111: Chapter 105: Shocking News!

111: Chapter 105: Shocking News!

Day Traveling God?

Before anyone could react to what this so-called Day Traveling God was, a dazzling white light flashed by, and in the next instant, there hovered within the hall a tall, majestic general clad in white robes and silver armor, carrying two evil ghosts with him.

Under the fierce sunlight, the evil ghosts let out piercing screams.

Many people recognized the two terrifying evil ghosts and the imposing divine general who had thwarted the evil deeds!

“It’s the god who saved people!”

Many people screamed immediately.

Those who hadn’t witnessed the scene themselves were immediately convinced.

Someone so tall and majestic, glowing with divine light, if not a deity then what?

Chen Qing looked at his stern-faced elder brother with amusement in his heart.

His big brother was actually quite the part.

But, to be honest, his brother, when dressed in military garb, really had the air of a general, a stark contrast to the naive big guy who would not even dare to speak back when scolded by his sister-in-law.

“I’ve seen the Prefectural Governor!”

The Day Traveling God Chen Ye’s voice was mysteriously deep, invoking even more awe in those who heard.

Chen Qing also play-acted as he stood up and bowed: “I’ve seen the Day Traveling God.”

“The evil ghosts have been captured and already interrogated!” Chen Ye threw the two evil spirits into the shade, where the ones who had been scorched by the sun finally caught their breath, shrinking back into the cooler area.

Chen Qing silently appraised, noting that, without Lyu Yiqi’s body as their shield, these two were still able to endure the blazing sun for so long, which meant they were at least of the second level as evil spirits.

This rate of ascension was faster than expected, probably also due to the influence of the Nine Heavens Mirror Valley.

Thinking about it, the Nine Heavens Mirror Valley not only sealed the Ancient Worm but also trapped a lot of the spiritual energy from beneath the sea.

Now that it had opened, the spiritual energy in Lyuzhou had surged.

Although it was still not on par with the revitalization of an Earth Spirit, it was far from what usual mortal realms could compare to, and naturally, the speed of these spirits’ evolution was different.

However, if this was the case, the growth of the Hell Ruler needed to quicken; otherwise, if some of the evil spirits grew too rapidly, evolving into something like a Cursed Grudge, it would be troublesome.

“Why not revert to your original forms?” Chen Ye bellowed, his light becoming even more brilliant, and the thunderous roar made the two evil ghosts tremble with fear.

Their dense black mist dissipated, and the cracked skin on their bodies slowly healed, allowing the crowd to see clearly that the two terrifying evil ghosts were actually two frail women!

“Lyu Yan?” Someone in the crowd immediately recognized the pitiful, green-clothed young lady who was popular as a dancer in the Riverside Flower Pavilion in Luling County.

“Do you recognize her?” a man beside asked.

“Cough…

I’ve been there a couple of times and had seen her a few times…

Big Bull here has been there too and recognizes her.”

The man who was called Big Bull immediately hung his head low, not daring to meet the terrifying gaze of his wife beside him.

“May I ask the Day Traveling God, what is the origin of these two?” Chen Qing asked loudly.

“Your Honor is too polite,” Chen Ye bowed his hands in greeting, “These two were courtesans from Luling County.

On the day of the disaster in Luling County, the Riverside Flower Pavilion was the first to be hit.

On that day, the county officials of Luling County were feasting and drinking in the pavilion.

They were the first to discover the revenant and pushed these two women down to attract the revenant’s attention, allowing themselves to escape in the chaos and leave the pavilion safely!”

At these words, the crowd was in an uproar!

To think that a group of gentlemen, scholars no less, could commit such cruel acts, pushing two frail women to feed a revenant?

“They are utterly heartless!” Even the women who were previously angry with their husbands for visiting the flower pavilion couldn’t help but shout out for the women: “They’re worse than pigs and dogs!”

“Indeed, are these scholars at all?”

Gu Beiquan, who had just straightened his back, suddenly bowed it again amidst the chorus of condemnation, his just-restored haughtiness vanishing without a trace, his expression pale and fearful.

This was the last thing he wanted others to know about.

Hidden among the crowd, several other county officials quietly bowed their heads and shifted to the back, afraid of being recognized…

“Nonsense!”

One of them, standing out, angrily pointed at Lyu Yiqi: “This…

his grace needs to clarify his words.

The one who harmed those two ladies was Lyu Yiqi, who is no better than pigs and dogs, nothing to do with us.

You see, those two ladies have been following Lyu Yiqi, they have nothing to do with us!”

“Unrelated?” Lyu Yiqi, who was being accused, no longer showed his previous fear, but stood up with a sinister smile, looking at the other man: “I am not one of those immensely strong men.

Though those women were weak, even with my strength, it takes some effort to push them.

In that position, everyone could have stopped me if they wanted to.

Did anyone do so?”

“I…” The man was immediately pale with no reply.

Lyu Yiqi then turned to Gu Beiquan: “Imperial Scholar Gu was closest at the time.

He could have saved them with a mere stretch of his arm.

Why did he not save them?”

Gu Beiquan’s face lost all its color, and he bit his lips tight, unable to utter a word in return.

At that moment…

everyone was afraid of the revenants rushing over.

At that time…

everyone understood the purpose behind Lyu Yiqi’s actions.

The people who were present knew, but why didn’t they act?

They knew the answer, of course, because they all tacitly agreed…

“Heh…” Lyu Yiqi sneered coldly: “I may be no better than pigs and dogs, as they say, but do you have the right to say so?”

The man who spoke up was instantly speechless, and Gu Beiquan also bowed his head low.

From a young age, he was known for his talent.

He was doted on by elders and adored by others.

He never felt such guilt before.

“Thus, the case seems to be clear,” Chen Qing concluded, “Although Lyu Yiqi’s violent actions were influenced by evil spirits, his malicious nature is the primary reason.

Additionally, he cruelly murdered two innocent women to save his own life.

Therefore, he is stripped of his title, thrown into the Government Office’s prison, and I will petition the Imperial Court to request…

his execution after the autumn harvest!”

Upon the verdict, the two evil spirits, who had been purged of their resentment, trembled and tears of blood streamed down.

They knelt and kowtowed, their eyes filled with gratitude.

Though they had not yet regained the power of speech, the clarity in their eyes showed that their consciousness was gradually returning.

“Excellent!”

Someone shouted first, and the onlookers outside instantly burst into passionate support.

“The Prefectural Governor has judged well, such a creature worse than pigs and dogs deserves to die!”

“Exactly, even beheading in autumn would be too lenient, such a beast should be skinned and tendoned, executed by lingchi!”

Watching the crowd becoming fiercely indignant, Lyu Yiqi showed no fear and looked up with a cold laugh, “I am an officer duly appointed by the Imperial Court, Chen Qing, your private seizure of my Official Seal is already against the rules, and now you still want to strip me of my rank and title?

Confine me in prison?

Do you know that in Great Jin, to carry out punishment privately is a serious crime?”

“I said, I will report to the Imperial Court!” Chen Qing stood up directly: “As for stripping you of your rank and detaining you in the prison, it was a temporary measure.

A person as treacherous as you, if left unchecked, will surely bring calamity to the common people.

I took it upon myself to imprison you on behalf of the Imperial Court.

If you disagree, you may present your own defence in writing when the time comes.

I put my words here: even if the Imperial Court were to strip me of my official hat, I would still have you thrown into prison!”

“Good, well done, sir!”

“That’s right, the governor has judged well.

This kind of vile beast who dared to harm a respected and esteemed scholar might harm others too.

Even if he has a title, he cannot be let off!”

“You’re right, we’re all willing to testify for the governor!”

Lyu Yiqi, however, showed not the slightest sign of fear, and still looked at Chen Qing with a cold laugh, “Go ahead and throw me into prison if you want, it won’t be long before your glory days are over!”

“Oh?” Chen Qing responded with a smile that was not quite a smile, “Do you have anything else to say?”

“Hehe…

do you think…

the things you’ve contrived in Lyuzhou can fool these stupid townsfolk and also those above?

Do you think the higher-ups are more interested in you or in someone insignificant like me?

Chen Qing…

I’m waiting to see your downfall!”

“Then you’d better take good care of yourself.” Chen Qing instantly laughed, “Open your eyes wide and watch carefully.”

With that, he waved his hand, and Lyu Yiqi was taken away amidst the noise of the crowd.

Following that, everyone’s gaze shifted to the floating divine general and those two so-called aggrieved female ghosts.

With Lyu Yiqi gone, everyone snapped back to reality, suddenly realizing that standing before them were not only deities but also female ghosts?

“How did the City God judge these two women?” Chen Qing asked.

Chen Ye struggled with the lines he had previously memorized and reluctantly said, “Although they have grievances, the fact remains that their actions harmed others.

They must undergo whipping for three days before it is determined whether they can be admitted to Hell Residences and granted yin longevity.”

“I understand, thank you for the trouble, divinity.”

“You are too courteous, Governor.

Now that the matter is settled, I shall take my leave.”

As soon as these words fell, before the other townspeople could react, the divine figure disappeared with the two spirits in front of everyone, causing them all to come back to their senses and begin to kneel reverently in prayer.

“Governor, what was that just now?” someone in the crowd eventually asked.

“Oh…” Chen Qing indifferently responded, “What you just saw was a Day Traveling God under the command of the Lyuzhou City God, who specifically captures wandering evil spirits during the daytime.

If evil spirits with grievances like the ones you’ve seen earlier roam close to people, they will be apprehended.”

“Wandering God?” The crowd listened in bewilderment, but a few sharp ones grasped the significance and eagerly asked, “Governor, then who exactly is the City God?”

“The City God is the rightful deity of Lyuzhou Hell Ruler, responsible for supervising all the yin spirits of the entire Lyuzhou.

His duties are quite similar to those of me as Magistrate, except that I manage the affairs of the living, while the City God manages those of the underworld.”

“The underworld?” A large part of the crowd suddenly understood, and many began to inquire anxiously, “Governor, does that mean…

that our deceased relatives…?”

“If your departed loved ones were within the bounds of Lyuzhou, then they are under the jurisdiction of the City God.”

With this statement, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of discussion, particularly the refugees who had recently arrived in Lyuzhou.

Groups of them recalled the tragic deaths of their relatives from the past few days, their eyes reddening with emotion.

A white-robed scholar could no longer contain himself and knelt down, “Governor, could you perhaps ask the City God to let us see our relatives?”

As the scholar wept and pleaded, images of his own relatives’ tragic deaths filled his mind.

His grandson, barely over five years old, died so miserably; it must have hurt terribly, right?

He never even got the chance to comfort him…

And his younger son, gifted in his studies, would surely have been an Imperial Scholar in the next examination…

Hearing this, others also came to their senses and began to plead, “Governor, my wife died horribly; can you let the child see his mother once more?”

“Governor…

my child, please let me see my child!”

Cries and pleas suddenly filled the hall, and if it weren’t for the Government Officials holding them back, a crowd of emotionally charged people might have stormed the main hall.

“This…” Chen Qing looked troubled, “I am not in a position to decide, I must consult with the City God…

But let’s do this.

Everyone, follow me to the newly built statue of the City God to the north of the city.

Since the City God has no temple at present, when we get there, do not crowd.

Each person may make their request in turn.

Provided you are sincere, I believe even an unbiased hell ruler would make an exception.”

“Thank you, Governor, thank you!” The crowd was immediately moved to tears, bowing again and again.

Chen Qing nodded to himself as he watched the excited crowd.

Although the incident with the reanimated corpses had disrupted the original plan, it offered new opportunities.

Under normal circumstances, how could so many people quickly acknowledge the City God?

As Chen Qing was thinking about coordinating with Wei Gongcheng, an unexpected visitor disrupted the rhythm.

“Governor, if it’s possible to see the dead, could you also help me with a favor?”

Chen Qing was momentarily stunned and looked up.

An additional figure had appeared in the hall without him noticing, none other than the flamboyantly dressed Murong Yunji.

Suppressing his irritation, he wondered what business she had showing up to this commotion.

“Whom do you wish to see?”

“Shen Yiyun…”

“Who?” Chen Qing was astonished.

“My second son, Shen Yiyun…” Murong Yunji rarely showed such a distressed expression, “He’s dead!”

Chen Qing: “!!”