Chapter 95: Stick God Swindler

"It's true, it's true — that stick has a true god attached to it."

"No wonder even that fool from the Pang family could become a Squad Leader. Turns out a deity enlightened him."

"That stick must be worth money now. Last time the Zhou family didn't even sell it."

The neighbors all around were whispering to each other. Pang Yu hadn't caught on yet. He tugged Zhou Yueru's sleeve and asked, "Sell what stick?"

"The one that beat you. They say that stick can perform exorcisms — that you were cured by that stick, and now you can even read and do sums. The talk is all over town."

"Damn, such a great idea — how did I not think of it? What a perfect concept. How much silver are they offering? Did you sell it?"

Zhou Yueru lowered her voice. "At first someone offered five mace of silver. Now it's gone up to three taels."

Bi Chen Path Zhang, standing in the middle of the scene, gave a dry cough. "This object is not suited for selling to the highest bidder, for it is a divine item rarely seen in this world and cannot be measured or traded by mere wealth. This humble Daoist has some profound subtleties to impart to Zhou Guniang in private."

After speaking, the Daoist shot a glance at Pang Yu. Today, because Pang Yu was heading to a gambling den, wearing a constable's uniform was inconvenient; the few Runners he'd brought along, like Xu Lengzi, were also in plain clothes. Bi Chen Path Zhang had no idea there were yamen runners present.

Zhou Yueru hesitated a moment. Pang Yu shot her a look, signaling her to bring the Daoist inside the shop.

Once Zhou Yueru had opened the door and gone in, Pang Yu followed into the shop as well, casually pulling the main door shut behind him.

Facing Bi Chen Path Zhang, Pang Yu asked, "Just now, Master, you said this stick is not suited for selling to the highest bidder. Does the Master have a better method?"

Bi Chen Path Zhang turned to Zhou Yueru, pointed at Pang Yu, and asked, "What relation is this gentleman to Zhou Guniang?"

"This… is my cousin."

Bi Chen carefully sized Pang Yu up for a few moments. Pang Yu kept a smiling face the whole time. Finally, Bi Chen Path Zhang spoke with an air of utter detachment. "To the highest bidder — in the end, only one household can win the bid. No matter how much they pay, the Stick God can only safeguard the peace of a single family. In this humble Daoist's view, the proper course is to establish a spirit tablet for the Stick God, find a place of fine spiritual energy to enshrine it, and let the Stick God's grace extend to all living beings. That would also be a blessing we ourselves accumulate."

Pang Yu's eyes lit up. "It can generate a long-term revenue stream — naturally better than a one-shot deal. I would like to hear the details."

Master Bi Chen surveyed the shop for a moment, then said, "If it were just some ordinary minor deity, this paper shop could keep half its frontage to enshrine the Stick God's spirit tablet, and use the other half to sell incense and candles. But as it happens, this Stick God is no ordinary minor deity. This humble Daoist has heard that with just one strike of the stick, a constable who had been dull-witted for many years was awakened. That is great merit and great divine power."

Pang Yu frowned. "At present, this Stick God has only ever performed a spirit awakening on one constable. Others might think it was just a coincidence."

"That's simple." The otherworldly Master Bi Chen's eyes suddenly gleamed. "There are a few families from out of town. On the day the spirit tablet is established, they just happen to come here to fulfill a vow. They must have loud voices and be people who can stand out in a crowd."

Zhou Yueru said, puzzled, "But how can we make those people come on exactly that day?"

"You tell them to come that day, and naturally they will come that day."

"How can this humble woman make them come that day? This humble woman doesn't even know any out-of-town families."

Pang Yu found this inwardly hilarious but kept his face straight. He secretly observed Bi Chen Path Zhang. Even that Daoist of transcendent bearing was starting to lose his composure. Bi Chen's expression turned somewhat displeased. "If you want to invite them, naturally you must know them."

"But no one has ever come to worship the Stick God. This humble woman truly does not know them."

Bi Chen finally could not endure Zhou Yueru any longer. Casting aside his transcendent, otherworldly image, he shouted at Zhou Yueru in exasperation: "Spend silver to find people from out of town! Tell them what to say, and they'll say it — then naturally they are people you know. And they absolutely must come as whole families — that makes it even more believable."

Zhou Yueru covered her mouth. "Isn't that just deceiving people?"

Bi Chen hurriedly reined in his agitated expression and, with a solemn face, rebuked Zhou Yueru. "The Stick God is an Earthly Wandering Immortal. The divine power was already there from the start; it is merely that we have not yet found the good deeds he has done. Finding people to bear witness to his merit is also for the sake of saving people. How can that be counted as deception?"

"So that's how it is." Zhou Yueru licked her lips. "Master, how much incense offerings do you say we can sell?"

Pang Yu waved vigorously at Zhou Yueru, shooing her back a step, then came before Bi Chen himself and asked with great interest, "Master Bi Chen's idea is to find paid shills to hype up the Stick God. What I'm very curious about is: what divine powers does the Master plan to add to the Stick God? If the divine powers are too few, the incense offerings won't be prosperous."

Master Bi Chen immediately grew somewhat excited again. "According to what this humble Daoist has inquired, at present this stick has only helped one yamen runner successfully perform an exorcism. The Zhou family even incurred a debt because of it. People afflicted by such possession are, after all, too few. If we only speak of the Stick God's exorcism, the people coming to worship the god will certainly not be many. Therefore, our vision must be broad. Do not look only at that one strike on the runner — look at what happened after the exorcism. The runner's mind was awakened. From the perspective of a family, from then on great fortune arrived. What is this called? The Fortune-Turning Divine Power! The runner henceforth became reasonable, sensible, able to learn and do sums, and gained the favor of his superiors. From the parents' perspective, that is called children achieving success. The Stick God then has the divine power of children's success, right? Who is most willing to spend money? Parents! For their children, they'll part with any amount of silver. Stack exorcism, fortune-turning, and success together — if you seek all three, you must buy the large incense offering. Seek two, buy the medium incense offering. For families of means, add a merit offering. Every ten days or half a month, find some out-of-town families to come fulfill vows. This humble Daoist guarantees that within three months, the Zhou family will not only pay off its debts but also earn a big profit of a hundred taels of silver…"

When he got to the part about silver, Bi Chen's spittle flew and his eyes blazed. Not a trace of his transcendent, otherworldly image remained.

Pang Yu nodded approvingly. "The Master not only investigates demand but can also create demand. Truly, I am full of admiration. Then, the Master has thought so thoroughly for the Zhou family's safety and benefit — what benefit does the Master himself get from this?"

As soon as Bi Chen heard the word "benefit," he immediately adjusted his appearance. After recovering some of his transcendent air, he said, "Only by entering the world can one transcend it. Although we are men who have attained the Path, we cannot turn a blind eye to the sufferings of the mortal world. Since there is a karmic opportunity to seek blessings for the world, naturally we cannot be bothered with so many considerations — it is not at all for the sake of any benefit for ourselves…"

"Then many thanks to the Master. We will certainly follow the Master's guidance. Master, please take your leave. I wish the Master a carefree journey through the mortal world and an early ascension to immortality." As he spoke, Pang Yu took Bi Chen by the arm and began ushering him out.

Bi Chen raised a hand to evade Pang Yu, gave a dry cough, and then said, "Though that is what is said, as the common saying goes, one should repay kindness received. This humble Daoist has pointed you toward such a broad and prosperous road — you can hardly accept it for nothing. Although this humble Daoist has given you guidance, matters of this kind are subtle and exquisite. The subtleties cannot be explained to you in detail. Without a capable and practiced person, great merit cannot be achieved. Moreover, this humble Daoist has an even better method — that is, to invite the Stick God into a Daoist temple. The incense offerings would be even more prosperous. The temple can be arranged by this humble Daoist. In short, this matter still cannot do without this humble Daoist's management."

Pang Yu tilted his head and looked at Bi Chen Path Zhang. "Master, please say plainly: what percentage do you want?"

This time Bi Chen did not hesitate. "Seventy percent!"

Pang Yu stared at Bi Chen with a smile, nodded with great appreciation, and then shouted loudly, "Men! Seize this Stick God swindler!"

…

"On what grounds do you petty runners detain a man who has renounced the world? This humble Daoist tells you — whether it is the True Martial Emperor, the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord, the Great White Golden Star, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, or the City God and Earth God — this humble Daoist can commune with them all! Release this Daoist at once, lest the gods' wrath be kindled and cost you your worthless lives!"

Inside the Fast Squad duty room in the yamen corridor, the tightly bound Bi Chen Path Zhang glared furiously at several constables, incessantly invoking every heavenly soldier and general he could name.

Pang Yu watched him for a moment, then said to Xu Lengzi with a smile, "Take him away. Send him to the South Prison."

Upon hearing this, Bi Chen Path Zhang dropped his body to the ground and sat there, crying out urgently, "Do you truly not care for your lives? Don't drag this Daoist — don't — Officer, sir, everything can be discussed! I won't take seventy percent — will sixty percent do?"

Xu Lengzi paid no attention to what percentage he was talking about. Seeing that Pang Yu had said nothing, he dragged Bi Chen Path Zhang out of the corridor and hauled him step by step toward the South Prison. Pang Yu followed behind with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Fifty percent." Bi Chen Path Zhang stretched out his right hand, spreading all five fingers wide. Because there were other people around, the Daoist lowered his voice and kept negotiating with Pang Yu.

Pang Yu kept his head down and followed behind, utterly unmoved. He merely laughed and said, "Master, up ahead is the South Prison."

Bi Chen Path Zhang turned his head to look back, and sure enough, he saw the main gate of the South Prison.

"Forty percent — I can't go any lower. Does the lord still find that too little? Then thirty percent, will that do? Lord, stop dragging me — Lord, spare my life! This lowly one truly did not know the Zhou family were relatives of the lord! At worst, all the earnings can go to the lord!"

Pang Yu waved a hand at Xu Lengzi upon hearing this. Only then did Xu Lengzi release his grip. Bi Chen Path Zhang sat on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face, not a shred of his transcendent, otherworldly image remaining.

"This lowly one will help the lord earn silver — only beg the lord not to send this lowly one to prison."

Pang Yu crouched down with keen interest, looking at Bi Chen Path Zhang. "What is your name? Where are you from?"

Bi Chen Path Zhang wiped away his tears. "This lowly one has the old above and the young below — the whole family depends on this lowly one to earn food to bring back. Lord, if you lock this lowly one up, you'll be taking the lives of over ten people in one family. May I ask, Lord, how can your heart bear it?"

Pang Yu said easily, "Still spinning tales! How long have you been a swindler?"

"How can the word 'swindle' be used? Although this humble Daoist is a man who has attained the Path, he cannot turn a blind eye to the sufferings of the mortal world…" The words came out automatically before Bi Chen caught Pang Yu's expression and hastily changed his tone. "This lowly one has wandered various places for some years — he himself no longer remembers how many. Over all these years, the blessings sought for the common people of Luzhou, Shouzhou, and Anqing are too many to count in a moment…"

Pang Yu stood up and said to Xu Lengzi, "Send him to the Outer Prison and hold him in solitary confinement. When he stops telling lies, bring him out to see me. If he keeps telling lies, beat him hard with bamboo strips."

Before the words had faded, Bi Chen was already kneeling respectfully on the ground. "This lowly one is Wang Ren, from Mo You Fang in Anqing Prefecture…"