New and dark light years

Chapter 470 Killing the chicken to scare the monkey

Liu Shen started rolling around on the ground again.

She rubbed against Li Lin's leg.

Li Lin found it strange. The Tree Fairy Goddess also absorbed his blood essence, so why didn't she... do the same?
At most, her face would just turn slightly red.

Lu Ying blushed as she watched from the side. She tried to pull Liu Shen away, but she wasn't strong enough.

How could she possibly compete with a 'dragon' in strength?

After tugging a few times without success, Lu Ying gave up on the idea. She walked to Li Lin's side, watched Liu Shen frolicking around for a while, then looked at Li Lin, hesitant to speak.

Li Lin smiled and said, "Junior Sister Lu, please speak freely."

"I went back to Tianyi Sect yesterday and heard from my senior brother that you are going to build another Immortal Seeking Society within Tianyi Sect?"

Li Lin nodded, then asked, "Did he tell you about this?"

"Yes, can't I know?" Lu Ying asked timidly.

Li Lin shook his head: "I thought he wouldn't tell you. After all, if you knew about this, you would definitely want to join. And the Seeking Immortals Society is actually a bit dangerous, after all... the Executioner Society has a lot of power."

Hearing this, Lu Ying's expression became noticeably happier.

She always thought that Li Lin disliked her, which was why he didn't let her know about the Seeking Immortals Society.

"Can I join then?"

Li Lin pondered for a moment and said, "I suggest you don't join the Immortal Seekers Association!"

"Why? I want to help you too."

Lu Ying took a step forward, her eyes fixed on Li Lin, filled with confusion.

Li Lin explained, "It's very dangerous."

"I'm not afraid."

"It's not a question of whether you're afraid or not, but a question of whether I want you to take risks."

Hearing this, Lu Ying blushed slightly: "Okay, I'll listen to you."

At this moment, Liu Shen also woke up. She shivered as usual, stood up straight, put her hands on her hips and said, "Li Lin, Li Lin, I recently found another powerful monster that can become a True Lord. It's just that it looks a bit ugly and a little scary."

"That shouldn't matter," Li Lin said with a smile.

Before she became human, Liu Shen was also quite frightening in appearance.

After all, with its blue scales, dragon head, long mouth, and long teeth, it would be strange if an ordinary person didn't be scared half to death when they saw it.

Of course, the lively and energetic Liu Shen is actually quite charming.

"It's really scary." Liu Shen pressed her finger to her lips, and after thinking for a while, she finally came up with the right words to describe it: "It has three heads, a bulging belly, and is uglier than a toad."

Li Lin thought about it for a moment and also felt that the monster did not look very good, so he asked, "What is its original form?"

“I don’t know.” Liu Shen shook his head. “But I can tell that he has never eaten a human. Also, he is a vegetarian, but you can tell that he is also very hungry.”

Li Lin was a little surprised: "Do strange creatures eat vegetarian food?"

"Yes, there are," Liu Shen nodded and said, "but they are very rare."

“Then let’s talk to him about becoming a True Lord,” Li Lin said with a smile. “The True Lord Temple on the official road west of Jin County is already under construction and will be completed in about two months. Then we can let him go there and become a True Lord.”

"Great." Liu Shen was very happy: "That way, I'll be able to drink again soon."

Lu Ying, however, became curious about just how delicious Li Lin's blood essence was, that Liu Shen couldn't forget it and even abandoned all manners and etiquette.

Li Lin chatted with the two for a while longer before leaving.

He has a lot to do.

One of the most important things is 'fundraising'.

This matter should have been led by Chiang Chi-li, but recently there have been some problems with the fundraising efforts among the gentry.

They are no longer willing to donate.

He even wrote a complaint and sent it to Huang Yan, who was about to be transferred.

Then the petition was returned to Yulin County and eventually ended up in Li Lin's hands.

"It's quite interesting; they portrayed me as a ruthless and corrupt official who kills without blinking an eye." Li Lin put down the petition in his hand.

Jiang Jili smiled and asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"I sent someone over a few days ago," Li Lin said. "They should be back soon!"

"You knew about it beforehand?" Jiang Jili asked, somewhat curious.

Li Lin said, "Taishan sent his family servant over a few days ago to tell me this news, but the petition was sent back a few days later."

"Why?"

"Official business should be handled at a leisurely pace."

Jiang Jili burst out laughing on the spot.

After chatting for a while, Xiao Chunzhu came in from outside.

"Your Excellency, I have escorted several prisoners to the torture chamber to await their punishment."

Li Lin nodded: "Take them to court. The secretary and I will be there in a bit."

Xiao Chunzhu clasped her hands in a respectful greeting, then turned and left.

Jiang Jili asked, "Are you planning to make an example of someone?"

"Of course."

Li Lin stood up: "Secretary Zhang, won't you come along to take a look?"

"Extremely happy."

……

"mighty!"

Two rows of bailiffs stood ramrod straight, each holding a water and fire stick.

In the courtroom, Li Lin sat in the main seat, while Jiang Jili stood slightly to his left.

Standing below were five people, four men and one woman, all elderly. Each of them had gray hair.

Li Lin slammed the gavel heavily on the table and said, "Those of you below, do you know your crimes?"

All four men knelt down and cried out that they knew they were guilty.

The old woman, however, stood ramrod straight, her face radiating righteousness, and said, "This old woman knows not what crime I have committed!"

At this moment, a large crowd of people gathered near the threshold of the main hall to watch the spectacle.

These people were also specifically allowed in by Li Lin.

Li Lin smiled and said, "Anping County...Madam Geng."

"Oh, so the military governor knows me too." Geng snorted and said angrily, "We have no objection to you building the Zhenjun Temple, but this is the responsibility and obligation of the government. What does it have to do with us common people? Why do you have to force us to donate money?"

“Because you didn’t donate before,” Li Lin said with a smile. “The money for building the Zhenjun Temple comes from the people and will be used for the people. With the Zhenjun Temple, people can travel freely within Jin County without worrying about the dangers of the supernatural. Isn’t that wonderful?”

"That's what the government should do. It's not like we wealthy families, who pay huge amounts of land and commercial taxes every year, are forced to donate money." The old lady turned around and shouted to the crowd watching the play outside, "Fellow villagers, neighbors, you be the judge! Just because we refused to donate money, County Magistrate Li arrested us and punished us. Is there any justice in this world?"

Li Lin raised his eyebrows and smiled.

Geng's roar garnered the approval of many.

However, some people believe that these wealthy individuals should donate money, since resentment towards the rich will always exist.

People outside were talking about it.

The woman turned around and looked at Li Lin: "Your Excellency, I am sixty-three years old... Even if you wish to torture me, you cannot do so."

Her expression even showed a hint of smugness.

Li Lin sighed and said, "You really won't donate?"

"No donation!" Geng shouted at Li Lin, "Li Lin, you are a good official, we all know that. You can't become a corrupt official."

Upon hearing this, the four old men kneeling beside him trembled even more.

They wished they could stay as far away from this crazy woman as possible.

Li Lin now understood why the Geng family dared to be so arrogant.

Firstly, this woman is very old, and the Great Qi has a tradition of not punishing the elderly, as a sign of respect for elders.

Secondly... she felt that Li Lin was a 'good official' who cherished his own reputation and wouldn't really do anything to her.

Li waved to the side, and a clerk presented him with a sheet of white paper covered in writing.

The paper was placed on the table. Li Lin looked at it for a while and said, "Geng family, three years ago, one of your tenants went missing and his fate is still unknown. Five years ago, your eldest grandson, Geng Fuqing, accidentally killed a maid and only paid half a tael of silver in compensation. Last year, you underpaid seventeen dou of land tax... There are five or six other things your Geng family has done in recent years. Do you want me to read on?"

Every wealthy family with a long history has some shady dealings. Usually, the authorities don't investigate unless the people complain, but if they really do investigate, not a single family can pass the test.

At this point, Geng's expression had turned somewhat bluish.

People are easily blinded by illusions; when they hear the same thing too often, they instinctively believe it to be true.

In Anping County, the tenant farmers and the surrounding people all said that she was a great philanthropist with integrity. Although she was a woman and an old woman, she was better than any man. She spoke with dignity and prestige.

At first she didn't think so, but after listening to it for decades, she came to believe that it really was true.

At this moment, Madam Geng looked at Li Lin with disbelief in her eyes: "You're talking nonsense..."

"It's alright. I've already sent people to investigate secretly. Whether it's nonsense or not, we'll find out in a few days."

Geng finally understood Li Lin's plan. She looked at the four old men kneeling in a row to her right, then suddenly realized what was happening and pointed a trembling finger at them: "It was you... who ruined me..."

The four men lowered their heads, remained silent, and ignored her completely.

After trembling for a while, Geng's body collapsed softly to the ground.

"Let's take Madam Geng into custody first..." Li Lin said with a smile, then looked at the four men beside him: "Gentlemen, would you be willing to donate money?"

“We are willing to donate, we are willing to donate.”

The four spoke in unison, afraid of being too late to answer.

Li Lin said, "Then go back first. Within three days, send the money to the government office, where the chief secretary will keep it for you."

"Yes Yes Yes!"

The four men kowtowed repeatedly.

Li Lin slammed his gavel down and said, "Court adjourned!"

Two days later, Geng's house was raided.

A large amount of donations were sent to the government office.

In less than five days, nearly a hundred people came to donate.

They brought a lot of things, and Jiang Jili remembers that his hands were almost broken. He had no choice but to ask Wen Bi to help him.

Li Lin no longer needed to concern himself with this matter, so he took some time to come to Tianjin.

Today is the day Huang Yan is transferred and leaves Tianjin.

Although Huang Yan forbade Li Lin from coming, saying it was to avoid suspicion, Li Lin still came, but he just stood on the city wall, dressed in ordinary clothes, and watched from afar.

Before getting into the carriage, Huang Yan cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Li Lin.

He was accompanied by several skilled martial artists, who naturally noticed Li Lin.

Li Lin returned the greeting with clasped hands, remaining motionless.

Li Lin sighed softly and descended the city wall only after Huang Yan's carriage had disappeared into the distance for quite some time.

There are three people in this world whom he is most grateful to.

Uncle Zhao, Su Huafang, and Huang Yan.

They are respectively the grace of saving a life, the grace of recognizing a talent, and the grace of supporting and promoting someone.

Without any one of the three of them, Li Lin would not have achieved what he has today.

Afterwards, Li Lin arrived at Tianyi Gate.

This is also the most important thing for him today.

The Seekers of Immortals Society is probably about to be officially established.

(End of this chapter)