Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Chapter 7 The divine power of the countryside is not as good as the royal law
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Everyone's eyes fell on the ancient elm tree at the village center.
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Liu Zexi offering himself as a sacrifice was definitely not just about hanging from that tree. What he had in mind before dying was surely not family bliss and national peace.
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No, it was revenge!
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Revenge against those who had reduced him to such a state!
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Unable to exact vengeance himself, he turned himself into a sacrificial offering for the almighty Godmother, letting her avenge him!
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And these bailiffs from Xinxian County right before them—they were his targets!
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Chen Shi looked toward the small shrine in front of the tree. The little girl inside was still sitting there, munching away at the various offerings with relish, utterly ignoring the scene unfolding around her.
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The head bailiff couldn't see the little girl at all. Instead, his gaze locked onto the ancient elm tree as he sneered.
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"If Godmother intends to avenge Liu Zexi, then she's opposing Xinxian County yamen—and the Great Ming itself! Rural divine authority yields to royal law. Once the Great Ming's royal law descends, flattening Godmother would be a simple matter! Without her protection, everyone in Fangdian Village will be laid bare to the gaze of Evil, doomed without escape!"
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Chen Shi's heart stirred faintly. This head bailiff actually dared to threaten Fangdian Village's Godmother!
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He glanced at the little girl again. She went on eating her offerings, seemingly unconcerned by the situation.
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"Of course. Between avenging Liu Zexi and protecting the rest of Fangdian Village's villagers, Godmother knows full well which weighs heavier." Chen Shi thought to himself.
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Seeing no stir from the ancient elm tree, the head bailiff gave a faint smile and asked,
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"Liu Zexi may be dead, but the dead still owe taxes—that's the law. What of the rest of his household?"
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A villager replied,
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"No one left. He had a son and a daughter once. Sold the girl off, and the boy drowned bathing in the river. His woman went half-mad after it all—one day she sang and danced her way out of the village and vanished. Probably dead too."
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The head bailiff pondered for a moment, then waved a hand.
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"The dead rest easy; we'll let bygones be. But the taxes must be paid. Men, haul out anything of value from Liu Zexi's home—we need something to show when we report back."
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The bailiffs swarmed into Liu Zexi's house. But the place was dirt-poor, walls bare as bone. In the end, they settled for carting off pots, bowls, and basins—enough to scrape together some coin, at least.
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The head bailiff shook his head at the sight.
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"Pitiful indeed. This won't even cover the shortfall—my lord will have to dip into yamen funds to make it right. Folks think we're all corrupt extortionists, raking it in hand over fist. What a colossal misunderstanding!"
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Sighing deeply, he rose slowly.
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"These taxes are what the Great Ming demands—what's it to the yamen? If a single copper from them ever touches my belt, may Lu Tiannan be thunder-struck from the heavens! And the shortfalls? The lord and I cover them out of pocket, or it's treason for defrauding the throne! Folks, no need to fear!"
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He swept his gaze around and chuckled.
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"Just pay up honest-like. No need pulling knives every whip-stitch. Liu Sanyin, fish that blade out of your crotch—watch it doesn't slip and snip off your pecker!"
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Paying the villagers no mind, he strode right through their midst, proclaiming loudly,
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"Every one of my brothers here passed the county exams as xiucai, blessed by the True God to forge their Divine Embryos! You lot can't take us. Why risk the crime of assaulting officials? Drop the knives—all of 'em. We can talk this out!"
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The bailiffs behind him each circulated their Heavenly Heart Righteous Qi Art. Divine lights swirled behind their heads, forming Divine Shrines a foot or so tall, each enthroned with a solemn Divine Embryo.
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The villagers of Fangdian Village went pale as ash, silently setting down their cleavers and axes.
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The head bailiff waved them onward to collect taxes house by house, while he himself sauntered over to Chen Shi and Grandpa's talisman stall.
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Grandpa had the tax money ready and handed it over.
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"Lord Lu cuts quite the figure."
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The head bailiff was Lu Tiannan—clearly on familiar terms with Grandpa. He pocketed the talisman tax with a grin.
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"Don't say such things. Just serving the court. Old Chen, you're hale as ever. Looks like I'll be collecting your talisman taxes for years to come."
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Abruptly, he caught a faint whiff of rot and sniffed sharply, his heart going cold.
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"Corpse stink!"
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His eyes snapped to Chen Shi, his face twisting.
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"Old Chen—this the boy? The child xiucai who topped talents across the fifty provinces back then?"
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Grandpa said nothing.
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Lu Tiannan backed away several paces, putting distance between them. He eyed Chen Shi up and down, chuckling.
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"Outstanding, Old Chen—truly outstanding! Pilfering heaven-and-earth's secrets to pull off the impossible! Just don't cross the law, or you'll end up in my clutches!"
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He turned and departed.
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Chen Shi blinked in bewilderment.
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"These Six Gates folk act like they're scared of me or something. Grandpa, was I really the top child xiucai across the fifty provinces before?"
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"Old tales. No point dredging them up."
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Grandpa unrolled yellow paper and fetched cinnabar, brush, and inkstone. Chen Shi unloaded peachwood plaques and jade blanks from the cart. Grandpa drew his knife and beckoned. Blackie Pot came forward whining pitifully, tail tucked tight.
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"Pfft."
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Grandpa jabbed Blackie Pot once. Chen Shi swiftly caught the black dog blood in a basin. Moments later, Grandpa tossed Blackie Pot a chunk of exotic beast meat. The dog snatched it and slunk under the cart—one moment gnawing meat, the next licking his wound, a mix of pain and bliss.
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There on the market grounds, the grandson pair drew talismans and sold them as they went.
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The Xinxian County bailiffs went door to door collecting taxes, sending Fangdian Village into chaos—chickens scattering, dogs barking, hearts gripped by dread. Cries rose now and then, the scene most wretched.
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For all the world's woes, joy finds its moments.
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Plenty still came to the talisman stall to buy.
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Chen Shi and Grandpa toiled away for ages until Blackie Pot barked twice. Grandpa glanced skyward, set down his brush.
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"Day's waning. Time to head out."
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Chen Shi looked up. Two suns blazed in the sky—no hint of sunset.
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They packed up and rolled the wooden cart toward the village outskirts. From his seat, Chen Shi glanced back at the little shrine by the ancient elm. The girl inside remained perched quietly atop the Divine Shrine.
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Back in Fangdian Village, the Xinxian County bailiffs bundled the taxes from every home onto four carts. A few tied Galloping Horse Talismans to the horses' legs, to make them run swifter.
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"Pack it up quick! Back to the county before dark!"
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Lu Tiannan bellowed.
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"Tomorrow, more villages!"
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"Sir, plenty of light left—we'll make it easy. What's the rush?"
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A bailiff laughed.
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Lu Tiannan shook his head.
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"Wilds ain't like the county seat. County stays clear of Evil at night, but out here? Crawling with the things. Few can threaten us true, but caution sails ten thousand ships—might run into one yet."
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The wooden cart rumbled six or seven li when Grandpa suddenly craned his neck skyward, face darkening.
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"Not right! Dusk hit a quarter-hour early!"
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Chen Shi peered up fast. The twin suns in the sky were closing like eyelids, no longer perfectly round—now flattened and oblong!
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The outer True Gods shutting their eyes—nightfall's harbinger!
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"Blackie Pot late by a quarter-hour?"
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Chen Shi eyed the lead dog suspiciously.
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Grandpa glanced at the dog too.
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"Could be. Suns don't jump the gun like that. Pot's on Blackie Pot then."
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Blackie Pot let out a woeful woof of protest.
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Chen Shi piped up.
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"Grandpa, dog's no good anymore, but the meat's fresh."
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Grandpa nodded.
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"Next time he botches it, we stew."
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Blackie Pot tucked tail tighter, pondering the hardships of dog life.
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In no time, the sky ran with fire—flames weaving a vast sunset glow spanning ten thousand li. Hurry as they might, Chen Shi and Grandpa couldn't make Huangpo Village.
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Chen Shi scanned about and pointed leftward, delighted.
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"Temple over there!"
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Grandpa looked. Sure enough, off the post road stood a low hillock topped with an ancient, crumbling temple.
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"Recall if this hill—this temple—was here on the way in?"
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Grandpa asked suddenly.
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Chen Shi thought back hard and gasped. Coming here, it had been flat ground—no hill, no temple!
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The hill looked newly sprouted from the earth!
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As if the temple and hill had lain buried underground, only for the hill to grow and shove the temple—and its crest—skyward!
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Such an eerie sight—he'd never seen or heard the like!
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"We'll overnight in the ancient temple."
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Grandpa worked the compass, and the cart jolted up the slope.
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The temple lay long forsaken. The grounds lay strewn with shattered tiles and rubble, snapped bricks, a toppled gatehouse, broken stone pillars. The roof gaped with holes everywhere, whistling with drafts.
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Grandpa fetched brush, ink, paper, and knife. Blackie Pot padded up obediently—pfft, stabbed once—then teary-eyed, he clamped a hunk of exotic beast meat in his jaws and slunk to a corner to chew slow while licking his gash.
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Chen Shi pitched in no help. From the cart he grabbed wooden nails, scavenged ground planks, and swiftly boarded every busted door and window.
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The door bolt had rotted through, but boulders littered the outside. Chen Shi approached one weighing a thousand jin or more, meaning to call Grandpa for aid—when with a heave, he flipped it right over. Lighter than expected. He dragged it bit by bit inside and wedged it firm against the temple door.
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He tipped his head to eye the ruined roof, then squatted low and sprang. In a blink, he'd vaulted nearly as high as the roofline!
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Chen Shi startled, then steadied.
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"I can leap this high, so landing safe—no fear of splatting."
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Palm braced on a pillar beside, he slid smoothly down.
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He gathered timber and, before full dark, patched every hole in the roof.
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Grandpa finished his Peach Talismans too, hanging them on doors, windows, and roof. Then he kindled a fire to "cook." Their meal? A pot of soup simmered from the day's herb haul.
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Just then, clamor of carts and hooves rose outside. Chen Shi peeked through a window. The fiery sunset had faded; cold moonlight spilled down. Lu Tiannan and the bailiffs were driving their four carts this way.
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"Boss, this ain't right!"
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One bailiff craned up.
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"Sun dropped too soon! Won't make county yamen—fall back to Fangdian?"
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All were Divine Embryo Realm cultivators, yet even they knew rural nights brimmed with peril. Certain Evils were downright uncanny—enough to slay Divine Embryo Realm experts with ease.
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Lu Tiannan fretted too, but spotted the ruined temple and grinned.
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"Temple yonder. We'll hole up there till dawn."
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The bailiffs chorused assent and whipped their carts toward the temple.
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Chen Shi lingered at the window, moonlight showing all clear. Tacked to the caravan's rear—unseen till now—a scrawny little figure munched a bright red apple, drawing nearer to the train.
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"Fangdian Village's Godmother—the little girl from the shrine!"
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The thought had barely formed when, ahead of the apple-munching girl, one bailiff went rigid. His body seized like in a cramp, arching backward, quaking.
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Pfft-pfft—razor branches punched through his chest, blooming red sprays.
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"Enemy raid—!"
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Lu Tiannan reacted sharpest. Divine light bloomed behind his head into a Divine Shrine, Divine Embryo enthroned within, true qi churning. But next instant, countless tendrils thrashed—under moonlight like black venomous serpents, snaking through the air!
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One tendril already kissed his brow!
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Lu Tiannan reeled back in haste. Agony stabbed his back; bones cracked. He glanced down—bloodied branches spearing clean through his chest!
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"Too fast!"
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A branch impaled his heart. Blood gushed into lungs, throat, mouth.
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Neck twisting in agony, he saw his men: some had just summoned their Shrines, not yet mustered Divine Embryo power before branches riddled them; others managed a few zhang's sprint, only for a dozen subterranean roots to bore them through!
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Even the mighty steeds—branches and roots burst from nowhere, skewering them dead in moments.
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Lu Tiannan's throat bubbled wetly, blood frothing his lips.
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Beneath the moon, dozens of Divine Embryo Realm bailiffs and eight warhorses floated corpse-still before the barren hill and ruined temple. Without moonlight, the black branches and roots would have vanished from sight.
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The little girl glided in on a shaft of moonlight, threading the branches silent as death, not a whisper of sound.
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She stopped before Lu Tiannan, took a crisp bite of apple, and peered close at his face.
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"Godmother forsakes no subject's wish—least of all one offered as sacrifice."
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She nodded lightly.
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"Yes—you lot. No mistake in the killing."
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Countless branches drew back. Bailiff and horse corpses rained down, thudding to earth.
