[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-382":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Nothing Is Taboo",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310767,4514,"Chapter 382: Deceptive Gold Mining (Combined)","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-382",382,"\u003Cp>After reporting the news to Master Xu in the morning, Zhu Zhanlei also went obediently to the canal dock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pretended to be a proper Shanhe Bureau police inspector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Canal Office repeatedly interrogated Gao Wanli and the local Hejian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many skilled investigators on that side too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon they uncovered several “details” that didn’t add up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of people the Princess Consort brought with her this time was accounted for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t match the number she later brought into Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where had the missing people gone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only one still alive was Hong Huai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Canal Office immediately sent men to bring Hong Huai in for questioning, only to find he had already killed himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then it became clear: Xu Zhanglu of the Purification Office’s Zhan City Branch had suffered two assassination attempts in succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jiaozhi Hejian immediately suspected Xu Yuan of having strong “motives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avenge the Princess Consort by killing them all in Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But… Xu Yuan had been inside the Purification Office all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hejian’s skilled investigators analyzed the situation and deduced that the Princess Consort’s two attempts weren’t truly meant to kill Xu Yuan, but to test whether he was secretly cultivating the Dragon Transformation Scripture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because combined with Gao Wanli’s testimony, everyone now knew the Princess Consort’s purpose in coming to Zhan City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In both tests, Xu Yuan never revealed the Dragon Transformation Scripture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why the Princess Consort went into Ghost Witch Mountain to track down the villain who had secretly cultivated it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Canal Office found itself in an awkward position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they didn’t immediately summon Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai heard this and winced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This whole affair was truly absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei reported: “I’m heading back. Ouch, ow, it really hurts…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He limped away. Xu Yuan and Xiang Qinghuai discussed it and decided to take no action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’ve done nothing wrong—we have nothing to fear from ghosts knocking at our door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhu Zhanlei passed through the courtyard, he walked along the far wall, keeping well away from the furious goose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had arrived by carriage through the back gate and could only lie prone once aboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he returned to the Shanhe Bureau, he called his personal soldiers to inspect him; they gasped: “Young Master, what happened to you? Your buttocks are swollen and purple!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?!” Zhu Zhanlei jumped in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier said: “Don’t move. You might be poisoned—I’ll go find a Pill Master to detoxify you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Yu and Zhu Zhanmei hadn’t returned from the canal dock yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei wanted to cry: Why did I open my stupid mouth!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan, Xu Yuan, what kind of creature are you raising? That’s no ordinary goose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier quickly fetched a Seventh-Rank Pill Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei had a unit of men he brought from home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Seventh-Rank Pill Master was one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pill Master examined him and said: “Young Master, you’re definitely poisoned. But I can’t tell what poison it is—I’ll try my detox pill first. Bear with it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei gritted his teeth: “Get on with it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pill Master spat out his detox pill and rolled it over Zhu Zhanlei’s buttocks several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei screamed like a pig being slaughtered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, several Captains passed by the courtyard gate and, curious, peeked inside through the window:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They saw Zhu Zhanlei’s soldier and the Pill Master doing something to his buttocks…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Captains’ eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, are noble families really this chaotic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged glances and quickly ducked their heads, slinking away along the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon rumors about Zhu Zhanlei spread through the Shanhe Bureau…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pill Master rolled his detox pill over Zhu Zhanlei’s buttocks several more times, but it had no effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He finally tucked the pill away and sighed: “Young Master, I can’t cure this poison. How did you get poisoned?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei couldn’t bring himself to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He told his soldier: “Go to the Purification Office and tell Xu Yuan what happened. Tell him to come right away and fix this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tell him if he dares not come, I’ll tell my third sister he spent last night at Baiyue Pavilion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldier blinked: “Did Master Xu spend last night with you at Baiyue Pavilion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei, furious at this dim-witted soldier, slapped his bed: “Idiot! I’m lying, lying, do you understand? Go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh oh oh.” The soldier hurried off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pill Master tucked away his detox pill, clearly disgusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went to the side, rinsed it several times with water from the teapot, then swallowed it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan heard the soldier’s report and, incredulous, touched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he went into the courtyard, caught Da Fu, and went with the soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu struggled all the way in Xu Yuan’s arms, quacking in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan slapped the goose’s head: “Stop it—you’ve caused a big mess!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu shrank his neck, eyes glazed: What? I didn’t know. I don’t understand what you’re saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Shanhe Bureau, Zhu Zhanlei groaned: “What kind of thing did you raise…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan finally saw Zhu Zhanlei’s buttocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were swollen high, dark purple-black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan asked Da Fu: “What do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu jumped down, wobbled over to Zhu Zhanlei, and spat directly onto his buttocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The poison visibly dissolved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei felt a coolness on his buttocks, the pain lessened, and he quietly exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tilted his head at Da Fu, his noble gentlemanly habits resurfacing: “Will you sell this goose? Name your price…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu flew into a rage—Xu Yuan grabbed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really are asking for death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei slapped himself: “Why do I keep opening my stupid mouth? I won’t buy it—I absolutely won’t. Goose Sir, you’re the master. From now on, I’ll walk around you, okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu calmed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, night had fully fallen. Xu Yuan didn’t return home—he stayed overnight at the Shanhe Bureau with Da Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, the almanac forbade: Auspicious Day, Street Running, Noise, Music.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei had fully recovered from his ordeal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ate breakfast with Xu Yuan early: “I have to go to the Canal Office.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Xu Yuan returned to the Purification Office, someone from the Canal Office was already waiting: “Master Xu, Master An requests your presence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Chengyuan was the Hejian of the Jiaozhi Canal Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan asked no questions. With Xiang Qinghuai, he took Lang Xiao Ba, Di Youzhi, and two squads of Captains and followed the man to the canal dock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they couldn’t see An Chengyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Purification Office’s contingent was lodged in a courtyard at the dock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awaiting orders at all times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai quietly warned Xu Yuan not to complain, lest he invite trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they tell us to wait, we wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei had nothing to do and wanted to chat with Xu Yuan, but Zhu Zhanmei secretly stopped him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now was the time to avoid suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just for himself, but for Xu Yuan’s sake too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They waited until afternoon, and the Canal Office still hadn’t assigned Xu Yuan any task—when Yu Yunhang of the Purification Office rushed over: “Master, a strange case has occurred in Shiyang Village—it’s serious, and the men below don’t know how to handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan went to request an audience with Master An.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Canal Office at the dock was surrounded by three layers of elite River Camp troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Shanhe Bureau personnel were forbidden to enter or leave freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Miao Yu, Zhu Zhanmei, and Zhu Zhanlei were exempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noble families still had that kind of face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan, a humble-born outsider who was disliked, was barred at the main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Battalion Commander stood on the steps, glancing coldly over Xu Yuan, then lazily said: “Wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he turned and walked slowly inside to announce him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan waited patiently outside the gate for a full incense stick’s time, but no one came out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waited another incense stick’s time, and began to grow restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t help but step forward to press for an answer, but Xiang Qinghuai held him back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai gave him a look and shook his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan clenched his teeth and suppressed his anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, timing it, after another roughly incense-stick’s worth of time, Xu Yuan turned and walked away decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai hurried after him: “Master An hasn’t replied yet—won’t it be improper for us to leave like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan turned back and glanced at the main gate of the Canal Office. “Wait longer? Waiting any longer is just inviting humiliation. I won’t do this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Xu Yuan strode off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sergeant never reported to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was drinking tea in a side room just behind the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew this head of discipline of the Purification Office was someone Master An had summoned to issue orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not from any prominent family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does this soldier expect me to run errands and deliver messages for him without offering any bribe? What dream is he having?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a seventh-rank official stands before the chancellor’s gate—that’s the rule of officialdom. Do you understand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai still worried: “If we just walk away like this, and An Chengyuan is narrow-minded, he might exploit this to smear you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan shook his head: “I can swallow my pride and wait hours more, but the mystery of Stone Sheep Village can’t wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stone Sheep Village lay northeast of Zhan City, about fifteen li from the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small river flowed out from Xiao Yu Shan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that a hundred years ago, gold sand was discovered in this river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, the entire village dug sand and panned for gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could the government and powerful clans allow commoners to become rich overnight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they deployed every means possible, and suddenly the unclaimed river had an “owner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any gold the villagers panned from the river belonged to this “owner” and had to be surrendered in full.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers resented this deeply; the “owner” kept a gang of brutal servants, and disputes escalated into several murders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young boy whose father had been beaten to death, disregarding the taboo against nighttime travel, broke into the “owner’s” home and nearly killed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a rage, the “owner” took revenge by hanging the boy, his mother, and his sister by the riverbank and skinning them alive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One drop at a time, their blood dripped into the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then something strange happened—the small river turned a deep red for seven full days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seven days, the water cleared again, but that very night, the entire household of the “owner” was possessed by a malevolent spirit and died without a single survivor!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, the gold sand in the river vanished, and Stone Sheep Village returned to its former peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These legends and past events were told to Xu Yuan and Xiang Qinghuai by Yu Yunhang on their way to Stone Sheep Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing, he said: “This morning, an old man from the village returned home carrying cow dung. As he passed the riverbank, he suddenly saw a young man squatting there, panning for gold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he wasn’t from the village, the old man kindly warned him: the river had no gold left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the young man insisted there was gold, and if he didn’t believe it, just stand there—he’d show him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he scooped a basin of sand, swirled it slowly in the river water, letting the current wash away the silt. Soon, the young man lifted the wooden basin for him to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bottom of the basin was truly covered in glittering gold sand!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overjoyed, the old man rushed home and called his whole family, bringing basins to pan for gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man was selfish—he didn’t tell anyone else in the village. They panned by the river for hours, until noon, when another villager passed by and saw seven golden figures standing by the river!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closer inspection revealed they were the old man’s own family of four!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai listened in astonishment; the Purification Office handled many strange cases, but never one so bizarre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did the village head report this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Yunhang nodded: “The old man’s household had only two children, six or seven years old. The village head questioned them, learned what happened, immediately ordered men to keep a distance from the four golden figures, and rushed to the city to report.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan and Xiang Qinghuai exchanged a glance and quickened their pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan said: “We wasted so much time at the Canal Office—this case might already be ruined.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them were veterans of the Purification Office; they knew the village head couldn’t possibly hold the four golden figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the village entrance, one of Wan Yun’s Jianxiao stood by the roadside, neck stretched out, eagerly staring down the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lords, you’ve finally arrived!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s gotten out of hand—the villagers rushed in a mob, and we couldn’t stop them…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s expression darkened: “Go see quickly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group hurried to the riverbank—the water was empty, not a trace of the golden figures remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village head was an old man in his fifties. Seeing Xu Yuan’s official robes, he knew a high official had arrived and collapsed to his knees: “My lord, I am powerless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan didn’t waste words—he rushed into the river to search for any remaining clues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai angrily told the village head: “Those golden figures were illusions of dark magic—don’t your villagers fear death? How could they dare to snatch them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village head’s face twisted in despair: “Everyone’s desperate from poverty. Seeing that glittering gold, they just couldn’t help themselves…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan found nothing in the river. He turned back and ordered sternly: “Wan Yun!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your servant is here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take your men and search every household—recover every grain of gold! Anyone who refuses will be arrested immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wan Yun arrived, he brought only one squad—too few to hold back hundreds of villagers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Xu Yuan brought two additional squads; though still outnumbered, searching house by house was feasible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The village erupted into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Yun worked hard, and the Captains moved swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan glanced at the sky—only half an hour remained before nightfall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The villagers had seized that gold… could they survive the night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Qinghuai sighed deeply: “The villagers aren’t unaware that this is strange—but they all cling to hope, thinking maybe nothing will happen. This gold could give them a life of wealth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded—greed often stripped men of reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before nightfall, Wan Yun recovered two sacks of gold from the villagers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When counted, it was far less than the weight of the “four golden figures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…” Xiang Qinghuai sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wan Yun frowned and reported to Xu Yuan: “Master, one more thing. When we tried to stop the villagers from seizing the gold, we noticed their strength was far greater than normal—roughly equivalent to a beginner-level Wu Xiu. That’s why we couldn’t hold them back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2507,"2026-06-20T12:07:24.624Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","19de50420b9ed48de912ab156192abe38162b093fec0131a8ed69c40112ce3df","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-383","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-381",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]