Chapter 90

Agricultural officials have the duty to encourage farming and ensure harvests. During the Harvest Festival, not just in Gucheng, but the weather throughout Nanyang Commandery would be adjusted accordingly.

The Commandery-level Agricultural Supervision Office controls large-scale weather, and occasionally, when details are missed, it relies on the agricultural officials below to fulfill their duties.

For these two days, Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui had to inspect and patrol in Anping Town.

After circling Anping Town, they finally arrived at the village head’s house.

Statistics on harvests and tax payments didn't need Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui to manage; they were mainly there to casually ask about the situation.

The village head was already over fifty. Seeing the two, he wasn't reserved and chatted with them as if they were his own juniors:

"This year in Gucheng, just like previous years, it’s another year of favorable weather and a bountiful harvest."

"As long as one is willing to put in the effort to farm, anyone can feed their family and eat their fill."

"But there are always those who are lazy. Take 'Huang Silang' from the Sixth Group, for example. He’s lazy and idle, living off his parents at home. Even with the Harvest Festival here, he doesn't know to go help his family work."

"Last year, his parents were in their seventies or eighties and couldn't work anymore. They were about to watch the Origin Rice rot in the fields, and it was the fellow villagers who helped harvest it. This brat didn't even know how to be grateful; instead, he said everyone was meddling... Heh, this year no one was willing to help, and he’s still lying at home like that, refusing to work, saying the imperial court will issue them relief grain..."

"That relief is money for his elderly parents! A man in his thirties with hands and feet, actually saying such things—it’s simply shameless! Sigh, Old Man Huang is truly cursed to have such a son!"

Hearing the village head’s words, Shen Zhui was furious and immediately asked, "May I ask where that Huang Silang’s home is?"

"He’s not at home."

"Then where is he?"

"There, he’s playing dice at the Niu family’s courtyard."

Shen Zhui immediately stood up: "To think someone dares to gamble! This is outrageous! Brother Zhao, let’s go!"

"Coming." Before leaving, Zhao Xing used Five Elements Observation to look at the village head. Although he had been staring into the man’s eyes with his Bright Eyes while the man was speaking, he took one more look.

He lowered his head to flip through the Almanac and found nothing unusual, then patted the little mountain cat and followed with the Dharma-protecting straw man.

"Are you Huang Silang?"

As soon as Shen Zhui and Zhao Xing arrived, they saw a disheveled man with scattered eyes coming out of the Niu family’s house.

They had seen the roster and portrait from the village head and recognized him as Huang Silang at a glance.

"No, you’ve got the wrong person." Huang Silang lowered his head and tried to walk forward.

"Stop!" Shen Zhui shouted, "What are you running for?!"

Huang Silang stopped. He could see these were two official officers, and he was recalling the petty crimes he had committed, wondering which one had been discovered.

"Come with us." Zhao Xing confirmed he was the right person and got back into the carriage.

Huang Silang also wanted to climb onto the carriage, but was kicked off.

"Ouch~" Huang Silang fell to the ground.

It wasn't Zhao Xing or Shen Zhui who kicked him, but the mountain cat.

It hissed at the outside, looking very dissatisfied.

This person stank to high heaven, and it didn't want Huang Silang in the carriage.

"You just walk." Shen Zhui said.

Huang Silang wasn't happy: "My lord, it’s at least an hour’s walk to the county town; won't I be exhausted to death?"

"We aren't going to the county town, we’re going to your house!"

Huang Silang’s eyes rolled: "You aren't arresting me? I didn't commit a crime?"

Shen Zhui was amused by him: "Don't you know whether you committed a crime or not?"

Huang Silang chuckled: "No, no... then I’ll be going."

"Stop! Did I tell you to leave?!"

"Your parents are both in the fields. As a son, you should take on this heavy work..." Shen Zhui lectured him earnestly.

Huang Silang showed impatience on his face, clearly not listening at all.

He had heard these things until his ears were calloused.

Shen Zhui spoke for a quarter of an hour, but Huang Silang didn't say a word.

Zhao Xing pulled Shen Zhui: "Brother Shen, you go into the carriage first. I’ll talk to him. I’m an agricultural official, and encouraging farming is my duty."

Shen Zhui nodded and entered the carriage.

Zhao Xing stared at Huang Silang: "Why don't you help your parents harvest the Origin Rice?"

"I’m lazy."

"..."

You really are quite righteous about it.

Seeing that the two weren't arresting him, Huang Silang became even bolder: "If you pity my parents, why not donate some money? Or help my family harvest the Origin Rice..."

A shameless person is invincible; there was nothing to say to such a person.

Zhao Xing lashed him with a whip: "Move, go to your family’s fields for me!"

"Ouch, why are you hitting people? Hey, don't hit, don't hit... I’ll go..." Seeing that Zhao Xing wasn't joking, Huang Silang immediately shrank his head and led the way.

Arriving at the fields.

Sure enough, two old people were working in the field.

Huang Silang stood on the ridge, indifferent.

Zhao Xing didn't waste words with him, casually fashioned a straw man on the side, then took the whip from Shen Zhui’s hand and gave it to the straw man: "Watch him harvest the Origin Rice. If he doesn't do it, give him a lash."

"What?" Huang Silang refused, anxious: "You’re overstepping your bounds. Whether I farm or not has nothing to do with you... Ouch, they’re hitting people, the officers are hitting people!!"

Huang Silang lay on the ground, crying his heart out.

Nearby neighbors heard the commotion and came to watch, and were delighted.

"Hit him well!"

"Pah, shameless!"

"It’s Huang Silang. If the officers are hitting him, there must be a reason."

Seeing their son being hit, Huang Silang’s parents rushed over, but before they could plead for him, they were stopped by the neighbors.

The neighbors couldn't stand it anymore; one could imagine how poor Huang Silang’s character was.

"Are you going to do it?" Zhao Xing squatted down and asked, "If you do, you only need to be tired for a day or two. If you don't, I have plenty of ways to torture you."

"We are the highest-ranking officials in this area. It’s useless for you to go report us, understand?"

"I’ll do it, I’ll do it." Huang Silang climbed up. He couldn't stand the pain, and seeing no one helping him, he realized the reality.

Huang Silang hurriedly rolled up his pant legs and went into the field.

He was forced into "labor reform" by Zhao Xing.

Before long, Huang Silang was groaning and complaining of exhaustion.

Zhao Xing didn't indulge him.

Tired and sleepy? Sleep-bugs were arranged to directly restore Huang Silang’s energy.

Want to slack off? The straw man would give him a lash.

Zhao Xing also fashioned seven or eight straw men to guard the four sides of the field.

If Huang Silang tried to run away, he would be caught back immediately.

Zhao Xing’s move was truly physical encouragement of agriculture.

However, none of the surrounding neighbors objected; they all clapped and cheered.

Many even put down their own work to watch the rare scene of Huang Silang harvesting Origin Rice.

"Silang, your posture is wrong. If you don't bend your waist, you’ll get tired easily."

"Silang, tired? Your parents have been doing this for over ten years."

"Huang Silang, there’s a leech crawling on your leg..."

Huang Silang’s leg shook, and he hurriedly reached out to touch it, only to find it wasn't the case at all. He realized he had been tricked and glared angrily at the child.

"Snap~" The whip lashed onto Huang Silang’s back.

"Damn it!" Huang Silang cursed in his heart and had to continue working.

He wanted to run away but found straw men everywhere.

And the more he worked, the more energetic he felt; he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. To avoid this torture, he had to work honestly.

By dusk, Huang Silang was much more obedient and even knew how to put on a show in front of the two officials, helping his parents home.

"Brother Zhao, your method is indeed effective." Shen Zhui watched this scene and couldn't help but smile.

"It’s useless. Once we leave in two days, he’ll go back to how he was." Zhao Xing lay in the carriage petting the cat, "Unless he can be whipped and labored for a year or two, supplemented by someone as patient as Brother Shen to reason with him from time to time, perhaps he could change."

"Is that so?" Shen Zhui was thoughtful, "If I have the chance to govern a region in the future, I will definitely try the method you mentioned, Brother Zhao."

After dark, the two didn't return but stayed at the village head’s house in Anping Town.

The next morning, the two continued to patrol Anping Town.

At lunch, they asked the old village head about Huang Silang.

"Huang Silang? He took advantage of the lunch break and ran to the Niu family’s courtyard."

"Went to the Niu family again?" Shen Zhui’s eyebrows stood up.

"Yes." The old village head said, hating that he couldn't turn him into steel, "My lord, you kindly let him rest at noon, but he took even that little rest time to go play. He has no money, yet he still goes to gamble... It’s a sin."

"Where did he get the money?" Zhao Xing asked.

"I gave his mother one tael of silver to buy medicine." Shen Zhui had anger in his eyes, "This Huang Silang is truly detestable! Niu Gui is also detestable. I warned them yesterday not to play anymore, and he actually didn't listen?!"

Niu family courtyard.

"Big! Big! Big!"

"Open! Two, three, four, Small!"

"Sigh, lost again! Damn it, what bad luck!"

Huang Silang was disheveled; he took off his shoes, rubbed his feet, and smelled them near his nose.

Then he took out a silver coin from his boot and slapped it on the table: "Niu Gui, continue! I’m going to win you to death today!"

Niu Gui said: "Silang, you only have this last one left. I think you should keep it for use. Besides, aren't you supposed to be busy in the fields this afternoon?"

"Need your pity? Continue, continue, hurry up!"

Seeing this, Niu Gui smiled slightly: "Alright, then let’s go!"

The dice shook inside, making a sound that made people’s hearts sway.

Huang Silang’s eyes drifted up and down with the dice cup.

"Clang!" As the dice cup landed, Niu Gui pressed his hand on it: "Big or Small?"

"Big!"

"Open, one, one, two, Small. Silang, you lost again!"

Niu Gui smiled and took his silver coin.

"Bad luck!" Huang Silang slapped his thigh, stood up, and left the gambling table. The other gamblers continued.

He had lost everything, but he didn't leave; instead, he found a place outside the courtyard to sit and rest.

According to the rules, as long as you come in to play, you can get a meal at the Niu family’s.

Huang Silang closed his eyes and fell asleep before long.

The Niu family’s gate was knocked open.

Someone rushed to report that official officers had arrived.

"Official officers? What officers, just a few petty officials. I’ll go take a look, you guys continue."

Niu Gui was unhurried and ran to the entrance.

He saw a young man at the door wearing double iron rulers at his waist, a brown hat on his head, and cloud-stepping boots.

Beside him was a young man in hemp clothes, and another person following, wearing a coir raincoat and a bamboo hat despite it not raining.

"Martial Officer Shen, Agricultural Official Zhao, what can I do for you?" After opening the door, Niu Gui immediately recognized the two.

"Didn't I say yesterday not to gather for gambling?" Shen Zhui asked. "Did you treat my words as wind in your ears?"

Niu Gui’s expression didn't change, and he didn't deny it: "It’s just a little fun among fellow villagers... You can't manage that much, can you?"

"That’s fine, then invite me in to play a few hands."

"You’re joking, we’re all mud-legged people, how would we dare to play with you."

"Niu Gui, are you inviting us in or not?" Zhao Xing asked, "We’re just looking around now. If we come back with an official order, it won't be so easy to settle."

Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui both had cultivation bases and hadn't entered the Niu family’s before; they needed Niu Gui, the master, to invite them in to enter.

Of course, if Shen Zhui carried a "Slay" order or an "Arrest" order issued by the county government, it would be different; he wouldn't need permission.

"Alright, two lords, please come in." Seeing their tough attitude, Niu Gui could only say please.

The invisible shackle disappeared, and Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui crossed the threshold into the Niu family’s courtyard.

The Niu family was a wealthy household with many fields. At this time, outside the hall, many rice-harvesters were resting. Some had received their wages and gone in to play a few hands.

Seeing the officers enter, no one was afraid; some even muttered complaints that it affected their luck.

"My lords, it really is just a little fun... there isn't much money on the table."

But before Niu Gui could finish, Shen Zhui suddenly drew his ruler-sword, a flash of light passed, and the gambling table was split in two.

"Clatter~" The copper coins inside fell all over the floor.

Niu Gui’s face changed, and he was too scared to make a sound.

His table was a mechanism made of hardwood; he didn't expect it to be split open from a distance like that.

Niu Gui had thought Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui were just ordinary petty officials, and he had treated yesterday’s notice as wind in his ears.

Now seeing this, these two were not to be trifled with.

"Take the illicit money and go find the martial official in town to accept your punishment," Shen Zhui said coldly.

"Yes, this small one accepts the punishment." Niu Gui’s attitude changed immediately.

Shen Zhui didn't make things difficult for him; the money was indeed not much, only enough to fine Niu Gui, without needing to be thrown into jail.

As for the other gamblers, a routine inquiry and telling them to disperse was enough.

"Where is Huang Silang?"

"He’s over there."

Hearing the familiar voice, Huang Silang, who was in his sleep, shuddered. He opened his eyes and immediately saw the star of disaster.

He immediately wanted to escape from the back, but it was too late.

"Hmph! You are truly unworthy of being a son!" Shen Zhui was furious looking at this person. His parents were in poor health and working in the fields at their age, yet he was gambling here?

Even taking his mother’s medicine money to gamble—is he even human?

"Martial Officer Shen, this is what he lost." Niu Gui carefully returned the money.

Zhao Xing was questioning the strangers outside the hall.

"Who are they? They don't look like they’re from this village."

Anping Town was not big, and the households in the Sixth Group were even fewer. Zhao Xing had a general impression of who belonged to the group; after all, he had often come down to Anping Town before, only coming less after the Minor Heat.

"Agricultural Official Zhao, these are rice-harvesters I invited from Sanwan Town, since it’s the autumn harvest." Niu Gui accompanied him with a smiling face. He also recognized Zhao Xing; the agricultural petty officials came to the countryside more diligently than the martial officials.

Rice-harvesters were farmers who traveled to various places to help wealthy households with large amounts of land harvest Origin Rice.

"Oh, what are their names?" Zhao Xing pointed at two people casually.

"This small one is Chen Deshun." The middle-aged man bowed, his appearance plain, cheekbones prominent, limbs thick, and mud on his legs. He pointed to the woman with the barrel waist and headscarf beside him: "This is my lowly wife, Wu Chenshi."

"Greetings, my lord." The woman also bowed.

Both of them fit the profile of rice-harvesters well. Zhao Xing nodded and turned to Niu Gui:

"Niu Gui, stop doing these deceptive things in the future."

"Yes, yes, never again." Niu Gui nodded and bowed, "I’ll go accept my punishment now."

After Zhao Xing, Shen Zhui, and Niu Gui all left, the middle-aged man and woman inside the courtyard wall stared outside with flickering eyes.

"That’s Zhao Xing?"

"Mm." Chen Deshun nodded, his simple and honest eyes becoming cold.

"Quite handsome." The woman licked her lips. "Truly refined and handsome, with an extraordinary temperament."

"You have forty-two parts of spiritual elegance, you’re like that too." Chen Deshun snorted.

"I really hope we can catch him and take him back soon." A trace of lewdness flashed in the woman’s eyes, "It would be best to catch a few more handsome ones like this. I’ve been holding back for over ten years; I must have a good time on the road."

"Back..." A trace of longing also appeared in Chen Deshun’s eyes, "If we can go back smoothly, I will also make up for these ten years of time."

Shen Zhui escorted Niu Gui to the village entrance, handed him over to the martial official patrolling for the Harvest Festival to pay the fine, and then returned quickly.

Huang Silang was taken to the fields by a first-tier straw man, while Zhao Xing sat in the carriage, feeling somewhat restless.

"Brother Zhao, what’s wrong?" Shen Zhui saw Zhao Xing’s brows tightly furrowed and couldn't help but ask.

"Feeling somewhat restless." Zhao Xing said.

"What’s wrong?"

"I don't know." Zhao Xing shook his head.

There was no basis for it, and the Almanac of Avoiding Evil had no reaction.

"Could it be that Niu Gui has a problem?" Shen Zhui asked in a deep voice. "Are there evil people nearby?"

Zhao Xing shook his head again. After entering the Niu family’s gate, he had used Five Elements Observation; Niu Gui was very normal, including everyone in the Niu family’s courtyard.

Bright Eyes also found nothing special. Since leaving the city, his observation methods had been on whenever he saw people.

But there was no abnormality; this was purely a vague feeling.

"Am I over-analyzing with Old Chen, becoming a bit obsessed, seeing everyone as a member of the Profound Heaven Sect?" Zhao Xing also had some self-doubt in his heart.

Even if he really encountered an evil person from the Profound Heaven Sect, he wouldn't be able to tell, because the Profound Heaven Sect’s concealment methods were very clever. That was the concealment technique passed down from the ancient Profound Heaven Sect, and they had means to shield the Almanac of Avoiding Evil; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to lurk for over ten years and be so hard to find.

Theoretically, even if he stood in front of a real evil person from the Profound Heaven Sect, he shouldn't have any discoveries.

But where did this feeling come from?

"The 'Earth Soul' among the Three Souls is the Karma Soul. This feeling is very likely to come from the stirring of the Earth Soul."

Since the Almanac and spells couldn't find where this feeling came from, Zhao Xing decided to find the reason from another angle.

"Brother Shen, you drive, I’ll sleep for a while."

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Xing closed his eyes and began to enter a dream.