Chapter 181: Craft Objects Cause Trouble (Begging for Monthly Passes!)

Shi Bading and Sang Yizi have already transferred several old subordinates over these past few days.

It is not difficult for the Purification Bureau to recruit people.

In another few months, they could easily pull together two teams of men under their command.

Wan Yun is doing the same, but he is just showing great displeasure.

Xie Qingman is now in a very passive position within the office; he is also being ignored by the Inspectors, so he must demonstrate his attitude no matter what.

Even without this matter, he would proactively create some friction with Xu Yuan over other issues.

Overpowering Shi Bading and Sang Yizi holds little significance; only by overpowering Xu Yuan can Xie Qingman gain strong support.

The Inspectors came to offer congratulations; Xu Yuan did not accept their gifts, but he treated everyone to a meal at the "Five Flavors Tower" on Guanglan Street at noon.

When it comes to winning hearts, my lord Xu has always been generous.

The Five Flavors Tower's signature dishes arrived like a flowing stream; this single banquet cost my lord Xu a full twelve taels of silver.

The dishes tasted good, but Xu Yuan still felt they were not as good as what his stepmother made.

As for the wine, they did not dare to drink freely; when Xu Yuan was about half-drunk, he stopped them from serving more: "We have official duties this afternoon; we cannot delay important matters."

After eating in a lively and bustling manner, the Inspectors' hearts were set at ease; my lord Xu had not cast everyone aside.

But now the other three Patrol Inspectors lack sufficient manpower, so my lord Xu cannot simply take everyone under his wing directly.

Qin Ze and Mao Dabin are two big-mouths.

After returning from Qingyu Township, they went around bragging wildly to their colleagues, saying how they had gone through life and death with my lord Xu, and how my lord Xu had always led from the front.

With this talk, the other Inspectors understood clearly: this is truly a superior official so good one could search with a lantern made of human skin and never find another!

Thus, they were even less willing to follow the other Patrol Inspectors.

Coming out of the Five Flavors Tower, Xu Yuan prepared to walk back to the Nancheng Patrol Station; Lang Xiao Ba suddenly chuckled: "My lord, do you want to go see some excitement?"

"What excitement?"

"Follow me."

Lang Xiao Ba led the group forward along Guanglan Street.

The first place they reached was the headquarters of the Pingtian Society, which still had sealing strips pasted on it.

But the excitement Lang Xiao Ba spoke of was not this.

Continuing forward, they arrived at the "Fire Virtue Saving the World Hall."

The main gate was tightly closed.

Xu Yuan was puzzled: "Last time we came, business was very good."

"The Three Ladies Society somehow met with misfortune," Lang Xiao Ba said with schadenfreude: "Their Weight-of-Conscience Scale and Hundred-Diseases Cabinet refuse to work, hehehe!"

Lang Xiao Ba was holding a grudge.

The Three Ladies Society had made him lose face in front of the Patrol Inspector.

"Refuse to work?" Xu Yuan heard this with utter confusion.

Lang Xiao Ba shook his head: "Their society has many intricate tricks and methods; I cannot explain it clearly. Anyway, it seems that since we last came, these two Craft Objects have stopped treating patients and stopped selling medicine.

Although the Three Ladies Society has many Rank Dan Xiu refining medicine, they cannot diagnose illnesses.

In the past, everything relied on the Hundred-Diseases Cabinet to dispense medicine according to symptoms.

Now that these two Craft Objects refuse to work, they have tried every possible method but failed to repair them; they have been closed for more than ten days."

If it were truly a problem with the Craft Objects, Xu Yuan guessed his stepmother could repair them.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Yuan said: "Go tell the people of the Three Ladies Society that I have a way."

Lang Xiao Ba did not doubt Xu Yuan's words, but said unwillingly: "They didn't even give you face; why help them?"

Xu Yuan glared: "I told you to go, so go!"

Lang Xiao Ba understood: "Oh... fine, I'll go right now."

He stepped forward and knocked on the door: Bang bang bang!

Xu Yuan helplessly shook his head: This oaf! You should have contacted them privately!

Knocking directly on the door and walking in to say, "Hey, are your Craft Objects broken? Our boss can fix them"—what is the difference from challenging the hall?

"We are not open for business today," a lazy voice came from inside; only one shop assistant was left to guard the entire main hall.

The shop assistant was dozing off while leaning on the table.

In fact, these past few days, everyone in the Three Ladies Society had nothing to do and was not lacking in sleep.

But when bored, one simply feels sleepy.

He said a sentence, lifted his head, and saw Lang Xiao Ba outside the door.

He quickly stood up and opened the door: "My lord Lang, it is you! Please come in quickly..."

It was exactly the same assistant who had received them last time.

Lang Xiao Ba stepped aside and invited my lord Xu to enter first.

Standing outside the door, Xu Yuan saw the Hundred-Diseases Cabinet and the Weight-of-Conscience Scale in the main hall.

These two Craft Objects were not merely "refusing to work"; they were plotting a rebellion!

Half of the Weight-of-Conscience Scale's beam was stabbed into the ground, and the weighing pan, like a hidden weapon, was slanted and stuck into the wall on the left.

The Hundred-Diseases Cabinet lay flat on its back; all its small drawers were open, and various medicinal pills were scattered all over the floor.

It looked somewhat like... a naughty child throwing a tantrum on the ground: "If you don't buy me that dough figure, I won't get up!"

The shop assistant smiled awkwardly: "Please, my lords, be understanding; watch your steps and do not step on the medicinal pills."

They dared not put these pills away because the Hundred-Diseases Cabinet forbade it.

The situation at the Three Ladies Society's city branch was actually even more miserable than Lang Xiao Ba had described.

A few days after Xu Yuan left last time, these two Craft Objects became even more unruly.

Everyone in the hall, from top to bottom, was either beaten on the head by the weighing rod until they had bumps everywhere, or shoved directly into a small drawer of the Hundred Diseases Cabinet, where it was pitch black and utterly silent; it wouldn't take long before they broke down.

Even the Great Wei Wei Huoshi himself had a red mark whipped onto his face by the weighing rod, swelling to two fingers thick.

Anyone passing by on the street could see this scene in the main hall through the crack in the door.

The Fire Virtue Salvation Hall had almost completely lost its reputation.

Even if these two Artifacts were moved away now, it would be too late; everyone had already seen it.

The Great Wei Wei Huoshi had thought of every possible solution and was now plunged into despair.

The entire Three Ladies Association had accepted reality: ever since their Ancestor disappeared, the Three Fire Old Mother Association had barely managed to sustain itself for so many years relying on these three sets of Artifacts.

No one could maintain these three sets of Artifacts, and finally, "damage" had appeared.

This set was likely just the beginning; the other two sets presumably wouldn't last much longer either.

The Three Fire Old Mother Association... its fate is nearing its end.

Xu Yuan stepped over the threshold of the main hall, and suddenly the Heart-Weighing Scale shot up from the ground with a swoosh.

The weighing pan embedded in the wall clanged, detached, and flew back.

The small bamboo basket serving as the counterweight also rose from the ground and returned to the weighing rod.

The Hundred Diseases Cabinet was slightly slower.

It automatically stood upright and took its place leaning against the wall.

Immediately, whirlwinds rose from the ground, sweeping up the medicinal pills on the floor and sorting them by category before dropping them back into their respective small drawers.

Clang, clang, clang...

The small drawers closed and locked.

The two Artifacts stood solemnly, indicating that they had always been conscientious and diligent.

They had always been following the instructions given by San Huo Niangniang before she left.

From the moment the Heart-Weighing Scale began to change, the shop assistant's mouth had gaped open in shock.

His chin slowly dropped lower and lower.

When both Artifacts returned to normal, the shop assistant suddenly shivered, snapping back to his senses; disregarding everything else, he rushed toward the back courtyard like a madman.

While running, he waved his two arms wildly above his head, shouting loudly: "The Artifacts are fixed! The Artifacts are fixed!

Great Wei Wei Huoshi!

The Artifacts are fixed; we are saved!"

Everyone from the Purification Bureau, except Xu Yuan, wore expressions of utter confusion.

What happened?

Did we arrive at such a perfect time?

Xu Yuan felt a stir in his heart; after his last visit, these two Artifacts had started causing trouble.

This time, since he had arrived, they had obediently gone to work.

Xu Yuan looked at the two Artifacts in confusion and asked in his mind: "You... recognized me?"

The two Artifacts could not answer.

Soon, a chaotic and hurried sound of footsteps came from the inner hall.

A group of people from the Three Ladies Association rushed out, led by the Great Wei Wei Huoshi and the female Wei Wei Huoshi, Wei Yunhua.

(End of this chapter)