Chapter 50 New Official Takes Office

  A dark shadow flashed, and a young man wearing a green brocade robe with a headscarf walked into the room. From his age, from the confidence in his eyes, and from the calmness of his steps, Liu Xuan judged that this person's status in the Tao family was not low.

  Liu Xuan stood up and smiled: "This gentleman is......"

  "In the lower Xichang, Tao Zheng can call me Tao Erzi." After all, being a person of status, Tao Zheng didn't want to pretend to be the manager of a merchant firm.

  "So you're the Second Master, I've long admired your great name!" Liu Xuan had previously inquired about some of the Tao family's situation, and this Second Master Tao seemed to not be in charge of business, only responsible for internal affairs.

  "Please sit down, young master!"

  Tao Zheng didn't waste any time on pleasantries, he was a very pragmatic person, perhaps also because of the tension in his heart. He directly took out the note and placed it on the table, asking: "Young Master Jing, what do these two sentences mean?"

  He gazed at Liu Xuan with piercing eyes, and he wouldn't let go of every expression on his face.

  Liu Jiong smiled faintly, "I met a brother and sister in Chibi Town, and we had a shoulder-to-shoulder fight against the bandits in Wuchang City, so everyone was honest with each other. The older brother's name is Sun Kuang, and the younger sister's name is Sun Ren. With the help of the Tao family, they managed to escape from Wuchang City. I suppose the two masters should know about it?"

  Tao Zheng's back was already soaked, and he secretly resented the siblings for being so naive as to reveal their true names. Wasn't this going to bring disaster to the Tao family?

  Complaining in her heart, but unable to admit it on her lips, "I'm very sorry, I don't understand what Master Jing means. Who are the Sun siblings? What does this have to do with my Tao family?"

  Liu Xuan's face sank, he stood up and put away his long knife, coldly saying: "Since the Tao family doesn't deign to talk with me, then please have your master and the prefect go talk instead! I'm taking my leave."

  After finishing speaking, he strode out, and Tao Zheng's heart was greatly alarmed. Although he had made arrangements, Liu Xuan's robust physique in front of him must have been highly skilled in martial arts. What if Luo Jiao couldn't hold back? Once the knives clashed and faces turned against each other, it would be too late to make amends.

  "Master Jing, please stay! Please stay!"

  Tao Zheng hastily stopped Liu Xuan and repeatedly bowed, "There's something to discuss, please take a seat."

  "Quickly go change the tea!"

  This is a signal to inform outsiders that everyone must leave the yard, and all maidservants and attendants have left. Several strong men are guarding the gate of the yard, not allowing anyone to enter.

  At this time, within a dozen feet of him, there were only two people, Liu Xuan and he. Liu Xuan put away his knife and his face relaxed a bit.

  "I think Second Master should understand that it's not the army surrounding your mansion, but me coming alone. Do I need to explain further?"

  Tao Zheng smiled wryly and said, "This is a serious matter. Some actions are just human nature, I hope Gongzi will understand."

  "I must say, the Tao family handled this matter improperly. If they were slightly careless, they would have been exterminated and their property confiscated. They took such a huge risk but gained nothing in return. If anything happens to that brother and sister, it will also provoke Sun Quan. The Tao family is too reckless."

  Tao Zheng nodded silently, "Gongzi is right, this matter was indeed mishandled by the Tao family, and my father was also furious about it."

  He was shocked again in his heart, this is Liu Biao's nephew! He actually poured his heart out to him, he looked at Liu Xuan with suspicion, really didn't understand what he meant.

  "I didn't say so when I came in? In fact, I'm here to make a deal with the Tao family."

  Liu Xuan looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

  Tao Zheng had a natural talent for business, and when Liu Xuan mentioned the word "deal", he immediately understood. His heart suddenly relaxed, as long as the other party was willing to accept money, everything could be negotiated.

  It is said that 'those who labor with their strength plan for profit, those who labor with their minds plan for power'. As for Liu Xuan, he can think of many ways to make money, but none are as good as having someone hand it over willingly.

  The Tao family has too much money, and it's not a bad thing for him to help them spend some of it. More importantly, even if Liu Xuan had the money, he might not be able to buy rare medicinal materials like 30-year-old snake gall or 100-year-old lingzhi. But the Tao family can easily get their hands on these things - as one of the top merchants in Jingzhou and the entire southern region, what can't they get?

  Looking at Tao Zheng's expectant eyes, Liu Xuan smiled slightly, "I've recently encountered some trouble, I want to get some medicine, but I don't know where to start. I know that the Tao family's business is very large, can you please help me with this?"

  Tao Zheng smiled wryly, "It's an honor for the Tao family to serve Master Jing. Actually, Master only needs to send someone with a prescription and we'll immediately gather the medicine and deliver it to you. It's really not necessary for Master to come in person."

  What he meant was to tell Liu Xuan that if it was just for a little medicine, there was no need to use that matter to threaten the Tao family.

  Liu Xuan understood his meaning and smiled in his heart. Whether it was medicine or money, it didn't matter to the Tao family; it was just a drop in the bucket. Relying on Liu Bei's nephew's face, even if he didn't mention the Sun siblings' affair, the Tao family would still offer him money with both hands. The key was that Liu Xuan had another intention, and by doing so, he could also make friends with the Tao family, which wasn't a bad thing at all.

  "It's nothing, I came in person just to show my sincerity, I want the Tao family to know that actually we are on the same boat."

  Both parties were speaking in riddles, and Liu Xuan was also telling him, 'I know about the Sun siblings' affair, but I don't plan to expose the Tao family, and I'm willing to make friends with them.'

  The two of them exchanged a glance and burst out laughing with an unspoken understanding.

  Liu Xuan took out a prescription, which only had six flavors of medicine. In fact, the prescription given to him by Yu Zhenren had more than thirty flavors. All the other medicines were relatively easy to get, but these six flavors were slightly precious, not only in price, but also rarely seen in ordinary pharmacies. He could only entrust the Tao family with this task.

  He took the prescription and glanced at it, without asking much, and immediately nodded: "Don't worry! Within ten days, Taoshi Business will get all these medicines, young master can have as many as he wants."

  "Thank you!"

  Liu Xuan stood up and bid farewell, "Today has been a great disturbance, when I have time, I will definitely go to Chai Sang to pay my respects to your honorable father."

  At this time, a servant brought in a tray of gold, ten ingots, about two hundred taels. Tao Zheng personally presented the gold to Liu Xuan and said, "This is my heartfelt intention, please, Master Liu, accept it."

  Liu Xuan knew that if he didn't accept it, Tao Zheng would probably not be able to sleep tonight. He also didn't refuse and accepted it with a smile, cupped his hands in thanks and bid farewell.

  Tao Zheng saw Liu Cong off at the gate, watching as he walked away into the distance. Tao Zheng's expression changed and he immediately turned around to give orders: "Quickly prepare the boat, I want to return to Chai Sang immediately."

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  Night fell, Liu Xuan came alone to the Han River, his strengthening training period had ended, his physical strength had increased greatly, next was the training of power, this was a long training process, at least three years were needed.

  Liu Xuan looked around, this is a gravel beach west of Fan City, rarely visited by people, exceptionally quiet, and a good place to practice.

  Liu Jiong slowly drew his sword, gazing at a small tree over ten steps away. He let out a loud cry and rapidly charged forward, his momentum like thunder, a flash of lightning as he struck with his knife, the sound of wind and thunder hidden within the gleam of his blade.

  "Hack!" A small tree with a trunk as thick as a bowl was cut in two by a single knife.

  Liu Xuan let out a long sigh, this one knife he had bitterly practiced for ten days, only then did he finally master it. It seemed like a simple knife, but it contained the essence of twenty-four different attacks.

  Including the change of strength, it gives people an illusion, like a sudden thunderclap, which seems not to be fast, but when covering one's ears, it is already too late. This is the profound meaning of Feng Lei Bian - Covering one's ears is not as fast as the swift thunder.

  This is far beyond his previous martial arts skills, and this one knife finally made him step into the ranks of a great general.

  But Liu Xuan also understood that this move was slightly weaker than the Thirteen Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Gun, mainly due to insufficient strength. As long as he could muster a thousand jin of force and use this move again, he would be able to match Zhao Yun.

  The key is still power, he slowly walked to the riverbank, and his next step would be to start training in power. In those years, Zhao Yun's training method was chopping wood, chopping wood for three years to gain divine power. Liu Xuan's training method was different, it was swimming, this was specially formulated by Yu Zhenren considering that there is a lot of water in the south.

  Whether in his past life or this life, Liu Xuan would swim and still swam quite well. He took out a pill of Easy Tendon Dan and chewed it in his mouth, then opened the small wine bottle and drank the strong liquor inside in one gulp.

  In an instant, a fierce fire burned within him, burning with unbearable heat. He hid his clothes on the shore and jumped into the rolling Han River.

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  Two days later, Liu Xuan finally got his first job in Jingzhou: Han Shui You Jiao Du Cao. This was a position between the military and government, originally belonging to the Jingzhou Water Army, but later assigned to local authorities, now under the jurisdiction of Xiangyang County, directly managed by the county governor. The responsibilities included patrolling the Han River, capturing water thieves, inspecting merchants' tax payments, and maintaining order on the river.

  "There are three patrol stations on the Han River, and you are in charge of the second one, which is responsible for the section from Fancheng to Yicheng County, with 120 subordinates and more than 30 large and small ships."

  Xiangyang County Magistrate Wang Can personally led Liu Cong to take office. Wang Can was about 30 years old, of medium build, with clear and elegant eyebrows and eyes, and a warm and refined temperament. He was the clansman of the famous scholar Wang Can and also the son-in-law of Liu Biao.

  Liu Biao's eldest daughter, Liu Man, married Wang Yi five years ago. The couple respected each other like guests and were deeply in love, having a son and a daughter. Their eldest son was named Wang Ye and is only four years old this year.

  Wang Can was also from Shanyang County in Gaoping Commandery. Ten years ago, he fled to Jing Province with his brother Wang Cai and received favor from Liu Biao.

  Perhaps due to their shared hometown, Wang Jue was exceptionally enthusiastic towards Liu Cong.

  Liu Jiong had been deliberately learning the local dialect from Meng Shu for over a month, and although his Tai Mountain accent was still quite strong, he had already picked up a hint of the Gaoping dialect in his speech. Wang Jue felt a deep sense of familiarity upon hearing this dialect.

  Two men rode horses to the Youshui Temple, Wang Jue pointed at the not far away dock and smiled: "This is the East Dock of Fan City, much smaller than the West Dock, but only official boats are allowed to moor here. See those ships in the distance? They are the official boats of your Youshui Temple."

  Liu Xuan gazed out at the water's surface, where more than a dozen old small boats were moored. His brow furrowed slightly, "Wasn't it said that there were over thirty ships?"

  Wang Hui smiled and said, "The other ships have all gone to patrol the surface of the water. I specifically instructed that a few of the Yu Lin Guan officials should be here!"

  The two of them walked a few more steps, with several attendants slightly further away. The smile on Wang Jue's face slowly disappeared, and he looked at Liu Xuan with profound meaning, "This position is not as simple as you think it is. I only have one sentence to tell you: speak less, use your heart more."

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