Volume One: Menial Servant of Longwater County Chapter 136: The Timing Is Wrong

On the ancient road, Lu Jiuzhang had regained his composure. The large black dog had climbed onto the roof of the carriage, sitting beside him. Seeing this, Bai Xiaosu followed suit and climbed up as well. The view from atop the carriage was far superior; from inside the cabin, there was nothing to be seen.

"Master Jiu, we have been delayed too long. I’m afraid we won’t reach Anxi Prefecture before noon," the black dog remarked. "If we can make it before dusk, that’s already quite fast. If our luck is bad, we’ll have to spend the night outside the city walls and wait until the gates open at dawn to enter."

They had indeed spent too much time at the bandit stronghold.

"Being fast isn't necessarily a good thing," Lu Jiuzhang said, looking at the ferocious man driving the carriage. "At the stronghold, I realized something. Those bandits were men of County Magistrate Wang, which shows that his informants and intelligence network are quite formidable. Yet, why were his letters to Anxi Prefecture repeatedly intercepted by Chen Xuanfeng? Is Chen Xuanfeng’s influence in Changshui County really stronger than the Magistrate’s? I doubt it; Magistrate Wang has been operating in Changshui for many years."

Bai Xiaosu was confused. "Why, then?"

"It’s because he wanted us to see it," Lu Jiuzhang replied. "He wanted us to read the contents of those letters to force us to leave Changshui County. He is confident that once we leave, he has a way to kill me."

"At first, I had some doubts about those letters," Lu Jiuzhang continued slowly. "Firstly, Wang is merely a County Magistrate; it is highly unlikely he would directly petition a Prefect. The disparity in their status is too great. Even if he were to beg, they aren't on equal footing. To put it bluntly, he isn't even on the Prefect's radar."

The black dog asked, "What if the Prefect is Magistrate Wang’s backer? If they belong to the same faction, they might have a close relationship."

"That brings me to my second point of doubt. Even within the same faction, asking for favors carries a high cost. Few people help you for no reason, especially when it involves getting involved with the Demon Suppression Division. The government and the Demon Suppression Division are not the same faction. It is very difficult to get a Prefect to act on your behalf, especially for a matter that seems small but could easily lead to an obligation of debt. The price Magistrate Wang would have to pay to move the Prefect would be significant—it simply wouldn't be worth it."

"I couldn't quite figure it out before, but last night, it suddenly became clear. The path ahead is definitely unsafe; rushing forward is not necessarily a good thing."

The black dog had a sudden realization. "Heh, Master Jiu, I have an idea. How about we disguise ourselves as bandits, head back to Changshui, and find a way to finish off Magistrate Wang? If the bandit disguise doesn't work, we could pose as remnants of the Zhong family?"

Bai Xiaosu shook her head. "You’re both wrong. I think we should bribe someone close to Magistrate Wang and poison his food. A type of slow-acting poison that doesn't trigger immediately—given enough time, he’ll just drop dead on his own."

"..."

The group began to discuss these schemes.

The ferocious driver was drenched in cold sweat. Heavens, what kind of people had he provoked? These three together possessed eight hundred schemes apiece. None of them had a single decent thought; it was all about underhanded tricks.

"Miss Bai, you’re learning bad habits from this black dog," Lu Jiuzhang said with a deep voice. He remembered when he first met Bai Xiaosu, she had been quite aloof. After spending time together, he realized the girl was actually rather interesting.

"It’s all the black dog's fault. I used to be quite gentle," Bai Xiaosu said.

"What does this have to do with me? Sister Bai, you can't just talk nonsense," the black dog quickly denied. "I am a divine beast! I would never stoop to such tactics. I prefer a straightforward brawl!"

"Let’s talk about this after we return from Anxi Prefecture," Lu Jiuzhang said. "There’s no rush to deal with Magistrate Wang. As a County Magistrate, he must remain in Changshui and cannot leave easily. Seeking revenge is not difficult. The problem is how to kill him while ensuring he loses all reputation and is reviled for generations to come."

The black dog looked at Lu Jiuzhang. "Master Jiu, your method is even more ruthless. Making him infamous even after death? That’s enough to ensure he can't rest in peace!"

In this world, people still placed great importance on reputation and legacy.

"We are two of a kind!"

...

The carriage moved at a leisurely pace as the group rested while traveling. Lu Jiuzhang glanced at the map. The sun was setting, and the evening clouds filled the sky, casting a golden light over the entire landscape.

"We are still about eighty miles from Anxi Prefecture," Lu Jiuzhang noted. "It will be difficult to reach the city before the gates close."

"There are two options: we either camp outside the city gates, or we camp here, get a good night's sleep, and head over tomorrow."

Both were viable options.

"Master Jiu!" the black dog suddenly became solemn. "Perhaps we should pick up the pace and enter Anxi before the gates close. I have an ominous premonition."

"Speed up!" Lu Jiuzhang commanded the driver. "If we are too slow, you’ll be whipping the horses, and I’ll be whipping you!"

"This..." The driver was speechless.

He had no choice but to lash the horses harder to increase their speed. He couldn't help but complain, "My lords, are you really going to believe whatever this black dog says? Perhaps it’s just spouting nonsense?"

"Get lost, you! You’re the black dog! I am a divine beast!" the black dog snapped indignantly.

"Yes, yes, yes—but are you going to believe whatever the 'Divine Beast' says?" the driver asked, still confused.

"I believe it. The black dog’s intuition rarely fails," Lu Jiuzhang said. "If we can reach Anxi Prefecture before the gates close, we should be safe. As a prefectural capital, any trouble caused within the city is usually punished severely, unless one has an incredibly deep background. I suspect that even Magistrate Wang wouldn't dare to act rashly within the city walls of Anxi Prefecture for fear of leaving behind evidence."

After analyzing the situation, they reached a consensus. The driver nodded and urged the horses on.

"If we are killed, the culprit will surely try to eliminate all witnesses and destroy the evidence. Do you think you would be able to escape?" Lu Jiuzhang asked, looking at the driver. "So, as of this moment, we are on the same side!"

When put that way, it seemed to be true.

"Giddy up... giddy up... giddy up..."

The driver lashed the horses again, accelerating.

About ten miles behind them, an old man shrouded in black mist and carrying a blade was traveling at high speed. He moved with extreme agility, covering dozens of meters in the blink of an eye. As he pursued them, the old man felt anxious.

The city of Anxi Prefecture was just ahead, and he dared not get too close. Back when the demons were being purged, the capital had dispatched a vast number of powerful experts. If they discovered that not all members of the Ghost Blade Sect had been eliminated, he would be met with endless pursuit. In that event, even Magistrate Wang would be unable to save him.

Yet, if he stopped pursuing Lu Jiuzhang and allowed him to enter the city, his mission would be a failure, and he would have no way to answer to Magistrate Wang upon his return.