“A reincarnated underworld officer nad Zhong Kui?”
Chen Shi carefully questioned the boatman and boat girl for details about Zhong Kui’s reincarnation. They did not know much, only that this underworld officer had made a mistake, escaped the underworld, and was reborn in Duxian County of Jinzhou Province.
“Zhong Kui fled to Duxian County and then disappeared. Later the underworld did calculations and concluded he was reincarnated,” the boat girl said, her eyes flickering. “The realms of yin and yang are separate, so the underworld people cannot co into the living world. They need soone from the living world to handle this. You just need to go to Duxian, find Zhong Kui, capture him, and hand him over to us.”
The boatman added, “Once we receive Zhong Kui, we will go to the underworld and help you reclaim your mother’s soul. In the underworld she is not treated like a major criminal, so her confinent isn’t too harsh.”
The boat girl laughed, “The two of us go together and we’ll have him in hand!”
Chen Shi scrutinized the pair with suspicion. The boatman and boat girl wore simple, honest smiles, but he still felt that underworld folk spoke nonsense. This so-called Zhong Kui was probably not easy to deal with.
If Zhong Kui really was a formidable fighter, given how powerful the boatman and boat girl seed, why wouldn’t they go themselves and instead hand this task to Chen Shi?
“All right! I’ll do it!” Chen Shi said decisively.
Father and daughter both breathed a sigh of relief and hurried him off the boat. “You’re not going to a brothel, are you? Don’t hog our boat — we still have business! This is the busy season!”
Chen Shi grinned, “Do underworld officers have to make money?”
The boat girl snorted, “If you don’t make money, how do you survive? The place we live at costs several taels of silver a month in rent! Add daily expenses, and money disappears like water. Official Chen, are you going to a brothel? I know which houses have girls who sing the sweetest tunes.”
Chen Shi shook his head, “I don’t have any money either.”
“You can charm the girls with your talent and not have to pay,” the boat girl said with a smile.
Chen Shi jumped to shore without falling for it.
“A man of solid heart,” the boatman praised.
The boat girl snickered, “Even a man of solid heart still falls for our tricks, right?”
The boatman also smiled, “If he goes to capture Zhong Kui, we don’t need to risk ourselves. If he wins, it’s our credit; if he loses, it’s still our credit.”
The boat girl laughed, “If he wins, we’ll cover our faces and go rescue his mother’s soul — that repays him. Then we’ll bind him and his mother and send them to the underworld; that’s double credit for us!”
Even the usually steady boatman couldn’t hide his excitent, “With the little King of Hell’s favor added in, the two of us…”
“We hit the jackpot!” the boat girl chirped.
As lanterns ca on across the Western Capital, the streets were a woven mass of people, carts, and horses, clogged and slow to move.
So people used their nascent souls to walk in midair, leaving trails of flickering light.
Others rode on flas, water lights, or sword lights, leaving multicolored streaks across the sky.
But so lacked the power and fell, or collided midair, killing both instantly. Bailiffs from Gongtian Prefecture had to handle those incidents.
Chen Shi pushed through the throng toward the inner city, his mind occupied.
At that mont Chen Tang ca into view, wearing a black cloak and holding a lantern, waiting among the crowd.
Chen Shi walked up and the two continued together.
Chen Shi relayed the boatman and boat girl’s request in full. Chen Tang was silent for a mont, then asked, “Can they be trusted?”
“They are ghost gods; their words are ghost words. Trust half of what they say. But whether they’re trustworthy or not, I have to do it,” Chen Shi replied.
Chen Tang said, “I’ll have people investigate the news about Zhong Kui in Duxian County first.”
Chen Shi shook his head, “Your target is too big, you have too many watchers. I won’t use your people; I’ll use my own.”
Chen Tang glanced at him and did not insist on sending his own n. “Jinzhou Province has fifty-four counties. The Western Capital is also in Jinzhou and is one of the busiest places. Duxian County is nestled in the northeastern mountains; the terrain there is treacherous. When you go out, be careful.”
Chen Shi smiled, “I will make thorough preparations.”
“There’s also an imperial edict,” Chen Tang continued, “ordering you to serve as Grand Emissary at the Guangji Treasury, responsible for payroll and arms distribution. You’ll go to the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow to receive your post, then to the Guangji Treasury. Soone will show you the procedures.”
Chen Tang said, “Although the Grand Emissary isn’t a top-ranking official, the position is crucial. The Western Capital’s military supplies and baggage all pass through the Guangji Treasury. The military gear and firearms of the imperial offices also go through the Guangji Treasury. Each weapon matters; every pound of gunpowder is critical.”
Chen Shi asked, “Chen Tang, did you buy this post with money? Or did you pull strings to get it for ?”
Chen Tang shook his head and gave him a long, deep look. “In the years I’ve been Vice Minister, the Grand Emissary position at the Guangji Treasury has changed hands seven tis. Five of them had dirty hands, took what they shouldn’t, and were beheaded. Two others tried to control so barracks in the Western Capital and were secretly removed; the investigations produced no results.”
Chen Shi grew stern. It was clear this post was not sothing Chen Tang had bought.
Chen Tang said, “Soone wants to manipulate you and , so they arranged for you to be Grand Emissary at the Guangji Treasury. Countless eyes will be on you. If you make a mistake, they’ll have an excuse to punish you.”
He stopped and said, “Do you know how I rose to the third rank? By being ticulous. I do things carefully and without error. During the years I’ve managed the Ministry’s eight treasuries and four granaries, there were no lapses. Now that you’ve entered the Ministry, rember four words.”
He thrust the lantern at Chen Shi.
Chen Shi took the lantern and saw the two characters on the side facing him: ‘Cautious’. The other side read: ‘Prudence’.
Cautious and prudent.
Chen Tang said, “You beca an official at thirteen. If you aren’t cautious, people will find your weaknesses. These four characters are our mutual admonition.”
Chen Shi studied the characters, was silent for a mont, then said, “Chen Tang, I won’t cause you trouble.”
They returned ho, ate dinner, and Chen Shi went to his room to find a set of ceremonial official robes laid by the bed and two spare sets in the wardrobe.
The next morning Chen Shi put on the official robes. Chen Tang did not send his own n; instead he had Sun Yisheng escort Chen Shi to the Ministry of Revenue.
The Ministry’s offices were crowded, mostly clerks and officials from the Fifty Provinces’ Revenue Office, responsible for managing taxes, households, and supplies for the fifty provinces.
The Western Ox New Continent was vast, and the Ministry was bloated. The great clans had planted too many people inside, so each bureau only had a handful of capable workers.
Chen Shi followed Sun Yisheng and saw so people drinking tea, others running between offices, dashing through building after building until their legs must have been aching.
Also entering the Ministry were several scholars, all middle-aged, here to beco emissaries and deputy emissaries.
Chen Shi asked, “Sir Sun, do the Grand Emissaries and deputy emissaries get replaced often?”
“Very often,” Sun Yisheng replied.
“Ten thousands of taels of silver pass through these hands each day. Countless people outside will offer you silver and beauties. If you write them a note or stamp a seal, you can pocket it. A day or two of temptation is bearable, but over ti few can resist.”
“The ones before them…”
“Were alive a few days ago. Now they’re probably inside the Myriad Soul Banner.”
“Oh.”
They followed the supervising official into the Guangji Treasury. The deputy emissary and clerks were already waiting. After formal introductions, they brought out the Guangji Treasury’s ledgers and guided Chen Shi through the stockpiles.
“Sir, Guangji Treasury has manufactured two hundred thousand linked lead shot, four hundred thousand parent-child lead shot, four hundred thousand target-clipping gun lead shot; twenty-three thousand Five-Dragon Spears, twenty-three thousand three-eyed fire guns, forty thousand bird guns, eighty thousand large, dium, and small iron caltrops. This way, sir.”
Chen Shi stared at the mountains of shot and stopped in front of the iron caltrops.
These large iron caltrops stood taller than a person, slightly taller than him, bristling with iron spikes, each stamped with various thunder talismans.
“Sir, these iron caltrops are inscribed with thirty-six lines of the Nine-Thunder talisman and forty-eight lines of the Five-Thunder talisman. They are filled with three hundred jin of gunpowder and sugar. We call it Five-Yang Thunder gunpowder; it’s extrely potent,” a clerk in charge of supervising their manufacture explained. “The iron spikes are mobile. With a violent collision the spikes compress the gunpowder inside and cause an explosion. When it explodes, the caltrop’s shell breaks into three thousand fragnts and each spike shatters into two hundred pieces.”
Chen Shi’s voice trembled slightly, “Take two of these out to Qu Shang River. I want to test the power and see if you’ve skimped on workmanship or fooled .”
The supervising official and the deputy emissaries and clerks exchanged glances and hurriedly protested, “Young Sir Chen, that’s not allowed!”
Sun Yisheng also urged, “Young Sir Chen, you can’t do that! If you blow those up, the banks of Qu Shang River would see countless casualties! Also, any missing weapon will be your responsibility!”
Chen Shi reluctantly tore his gaze away and moved on, glancing back every few steps.
The supervising official and deputy emissaries exchanged knowing looks and silently concluded, This emissary probably won’t last until next month before he ends up inside the Myriad Soul Banner.
“Sir, this way. Here are the cannon we supervise.”
They quickly led Chen Shi to inspect the artillery and cross-checked the ledgers. “One thousand Great General Cannons, two thousand four hundred Pacifying Cannons, two thousand four hundred foreign-style culverins, ten thousand Bowl-Mouthed Blunderbusses, three thousand rockets, five thousand spray tubes.”
Chen Shi stood before the massive two-zhang-long Great General Cannons, clenching his fists to steady his trembling hands.
Then he saw the dragon-headed rockets and could no longer restrain himself — his hands began to shake.
“I want to go outside and try this!” Chen Shi announced.
Sun Yisheng hurriedly blocked him, “Young Sir Chen, that’s also not allowed!”
Chen Shi looked at the rockets: they were roughly two zhang long, dragon-headed with a dragon body and tail but no legs, filled with gunpowder, and painted with wind-cloud talismans and thunder talismans.
These could ride the wind tens of li, fly at incredible speed, then burst with terrifying force! The explosion would bring wind, thunder, fire, and smoke, with a dragon roar that reverberated and unleashed monstrous force, destroying everything.
Chen Shi looked left and right, unwilling to leave them behind.
A few clerks whispered, “This Young Sir Chen might be in the Myriad Soul Banner by tomorrow.”
They led him to view bows and large crossbows, chariot crossbows, long spears, long swords, battle axes, rattan shields, waist blades, armor, war drums, fire sickles, fire staffs and countless other weapons, all in the tens of thousands, each inscribed with talismans and receiving daily incense offerings as talisman-weapons!
Additionally, there were tens of thousands of jin of saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal, and sugar.
Chen Shi’s eyes glazed over. After finishing the Guangji Treasury tour, it was already afternoon; he was starving but energized.
“I’m in charge of so many firearms, I could level the Western Capital!” he thought.
Sun Yisheng sensed his excitent and quietly warned, “Young Sir Chen, items from the Guangji Treasury cannot be moved. Moving them is a capital offense.”
Chen Shi hesitated and whispered, “What if just one or two go missing?”
He wanted to bring every talisman-weapon out and test them to see their true power.
Sun Yisheng’s expression grew serious, “Even that’s impossible! The supervising official will reconcile the accounts!”
Chen Shi sighed in regret and asked the supervising official, “Sir, are you corrupt?”
The supervising official hurriedly shook his head.
Sun Yisheng worried inwardly, wondering who had been so malicious as to place Young Sir Chen in this role clearly designed to get him into trouble.
But he was the Grand Emissary of Guanghui Treasury and had duties to attend to; he couldn’t watch Chen Shi every mont and had to return to Guanghui Treasury.
At that mont, a group of over ten people hurried in, laughing loudly from a distance. “Grand Emissary of Guangji Treasury! I co by imperial order to inspect the weaponry! Why aren’t you out to greet ?”
Sun Yisheng frowned and looked out to see a Ma Family disciple whom Chen Shi had beaten on the exam road earlier, apparently Ma Zongzhou.
Ma Zongzhou now wore official robes, and the ten or so others with him were scholars who had also taken the exam — including Zhou Qianying — now likewise in official garb. Having been assigned posts upon arriving in the Western Capital was normal.
But judging by their robes, their ranks were not low. So were eighth-rank officials, while Ma Zongzhou was a seventh-rank.
Chen Shi led the clerks out of the Guangji Treasury and looked at the deputy emissary, who hurried forward. “Sir, do you have paperwork?”
Ma Zongzhou waved the deputy aside and swaggered over to Chen Shi with a smile. “This is none of your business. I am the Gongtian Prefecture’s inspector, a seventh-rank official. I’ve co to inspect the arms. Aren’t you going to welco properly?”
Chen Shi’s expression was unchanged. “Please present your paperwork.”
Ma Zongzhou sat down and laughed, “Chen Shi, you didn’t show respect? In ancient tis the higher rank oppressed the lower. I rank two levels above you. At least kowtow to — if you admit fault for your past offenses against , I’ll let it go.”
Zhou Qianying and Wang Ping smiled and looked on.
Chen Shi raised an eyebrow, half-smiling, half-not. “You want to kowtow and apologize?”
Wang Ping chuckled, “Official Chen, Lord Ma is showing rcy by asking you to apologize. You’re ninth-rank, he’s seventh — he can make your life miserable however he likes.”
Zhou Qianying gently advised, “That’s right, Young Sir Chen. Lord Ma’s rank is greater. He’s willing to make peace; just bow and admit fault.”
“Sir Sun, close the doors,” Chen Shi said.
Sun Yisheng was astonished.
Chen Shi slowly took off his official robe and said calmly, “Do you think that by putting on these clothes I no longer have the right to kill?”
He threw the robe to the ground and walked toward Ma Zongzhou.
Ma Zongzhou sensed danger and sprang up, activating his cultivation technique and turning on his spells, but as soon as his vital energy moved, Chen Shi had already reached him. Ma Zongzhou howled in abdominal pain as if struck by a cannonball and flew out, colliding with a Great General Cannon and knocking the massive barrel to one side!
Ma Zongzhou struggled to stand, when a rapid series of explosions rang out. He glanced over to see Zhou Qianying, Wang Ping, and the others all collapsed.
“I cut you so slack for Chen Tang. You’ve only been a good child for a few days,” Chen Shi said.
He grabbed Zhou Qianying, bound the young woman to a dragon-headed rocket, and set the rocket on a launch cradle.
He strode over to Ma Zongzhou, who still tried to resist, but Chen Shi’s two fists shattered his true energy. He bound Ma Zongzhou to another rocket as well.
“Even if I kill you all, which of the Thirteen Great Clans will dare question ?”
Chen Shi tied them up one by one on the rockets and turned to the stunned Sun Yisheng. “Sir Sun, go and notify Gongtian Prefecture. Tell them to co here and apologize, or I’ll send these people up to the heavens.”
Sun Yisheng leapt up and dashed outside, shouting, “Don’t kill them first!”
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