Chapter 96: Yao Capital Treasures, Southern Imperial Way
Shu Tian Calendar 33rd year, 3rd month, Divine Capital. Inside the city along the main river, the rippling river water slowly flows bit by bit through the canal. Due to the overly slow current, wood chips, dead fish, and foam accumulate along the banks.
In the Divine Capital, ships continue to come and go on the canal, but the tamed beasts that once pulled boats in the water are gone. This is because two years ago, Da Yao needed to organize a navy in the Bo River, so all the water beasts in the capital city were mobilized.
Now, batches of rope-pullers have taken over pulling boats in the river channels. They shout chants together while exerting force from the banks. With the great chaos under heaven, many people have come to the Divine Capital to make a living, so labor is not lacking. Here in the Divine Capital, nourished by the qi of under heaven, resources are abundant, and fish and shrimp return to the river every year, making it a place where large numbers of refugees can settle.
But order is gradually collapsing.
…Evil Spirits dividing line…
At this time inside Da Yao’s Demon Suppressing Division, an investigating censor wearing a silver-patterned mask flips through the files of various strange cases under the Son of Heaven’s feet from recent months. Bamboo slips are spread out, and everywhere one looks are strange affairs.
33rd year, 1st month, 22nd day: Fifteen people jumped into the river to commit suicide on the Lin Sheng Golden Bridge.
2nd month, 21st day: In Liu Family Alley, a wife killed her husband. When constables arrived, the woman held scissors and shouted that she had killed a cow.
And yesterday, an old man burned his grandson to death at home.
Each of these cases that disregarded human ethics was quickly concluded in the main hall.
However, cases closed during the day are dug up again at night and sent to the Demon Suppressing Division’s files. These cases are too bizarre, and with their frequent outbreaks during this period, the Demon Suppressing Division is overwhelmed.
Da Yao’s Legalists, namely the investigating censors personally appointed by the Son of Heaven, monitor scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants by day and adjudicate demons and monsters by night. —In times of peace under heaven, ghosts and spirits everywhere are lawfully suppressed by the censors, and popular sentiment is simple and honest.
But in chaotic times, yin yang is imbalanced, and all sorts of bizarre events occur frequently—that means evil spirits are at work.
Jia Cha Yang, as a Da Yao night-traveling investigating censor, has now arrived at the morgue. The coroner stands to one side; the bodies of criminals from those strange cases, after beheading and execution, are stored here. The room emits a scent that is both fragrant and foul.
The coroner lifted the cloth covering the corpse and explained: These madmen, after onset, mutilated themselves on the street. Even when encountering constables, they could not be restrained. After the madness passed, they died directly. Autopsies revealed their brains filled with blue liquid. As for their bones, they were riddled with holes like worm-eaten wood.
Jia Cha Yang waved his hand, telling the coroner to stop. In the Demon Suppressing Division’s internal case records, only one thing matches this characteristic: nightmare butterfly. This butterfly comes at night drawn to people’s resentful dreams, burrows into ears, nose, and other orifices, seizes their spirit, and the mucus it produces causes evil spirits to breed in the brain. After the host dies, the butterfly floats back to its mother body and self-immolates. The butterfly’s mother body relies on this nourishment to achieve a leap in essence, qi, and spirit.
Jia Cha Yang said: We must find the butterfly mother.
In this solemn building, people from the Demon Suppressing Division wearing edict legalist robes, with waist tokens and carrying knives, exit the gate in pairs, dividing tasks to search for clues.
…Three hundred steps away…
On the eaves in Da Yao’s capital region, a young girl with jade-like beauty holds a crystal ball, watching the Demon Suppressing Division in action.
This girl surnamed Li is sixteen years old, originally the cherished daughter of a great family in Jiuyang Commandery. But with bandits rampant in Jiuyang Commandery, she had no choice but to flee north with her family. Her destiny changed when she encountered a young immortal elder in a blue Daoist robe at night; this immortal elder gave her an opportunity. But after heading north with her family, they hit a snag at the Divine Capital branch family and had to live under someone else’s roof.
Yet at this time, she seized the opportunity. A year ago, she was still idly waiting for marriage in her boudoir doing needlework and embroidery; now she is the sacred lady of the Heavenly Canopy Sect.
A butterfly emerges from the night, lands on her shoulder, then phosphorus fire burns on its wings, and the smoke seeps into her clothes.
Immediately after, a grain of rice appears on her snow-white fingertip. Then a caterpillar crawls out, and in a moment it pupates; a new iridescent butterfly forms and flutters from her index finger into the sky. The butterfly is so beautiful, and she has skin like congealed fat.
At this time, her pupils are one blue and one purple: the blue pupil reflects that immortal elder, full of admiration; the purple reflects that Demon Suppressing Division censor, full of toying amusement.
…Blue moon and purple moon fuse together…
After the night watchman completes his final watch call, the golden rooster announces dawn.
On the sixteen river-spanning arch bridges bustling by day, carriages and horses still flow, people come and go, as if those previous cases had no impact on the harmony under the Son of Heaven’s feet.
That censor also removes his mask and goes to a restaurant for a small drink.
Jia Cha Yang is from the Prince of Northern Tranquility’s line, of the same clan as the current Son of Heaven. What he studies is “Legalist,” and in his actions, he has a heart full of zeal to support the Imperial Court.
Today he has come to this restaurant by the Golden Bridge for one person. As the sun rises high, Miss Li’s horse cart passes the street; a maidservant looks around, narrating to the person inside the cart while looking.
Jia Cha Yang glances slightly at the sedan; though he only occasionally sees the slender jade hand of the person inside, he is satisfied. This Miss Li is now heading to the temple to pray for blessings.
Jia Cha Yang first saw Miss Li a year ago, when Zhenzhou suffered military disaster. The Li family fled north to avoid calamity. As an investigating censor, he received an imperial order to monitor these migrating noble families and see with whom they intended to form marriage alliances.
At that time, after seeing this Miss Li, he fell in love at first sight and for a time could neither eat nor sleep. Upon returning, he asked his family elders to propose marriage. But his father refused—nothing else, the Li family was still Zhenzhou famous scholars, but now they were in decline.
As Da Yao elites, once allying in marriage with the Li family, they would have to provide support. But how could they support them? With state affairs as they are, the Prince of Northern Tranquility deeply understands Emperor Shu’s intentions; this Li family daughter is only fit to marry a martial man—well, to win over a martial man. Thus, a marriage had long been arranged for Jia Cha Yang elsewhere.
Jia Cha Yang heard that the Li family was preparing a marriage alliance with General Who Pacifies the South’s Wu Family. After a thousand inquiries confirming that Li Lihua was to marry Wu Fei, Jia Cha Yang was extremely dejected; this mood was like seeing the peony he admired chewed by a cow.
Although chaos is about to engulf under heaven, the common people of the Divine Capital still consider themselves under the Son of Heaven’s feet. In this collective cognition, those beyond the barbaric borders remain inferior.
However, it seems heaven takes pity: Several months ago, the Son of Heaven issued a decree ordering the Ministry of Works to open a new city in the city’s east, relocating noble families from the north afflicted by war into the greater Divine Capital; the decree specifically named the Li family among them.
In this way, Jia Cha Yang saw this Miss Li again.
The sedan passes the arch bridge; Jia Cha Yang folds his fan, a thought arising in his heart: to see his beloved.
After Jia Cha Yang chases after, he completely fails to notice a transparent colorful butterfly floating onto him from behind.
…Karmic dividing line…
The perspective shifts to the Southern Border, where Yao San Gu stares obsessively out the window. Her lower abdomen is slightly bulging, but it’s not noticeable unless looked at closely—just somewhat plump.
Several days ago, after Wu Fei returned to the Southern Border, he immediately visited her, showing exceptional care—in the face of such concern, she felt involuntarily moved, but then came resentment.
Yao San Gu looks down at her belly, gazing at him with the eyes of one wronged. How to put it! She actively introduced this strand of essence qi, originally wanting quick gestation and birth, completing production within nine months—oh, that is, the dark moon in heaven circling nine times.
But something unexpected happened: the fetus’s umbilical cord seemed reinforced by a strange power. No matter how she mobilized magic power, the umbilical cord remained extremely toughly connected.
Nine months passed, no birth; the fetus also did not accept the “Great Dao’s” blessing, awakening world-shocking wisdom in the womb. Instead, like an ordinary fetus, it sucked its fingers and toes. Such a “stupid” child not coming out of her belly disgusted her; for a moment, she wanted to cut open her own abdomen, drag out this stupid son, and personally impart the true Daoist formulas.
But! Every time she wanted to act, she softened.
And this month, something even more unexpected occurred: her Dao power was weakening. Even with the sacred moon in the sky, she found she could no longer absorb a trace of moonlight.
Yao San Gu: Have I been abandoned by the “Great Dao”? After this thought arose, she cried, tears soaking the entire pillow.
She began to resent: resent why she introduced Wu Fei’s ejaculated essence qi? Resent where Wu Fei has gone now?!
…System glances: You’ll suffer later…
Outside the door, Xuan Chong (Wu Fei) is inquiring of the physician.
The physician looks at Xuan Chong: “General, your madam has a good pulse, the fetus is healthy, but!”
Xuan Chong: “But what?”
The physician: “The fetus in Madam’s belly shows only three months on the pulse. If not for having checked her pulse seven months ago, this old man could never have imagined such a situation!”
Xuan Chong is also dumbfounded, but then rewards the physician.
After the physician leaves, Wu Fei mutters: “Could it be a pregnancy of three years and six months (Nezha’s gestation period), won’t it produce a ball, right?”
System: “Your heir is loading, please do not worry.”
Xuan Chong: “Ah?”
Then Xuan Chong: “This, can I use academic credits to one-click accelerate?”
After a long silence, the System responds: “Your thinking is very wrong and needs correction, but this is not gym class, I cannot educate you, I have reported to the gym teacher.”
Though not knowing why, Xuan Chong senses he has made a mistake and quickly says: “No no no.”
…Files are being recorded…
33rd year, 4th month: Wu Fei, who rushed to the Southern Border to oversee reclamation, labors tirelessly. Wu Fei does not care about his reputation in the North; as a keyboard warrior, he checks IP first, stance second. Not in the same IP location, he casually rants freely, but in his old home, Wu Fei’s every action follows the wise and filial conduct under Da Yao’s ritual and law system.
In Fen Xing City, Wu Fei established a village elder council, specifically to receive guidance from the morally respected locals.
The Legalist system Wu Fei promotes retains a human governance system as a buffer. In rigid legal areas, folk human governance factions are allowed to critique the pros and cons of rule of law, ensuring “law” serves the bases of production and military as much as possible.
At this time, Wu Fei politely welcomes four people; these four are representatives among the southern-arriving worthies. Wu Fei knows why they come: to plead for certain people.
Since these four worthies are willing to stay in the Southern Border and personally labor, their IP and stance are correct, so Wu Fei must treat them with the face of respectfully yielding to the worthy.
The head of the four worthies opens: benevolent governance, Imperial Way, and then quotes classics, praising “the General is a man of great virtue and great fortune,” leaving Wu Fei only able to nod in response.
…Directly introduce the matter…
In the past half year, large batches of people from Zhenzhou heading south could not endure the Southern Border’s hardships and prepared to flee north.
However, the only northbound road in the entire Southern Border is the Yongji Pass main road; the rest are mountain stream paths! And unfamiliar with the land, fleeing north is no easy task.
And the Southern Border? Also has bad people. —The interest groups Wu Fei supported along the way are all profit-driven; only profit-driven fits the harsh Southern Border environment.
Thus, when the Zhenzhou people did not know what channel to use, they encountered some people claiming they could lead them to sneak back north. Wu Fei: These foolish kids from Zhenzhou don’t even think why anyone here would help them.
Thus, these locals directly led the Zhenzhou people onto mountain roads, then midway reported to the baojia of Lingnan villages and towns. When the Zhenzhou people were rounded up by arriving laborers into iron cages, seeing their guides standing righteously with the official army reporting captured fugitive slaves, their noses twisted in anger, cursing the treacherous villagers from poor mountains and bad waters.
Wu Fei, hearing this, is greatly shocked: first deceive the Zhenzhou people to flee, then midway rob them, righteously capturing the people.
These Zhenzhou people belong to the “military sequence”; by military law, fleeing means demotion to slave status. —Wu Fei associates this with his group’s southern merchants desperately wanting to lift the ban on slave hunting, so he first suspects them.
But after careful investigation, it is confirmed there is a deeper contradiction. The households migrated from Lingnan here were originally slaves, gaining land only through combat, so they resent these Zhenzhou people arriving and receiving houses and river-adjacent land as superior people standards. Under this resentment, these locals dug pits for the similarly restless Zhenzhou migrants.
Wu Fei cannot help sighing: In any region, people with regional identity have the “local” belonging interest concept. Any administrative force forcibly tilting benefits to support another batch of newcomers “touches their cake.”
Due to Wu Fei’s excessive prestige, all merchants and farmers in the entire Southern Border default to Wu Fei as “master.” But in slaves’ eyes, slaves are also graded.
Lingnan people acquiesce to Wu Fei allocating all land under his name, with ninety percent of slaves under him, but they cannot tolerate Wu Fei favoring these new northern migrants.
…For unity, still need to debate with internal dissenters…
Back to the present, Wu Fei looks at the four Zhenzhou worthies; they want to persuade him to implement benevolent governance and release those Zhenzhou people “deceived” into fleeing north.
After hearing their requests, Wu Fei sips tea; he already has red lines in mind: first, absolutely cannot reduce the benefits for these Zhenzhou migrants; second, fleeing inevitably means slave status, that is the law.
After setting down the teacup, Wu Fei cups hands to the four worthies: “Gentlemen, you want me to implement benevolent governance. Dare I ask, can benevolent governance change this place’s fierce folk customs? Gentlemen have seen the treacherous air of the locals. If gentlemen have a way to make the locals not deceive or pit, peacefully be civilians, not resist government governance—please teach this junior.”
The wise guests look at each other; their original “benevolent governance” persuasion was for Wu Fei to let off the Zhenzhou people, as for the fierce folk customs here, they apparently never thought to use “education and indoctrination” to wash away the barbarism.
However, such double standards, acting biased under the name of benevolence and righteousness, do not conform to the Sage’s words.
One Confucian guest says: “General, you are mistaken. We Da Yao people have long bathed in Imperial Way transformation, naturally teachable; this place is full of savagery, fears authority but not virtue, should use Hegemonic Way!”
Wu Fei stares at him, and after he finishes, says: “Da Yao people have long bathed in Imperial Way, no need for scholars to teach this junior. This junior is himself Da Yao. For Zhenzhou migrants, land and fields granted by the General’s Mansion—which is not higher than native villagers’ starting possessions? I believe northerners more than this southern barbarian can ‘have constant heart with constant property.’ Yet, among northerners, some still scheme and slack, wanting to abandon me and leave! Abandon Lingnan’s education and indoctrination enterprise! Since Imperial Way differs, do not blame Hegemonic Way overpowering.
Wu Fei stops the four worthies from continuing to persuade: “Since scholars want me to implement benevolent governance, then help me educate the local people, teach the native soil folk to learn sericulture and farming. Hegemonic Way beats the unyielding; soil people only breed rebellion. Imperial Way is impartial; people without constant heart, unwilling to build constant property, do not deserve to bathe in it. Southern Border laws are strict; those abandoning land and property shall be slave status. Gentlemen need not persuade further, and do not worry too much—these slave statuses are not without chance to escape. As long as establishing merit in the military, they can also become prominent.”
Da Yao’s these scholars still cite scriptures, requesting Wu Fei compromise, but no longer dare quote mainstream classics, instead using obscure texts to persuade Wu Fei be lenient—this already puts them at a disadvantage.
Wu Fei: “Imperial Way is Imperial Way because the people think it fair. Why do gentlemen scholars always debate me, teaching me to walk the crooked path against the crowd?”
After pointless scripture recitation, the four worthies earnestly persuade for a good while, nearly in despair.
Wu Fei throws out his pre-prepared compromise: “As long as these Zhenzhou people marry local women, legally they are settled here; it’s just wanting to be traveling merchants, temporarily need not enter slave status; after establishing business, having children here, completing contributions in farming, sericulture, and planting, they can return home! (Those high-level ones turned humanoid vassal army with ember pills, and tusi, are very willing to marry daughters to Da Yao people.)
Wu Fei bows repeatedly to the scholars: “I want to act fairly, please assist me, gentlemen.”
The scholars originally wanted to say more, but Wu Fei’s “courtesy” left them speechless.
