Chapter 127

Chapter 127

The spin-off products related to *Catching Demons* were selling quite well, especially the carved wooden boxes.

Over in Qingyun County, Qin Xiaoyuan had taken on three apprentices, and they were all working on wood carvings together.

Since Shen Yuan’s status was now much higher, Ji Xingwang could now collaborate with skilled woodcarvers from Qingyun County and several surrounding counties. However, manpower was still insufficient.

Operating outside their home territory was not their forte. Interpersonal relationships in different places were deeply intertwined and extremely complex. Fearing potential mishaps, Ji Xingwang opted for a steady approach and did not risk recruiting more people from other regions.

This was also Shen Yuan’s intention. The current environment they were in was nothing like that of later eras.

There wasn’t even a civil service examination system yet; everything was decided by powerful aristocratic families. He already had a number of ventures under his management, and his trade had even reached various countries.

The wood carvings were not a pressing concern; it was better to proceed cautiously for now.

Although the production of *Catching Demons* wood carvings was still limited, at least they could be produced.

The wood carvings related to the previous few stories had already been discontinued, and it was unclear when a re-release might be scheduled.

All sales matters for the Storytellers' Union were handled by Ji Shuang.

Shen Yuan, Shen Dong, and two others were responsible for teaching people about the props needed for the stage, as well as the writing, painting, and design related to stage arrangement. Shen Yuan and Shen Nan were additionally responsible for writing stories.

Last time in the imperial palace, Shen Yuan had promised Li Xing to write a story related to the military.

After spending a day at the army kitchen and contemplating for a while, he was now ready to start writing.

It would still take some time to complete it.

Shen Nan, however, had finished his first story.

After writing it, he immediately showed it to Shen Yuan. While waiting for Shen Yuan to read it, the boy hung his head low, fists clenched tightly, incredibly nervous.

Shen Yuan read it carefully, his eyes holding a glint of astonishment.

The writing style was somewhat naive and unpolished, but it was a good story.

It told of a soldier returning from the battlefield, having narrowly escaped death, expecting to see his beloved parents, wife, and children, only to find their simple graves instead.

It turned out that while he was fighting enemies on the front lines, his family had been driven to their deaths, one by one, by oppressive taxes and levies.

Ruthless tax collectors came to their door daily, threatening them with knives, forcing them to hand over money.

The family had long run out of money or food. The child fainted from hunger multiple times. The parents were injured while working to earn money, but they had to grit their teeth and endure.

In the end, not only could they not earn money, but their injuries worsened. In too much pain to work properly, they even had to forfeit three days' wages.

Returning home in despair, they saw the harsh officials had come again. They were holding the grandson, who was too weak from hunger to move, forcing the daughter-in-law to produce money.

But where would the family have any money?

The daughter-in-law alone tended their ten *mu* of land. The parents had to go to the county town before dawn to clean chamber pots for wealthy families, then return to forage for wild vegetables in the mountains, chop firewood, and fetch water.

Even with just those ten *mu*, they had to pay this tax and that levy. The grain that actually reached their hands was lucky to be thirty percent of the harvest.

Exchanging new grain for old, they could barely scrape by. Not starving to death was already a great fortune.

Taxes had just been collected, and yet more were demanded.

They said it was to fight bandits, but not a single bandit died—they were the ones starving to death!

The harsh officials whipped the woman. The old couple tried to intervene, but already injured and chronically underfed, they were beaten to death.

The woman cried out in shock, wailing for her parents.

After beating the old couple to death, the officials showed not a shred of remorse. Instead, they threatened the woman to hand over money, or they would kill her son too.

The woman had no choice but to give the officials the last bit of grain in the house.

However, that night, after the woman buried her parents and finally managed to borrow some grain, her child had already starved to death.

The woman was overcome with grief. Holding her child's body, she dashed her head against the wall and died.

Villagers helped collect the bodies, burying all four together.

Upon learning the whole story, the soldier went alone to the county government office.

He seized a knife from an official and cleaved the main gate open with one slash. Inside the yamen, there was singing, dancing, and revelry. Officials were gathered together, tables laden with endless amounts of grain, meat, and fine wine...

The soldier watched as one person tossed a perfectly good chicken leg to a dog, and another scooped a bowl of gleaming white rice, complaining the grains were a bit hard.

On the floor were boxes containing copper coins stained with blood, dozens of them, just left there like that.

They didn't even bother pretending anymore. Right there in the yamen, under the plaque proclaiming justice and service to the people, they indulged in wanton pleasure.

How despicable! How hateful!

The soldier raised his knife, his eyes red with killing intent.

He watched these people flee in panic, watched them kneel and beg for mercy, watched them offer blood-stained copper coins, pleading with him to take them and spare their lives...

The soldier paused for a moment. His voice, unused for so long, was hoarse and dry.

He asked, "When my family begged you, did you spare them?"

"What?"

"Warrior, no one begged us."

The soldier couldn't help but find it laughable. His family's pleas for mercy hadn't even reached these people's ears.

The knife fell.

Clatter, clatter, clatter—

Heads rolled, copper coins scattered across the floor.

The story ended there. Shen Yuan looked at Shen Nan's words. The earlier parts were written with blood and tears in every character. The final words were like sharp swords, like the soldier's knife, cutting through the darkness, filled with righteous hatred for evil and a piercing intensity.

The expression in the writing and the story was the complete opposite of Shen Nan's usual quiet, reserved, and introverted nature.

After finishing the story, Shen Yuan gently hugged Shen Nan.

"Nannan's story is exceptionally, exceptionally good," Shen Yuan affirmed first.

This hug was meant to comfort.

From Shen Nan's story, it wasn't hard to see that he had never been able to forget the scene of the minor officials coming to his home to collect taxes all those years ago. Even though those minor officials had been punished, it couldn't erase the hurt in Shen Nan's heart.

But Shen Nan doesn't have to forget; it's okay if he remembers.

Because he remembers, he is able to write such powerful stories even at such a young age.

When Shen Yuan said he would share this story in the teahouse and have it printed, Shen Nan's eyes widened with surprise and delight.

"Big brother, will people really like my story?" Shen Nan asked, lacking confidence.

"Of course, many people will definitely like your story," Shen Yuan affirmed again.

The story needed to be copied and sent to the Review Office where Guo Mingchen and Xu Kangfu worked. Once approved, it would be sent to the printing workshop in Qingyun County.

Hearing that the newly submitted story was written by Shen Nan, Xu Kangfu, who was responsible for the review, immediately began reading it.

After he finished, Guo Mingchen would conduct a secondary review. After all, there were only the two of them in this department, but the stories had great influence. If any mistake occurred, they would be the first to be held directly responsible.

After reading the story, Xu Kangfu was very surprised that it was written by a child, especially since he had met Shen Nan. The style of the story was a world apart from Shen Nan's own demeanor.

Xu Kangfu handed the story to Guo Mingchen and patted his shoulder. "This story is good."

Taking the manuscript, Guo Mingchen pored over it for a whole day.

"Stop reading, it's already dark," Xu Kangfu came in and pulled Guo Mingchen out of the room. The two stood under the moonlight, with a cool breeze blowing and the moon hanging bright in the sky.

Guo Mingchen suddenly said, "Uncle, I want to try again." He spoke word by word, earnestly: "I want Zhang Weiyuan, and Prince Rui who protects him, to pay in blood for my parents and younger brother, who died so tragically."

Xu Kangfu, standing beside him, had seen this coming. When he saw Shen Nan's story, he knew what Guo Mingchen would say.

"You've called me 'uncle'; what else can I say?"

Xu Kangfu asked him, "What do you want to do? Follow State Preceptor Shen's method, or do as Shen Nan wrote? However, Prince Rui is currently being watched by the Lord. Whatever the method, it would be difficult to make a move now."

Guo Mingchen looked up at the moon and abruptly said, "All these years, I've been thinking about one question."

"What?"

Xu Kangfu also thought it was odd, though not incomprehensible.

"Zhang Weiyuan's status in the imperial city is awkward. When Prince Rui sees him, perhaps he sees a reflection of himself."

The logic tracked, but Guo Mingchen always felt something was off.

He had stayed in Zhang Weiyuan's courtyard for a long time before. Pingcheng was not a region of great wealth, but the expenditures in Zhang Weiyuan's residence were extremely luxurious.

Some items were even reserved for the royal household.

Even if he had almost become the new emperor, it was only "almost"; in the end, he didn't succeed.

Yet the things in his courtyard were of such quality that even the current Emperor didn't enjoy luxuries of that caliber.

"You have a theory?" Xu Kangfu asked.

Guo Mingchen nodded. "I suspect Zhang Weiyuan is Prince Rui's child."

"Ah?" Xu Kangfu was shocked and said very quietly, "Your suspicion is too far-fetched. Prince Rui is incapable of having children."

Prince Rui had wives and concubines but had never fathered a child.

It couldn't be that all the women who entered Prince Rui's mansion were infertile; it had to be that Prince Rui himself was incapable.

This was an open secret, but due to Prince Rui's status and the fact that his infertility was beneficial to those on the throne, no one would be tactless enough to bring it up.

"Also, if he really were Prince Rui's son, do you think the late Emperor would have let Zhang Weiyuan live? The reason Prince Rui could live peacefully as a prince in the imperial city, aside from being the late Emperor's younger brother, was precisely because he couldn't have heirs. The late Emperor was a man of profound suspicion, especially in his later years. He was aware of the schemes his sons were plotting; not only did he allow it, he secretly fanned the flames, ultimately leading to the deaths of all the princes. If Zhang Weiyuan were Prince Rui's son, with the late Emperor's capabilities, how could he not have found out?"

Xu Kangfu patted Guo Mingchen's shoulder. "You're too close to see clearly."

Guo Mingchen knew the logic too. Perhaps his uncle was right.

"I want to go find State Preceptor Shen," Guo Mingchen said.

"To use State Preceptor Shen's method?"

"Because by using State Preceptor Shen's method, the Lord will step in to aid him." Guo Mingchen looked at Xu Kangfu and stated firmly, "To aid State Preceptor Shen."

Xu Kangfu took a sharp breath. "You're daring to scheme against the Lord as well? Don't play with fire and get burned. If anything happens to State Preceptor Shen, the Lord will surely skin us alive, tear out our tendons, and devour us raw."

"However, if there's anyone left in this world who can help us, besides State Preceptor Shen, there's no one else."

How could Guo Mingchen not know Shen Yuan's significance to Xie Yulin? How could he not know the danger of this matter?

But this was a debt of blood; he was truly out of options.

"I'd die before I let State Preceptor Shen come to harm. But this matter is dangerous regardless. Even if State Preceptor Shen isn't hurt, the Lord will punish us. Uncle, please don't get involved in this."

Guo Mingchen's resolve was firm and unchangeable.

He said, "My parents and younger brother are my blood relatives. Uncle, you are my grandfather's adopted son. You left home young and never changed your name or registered in the family records. I don't want the Guo family's affairs to disturb your peace either."

As soon as the words were out, Guo Mingchen received a good beating from Xu Kangfu.

"When I saved you back then, you didn't call me 'adopted son' or say this was 'the Guo family's business.' At this critical moment, you start drawing lines. Are you asking for a beating?"

Guo Mingchen stood there and took it without moving.

Xu Kangfu didn't hit for long; Guo Mingchen was too solidly built, and hitting him just made Xu Kangfu's hands hurt.

"The Lord is aware of everything concerning us. No one has secrets from him. The reason we were allowed to come back from Qingyun County and live such peaceful lives is because we were obedient enough back then. You want to go find State Preceptor Shen—do you think if I don't get involved, the Lord will spare me?" Xu Kangfu's eyes darted in thought. "Earlier, when Prince Rui had a group of court officials petition on Zhang Weiyuan's behalf for the Storytellers' Union, it seemed like he wanted a share of the pie. In my opinion, his real target for leverage was the Lord."

"Uncle means Prince Rui knows something?"

"The Lord and State Preceptor Shen never made a secret of it from the beginning. Even if they tried, they couldn't hide it. I don't know why Prince Rui would use State Preceptor Shen to restrain the Lord, but whatever the reason, given the kind of man the Lord is, he would never allow such a danger to remain near State Preceptor Shen. Even if you and I don't seek State Preceptor Shen's help, the Lord will find a way to deal with Prince Rui."

Xu Kangfu pondered for a moment and sincerely advised Guo Mingchen.

"If you want revenge, it's best not to involve State Preceptor Shen. Let's go find the Lord. Times are different now. Prince Rui has offended the Lord, and the Lord will most likely put you and me on the job. Then, we can also use the manpower the Lord provides."

"State Preceptor Shen is forthright and treats people with sincerity. If you and I exploit his sincerity, we will never again have someone who treats us with such genuine kindness. Mingchen, don't use State Preceptor Shen."

"Moreover, the Lord has gone to great lengths so that State Preceptor Shen can live as he wishes. Even in Youyang, a place full of danger and schemes, he can peacefully create his own stories, free from other worries. If you and I shatter this peace, the consequences are unimaginable."

Guo Mingchen did not fear the outcome or the wrath. But he indeed felt guilty; he shouldn't involve Shen Yuan, who treated them so well.

"I lost sight of what's right. Uncle, let's seek out the Lord."

The shadow guards came and went without a trace, unnoticed by anyone, vanishing into the dark night.

Xie Yulin listened to the report brought back by the shadow guard, his fingertips tapping on the desk.

Qingyun, Pingcheng...

If one were to go to Pingcheng, one route would pass through Qingyun.

However, that path was quite circuitous compared to the others, and there was a particularly remote and dangerous mountain road in the middle.

Xie Yulin noted this information.

Xu Kangfu was indeed clever, not acting on Guo Mingchen’s instructions to seek out A-Yuan.

As for the matter of Prince Rui, it was acceptable to leave it to the two of them.

It was just that these two were too calculating and needed their edges smoothed a little.

They spoke about it deliberately in the open, as if they were afraid the shadow guards wouldn’t find out.

They hadn't used A-Yuan to deal with Prince Rui; they were using A-Yuan to get to him.

...

Shen Ye had been staying in the Tranquil Garden for over a month and had finally fully recovered.

Shen Ye really didn't want to recall the torment of those days and nights.

Once recovered, he hurried back to the West City; after all, east or west, home is best.

But then again, if it weren't for the illness troubling him in the Tranquil Garden, the garden would have been more comfortable.

Little Black also became lively and energetic, coming out from time to time each day, crawling over Shen Ye as if inspecting its territory.

According to Tan Lao, Little Black’s next mating season would be in winter, as Gu worms enter estrus twice a year.

If it hasn't mated by the end of the third season, it will die.

Shen Ye stroked Little Black, watching it happily wag its tail, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Still so happy-go-lucky, even when you're facing death."

To be honest, Shen Ye didn't hold much hope of finding a Gu worm similar to Little Black.

In fact, he had no hope at all.

He had never told anyone that the old man originally told him this was the only one of its kind in the world, extremely powerful, and that he should take good care of it as it would guarantee his safety.

But even without hope, why not look? Just in case.

What if there actually was one?

Shen Ye felt conflicted, torn between despair and the thought of "what if."

He spent a few days tangled in these thoughts when a group of peculiar individuals arrived in Youyang City.

These people were tightly wrapped in black cloth from head to toe, with intricately crafted silver ornaments visible on their exposed hands.

As they passed by, there was a clear, tinkling sound from their bodies, but it was muffled by the black robes, making it hard to hear clearly.

Someone happened to see one person's eye and found it strange. Upon closer look—whoa! Damn, a huge black centipede was sitting right on the person's eyelid.

The sight terrified that person, who screamed and stumbled backward several steps.

Shen Ye had nothing to do during the day and was sleeping like a log in his nest.

Little Black, who was sleeping alongside him, suddenly twitched and pointed its tail in a certain direction.

Shen Ye opened one eye and kept the other closed, looking at Little Black. "What are you waving your tail around for instead of sleeping properly, kid? Now you're a part-time shadow guard; you still have to keep an eye on people at night. It's tough work, so get some rest."

When Xie Yulin learned about Little Black as a secret weapon, he had discussed it with Shen Ye in the Tranquil Garden, wanting Little Black’s help in keeping watch on Prince Rui.

The prince's residence was heavily guarded. Although Xie Yulin had planted people inside, those agents were limited in number and had to be reserved for critical moments.

Little Black was a Gu worm; crawling around at night in the dark, it wouldn't be noticed.

Others couldn't understand what Little Black meant, but Shen Ye could.

Moreover, Shen Ye was Shen Yuan's uncle, and the two had a good relationship, so there was no way he would harm Shen Yuan.

Thus, as soon as Little Black’s mating season ended, it was put to work as a laborer.

Shadow Guard Little Black deeply felt that its master was right—it was a shadow guard now, different and hardworking, so it needed to sleep.

Then it would ignore those subjects coming to find it for now.

While lying down, Little Black couldn't help but sense them.

Hmm, quite a few have come.

When its master needs help fighting, it won't have to worry about lacking insects to use, heh heh.

Little Black couldn't resist and gently wagged its tail again.

The arrival of the people from Younan Country was quickly noted, and they were escorted into the palace.

In the grand hall stood a group of people wrapped in black robes, looking quite peculiar.

Li Xing couldn't make out who was who, so he asked them to remove their hoods.

The people from Younan Country exchanged glances, and finally, the Grand Elder said, "Then we ask the Emperor and ministers of Wu Country not to be alarmed."

With that, he took the lead and removed his hood.

After a brief pause in the hall, screams erupted.

Among the people of Younan Country, some had snakes coiled around their necks, others had toads perched on their heads, and some had strange creatures curled up on their shoulders—with long tails and large eyes, looking smooth but frightening. There were even people with moving branches in their hair. Butterflies, spiders, centipedes, mantises, and various other strange insects were too numerous to count.

These were the ones visible after removing the hoods; who knew how many more were hidden beneath the black robes.

It was truly horrifying.

Since the words had already been spoken, Li Xing couldn't very well ask them to put their hoods back on.

So, it had to be this way.

The Grand Elder of Younan Country took the initiative to show their sincerity. "We have come on behalf of Younan Country not only to learn the knowledge from 'Catching Demons' but also to establish friendly relations with Wu Country. Our two countries are neighbors and should be the closest of friends. To demonstrate our sincerity, we are willing to present ten thousand Gu worms."

"What do we need gu worms for!" a Wu Kingdom official blurted out, unable to help himself—these things were simply too terrifying. They didn’t know how to control them either; if mishandled, these ten thousand gu worms could cost the lives of the Wu Kingdom's people.

Although the speaker’s attitude was poor, the point was valid.

Li Xing didn’t want gu worms either.

That was a job for experts—even if they took them, they wouldn’t know how to use them.

He also didn’t want to waste time, disliking drawn-out, tedious negotiations.

He got straight to the point: "The Wu Kingdom has no use for gu worms. If possible, You'nan could trade with grain, gold, silver, copper, iron, salt, or coal instead. You also have plenty of precious timber and spices—those could be traded too."

Why offer gu worms when you have all these good things?

The Grand Elder couldn't understand it.

None of the You'nan people could.

Gu worms were difficult to cultivate, and their effects were remarkably varied. Some could cure illnesses, some could prolong life, others could alleviate pain, and there were even those capable of killing, protecting, controlling people, communicating with insects, warding off disasters, praying for blessings… the list went on and on.

Yet the Wu people didn’t want any of them, opting for those common, worthless items instead.

Perhaps the Wu people were just kind-hearted.

That’s what the You'nan people thought.

"Very well, we of You'nan agree."

The Grand Elder agreed without much hesitation. Being able to save ten thousand gu worms was wonderful! After all, it was the Wu Kingdom that refused them, so no one could say You'nan wasn't being sincere.