Chapter 517: Responsibility

Yan Liqiang was escorted out from the Prefectural Governor’s Office by the other officials when it was almost a quarter to eight o’clock. By then, the lanterns had been hung at the entrance of the Prefectural Governor’s Office and the sky had turned completely dark.

“Young Lord…” Hu Haihe and the other two bodyguards immediately stepped forward. “The carriage is ready. Are we heading back to the manufacturing bureau?”

A black four-wheeled carriage was parked at the main entrance of the Prefectural Governor’s Office. Yan Liqiang cast a glance at Hu Haihe, then waved. “Go ahead and wait for me at the city gates. It’s been a long while since I last visited Pingxi City. I wish to stroll around the city first!”

Hu Haihe exchanged looks with the other two bodyguards before hesitantly asking, “Um… just you alone, Young Lord? Do you need to take a bodyguard with you?”

“No need. This is Pingxi City, not some tiger’s den. Pingxi City used to be so chaotic and I lived here alone for a long time. Now that the situation has turned for the better and I’m of a different status, why would I not dare to stroll around the city alone now?” Yan Liqiang laughed and waved his hands. “Don’t worry, I will come before the city gates close!”

Hu Haihe and the others knew that even though Yan Liqiang was usually an affable person, he was very firm in his decisions and wasn’t easily swayed once he made up his mind. Hence, the others could only nod at Yan Liqiang. “Alright, we shall wait for you at the city gates. Take care, Young Lord!”

“Don’t mind me. Go now!” Yan Liqiang waved as he watched Hu Haihe and the others leave with their rhinodrake steeds and carriage. He took a deep breath, found his bearings, then walked on the street to the left of the Prefectural Governor’s Office.

This was Pingxi City’s Prefectural Governor’s Office, not any ordinary place. No one would usually dare to loiter around the entrance of the Prefectural Governor’s Office. Criminals would usually steer clear of the nearby streets and ordinary people wouldn’t linger around without a good reason either. Since the sky had turned dark, the entrance of the Prefectural Governor’s Office was even more deserted. When Yan Liqiang came out, he wasn’t noticed by anyone.

Yan Liqiang quietly walked along the familiar streets of Pingxi City, yet he wasn’t calm. The conversation he had with Wang Jianbei showed that the latter was still fearful of the Shatu people that dwelled within the city. He was worried that Yan Liqiang’s method would aggravate them and make things more difficult, so he just couldn’t bring himself to make a decision.

By now, the Shatu people in Pingxi Prefecture were no longer the same compared to two years ago. With the fall of the Ye Clan as their supporter, the continuous pressure on them after the attempted assassination on Lei Sitong and the chaotic situation at the Gulang Plains had caused the Shatu people here to be so much more well-behaved. In fact, it had been a very long time since anyone heard of the Shatu people causing trouble in Pingxi City.

Although Wang Jianbei also wished to clear out the Shatu people in Pingxi City, it wasn’t something that could be done in just a day. Likewise, the Shatu people in the city didn’t rise to power in just a single day either. No matter how well-behaved they were, there were still about seventy to eighty thousand of them in the city. Not to mention, many of them were strong. Wang Jianbei was worried that employing such an aggressive tactic would bring more chaos to Pingxi City and stir up some controversies. Those were the outcomes that he didn’t want to see. Therefore, the advice that Yan Liqiang had given before was useless.

Yan Liqiang knew that Wang Jianbei, as the Pingxi Prefectural Governor and an official of the imperial court, wouldn’t want chaos in the city under his administration or make himself Lin Qingtian’s target. Yan Liqiang understood all that, but he was running out of time…

Walking down the street, Yan Liqiang lifted his head to look at the sky full of stars and murmured, “Only about two years left…”

In the end, Wang Jianbei still didn’t believe that the tragedy in Yan Liqiang’s dream would come true. He still wanted to take things slowly with the Shatu people in the city. However, Yan Liqiang knew that his dream wasn’t a dream; it was an event that would take place in the future. He returned to Gan Province this time and did so many things just to prevent this tragic future from unfolding.

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His presence had caused some changes in the situation at Pingxi City and the Gulang Plains. This might lead to a different future for Pingxi City, but Yan Liqiang couldn’t be sure to what extent. More importantly, even if the tragedy in Pingxi City could be averted, the true chaos would begin in two years. Even if he was able to evacuate and rescue the people from the Heavenly Tribulation at the Imperial Capital, would the White Lotus Society, the Chaman and Shatu people sit idly by while watching these great changes occurring within the Great Han Empire?

Then, there was Lin Qingtian too. The day Lin Qingtian assumed full power was the day Yan Liqiang would die a tragic death. So in any case, the great changes in the Great Han Empire were bound to happen and chaos would descend after two years. Everything he had done up until now was so that he would have more bargaining chips and trump cards in his hand when the time came.

With his efforts, the tragedy in Pingxi Prefecture might be averted but the catastrophe two years later would still inevitably take away countless lives. Places that were once as peaceful as the cities in Pingxi Prefecture and other serene villages like Liuhe Town would be reduced to ruins by the flames and massacres taking place there. Yan Liqiang had seen it all in the Heavenly Realm. These were merely the beginning of the chaos; no one knew how things would turn out later. From the situation in the Heavenly Realm, it seemed like it would only get worse from there…

Although others felt that Yan Liqiang was at the peak of his life and had boundless prospects ahead of him, only Yan Liqiang knew that this situation was as fleeting as the reflection of the moon in water. Jiang Tianhua and the others might think that he was ruthless and merciless with his ways, but no one knew that he was actually treading on thin ice. Lei Sitong and the others thought that he was very successful for his young age, but only Yan Liqiang knew that he had very limited time. Two years would pass by in just the blink of an eye. The more bargaining chips he could accumulate in his hand, the more survivors there’d be in the future. He wouldn’t mind doing anything, and that included marrying Lu Beixin for a connection to the Lu Clan.

Yan Liqiang smiled wryly as he walked down the street alone. Sometimes, he just wished that everything in the Heavenly Realm was nothing but a dream. If he didn’t know anything, then he could continue living his life in ignorance. Most of the time, knowledge came with responsibility, and this responsibility weighed like a mountain. The burden was simply too heavy on Yan Liqiang’s shoulders…

The sound of carriage wheels running along the road came from behind Yan Liqiang, then stopped beside him. The coachman looked at Yan Liqiang and gave him a warm smile. “Where are you going, Young Lord? This is a very comfortable four-wheeled carriage and I am offering rides at an affordable price! I am about to call it a day but I can still fit in one more trip!”

Yan Liqiang took a look at the carriage and found out that it was indeed a four-wheeled carriage that looked very similar to the ones produced by the manufacturing bureau. The coachman sat on his high seat in front of the carriage, with a lamp hanging at the side. The paint job of the carriage’s exterior was very coarse, causing it to look very cheap. It was also fitted with a side door to stay trendy. There was a steering mechanism in between the four wheels, but the coil spring beneath the carriage was definitely missing. It was almost the same as the four-wheeled carriages that the manufacturing bureau produced for transporting goods, except that it had a passenger compartment. There were windows on both sides of the compartment, but they were covered by fabric rather than stained glass.

“Well then, take me to the Nine Dragons Bridge!”

“It’ll be twenty copper coins to the Nine Dragons Bridge!” the coachmen replied.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay you in full!” Yan Liqiang gave him a small smile, then opened the carriage door and directly went in. The coachman let out a cry and the carriage started moving toward the Nine Dragons Bridge with a speed that was neither fast nor slow.

Inside the passenger compartment was a long bench that was wrapped in silk fabric. Every bump along the city roads paved with flagstones was transmitted into the passenger compartment through the carriage wheels. Compared to the four-wheeled produced by the manufacturing bureau, the difference was like comparing a Maybach car and a Santana car. Even so, it was still significantly more comfortable than a traditional two-wheeled carriage. At least the floor of the compartment was flat and wouldn’t tilt. Yan Liqiang rode inside the four-wheeled carriage that could bring convenience for the common folks on their travels for the very first time with relish.

While he was thinking about things inside the passenger compartment, they arrived at the Nine Dragons Bridge in just a flash.

The coachman climbed down from his seat to personally open the carriage door for Yan Liqiang while conveniently collecting his fare.

“Alright, keep the change…” Yan Liqiang casually fished out a small silver fragment from his pocket and put it in the coachman’s hands. While the coachmen expressed his gratitude profusely, Yan Liqiang went off toward a four-story restaurant closest to the Nine Dragons Bridge. It was the same restaurant he once visited with Shi Dafeng and the others.

The Nine Dragons Bridge was much more lively at night compared to before. However, the Shatu people were nearly non-existent on the streets. Even those who used to set up vendor stalls in front of other people’s shops had vanished.

Yan Liqiang went into the restaurant and was led to the fourth floor by the waiter. He took a seat at a table by the window, then ordered some food to accompany his wine. He turned his head to the side and observed the situation outside. This was the only place that could allow him to clearly see the entire area where the Shatu people converged in Pingxi City. Although the sky had just turned dark, there were fewer lights around the areas where they gathered. These areas were somewhat desolate now compared to two years ago.

In just a short moment, the dishes and wine were served. While Yan Liqiang was drinking alone, footsteps rang out beside him. A man came and took the seat right across from Yan Liqiang. His eyes met Yan Liqiang’s with the aggressiveness of stray wolf that had locked on to its prey. He then spoke with his deep voice, “Are you bored drinking alone here, Young Lord…?”