Chapter 164: As Engineering Struggles to Advance, the Female Lead Breaks the Impasse with Wisdom and Courage

A vague sense of unease stirred within Lin Shiya, the distant glow of the bonfire seeming to pulse directly against her heart.

She summoned a guard, issued a few brief instructions, and then draped a dark night cloak over her shoulders, melting silently into the gathering shadows.

At the foot of the mountain outside the city lay the critical sector of the hydraulic engineering project. As she approached, the flames burned brighter than before, accompanied by the chaotic murmur of human voices.

Concealing her presence, Lin Shiya drew closer to the fire. A group of men were frantically felling trees, enclosing the cleared patch of ground with heavy wooden stakes. At their head stood the henchmen of Landlord Zhao, looking fierce and menacing as they brandished wooden clubs and barked orders at the surrounding laborers.

Understanding dawned upon her instantly: Landlord Zhao was attempting to forcibly seize the project's land.

Anger flared within her chest, but she forcefully suppressed it, deciding it was best to thoroughly assess the situation before taking action. She slipped away quietly and returned to the official residence.

Early the next morning, clad in her formal official robes, Lin Shiya walked straight to Landlord Zhao's estate.

Landlord Zhao was in the middle of enjoying his breakfast when he saw Lin Shiya make her sudden entrance, taking him somewhat by surprise.

"Prefect Lin, what brings you to my humble abode today?" Landlord Zhao asked with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Landlord Zhao, that plot of land at the foot of the mountain outside the city has been designated by the imperial court as project land. Why have you occupied it without authorization?" Lin Shiya cut straight to the point, her tone sharp and unyielding.

Landlord Zhao feigned utter astonishment. "Prefect Lin, you are mistaken! That land has been handed down through my family for generations. I have the title deed right here—in black and white, perfectly clear!" With that, he drew a yellowed sheet of paper from his sleeve and waved it before Lin Shiya.

Lin Shiya let out a cold laugh. "The authenticity of that deed remains to be verified. Landlord Zhao, you would do well to pull back from the brink before it is too late and avoid bringing ruin upon yourself!"

Landlord Zhao's expression darkened. He slammed his hand down on the table, and the surrounding retainers instantly swarmed forward, glaring aggressively at Lin Shiya.

"Prefect Lin, I respect you as an official of the imperial court and afford you a measure of courtesy. But do not push people too far! That land belongs to the Zhao family, and no one shall touch it!"

"Is that so?" Lin Shiya sneer drifted out as she reached into her sleeve...

Displaying not a shred of fear in the face of the aggressive thugs, Lin Shiya kept her spine straight and her gaze blazing like a torch, sharp as a newly unsheathed sword.

Slowly raising her hand, she drew a folded document from the wide sleeve of her official robe. Her movements were unhurried, yet they carried an intangible, overwhelming pressure.

She unfolded the document and held it up before Landlord Zhao, her crisp, cold voice ringing with absolute finality. "Open your eyes and look closely, Landlord Zhao. This is a land transfer document bearing the imperial seal. The land at the foot of this mountain was long ago allocated exclusively for the water conservation project! That so-called 'ancestral title deed' in your hand is likely of dubious origin!"

Upon seeing the vermilion seal stamped upon the document, Landlord Zhao's face instantly turned pale, fine beads of sweat breaking out across his forehead. The yellowed paper in his grip was now as worthless as scrap.

His eyes darted about, refusing to meet Lin Shiya's gaze, as he stammered, " This... this is impossible! This must be a forgery!"

A cold smirk touched the corner of Lin Shiya's lips, laced with utter mockery. "A forgery? Landlord Zhao, do you truly believe the imperial seal is so easily counterfeited? It seems you hold the laws of the court in absolute contempt!"

The swaggering thugs who had moments ago acted so arrogantly now fell silent, their clubs instinctively lowering by a fraction. Never before had they witnessed such an imposing official daring to rebuke their master so bluntly and fearlessly on his own territory.

Withdrawing the document, Lin Shiya's voice grew even more glacial. "Landlord Zhao, I warn you one last time: order your men to halt all activities immediately and clear out of this construction site. Should you dare to obstruct the hydraulic project again, I shall punish you severely without leniency!" Her final words carried a biting murderous intent, as though freezing the very air around the landlord.

Ashen-faced and thoroughly stripped of his arrogance, Landlord Zhao stammered a few empty pleasantries before fleeing the scene in utter disgrace, trailing his pack of dejected lackeys behind him.

The moment Landlord Zhao and his men vanished entirely from view, the surrounding workers burst into a wave of thunderous cheers.

They looked at Lin Shiya with eyes full of reverence and gratitude, as though gazing upon a savior. Over the past few days, relying on his local influence, Landlord Zhao had continuously obstructed the work and stirred up trouble, leaving everyone in a state of constant anxiety and grievance. The arrival of Lin Shiya acted like a powerful stimulant, filling them with renewed hope.

Glancing around, Lin Shiya saw the radiant hope shining in the workers' eyes, and a subtle, unnoticeable smile touched her lips. She knew this was merely the beginning; the progression of the water conservancy project would undoubtedly face all sorts of future challenges. Yet she would not retreat. She would cleave through thorns and thistles to complete this great project that benefited both the state and the people.

Turning around, just as she was about to ask the foreman about the project's progress, a flattering voice rang out from nearby. "Ah, Prefect Lin, you are truly brilliant and magnificent! This humble subordinate is in awe, utterly in awe!"

Li Fugui, president of the merchants' association, waddled over on his plump legs, his face piled high with obsequious smiles. Rubbing his hands together and bowing repeatedly, he fawned, "Prefect Lin, this subordinate admires you to the very ground! To dismiss Landlord Zhao in just a few words—you are simply extraordinary!"

Though dripping with lavish praise, his words somehow sent a ripple of unease through Lin Shiya.

Sure enough, Li Fugui's tone shifted abruptly, turning somewhat hesitant and evasive. "It's just that... with the project progress delayed, the required materials have also... risen quite a bit in price. This subordinate has no other choice, you see..." His crafty eyes rolled endlessly, greed plastered across his chubby face.

Lin Shiya furrowed her brow, a wave of disgust washing over her. She had long anticipated that Li Fugui would never remain honest and would inevitably scheme to extract illicit profits from the project.

Coldly eyeing Li Fugui, she issued a warning in her tone, "President Li, the funds for this project were settled long ago. On what grounds are you suddenly raising prices on the spot?"

Li Fugui emitted a dry chuckle, his flesh trembling rhythmically. Rolling his eyes, he argued, "Prefect Lin, times change quickly! Timber and stone are in such short supply nowadays that prices naturally soar along with the demand. This subordinate runs a modest business, and truly..." He deliberately manufactured a look of hardship, attempting to win Lin Shiya's sympathy.

Lin Shiya sneered, a countermeasure already forming in her mind.

Keeping her composure, she replied flatly, "Since that is the case, President Li, this official shall simply look elsewhere."

Hearing this, Li Fugui panicked instantly. The water conservancy project was a lucrative windfall; losing this business would deal him a catastrophic loss.

He hastily interjected, "Prefect Lin, no, please don't! Let's talk this over reasonably, let's talk!"

Ignoring him entirely, Lin Shiya turned and instructed her guard, "Go. Contact the other merchant associations. Tell them this official needs to procure a batch of construction materials, and have them come to the official residence tomorrow to negotiate."

The guard accepted the order and departed. Li Fugui's face drained of color, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his forehead. He knew Lin Shiya was playing for real.

The surrounding workers observed the scene, whispering among themselves and holding Li Fugui's greedy behavior in utter contempt.

After a brief internal struggle, Li Fugui ultimately failed to resist the temptation of profit. Gritting his teeth, he shuffled over to Lin Shiya and groveled, "Prefect Lin, this petty one knows he was wrong! I am willing to provide the materials at the original price. I beg your lordship to show mercy!"

Only then did Lin Shiya nod with satisfaction. In a detached tone, she said, "President Li, I hope you remember today's lesson and refrain from playing petty tricks henceforth."

Li Fugui nodded profusely, fleeing as if granted a sudden pardon from execution.

Watching his receding figure...

By evening, a swift rider galloped up and reined in his horse before the gates of the official residence. Dismounting in a single fluid motion, the messenger hurried over to Lin Shiya, extended a letter, and reported, "Prefect Lin, this is..."

Lowering his voice, the rider added, "This was sent from the State of Yan. My lord requested you open it personally."

Taking the letter and recognizing the distinctive seal on the envelope, Lin Shiya felt a wave of warmth wash over her. Dismissing the attendants, she broke the seal, and familiar handwriting greeted her eyes—a personal missive from Murong Fu.

In the letter, Murong Fu solicitously inquired about the progress of the hydraulic project, every line overflowing with deep concern and longing for her. Lin Shiya could almost feel his comforting warmth, softening her heart entirely. Clutching the letter tightly as though holding Murong Fu's hand, a rush of sweet emotion bloomed within her.

As the sun sank in the west, the golden afterglow washed over the eaves of the official residence, casting a warm sheen over everything. Standing by the window and gazing at the distant mountain ridges, Lin Shiya felt her heart swell with strength. Murong Fu's letter provided her with tremendous encouragement and support, further cementing her resolve to see the water conservation project through to completion.

Carefully tucking the letter away, she turned back to her desk, spread out the engineering blueprints, and began to study them meticulously.

Yet, despite resolving the issues with Landlord Zhao and Li Fugui, the advancement of the project still confronted hurdles. The most prominent among them was the resistance of certain artisans toward the new techniques.

Most of these craftsmen were rich in experience but conservative in thought, harboring deep skepticism toward novel methods. Accustomed to traditional construction techniques, they were reluctant to accept unfamiliar tools and procedures. This drag caused sluggish progress and low efficiency.

Lin Shiya understood profoundly that this issue required a prompt solution; otherwise, it would severely jeopardize the schedule of the entire endeavor.

Deep into the night, Lin Shiya was still burning the midnight oil in her study, poring over the blueprints and pondering how to persuade the veteran artisans to embrace the new techniques.

Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks shattered the nocturnal quiet.

A tight knot formed in her chest as an ominous premonition swept over her. Pulling the door open, she saw Foreman Chen standing outside, breathless and etched with anxiety, gasping, "Prefect Lin, bad news..."