The frail counselor you said, you fight against three heroes alone?

"This water doesn't look unusual." A big man in coarse linen clothes frowned, stared at the water in front of him, scratched his head and said.

Ouyang Lian stood aside, his eyes deep and focused.

He leaned forward slightly and whispered, "Do you see any tiny specks of oil on the water?"

After saying this, his eyes revealed a hint of doubt and inquiry.

When everyone heard it, they hurried over to check it out.

A scholar-like man pushed up his nonexistent glasses and exclaimed, "Oh, it's true!"

Ouyang Lian stretched out his hand, pointed his slender fingers straight at the middle-aged man, and said in a louder voice: "That's right, this fellow is a cattle dealer. He usually touches cattle, and his hands are often oily, so there is also oil on the currency, which proves that this purse is indeed his."

When everyone heard this, they were stunned at first, and then began to whisper to each other.

"Oh, so that's how it is." Many people showed a look of sudden enlightenment on their faces.

When the middle-aged man heard this, his frown instantly relaxed and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

He nodded repeatedly and said loudly, "Yes, yes, yes, I am a cattle dealer. I have to oil and check the cattle every day, so there must be oil on my money bag."

Someone in the crowd questioned, "Can this really be proven? Could it be a coincidence?"

Ouyang Lian was not in a hurry. He turned to face the person who questioned him and explained with a smile: "Please look, the oil stains on this purse are not ordinary oil stains. It has a unique smell of cows, and the texture of this oil is relatively thick. Unlike ordinary cooking oil, it is the oil that cattle dealers often use to protect the leather of cattle." He spoke clearly and with a firm tone.

At this time, an old man stroked his beard and nodded slightly: "Well, what this young man said makes sense. It seems that this money bag is indeed from this cattle dealer."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Next, Ouyang Lian looked stern, his eyes piercing the young man like a sword, and his voice was cold: "Anything else to say?"

The young man's face turned red, beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his eyes were evasive, and he didn't dare to look Ouyang Lian in the eye.

His feet moved backwards unconsciously, as if the ground was burning.

The pointing and criticizing of the people around him were like needles piercing his body, and he felt as if he was being roasted on a fire.

His heart was filled with regret and shame at this moment, and his head was buzzing.

Originally he thought he could succeed easily, but he didn't expect to be discovered by Ouyang Lian.

The people around began to talk.

"He looks handsome, but I didn't expect him to be a thief."

"That's right, you are still young and don't learn well."

When the young man heard these words, he lowered his head even more, wishing he could disappear from everyone's sight immediately. He clenched his hands into fists and his body trembled slightly.

Ouyang Lian looked at him and continued, "It is a great virtue to admit one's mistakes and correct them. It is not too late to make things clear now." There was a hint of admonition in Ouyang Lian's eyes.

The young man finally couldn't bear the pressure anymore, he knelt down with a plop and said, "I...I was wrong, I was confused for a moment and stole the purse."

There was an uproar among the crowd, and the accusations became even louder.

Xi Yu's eyes were full of admiration, and he secretly admired Ouyang Lian's intelligence and courage.

He is willing to make friends with the other party.

The middle-aged man held the recovered purse tightly, tears of gratitude flashing in his eyes. He walked quickly to Ouyang Lian, held Ouyang Lian's hand tightly with both hands, shook it constantly and said, "My benefactor, if it weren't for you today, I would not have found my purse. This is the livelihood of my whole family."

The middle-aged man turned to look at the young man, his face darkened instantly, his eyes widened like bells, and he gritted his teeth and said viciously: "You kid, you are so young and yet you are still not well-educated. You actually do such sneaky things."

The young man was like a frost-bitten eggplant at this moment, with his head drooping and his feet rubbing restlessly on the ground.

His voice was trembling and crying as he begged, "Uncle, I was wrong. You must forgive me. I will never dare to do such a thing again."

The middle-aged man snorted angrily and shouted, "Get lost!"

The young man seemed to have been granted amnesty. He lowered his head, walked hurriedly, and disappeared into the crowd in shame.

When everyone saw this scene, they applauded and cheered.

Ouyang Lian humbly bowed to everyone with a gentle smile on his face, but his heart was calm. He just did what he thought was right.

Xi Yu watched Ouyang Lian from the side and became more determined to make friends with him.

The middle-aged man held a stack of currency in both hands and handed it to Ouyang Lian respectfully, his face full of gratitude and sincerity.

"Sir, this is a little gift from me. If it weren't for you, I would have suffered a great loss. You must accept it." The middle-aged man bowed slightly.

Ouyang Lian waved his hand gently, his expression indifferent, his eyes calm but firm.

He raised his head slightly and said, "I'm not doing this to be thanked. Take it back."

The people around him all gave him approving looks and whispered in praise. A scholar-like man waved his fan, nodded and said, "This young man is of high moral character and integrity, a true gentleman."

The middle-aged man was a little anxious. He took another step forward and pushed the money towards Ouyang Lian again.

"Sir, just accept it. This is just a small token of my appreciation. If it weren't for your help, my life would be very difficult."

Ouyang Lian frowned slightly and said, "I appreciate your kindness, but I am only doing this for justice, not for your money. If I accept the money, it would go against my original intention."

His eyes were clear and bright, looking directly at the middle-aged man.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man had to slowly take back the money, his eyes full of admiration.

"Sir, you are such a good person. If you need my help in the future, just let me know."

Ouyang Lian smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, see you again in the future if we are lucky enough."

Ouyang Lian sat down.

Xi Yu's face was full of smiles, his body leaning forward slightly, his eyes sparkling with excitement and anticipation.

"Brother, I really admire your actions today. I really want to make friends with you. What do you think, Brother Ouyang?"

Ouyang Lian picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, looked at Xi Yu, and nodded: "Absolutely." His voice was steady and gentle, like a spring breeze.

Xiyu's smile became even more pronounced. He stretched out his hand to call the waiter and ordered a pot of good tea and a few plates of snacks.

The two of them drank tea and ate snacks while chatting about everything from strange stories in the martial arts world to poetry and songs. The more they talked, the more they got along, as if they were old friends.

Xi Yu's bright eyes stared at Ouyang Lian, and he asked a question seemingly casually: "What's your name, brother?"

Ouyang Lian's heart tightened, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Finally, he answered: "Chen Lian."

Xiyu also made up a name: "Sun Zhe."

After finishing the meal, Ouyang Lian's face was filled with anticipation, his eyes were filled with desire, and he said to Xi Yu: "Sun Zhe, the scenery around here is pleasant, please walk with me."

"Then let's go for a walk."

As Ouyang Lian walked side by side with Xi Yu, he slightly turned sideways, with curiosity and inquiry in his eyes, and asked with a smile: "Brother Sun Zhe, where are you from? What are you doing here?"

Xi Yu looked into the distance with a calm look in his eyes, a relaxed smile on his lips, and replied: "I came from afar, just to have some fun and appreciate the local customs and practices."

The two chatted casually. After walking for a while, Ouyang Lian raised his hand and scratched his head. With a trace of fatigue in his eyes, he said, "I had a great chat with Brother Sun Zhe today, but I'm a little tired. I want to go back and rest first and meet again another day." Xi Yu nodded slightly, with a gentle smile on his face, and said, "Then we'll say goodbye here. Take care, brother."

After a while, Xiyu stood there, looking at the direction where Ouyang Lian left, and the feeling of loss in his heart became stronger. Why did I forget to ask him where he lived just now, and how to contact him? Even if I just knew where he often went, it would be good.

His eyes were somewhat empty, and the brief time he spent with Ouyang Lian kept emerging in his mind.

The meals we had together, though simple, were full of fun; there were also those simple conversations, and the occasional glances from each other as we walked side by side.

Xi Yu sighed softly, a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, he shook his head and said to himself: "It's just a chance encounter, why should I be so persistent? People in this world come and go, maybe I shouldn't ask for too much."

A breeze blew by, ruffling the hair on his forehead.

Xi Yu traveled through the streets and alleys, asking everyone he met about Ouyang Lian's official career.

In the bustling market, Xi Yu stopped an old vegetable seller and asked politely, "Old man, do you know Lord Ouyang Lian?"

The old man put down the vegetables he was fiddling with, a glimmer of light shone through his cloudy eyes, and he gave a thumbs up and said, "Lord Ouyang, he is a good official! He often helps poor people like us, and he even helped repair the village bridge a while ago."

Xi Yu walked into another teahouse and asked a man who looked like a scholar.

The scholar put down the folding fan in his hand and spoke eloquently: "Brother, you don't know that Lord Ouyang is diligent in government affairs, handles cases impartially and selflessly, and is deeply loved by the people."

Listening to everyone's praise, Xi Yu felt even better about Ouyang Lian.

It is gratifying to see someone with such a good reputation.

Xi Yu wanted to go to the palace to find out what was going on.

Suddenly, the noise in front of a shop caught his attention.

He approached the crowd and saw a woman in a plain cloth skirt, with her hands on her hips, her face flushed, her eyes burning with anger, and she loudly accused: "You black-hearted shopkeeper, you are so dishonest in doing business, and you shortchanged me in food. You must give me an explanation today!"

The woman's voice trembled slightly with anger, her eyes were firm yet with a hint of grievance, she was thinking about the hungry children at home and how the copper coins she had saved with great effort were exchanged for such injustice.

The shop owner was a fat man with a face full of flesh. At the moment, he was crossing his arms and looking at the woman with a sidelong glance. There was a sneer of disdain on his lips. "Hmph, you bitch, take it or leave it if you want. If you want to continue to make trouble here, I will beat you to death!"

He was certain that this woman was just an ordinary citizen with no power or influence, and she would not be able to cause any waves.

When the woman heard this, she was so angry that her body was shaking. She gritted her teeth, took a small step forward, and raised her voice and said, "If you don't make up for my loss, I will report you to the authorities! I will let the government punish you!"

There was determination in her eyes. Although she was a little scared, she could not back down for the sake of her family.

When the shop owner heard this, instead of being afraid, he laughed even more arrogantly, puffed out his chest, and said arrogantly: "Go ahead and sue me! Why don't you ask who I am? I have acquaintances in the government, and you will only bring trouble upon yourself if you go!"

Xi Yu watched from the side, anger welling up in his heart. He thought to himself: How despicable it is that there are such bullies in this world who take advantage of their power to bully others.

He frowned slightly, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes, and he decided to stand up and seek justice for the woman.

He gently pushed aside the crowd, stepped forward, and said loudly: "In broad daylight, you are oppressing the people like this, don't you fear the law?"

The shop owner and the woman looked at him at the same time, one with hostility and the other with expectation.

Xi Yu stood tall and straight with a serious expression, and he looked straight into the owner's eyes.

The people around also began to talk in low voices, expressing their appreciation and support for Xi Yu's actions.

The shop owner narrowed his eyes, looked Xi Yu up and down, and asked with a mocking sneer on his face, "Who do you think you are? Why are you meddling in other people's business here? I advise you to be sensible and get out of here. I am not someone you can afford to offend."

He folded his hands over his chest and puffed out his chest, looking so arrogant and domineering as if he was the master of this world.

Xi Yu looked directly into the shop owner's malicious eyes and said slowly, "Everyone can help when they see injustice. You cheated the people and acted so arrogantly. Don't you think there is no law?"

The shop owner threw his head back and laughed, his laughter full of disdain.

"Law? In this land, I am the law. How dare you, a young man who came out of nowhere, speak so brazenly in front of me?"

He took a step forward and approached Xi Yu, trying to overwhelm the other party with his momentum.

The air around them seemed to freeze, and a tense atmosphere enveloped everyone.

The people were whispering on the side, worried about Xi Yu's safety, but also hoping that he could really subdue the hateful shop owner.

Xi Yu had no intention of retreating. He stood firmly in place, his eyes becoming increasingly sharp.

"I will take care of today's matter. If you continue to be stubborn, don't blame me for reporting this matter to the government and let the government judge right and wrong." Xi Yu's voice was sonorous and powerful, echoing in the air.

The woman looked at Xi Yu gratefully, with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, as if she saw a ray of light in the darkness.

The shop owner put his hands on his hips, his stomach shaking violently from laughter, and the fat on his face trembled. He looked at Xi Yu with contempt with his mung bean-sized eyes and mocked loudly: "You idiot, didn't you hear what I just said? I am the cousin of Fangjun Governor Ouyang Lian. Who in this city dares to touch me?"

He looked so arrogant, as if the whole world was under his control.

When everyone heard this, they all gasped and looked horrified.

The woman's face turned pale, her body trembled like a sieve, and her eyes were full of fear and helplessness.

She thought to herself: How did I end up offending such a person? How could I afford to offend the governor's cousin?
Thinking about the elderly and children in the family who still needed her care, she turned around and left in a hurry, her steps as hurried as a frightened deer.

Xi Yu frowned, stepped forward quickly, grabbed the woman's arm, looked at her sincerely and firmly, and said softly: "Don't be afraid, I'm here, I can definitely solve this matter."

Xi Yu turned to face the shop owner, straightened his back, looked at him with a sharp gaze, and said loudly: "No matter whose cousin you are, you must give an explanation for your fraud today. Lord Ouyang is an upright official. If he knew about your behavior, he would not let you off easily."

There was no fear in his eyes, and the sense of justice in his heart burned like a raging fire.

After hearing Xi Yu's words, the people around him recovered from their initial shock and began to talk in low voices, looking at Xi Yu with admiration.

When the shop owner heard Xi Yu mention Ouyang Lian, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his arrogance.

Xi Yu took a step forward, pointed his finger at the shop owner, and loudly accused him, "You have done so many evil things. Lord Ouyang is honest and upright, he must not know that you are doing evil here, otherwise how could he allow you to be so presumptuous!"

He was so angry that his chest heaved violently, his brows were tightly twisted into a "川" shape, and the rage in his heart was burning fiercely.

He was well aware of Ouyang Lian's prestige in the hearts of the people and absolutely did not believe that he would associate with such an evil person. At this moment, he was determined to seek justice for the bullied people.

The fat on the owner's face trembled and he sneered again. The laugh sounded like the cry of a night owl, which made people shudder.

He glanced at Xi Yu, his eyes full of provocation and threats, "Humph, even if he doesn't know, so what? You've offended me today, so don't even think about getting away with it. If you have the guts, just try and see how I deal with you."

He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head back slightly.

"I will definitely not be afraid of your threats. There is justice in this world. Don't think you can do whatever you want just by relying on so-called relationships." He clenched his teeth, clenched his fists at his sides, and secretly thought about how to deal with it.

The people around were all worried for Xi Yu, but were also moved by his courage, and whispers of encouragement could be heard faintly from the crowd.

The bullied woman hid behind Xi Yu, tears in her eyes, feeling both grateful and scared.

His eyes were like swords, piercing straight at the shop owner. A fierce confrontation began, and the fire of justice in his heart burned brighter and brighter.

"Since you are so arrogant and unreasonable, I will ask Lord Ouyang to judge this matter. I believe that Lord Ouyang will see through everything and give everyone justice."

When the shop owner heard this, he was stunned at first, and then burst into an even more crazy laughter.

He pointed at Xi Yu with disdain on his face.

"Who do you think you are? You want my cousin to come over? Do you have what it takes? Don't overestimate your abilities."

"I will find a way to let Lord Ouyang know about this. Don't be so arrogant for too long. Your evil deeds will be exposed one day." The people around held their breath and watched the confrontation between the two nervously. The atmosphere on the scene was like a taut bowstring, ready to explode at any moment. (End of this chapter)