Chapter 123: Strange Matters in the City

The County Vice-Magistrate knew the identity of the criminals from the River Works Alley and did not care too much; someone had become prosperous there, and before long this identity would be pardoned!

The matter of River Works Alley had passed a hundred years ago; even in the county there were still rumors that there was something "unusual" inside the alley, but the vast majority of people only treated it as a story to listen to.

Chen Liangxuan initially did not take it to heart either.

The County Vice-Magistrate was the same.

Even a person of Ma Tianshou's level did not understand the full details; the County Vice-Magistrate was even less likely to know.

Xu Yuan promised to speak well for him but refused to grace the meal with his presence; the County Vice-Magistrate did not dare to have any objections.

He already knew Xu Yuan was a Deputy Patrol Inspector, a position higher than his own, and was also a favorite in front of Lord Ma; being willing to help was already due to the face of being fellow townspeople.

The County Vice-Magistrate felt he must make some "gesture."

When Xu Yuan left the alley, he had already arrived but did not dare to come out, fearing to annoy Xu Yuan.

After Xu Yuan left, he would do the work on Xu Yuan's family members; in the future, Xu Yuan would surely know.

Xu Yuan and Yu Yunhang rode horses; at first the speed was not fast because Xu Yuan was learning to ride while walking.

The two traveled only sixty-plus li the entire day... finally, before nightfall, they entered the county town of Shanzhao County in the north.

Yu Yunhang was considerate, choosing a horse with a gentle temperament for Xu Yuan, but on the first day Xu Yuan was still thrown off three times.

He fell until his tailbone felt like it would break.

In the mid-afternoon, Xu Yuan's inner thighs were both rubbed raw.

Yu Yunhang led the horse, asked passersby for the location of the relay station in the city, and then went to find it.

Xu Yuan grimaced in pain; he left all these trivial matters entirely to Yu Yunhang.

When they arrived at the place, Yu Yunhang did not go in directly; he stood outside the main gate, looked around, and then said to Xu Yuan: "My lord, wait a moment."

He walked around the relay station outside the wall, returned, and said: "It is safe to stay."

Only then did he step forward, knock the door open, show his badge, and ask the Relay Station Keeper for two superior rooms.

Yu Yunhang supported Xu Yuan as he lay down in the room; Xu Yuan hissed while inhaling cold air, secretly using medicine pills to treat himself, and asked: "Is there a problem with this relay station?"

"This one has no problem." Yu Yunhang smiled and explained to Xu Yuan: "My lord, there are evil spirits in the mountains, and there are strange matters in the cities.

It is just that in small cities like Shanhe County and Shanzhao County, there are not many hidden anomalies within the city—however, the relay station in your Shanhe County does indeed have some problems; otherwise, why would the Commander stay at an inn instead of the relay station?"

Xu Yuan: "Does the Commander fear those anomalies hiding in the relay station?"

"It is not fear." The situation was relatively complex; Yu Yunhang pondered how to explain it clearly: "If the relay station in Shanhe County were to be stayed in, no problem would arise, but you know the old gentleman's temper; some things, once seen, he wants to manage, and if he cannot manage them, he becomes unhappy.

"So he simply does not stay there; out of sight, out of mind."

Xu Yuan became interested: "How so?"

"How many relay stations and urgent delivery posts are there in the world? The court spends over forty million taels of silver here every year!

Actually, the expenses for maintaining the personnel and livestock of these relay stations and urgent delivery posts are not very high, but every year, due to evil spirits, grain is destroyed, livestock die, and houses collapse—does this not require reconstruction? The silver is spent just like that.

"So it is not that just any random anomaly can take up residence in a relay station, nor is it that killing one anomaly solves the relay station's problems."

Xu Yuan understood; indeed, it was very characteristic of my Great Ming.

His heart was bitter and speechless, yet he could only shake his head and sigh.

"Then the strange matters in the city you just mentioned, are they all for this reason?"

"Of course not. The county town is still too small; wait until my lord reaches the prefectural city and you will understand; when the city is large, it hides filth and evil.

Some places are even beyond the care of our Purification Bureau.

Posting door gods can prevent ordinary evil spirits from passing through halls and rooms, but there are many abandoned places in the city, which naturally hide filth and evil.

The city walls have not been repaired for years, with many cracks, damages, and even collapses. They cannot prevent so many evil spirits.

However, the anomalies within the city are mostly clever; they know to follow the rules, and for most of the time, they can coexist peacefully.

Additionally... do you know the so-called 'city foxes and shrine rats'? Why are they 'city' and 'shrine'? There are also reasons behind that."

"Are there any that do not follow the rules?"

Yu Yunhang smiled bitterly: "Of course there are, but if they do not follow the rules, there will only be two results: either the city kills this monster, or this monster destroys the entire city."

Xu Yuan nodded; a cold smile inevitably rose in his heart, and he was even somewhat eager to reach the prefectural city as soon as possible to witness those so-called "strange matters" in the city!

The Great Ming established five prefectures in Southern Jiaozhi Province, three in the south and two in the north; naturally, the strength of the Southern Office of the Purification Bureau is stronger than that of the Northern Office.

The provincial capital is in Luocheng Prefecture, and the Southern Office is stationed within it.

Shanhe County belongs to Zhanche Prefecture, located southwest of Luocheng Prefecture. The journey from the county town to Luocheng Prefecture is about six hundred li, passing directly through Zhanche in between.

The next day, when he woke up, the skin and flesh between his thighs had already healed.

Xu Yuan checked the almanac; today's prohibitions were:

Excessive speech, heavy makeup, building stoves, and night travel.

"Prohibition on excessive speech..." Xu Yuan touched the back of his head, feeling quite regretful.

If it were the Haikou Toad Great Battle today, it would surely be much easier.

The Haikou Toad's "Four Mouths Melt Gold" eerie technique could not be unleashed at all.

Prohibition on excessive speech means you should not speak repeatedly or nag. The Haikou Toad has four mouths; saying one sentence equals repeating it four times.

So the prohibitions do not affect the evil spirits entirely favorably.

For example, when "funerals," "sacrifices," or "digging up corpses" are prohibited, the Corpse Old Woman of Mao'er Graveyard becomes Fu Daxiong, and the power of various eerie methods increases explosively.

But when "excessive speech" is prohibited, it suppresses the Haikou Toad's strongest eerie technique.

And for the old fox, today his eerie techniques would likely increase greatly!

However, for an old eerie entity like the Haikou Toad, there must be a way to deal with such days.

Similarly, the effect of prohibitions on cultivators is not entirely unfavorable.

For example, on days when "cold food" is prohibited, the power of Fu Zhong Huo in the abdomen increases explosively instead.

Xu Yuan and Yu Yunhang ate the simple food prepared by the relay station and set off again.

Today, Xu Yuan had become proficient; his speed increased, and he covered one hundred and fifty li in a single day, entering Fucheng's Zhancheng.

The Purification Office had an official bureau in Fucheng, with the highest rank held by a Master of Law.

Yesterday, the two had stayed at the relay station in the county; upon arriving in Fucheng, Yu Yunhang led Xu Yuan straight to the Purification Office's Zhancheng Bureau.

"Staying in our own place is far more comfortable than the relay station, and there's none of that dirty business."

If Yu Yunhang had come alone, he would have been cautious and proper—but now, with a favorite of the Commandant standing behind him, the newly promoted Deputy Inspector, he straightened his back and strode boldly to the gates of the Zhancheng Bureau—

But twenty zhang from the bureau gate, a drawn saber slashed sideways, blocking his path.

"Who are you?" came the sharp demand.

Yu Yunhang stared at the man's uniform, then at his own—both were identical.

The man still refused to let them pass: "In recent days, impostors have been posing as Purification Office Captains. Identity must be verified!"

Yu Yunhang sensed something was wrong and whispered, "Brother, has something happened at the bureau?"

(End of Chapter)