CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 36: MAN PROPOSES, HEAVEN DISPOSES

Since then, the saying of the Ghost Immortal Temple began to spread, but in the countryside, people said that the temple was very sinister, with some achieving wealth and others losing their lives, disappearing without a trace.

However, in Qingshui County, there initially wasn’t any rumor about the Ghost Immortal Temple until the disappearance of the Lu Family housekeeper and the old shopkeeper. Afterwards, the shopkeeper’s body was found in a hollow tree outside the city, and only then did the saying of seeking wealth and losing life at the temple start to spread quickly.

Since the reputation of the Ghost Immortal Temple spread, four people from the surrounding villages went missing, all said to have visited the temple, and since then, nearby villagers have feared the temple and are wary of even talking about it.

At the bottom of this secret report, it was noted the identities and names of the four missing villagers.

"Thus, it seems that the Ghost Immortal Temple doesn’t have a good reputation outside, only two people have achieved wealth, while more have gone missing and the claims haven’t worked," Zhu Yu returned the paper to Lu Qing, somewhat puzzled, "That’s a bit strange.

If someone wanted to entice others to seek wealth and take the opportunity to harm them, they should find ways to increase more bait, to make people feel it’s worth the risk.

This Ghost Immortal Temple has only two successful cases of achieving wealth, yet because several people went missing, it gained an evil reputation, clearly announcing to outsiders that this temple is very sinister and should be avoided?

And the Lu Family housekeeper, having invested much thought into donating for titles, hoping one day his brother could rise in officialdom, thus allowing their family to escape Mr. Li’s grasp, though the hope of success seems slim to you, it’s not to the point of not succeeding and risking life.

Did he need to take such a risk at a sinister temple?

Not to mention the old shopkeeper, who previously helped Lu Family as an informer and received many benefits for it, he was also of advanced age before the incident, not likely to be someone who still needed to risk his life for sudden wealth."

"So what do you think is the cause behind this?" Lu Qing asked Zhu Yu nonchalantly while placing the paper on a nearby oil lamp, the flame quickly climbing up the paper and leaping upwards.

The white paper with black text rapidly turned into black ash.

At the last moment, Lu Qing let go of the paper, with the last flicker of fire extinguished, and the black ash fell to the ground.

"I think the person behind all this doesn’t want more people to go to the Ghost Immortal Temple for sudden wealth, only hoping the chosen ones would go.

Thus, the initial cases of achieving wealth are bait, the villain clearly understands the nature of his target, ensuring the method works.

Then, to prevent more people from going and accidentally ruining the plan, the villain intentionally let the saying of seeking wealth and losing life at the temple spread, scaring off those not part of the calculation."

"What about the old shopkeeper and Lu Family housekeeper?" Lu Qing asked.

"Didn’t you already mention earlier," Zhu Yu looked at Lu Qing, "The aged wine in the eatery is the lure, and the hook is in the Ghost Immortal Temple.

It’s likely that these two disappearing while supposedly seeking wealth at the temple is just outsiders hearing some local rumors and spreading them."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qing smiled: "Truly, human plans aren’t as perfect as fate. Zhu Cheng casually chose a daughter to marry over, yet she is so like-minded with me. It appears we are indeed a match made in heaven."

Observing his demeanor, Zhu Yu didn’t seem to take this sincerely, responding casually: "You’re right."

"Have you been bored in the government office these days?" Lu Qing stood up, tucking away Shen Xiang’s account book in his bosom, putting on a golden mask, "Let’s change places today to relax."

Zhu Yu was also happy to leave here. Although going to inspect the corpse in the mountain cave previously exhausted her legs, staying in the government backyard like confinement wasn’t a pleasant experience.

When leaving, Lu Qing instructed Rune to carry with him the selected account books from the numerous ledgers of Qingshui County Government.

Lord Imperial Censor wanted to take the government account books, the County Magistrate and Chief Clerk couldn’t stop him, only watching them leave.

The three of them rode four horses, passing through the busiest street in Qingshui County, and pedestrians stopped to watch.

This time, none of them wore veils, Lu Qing took the lead, sitting upright on horseback, with a golden mask shining brightly in the daylight.

Behind him, Rune and Zhu Yu added a sense of mystery with their black garments and masks.

Among the crowd, someone speculated their identities, soon recognized by others.

"It’s the Imperial Censor! The one in front with the golden mask is the Imperial Censor!" someone exclaimed in the crowd, "A few days ago outside the government office, I saw County Magistrate Li running out to greet him, bowing low. He seems to be a big figure!"

"Yes, yes, I saw it too!" Upon hearing this, others quickly agreed, "That day, County Magistrate Li seemed so scared of the Imperial Censor!"

"Good! This ’Li Tanchai’! Finally, someone here to scare him in Qingshui County!

Hopefully, the Censor is here to deal with him! With him around, the people of Qingshui County have no chance of living a good day!"

Following this statement, someone immediately poured cold water: "Forget it, everyone knows County Magistrate Li has great capabilities, doesn’t know which high-ranking official he’s attached to, no one can touch him.

Let’s not dream silly dreams!"

After passing through the bustling market and wandering for a while, they finally arrived at Li Wencai’s opulent mansion.

The surroundings of Li Wencai’s mansion were very serene, from the outside appearing ordinary, even less impressive than usual wealthy merchants’ homes.

Rune dismounted and went to knock, entering through the Li Mansion gate, Zhu Yu realized what "another world" meant.

Though a concubine’s daughter of the vassal prince’s family, she wasn’t treated poorly in terms of attire and food, yet Prince Shuo Zhu Cheng always considered material things unimportant. The most magnificent thing in his mansion was his treasured armory, the rest were ordinary.

Now, seeing the water pavilion, bridges, carved beams, and painted rafters in Li Wencai’s mansion, although smaller, were even more lavish than Prince Shuo Mansion.

As they passed the wind pavilion beside a rockery, a crisp bell sound came from above.

Zhu Yu looked up, seeing strings of golden bells under the pavilion eaves, swaying in the wind, ringing softly with a pool of turquoise water and winding rockery adding a sense of charm.

Yet Zhu Yu at this moment only felt the reflection on the water was that of Wang Shan’s children’s emaciated faces, hearing the weak cries of children near death from hunger.

County Magistrate Li previously enjoyed good fortune, just a minor seventh-grade official, yet could act domineeringly in this county city, less than a hundred miles from the Capital, like an Earth Emperor.

But...

Through the mask, Zhu Yu stared at Lu Qing’s tall and straight back ahead —

The ’fortune’ Li Wencai squeezed from others, it appears would end here.