Chapter 229: Familiar Faces in Hezhou

In Jingyu City, at a modest tavern...

A few dishes were laid out on the table—not plentiful, nor particularly lavish. There were only four diners: Magistrate Liu, his advisor who had followed him from Yizhou, Song You, and Shu Yifan. Even Lady Calico, though a cat, wasn’t disregarded. She, too, had a place at the table.

“Four years have passed, and yet, sir, you remain as remarkable as ever,” Magistrate Liu said, raising his cup with a touch of nostalgia. “Allow me to toast you first.”

“No need to stand on ceremony, Magistrate.” Song You raised his own cup, glancing at the commandery magistrate.

Back in Yidu, his encounters with Liu, then a county magistrate, had been infrequent. Now, just shy of four years later, the memories were faint but gradually resurfaced as he looked upon him. Magistrate Liu, though still short in stature, now bore visible signs of aging, his face weathered by the trials of the past few years.

“You must be weary from your travels and efforts in ridding us of demons, sir. Please, do eat.”

“Hezhou is nothing like prosperous Yizhou,” the advisor added humbly. “People here lack the culinary finesse of Yizhou, and times have been especially unkind—first the wars, then demon infestations. Last year, we suffered a severe drought, and this year, rain has been scarce.

“In such haste, we couldn’t prepare a proper welcome, but though our dishes may be simple, Hezhou cuisine has a unique flavor. We hope you’ll give it a try.”

“There’s really no need for such formality,” Song You replied, glancing at the modest selection of dishes on the table.

Indeed, this region was impoverished, lacking the prosperity of Yidu, and today’s gathering had been arranged hastily. Yet, the dishes that the magistrate had prepared for his guests were far from shabby.

The centerpiece of the meal was a large pot with tender lamb at the bottom, covered by a layer of dough on top. Hezhou’s lamb was known for its quality, filling the air with a rich aroma, and the dough, soaked with broth, looked like it would taste quite good.

Since they were among old friends, Song You made himself comfortable. He started by cutting a piece of the dough and placing it in his bowl, followed by a generous chunk of lamb from underneath.

The lamb, soft and tender, quivered slightly on the chopsticks with each fiber distinct, and nearly dripping with juice.

This first piece, he placed into Lady Calico’s bowl.

“Back then, I thought that parting from you would mean never meeting again, and yet here we are, reunited in this place,” Magistrate Liu remarked, full of sentiment. “I’ve already heard of your deeds in Hezhou, sir. You truly are a divine immortal. I admire you deeply.”

“I just lend a hand on the way as I go,” Song You replied.

“That ‘lending a hand’ has saved countless lives in Hezhou.”

Exchanges among the people of Great Yan were often formal, full of courteous expressions. Song You shook his head, lowered his gaze, took a bite of the pastry covering the lamb, and then asked, “But Magistrate, how did you come to be here?”

“I have you to thank, in part,” Liu replied, leaning slightly forward. “With your help, I was able to solve the case of the underground thieves back then, which pleased the city’s dignitaries greatly. Afterward, I also solved a case involving a notorious gang of roaming

jianghu

thieves. This group of tricksters from the

jianghu

committed crimes everywhere, involving vast amounts of stolen wealth.

“Various regions were at a loss on how to handle them, yet the case was cracked under my jurisdiction in Yidu. Consequently, not long after you left, I received an official transfer order from the capital, appointing me as the magistrate of Pu Commandery.”

“I see.” A transfer from a county magistrate to a commandery magistrate—a respectable promotion.

Although Yidu was the administrative center of Yizhou and Pu Commandery was also the administrative center of Hezhou, there were distinctions among regions: upper, middle, and lower tiers. Yizhou was the second most prominent region in the world, and Yidu was the third most significant city.

While Hezhou was known for its grain production, it could never match the prosperity of Yizhou. After the great war in the north, demons and monsters ran rampant, and in some places, they even dared to devour imperial officials. Taking on the role of magistrate of Pu Commandery was not necessarily an entirely favorable position.

The higher-ups had likely transferred him not only because of his success with major cases—one which pleased the elites of Yizhou, another that outperformed many officials across the counties—but also because he seemed adept at handling matters involving the Daoist cultivation.

Whether that was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

“Magistrate Liu, you’ve worked hard.”

“Not at all, not at all. It’s simply my duty to serve the people,” he replied. “Though, I must say, it is rather windy here.”

“As I traveled through Pu Commandery, I noticed there were noticeably fewer demons than in other places, which I imagine is due to your efforts.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare take the credit. Pu Commandery is the administrative center of Hezhou, after all. Even the demons are cautious under our empire’s strength,” Liu replied, bowing slightly again. “And, of course, I have you to thank for that.”

“And how so?”

“Firstly, I still have a few talismans that you provided. With their protection, demons and spirits are hesitant to approach, which gives me the courage to do my work,” Liu explained. “Secondly, before I took up this post, I made a special trip to Lingquan County to pay respects to your temple.”

Magistrate Liu glanced at his advisor, as if the visit had been his suggestion.

“Did you find it?”

“I was fortunate enough to meet Master Duoxing,” Magistrate Liu replied. “I sought her advice, and her guidance is what has helped bring some peace to Pu Commandery.”

“Oh?” Song You’s interest was piqued. “And what advice did she offer?”

“Master Duoxing told me that to drive away demons, we must call upon the gods to descend,” Liu said, still awed by the suggestion, as though it had once shaken him deeply. “She said, 'The gods receive incense from the people, so they are bound to protect their peace. If they fail to respond, then simply smash their idols.’”

“Hah...” Something seemed to strike Song You, and a hint of amusement surfaced. “That approach requires some boldness.”

“The first time was indeed nerve-wracking, but given that you’re a Daoist master, how could I not have faith in the suggestion made by your master?” Magistrate Liu said, a touch of boldness entering his tone.

He added, “Once we made the initial attempt, my advisor and I threw caution to the wind. If smashing the statues didn’t work, we would carry them out of the temples and leave them under the scorching sun and mountain winds. In places plagued by severe demonic problems, some villagers even moved the statues out and whipped them daily until they proved effective.”

“Quite the resolve you have, Magistrate.”

“It isn’t resolve, really. When you’ve seen as many villagers devoured by demons—even half-eaten corpses left behind—you’ll issue such orders if you have any conscience at all.” Magistrate Liu sighed, “And the locals, suffering so much they couldn’t survive otherwise, were willing to try anything.”

Hearing this, Song You set down his chopsticks and respectfully cupped his hands toward him.

Back when Yidu was peaceful and prosperous, even a thief stealing valuables from a noble in the city was considered a major incident. At that time, it was hard to see that this county magistrate had such remarkable abilities; he was only known for his exceptional skills in currying favor with those above and below him.

Indeed, a person's character could not be separated from the environment they were in.

“When did you leave the capital, sir?” Magistrate Liu inquired.

“Right after the New Year.”

“Then, you likely didn’t meet Prefect Yu?”

“Did Prefect Yu go to the capital as well?”

“Yes, he was summoned this spring,” Magistrate Liu replied. “When he spoke to me about it, he mentioned that he’d been inspired by you, and he became even more diligent in his work. He earned considerable respect from the people of Yizhou.

“Recently, I received a letter from him, saying he was reassigned to the capital over the summer, given important responsibilities. He reflected in his letter, saying that despite his time in Yizhou, he hadn’t managed to accomplish everything he set out to, and many of his ideas hadn’t yet been implemented. He wondered what kind of official would take his place.”

“Quite unfortunate timing.”

“When you return to the capital, I’m certain you’ll meet him again.”

As they ate, the conversation drifted from the prosperity of Yizhou to the demons of Hezhou, from Yizhou’s cuisine to Hezhou’s lamb, with many shared reflections.

When the meal concluded, Magistrate Liu said, “You’ve only just arrived, sir, so I won’t impose on you further. Rest well tonight, and tomorrow, I’ll come by to show you around Jingyu City.”

“Thank you very much, Magistrate.”

“Farewell then.”

“Take care.”

Magistrate Liu had arranged two rooms for them at the tavern, though it was unclear if the expense came from his own pocket or from official funds. Song You had politely declined at first, but when pressed, he let it go without further argument.

After the meal, they went directly upstairs to their rooms.

With a soft creak, an attendant carrying an oil lamp led them to their respective rooms, lighting the lamps inside before taking his leave. The room was filled with a warm glow, and it was quite spacious.

Song You took a quick look around, then sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the softness of the bedding. It was an unusual sensation.

He was generally unbothered by circumstances, even as he fought demons and faced scenes of bloodshed. He always managed to scrounge up food along the way or find a place to sample local delicacies when they entered a town.

Witnessing the hardships of commoners didn’t dampen his nightly chats with Lady Calico, where they spoke of childish and silly things. Yet, it had indeed been some time since he’d slept in a bed or eaten in a decent establishment.

Now, as he let himself fall back onto the bed, he felt as if he’d returned from the wilds to the comforts of civilization.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the cat perched on the windowsill.

“What are you looking at?”

“Those two left.”

“Mm.”

“They took a carriage.”

“Do you remember them?” Song You asked her. “We met them back in Yidu.”

“I remember Yidu.”

“And them?”

“I don’t remember,” Lady Calico replied, twisting and hopping down from the windowsill to look up at him. “People all look pretty much the same.”

“Then, it’s not your fault.”

“Exactly.”

In a few quick steps, she was at the bedside, rubbing her paws against his trailing robe before leaping lightly onto the bed. She flopped down sideways beside him, stretching out her limbs comfortably with all four paws splayed open.

Song You couldn’t help but feel reflective.

He had arrived in Yidu in early autumn of the first year of the Mingde era, and now it was already winter of the fifth year. He hadn’t expected to encounter old acquaintances so far from that place.

Traveling so far, he’d felt as if time had flown, and that he himself hadn’t really changed. But seeing the traces of time on those he knew—their aging faces, the shifts in their hearts—reminded him that, although these years hadn’t been many, they were far from few. Even Prefect Yu had been called back to the capital.

Meanwhile, Lady Calico had grown comfortable enough to curl up beside him, falling asleep close to his side.

“...” Shaking his head, Song You pushed those thoughts aside and rose to wash up.

Lady Calico hopped down from the bed, following him closely.