Chapter 79: The Guan Family

Guan Chenghuang clasped his hands behind his back, gazing down at his descendant’s eyes, and spoke softly: “Guan Huchen, word of your death has spread across the land.

Even though your old servant and adopted daughter have been spreading the word—that you’re merely gravely injured and unconscious, with a thread of warmth still lingering in your chest, and that the Guan family possesses a box of Huawu incense capable of restoring flesh to bone—people still doubt it...”

Seeing the dawning realization on Huchen’s face, Guan Chenghuang swallowed the rest of his words.

“Your servant understands. Thank you, Lord Chenghuang, for restoring me to life. I was already gravely wounded—I’ll return home at once to recuperate.”

Huchen should return to Yingxiang Prefecture with only a thread of warmth in his body, so everyone on the streets can see how weak and pitiful he truly is.

The sutures on his body and face will serve as undeniable proof that he underwent treatment by ordinary human physicians.

Minimize all fantastical elements—gods, immortals, and the like—as much as possible.

Huchen is highly decisive.

He took the fire-rat robe offered by Guan Tianyang, wrapped it around himself, coiled the Snake Flame Whip around his waist as a belt, bowed respectfully to the Chenghuang and the She Ling, then painfully shuffled out the temple’s main gate.

As soon as he stepped outside, his vision blurred—he found himself beneath a bright midday sun, clear sky without a single cloud, the sunlight dazzling.

Beside him lay a field ridge; the wheat in the fields was lush green, thriving, exhaling a fresh, verdant scent.

A few bees flew out from the roadside weeds, buzzing around Huchen.

Huchen extended his right hand, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on his skin—a profound sense of joy and emotion, as if waking from a long nightmare.

Turning back, he saw a three-foot-tall brick-and-earth shrine by the roadside, smaller than a doghouse, without a deity’s tablet, but bearing traces of burned paper and incense.

Beside it lay a broken pottery bowl and two chipped white porcelain plates, both filthy, empty of offerings.

“Hee-hee!”

Huchen was still dazed when a tall, fiery-red figure charged toward him.

It was Chiyanju.

It was ecstatic, incessantly licking Huchen’s face with its tongue.

Huchen happily embraced its head and patted it gently.

After playing with his beloved steed, Huchen bowed three times to the tiny shrine, then mounted his warhorse and rode south along the country path, “clip-clop, clip-clop.”

Guan Chenghuang did not linger long in the shrine.

Upon returning to the Yingxiang Prefecture Chenghuang Temple, the tall general Guan Tianyang, clad in chainmail, entered to report: “Master, the two Wu Chang have returned to the Netherworld.”

“They sensed your young master’s successful return to life and immediately took their leave.”

Guan Chenghuang smiled faintly: “That’s only proper. As long as Huchen hadn’t returned, their duty remained incomplete. Returning early would have been dereliction.”

Now that Huchen has returned to life and his earthly lifespan remains unexhausted, they have every reason to return empty-handed.”

Having received his generous gifts yet left no trace for the Netherworld judges to seize upon, those two Wu Chang were indeed seasoned officials.

Thinking this, Guan Chenghuang’s face twisted in pain as he reached into his sleeve, trembling, and pulled out a “red stick”—as thick as a cup’s mouth, half a zhang long.

Guan Tianyang below the desk gasped in shock.

Before he could speak, Guan Chenghuang placed the first “red stick” on the ritual altar, then reached into his sleeve again for another.

He pulled out eight red sticks in total, then collapsed against his chair, waving weakly at Guan Tianyang: “Prepare four gift boxes—two ‘Wish-Power Incense Sticks’ per box, plus fresh fruit, mutton, wine, brocade, and silk. Deliver them to Judge Zhang, Judge Hu, and Generals Niu and Ma.”

Guan Tianyang exclaimed: “Is this necessary? One of these equals thirty years of incense offerings from a hundred thousand households!”

Guan Chenghuang closed his eyes and sighed: “We could skip it—after all, Huchen’s earthly lifespan remains intact, his body and soul undamaged.”

I merely removed the deathly qi from his corpse, relying mostly on his own pre-death medical arts.”

I did not invoke the Chenghuang’s authority, nor altered a single character in the Book of Life and Death.”

But sending gifts will make things far more secure.”

Security matters more than anything.”

When alive, Guan Chenghuang was an exceedingly cautious man.

Had the one who died not been Guan Huchen, but another member of the Guan family, he would never have lifted a finger.

Even if it had been Huchen’s own elder brother, Guan Wenlong, he would not have saved him.

Since becoming Yingxiang Prefecture’s Chenghuang, countless direct bloodlines of the Guan family have perished from illness, battle, or accident—only Huchen received this treatment.

For capable Guan family spirits, like Guan Tianyang, who reached the sixth level of the Tiger Soul Seven Killings, Guan Chenghuang would do his best to assign them positions within the Yingxiang Prefecture’s Netherworld bureaucracy.

For ordinary, powerless Guan family spirits... just go quietly to reincarnation. Grandfather wishes you a safe journey—may your next life be born into the finest family in the Central Lands!”

Huchen’s uniqueness lies in his Thousand-Mile Eyes.

Thousand-Mile Eyes are “divine eyes.” As long as his luck isn’t abysmal, he’ll eventually secure a formal position among the Netherworld’s spirit-officials. If fortune favors him, he may rise to high rank and even lift his ancestor, Old Ancestor Guan, in return.

Huchen’s luck has been excellent... at least until he was killed by the Radiant Marquis, his fortune was truly formidable.

Got lost hunting, stumbled upon an ancient-blooded divine beast; walked through a mountain at night, slew a spirit serpent (Snake Flame Whip); swam in a lake and found an ancient sword (gave to Xiao Yu: Dragon’s Kiss); won a fire-rat robe from a foreign merchant in a wager...

This campaign into the Wilds, where he casually acquired Sha Man Yu—a girl born with innate wisdom, innate divine power, and striking resemblance to Lady Li—was the pinnacle of his fortune.

Even his successful return from death was due to his fortune.

The Immortal Crossing claimed three thousand Western elite soldiers; Huchen didn’t even get his corpse wet—proof that even in his most broken state, his fortune still surpassed those three thousand elite.

He can only blame the “Mandate of Heaven” he happened to collide with.

No matter how good Huchen’s fortune, it could not alter the Mandate of Heaven: the Emperor’s death.

“Master, Generals Niu and Ma oversee the Black and White Wu Chang, and the Ox-Head and Horse-Face in the Western Netherworld. I’ve dealt with them many times and visited their residences.”

Judge Zhang is an old acquaintance.”

But who is Judge Hu? I’ve never heard of him,” Guan Tianyang asked, puzzled.

“Judge Zhang is merely a ‘minor judge,’ handling the dead of Shu. Judge Hu is no ordinary man—he’s the ‘Chief Judge’ overseeing the Western Sands Region, who sees the Yanwang daily and reports directly to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.”

So don’t be surprised—I’ve never had contact with Chief Judge Hu either.”

I’ve heard of him, but he’s never heard of me.”

Even if I lowered myself to seek connection, I’d find no avenue.”

I can’t even reach him!”

But this time, Huchen, while painting the Shadow Divine Map for Guan Yu, somehow became close friends with Chief Judge Hu’s personal aide... Huchen truly is a man of innate great fortune!”

Guan Chenghuang said this with a strained expression.

“If Judge Hu is the Chief Judge of the Western Region, shouldn’t the gift be more substantial?” Guan Tianyang asked.

Guan Chenghuang grimaced: “Had the Emperor not died, I’d have spent a fortune to secure ties with Chief Judge Hu.”

But Huchen’s ‘Little Lady Li’ plan has completely collapsed.”

Given the Guan family’s current standing, we have no right to court Chief Judge Hu.

I don’t expect you to even meet Chief Judge Hu himself.”

If you can, through Song Ruhai’s (Song Da) guidance, deliver the gift to Little Hu’s aide, that’s already a favor.”

I suspect you won’t even meet Little Hu’s aide.”

You’ll most likely be dismissed by some clerk in the Hu household.”

This gift is merely to express goodwill, to become familiar.”

No matter how lavish the gift, you won’t gain any real benefit from Chief Judge Hu.”

Word of it will anger Generals Niu and Ma and Judge Zhang.”

It’ll make the higher-ups think I’m delusional, trying to climb too high, looking down on them.”

After Guan Tianyang, accompanied by two ghost attendants, carried away the four gift boxes, Guan Chenghuang returned to his paperwork.

Recording the wicked deeds and virtuous acts within Yingxiang Prefecture...

But every time he thought of the twelve “Wish-Power Incense Sticks” he’d given away, his chest ached.

His outward calm could not suppress his inner agitation and reluctance.

“Bang!” He suddenly slammed down his brush, sat motionless for a moment, then called: “Yageli!”

“Master, what is your command?”

A green-faced, fanged demon appeared as if from empty air, suddenly standing below the altar.

“Go to the land gods and mountain spirits of Yingxiang Prefecture. Hint that next time I celebrate my birthday, their offerings must increase by one-tenth.”

Yageli’s eyes, like red lanterns, widened in hesitation: “Master, you celebrate your birthday every year. Increasing by one-tenth...”

Guan Chenghuang thought a moment: “A sudden ten percent increase is too harsh.”

Hmm... increase by only one percent, and only for five... no, only two cycles.”

After twenty-four years, return to normal.”

One-tenth meant a 10% increase; one percent meant just 1%, and not permanent.

Twenty-four years—bite your teeth and endure... ah, the land gods and mountain spirits of Yingxiang Prefecture must pray that the Guan family remains untroubled for the next twenty-four years, and that no more Huchen-like disasters requiring bribes in the Netherworld occur.

“Oh, by the way, Zhao Hansheng, the She Ling of Suifeng Village, aided Huchen. He deserves special treatment—he doesn’t need the one percent increase. Just add seven li.”

One percent is 1%; one li is 0.1%. Seven li is roughly a 30% discount compared to others.

“Master’s mercy is boundless. A one-percent increase is negligible; all the spirits of Yingxiang Prefecture will surely remember your grace, especially She Ling Zhao.”

Yageli bowed to Guan Chenghuang, then vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.

After extracting a heavy toll from his subordinates, Guan Chenghuang’s inner agitation eased considerably.

“Huuu~~~” He exhaled in relief and returned to his documents.

The next evening, in Luodou, the capital of Western Shu.

South City, Zhuque Avenue.

“Clip-clop, clip-clop!”

Several steeds galloped like a storm across the cobblestone road, forcing pedestrians and merchants to shout and scramble aside.

Some roadside vendors were overturned by the panicked crowd.

“Who’s this arrogant nobleman... or spoiled miss, daring to charge recklessly down the capital’s central avenue?” cried an outsider in shock.

He had intended to call them spoiled aristocrats, but four swift horses clearly meant two riders on either side, guarding two noble ladies dressed in palace attire—one tall, one small.

The woman in pale blue robes wore a married woman’s bun; the younger girl, about ten or so, dressed in fiery red hunting attire, exuded a bold, spirited charm.

Though both women wore wide-brimmed hats, their posture, attire, the sharp-eyed and sturdy guards flanking them, and even the free-stepping horses beneath them all proclaimed their exalted status.

“Hey, these are Madam Wen of the Guan family and Miss Tianfeng!”

A local vendor of shanting-er exclaimed, “The eldest son of the Guan family is the Censor-in-Chief; the second son—Madam Wen’s husband, Miss Tianfeng’s father—is our great Shu general—the famed ‘Western Shu Immortal-Eyed Tiger’!”

“Yet though the Guan family holds power and influence, and has the means to be arrogant, they’ve never before charged down Zhuque Street. Could something major have happened to the Guan family?”

“Hehe, it’s indeed a major matter—both a funeral and a wedding.” A plump old man beside him chuckled.

“Oh, it’s Master Zhang! Tell us, what’s happened to the Guan family?”

Passersby and stallkeepers all turned their gazes toward Master Zhang.

Master Zhang raised one finger. “First, the bad news: General Xiang Huchen may be dead.”

“Sssss~” A chorus of shocked faces, accompanied by sharp intakes of breath.

“And the good news: before his death, General Guan adopted an orphaned daughter named ‘Guan Yu.’ She was born with a sword bone, slew the Hunter-Flag Immortal Kong Zan, and crippled the Sword Immortal Zhou Lang. She’s only half a year younger than Miss Tianfeng!”

“Sssss~” The crowd was even more stunned; the intake of breath grew louder and more synchronized.

“Master Zhang, are you making this up?” Eventually, someone with “sense” voiced doubt.

Master Zhang sneered, “Anyone who knows old man Zhang would never speak such base words.”

Immediately, neighbors familiar with Master Zhang solemnly declared, “Master Zhang isn’t ordinary—both his sons serve as ‘Inspectors’ in the Royal Court.”

“Master Zhang, ignore him—go on! How could the Immortal-Eyed Tiger die?”

“And Guan Yu—she’s only eleven! How could she kill Kong Zan, the Hunter-Flag Immortal? He’s a Human Immortal!”

“Whoa~~~”

Madam Wen gently tugged the reins; her free-stepping horse immediately slowed, then came to a perfect stop before the gates of the Guan Mansion.

“Madam Er, Miss Tianfeng—why are you here? Madam Yi will return to the Anxiang Mansion in two days!”

A tall, thin steward rushed out from the side gate.

He hurried to Madam Wen’s free-stepping horse, crouched low, positioning his shoulder just below the height of the saddle.

“I’m not here to see my sister-in-law.”

Madam Wen ignored the human horse-stool.

She lightly pressed the saddle, her body floating down like a wild goose settling on sand, her embroidered slippers touching the ground without stirring even a wisp of dust.

“Is my brother home?”

The tall steward blinked, bewildered: You’re a younger sister-in-law—why come to your elder brother’s house without seeing his wife?

“Madam Er, is this about Second Master? He’s fine, truly.”

“Don’t waste my time. I’ve just come from the Anxiang Mansion—do you think I don’t know what happened to Second Master?”

Madam Wen’s tone turned sharp with anger. She ignored him and strode toward the side gate, saying as she walked, “Tianfeng, go pay respects to your aunt. I’ll go find your uncle.”

“Mother, you must persuade Uncle! Don’t let Guan Yu, that savage dog, escape!”

On Tianfeng’s delicate face, hatred and revulsion spread thickly.

“Be silent!” Madam Wen glared at her daughter, then swept her sword-like gaze over the tall steward and nearby servants. “Watch your mouths and ears!”

A cold sweat instantly broke out on the tall steward’s back.

Madam Er was serious—this was heavy killing intent!

Why?

What did “not letting Guan Yu escape” mean?

“Old servant heard nothing, Madam Er. Great Master is reading in his study. Let me show you the way.”