Chapter 147: Chengping Temple Well Sword
A violent organization formed by the Capital City Water Merchant General Association, directly responsible for various gang disputes within and outside the water stations, apprehending thieves and murderers, eliminating internal traitors, and even possessing the authority to execute first and report later!
The entry requirement is to be a True Intent Master, and each member is an elite of the same level, having immersed themselves in the martial path for many years and being valiant and skilled in combat.
The people from the water station, upon hearing this, trembled in their boots.
Outsiders, upon hearing this, were also filled with dread.
“Brother Qing Lin? Why are you here, this is…”
Ding Zhang recognized the person and his face turned somewhat grim.
Qing Lin’s expression was cold and hard as he advanced, holding his saber, and handed out a new appointment document. His gaze swept across the entire scene like lightning,
“I am merely here on orders. I do not wish to meddle in your affairs. Just obey the command.”
After speaking, he did not delay. He mounted his horse and sped away, leaving behind only a sky full of dust and a group of dumbfounded onlookers.
Ding Zhang unfolded the new appointment document. With just one glance, his eyes suddenly froze.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly rolled up the unfolded appointment document again and said to the coachman in a deep voice, “Turn around, we’re going back to the village.”
He then said to the crowd, “Ding feels unwell. The date of my assumption of office will be postponed for a few days. Please return, everyone.”
The carriages and horses, in a grand procession, turned back to Ding Fu Village.
The onlookers exchanged bewildered glances, momentarily stunned.
Zhao Guangxi vaguely understood something. His previously smiling face became somewhat stiff, his expression fluctuating.
Liu Ru Yue glanced at Zhao Guangxi with concern.
Guo Guanfu’s smile deepened at the corners of his mouth.
Zhao Guanghui was initially stunned, then suddenly noticed Guo Guanfu’s expression, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
Could it be that the heavens were about to change?!
……
Upon returning to Ding Fu Village, the thick door curtain in the study room was finally lowered.
“Crack!”
An extremely crisp, even somewhat ear-piercing cracking sound suddenly exploded.
A fine porcelain cup shattered on the floor.
Ding Zhang was somewhat out of his composure, his chest heaving violently, panting for breath.
The maidservants and servants standing in the corner were already terrified, kneeling on the ground in unison, not daring to even breathe loudly.
The close butler gestured for everyone to withdraw, and then he stepped forward, asking in a low voice,
“Master Ding, has something happened?”
“The Consul of the North Grand Canal Branch, Jiang Hui, recommended that scoundrel Guo Guanfu to succeed as the Wellhead! Zhao Guangxi will be his deputy, jointly holding the Chengping Guan Well Sword, and they will jointly manage the water transport affairs of Wuqing!”
Ding Zhang said irritably.
The steward, upon hearing this, was somewhat surprised.
This water station Wellhead was not a position appointed by the imperial court, like a prefectural governor or a prefect. There were also various grain and arrest prefectural governors acting as deputies, managing other affairs.
Usually, there was only one Wellhead per county, but there was never a deputy, and jointly holding the Guanjing Sword?
Moreover, wasn’t it already agreed that Zhao Guangxi would take over?
Could it be that something went wrong upstairs again?
The steward’s heart was filled with doubt, and he cautiously said, “Master Ding, may I presume to ask to see the appointment document?”
“Here, take a look! This matter is not to be spoken of to more than one person. You must not leak it! Sigh, I’ll stall for a few more days and think of a solution. You say this was handled.”
Ding Zhang irritably threw the appointment document over, rubbing his glabella in annoyance.
Taking the appointment document, the steward confirmed it was correct, and his eyes changed almost imperceptibly.
Actually, Ding Zhang did not care much about who the next Wellhead of Wuqing County would be.
Since he was leaving, it didn’t matter who took over.
But the key was that Zhao Guangxi had gone to great lengths and given him silver!
If others knew that Ding Zhang had taken money but not done the job, or not done it well, who would give Ding Zhang silver in the future?
This was the most crucial, and the most infuriating, point for Ding Zhang.
A moment later.
Watching the steward’s retreating back, Ding Zhang’s angry expression suddenly faded a bit. He ordered a maidservant to clean up the mess, his eyes having regained their calm.
“It all depends on what you do, Zhao Guangxi. To be able to stall for you for a few days is already me doing my utmost.”
……
Chen Shun’an slowly concluded his practice, his surging qi and blood like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, slowly entering his dantian.
After finishing his morning cultivation, Chen Shun’an slowly stood up.
Golden Needle Li was engrossed in studying medicinal principles, and Chen Shun’an felt he was no less than anyone else, having stayed up all night and cultivated until this hour.
He secretly plucked another Ranyiu Fish Scale and drank a bowl of Calming Water.
He did not dream during sleep and had no worries.
His spirit was full.
This was Chen Shun’an’s innate endowment.
Walking out of the wing room, Chen Shun’an saw Sun Xiao and a few others, all with their torsos bare, forging martial arts with sweat pouring down, circulating qi and blood, sparring with grunts and exclamations.
“Yo, it’s rare to see you at Jindu. Aren’t you going to the Bao Ju to play a few rounds? Did the sun rise in the west today?”
Chen Shun’an teased.
In the past, when Sun Xiao and others escorted Eight Treasures Mercury to the Great Pharmacy, after the mission, they would all have their own ways to relax.
This time it was strange, they had ‘wasted’ the morning on martial arts practice.
Seeing Chen Shun’an emerge, Sun Xiao and the others also stopped their stances. Hearing his words, they looked at Chen Shun’an with some helplessness.
Those with better talent than you are even more hardworking.
How could these people feel at ease to enjoy themselves?
In the past, when Instructor Lin led the team, he would often go to the tobacco shop to buy a couple of rolls of dry tobacco!
I’ve said it before, a man who roams the martial world cannot quit smoking!
By noon, Golden Needle Li had finished refining the pills and pastes that needed to be delivered to the demon-slaying front at Three Forked Road.
The supplies were loaded onto the carts, and everyone tidied their weapons, preparing to set off.
Golden Needle Li handed Chen Shun’an a paste medicine in a bottle, saying,
“Muscle and Bone Softening Paste, thirty liang for various auxiliary medicinal ingredients, ten liang for processing fees. Honest dealing, a total of forty liang.”
Chen Shun’an’s eyes lit up upon seeing this.
He decisively took out the money!
That Water Monkey was a Form-Gathering Demon. After death, its corpse would not disintegrate, and its strength was comparable to a master who had slain two thieves. It was naturally a good material for making medicine and artifacts.
However, most of them contained mysterious poisons, and those who did not understand the trade would be injured if they touched them.
Some even believed in folklore that drying the Water Monkey’s corpse and hanging it by the riverbank could make some water ghosts tremble and dare not seek replacements.
As for the rest of its flesh and blood, bones, and inner core, Chen Shun’an did not want any of it.
What was seen was shared, and it was all distributed to Sun Xiao and the others.
Only the skin of the Water Monkey, covered in slippery mucus, was the most precious, and Chen Shun’an kept it for himself.
The Water Monkey’s skin could not be made into soft armor or treasure robes because the fishy smell was too strong, and the mysterious poison was extremely difficult to remove.
If worn, before it could defend against enemies, the wearer would be poisoned to death.
But it happened to be a main raw material for a kind of Muscle and Bone Softening Paste.
This paste, when lightly applied, could make the skin as smooth as a maiden’s, fading spots and scars, enough to drive all women and prostitutes in the world mad.
And if a certain amount of paste was consumed, it could soften bones and allow for bone shrinking, enabling even an adult man to crawl through an eyehole the size of a wine cup.
It was truly miraculous, a must-have divine medicine for wandering the martial world, robbing homes, and effortlessly acquiring treasures.
It was very suitable for Chen Shun’an.
“Thank you, Golden Needle Li.”
“In the future, if you have any demon corpses, feel free to send them over. Live ones are best. The price will definitely be fairer than giving them to the Sticky Rod Bureau, and you will not be at a loss.”
After Golden Needle Li finished speaking, he hurried back into the alchemy room, as if the outside world’s disturbances were less important than the alchemy furnace.
The group set off, their carriages rumbling, passing through the bustling and crowded Banye Ferry Crossing.
Upon arriving at Three Forked Road, Chen Shun’an found that the number of martial artists here was far greater than he had imagined.
Although it couldn’t be said that first-rate and second-rate martial artists were everywhere, one could still say, “Those coming and going are all men who chew nails and swallow iron; those entering and leaving are none other than men who can subdue dragons and bind tigers,” they were all strong individuals!
Not only were there members from the Wuqing Stick Bureau, but also various martial artists from the Jianghu, Wuqing gangs, and martial arts schools…
It seemed as if the entire martial arts world of Wuqing County had gathered here.
This had caused the black market to close its doors during this period, not daring to open.
Fearing robbery!
Entering the newly constructed public office of the Wuqing Stick Bureau, a martial artist dressed as a Warehouse Keeper stepped forward. After comparing the supplies Chen Shun’an and his group had delivered, they were all put into storage.
“Brother, where is Lin Shou Zhuo now?”
Chen Shun’an inquired for information.
The person recognized Chen Shun’an and had a good attitude, saying gently,
“So it’s Righteous Person Chen. Lin Shou Zhuo, along with a few True Intent Masters, has taken on the mission to pursue that Loach General into the Sancha River.”
A person’s reputation precedes them.
Although Chen Shun’an was on the government’s wanted list and had been given the absurd nickname ‘Fierce Locust’.
On the surface, Chen Shun’an was still a respectable person.
Having saved Hong Junxian amidst a raging fire, he had earned the title of Righteous Person…
The main reason was that Chen Shun’an had acted too few times, and other martial artists did not know what nickname to give him that would fit his cultivation method and personality.
The Warehouse Keeper said in a low voice, “If you wish to take on a mission, go to the main hall. Righteous Person Chen has Inner Department status, so you won’t be forcibly assigned any dangerous missions. You can casually pick up some errands to complete. There seem to be a few patrol and escort missions still at the counter…”
The Warehouse Keeper voluntarily offered insider information.
“Thank you, Brother!”
Chen Shun’an immediately clasped his fists in gratitude.
Entering the main hall, martial artists bustled about.
The arrangement here actually had some of the solemn atmosphere of a military encampment.
The walls were hung with detailed river maps and simplified reports of demon sightings. In the center, a large water-patterned wooden board was densely pinned with various mission bamboo tallies, categorized by Fifth Class merit rewards.
Many instructors and lecturers from the Liangjiang Military Academy had been transferred to serve as Banner Officers, issuing missions and recording achievements.
There were no lack of True Intent Masters with sharp gazes and calm auras.
Otherwise, they would not be able to control this group of unruly martial artists.
“Oh? Brother Sun Xiao is here too? I have an errand to relocate graves at Magandian, perhaps we can go together… Hmm? Is this Senior Chen?”
“Your grave relocation is unlucky and troublesome, what kind of crappy errand is that. Senior Chen, why don’t you accompany me to stand guard at the City God Temple? Food and lodging are provided, and you can return to the county after two days of guarding, earning a minor merit for free!”
“Senior Chen, shall we go with the pursuit team? That’s a great errand for a Fourth-Class Minor Merit!”
As soon as Chen Shun’an and his group entered the hall, many people’s eyes lit up, and they actively extended olive branches.
Of course, most of them were Water Carriers from other water stations, who were usually familiar with Sun Xiao and Chen Shun’an.
Chen Shun’an stood still, not agreeing, and turned to look at Sun Xiao and the others, saying,
“Go pick one quickly, see if there’s anything suitable.”
Chen Shun’an was backing up Sun Xiao and the others.
Sun Xiao and the others were shrewd enough to understand Chen Shun’an’s implied meaning. A flicker of gratitude appeared in their eyes, and they did not refuse, immediately going to discuss joining forces.
