Chapter 582: Change of Events

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"The Novel" by Feng Huo Xi Zhu Hou, published on Zongheng.Link:WAP Link:Red tickets are free. After registering a Zongheng account and accumulating a certain number of points, you will receive red tickets.Every account can bookmark "The Novel."Main Post for Chapter Serialization:Please wait patiently; no replies are allowed before the main content is posted.Xueba Forum Admin Log Link:Xuezhongba Forum Elite Post Application Link:Tieba Official Group Arbitration Team: 1681655 (Monster Bar, Monster Mighty)Monster Club YY: 1655 (Monster Mighty)Users who post replies before the update is complete will be temporarily banned for one day.Member Privilege Early Access () 1st Floor March 27, 2014, 21:42Bid for First Reply Spot:Use T-beans to bid for the first reply spot. The bid must not be lower than the T-bean amount of the current first reply!Member Privilege Early Access Front Row First Reply Spot January 1, 1970, 07:00

Though a sparrow may be small, it has all the vital organs, and so did the county yamen. Its administrative structure mimicked the Six Ministries and Three Departments of the imperial court, and Bishan County had its "Three Gates and Six Divisions." Among the Three Gates, the "Zao Gate" was where yamen runners and clerks gathered; the term "zaoli" (runners) originated from here. As for the "Xun Gate" (Patrol Gate) and "Bu Gate" (Arrest Gate), the roots of Beiliang's imperial guards (Jin Yi You Qi) lay in the Xun Gate, while the Bu Gate produced constables. This was common knowledge, even to three-year-olds in the streets. Regarding the Six Divisions, in Bishan County, County Magistrate Feng Guan monopolized four divisions: Personnel, Household, Public Works, and Justice. He only left the County Sheriff Zuo Jing with a ceremonial division that was effectively a sham. County Captain Bai Shangque managed to secure the lucrative Military Division. As for the Three Gates, Feng Guan took them all under his wing, treating them as his private domain. The Zao Gate, in particular, was completely subservient to Magistrate Feng, which was especially embarrassing for Zuo Jing. In fact, Xu Fengnian, as the Secretary (Zhubo), should have originally been in charge of the Zao Gate. However, Feng Guan was so ruthless in suppressing and marginalizing even County Sheriff Zuo Jing that he paid no heed to "Xu Qi's" (Xu Fengnian's alias) reputation. But Xu Fengnian's mind was focused on observing the operational aspects of a county yamen. Whether he, as a half-hearted Secretary, had any actual power was irrelevant.

Although this ineffective Secretary had no intention of vying for power or profit, he would still stroll through the Three Gates and Six Divisions of the yamen in his spare time. In the Justice Division's prison, a dozen criminals were confined—a motley crew from all walks of life. There were old men who, unable to support themselves in old age, deliberately caused trouble to get a free meal in prison; human traffickers; young thugs who engaged in brawling and troublemaking; and even the lowest kind of lechers who stole women's undergarments and were sent to prison. Among these dozen, only one sixty-year-old man was shackled. The cangue was large, the lock heavy; together they weighed thirty-four jin (about 17 kg). Xu Fengnian specifically reviewed the Justice Division's prison litigation files but found no clues. Later, he invited the head of the Justice Division for a drink and finally managed to coax information out of him. He only learned that the old man's surname was Shen, and he was a notorious river bandit from Hezhou. He seemed to have been involved in a major, life-threatening deal, and after succeeding, the spoils were unevenly distributed. Last year, he was double-crossed in Qing'an County, Youzhou, sustaining severe injuries and fleeing to this county. He had been imprisoned for over half a year. He was originally supposed to be escorted to the prefecture city for execution in early spring this year, but due to the upheaval in Youzhou and the change of officials in Bishan County, his execution was delayed. As for why he wasn't officially recorded in the Justice Division's files, even the junior official of the Justice Division, though drunk, spoke vaguely with shifty eyes.

Since Xu Fengnian had nothing to do anyway, he frequently came to the prison, carrying a pot of 'green ant' wine and some scattered bits of cured meat and snacks. He would pull up a chair and sit in the middle of the aisle, chatting with the inmates on both sides. Eventually, with the exception of the notorious bandit Shen, all the "comrades in misery" in the cells asked this idle Secretary for some green ant wine. Xu Fengnian rarely refused, and little by little, they mingled like drinking buddies. That old man Shen, however, always watched with a cold eye, occasionally opening his eyes, which gleamed with a sharp glint. As the Justice Division officers put it, "That old coot has several lives on his hands; he emanates murderous intent and a heavy malevolent aura."

Each time the gaunt old man barely managed to open his eyelids, a sinister, cold sneer played on his lips as he gazed at the young Secretary sitting outside the prison. It was as if, were he to free his hands, he could pluck that head from his shoulders with just one hand. Whenever this happened, the middle-aged man in the cell next to Bishan County's only heavily shackled convict would show a worried look that he tried to conceal. The man's surname was Wang, an honest and dutiful farmer who seemed to have provoked a powerful clan in Bishan County. Not only was he ruined and lost all his family's possessions, but he was also thrown into jail. In the past six months, a scion of that powerful clan had visited twice, mocking and ridiculing him each time, even viciously threatening to "help" raise the man's wife and daughters. Even some of the other inmates in the prison felt this man was truly miserable and might as well smash his head to death for a clean end. "His enemy outside is enjoying 'mother and daughter flowers'—is this brother of ours going to complain to the rats that often crawl across his face while he sleeps? No wonder he has drooping 'eight-character' eyebrows; he's clearly destined for suffering and hardship."

Today, Xu Fengnian again sat in the prison, chatting with the inmates. He had just received his salary yesterday, most of which was confiscated by Pei Nanwei and hidden away somewhere, leaving only some loose silver. She said it was his wine money for the month, and he could handle it as he saw fit. However, the tides had turned. After Feng Guan delegated authority over a Public Works Division to the Secretary, it was mostly County Sheriff Zuo Jing who invited Xu Fengnian for drinks. Thus, Xu Fengnian was no longer as short on funds as before. However, the Public Works Division in Bishan County, responsible for land reclamation and water conservancy, yielded very little profit, barely worth mentioning. More importantly, Magistrate Feng, for the first time ever, actively showed goodwill towards the Secretary, making all the yamen servants look at the Secretary with newfound respect. But during one drinking session, Zuo Jing subtly hinted to the ignorant Secretary Xu, "A common man with a treasure will attract trouble. Be very careful not to invite a wolf into your house." Xu Fengnian feigned ignorance and muddle-headedness, and Zuo Jing, thinking this boy was possessed by a demon, just waited to see him make a fool of himself.

Xu Fengnian called over two jailers with whom he already had a familiar relationship, and the three of them ate cured meat while drinking. If any inmates looked envious, he would have the jailers send them some wine and meat. When a young master in splendid clothes entered the prison, covering his nose with a sachet, Xu Fengnian was somewhat surprised. There were three people sitting in the aisle drinking and eating meat, and most of the inmates were sitting by the wooden bars of their cells near the corridor, all laughing and telling dirty jokes. The young master frowned. Xu Fengnian picked up a wine cup, wiped it with his sleeve, and smilingly raised the cup, asking if he wanted a sip of green ant wine. The scion of a prominent family glanced sideways, ignoring him. The two jailers, who knew the whole story, discreetly exchanged a look with the Secretary and then pointed at the inmate named Wang. Xu Fengnian gave a knowing smile and nodded. The young master walked directly to the cell of the farmer and was about to speak, rubbing salt in this guy's wounds. Just then, four burly constables arrived, escorting two prisoners of disparate age. The older one was shifty-eyed and sly-looking, while the younger one was clad in rags but had heroic, bushy, sword-like eyebrows that made him, despite his dirty face, command a second glance, making him seem completely out of place in this prison. However, when his steps slowed slightly, a constable punched him in the back, causing him to stumble and almost fall. The older accomplice quickly helped him up, fawningly smiling at the constables. Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, "What did they do?"

The four constables were quite close to County Magistrate Feng Guan and County Captain Bai Shangque and had always looked down upon this Secretary. However, they had accumulated some social graces and connections in official circles. The head constable forced a lukewarm smile and said, "Reporting to Secretary, these are two low-class petty thieves, audacious beyond belief. They stole into Old Madam Zhu's residence. It's a blessing accumulated in their previous lives that they weren't beaten to death on the spot."

After speaking, the constable quickly walked up to the young master who was covering his nose from the prison's stench with a sachet. With a humble and fawning smile, he said, "Isn't this Young Master Song from the prefecture city? It is an honor to have you grace our humble place, Young Master Song! Please rest assured, as soon as my brothers have time, we will take care of that blind fool. We'll guarantee he'll wish he were dead…"

The effeminate young master took out a brocade money pouch, casually tossed it to the head constable, and softly said, "Don't actually kill him. It's not a big deal, just troublesome. I'm not afraid of trouble, just of being bothered."

The constable, who had received an unexpected windfall, chuckled, "We brothers know what we're doing. Every time we beat him, we put two or three layers of cotton cloth underneath, so there are no external injuries visible; it's all internal."

The young master looked around, his gaze finally falling on the man named Wang. He pointed and said with a smile, "Why don't you throw these two petty thieves into this cell?"

The constable replied without hesitation, "What's difficult about that?"

The young master turned to the two thieves and admonished with a smile, "When you go in, take good care of that old resident. If you take good care of him, you'll naturally have plenty of wine and meat."

The old thief with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks gulped, glanced at the Secretary's small wine table, and timidly asked, "Sir, can we get some wine on credit first? I promise, as soon as I'm in, I'll build a good rapport with your old acquaintance."

The young master looked at Xu Fengnian. In his opinion, for such a small matter, a Secretary from a lower-grade county would not, and dared not, refuse. Even a newcomer to Bishan County should know the reputation of the Song clan from Yanzhi Prefecture city. But he quickly raised his eyebrows, and a sinister malice appeared between them. The young Secretary actually reached out and gently covered the wine cup, clearly showing disrespect! The old thief, who would most likely not get any wine, secretly delighted at this scene. Since he had unintentionally fanned the flames and created a rift between an official and a powerful dissolute young master, it was not worse than having a good drink. Young Master Song sniffed the subtle fragrance of the sachet's sandalwood chips and smiled sinisterly, "Fine, I didn't expect Bishan County to have someone I couldn't move. I've learned my lesson."

The middle-aged man named Wang, who had never exchanged a word with Xu Fengnian, raised his head and gave a grateful smile to this Secretary who had no grasp of official etiquette.

Song Yu, a scion of the Song clan from Yanzhi Prefecture, walked directly out of the prison. The constables, after pushing the two petty thieves into the cell, also strode away. After Secretary Xu offended Young Master Song, they even omitted the customary farewell owed by a subordinate.

Secretary Xu, who had inadvertently made an enemy, stood up, preparing to leave the prison. The old, heavily shackled convict suddenly grinned and laughed, "Boy named Xu, you're an interesting official. I'll drink a few cups of your wine; I don't mind dirtying my mouth. Come, bring me some wine!"

Xu Fengnian remained indifferent, walked out of the prison, and left all the wine and meat for the jailers.

The old man mumbled curses, but his eyes met those of his two new neighbors, and they nodded to each other.

It was a night with a bright moon and sparse stars. Xu Fengnian was on duty at the Public Works Division. The Public Works Division was on the same level as the Justice Division but in a different row, set further back, though not far from the prison. Although Bishan County was an insignificant lower-grade county, the Patrol Gate, Arrest Gate, and Justice Division servants had many skilled individuals. This was because Bishan County had a large jurisdiction and many disputes, yet the yamen had limited positions. Without real skills, one couldn't hold their ground; this "latrine" would have long been made a stink by those scoundrels. The previous batch of county officials knew what was important: if too many cases of murder and arson accumulated, it would no longer be a minor matter of superficial appearance. Xu Fengnian was alone in the Public Works Division. He suddenly stood up, poured a cup of wine, and walked out of the room with it, "coincidentally" bumping into four people swaggering out of the prison. All were wearing ill-fitting jailer uniforms, looking somewhat comical. Xu Fengnian, with a bewildered look, froze on the spot and was about to speak when the old, heavily shackled convict, who had shed his shackles, rushed forward swiftly like a clap of thunder, smashing a fist into his forehead. The Secretary flew backward. Before hitting the ground heavily, the suddenly attacking bandit caught up with long, swift strides, placed a foot on his back, deftly neutralizing his momentum. The Secretary's body landed silently, without a sound. The old man's withered fingers intertwined and twisted as he chuckled, "I haven't stretched my muscles and bones in a long time. I couldn't resist just now and almost messed up the important matter of 'cicada shedding its shell'."

Behind the old man were three others: the two petty thieves and the tragic farmer named Wang. The latter, seeing this scene, couldn't bear to watch, while the former two remained expressionless. The younger man stepped forward, glanced at the Bishan County Secretary lying on the ground, and softly said, "Senior Shen, this person is an official; why not abduct him as a hostage? The night patrols in Bishan County are always strict and quite troublesome. If something goes wrong midway, we'll have a safeguard. Once we're in the mountains, it won't be too late to kill him."

The old man thought for a moment, then waved to the farmer and said, "Wang Shiwei, you still have some strength. Carry this person on your back and come into the mountains with me. After this, it will be easy for you to get revenge against that Song scion."

The farmer, who always had a suffering expression, remained silent and carried Secretary Xu on his back.

The four, plus the unconscious Secretary, knew their way around. The young man who initiated the prison break led the way. They stopped and hid when they heard a sound, and if they couldn't hide, they would leap onto walls, showcasing excellent lightness skills. Only Wang Shiwei merely had brute strength and could not be called skilled in martial arts; the old man, whose surname was Shen, would simply grab his shoulder and carry him over walls two or three zhang high. This was probably what ordinary people called "walking on rooftops and vertical walls." The group left the yamen with some scares but no danger. Bishan County city had no deep moats or high walls, nor did they encounter any city patrol soldiers that night, so they escaped far away easily and comfortably. On a secluded path, three riders in black robes met them, bringing three unridden horses. The old man, with a tip of his toes, landed on a horse's back. With no outsiders around, he laughed heartily, "Liu Yu, you and Wang Shiwei ride together on one horse. While you're at it, kill the Secretary and abandon his body in the wilderness. Consider it a farewell gift from me to Bishan County!"

The farmer braved himself and said, "This Secretary is not a bad person, Senior. Can't you show mercy?"

The old man scoffed, "Whether he's a good person is hard to say, for one cannot see into another's heart. But since he's a good official, he deserves to die! Wang Shiwei, where do you get this womanly compassion from? A dog cannot change its habit of eating shit! It serves you right that your wife and daughters were humiliated and bullied by that powerless scion of a powerful clan. If it were me, even without these skills, I could still kill that effeminate man with the sachet today!"

The man remained silent, wanting to speak but hesitating. Seeing the young man, whom the senior called Liu Yu, approach, he gritted his teeth, shifted his feet, and stepped back a few paces, seemingly determined to protect the life of the young official on his back.

The old man saw this and frowned, "Wang Shiwei, I took you out of prison because I pitied you as a pitiful person. Don't push your luck. My temper is indeed a thousand times better than when I was young, but the nickname 'Heart-Carving Hand' given by my peers in the martial world still holds. If you don't put down that Secretary, Liu Yu will kill you too, and I won't care. Besides, to find a place to sit in the Immortal Coffin Cave, you must kill someone as a pledge of allegiance. I'll give you one last chance: either go to the underworld with that damn Secretary, or personally kill that boy on your back and go gloriously to Mount Fulu. I have some connections with both the Mountain Master and the Cave Master and can speak a few good words for you. Otherwise, even if you go up the mountain, no one will consider you important. Weigh your options yourself!"

The honest and dutiful man struggled with a fierce inner battle, hesitant and indecisive.

This mishap at Bishan County prison quickly alarmed the County Magistrate and County Sheriff, who got up and put on their robes. Feng Guan's face was grim, while the second-in-command, County Sheriff Zuo Jing, remained expressionless but secretly rejoiced. "Let Feng Guan hold all the power," he thought. "The escape of the heavily shackled convict named Shen was one thing—after all, he hadn't been officially recorded initially, so amends could still be made. But that man named Wang was a target of the Song clan, the local bigwigs of the prefecture city. Otherwise, they wouldn't have spent resources to transfer him from the prefecture city prison to this small Bishan County. If you, Feng Guan, can't even handle such a small matter, how can you hope to be promoted to Yanzhi Prefecture city? Even if you somehow get there, aren't you afraid the Song clan will make things difficult for you?" It was a case of misfortunes never coming singly. Upon hearing a servant report that Song Yu visited the yamen overnight, Zuo Jing slightly turned his head, staring at the thick, red candle on the hall, which was as thick as a baby's arm, and showed a barely concealed joyful smile. However, Zuo Jing's smile soon vanished, because after the scion of a prominent family, Song Yu, requested that all yamen subordinates be dismissed, leaving only the County Magistrate and County Sheriff, the two "parent-officials," he shed his arrogant expression, clasped his hands, and said, "I apologize for my previous offense to you two sirs; I hope you can forgive me. Shen Li, nicknamed 'Heart-Carving Yama,' is a bandit who has been on the run in Youzhou for many years. I, Song Yu, once held a special identity within the Yanzhi Prefecture's Justice Department. Wang Shiwei was the chief constable of Qing'an County. All of this planning was intended to deliberately 'let the tiger return to the mountains' and uncover the lair of Mount Fulu. Besides Lord Wang, County Captain Bai also invited elite scouts and one hundred light cavalry from Duke Ruojiang's garrison. Then, we only need to coordinate with Lord Wang from both inside and outside…"

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