flstandardbreds Chapter 155 The Government Office Faces Another Difficulty in Bridge Construction
Chapter 155 The Government Office Faces Another Difficulty in Bridge Construction
The government office is facing difficulties in building bridges and roads.
Su Yunlan was directing the workers to reinforce the bridge piers. Under the scorching sun, her clothes were soaked with sweat, but she did not slack off at all.
The clanging and banging of hammers, along with the shouts of the workers, intertwined to create a lively symphony of labor.
Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, breaking the harmonious rhythm.
A procession of officials escorted a small blue sedan chair, arriving at the construction site in a grand procession.
The workers stopped what they were doing and stared in disbelief at the sudden commotion, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Su Yunlan's heart tightened.
The sedan chair landed, the curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man in official robes with a protruding belly stepped out. He was none other than Magistrate Sun of Qinghe County.
He strolled leisurely to the makeshift chair and sat down, his small eyes scanning the project before him, a barely perceptible sneer playing on his lips.
"I've come today for a routine inspection of the bridge project," Magistrate Sun said in a high-pitched, official tone. "I've heard that this bridge was built under the supervision of the fourth wife of the Xiao family?"
Su Yunlan stepped forward and gave a slight curtsy: "It is indeed I, a humble woman."
Magistrate Sun glanced at her sideways, gently waving his folding fan, and said slowly, "Madam Su, your bridge seems to be somewhat irregular."
"I wonder which aspect of non-compliance you are referring to, sir?" Su Yunlan asked calmly, but her heart was already churning with turmoil.
Magistrate Sun pointed to one of the bridge piers and said, "The materials used for this bridge pier seem to be different from what I previously approved. Also, the width of this bridge surface seems a bit narrow. And..." With each sentence, he pointed with his fan, as if nitpicking, scrutinizing every part of the bridge.
The sunlight shone on Magistrate Sun's oily face, making him appear even more arrogant.
He looked at Su Yunlan with a hint of mockery in his eyes, as if he were enjoying the helplessness and anxiety on her face.
The air around seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.
“Madam Su,” Magistrate Sun paused, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, “this bridge…”
"This bridge... I'm afraid it can't be repaired any further."
Su Yunlan felt a chill run through her as a cold sensation shot from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
She suppressed her anger and tried to keep her tone calm: "Sir, we strictly followed the blueprints and regulations in the construction of this bridge. We are unsure where it deviates from the regulations, so please enlighten us."
Magistrate Sun gave a light snort, waved his folding fan, and said slowly, "If I say it's not in accordance with regulations, then it's not in accordance with regulations! In short, you have three days to rectify it. If you still haven't met my requirements after three days, then work will be stopped immediately!"
Three days!
Like a bolt from the blue, Su Yunlan felt an immense pressure pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.
The bridge project was already under tight deadlines, and now it needs to be renovated, making it almost an impossible task.
She gazed at the unfinished bridge before her; the gray steel and concrete gleamed starkly in the sunlight, as if mocking her helplessness.
The whispers of the workers reached her ears, like countless fine needles pricking her heart.
She could feel her heart racing, her palms sweating, and a sense of powerlessness washing over her.
Just then, Young Master Xiao Nineteen rushed over, carrying a thick stack of documents. He said breathlessly, "Sister-in-law, I found it!" He handed the documents to Su Yunlan, "These are all the documents we exchanged with the government. They clearly record the specifications and materials used for the bridge. We haven't violated any regulations!"
Su Yunlan took the document, quickly flipped through it, and a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart.
She took a deep breath, handed the document to Magistrate Sun, and said firmly, "Your Honor, please take a look. It clearly states..." She read the contents of the document word by word, each word resounding as if it were bullets aimed at Magistrate Sun.
Magistrate Sun's face grew increasingly grim. He took the document, hastily flipped through a few pages, his eyes darting around, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He originally thought he could use this opportunity to make things difficult for Su Yunlan, but he didn't expect that she was already prepared.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself speechless.
Seeing his embarrassed appearance, Su Yunlan felt a surge of pride and satisfaction.
The sunlight shone on her face, reflecting her resolute expression.
She knew she had won this battle.
“My lord,” Su Yunlan’s voice was clear and strong, “if there’s nothing else, we’ll continue with our work.”
Magistrate Sun's face turned ashen, and after a long while he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Hmph! Continue!" With that, he flung his sleeves and left, and the group of officials followed him in a dejected manner.
Dust billowed as the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance.
Su Yunlan watched the departing figure, a cold smile appearing on her lips.
Suddenly, a warm, large hand landed on her shoulder...
Xiao Yuhan gently patted Su Yunlan's shoulder, and a steady force instantly spread throughout her body.
His deep eyes were filled with trust and support for her.
Su Yunlan turned slightly to the side, leaning towards him, feeling the familiar scent emanating from him, and an indescribable sense of gratitude welled up in her heart.
The tense atmosphere that had just been on the verge of conflict seemed to vanish in an instant.
The sun was still scorching, but now it seemed to bring a touch of warmth to the two of them.
The workers resumed their work, and the clanging and banging sounds rang out again, as if celebrating this small victory.
However, the calm did not last long.
Magistrate Sun and his entourage did not go far, but stopped not far away. Magistrate Sun, riding a tall horse, looked down at them, his fat face full of resentment.
His eyes gleamed, as if he were plotting a new scheme.
"Wait!" Magistrate Sun's shrill voice rang out again, tinged with annoyance. "I suddenly remembered that this bridge project also requires the payment of a construction tax!"
Su Yunlan's heart sank. She knew that Magistrate Sun would not give up easily.
"Construction tax?" Young Master Xiao exclaimed in surprise, "I've never heard of any construction tax before!"
Magistrate Sun sneered, "Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Now that I've said it must be paid, it must be paid!" He adopted the air of an official, his tone arrogant and unreasonable.
Su Yunlan clenched his fists tightly. On the surface, he wanted to collect engineering taxes, but in reality, he wanted to use this opportunity to extort money and even possibly bring the bridge project to a standstill.
Just as Su Yunlan was pondering a solution, Xiao Yuhan slowly stepped forward.
He stood tall and straight, like a sturdy pine tree weathered by time, exuding an aura of majesty.
He walked up to Magistrate Sun's horse, raised his head, and stared at him with piercing eyes.
“Magistrate Sun,” Xiao Yuhan’s voice was deep and powerful, carrying an unquestionable authority, “the Xiao family has lived here for generations and has made many contributions to the development of Qinghe County. Now, building a bridge is a good thing that benefits the country and the people, to facilitate the travel of the people. But you want to obstruct it and forcibly collect an unwarranted construction tax. What is the reason for this?”
Xiao Yuhan's words were firm and resolute, carrying a powerful sense of pressure.
Magistrate Sun felt a little guilty under his gaze, and his eyes flickered uncertainly.
He originally thought that the Xiao family was now in trouble and could be manipulated at will, but he did not expect that the aura of this war god was still so intimidating.
"This...this..." Magistrate Sun stammered, unable to speak. Moreover, he dared not truly offend the Xiao family; after all, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.
In the end, Magistrate Sun chose to back down.
He glared fiercely at Su Yunlan and Xiao Yuhan, then said, "Hmph! You're lucky!" and slunk away with his men.
Dust billowed as the sound of horses' hooves gradually faded into the distance.
Su Yunlan watched the departing figure, but her worries did not lessen.
She knew that Magistrate Sun would not let the matter rest; he would surely come up with other ways to make things difficult for them.
"Yunlan," Xiao Yuhan walked to Su Yunlan's side, took her hand, and said softly, "Don't worry, I will protect you."
Su Yunlan raised her head and looked at Xiao Yuhan's resolute face, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.
She knew that with him by her side, she had nothing to fear.
"Fourth Sister-in-law," Young Master Xiao Nineteen walked over and said worriedly, "What should we do next? That Magistrate Sun will definitely come again."
Su Yunlan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
She gazed at the unfinished bridge before her, her eyes resolute and determined.
"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it," Su Yunlan said calmly, his eyes sharp.
"Next, we..."