The West Heaven Scriptures Are Hard to Obtain in Poverty and Humility

"I've long grown tired of those storybooks, but your daughter heard that recently, a hero removed the vicious tiger from Qingping Mountain?"

At the mention of this, Zhang Qingyun's expression changed at once.

Seeing her father's face, Zhang Qing asked what had happened again.

Feeling deeply frustrated, Zhang Qingyun told Zhang Qing about how he had invited Jiang Sheng, treating it as casual conversation.

Zhang Qing could not help laughing after hearing it. "Father, you truly were wrong in this matter."

Zhang Qingyun did not understand. "How was I wrong?"

Zhang Qing smiled. "Father, your daughter once heard a tale."

"It said that on the Western Region Continent in the far west, there was a sacred Buddhist site called Great Heavenly Dragon Temple. One day, a novice monk from Great Heavenly Dragon Temple descended the mountain to expound the scriptures to the ruler of a small kingdom and received three sheng and three dou of gold dust."

"Upon returning, the novice had thought he would receive a Luohan's praise, but the Luohan said he had taken too little and sold the scriptures cheaply."

"Father, why do you think the Luohan scolded that novice?"

"That Daoist priest is not even a cultivator of our Qi Kingdom. Father, I'm afraid you overestimated yourself and underestimated that Daoist."

Zhang Qingyun finally understood and could not help feeling annoyed.

Back in the family, he had not thought much of it.

But after coming out into the world, Zhang Qingyun had deeply realized the worth of cultivators.

Aside from Rogue Cultivators with no backing at all and ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators with no hope of advancement, what cultivator with cultivation would linger over worldly splendor?

And who would fear kings, marquises, generals, and ministers?

He had wanted to invite a cultivator to serve as his right hand, but now it seemed he had likely offended that Daoist named Jiang Sheng.

Zhang Qing asked again, "Father, what did you intend to do by inviting that Daoist?"

"Recently, your daughter heard that Father's policies have repeatedly been obstructed by the gentry and commoners. Did Father intend to use that Daoist as aid?"

Zhang Qingyun sighed and said helplessly, "That was indeed my intention."

"Qing'er, you know that I have only just arrived. Whether in the county seat or the towns, they obey in public and defy in private."

"Those gentry and wealthy merchants control everything within and beyond the county seat, while the commoners fear only the River God and believe the incitements of those gentry and merchants."

"If this continues, will I not become a puppet on strings in those gentry's hands?"

Looking at his clever daughter, Zhang Qingyun suddenly asked, "Qing'er, in your view, what should I do next?"

Zhang Qing first dismissed the servants attending nearby. Only after everyone had left did she smile and say, "That depends on what Father truly wishes to do."

Zhang Qingyun was thoroughly puzzled. "What do you mean by that, Qing'er?"

"Father, do you intend to disrupt the River God Grand Sacrifice?" Zhang Qing asked.

Zhang Qingyun's brows furrowed slightly. "I do."

Zhang Qing asked, "At the River God Grand Sacrifice, offering six pairs of boys and girls each year can buy a year of favorable winds and timely rains. So long as it continues, Father can safely finish his term in Qingshan County. Why must you disrupt it?"

Zhang Qingyun looked at his daughter and let out a quiet sigh. "The River God indeed needs only six pairs of boys and girls sacrificed each year to ensure favorable winds and timely rains for Qingshan County."

"But that River God was never invested by the imperial court. He feeds upon the people's incense offerings and demands boys and girls as sacrifices. This is a licentious cult!"

"Since it is a licentious cult, he is no god, but a demon!"

As he spoke, Zhang Qingyun suddenly rose to his feet. "Using six pairs of children under six from my jurisdiction every year in exchange for a so-called year of favorable winds and timely rains—of course I can do such a thing. It is not as though I do not understand the principle of sacrificing the small to preserve the great!"

"But if I can kill the River God of the Taiping River, extinguish his licentious cult, and reclaim the hearts of Qingshan County's people for the imperial court, that would be a great political achievement!"

"All thirteen counties of Dongjun sit by and watch demons conduct licentious rites, while I oppose those rites. Then I will catch the imperial court's eye."

Watching her agitated father, Zhang Qing could not help sighing.

She and her father were from a collateral branch of the family and had never been valued by the family since childhood.

Her father had no cultivation, while her mother possessed cultivation. Yet even so, as members of a collateral branch, they were destined to toil and labor for the main family.

Her father had endured for many years within the family, suffering constant suppression. Her mother had likewise been endlessly ordered about by the family, until she ultimately lost her life.

Once her mother, that cultivator, was gone, the father and daughter suffered even greater mistreatment.

Such trifling matters never entered the eyes of the family's higher-ups, and for a time, their lives had been incomparably difficult.

The chance to come to Qingshan County and serve a term as county magistrate had been bought with Zhang Qing's mother's life.

Zhang Qingyun often told Zhang Qing that collateral branches like theirs received little support from the main family. They had finally gained an opportunity, and how far they could go depended only on themselves.

Zhang Qing understood that her father intended to use this chance to turn his fortunes around.

"Qing'er, do you know that you also possess the aptitude for cultivation, yet you were repeatedly replaced by the direct descendants of the main family? The main family never wanted you to succeed in cultivation. They only wanted you to marry someday and ease the main family's burdens!" Zhang Qingyun revealed another secret.

Seeing Zhang Qing's astonishment, Zhang Qingyun continued, "Before, I was constrained by others and powerless to do anything. But if I succeed in this matter, you and I, father and daughter, will be transformed beyond recognition."

"When the imperial court's rewards come, Qing'er, you too will have resources for cultivation and never again be bound."

Zhang Qing sighed softly. Looking at her father, once high-spirited but now already showing several strands of white hair, she felt a pang of heartache. "Your daughter knew it would be this way."

Zhang Qingyun knew his daughter was exceptionally intelligent, possessed the talent of a top scholar, and from her expression, he knew she must already have an idea.

"This is one of our few chances, Qing'er. If you have an idea, speak freely. So long as I can do it, I will certainly do it!"

"You and I, father and daughter, must never again be treated as chess pieces."

Zhang Qing analyzed the situation, her thoughts racing. "Our Qi Kingdom has its own Dao Palaces, with imperial court cultivators assigned to every prefecture and commandery. Moreover, every prefecture and commandery has sects and cultivation families."

"Their foremost duty in each region is to maintain stability and eliminate demons and licentious cults."

Zhang Qingyun nodded. That was indeed true.

Everyone in Dongjun's counties worshipped the so-called River God and offered up boys and girls. All he needed to do was report the matter to the commandery governor, who could ask the local sects and cultivation families to act.

And naturally, those cultivation families and sects in every region would not dare defy the imperial court's laws.

Zhang Qing continued, "From the previous two county magistrates until now, several decades have passed. Who would believe that the sects and families of Dongjun knew nothing at all?"

"But whether it is the sects or the families of Dongjun, they have remained indifferent. Why is that?"

Zhang Qingyun's brows knitted deeply. "I had not considered this matter."

Zhang Qing looked expressionlessly at her county magistrate father. "Father, this matter is of tremendous importance. It concerns both our lives!"

"If there truly is some hidden secret involved, then rashly striking at the River God will do more harm than good."

Zhang Qingyun silently drank his tea before finally saying, "This must still be done. So long as we make enough noise and draw enough people here, we will have a chance to turn things around!"

Zhang Qing nodded. "If Father insists on doing this, then we must invite that Daoist from Qingping Mountain."

"Father, you must show sincerity."