Chapter 201: The Noble Lady Manifests Her Power, the Filial Son Wails in Mourning

Qushui Township borders Qushui River to the east and leans against Ziyun Mountain to the north.

Gazing down from the mountain heights, one can see cooking smoke rising between thatched eaves and gray tiles, along with golden rice waves stretching across the terraced ridges.

"The autumn harvest is imminent; every year at this time, things are never peaceful."

Zhao Zhonghe walked along the country dirt road; some farmers had already begun clearing the field edges, for by August, the formal autumn harvest and sowing would commence.

"Why worry, Chief? Recently, many men from the Mirror-Reflecting Bureau have arrived to garrison Jinmen. I hear every one of them is a skilled hand; who dares cause trouble at such a critical juncture this year?"

"Mirror-Reflecting Bureau." Zhao Zhonghe narrowed his eyes slightly, about to say something, when a glance from the corner of his eye suddenly caught a yellow-robed giant standing on a field ridge ahead.

Zhao Zhonghe had thought his own build was large enough, but before the yellow-robed giant, he actually appeared petite.

"This man is most strange."

The yellow-robed giant stood at the windward spot below the field ridge, his nostrils flapping continuously as if searching for something.

And above the giant's head, a flock of crows circled back and forth, cawing noisily; every so often, one or two crows would land before the yellow-robed giant, as if reporting something.

"That yellow-robed man, come down and speak with me!"

When the yellow-robed giant saw Zhao Zhonghe's group approaching with fierce momentum, his face lit with joy; he suddenly turned and leaped down from the field ridge, sprinting wildly toward the village.

Zhao Zhonghe instantly perked up; for a government office runner, the reaction carved into his very bones upon seeing someone fleeing without cause was to give chase!

Yet, even with a group of government office runners straining with all their might, they could never close the gap of three or five zhang to that giant.

Zhao Zhonghe was faster on his feet; leaping and dodging, he pulled ahead of the ordinary government office runners, yet between him and the yellow-robed giant there seemed always to be an invisible barrier.

Zhao Zhonghe had a vague premonition: if the other wished to escape his sight, it would be no difficulty at all!

At this moment, he felt more like he was being led on a dog leash, trotting around everywhere.

Qushui Township is neither large nor small; stretching from front to back, it spans roughly fifteen or sixteen li.

Zhao Zhonghe chased for seven or eight li, then slowed his pace; yet the giant ahead slowed too, even taking time to glance back and see if he was catching up.

"Too much!"

Zhao Zhonghe even felt that if he turned and left right now, this giant might just defy heaven and come chasing after him.

However, Zhao Zhonghe had no intention of leaving; the giant before him seemed to be deliberately leading him on, but more likely intended to take him somewhere.

Perhaps a trap, perhaps some other purpose; Zhao Zhonghe admitted the other had indeed gauged his nature correctly.

He was a man with a stubborn streak; even knowing a tiger lurked in the mountain, he would still march toward Tiger Mountain.

Otherwise, he would never have become this patrol captain.

The two giants chased each other along the country road like men running morning laps; as for the government office runners behind, they had long since vanished from sight.

Twelve li deep into Qushui Township, a household's courtyard was filled with dark crows circling overhead.

Those cawing noises seemed to say: The man is here! The man is here!

Seeing the yellow-robed giant run straight toward that mansion, Zhao Zhonghe felt unease and suspicion.

For that mansion belonged to no one else but Chen Feng's residence in Qushui Township.

At this moment, inside Chen Feng's home, Yuan Hu, equally burly, was searching for a handy tool to drive away the flock of crows overhead.

The old saying goes: magpies bring news of joy, crows bring news of death; and it is also said: if crows pass over your head, disaster or misfortune is certain!

Yuan Hu had been plagued by bad luck for the past half-year; today, for no reason, a flock of crows had come cawing as if to mourn, making his head ache.

"A pack of blind beasts! I was hiding just fine, yet you meddlesome creatures make such a racket!"

Chen Feng's entire household, including servants and stewards, had been summoned and detained within Linjiang County, restricted from leaving the city, awaiting trial at any time.

Now that not a single person from the Chen family remained to watch over the place, it had ironically become a perfect spot for Yuan Hu to hide in plain sight, evading others' notice.

Yuan Hu cursed under his breath; with a few thrown stones, he actually knocked down one crow.

But before that crow could hit the ground, a yellow-robed giant appeared in the courtyard; the man caught the injured crow and carefully set it aside.

"Who are you?"

Yuan Hu stared at the towering man who had suddenly burst into the courtyard, thinking this fellow had an enormous build, even more burly than himself.

Before Yuan Hu could think further, a low shout came again from the courtyard wall; following the sound, he saw another giant had appeared atop the wall.

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Eye to eye, Zhao Zhonghe was also stunned.

"Yuan Hu!"

"Damn official skin!" Yuan Hu had likewise noticed the black patrol uniform Zhao Zhonghe wore.

When officials and bandits meet, it is like water meeting fire.

But due to the uncertain factor of Guan Dazhuang present, neither dared to make a move.

Zhao Zhonghe stood fully on guard, both hands reaching simultaneously for the patrol knife at his waist.

The three giants gathered in one place, each with different thoughts.

Yuan Hu held his knife before him, stepping backward one step at a time.

Zhao Zhonghe drew his sidearm but halted with one palm, then shifted his gaze to the bare-handed yellow-robed giant.

Guan Dazhuang blinked his eyes; those large tiger eyes sparkled, appearing to hold no intimidation at all.

Yet it was this very man who caused the official and the villainous bandit in the scene to briefly stalemate.

"Who are you? This Yuan Hu is a wanted criminal of the government office; are you perhaps in league with him?"

Hearing this, Yuan Hu felt surprised; so these two did not know each other.

A plan sprang to his mind; before Guan Dazhuang could respond, he shouted first: "Brother Zhang, strike out and block this fellow! I will go to the rear courtyard to fetch the horse for support!"

Having spoken, Yuan Hu turned without looking back and leaped toward the rear of the mansion.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Hearing this, Zhao Zhonghe suddenly drew his sword; yet before he could make his next move, a violent wind suddenly rose in the courtyard. Amidst flying sand and stones, Zhao Zhonghe saw that where the yellow-robed giant had stood, a fierce white-browed tiger with striped eyes now appeared!

Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger.

Guan Dazhuang roared, leaped and whipped his tail, and in the time it took to turn, he cleared the roof ridge and blocked Yuan Hu's path.

On the spot, Zhao Zhonghe's scalp prickled, raising a cold sweat all over his body!

He had seen tigers before, but this was the first time he had encountered a demon tiger capable of taking human form.

The crucial point was that this tiger was far too large; even a plowing ox was no bigger than this.

Outside the courtyard wall, several breathless constables finally arrived.

Zhao Zhonghe, his mouth dry and throat parched, swallowed hard, his voice somewhat hoarse as he said, "The criminal Yuan Hu is right here! You all wait here and do not follow! If I suffer any mishap, immediately report to the Magistrate and tell him that Yuan Hu is aided by a tiger demon, beyond the power of ordinary men to oppose!"

Having spoken, Zhao Zhonghe leaped into the air; by the time he reached the roof ridge, he saw Yuan Hu pinned beneath Guan Dazhuang's claws.

Seeing the great beast holding Yuan Hu in its jaws, Zhao Zhonghe was shaken once more.

Seeing that Guan Dazhuang, having snatched the man, did not depart but instead stared intently at him, Zhao Zhonghe felt fear in his heart, though he dared not show cowardice on his face.

He summoned his courage and said:

"That great tiger! This man is a wanted criminal of the government office; we urgently need to capture and interrogate him. If you are willing to spare this person, the day after tomorrow I am willing to offer three sacrificial animals as tribute to you, Tiger Lord!"

Guan Dazhuang's tiger eyes lit up; was there such a good thing?

Watching the golden-eyed great beast nod at him, appearing quite sensible, Zhao Zhonghe felt a surge of joy.

However, the tiger did not put the man down; instead, carrying Yuan Hu—who had been knocked unconscious by the tiger's tail whip—it leaped over the courtyard wall and headed straight for Ziyun Mountain.

Along the way, Guan Dazhuang would occasionally turn back to cast a flirtatious glance, signaling the constables to follow.

Zhao Zhonghe took a deep breath, waved to stop the constables behind him, and said, "This great beast is nearly as cunning as a demon; its words cannot be fully trusted. I shall proceed alone on this mission; you all wait here and do not follow!"

"I will accompany the Chief Constable; at least there will be someone to look out for us along the way."

Before Zhao Zhonghe could shout them down, that constable turned back and said, "Jiang Cheng, Wang Han, you two stay here. If the Chief Constable and I have not returned by noon, you must immediately return to the city and report this matter to the Magistrate!"

Zhao Zhonghe raised an eyebrow, glanced at the constable following him, and felt somewhat gratified in his heart.

It was not in vain that he had doted on these grandchildren; they were not all as unfilial as Constable Xue.

The two followed Guan Dazhuang all the way to Ziyun Mountain. Along the way, Yuan Hu woke up once, only to be knocked unconscious again by a tiger roar from Guan Dazhuang.

Zhao Zhonghe watched with a racing heart and trembling limbs; this great beast's power far exceeded his imagination. He admitted that facing the great beast, he could not last even a single exchange.

This was a true great demon!

"Ahead is Baosheng Temple. Could this great beast have occupied the temple built by the Magistrate and become the mountain king of this peak?" the constable wondered in alarm.

Zhao Zhonghe bared his teeth and said, "I have never heard of a great beast on Ziyun Mountain before. It couldn't be that it heard Baosheng Temple was efficacious and came here to beg for a child, could it?"

Guan Dazhuang, climbing the steps ahead, wanted several times to turn back and slap the two of them; it was a male tiger, why would it be so full of itself as to go to a temple for granting children to beg for a son?

If the Immortals in the Hall knew it had gone to the Patriarch's temple to beg for a child, the Immortals in the Hall would surely mock it for the rest of its life!

Arriving at Baosheng Temple, Guan Dazhuang turned back at the temple entrance, saw Zhao Zhonghe and the other following, then released its grip and dropped Yuan Hu at the temple doorway.

Eager to return and report to Xu Qing, seeing the task completed, it leaped directly to the center of the temple courtyard and roared at the sky.

For a moment, all the birds and beasts of the forest were startled.

Zhao Zhonghe took the rope from his waist and bound Yuan Hu, then produced a paper packet containing Meridian-Sealing Powder, specifically used against martial artists, and forced it down the man's throat.

After finishing all this, Zhao Zhonghe looked toward Baosheng Temple.

After the great beast dropped the man, it never came out again. Could it be, as previously suspected, that this tiger had occupied the Baosheng Temple built by the Magistrate and was ruling here with tyranny?

Seeing the great beast keep its promise, Zhao Zhonghe grew bolder; he stepped through the temple courtyard and entered the Incense Hall.

The first thing he saw was the statue of Lady Baosheng.

Zhao Zhonghe approached and looked around; on the offering table, besides many white flowers, there were also some sacrificial fruits and incense candles.

The Incense Hall was not large; if a great beast were hiding, it would be spotted at a glance.

But Zhao Zhonghe saw not even a shadow of a tiger; indeed, he saw not even the figure of the yellow-robed giant formed by the tiger demon.

"Strange."

Just as Zhao Zhonghe was suspicious, his gaze sweeping around suddenly froze.

He saw beside the pedestal of the deity statue a pair of small tiger-head shoes neatly arranged.

Most worshippers coming to the temple for children would leave items of petition.

Such as Sister Red Flower, White Flower Boy, or Yellow Flower Daughter, Green Flower Boy.

The Pear Garden Opera House also has lyrics that sing: 'Sister Red Flower, Green Flower Boy, a curtain of dry-branch plum blossoms and a bed of ivory flowers.'

Those seeking children would often, following this imagery, place various kinds of flowers before the Lady's statue; some flowers even had paper strips or cloth strips attached, writing the petitioner's native place and address, which household they belonged to, to facilitate the Lady of Granting Children finding the way.

Besides poor families placing flowers, there were also those with deep vows, or wealthy and affluent families, who would specially offer other items of petition.

Among them was one category: tiger-head shoes and embroidered shoes.

Tiger-head shoes are for males; embroidered shoes are for females.

"These tiger-head shoes..."

Zhao Zhonghe's scalp went numb; he had thought Lady Baosheng had manifested, enlightening a fierce tiger to come and help him eliminate evil.

Otherwise, why did the great beast disappear as soon as it entered the temple?

Furthermore, this temple was built with funds from the Magistrate; perhaps Lady Baosheng, moved by this sentiment, secretly aided the government office in capturing the evil bandit they had long sought to arrest.

"Does the Lady truly have spiritual power?"

Zhao Zhonghe frowned and looked at the statue; when his eyes met those of Lady Baosheng, he strangely felt that the other was also looking at him.

Zhao Zhonghe was startled, feeling he had been rude, and quickly averted his gaze.

"Truly uncanny."

Inside the Incense Hall, just as Zhao Zhonghe intended to leave, he suddenly remembered something, so he turned back to the offering table, picked up a stick of incense, and offered it.

Although his family already had a child, he did not mind having more.

"If the Lady truly has spiritual power, may she protect my Zhao family so that grandchildren fill the hall and the family prospers; may there be no bandits in this world, and may all people live in joy."

However, the next moment.

The freshly lit incense extinguished itself without wind.

"."

Zhao Zhonghe was somewhat startled; he took out his fire flint again to relight the incense in the burner.

This time, the incense did not last even a single breath; the moment he set down the flint, the smoldering ember at the tip of the incense went out once more.

Zhao Zhonghe changed to a new stick of incense, yet it remained the same.

Now, even a six-foot-tall man who feared neither heaven nor earth could not help but break out in a cold sweat.

What does this Goddess mean? Could it be that my Zhao family is destined to die out?

Zhao Zhonghe considered countless possibilities before suddenly realizing: "Ah, it must be so!"

"Forgive me, Goddess Baosheng. This time I was not thorough in my consideration. The three-animal sacrifice I promised earlier, I will surely arrange properly once I return; I will never break my word."

Having spoken, Zhao Zhonghe offered the incense again; this time, the incense did not go out.

Seeing this, Zhao Zhonghe felt even more that the event was supernatural.

By the banks of the Qushui River, in Qiao Family Village.

Xu Qing, whose spirit had entered the Dharma Realm, was about to continue rejecting humanity's incomprehensible demands when Guan Dazhuang returned.

"Sect Leader, the matter of the Goddess Temple has been settled."

"What do you mean 'Goddess Temple'? It is called the Baosheng Temple!" Xu Qing corrected: "You must know that deities are not bound by form; a thousand faces and a thousand appearances exist within a single thought. The statue of the Goddess in the Baosheng Temple is, speaking of it, merely an incarnation."

Xu Qing applied what he had learned flexibly, repeating the County Magistrate Chen's explanation to Guan Dazhuang.

Guan Dazhuang felt puzzled in his heart, sensing that his Sect Leader's temper was somewhat hotter than before; perhaps during the time he was away, some fool had provoked the Sect Leader?

To avoid becoming collateral damage, Guan Dazhuang changed the subject: "Sect Leader, who is crying?"

"We are holding a funeral today; the ones crying are the deceased's family."

Bringing up this matter, Xu Qing also felt quite helpless in his heart.

Ever since he fed the open-mindedness pill to the fool, the boy's mind had suddenly become sharp.

Although he still possessed the mindset of a child, he now understood the distinction between life and death.

Indeed, the foolish child, having suddenly attained enlightenment and learned that his elder brother had passed away, clung to the coffin and cried without stopping.

However, he did not cry for his gambling-addict father.

This shows that even the foolishest child knows who truly treats them well.

(End of this chapter)