Bizarre Cultivation: Starting from Being Beaten Up by Reality

Chapter 142 Extinguishing the Oil Fire

After reporting back to the yamen, Constable Sun slept until evening before getting up. He sat on the bed, his mind filled with the words and looks of the wetland people from the previous day.

"Damn it, what's going on? What's wrong with this?"

Although Constable Sun is not good at thinking, he has a great advantage: whenever he encounters something he can't figure out, he will go to someone to discuss it.

After changing into his patterned constable uniform, he jogged all the way to the county magistrate's study.

After knocking and entering, Constable Sun poured out his strange feelings as if he were spilling beans.

Snapped!

Magistrate Sun slammed his hand on the table. "Why didn't you say so sooner about something so important?"

Constable Sun was taken aback. Was it serious? Nothing had happened.

"Sun Qian, Sun Qian, you almost caused a disaster. But thanks to your vigilance, you handled last night's events quite well. That damned Li family brat didn't tell the truth, saying a few petty thieves escaped? Humph, I always felt this wasn't so simple."

Sun Qian was completely confused. What was all this about? He hadn't even caught anyone, so how could he have handled it well?

“Sun Qian, let me ask you, do you feel that those wetland people aren’t so afraid of you anymore?”

Sun Qian nodded vigorously. Yes, that was the feeling he had been struggling to put into words!

"That's because they used to think they were ants, and the Li family was an unshakeable force. But yesterday, someone made the Li family bleed and even shattered their heaven. So they woke up, and they've stopped being afraid of the Li family. Sun Qian, do you think they're ants?"

Sun Qian nodded repeatedly.

Magistrate Sun shook his head. "No, they are not. They are wild beasts that have been starving for a long time. They wake up as soon as they smell blood."

Sun Qian frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Uncle, since that's the case, shouldn't we go and teach them a lesson again?"

Magistrate Sun pointed at Sun Qian and said, "You, you really have a pig brain. The Li family has already shed blood, do you want me, the county magistrate, to shed blood too? I said you did well last night, you withdrew quickly enough. If you had pushed them any further, and really pushed them to the brink, no matter what the outcome, it would have stirred up their extinguished fighting spirit."

Sun Qian only half understood what he was saying and asked in confusion, "Then what should we do? Do nothing?"

Magistrate Sun shook his head. "Of course not. Someone left a spark; we must put it out. Why wait for it to burn us?"

Sun Qian was even more confused. This wouldn't work, that wouldn't work, so what should he do? "Why don't we just say they're bandits, gather the militia, and wipe them out completely? I've been wanting to get rid of these wetland scum for a long time."

"Ha." Magistrate Sun was almost amused by this man. "Aren't you just adding fuel to the fire by doing this?"

Sun Qian argued, "By then, when everyone is dead, they can still crawl back from the underworld without eating. We can just kill them all."

Magistrate Sun chuckled dryly, "Hehehe, calling you a pig-brain is too kind. This matter was handled slightly improperly, which is like lighting a fire. A single spark can start a prairie fire. I don't want to become a sinner for the Great Qian Dynasty for all time."

"Hey, Uncle, stop keeping me in suspense and just tell me how to do it?"

"You really want to learn?"

"Want to learn!"

Magistrate Sun took a sip of tea and said, "If there's a fire, what will you use to put it out?"

Sun Qian immediately replied, "Use water!"

Magistrate Sun nodded. "Yes, the methods you mentioned are all about using water to start a fire. That's what we do all the time. But this time it's kerosene. When you pour water on it, the fire spreads. Go and call Registrar Ning here."

"what?"

"Just go when I tell you to. I'll teach you how to put out kerosene. Watch and learn more, and use your pig brain!"

Soon, Sun Qian returned with a young man dressed as a scholar.

Registrar Ning was a dignified and very polite man. He greeted Magistrate Sun and bowed before waiting to the side.

“Registration Officer Ning, the Li family has a grove of Crane Spirit Trees that are already twenty years old. Urge them to cut down the trees and take back the land.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Qian immediately interjected, "What if the Li family refuses?"

Registrar Ning laughed heartily and said to Sun Qian, "Officer Sun, please don't bother me. I will handle this myself."

Magistrate Sun rolled his eyes at Sun Qian. "I told you to listen more. Why did you interrupt? The Li family is not what it used to be. They have no right to speak now."

He then said to Registrar Ning, "Oh, by the way, the Li family has done a great service in eliminating the harmful beast this time, and should be commended and generously rewarded."

Magistrate Sun didn't wait for Registrar Ning's reply and continued, "Now that the pests have been eliminated, the county residents who were temporarily residing in the wetlands can move back and settle on the land that has just been reclaimed. Don't dwell on the previous debts; distribute the land according to the number of people, men, women, young and old, everyone must receive some, and no one can be left out. Registrar Ning, is there enough land?"

Since the wetland people moved out, less than one-tenth of them remain. After a moment's mental calculation, Registrar Ning replied with a smile, "There should be more than enough."

He only said this one sentence, without asking how the excess land would be disposed of, let alone saying anything like the nonsense about sending the profits from the excess land to the county magistrate's mansion every year.

Magistrate Sun felt very comfortable. Compared to his nephew who asked a million questions, it was much more pleasant to talk to a smart person. He continued, "The entire population must be registered and recorded. There must be no omissions."

Registrar Ning understood and said, "I will have them pass on the message to each other. If they miss this opportunity, they will not be able to become citizens again."

Magistrate Sun stroked his beard. "You've thought this through. Hey, Registrar Ning, I remember you're good friends with the headmaster of the county academy. Have him come over to visit me sometime. I'd like him to find someone for me to open a private school in the new village."

Registrar Ning nodded in agreement, looking at the magistrate with admiration, and praised, "Magistrate, you are truly a good official who cares for the people and stands up for them! As local officials, we should all strive for the well-being of the people like you. Your dedication to public service is a model for us all."

Magistrate Sun's face unconsciously lit up with joy, and he finally said, "Hey, what were those villages called again?"

Without hesitation, Registrar Ning replied, "One of them is called Maolin Village."

Magistrate Sun nodded thoughtfully, "Maolin Village, a good name. Let's name the new village after that."

Registrar Ning said a few more kind words, asked no questions, and then took his leave.

Magistrate Sun looked at him, then at his nephew, and thought the difference in intelligence between people was greater than that between a person and a dog.

Sun Qian looked completely bewildered. "Uncle, why is this happening? Are we going to have to take their land?"

Magistrate Sun's good mood vanished instantly. He threw the calligraphy brush at him and said, "You pig-brain, go back and think about it."

Sun Qian, looking dejected, was about to leave when he heard Magistrate Sun say behind him, "Tell me when you've thought it through, and it'll count towards your performance review for this month!"

Sun Qian could only grimace and turn around to agree. However, he wasn't afraid; he had already decided to ask Registrar Ning later. If all else failed, he would have Registrar Ning write it down, and he would memorize it himself.

Magistrate Sun stopped him again, saying, "There's a case involving a family surnamed Sun outside the city. Go and take a look. They're actually very distant relatives of mine. You can handle it yourself."