Shulong Daojun

Without hesitation, the county magistrate respectfully reported, "It was the Taoist priest who helped us."

While the people outside Chuxian County were in turmoil, a Taoist priest in the county, who was helping the people, noticed the disturbance. After investigating the cause, he used his powers to conjure up a sea of ​​wheat to appease the people.

Thanks to this, Chuzhou County, where I am stationed, is now free from worries.

However, the Taoist priest had important matters to attend to and could not stay long, fearing that the disturbance might occur again. So he left behind a method and conjured up a batch of weapons as a gift, and took the opportunity to ask several capable and extraordinary people to help him.

As for this method..."

The magistrate paused slightly, not stating the exact words, but hinting, "That's how it is."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and beckoned a body-refining disciple over, nodding slightly and making a "please" gesture.

The body-refining disciple understood, and with a tap of his foot, the ground cracked open, the fissure heading straight towards the nearby refugees.

When they got close, they suddenly stopped. Although they didn't touch them, it still made them panic and they all shrank back.

At this moment, the county magistrate bowed and said, "I suppose the Prefectural Magistrate can also see that."

On the way to Pingjiang City, the county magistrate had anticipated this question and had prepared a response in advance.

His words were half true and half false; any illogical points were attributed to the Taoist priest.

Given the nature of the Prefect of Pingjiang, I suppose he would believe most of it.

Although this person is clever, he is indecisive when it comes to important matters. He will immediately bow down and obey those who are powerful and influential. This was the case when he was inspecting Chuzhou County.

as predicted.

Upon hearing this, the Prefectural Magistrate disregarded everything else and his eyes lit up: "I never expected you to have such good fortune. I am truly envious."

What was the Taoist priest's Buddhist name? And what kind of otherworldly demeanor did he possess? Did he ever say he would return to Chuzhou County?

The county magistrate's heart tightened. Although he knew nothing about the questions asked by the prefect, he remained calm and composed: "The Daoist is indifferent to fame and fortune and his whereabouts are unknown. Therefore, I do not know when he will return to Chuzhou County."

but......"

He changed the subject, his tone earnest, and said, "I came here to aid Pingjiang City on the orders of the Daoist Master to protect the people. I expect to come here soon to take a look."

The prefect's expression changed several times, first showing regret, then joy, and he said with slight excitement, "Is that really so?"

Before the magistrate could even speak, he turned to the guards beside him and ordered, "Quickly open the city gates and let the people who have come to our aid into the city."

We'll treat you to good wine and meat, lest the Taoist priest come and hear that we from Pingjiang City are lacking in manners.

Upon hearing this, the guard's pupils contracted, and he hurriedly said, "Sir, this is absolutely unacceptable."

Although those thousand men were commoners, their armor and weapons were of excellent quality. If they harbored any ill intentions...

Before he could finish speaking, the Prefect's face darkened, and he coldly shouted, "Enough! Who is the Prefect, me or you?"

"They're just a thousand civilians, not some fierce soldiers. Surely you can't handle them? Are you suggesting that the grain from Pingjiang City is being used to feed a bunch of good-for-nothings?"

A reprimand and two questions rained down on the defenders, leaving them speechless and looking embarrassed.

The prefectural magistrate added, "Furthermore, with those ten capable and extraordinary individuals present, the city gates are essentially useless."

If they truly harbored ill intentions, they would have simply breached the city walls and stormed in right now; why would they have waited quietly beneath the walls?

It was clear that he had received instructions from the Taoist priest to protect the people without harming them.

"You have absolutely no sense of propriety! Quickly open the city gates, don't delay!"

This time, the garrison dared not object again, and obediently agreed, then turned around and carried out the order.

However, after taking a few steps, a voice came from behind: "By the way, after entering the city, use the excuse that 'being armed and in armor hinders eating and drinking' to temporarily store the leather armor and spears of those thousand men."

However, the prefectural magistrate thought that the garrison's words made some sense, and on a whim, he added another sentence.

The garrison soldier responded and hurriedly descended from the city wall.

Before the city gates opened, the prefect seemed to remember something and quickly summoned another guard, whispering an order for him to catch up with the previous guard and give him some instructions.

He then turned to the county magistrate and said with a smile, "The city gates will open shortly, but please take the refugees out of Pingjiang City."

The county magistrate nodded upon hearing this, raised his hand to summon Jiang Heng, and said in a low voice, "I have done all I can. I only hope that you will treat the people of each city and county well in the future."

Jiang Heng smiled and said, "Of course, I will not fail the magistrate's kindness."

After speaking, she turned around and went to the man with leopard eyes. After giving him some instructions, she led the refugees from the city away with him.

In a short while.

After only a thousand armored civilians remained outside Pingjiang City, the city gates slowly opened, revealing the prefectural magistrate and a group of guards.

With one side willing to welcome them and the other eager to enter, everyone was happy for a time.

Upon arriving in the city, the prefect waved his hand and ordered the guards beside him to act as previously instructed. He then ordered that the man with the leopard eyes and ten body-refining disciples be well taken care of.

He couldn't wait to set out some fine tea and started chatting with the county magistrate, using the title "Taoist Master" as a pretext.

The county magistrate racked his brains, making up various excuses and exaggerating the truth, so that no one would know whether it was true or not.

Jiang Heng did nothing, but simply stayed with the thousand people who had taken off their leather armor, chatting about land, housing, stability, and future matters.

This secretly relieved the city's garrison.

This continued peacefully until the grand banquet that night.

Before heading to the banquet, Jiang Heng looked at the people around him and said with a smile, "You must all be tired after traveling for several days. Since the Prefect is hosting a banquet, please feel free to eat and drink to your heart's content."

Having said that, he turned and walked toward the prefectural magistrate's residence, led by a servant.

The banquet was held in two places: one to entertain a thousand commoners, and the other as a private banquet for the prefect.

Before long, they arrived.

Besides the county magistrate, the man with leopard eyes, and eleven others, most of the officials from Pingjiang City also came, all invited by the prefectural magistrate to congratulate the city on the lifting of the siege.

On this auspicious occasion, everyone was overjoyed. After three cups, they began to toast and play drinking games.

As the night deepened, people became increasingly drunk, and this was true at both banquet venues.

One place.

The city's garrison, watching the thousand people who had eaten and drunk their fill and were lying on the banquet table, felt that nothing was wrong and there was nothing unusual about it.

I must have been overthinking things to worry that these thousand people had ill intentions.

They looked at it for a few more moments until they were sure it was correct, then they relaxed and took a nap against the wall in twos and threes.

Another place.

Jiang Heng looked at the drunken prefect and most of the officials, and couldn't help but smile, thinking: In this way, we are only one step away from taking Pingjiang City.

Nothing much was done, just a drinking session.

He himself was drunk, but the leopard-eyed man and the others would not. He only needed to ask them to wake him up after the officials were drunk, and the wine would be as if he had not drunk it at all.

Although Taoists have their own rules and are not allowed to harm mortals at will, the leopard-eyed man and the others were only helping him sober up, so it can't be considered a violation of the rules.

The next step is to wake up Kong Ling and the others.

Thinking of this, Jiang Heng cupped his hands to the man with leopard eyes and said softly, "I trouble you, Daoist, to go to another banquet to help Kong Ling and the others sober up. A hundred or so people will be enough."