TGCFNM -Chapter 57 Struck Gold

Two days later.

The moment Chu Ling set foot on the land of Sishui County, she let out a deep breath, stretched her back, and spread her arms in relief.

She was finally back!

Although when she first transmigrated into this book, she had thought of running away, after taking a walk around she realized that Sishui County was still the best. It was remote, there were no major figures around, not even a martial killer—just one troublemaker, Zhang Yuanwai.

But right now, Zhang Yuanwai was probably too busy with his own affairs to bother her.

Wan Sanjin stretched his back too. “My lord, shall I help Su He carry the luggage to the county office?”

Chu Ling nodded. “Go ahead.”

Since they had agreed to practice martial arts together, living at the mortuary was just too far away for Su He. It would be better for them to stay together—getting up early to train would be much more convenient.

“My lord! My lord!” Qi Da came running happily with a few men. “My lord, you’re back!”

Chu Ling waved with a smile. “How’s Sishui County? How’s the river?”

“Everything’s normal,” Qi Da said after catching his breath. “Still, it feels better when you’re around, my lord.”

Chu Ling smiled, patted Qi Da on the shoulder, and turned to Wang Long and Wang Hu. “You two haven’t seen me in a while. Take the day off, have a few drinks, and come back to the county office tomorrow.” Saying this, she handed over some small silver coins.

“Thank you, my lord!” Qi Da took the coins and called the others to leave.

Chu Ling returned to the county office first with Zhang Dong and Xiao Hua. The office hadn’t been inhabited for many days, and dust had settled everywhere—they had to clean it properly.

With nothing else to do, Chu Ling grabbed a rag and started tidying up.

After a full session of cleaning, she collapsed into a chair, legs crossed, and said, “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let them go drinking.”

The Ghost Scholar smiled and shook his head slightly. “Your lordship has finished handling the affairs here; things will be relatively peaceful from now on.”

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow—true enough.

“My lord! My lord!” Zhang Dong rushed in with a look of extreme shock. Xiao Hua tried to close the door behind him, but when she saw Wan Sanjin and Su He, she immediately waved them in. Once everyone was inside, the door slammed shut.

Chu Ling was startled by this sudden action. “What happened? Did something go wrong again?”

“My lord, look!” Zhang Dong set a cloth bundle on the table. When he opened it, a dazzling golden glow spilled out—about fifty taels of gold.

Chu Ling’s first reaction was to glance at the Ghost Scholar and Bai Su. Could it be that the relics of the deceased had been dug up?

The Ghost Scholar and Bai Su shook their heads immediately.

Cui Xi reminded her, “Miss, that’s the box of pastries.”

Realizing, Chu Ling chuckled. “So it’s Sun Yang, haha.”

“Sun Yang?” Wan Sanjin paused for a moment, then suddenly understood. “There’s actually gold inside that box of pastries?”

Su He was also in a daze. “Zhang Yuanwai really is rich.”

Chu Ling stroked her chin, a mocking smile on her face. “Zhang Yuanwai probably planned to have me carry the gold over for him. That way, he could accuse me of taking bribes—either send me to prison or get the gold.”

Wan Sanjin laughed, hands on his hips. “No matter how clever his plan was, the gold still ended up in our hands in the end.”

“My lord, it won’t be easy to spend this gold in Sishui County, especially since you’re the county magistrate. Taking it out recklessly would be dangerous,” Su He suggested. “We could either store it safely, or take it to a goldsmith, melt it into gold ingots, and distribute it.”

Chu Ling poked at the gold with her fingers. To be honest, she hated to let it go—but she knew she couldn’t use it.

“Just say it was Master Wan’s father who donated it, to widen the river channel in Sishui County,” said Chu Ling, finishing tying the cloth again.

Wan Sanjin cautiously asked, “My lord, is there something wrong with the Sishui river channel?”

“What problem?” Chu Ling asked.

Wan Sanjin shook his head, hesitating, “My lord, you are paying too much attention to the river channel.”

Chu Ling sat down and sighed. “I don’t know why, but ever since arriving in Sishui County, I’ve had a strange recurring dream every few days. In the dream, the river channel is too narrow and shallow, and then one year a sudden torrential rain hits. The river overflows and floods the entire county.”

Wan Sanjin’s eyes widened. “No wonder…”

Su He tilted his head. “The Sishui River has fluctuated up and down over the years, but it has never flooded. However, since my lord has had such a strange dream, it’s quite possible it’s a warning from Heaven. I think it would be best to follow your instructions.”

Wan Sanjin nodded in agreement. “Then we’ll follow my lord’s orders. It’s just that my father won’t get a share—he’ll only take the credit.”

“Better than having it go to Zhang Yuanwai,” Chu Ling said earnestly.

The next day.

Chu Ling addressed the people of Sishui County, explaining the plan: all fifty taels of gold would be used to improve the river channel and pay the local laborers who would help clean it.

It was the off-season for farming, so earning extra wages was naturally a good thing. As soon as the notice went up, countless people came forward to help with the repairs.

Chu Ling simply handed the matter over to Qi Da, gave him some extra pay for his efforts, and stopped worrying about it. After all, no one understood the river’s width and depth better than the locals.

After clearing this hidden danger in Sishui County, Chu Ling finally relaxed a little—at least the county would no longer face the threat of flooding.

Since returning to the government office, Bai Su had disappeared somewhere. Cui Xi was used to hanging around Xiao Hua in the kitchen, so Chu Ling’s study currently had only Ghost Scholar sitting opposite her.

“My lord knows quite a lot, doesn’t he?” Ghost Scholar asked directly.

Chu Ling thought for a moment, then nodded.

Ghost Scholar chuckled lightly. “Knowing this is enough. You need not worry that I’ll pry for details.”

Chu Ling shook her head. “It’s not that I fear your questioning, it’s that I don’t know where to begin.”

Ghost Scholar nodded. He had thought about this for many days. “Ever since that day you asked Cui Xi whether the characters were the same, I had a certain feeling.”

Chu Ling looked at him.

“My lord coming here… it seems it was fated,” Ghost Scholar sighed. “It’s as if an invisible thread connects two ends, which can both communicate and exchange with each other.”

Chu Ling said, “Master’s words instantly made me feel much calmer.”

“You need not worry either. Since you’ve come, make yourself at ease.” Ghost Scholar stroked his beard and walked through the wooden door.

Chu Ling leaned back in her chair, looking up at the antique study, imagining the day she first transmigrated here—hanging by a rope in this very room.

At that time, she—or rather, Chu Ling—was probably knocked unconscious and hanged to create the illusion of suicide.

Was it the matron of the main branch? Someone from the capital?

She had once thought it might be Prince Rui, but at that time, Prince Rui likely didn’t even know she existed.

“Miss, Miss.” Cui Xi came in through the door. “Xiao Hua made such beautiful pastries.”

“Cui Xi,” Chu Ling called gently. “Tell me, besides the main branch, do many people know that we came here? After all, as the Third Miss of the General’s Mansion, there must be quite a few who recognize this face, right?”