The Agricultural Affairs Bureau has the responsibility to ensure a good harvest, and during the Harvest Festival, not only Grain City but the entire Nanyang County will see corresponding adjustments in weather.
The county-level Agricultural Affairs Bureau controls a vast area of weather, and occasionally, when some details are not in place, it relies on the local agricultural officials to fulfill their duties.
In the past few days, Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui have been inspecting and patrolling in Peaceful Town.
After a round in Peaceful Town, they finally arrived at the home of the village chief.
Statistics on harvests and tax payments do not require Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui to manage; they mainly just ask about the situation casually.
The village chief is already over fifty years old. Upon seeing the two, he was not at all reserved and chatted with them as if they were his own juniors:
"This year, Grain City, like previous years, has had favorable weather and a bountiful harvest."
"As long as one is willing to put in the effort to farm, anyone can support a family and have enough to eat."
"However, there are always those who are lazy and gluttonous. Take 'Huang Silang' from Group Six, for example. He usually just lazes around at home, and even during the Harvest Festival, he doesn’t know to help his family with work."
"Last year, his parents, both in their seventies, could no longer work. They had to watch the rice rot in the fields, and it was the neighbors who helped harvest it. This kid doesn’t even know to be grateful; instead, he says everyone is worrying for nothing... Hey, this year, no one is willing to help him, and he is still lying at home, refusing to work, saying the court will provide them with relief grain..."
"That relief is meant for his elderly parents! He is over thirty years old, has hands and feet, and he dares to say such things—it's simply shameless! Sigh, Huang Laohan is truly unfortunate to have such a son!"
The village chief's words made Shen Zhui furious, and he immediately asked, "May I ask where Huang Silang's home is?"
"He’s not at home."
"Then where is he?"
"Well, he’s at the Niujia Courtyard playing dice."
Shen Zhui immediately stood up: "How dare anyone gamble, this is outrageous! Brother Zhao, let’s go!"
"Coming." Before leaving, Zhao Xing used the Five Elements Observation to take a look at the village chief. Although he had been staring into the chief's eyes while he spoke, he still took another glance.
He then lowered his head to flip through the almanac and found nothing unusual, before patting the little mountain cat and following along with the protective grass man.
"You are Huang Silang?"
As soon as Shen Zhui and Zhao Xing arrived at the location, they saw a disheveled man with a dazed expression coming out of the Niujia Courtyard.
They had seen the roster and portrait from the village chief, and immediately recognized this man as Huang Silang.
"No, you’ve got the wrong person." Huang Silang said, lowering his head and trying to walk away.
"Stop!" Shen Zhui shouted, "Why are you running?!"
Huang Silang halted, and it was evident that he was recalling the petty crimes he had committed, wondering which one had been discovered.
"Come with us." Zhao Xing confirmed it was the right person and got back into the carriage.
Huang Silang also wanted to climb into the carriage but was kicked down instead.
"Ow~" Huang Silang fell to the ground.
The one who kicked him was not Zhao Xing or Shen Zhui, but the mountain cat.
It huffed at him from outside, clearly displeased.
This person smelled terrible, and it did not want Huang Silang to enter the carriage.
"Just walk." Shen Zhui said.
Huang Silang was unhappy: "Sir, it’s at least an hour to the county seat, am I supposed to walk until I drop?"
"We're not going to the county seat; we’re going to your home!"
Huang Silang's eyes darted: "Aren't you here to arrest me? I haven't committed any crimes?"
Shen Zhui was so angered he laughed: "Whether you've committed a crime or not, you should know in your heart!"
Huang Silang chuckled: "I haven’t, I haven’t... then I’ll be going."
"Stop! Did I say you could go?!"
"Your parents are in the fields, and as their son, you should take on these heavy responsibilities..." Shen Zhui earnestly lectured him.
Huang Silang showed an impatient expression, clearly not listening at all.
He had heard this kind of talk so many times that it had become a callus in his ears.
After a quarter of an hour of Shen Zhui's lecturing, Huang Silang remained silent.
Zhao Xing tugged at Shen Zhui: "Brother Shen, you get in the carriage first. I’ll talk to him; I am the Agricultural Officer, and it is my duty to persuade farmers."
Shen Zhui nodded and entered the carriage.
Zhao Xing stared at Huang Silang: "Why don’t you help your parents harvest the rice?"
"I’m lazy."
"……"
You’re quite brazen, aren’t you?
Seeing that the two were not here to arrest him, Huang Silang felt emboldened: "If you pity my parents, why not spare some money? Or help my family harvest the rice..."
A person without shame is invincible; there’s nothing to say to someone like this.
Zhao Xing lashed him with a whip: "Let’s go, you’re going to your family’s fields!"
"Ow, why are you hitting me? Hey, don’t hit, I’ll go..." Huang Silang saw that Zhao Xing was not joking and immediately shrank his head, leading the way ahead.
Upon reaching the fields, there were indeed two elderly people working in the fields.
Huang Silang stood idly on the ridge, unmoved.
Zhao Xing didn’t waste words with him; he casually made a Guiding Talisman nearby, then took the whip from Shen Zhui and handed it to the grass man: "Watch him harvest the rice; if he doesn’t work, whip him once."
"What?" Huang Silang protested, "You’re meddling too much; whether I farm or not has nothing to do with you... Ow, you’re hitting me, the officials are hitting me!!"
Huang Silang lay on the ground, crying out in agony.
Nearby, some neighbors heard the commotion and came to watch, instantly amused.
"Well done!"
"Bah, shameless!"
"It’s Huang Silang; if the officials are hitting him, there must be a reason."
Huang Silang’s parents rushed over upon seeing their son being beaten, but before they could plead, they were stopped by the neighbors.
The neighbors couldn’t bear to watch any longer, which showed just how poor Huang Silang’s character was.
"Are you going to work or not?" Zhao Xing squatted down and asked, "If you do, you only need to work hard for a day or two. If you don’t, I have plenty of ways to torment you."
"We are the highest officials in this area; even if you want to report us, it won’t work, understand?"
"I’ll do it, I’ll do it." Huang Silang got up; he truly couldn’t bear the pain and saw that no one was willing to speak up for him, so he recognized reality.
Huang Silang quickly rolled up his pant legs and entered the field.
He was forced into 'labor reform' by Zhao Xing.
Before long, Huang Silang was groaning and complaining about the hard work.
Zhao Xing didn’t indulge him.
Tired? Sleepy? The drowsiness bug was arranged, directly restoring Huang Silang’s spirits.
Want to slack off? The Guiding Talisman would whip him once.
Zhao Xing also made seven or eight grass men to guard the fields.
Once Huang Silang tried to sneak away, he would be caught back immediately.
Zhao Xing’s approach was truly physical persuasion for farming.
However, no one in the surrounding neighborhood opposed it; they were all clapping in approval.
Many even put down their own work to watch the rare scene of Huang Silang harvesting rice.
"Silang, your posture is wrong; if you don’t bend your waist, you’ll tire easily."
"Silang, are you tired? Your parents have been doing this for over ten years."
"Huang Silang, there’s a bloodsucker crawling up your leg..."
Huang Silang shook his foot, hurriedly reaching down to check, only to find there was nothing there. He immediately realized he had been tricked and glared angrily at the child.
"Crack~" The whip struck Huang Silang’s back.
"Damn!" Huang Silang cursed inwardly, forced to continue working.
He wanted to escape but found himself surrounded by grass men.
Moreover, the more he worked, the more energetic he became; even if he wanted to stop, he couldn’t. To avoid this torment, he had no choice but to work honestly.
By the time dusk arrived, Huang Silang had become much more obedient, even knowing to help his parents home.
"Brother Zhao, your method really works." Shen Zhui laughed as he watched this scene.
"It won’t last; in a few days when we leave, he’ll be back to his old ways." Zhao Xing lay in the carriage, petting the cat, "Unless we can keep whipping him, laboring for a year or two, and with someone as patient as Brother Shen here to occasionally lecture him, perhaps we could change him."
"Is that so?" Shen Zhui pondered, "If I have the chance to govern a place in the future, I will definitely try the method you mentioned, Brother Zhao."
After dark, the two did not return but stayed at the village chief's home in Peaceful Town.
The next morning, they continued their patrol in Peaceful Town.
During lunch, they asked the old village chief about Huang Silang.
"Huang Silang? He went to the Niujia Courtyard during the lunch break."
"Again to the Niujia?" Shen Zhui’s brows furrowed.
"Yes." The old village chief said with disappointment, "Sir, you kindly let him rest during lunch, but he even takes that little time to play. He has no money to spare and still wants to gamble... what a sin."
"Where did he get the money?" Zhao Xing asked.
"I gave his mother a tael of silver to buy medicinal soup." Shen Zhui’s eyes flared with anger, "This Huang Silang is truly despicable! Niu Gui is also despicable; I warned them yesterday not to play again, and he actually didn’t listen?!"
At the Niujia Courtyard.
"Big! Big! Big!"
"Open! Two, three, four, small!"
"Ah, lost again! Damn it!"
Huang Silang, disheveled, took off his shoes to rub his feet and then sniffed at his nose.
Then he pulled a silver coin from his boot and slammed it on the table: "Niu Gui, let’s continue! I’m going to win big today!"
Niu Gui said, "Silang, you only have this last coin left; I think you should save it. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be busy in the fields this afternoon?"
"Do you pity me? Let’s continue, hurry up!"
Seeing this, Niu Gui smiled slightly: "Alright, then let’s go!"
The dice rattled inside, producing a mesmerizing sound.
Huang Silang’s gaze followed the dice cup up and down.
"Clang!" As the dice cup landed, Niu Gui pressed down on it: "Big or small?"
"Big!"
"Open, one, one, two, small. Silang, you lost again!"
Niu Gui laughed as he took Huang Silang’s silver coin.
"Curse it!" Huang Silang slapped his thigh and got up from the gambling table. The other gamblers continued.
He lost everything but did not leave; instead, he found a spot outside to sit and rest.
According to the rules, as long as one came to play, they could eat a meal at the Niujia.
Huang Silang closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.
The door of the Niujia was knocked open.
Someone hurriedly reported that there were officials coming.
"Officials? What officials, just a few minor clerks. I’ll go take a look; you all continue."
Niu Gui was unhurried as he ran to the door.
He saw a young man wearing dual iron rulers at his waist, a brown hat on his head, and cloud shoes on his feet.
Beside him was a boy in coarse clothing, and another person wearing a raincoat and conical hat despite it not raining.
"Shen Wusi, Zhao Sinong, what brings you here?" Niu Gui recognized the two immediately after opening the door.
"Didn’t I tell you yesterday not to gamble?" Shen Zhui asked. "Do you think my words are just wind in your ears?"
Niu Gui’s expression did not change, and he did not deny it: "It’s just a little fun, playing a few hands among neighbors... You can’t be so strict, can you?"
"Well then, please let me join in for a few hands."
"You’re joking; these are just common folk; how dare they play with you?"
"Niu Gui, will you let us in or not?" Zhao Xing asked, "If we come in now just to take a look, it will be easy. If we have to come in again with an order, it won’t be so simple."
Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui both had cultivation, and since they had never been to the Niujia before, they needed Niu Gui, the host, to invite them in.
Of course, if Shen Zhui had the execution order or arrest order issued by the county office, it would be different, and he wouldn’t need permission.
"Alright, please come in, gentlemen." Niu Gui saw their firm attitude and could only say to let them in.
The invisible shackles disappeared, and Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui stepped over the threshold into the Niujia Courtyard.
The Niujia was a large household with many fields, and at this time, many rice workers were resting outside. Some had also come in to play a few hands after receiving their wages.
Upon seeing the officials enter, no one was afraid; in fact, some even whispered complaints, saying it affected their luck.
"Sir, it’s really just a little play... there’s not much money on the table."
But before Niu Gui could finish, Shen Zhui suddenly drew his ruler knife, and a flash of light split the gambling table in two.
"Clang~" The copper coins inside immediately scattered all over the ground.
Niu Gui’s face changed, frightened into silence.
This table was made of hard wood and had mechanisms; he never expected it to be split so easily from a distance.
Niu Gui thought Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui were just ordinary minor officials; he had taken yesterday’s notice lightly.
Now that he saw, these two were not to be trifled with.
"Take the ill-gotten gains and go find the local military officials to pay the fine." Shen Zhui said coldly.
"Yes, I accept the punishment." Niu Gui’s attitude changed instantly.
Shen Zhui didn’t make it difficult for him; indeed, there wasn’t much money, just enough to fine Niu Gui without needing to imprison him.
As for the other gamblers, a routine inquiry to disperse them was sufficient.
"Where is Huang Silang?"
"Over there."
Hearing the familiar voice, Huang Silang, who had been asleep, jolted awake and immediately saw that grim reaper.
He immediately tried to escape from behind, but it was already too late.
"Hmph! You’re truly unworthy of being a son!" Shen Zhui was furious at the sight of him; his parents were in poor health, yet he was gambling?
He even used his mother’s medicinal money to gamble; is he even human?
"This is what he lost, Sir Shen." Niu Gui cautiously returned the money.
Zhao Xing then began to inquire about the unfamiliar people outside the hall.
"Who are they? They don’t look like they’re from this village."
Peaceful Town is not large, and the household heads of Group Six are even fewer; Zhao Xing had a general impression of who belonged to which group, as he often came to Peaceful Town, but had come less frequently since the beginning of summer.
"Sir Zhao, these are rice workers I invited from Sanwan Town; it’s the autumn harvest now." Niu Gui said with a smile. He also recognized Zhao Xing, as the Agricultural Officer was more diligent than the local military officials.
"Ah, what are their names?" Zhao Xing casually pointed at the two people.
"I’m Chen Deshun." The middle-aged man bowed his hands; he looked ordinary, with prominent cheekbones, sturdy limbs, and dirt on his legs. He pointed to the woman beside him, who had yellow skin and a round waist, wearing a headscarf: "This is my wife, Wu Chen."
"Greetings, Sir." The woman also bowed her hands.
Both of them fit the image of rice workers, and Zhao Xing nodded, turning to Niu Gui:
"Niu Gui, don’t engage in such deceptive practices in the future."
"Yes, yes, I won’t dare again." Niu Gui nodded and bowed, "I’ll go collect the fine now."
After Zhao Xing, Shen Zhui, and Niu Gui left, the middle-aged man and woman inside the courtyard exchanged glances, their eyes flickering as they stared outside.
"Is that Zhao Xing?"
"Yes." Chen Deshun nodded, his simple gaze turning cold.
"Quite handsome." The woman licked her lips. "Indeed, he is extraordinary in appearance and demeanor."
"You need to be forty-two times as charming to be like him." Chen Deshun snorted.
"I really hope we can capture him soon and take him back." The woman’s eyes flashed with lust, "It would be best to catch a few more handsome ones; I’ve been pent up for over ten years, and I must enjoy myself on the way back."
"Once we return..." Chen Deshun’s eyes also revealed a hint of desire, "If we can return smoothly, I will also make up for the lost years."
Shen Zhui escorted Niu Gui to the village entrance to pay the fine to the local military officials as part of the routine inspection for the Harvest Festival, then quickly returned.
Huang Silang was taken to the fields by a grass man, while Zhao Xing sat in the carriage, feeling somewhat uneasy.
"Brother Zhao, what’s wrong?" Shen Zhui noticed Zhao Xing’s furrowed brows and couldn’t help but ask.
"I feel a bit unsettled." Zhao Xing replied.
"What feels off?"
"I don’t know." Zhao Xing shook his head.
There was no basis for it, and the Calamity Avoidance Almanac showed no signs.
"Could it be that Niu Gui has a problem?" Shen Zhui asked in a low voice. "Is there a demon nearby?"
Zhao Xing shook his head again; after entering the Niujia, he had used the Five Elements Observation, and Niu Gui appeared normal, as did everyone in the Niujia Courtyard.
His bright eyes had not detected anything unusual; since leaving the city, he had been using his observation techniques on everyone he saw.
But there was no anomaly; it was purely a vague feeling.
"Am I overthinking it with Old Chen, seeing everyone as members of the Heavenly Profound Sect?" Zhao Xing felt a bit self-doubtful.
Even if he truly encountered a demon from the Heavenly Profound Sect, he wouldn’t be able to tell, as the Heavenly Profound Sect’s concealment techniques were very sophisticated. That was a method passed down from the ancient sect, and it had the ability to shield against the Calamity Avoidance Almanac; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to lurk for over a decade without being discovered.
Logically, even if he stood in front of a real demon from the Heavenly Profound Sect, he shouldn’t have any discoveries.
But where did this feeling come from?
"The 'Earth Soul' among the three souls is the causal soul; this feeling is likely due to the stirring of the Earth Soul."
Since the almanac and spells could not reveal where this feeling came from, Zhao Xing decided to seek the cause from another angle.
"Brother Shen, you drive; I’ll take a nap first."
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Xing closed his eyes and began to dream.
(End of Chapter)