The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 44 The Real Chu Xun

Tang Shijun turned to face the Songliu Water God Temple, slightly raised his head, and straightened his chest.

"If there truly is a Pine and Willow Water God, he shall bring blessings to the people of this land. But if he stirs up trouble and harms the innocent, I will surely lead troops to punish him and show no mercy!"

His words were stern and forceful!

People all over the world revere gods and immortals, even officials.

Tang Shijun believed that there might truly be a deity protecting this place.

But he was fearless and arrogant.

Whether it is an immortal, a god, a demon, or a monster.

He ruined Zhangnan County, which he had painstakingly built up over eight years, and should be executed!

Simply because he is Tang Shijun!

Unparalleled in the world.

The word "钧" carries immense weight!

Eight years as a county magistrate did not smooth out his rough edges.

Instead, it made the sharp stone even sharper.

The 29th year of the Jing Kingdom.

Tang Shijun was twenty-nine years old.

The new dynasty was newly established and was thriving.

He was second in the imperial examination and was full of pride!

Chu Xun watched Tang Shijun walk towards the sedan chair, and seeing his heavy steps, he knew what was troubling him.

In mid-air, a crow flapped its wings and swept across the Songliu River.

ga-

A hoarse scream exploded in the air.

boom--

The waves surged and rose into the sky.

Tang Shijun, who had already lifted the curtain and was preparing to enter the sedan chair, heard a shout: "My lord, please look!"

Tang Shijun turned his head and saw a large white python leaping out of the water.

Its nearly two-zhang-long body exudes an overwhelming sense of oppression.

There was also a turtle the size of a washbasin, which was being carried by a white snake and was clearly visible.

The people on both sides of the Songliu River have all heard the legend that the Songliu River God rides a tortoise and a snake.

Therefore, upon seeing the snake and the tortoise, they immediately dropped what they were holding and knelt down in a panic and reverence.

Tang Shijun did not do that; he was some distance from the Songliu River, and the scene he saw was completely different.

The white python and the blue tortoise were certainly eye-catching, but in front of them stood a tall and imposing figure.

Tang Shijun's vision seemed somewhat unfocused.

It seemed that Chu Xun's figure had become incredibly tall, making even the giant tortoise and python appear as mere accompaniments.

He had visited the Songliu Water God Temple and seen the indistinct statue of the god.

Now, the blurry statue seems to overlap with the figure before them.

slam-la-

Water splashed everywhere as the giant python and the giant turtle disappeared underwater.

In Tang Shijun's field of vision, only Chu Xun remained.

Still clear, still real.

At that moment, a thought suddenly arose in his mind.

Even if the Songliu River has no water god.

But there is also Chu Xun.

He didn't know why he felt this way, but his heart was suddenly filled with great excitement.

He raised his arms, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, "Take care, my lord!"

Chu Xun also bowed and said, "Take care, my lord."

Tang Shijun said nothing more, nor did he go to see the Songliu Water God Temple again.

The worries in my heart, at this moment, were like the bright sun, forcefully tearing away the gloom.

The light shone like a tide, stretching endlessly.

Whether the Pine and Willow Water God truly exists in the world cannot be determined even after encountering a giant python and a giant tortoise.

But there really is a person named Chu Xun in this world!

Chu Xun watched as Tang Shijun got into the sedan chair and drove away along the forest path.

After a long while, he turned around and looked at the people kneeling on both sides of the riverbank.

When Zhang Anxiu pulled him to kneel and worship the Pine and Willow Water God, he knew that the statue was of himself.

Today, the people sincerely kowtow, unaware that the statue of the god is right before their eyes.

At that moment, Chu Xun suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders.

It was as if the few slaps Tang Shijun made before his departure had never faded away.

Or perhaps, he finally understood the meaning behind those few blows.

Time is like a long river, flowing ceaselessly and never turning back.

Only he would stand on the riverbank, watching groups of people come and go.

coming.

I went.

Like waves crashing against the shore, specks of water splash onto the damp mud.

It felt as if it existed.

------

Tang Shijun was promoted, but he didn't take a single penny of silver; he left it all in the county government office.

He only took away the calligraphy and paintings he had created in Zhangnan County over the years, along with an exceptionally long rice stalk.

This was something he had intended to present to His Majesty the Emperor, but because of Chu Xun's words, he kept it as a warning.

Officials should tread carefully, as if walking on thin ice, and be cautious in their words and deeds.

Only in this way can we proceed step by step and realize our grand ambitions!

The people lined the streets to see him off, and many wept bitterly, reluctant to part.

Most of them were refugees who fled here years ago. Now they have settled down in Zhangnan County and no longer have to live a nomadic life or go hungry.

This is Tang Shijun's achievement, a great deed, and the source of the people's gratitude.

Those who once couldn't understand those government decrees now feel deeply ashamed.

In terms of long-term vision, it is difficult to match them.

The newly appointed county magistrate was Zheng Xiuwen, the former registrar, who was also an old acquaintance.

After being promoted, he even specially invited Chu Xun to the county government office for a simple meal.

It is said that when Lord Tang left, he instructed that Chu Jiebin be kept in mind and not allowed to go astray as his family's wealth increased.

Chu Xun listened in silence. Although Tang Shijun had not shown much favoritism towards him in normal times, he still left behind such a piece of advice before leaving.

This shows that the importance attached to it exceeded that of officials in treating guests at village banquets.

Zheng Xiuwen also saw this and said, "Lord Tang truly cares for Chu Jiebin. Among the millions of people in the world, there are very few who can truly cherish each other. Chu Jiebin should take this as an encouragement."

Chu Xun nodded, "That's how it should be, so as not to worry my old friend."

When someone gets promoted, everyone cheers and jumps for joy.

Some families had faces full of sorrow.

This autumn, Li Chang'an went to take the imperial examination again.

He studied diligently for three years, reading until late at night every day, and the candles burned out hundreds and thousands of times.

I went to the exam hall full of confidence, but when the results were released, my name was not on the list.

The family returned with long faces; the carefully prepared red cloth was as useless as it had been three years ago.

Li Tianjian's wife cursed him countless times on the way back.

She shouted definitively, "They must have bribed them! My grandson is a hundred times smarter than them, how could he fail the imperial examination! It's all your fault, you stingy old man. You can't eat money, are you going to take it to your grave?"

Li Tianjian is five years older than Li Shoutian, and now his hair is gray, showing his advanced age.

As people get older, their tempers become more irritable.

My wife always had a loud voice when I was young, and she's even louder now.

He was scolded like a grandson and didn't dare to say a word.

In my heart, I just felt that maybe I really should use money to make a difference.

If you pass the imperial examination and become an official the following year, you'll have more money to earn back.

Li Chang'an gritted his teeth and shook his head, saying, "This year's exam questions are not my forte. In the next three years, I will study other classics."

"Even without taking money, you will definitely pass the imperial examination!"

Li Tianjian quickly chimed in, "That's right! Even without money, one can pass the imperial examination in Chang'an!"

His wife glared at him, which startled Li Tianjian so much that he quickly shrank back.

Having a domineering wife is a helpless situation.

"Then let's wait three years and take the exam again," Li Tianjian's wife muttered. "So what if he failed twice? The county magistrate still served for eight years before being promoted."

call--

A gust of wind blew by, and the whistling sound arrived in an instant.

The group looked up and saw a dark mass of large crows flying overhead.

Li Tianjian's two sons are now in their thirties.

Upon seeing the flock of crows, he turned pale and instinctively covered his head and crouched down.

The angry mother kicked each of her two sons, yelling, "Get up! They're just a bunch of beasts! It's been so many years, and you're still so scared? You have no backbone!"

The two men shrank back and forth, their bodies trembling, peering upwards through their fingers.

Only after seeing that the flock of crows had flown far away did he dare to lower his hand.

The more Li Tianjian's wife looked, the angrier she became. She pointed in the direction the crows had flown away and cursed loudly.

"It's all these crows' fault for disturbing my grandson's studies! That's why he couldn't pass the imperial examination! I'll slaughter you all and roast you sooner or later!"

Among the flock of crows, a few old crows seemed to have heard it.

It turned and flew back, skimming over the forest, swooping down and kicking up several stones and branches from the ground.

Once they reached the airspace above the Li family, they dropped them down.

The Li family was in pain from the impact, and the two sons were even reminded of their childhood nightmares, clutching their heads and screaming as they ran away.

Just as Li Tianjian's wife was about to look up and curse, a clump of sticky excrement fell from the sky, completely blocking her throat.

She was anxious, angry, and nauseous. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.