"A reincarnated Yin Officer nad Zhong Kui?"
Chen Shi carefully inquired about the details of Zhong Kui’s reincarnation. The boat girl and the boatman didn’t know much, only that this Yin Officer had made a mistake and fled the underworld only to reincarnate in the Gold Province’s Duxian.
"Zhong Kui fled to Duxian and then disappeared," the boat girl’s eyes flickered as she spoke, "The Yin and Yang are separate; the people from the underworld cannot conveniently co to the mortal world, so they need people from the mortal world to help them with this task. You just need to go to Duxian, find Zhong Kui, capture him, and hand him over to us."
The boatman continued, "Once we receive Zhong Kui, we will go to the underworld and help you retrieve your mother’s soul. She’s not heavily guarded like you were."
The boat girl smirked, "Once we go, capturing him will be easy!"
Chen Shi viewed them with skepticism. The father-daughter duo, with their simple smiles, seed trustworthy, but he always felt that beings from the underworld were full of deceit, and this Zhong Kui was probably not easy to deal with.
If Zhong Kui was indeed formidable and they were so strong, why didn’t they go themselves and instead handed this opportunity to Chen Shi?
"Fine! I agree!" declared Chen Shi resolutely.
The father-daughter duo sighed in relief and quickly urged him to disembark, saying, "You’re not heading to a brothel, so don’t occupy our boat, we need to do business! It’s a busy ti right now!"
Chen Shi laughed, "Even Ying Officers need to make money?"
The boat girl sneered, "Without making money, how could we survive? The rent for the place we live in costs several taels of silver a month! Plus, our daily expenses make money flow like water. Do you want to go to a brothel, Master Chen? I know which one has girls who sing beautifully."
Chen Shi shook his head, "I don’t have money either."
"You could impress the girls with your talents and they might not charge you," the boat girl laughed.
Chen Shi jumped ashore, not falling for their tricks.
"A man of real resolve," praised the boatman.
The boat girl snickered, "Even a man of steel falls into our trap, doesn’t he?"
The boatman also smiled, "By going to capture Zhong Kui, we avoid the risk. If he succeeds, the credit is ours; if he fails, the bla is his."
The boat girl laughed, "If he succeeds, we, with our faces covered, will rescue his mother’s soul and return his favor. Then we’ll capture both him and his mother and deliver them to the underworld, earning double credit!"
The boatman, though usually composed, couldn’t hide his excitent, "Plus, with Little Yama’s support, we father and son..."
"Win big!" the boat girl crisply said.
As the lights of the Western Capital flickered on, the streets bustled with intertwining crowds. The traffic of carriages made it difficult to proceed.
So people launched their Nascent Souls, carrying themselves through the air, creating streams of brilliant light.
Others rode streaks of fire, water, or sword light, occasionally leaving colorful traces across the sky.
Yet, so, lacking sufficient mana, fell from the sky or collided midair, often resulting in deaths. Governnt Officials from Gongtian Prefecture then handled these incidents.
Chen Shi made his way through the crowded streets toward the Inner City, deep in thought.
Just then, Chen Tang ca into view, draped in a black cloak and holding a lantern, waiting for him in the crowd.
Chen Shi approached him, and they walked together.
Chen Shi recounted the boatman’s father-daughter request to Chen Tang, who after a mont’s silence said, "Can we trust them?"
"Their words are ghostly; we can only believe half of what they say, but whether we can trust them or not, I must do this," said Chen Shi.
Chen Tang said, "I’ll have soone check on the information about Zhong Kui of Duxian first."
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Chen Shi shook his head, "You’re too conspicuous, and too many are watching you. I don’t need your people; I’ll use mine to check."
Chen Tang glanced at him but didn’t insist on using his own people, saying, "Gold Province governs fifty-four counties. Western Capital is also in Gold Province, one of the most bustling areas. Duxian is located in the northeastern mountains; the terrain is treacherous there, so be very careful when you move around."
Chen Shi laughed, "I’ll certainly take every precaution."
"Also, the court issued a decree today, appointing you as the Ambassador of Guangji Storehouse, responsible for managing the treasury and military supplies. You’ll report to the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow, then to Guangji Storehouse; they will guide you through the processes."
Chen Tang said, "The position of ambassador might not be high-ranking, but it is extrely important. All military supplies and provisions of Western Capital pass through Guangji Storehouse. The court’s arsenal, the matchlocks, and weaponry also co through there. Each weapon is crucial; each pound of gunpowder matters a great deal."
Chen Shi asked, "Chen Tang, did you buy this position for , or did you arrange it out of favoritism?"
Chen Tang shook his head, giving him a deep look, "As a Vice Minister, I have seen the Ambassador of Guangji changed seven tis in recent years. Five were corrupt, took what they shouldn’t, and were beheaded. Two manipulated several military camps in Western Capital and were secretly killed, with no conclusions drawn afterward."
Chen Shi felt solemn; this position wasn’t sothing Chen Tang had arranged lightly.
Chen Tang said, "Soone wants to control both you and , hence placing you in this position. Countless eyes will watch you, waiting for any mistake to act against you."
He paused, then added, "Do you know how I have stayed in my position as a third-rank official? Through integrity. I am ticulous, ensuring no errors in my work. Over the years managing the eight vaults and four granaries of the Ministry of Revenue, I’ve allowed no mistakes. Now that you’re joining the Ministry, rember these four words."
He handed the lantern to Chen Shi.
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