Chapter 61: Coincidence

Changping County, County Magistrate's Office.

"What, the entire force wiped out!"

The County Magistrate's feet slipped, and he slumped into his chair, asking in a daze: "Doesn't that mean County Lieutenant Wang, Brother Wang... he... he... and True Person Ge also..."

The Liang Kingdom also has a civil service examination system to select officials to shepherd the people for the imperial family.

But above them is Longhu Mountain, and below them are various cultivators; although they hold power, it is not much, serving mostly as a duty to oversee the locality.

Although this Changping County Magistrate is an outsider, he has a good relationship with the local County Assistant and County Lieutenant; he is greedy but not corrupt, does not stir up trouble, and lives his own little life, relying heavily on Wang Qingyuan to protect the borders and pacify the people. In these years, no major incidents have occurred within Changping County, and his life has been quite comfortable.

Now that all the experts in the County Magistrate's Office have been lost, not to mention County Lieutenant Wang, and even the inspector sent by Longhu Mountain is gone, to him, this is nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

Although he won't necessarily lose his head, his official career will certainly be less comfortable than before.

"What do you mean by the entire force wiped out? Am I not standing here alive?"

Chen Ci's face was slightly pale, looking as if his vitality had been damaged, and he said weakly: "True Person Ge is truly worthy of being a high disciple of Longhu Mountain, putting righteousness first, without a single word of falsehood. The fiend in Qingquan Village was truly formidable, killing us until we were routed. In the end, True Person Ge perished together with that fiend, and I only managed to snatch back some of his belongings. Sigh, fate plays tricks on people... By the way, when encountering such a matter, what is the procedure in the imperial court? Do you know?"

The County Magistrate moved his mouth, wanting to ask something more, but seeing Chen Ci's curious gaze, he immediately swallowed his words.

For one, that man surnamed Ge really didn't look like a high-level cultivator willing to perish together with someone; not only did he rake in tens of thousands of taels of silver the moment he arrived in Changping County, but even he, a poor County Magistrate, had been fleeced of two thousand taels. He truly deserved to die.

Secondly, sigh, whatever this True Person Chen says, so be it. He is just a mortal County Magistrate; he understands nothing, and he knows nothing.

"For such matters, the situation and results are compiled into a volume and reported to the Prefecture, and then reported by the Prefecture to the True Persons of Jiuchuan Mountain."

"If the True Persons of Jiuchuan Mountain accept the case file, they will delegate someone from Xishan Prefecture to review and close the case. After all, the fiend has been eliminated, and although True Person Ge met with an accident, one cannot insist on finding someone to be responsible for this matter; that would be a baseless accusation."

"If the True Persons of Jiuchuan Mountain do not accept it, they will send high-merit Daoists to inspect. As for the specifics, that is not something this humble official is clear about."

After a pause, the Changping County Magistrate looked at Chen Ci again before continuing to ask in a low voice: "That, True Person Chen, how do you think it would be most appropriate to write this case file?"

"Hmm?"

Chen Ci's eyes widened, and he scolded: "Are you the County Magistrate or am I the County Magistrate? Of course, write it truthfully, highlighting True Person Ge's greatness and the sacrifice of the County Magistrate's Office. As for me... it is not important. Grasp the scale; just mention it briefly. Understand?"

"Understand, understand!"

After all, he is a man who has studied; the County Magistrate naturally understands the subtle art of writing case files and the weight of the scale. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked quietly: "True Person Chen, this humble official dares to ask, is there nothing... left behind?"

Chen Ci cast a cold glance, and the County Magistrate broke into a cold sweat, smiling bitterly: "True Person Chen, although the high cultivators of Longhu Mountain are like the heavens, they are outsiders after all. Changping County is too small; it cannot withstand another two visits."

"Just write it truthfully, and be quick. I will personally deliver it to Xishan Prefecture later."

Chen Ci stared at this man for a few moments before slowly instructing: "Handle all the compensation properly. With your means, you should be able to manage it, right? I don't want to hear any bad words spreading; otherwise... heh. Also, call the people in charge of the Wang Family and the Huang Family here. I will wait for them here."

After handing a few belongings and weapons to the people of the Wang Family, Chen Ci watched the face of the person in charge of the Wang Family turn deathly pale, waved his hand, and let him leave.

He and Wang Qingyuan had met twice. This County Lieutenant Wang had originally wanted to fight for a future for his family's descendants; he had just received a promise, but was turned around and wiped out along with that man surnamed Ge. Where is there any reason to be found in this?

What Chen Ci fears most is encountering such unprovoked disasters.

There is not a shred of security.

The meaning of cultivation, besides Longevity, also includes the aspect of having great power to protect oneself.

Before long, the Head of the Huang Family also entered.

"This old one greets True Person Chen."

The Head of the Huang Family's face was also somewhat uneasy. In just this short time, those in the county who had come to the banquet had more or less heard some rumors.

The dissatisfaction of those who had originally paid the money had all vanished into thin air.

This money was worth paying!

Chen Ci tossed him a bag and said weakly: "This is what your Deacon Lin wanted. Weigh it and settle the payment for the goods. I will have great use for it when I go to Xishan Prefecture later."

Huang Defa took the bag, carefully inspected it, quickly tied it up, and respectfully replied: "True Person Chen, please wait a moment. This old one came in a hurry; I will send the silver over shortly."

"Go down, cough cough."

Chen Ci covered his mouth and coughed twice, then let him leave as well.

It seems the focus of this matter lies with the Prefecture Office. Once the case file is written, I will go to Xishan Prefecture to grease the wheels a bit. There is still a chance to land safely.

"What kind of business is this? I, a perfect victim, actually have to clean up after that man surnamed Ge. This world is too unfriendly to low-level cultivators like me."

"Sigh."

In less than half a day, the case file for the County Magistrate's Office was written. At least in Chen Ci's view, the man surnamed Ge died in the line of duty, and there were no suspicious points.

As for the fact that only he returned, it was naturally glossed over with the brush of history.

Chen Ci read it twice and felt it was not bad; it had thirty percent of the writing power of his past life. He tucked it into his robes and, without even returning to Sanyin Temple, mounted his horse and headed straight for the Prefecture City, leaving the County Magistrate and the others in the County Magistrate's Office to sigh with emotion.

"Do you think the festival gift money sent to True Person Chen in previous years was a bit low?"

The Changping County Magistrate stroked his long beard and suddenly asked.

Two thousand taels of festival gift money a year is actually not a small amount, but now it seems... it seems it should be increased a bit.

"That is a reasonable point."

"Yes, it was a bit low."

In a few words, it was happily decided that the incense money sent to Sanyin Temple for festivals would be raised to five thousand taels of silver; at worst, they would just find a few more families to split the cost.

Although it is not much, everyone's sincerity must be seen by True Person Chen.

It is still the same saying: those who give might not get benefits, but those who don't give will definitely have no good fruit to eat. This world is just like that.

The next day, late at night.

Huang Mansion.

Huang Defa leisurely entered his bedroom, and just after changing his clothes and lying down, he suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the ornaments on the desk in his room, frowning slightly.

The position seems a bit off.

No one ever enters his bedroom. Huang Qingyuan subconsciously scanned the room, and his heart jumped violently.

A figure leisurely walked out from the shadows, gently clapping his hands, and lit the candle on the table.

The candlelight was dim.

"Chen... True Person Chen, why are you here at this old one's place? Didn't you go to the Prefecture City? Is there something you need to instruct?"

Huang Defa hurriedly scrambled to his feet and performed a salute.

"Hmm, at this moment I should be on the road to the prefecture city, which is why I have appeared at your Huang Family."

Chen Ci nodded, spoke a sentence that seemed somewhat contradictory, and smiled faintly: "I say this is a coincidence, Daoist Huang, do you believe me?"

"True Person Chen is joking."

Huang Defa gave a sheepish smile, but his face was full of suspicion, clearly not understanding what the intention of Chen Ci's trip was.

"Right, even you don't believe this is a coincidence."

Chen Ci chuckled: "Then tell me, why should I believe that all these recent events are coincidences?"

The expression on Chen Ci's face gradually faded, and he asked coldly: "This matter all started from your Huang Family, and after going around in circles, your Huang Family seems as if it were transparent, yet gained the most benefit; could this also be a coincidence, hmm?"

(End of this chapter)