Chapter 39: The Mentor and the Unworthy Disciple

"This is Prefect Pan of Langya; Young Master Su, you had best be careful with your words." Huang Daozuo was still reminding him on the side while winking at him, but Su Yuanshan turned a deaf ear.

The elderly man surnamed Ji smiled.

"Old Pan, what kind of official airs are you putting on? Don't frighten the young man."

He then cast an encouraging smile at Su Yuanshan and said with no small amount of admiration.

"Regardless of whether what you say is true or not, your courage is commendable. Let's go, take us to see it. Don't be afraid of this Old Man Pan; if it is true, this old man will protect you!"

Seeming to fear that Su Yuanshan might not believe him, the bearded middle-aged man beside him said with a chuckle.

"This is Prefect Ji, who is of the same rank as Prefect Pan! It is just that his jurisdiction is not Langya Prefecture, haha. As for me, I can be ignored; I am merely a seventh-rank official in a vacant post."

Only then did Su Yuanshan understand why the elderly man surnamed Ji was so firm in front of the dignified Prefect Pan; it turned out they were colleagues of equal rank, neither subordinate to the other.

However, he did not show much enthusiasm, merely saying indifferently.

"Let's go. Since you insist that seeing is believing, I, Su, will take you to witness the good deeds done by that Magistrate of Huangliang Xian!"

Su Yuanshan led the group all the way to the cages. With two prefects, one seventh-rank general, and numerous Secret Guards escorting them, his path was unobstructed, and any Yamen Runner who attempted to obstruct them was seized.

Upon seeing the group of women before him, covered in whip marks and bloodstains, half-dead, Prefect Pan felt a surge of blood rush to his head; his vision went black, and he nearly fainted from anger. His face turned the color of a pig's liver, and he was so furious that he began to curse loudly on the spot.

"You scoundrel! To think that this prefecture trusted him so much, yet he actually, actually committed such deeds beneath even those of pigs and dogs!"

The ironclad evidence was so overwhelming that he could not help but believe it!

Huang Daozuo was dumbfounded; he never expected that what Su Yuanshan said was actually true. The bearded man was also very surprised.

Even Prefect Ji had an ashen face and remained silent, but it was clear that he was also angry. In his view, what Wang Youcheng, the Magistrate of Huangliang Xian, had done was not just excessively wrong or mere dereliction of duty, but utterly devoid of conscience.

As the saying goes, diligent governance and love for the people is one's duty; if an official does not act for the people, they might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes!

A dignified county magistrate—how could he dare!

However, compared to Prefect Pan's rage, the elderly man surnamed Ji appeared much calmer. He waved his hand to stop Prefect Pan's impulse, looked at Su Yuanshan, and stroked his beard with admiration.

"Regarding the case of the missing young girls, we sent people to investigate everywhere but were left without a clue. To think that Young Master Su would take action and solve it directly; truly, the younger generation is to be feared."

He then changed the subject and looked at Prefect Pan with a half-smile.

"Prefect Pan, I trust you would not let personal feelings interfere with public duty?"

Prefect Pan's face sank like water.

"That goes without saying."

The elderly man surnamed Ji said indifferently.

"Very good. I, Ji, said as much; although you, Old Pan, are somewhat unconventional, you would never be ambiguous when it comes to righteousness."

"Shall we go and meet this Magistrate of Huangliang Xian? Let us see what he relies upon to dare act so lawlessly!"

………….

Ten thousand people paid their respects, and cheers rose one after another.

Wang Youcheng, the Magistrate of Huangliang Xian, seemed immersed in the false, enthusiastic shouts of the masses. The few discordant voices crying out for justice were long ignored by him, having been cleared from the scene by Dark Soldiers mingling among the crowd.

Su Yuanshan saw this entire scene, especially when he saw the white-haired old woman searching for her daughter appear again, eyes filled with longing, only to be dragged away before she could even get close to the Magistrate of Huangliang Xian. A sense of impulse welled up within him, and an impulsive voice seemed to speak from the bottom of his heart.

"Go over and kill them! Kill these bullies! You are a god, what are you afraid of?"

But at the same time, a rational voice in his heart stopped him:

"The Underworld does not interfere with the affairs of the Living World; this is the rule. If you take action, you will be overstepping your authority and will have to bear unfavorable karma. You must not do anything foolish. Watching from the sidelines is what best serves our interests. The Magistrate of Huangliang Xian is doing evil, but the time has not yet come. When the time comes, he will naturally suffer retribution from Heaven; we need only watch!"

This time, Su Yuanshan followed his reason,

watching quietly.

He saw Wang Youcheng, the Magistrate of Huangliang Xian, wearing a large red flower on his chest and dressed in sacrificial robes. Seeing that the auspicious time for the sacrifice was approaching, he led a group of prominent Gentry and Clan Leaders of Huangliang Xian and walked slowly toward the altar. After the Gentry took their seats in the front row, he swayed as he slowly ascended the platform, then turned to face the crowd and said with a smile.

"I, this official, am untalented, yet I have received the great kindness of all you fellow villagers, allowing me to preside over this sacrificial ceremony."

"In this crisp golden autumn, in the year of the Dingchou Earth Ox, the government is harmonious and the people live and work in peace. Although I have achieved minor political success, I dare not neglect my duties; I am devoted to the people and selfless in my service..."

Shameless to the extreme, hypocritical to the extreme! Watching Wang Youcheng, the Magistrate of Huangliang Xian, on the stage, shamelessly boasting of his political achievements, Su Yuanshan felt a sense of nausea.

But when he saw that white-haired old woman being dragged away by Yamen Runners, he even felt a bit of regret. He thought to himself, "What am I doing? I am the City God of Huangliang Xian! How can I stand idly by just because of this broken rule that the Underworld does not interfere with the Living World? How can I stop just because I fear karma?"

"Then why did I come to this place? Why am I still this City God? Am I just to enjoy the offerings of these people while ignoring their suffering in the human world? How is such a deity any different from a corrupt official who holds a position but does nothing? If a god does not act for the people, they might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes!"

Finally, Su Yuanshan walked out, confronting Wang Youcheng, the Magistrate of Huangliang Xian, directly. Before the man could finish his speech, he interrupted him, sneering as he spoke up for the people!

"Magistrate of Huangliang, what a 'devoted to the people and selfless in service' you are!"

"I, Su, only want to ask one thing: when you say these words, does your conscience not ache?"

Wang Youcheng seemed to recognize Su Yuanshan and could not help but narrow his eyes.

"You insolent commoner, you are truly bold. Last time you insulted a court official, I was magnanimous and did not hold it against you; to think you have come to provoke me again!"

"You really are not afraid of death. Men, seize this insolent commoner..."

Before he could finish the word "seize," he heard someone in the crowd say.

"Magistrate Wang, why not let him finish what he has to say?"

"Or is it that... you have a guilty conscience?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Youcheng seemed to be amused by anger, his face full of disdain.

"You bunch of insolent commoners really dare to talk nonsense! My virtue is as clear as the blue sky, and I am as pure as water; what would I have a guilty conscience about?"

At that moment, Su Yuanshan looked directly into his eyes.

"Then what about you privately kidnapping young girls and colluding with evil Daoists? How do you explain that? Is this the conduct expected of a 'clear-sky' official?"

The crowd was in an uproar upon hearing this, appearing extremely shocked.

Wang Youcheng's expression changed drastically upon hearing this; feeling guilty, he shouted at Su Yuanshan with a fierce tone but a cowardly heart.

"You... you are making false accusations and talking nonsense!"

"You scoundrel, how dare you slander a court official! Men, seize this insolent commoner for me."

Those Yamen Runners rushed toward Su Yuanshan like wolves and tigers, just about to take action, when suddenly they heard a thunderous shout.

"Who dares!"

As he spoke, a man with a thick beard stepped out from the crowd.

Seeing that bearded man, Wang Youcheng's expression changed once again, and he forced a smile.

"So it is General Feng Jinchen, the Cloud Cavalry Lieutenant of Lin County. I wonder what brings General Feng to my Huangliang Xian?"