthlessly, "Now that the Jin Yuwei men are dead, only we know, and no one else knows."

"We can arrange for a few people to impersonate members of the Golden Jade Guard and begin investigating the incense offerings at the Eastern Emperor Temple. Then, we can deliberately create a loophole to let them know that the Golden Jade Guard is investigating them."

"By forcing them to take risks and start targeting the Golden Guard, we'll be in the same boat."

There was no deliberate framing or pinning the blame for killing Jin Yuwei on them. These people are easy to fool, but Jin Yuwei is not. This cannot be hidden at all.

When the Golden Jade Guards actually arrive, they will definitely panic. If everyone joins forces, unless the Golden Jade Guards send a top-tier expert, no matter how many come, they will all die.

When a county unites as one, with everyone contributing money and effort, the power it unleashes will surely amaze the world.

At this moment, Constable Wang felt more confident. If things really went too far, he would simply rebel against them.

With everyone in Lang County united, they immediately amassed troops at Fenglaikou and occupied Lin County to the west. They were able to attack or defend as needed. If the imperial court wanted to quell the rebellion, it would have to dispatch a large army. Simply sending martial arts experts would not have been enough.

Because the Qin state is not stupid, how could they let go of such a good opportunity? There must be strong Qin warriors coming to their aid, not only hoping that they can persevere, but also hoping that they can expand their gains.

When the thought of betraying one's country arises, one suddenly feels the vastness of the world.

They're all so dark, each one darker than the last. The people in this room are all equally matched, like two equally matched generals. There's no one good except myself.

Dou Changsheng finally witnessed their true colors; they were all ugly people who would do anything to save their own lives. He didn't object to drag others down with them, because those people weren't good people either.

What happens next is none of Dou Changsheng's concern. Everyone present is talented and capable of making things clear. What Dou Changsheng is thinking about is Manager Li's matter: how to deal with the demons in the Great Yellow Forest and thus increase his own strength.

Strength is the foundation; everything else is secondary. Once the Golden Jade Guard issue is truly resolved, Cui Shuyu will no longer be so easy to deal with. The other party comes from the prestigious Qinghe Cui clan, and their family's resources are currently being used to contend with the Golden Jade Guard.

While Dou Changsheng was pondering, Cui Shuyu didn't let him off the hook, saying directly, "We must unite all forces that can be united."

"We'll take care of the local strongmen in Lang County, but we'll need Brother Dou to deal with the demons."

"The ferocious tiger is quite powerful and could be a potential ally, while the Dragon Gate Inn at Fenglaikou would also be a helpful partner."

Upon hearing the name of the Dragon Gate Inn, County Lieutenant Lin hesitated, wanting to speak but then falling silent. He had originally intended to destroy this dark place, but considering the threat posed by the Golden Jade Guard, he remained silent.

"And there's Grandma Hu from the south of the city. If she could help us, it would be like adding wings to a tiger."

"I have always believed that as long as we are united, we have the power to change the world."

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Dou."

What Cui Shuyu described as a wonderful idea was actually a plan to use the power of her family to escape after dealing with the next Jin Yuwei people. She could go home and live a life of leisure, which would be better than living in constant fear.