Immortality begins in Goose City

Chapter 20 Arson at the Mountain, the County Magistrate's Son

Huang Shujian nodded. If it weren't for Ma Yongzhen's cooperation and desperate efforts at the crucial moment last night, he might not have been able to cut off the monster's head so smoothly.

He casually pulled out a shiny silver coin from his wallet and tossed it over.

"Do a good job."

The silver coin traced an arc, and Ma Yongzhen caught it with lightning speed, clutching it tightly in his palm.

The cool touch and heavy weight warmed his heart.

"Thank you for the reward, young master!" He clasped his hands in thanks again, his voice now filled with even more excitement.

Huang Shujian waved his hand, signaling him to get up, and then lowered the curtains.

Inside the carriage, Xiu'er was sticking her little bottom out and curiously peeking half of her body out of the other window, looking towards the direction of the logging in the mountains.

"Xiuer, what are you looking at?" Huang Shujian sat back on the soft couch.

Xiuer quickly shrank back into her seat, a hint of excitement on her face:

"Young master, I saw Wu the Bearded Man leading his men to set the mountain on fire. I estimate it will be about an hour later."

Huang Shujian hummed in agreement and resumed his meditation.

Just then, a rapid, chaotic sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, suddenly breaking the rhythmic logging sounds in the mountains!

"stop!"

"Stop right there!"

"Stop cutting!"

Several rough shouts, accompanied by the sound of horses' hooves crushing dry branches, came clearly.

Xiuer frowned, her little face showing displeasure: "Who is it? Such a loud voice, daring to interfere with the young master's business?"

Huang Shujian pulled back the curtains again, his gaze fixed on the source of the sound.

On the path at the edge of the woods, dust billowed as a group of about a dozen riders galloped toward them.

The leader was a young man in his early twenties, wearing an old-fashioned yellow-green military uniform. Although it was crisp, the style was outdated.

He carried a Hanyang rifle on his shoulder, was burly, and had an arrogant air about him, clearly indicating that he was also a trained fighter.

"Ba Qing?" Xiu'er recognized the person, pouted, and muttered under her breath, "Why is he here?"

Huang Shujian's memories then surfaced.

Ba Qing, the only son of Ba Liming, the magistrate of Echeng County, is a proper son of an official.

In name only, he is the legitimate heir of Goose City.

However, in this remote and inaccessible Goose City, the county magistrate? He was nothing more than someone who had to kneel and beg for food from the Huang family.

He was assassinated at Yuchun Garden a month ago, and the prime suspect is this seemingly low-profile County Magistrate Ba!

Wu Zhichong reacted quickly, leading several armed servants, and strode forward to block the path of Ba Qing's cavalry.

"Young Master Ba!" Wu Zhichong clasped his hands in a fist salute, his tone not particularly respectful.

"Our Huang family cuts down a few wild trees and burns some weeds here. It seems... that's not under your county government's jurisdiction, is it?"

"What brings you all this way?"

Ba Qing reined in his horse, looking down at Wu Zhichong with disdain, and sneered, "Wu Zhichong, how dare you!"

"Who told you that you can cut down and burn trees in these mountains at will?"

He pointed the gun barrel around the area: "All the mountains, forests, and fields surrounding Goose City are under the jurisdiction of the county government!"

"Cutting down trees without permission is a violation of the law!"

"Not to mention arson. If it causes a major fire that harms the village, can you bear the responsibility?!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhichong's face revealed undisguised disdain, and he sneered, "Young Master Ba, you want to talk to me about the law? In Goose City, you think you know anything about that...?"

He hadn't even uttered the vulgar words he was about to say.

"Snap!"

A crisp click of the bolt being pulled!

Ba Qing suddenly took the rifle off his shoulder, gripped it with both hands, and pointed the dark muzzle directly at Wu Zhichong's forehead!

Wu Zhichong swallowed back what he was about to say, his body instantly stiffening.

No matter how skilled he is in martial arts, he can't outrun a bullet that's this close.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Ba Qing pointed the gun at Wu Zhichong, his tone menacing.

"Wu Zhichong, you're just a coward, how dare you speak so disrespectfully to this young master?"

"Believe it or not, based on what you just said, I'll shoot you dead. It would be doing the people a favor and getting rid of a scourge who defies the government!"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense!

Upon seeing this, the servants of the Huang family stopped what they were doing, placed their hands on the hilts of their knives or gun holsters at their waists, and stared at Ba Qing and his group with hostile eyes.

Just then, a calm voice rang out, breaking the tense standoff.

"What a grand display."

The carriage door opened, and Huang Shujian stepped down unhurriedly.

He straightened the cuffs of his hunting uniform and calmly looked at Baqing on horseback.

Ba Qing's expression finally changed slightly.

But he was, after all, the son of the county magistrate, and he quickly regained his composure.

He slowly lowered the gun that was pointing at Wu Zhichong, but did not put it away. He simply lowered the muzzle to the ground, then clasped his hands in a fist salute and forced a smile on his face: "Young Master Huang, how have you been?"

Huang Shujian nodded slightly in return, without saying anything.

Ba Qing continued, "Young Master Huang, it's not that I, Ba Qing, intend to make things difficult for you today; it's simply my duty that compels me to come."

He pointed at Wu Zhichong, "For the sake of Master Huang and Young Master Huang, I can overlook Instructor Wu's rudeness just now."

He changed the subject, pointing to the surrounding mountains and forests: "If the Huang family needs timber from the other mountains nearby, they are welcome to take it without question. I, Ba Qing, will not object. However..."

His gaze fell on the small hill that was being cleared and felled, and his tone became firm: "This hill is the only one that cannot be touched."

"Oh?" Huang Shujian raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why?"

Ba Qing puffed out his chest and declared loudly, "Because this land now has an owner!"

As he spoke, he turned and shouted to the horsemen behind him, "Zhao Laowu! Come out! Tell Young Master Huang, whose land is this?"

Behind the cavalry, a small old man with a weathered face and a look of fear was half-pushed and half-shoved out by two soldiers.

He clutched a yellowed piece of paper tightly in his hand, walked to Ba Qing's side, lowered his head, dared not look at Huang Shujian, and his body trembled slightly.

Ba Qing nodded with his chin at the old man and said to Huang Shujian, "Brother Shujian, this is Zhao Laowu, the blacksmith on West Street in Goose City. He is an honest and upright man."

He then turned to Zhao Laowu, his tone commanding: "Zhao Laowu, show the land deed you have to Young Master Huang, and loudly tell him whose land this is!"

Zhao Laowu shakily raised his hand and unfolded the land deed.

The edges of the paper are worn, but the ink marks and the official red seal are still relatively clear.

Huang Shujian glanced at the land deed, which indeed showed the location and area of ​​the mountain, and listed Zhao Fumin as the owner.

"The land deed looks authentic," Huang Shujian said slowly, his gaze shifting from the deed to Zhao Laowu's terrified face. "But Zhao Laowu, is this land... really yours?"

His tone was calm, yet it sent a shiver down Zhao Laowu's spine, causing him to lower his head even further.

Upon seeing this, Ba Qing's face darkened, and he shouted at Zhao Laowu, "Zhao Laowu! Are you deaf? Young Master Huang is asking you a question! Tell him, whose land is this?"

Zhao Laowu glanced at his own shadow on the ground, then secretly raised his eyelids and quickly glanced at Huang Shujian, whose face was calm. He then stole a glance at Ba Qing, who was holding a rifle next to him. The wrinkles on his face were all tangled together, filled with fear and embarrassment.

His lips trembled, and after a long while, he finally spoke in a very low, indistinct voice, "This land...this land belongs to the Huang family...I...I sold it to the Huang family..."