This is truly priceless!
This object is not of this world; it is a divine artifact of the Heavenly Court.
Perhaps from this perspective, Zou Mingyuan's 3.5 million was not a waste at all. At least... you spent 3.5 million to own this artifact for a few hours! Even if someone else wanted to... well, if there really was such a sucker, Xu Zhengyang would definitely agree generously.
At this moment, Xu Zhengyang was sitting at a round table in the Gu Xiang Xuan shop, chatting happily with his parents, Yao Chushun, and Jin Qiming.
He felt no remorse whatsoever for swindling Zou Mingyuan out of 3.5 million yuan.
Who told him not to know the meaning of "Heaven is watching from above"?
Serves you right!
Volume Two, Gong Cao, Chapter 72: Counter-Tracking
The moon was bright and the stars were few; the night sky was deep and vast.
It was a late summer night. The temperature had already dropped slightly. Xu Zhengyang, a cigarette dangling from his lips, leaned against his motorcycle, his expression calm and seemingly idly admiring the murmuring waters of the Fu River flowing beneath the bridge.
This is the Hewan Bridge, about five miles southeast of Zhongma Town. The Fu River makes two bends here and then continues to flow northeast along its original direction. The Hewan Bridge is not large, about six or seven meters wide and spanning only about twenty meters. It connects to a cement path that was built some years ago.
Standing on the bridgehead, to the east you can see vehicles speeding by on the Jingming Expressway, their headlights particularly clear and bright at night; to the west you can see the lights of several villages, peaceful and serene; to the south you can see the faint lights on the North Ring Road of Cixian County, and the dim yellow glow of the entire county under the night sky; to the north... a vast expanse of flat, fertile land stretches for miles.
For a long time, not a single person or vehicle appeared on the path.
Who would be strolling along this country road so late at night?
Xu Zhengyang finished his cigarette, got off the back of the motorcycle, stood up, and stretched. He glanced around seemingly casually, then took out his phone to check the time; it was already past eleven. He dialed Yao Chushun's number and said softly, "Go to sleep early. You don't need to haul goods tonight; we'll talk about it tomorrow."
On the other end of the phone, Yao Chushun hesitated slightly before agreeing without any hesitation.
During the day, on the second floor of Gu Xiang Xuan, the two had agreed that Yao Chushun would arrange a vehicle tonight, a reliable person, and after Xu Zhengyang called to inform them, they would set off to the designated location to pick up the goods. After all, Gu Xiang Xuan no longer had any presentable porcelain antiques, and even jade items were now just ordinary things that only ordinary people could play with.
Xu Zhengyang's original plan was to set off tonight to the Dongwu Township area west of Cixian County to dig up some treasures to enrich the storefront of Guxiangxuan.
However, when he returned home from Fuhe City, had dinner, and was preparing to leave around 8 p.m., he suddenly changed his mind.
This morning, on the second floor of Gu Xiang Xuan, Xu Zhengyang overheard Yao Chushun's hesitation about the recent good business. As he went downstairs, he felt uneasy, a sense of being watched, which made him very uncomfortable. Although it was just a feeling, Xu Zhengyang was very sensitive to it because back in Beijing, after experiencing Jiang Lan's questioning and reminders, he understood that being known by everyone was like being naked, with no secrets, as if everyone knew everything about you.
This is not good, it's very bad.
So Xu Zhengyang hesitated for a long time before finally driving his motorcycle out of his house and aimlessly driving all the way here.
He had been here before, less than 200 meters downstream from the riverbank near the river bend bridge. He had dug up two pieces of porcelain there, which, according to Yao Chushun, dated back to the late Ming Dynasty. Although not top-quality, they were still rare and precious items. Currently, there are no more treasures buried by history and the earth in this area.
After finishing the call, Xu Zhengyang lit another cigarette, then gestured with his right hand to the county clerk.
Well, the county record, which should have been stored in the safe in the general manager's office on the second floor of Tianbaozhai, a well-known antique shop in Fuhe City, appeared in Xu Zhengyang's right hand without any hindrance, just as Xu Zhengyang intended, without any delay or time constraints.
If Zou Mingyuan were to discover the next day that the milky white, smooth, delicate, and flawless jade in the safe had suddenly disappeared, and that even the sandalwood box used to hold the jade showed no signs of having been opened, Zou Mingyuan would probably be furious.
As I said before, this thing is not of this world; it is a divine artifact of the Heavenly Court.
This divine artifact is not something a mortal like Zou Mingyuan could possess. The fact that he was allowed to admire and preserve it for a few hours already shows him enough respect for his 3.5 million yuan.
In fact, Xu Zhengyang was not sure whether he could successfully recall the county record back into his body after it was artificially locked away.
So, long before the jade was upgraded from a local to a county-level record, when Xu Zhengyang thought of making a big deal out of the county-level record, he began to wonder if such an action would work. So he experimented several times, measuring the distance from inside to outside, from inside to Huaxiang Police Station, and from to Futou Town Police Station... and he discovered that the artifact was indeed a divine artifact, and he, the official in charge, was indeed divine, thus able to produce such bizarre and unpredictable effects, completely detached from reality, achieving a certain astonishing effect.
Looking down at the clear images displayed on the county record according to his thoughts, Xu Zhengyang narrowed his eyes. His expression didn't show much change, but he was actually quite annoyed.
Without speaking, Xu Zhengyang only exchanged some thoughts with Cheng Jinchang and his wife in his mind before retrieving the county record, turning around, mounting the motorcycle, kicking off the kickstand, and starting the motorcycle.
Under the cover of night, the surface of the Fu River reflects the moonlight, soft and bright, like silk.
The Yamaha 250 roared to life. The headlight beam pierced the night. With a quick flick of the beam, the motorcycle deftly made a U-turn at the bridgehead. Xu Zhengyang twisted the throttle, increasing the horsepower, and sped off like an arrow towards his return journey.
At the head of the river bend bridge, two figures, invisible to ordinary people, paused for a moment before floating up into the air and looking down for a while. Then, the two ghosts separated and flew through the air. Cheng Jinchang flew slowly to the southwest, while Cui Yao flew rapidly to the north over the fertile plains.
Under the deep darkness of night, two bright lights flashed along the winding country road east of the river bend bridge. A black sedan drove up, crossed the river bend bridge, and headed west at a leisurely pace.
After driving about 100 meters, the car slowly came to a stop.
A figure emerged from the cornfield beside the road, quickly opened the car door, climbed inside, and the car sped away.
If someone with the legendary ability to see into the heavens—oh no, some infants, or very few children under six years old—were to see this speeding car, they would surely be very curious, very surprised, and very… puzzled.
Why was that uncle able to sit on the roof of the car? Wasn't he afraid of falling off?
Cheng Jinchang was certainly not afraid of being thrown off.
Even if he were to fly, he could easily follow the car as if strolling in a garden. However, having grown accustomed to his ghostly identity and confined to his office all day, when occasionally allowed a break, he still had to serve the clerk. Naturally, he would give it his all, and incidentally, with a keen interest, attempt some extreme feats impossible for a human. How interesting!
...
After entering the village, Xu Zhengyang reduced the throttle of his motorcycle and slowed down. The originally powerful roar, like that of a ferocious beast, turned into a deep, muffled growl.
The Yamaha 250 turned from the main street into the alley and stopped at the entrance without turning off the engine. Xu Zhengyang got off the motorcycle, walked to the entrance, pushed open the wooden door that wasn't locked from the inside, then turned back to the motorcycle, mounted it, and drove it into the courtyard, parking it against the west wall before turning off the engine.
From the west wing came a mother's sleepy voice: "Zhengyang, lock the door! This child, he can't come home this late anymore..."
"Okay, I understand," Xu Zhengyang replied and walked into the house.
As soon as he entered the main room, he noticed that the light in the west wing was on.
Xu Zhengyang froze, reached out and pulled the light cord by the wall, and the room lit up. He casually took out a cigarette, lit it, and sat down on the stool. He knew that either his mother or his father was about to come out and nag him.
The inner room door opened, the blue plastic beaded curtain was lifted, and Yuan Suqin walked out looking tired, giving Xu Zhengyang a disgruntled glare.
“Zhengyang.” Yuan Suqin pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Xu Zhengyang.
“Mother…” Xu Zhengyang chuckled and scratched his head, “The Gu Xiang Xuan shop is short of porcelain, I was thinking of going out and digging up a few pieces…”
Yuan Suqin was stunned for a moment, then realized what was going on, and her resentment lessened considerably. However, she still scolded him sternly, "Our family isn't what it used to be. Even if a thief breaks into the house, there's not much to steal. You brat, don't you think about how many people are envious of our current situation? What if someone breaks into the house in the middle of the night and tries to steal our bankbook? Or maybe they just kidnap your parents and force you to give them money… I wonder what you'll do then?"
"Mother, I won't come home this late at night anymore," Xu Zhengyang said honestly with a smile.
"Sigh, I know you strongly disagreed," Yuan Suqin sighed, her previous resentment long gone, replaced by heartache for her son. Her son hadn't had it easy; an ordinary, poor boy, yet through some unknown effort, he had managed to connect with the local earth god, becoming friends with him—and their relationship was extraordinary! The earth god was even helping her son find and dig for treasure to sell! In less than two months, the family's circumstances had undergone a dramatic transformation, from impoverished debtors to almost overnight one of the wealthiest households in the village!
How exciting and joyful this is! It feels like a dream.
But it also put his son in a difficult position, as he often had to go out to dig for treasure in the middle of the night, which was very tiring!
Yuan Suqin understood that the reason her son chose to go out to dig for treasure in the dead of night was to avoid being seen. This kind of thing couldn't be known by others, otherwise how jealous would they be? If someone secretly followed her son and stole the treasure he dug up, that would be a small matter, but if they tried to murder him for his money, that would be a much bigger problem.
Therefore, Zhengyang was not only bearing exhaustion, but also the enormous risks that could arise at any time.
Yuan Suqin's eyes welled up with tears, and she said with heartache and worry, "Zhengyang, let's not do this anymore. The money we have now is enough..."
This is true. With several million in savings, a rural family like this could build a house and then deposit the remaining money in the bank. The interest alone would be enough for them to live a much happier life than the average family.
"Well, let's talk about it in a few days." Xu Zhengyang nodded. He understood what his mother was worried about, so he could only comfort her, "Mom, don't worry, it's alright. Isn't there still the Earth God... protecting me? Hehe."
Volume Two, Gong Cao, Chapter 73: Who is Spying on Us?
Upon hearing this, Yuan Suqin's eyes lit up. Yes, she had been so preoccupied with worrying about her son that she had overlooked the fact that the Earth God had such a good relationship with him; how could he not protect him? With a god protecting her son… what was there to worry about? Could a mortal possibly challenge a god?
However, Yuan Suqin hesitated for a moment before saying, "Land God, the Land God can't be thinking about you all the time. He's such a high-ranking official, a deity, he must have a lot of things to do every day. We can't keep bothering him..."
"Mm." Xu Zhengyang nodded with a smile, threw the cigarette butt on the red brick ground, stomped it out, and then stood up and said, "Mother, don't worry, nothing will happen. If I go out at night again, I'll come back during the day the next day. Make sure to lock the door at night. Oh, I'll talk to the local earth god later and ask him to take good care of our family... It's getting late, you should get some rest."
Yuan Suqin waved her hand. She got up and walked towards the bedroom, saying, "The water in the water bag on the roof should still be warm. Take a bath before going to sleep."
"Okay, I got it," Xu Zhengyang replied, turning and walking out.
The bathroom facilities at home are very simple. I bought two layers of plastic sheeting, tied both ends tightly, placed it on the roof, filled it with water, attached a water pipe, and hung the showerhead in the corner of the grape trellis on the east wall. I then surrounded it with plastic sheeting to create a small enclosure, and that became a simple shower room. In the summer, the sun shines brightly during the day, warming the water, so I can take a shower in the evening or at night, saving me the trouble of going to the river to bathe at night.
After taking a long, refreshing shower, Xu Zhengyang, wearing only a pair of shorts, returned to his room, lay down, and waved for the county clerk to appear.
Upon closer inspection, the figure that had been hiding like a ghost on the roof of a house on the main street outside the alley was still lying there coldly like a dead person, holding a pair of binoculars in its hand, looking in the direction of Xu Zhengyang's house.
This person is very good at concealing himself, and he chooses excellent angles. Even during the day, let alone at night, villagers walking on the street would not notice him unless they were specifically looking closely.
They're quite attentive and professional.
Xu Zhengyang pursed his lips, casually turned off the light, and then calmly asked in a soft voice, "You didn't disturb him, did you?"
“I dare not act recklessly without the orders of the magistrate,” Cui Yao replied respectfully.
"Hmm." Xu Zhengyang then asked, "Did he contact anyone else?"
"Yes, but I couldn't understand what he was saying to anyone. He was just making simple 'uh-huh' and 'ah-ah' sounds. Oh, right, I think he said 'I understand' at the end."
Xu Zhengyang sighed and said, "Understood." Then he waved his hand to put Cui Yao back into the county register and narrowed his eyes slightly. It's still uncertain who it is; we'll have to wait for Cheng Jinchang's return to get the answer.
Given that he was able to come specifically to monitor him, Xu Zhengyang currently only had two targets in mind.
The first person that came to mind was someone arranged by Li Bingjie's family. Judging from Jiang Lan's thorough knowledge of his recent actions, it was clear that Li Bingjie's family was paying close attention to him. Xu Zhengyang inwardly cursed them: "Why are you doing this? It's not like I have to kidnap your daughter and trick her into marrying me. She always comes to me of her own accord! Why aren't you taking care of your own daughter? Why are you spying on me?"
To be honest, Xu Zhengyang did like Li Bingjie very much, experiencing the sweet happiness of first love tinged with bittersweetness. But he wasn't fifteen or sixteen anymore; he was a young man in his twenties, and he thought things through very clearly. Admittedly, if he were suddenly asked to marry Li Bingjie, he would definitely agree without hesitation. The problem was… when he calmed down and thought about it, he sometimes felt that Li Bingjie really wasn't suitable to be a wife or daughter-in-law. Her appearance was undeniable; she was uniquely beautiful, a beauty that seemed almost untouchable. The key issue was her personality—to put it bluntly, she was a blockhead. Bringing such a wife home would be suffocating, wouldn't it?
There's another crucial and embarrassing reason: when faced with a beauty as ethereal as Li Bingjie, it simply doesn't evoke the kind of normal male impulses or fantasies one might have when seeing other beautiful women.
It will only make people more pure, so pure that they admire and revere it with awe.
Xu Zhengyang is a normal man. Although he is now the local official in Cixian County and also serves as the local deity of nine towns and ten villages, he still has the mentality and physiological needs of a normal person. He has never thought of becoming a monk, much less of a divine being who is detached from worldly affairs.
So, wouldn't marrying such a wife be very frustrating and helpless, making it difficult to enjoy any kind of pleasure?
Thinking of this, Xu Zhengyang pursed his lips and muttered to himself, "My family has only had one son for three generations, and I'm still hoping to get a wife and have a bunch of kids. But... if I don't have the mind to do that kind of thing, how can I have kids? Even if I watch some porn to arouse my desire and barely manage to have sex, but... but if the kids born are completely like their mothers, then it'll be a tragedy."
What are you thinking? Judging from Li Bingjie's family situation right now, she would never even consider him! Didn't Jiang Lan already make it clear?
Then don't let your daughter come looking for me! Keep an eye on her!
Xu Zhengyang muttered angrily, putting aside these worries, and then thought about another person who might be monitoring and tracking him.
It was naturally Zou Mingyuan.
After several clashes with Zou Mingyuan, it seems Zou Mingyuan has become increasingly interested in Xu Zhengyang. In particular, he's definitely eager to find out where the network behind Gu Xiangxuan is located and who the main person in charge is. Jin Changfa had previously mentioned that Zou Mingyuan would sabotage you behind your back, steal your network, and use any means necessary to force your shop to close down. Yao Chushun had also mentioned this.
Yao Chushun stayed at Guxiangxuan every day, and no one special had approached him to do any transactions. So, the only way to find out the connection behind Guxiangxuan was to follow Xu Zhengyang.
Therefore, Zou Mingyuan may also have arranged for someone to monitor and follow Xu Zhengyang.
If it's Zou Mingyuan's men monitoring Xu Zhengyang...
A cold glint flashed in Xu Zhengyang's narrowed eyes. "Then don't blame me for being impolite!" Damn it, what people hate and despise most is probably this kind of surveillance and investigation.
Because this not only concerns oneself, but may even directly affect the personal safety of one's family members.
Who knows what evil deeds Zou Mingyuan might commit after being driven to desperation by his own actions? That guy is no good. Didn't he collude with thugs to rob his master's family of their treasures for money, resulting in the deaths of all of Yao Chushun's relatives? There's nothing he wouldn't do.
...
Xu Zhengyang sighed and muttered to himself, "This position of Gongcao is too limited! Sigh."
If it weren't for the geographical limitations on his divine power, he could have used the county register to directly investigate who was behind this. The problem was that the county register and his divine power could only be freely extended and investigated within the territory of Cixian County. Once he left the territory of Cixian County, it was as if he had encountered an impenetrable wall, and he could no longer explore further.