Chapter 10 Trial
Famine had broken out in Jiangling for several months, but the court had been slow to issue any relief measures for the disaster-stricken areas. Instead, the Tang family joined forces with local gentry to raise the price of grain. The government could no longer afford the high prices, and the people were almost emptying their homes to buy grain.

People were so hungry that they would do anything. In less than half a month, all the fish, birds and animals were eaten up, and even tree bark, grass roots, wild vegetables, everything edible was eaten up.

Outside the city, people even "exchanged their children for food and cooked with bones".

After listening to him, Xu Shanshan withdrew his hand and looked at him with a little pressure: "Master Liu, can you find a way for me to meet the city commander?"

Master Liu felt dizzy: "This...it's not difficult to clear the way, but Xiaoshan, why are you going to see the city magistrate at this time?
"A country has its destiny, and a city naturally has its destiny. Your Liu family and Tang family have taken root in Jiangling City. Your family's destiny is tied to Jiangling City. You just couldn't understand why the Xie family wanted to murder the Liu family. If there was no grudge, then it must be because they didn't intend to murder your Liu family."

What's the meaning? !

Master Liu's heart was beating fast when he heard this, but he was also a smart man. After sorting out and understanding Xu Shanshan's words, he was immediately shocked and asked: "Are you saying that the Xie family is dealing with the Liu family with the intention of targeting Jiangling City?!"

Xu Shanshan: "We will know whether it is true or not very soon."

"But, but if the Xie family wants to destroy Jiangling City, then the Liu family is no match for the Tang family. The Tang family can definitely have a greater impact on the fortune of Jiangling City. Why don't the Xie family deal with the Tang family, but only target my Liu family for harm?" Master Liu was indignant again.

"The Xie family can't touch the Tang family for the time being." She smiled, but her jade-like face made people feel uneasy: "Unless the Tang family destroys itself first."

-

Shangqiu did not have a local government office, but the Tang family had a "Zongrenfu" named Sangongtanghui.

All clan affairs and cases within the city were handled here, including the arrest, trial, and punishment of clan members, Shangqiu tenants, servants, etc.

Jiashan's private cancellation of the engagement angered the Tang family, and he was taken to the party. As soon as he stepped in, he felt a cool breath blowing towards him.

The dark stone slabs reflected faint light. The dome was high above, dark and deep. The pillars carved with huge animal heads looked particularly thick in the dim light, as if supporting another mysterious space.

The three officials sat on tall chairs and asked angrily, "Jiashan, have you really broken off your engagement with Xu Shanshan?"

Jiashan lifted his skirt and knelt down, lowering his eyes: "Yes."

The quiet environment suddenly becomes sharp and tense, and will explode immediately at the slightest touch.

"You evil creature! Have you become stupid because you study Buddhism? You can get married in the secular world by studying Mahayana Buddhism. Why do you insist on canceling this marriage?" Hai Gong slammed the table and stood up.

At that time, Jiashan was sent to the Galan Monastery to practice Taoism. Firstly, he had the potential to understand Taoism. Secondly, the abbot of the Galan Monastery wanted to guide him and help him to transcend worldly affairs and gain a large number of believers and prestige. This was also very beneficial to the Yutang family.

But now that he has grown wings, he has learned to stab his family in the back, which is simply treason!
"Jiashan is devoted to Buddhism and has taken refuge in the Tathagata. Now that worldly matters are over, Jiashan will formally receive the Three-Platform Great Ordination at the Galan Monastery soon, and will devote all his energy to spiritual practice for the rest of his life."

"Absolutely impossible! Jiashan, as the direct descendant of the Tang family, you are born with the responsibility of shouldering the prosperity and glory of the Tang family. We don't care whether you have feelings for Xu Shanshan or not, but this marriage must not be ruined!"

"But the marriage certificate has been torn up, it is irreversible."

"Although the Tang family's marriage certificate is gone, the marriage contract is not yet settled. At the beginning, we exchanged tokens with the fortune teller. In addition to the signed marriage contract, he also gave each family an artifact as a token. Now the token has not been returned, so the marriage is only half-broken."

When Jiashan heard this, countless expressions surged and changed in his eyes.

"Why does the clan insist on making such an engagement, and why does it have to be in Jiashan?"

Tang Gengfu, one of the three dukes, gave Hai Gong a look, indicating that he should not continue to force and intimidate him.

"Well, there are some things that I should tell you clearly. You may know part of what happened back then, but you only know one side of the story."

The divine fortune teller is truly knowledgeable about astronomy and geography, and is especially good at prophecy and divination. However, the Tang family was not a big family at that time, but just an ordinary merchant in Jiangling City. One day, the divine fortune teller suddenly appeared in Shangqiu. He predicted that a great disaster would happen to the Tang family, but if they survived this disaster, they would have a smooth business career in the next ten years, like a fish in water, and rise straight to the top.

Sure enough, not long after, the Tang family really encountered a fatal disaster, and misfortunes never come alone. The merchant ship encountered a storm and capsized into the sea, the merchants encountered robbers, and someone in the family was involved in a lawsuit. All kinds of troubles almost overturned the Tang family completely.

At this time, the fortune teller came again and signed a marriage contract with them in the name of assistance. This is the part that Jiashan knew.

What he didn't know was that -

"The magic weapon placed in the Tang family's house is the marriage token given by the fortune teller. If any of the five families cancels the marriage contract in advance..."

His breath surged, and he sighed deeply, "Then not only will we have to return the house-guarding magic weapon, but the five families will also suffer the backlash of their oath, and their decades-long foundation will be destroyed!"

Jiashan frowned and remained silent for a moment before he asked, "Do you believe this prophecy?"

"Why don't you believe it? That man is not a charlatan or a charlatan. We saw with our own eyes how he helped the Tang family break the disaster and improve their fortune. Could he lie to us?" Duke Hai was angry again.

Jiashan said, "As you said, the token has not been returned, and my Tang family has not taken back the other marriage certificate. Now the marriage is only half-backed, so I guess the prophecy will not come true."

How could San Gong not understand what he meant? "But we agreed that Xu Shanshan would be eighteen years old. Unless she is unwilling to marry you, if you don't marry her, it will still bring disaster to the Tang family."

This is undoubtedly an unfair clause, but there is nothing they can do about it; they just signed it regardless of who told them to.

"There are many men of marriageable age in the clan. The three dukes can choose any one to marry. It doesn't matter if Jiashan is the one who refuses."

Tang Gengnong was so angry that he roared, "Do you think we have to force you? If the divine fortune teller had not calculated all the men in the tribe who were suitable, and had only chosen your birth date and time, why would we be so worried about your disobedience?"

Jiashan, however, remained unyielding: "Jiashan has no intention and no means to marry."

"Okay, okay, we don't want you to suffer that torture. We have tried to persuade you kindly, but you are unmoved. Then..." Hai Gong was about to pronounce the punishment for this trial. At this time, Tang Gengfu took the lead and said, "Why don't you make an agreement with us?"

Tang Gengnong and Tang Genghai looked at Tang Gengfu in confusion.

"Promise?"

"Yes, you should know that there is a love pond in my Tang family. If you can live with Xu Shanshan day and night for a month and still walk out of the love pond with a calm heart, we will assume that you have truly given up worldly love. But as long as you still have a trace of lust, you must go to the Galan Temple to receive the Three Altars Great Vows and willingly marry Xu Shanshan!"

After hearing this, Tang Gengnong and Tang Genghai immediately realized Tang Gengfu's intention.

The Love Pond, as the name suggests, is a spring pool that can stir up people's deepest desires. It is also a torture pool.

As long as people soak in the pool water, it will induce the ugliest, most straightforward and most unconcealable evil desires in human nature, and then people will sink painfully in the pool of venom formed by their own desires.

They let him soak in the pool overnight, and the next day they would check whether he had been poisoned by love and would be able to tell whether he had any inappropriate desires that night.

Jiashan's face was calm. This might be a public execution for others, but he felt that this was a "merciful" choice given to him by Fu Gong, because he would never have any desire for "Xu Shanshan".

He folded his hands, his face solemn: "Okay, Jiashan accepts."

　Lord Fu: Oh, is it only your Liu family that has a good-looking son? Our Tang family has a grandson who is both good-looking and delicious. It all depends on your ability.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)