I become a god in another world

Chapter 624 Documents of the Prefecture
Chapter 624

Zhao Fusheng was prepared and shouted:
"Thank you, sir!"

Facing the human-skinned ghost, Xie Jingsheng suppressed his fear and responded with a sound.

He reached into his sleeve and pulled out an incense stick. It was just ordinary incense, but once it fell into the hands of the person leading the funeral, it quickly ignited without a flame.

The blue incense smoke rose into the air, and the human-skinned ghost seemed to have found its destination, swaying and wandering towards Xie Jingsheng's direction.

As soon as the human-skinned demon was subdued, Liu Yizhen shouted:

"Don't run around."

As soon as he finished speaking, the other ghost tamers, being extraordinary individuals, quickly calmed down and each moved away from the entrance of the Demon Suppression Division.

In front of the hall, only Xie Jingsheng lit incense to summon the ghost.

"Set up an incense table to welcome the spirits and deities who are in charge."

Zhao Fusheng said.

As soon as she finished speaking, Jia Yi looked at the ghost controllers. Although they were afraid, the situation was not out of control. They all knew the consequences of a vengeful ghost going out of control, so they were still cooperating.

The group rushed into the Demon Suppression Division and soon carried out an offering table, which they placed in the central courtyard at Zhao Fusheng's signal.

Xie Jingsheng lit incense to lure the ghost inside, and then placed the incense sticks into the incense burner in front of the offering table.

A ghost in human skin flew eerily onto the offering table and began to enjoy the incense.

As Zhao Fusheng's hell unfolds, Granny Xu's figure emerges from the shadows once more.

Amidst the clanging of the octagonal bells, Grandma Xu muttered to herself:
"Lord Zhao has too many things to do."

Despite saying this, she still activated the Ghost Emperor, and ghost fire erupted from her body.

The flames engulfed the ghost sitting on the offering table.

The human skin rolled and writhed in the eerie firelight, and in no time it was transformed into a porcelain statue, which sat on the offering table.

After doing all this, Granny Xu returned to hell.

Zhao Fusheng then said:

"This is one of Erlang Shen's avatars. I have already burned it with hellfire, so it will not easily revive under normal circumstances."

At this moment, the area inside and outside the arena was filled with people, but everyone remained silent and dared not make a sound, which made Zhao Fusheng's voice stand out loudly.

"However, Erlang Shen's Ghost Envoy Law prioritizes devouring ghosts."

Zhao Fusheng first stated the rules:
"From this day forward, the Demon Division of Jingcheng Town, the capital of the capital, shall not summon evil spirits, nor allow them to fight or brawl in the territory where Erlang Shen is in charge."

Her gaze swept around, and everyone involuntarily lowered their heads under her gaze.

Even Yu Lingzhu noticed that the way the Ghost Master of the Imperial Capital looked at Zhao Fusheng had changed.

The Demon Suppression Division takes the law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest, to its extreme.

Zhao Fusheng commands Hell, with the assistance of Granny Xu, Xu Yu, Meng Po, and others. She herself possesses powerful figures such as Guiche, Erlang Shen, and the Headless Ghost, making her exceptionally strong and qualified to stand on equal footing with the King of the Imperial Capital.

Therefore, when Wang Ling and the others looked at her again, none of them dared to disobey.

Even Jia Yi's expression changed.

When Yu Lingzhu noticed this, she couldn't help but turn to look at Wang Zhiyi—only to see that Wang Zhiyi had raised her head and was staring intently at Zhao Fusheng, and the stench of corpse mixed with rouge and powder on her body was even stronger.

"I will summon five ghost companions from the five cities. Within the territory suppressed by these five ghosts, ghosts below the level of Calamity will not be able to revive."

These words elicited various reactions from the crowd.

For the ordinary ghost tamers below, the first concern is that the vengeful ghosts in the capital city will go out of control, leaving those below them exhausted and overwhelmed.

As for the resurgence of the ghosts he controlled, he could rely on the generals above to issue a decree, and the fear of the ghosts came after the ghostly calamity.

Jia Yi and the others remained expressionless.

The existence of Erlang Shen's true form made Jia Yi feel threatened, but the ghost envoys were temporarily unable to intimidate them.

Furthermore, if a powerful ghost of the King-level general were to go out of control, ordinary people would be helpless. Therefore, Zhao Fusheng's words did not disappoint them.

"Lord Zhao, how long can this will-o'-the-wisp keep the ghost accomplices in check? You mentioned yesterday that you would return to Xuzhou after this matter is settled. What should we do if Erlang Shen's ghost accomplices go out of control?"

Someone asked the question cautiously.

Zhao Fusheng said:

"As long as I don't die, Erlang Shen's avatars won't go out of control." She looked at the crowd:

“Every year thereafter I will take the time to go to the capital to check on the situation of the ghost accomplices. If I have free time, I will try to invite the people of the five cities to worship Erlang Shen. After the ghosts and gods are worshipped, they will mark the people who made the offerings.”

The rest of the conversation was self-explanatory, as everyone understood what Zhao Fusheng meant without him having to say it.

Once marked by ghosts and gods, ordinary people are like those on the ghosts' and gods' kill list—Erlang Zhenshen kills ghosts first, and the people worship him; Erlang Zhenshen merely receives the incense offerings and marks the living.

When the demon is sealed, it cannot pose a threat to the living.

However, if the marked person dies, the vengeful spirit will revive, and the ghost's accomplices will be able to sense it immediately and nip the ghost case in the bud before it escalates into a ghostly disaster.

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

Using incense for worship is no secret, but most people disdain to do it.

Those who control ghosts are high above others and can advance their rank as vengeful ghosts by killing and taking lives (like Zhu Guangling). Why should they lower themselves to please the common people in exchange for incense offerings?
However, if the power of ghosts is used to stop the ghostly calamity, then the situation is different.

Zhao Fusheng's suggestion could genuinely reduce the chances of everyone solving ghost cases, so naturally, all the ghost controllers kept these matters in mind.

With time running out, Zhao Fusheng didn't say anything more to the others. Instead, he exchanged glances with Jia Yi, Yu Lingzhu, and the others. He then asked Kuai Manzhou to clear the way with the Ghost Road, and Xie Jingsheng led the way. Afterward, they went to the other four cities to complete the Ghost Seals one by one.

……

Only after the five city ghost seals were fully applied did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

Xie Jingsheng said with a serious expression:

"I need to rush back and report to Lord Fengdu about the disappearance of the plaques from the five cities."

This matter is very serious.

The importance of the plaque is self-evident, but what is even more important is that the people of the capital were completely unaware of when it disappeared and who obtained it.

Xie Jingsheng felt a vague unease, sensing that danger was lurking behind this fog of mystery.

He was going to report these matters to Feng Du, and also report the things that Xu Yu had mentioned with his Qiankun Brush.

Zhao Fusheng nodded:
"Go and attend to your business. I'm going to the Zhongdu Demon Suppression Division to investigate the case in Wuqing County, Lizhou."

Xie Jingsheng looked at her—the Erlang Shen she had summoned had been suppressed by her, and the evil spirits had hidden in her shadow.

In Shangyang County, the fierce and ruthless Zang Xiongshan became unusually docile when she summoned him this time, as if he had been completely suppressed by her.

Zhao Fusheng has many secrets.

She doesn't know where she has hidden so many ghosts and spirits, and she can control them all completely without losing control.

Today's printing made her famous overnight. The voices in the capital that were originally puzzled by the proposal to bestow the title of queen upon her will probably all disappear after today's printing.

Those who wield ghosts ultimately rely on their strength.

Xie Jingsheng's expression was somewhat complicated.

He recalled meeting this group of people outside Shangyang County. At that time, he was a powerful general from the capital and initially looked down on the group from Wan'an County, thinking they were just ordinary people from a remote county town. He didn't even take Ding Datong from Changping County seriously. However, he didn't expect that in just a few days, Xie Jingsheng's attitude would undergo a complete transformation. "Good."

Xie Jingsheng suppressed the complicated thoughts in his mind and responded:
"I have already given instructions regarding Zhongdu City, and all the cases in Lizhou have been compiled."

He intended to do Zhao Fusheng a favor, saying:
“I know you like to study the details of cases, so I used the year recorded in the Wuqing County case as the standard and found the cases in the prefecture before and after five years. If you are interested, you can copy them down.”

Wu Shaochun smiled and said:
"Mr. Xie's thinking is very thoughtful. This will make your trip to Lizhou even more secure."

After exchanging a few jokes, everyone went their separate ways.

……

When the vehicle stopped in front of the town's main gate in Zhongdu, someone was already waiting, having received Xie Jingsheng's prior arrangements.

Upon learning that Zhao Fusheng had arrived, the messenger led the group into the meeting room where the case files were stored.

"Lord Xie informed us in advance that no one except Lord Zhao was allowed to enter this place today."

The one leading the way was a messenger, and he carried the malevolent aura left behind by the ghost-controlling envoy.

His face was pale, but he forced a smile and ushered the group into the file room.

The archives room of the Demon Suppression Bureau was extremely large, with an arched dome and beams at least two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) off the ground, giving it a very solemn and dignified appearance.

Countless custom-made cabinets divide the room into a highly regular layout, with each cabinet divided into numerous small compartments filled with files.

The top of the frame is engraved with the names of the various prefectures and counties of the Han Dynasty, while the bottom is further subdivided into the names of the prefectures and counties, recorded according to the year.

After Zhao Fusheng and the others entered this place, they looked at the vast sea of ​​documents. At a glance, the crisscrossing bookshelves seemed to have no end.

The group felt as if they had stumbled into a mysterious and solemn kingdom.

The sound of the door opening echoed softly.

The morning sunlight streamed in from behind, casting long shadows of the group, but these shadows seemed insignificant compared to the vastness of the room.

Under the light, dust particles could be seen floating in the air, and the room was filled with the unique aroma of ink, paper, tanned leather scrolls, and bamboo.

When Zhao Fusheng entered this place, he was initially overwhelmed by the archives of the capital.

The Han Dynasty was impoverished, and its people were also impoverished.

Even the imperial capital, which served as the face of the Han Dynasty, exuded an air of poverty.

Apart from the city of Zhongdu and the areas inhabited by the powerful, nobles, and demon-taming officials, the houses were low and the roads were dilapidated.

Chickens and dogs can often be seen by the roadside—these are already considered to be very lively and a symbol of wealth.

However, the smell of excrement could be smelled all around the dilapidated road, and some people were considered decent if they could even wear a piece of clothing to cover their bodies.

……

But this archive is different.

Zhao Fusheng couldn't even imagine how the Demon Suppression Division could have created such a clean and tidy house in such an era.

While he was still in a daze, the envoy laughed:
"Please take a seat, gentlemen. The necessary items have been placed over there."

He pointed.

Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a long table, more than ten feet long, placed in an empty space, with the tabletop covered with files.

"The writing implements are ready. If you are impatient with reading, we have also prepared a clerk to read for you. Just give the order and he will come and read for you."

The messenger said:
"All kinds of tea, snacks and other items have been prepared and will be served shortly."

Zhao Fusheng's initial surprise subsided, and she nodded:

"The clerk is not needed for now, just bring some tea."

Eager to investigate the ghost case in Wuqing County, Lizhou, she dismissed the man with a few words.

Because Xie Jingsheng considered that Zhao Fusheng had two children with him, he even had a separate play area set up in the case file room for the children.

Zhao Fusheng sat down at the table; the documents had already been organized.

She paused for a moment, then grasped the most conspicuous scroll in her hand.

The files were stored in bamboo tubes and sealed with wax, indicating that no one had opened them since they were written.

She removed the wax seal, revealing a roll of sheepskin inside. Zhao Fusheng poured out the roll of sheepskin, untied the ribbon, and the sheepskin slowly unfolded.

The record above states: August 9th, 207th year of the Great Han Dynasty.

I think something's happened in Wuqing County.

This line of text was written in cinnabar.

Zhao Fusheng estimated the time; from the date recorded in the file to the present, it has been nearly forty years.

Over time, the cinnabar ink has faded somewhat, appearing darker, and an ominous shadow hangs over the tip of the brush.

According to the laws of the Demon Suppression Law, Wuqing County should submit an annual summary report to the prefectural government, but this year no one from Wuqing County has submitted one.

Zhao Fusheng read these words aloud.

Upon hearing this, Ding Datong quickly explained:

"My lord, the Demon Suppression Division has rules: prefectures govern counties, and counties govern counties."

The Demon Suppression Division was short-staffed, and the county seat was the lowest-ranking office within the division.

According to the rules, the chief of the Demon Suppression Division of the county government is required to handle three ghost cases each year. If there are not enough cases or no cases occur, a separate statement must be written to explain the reasons.

Even if a case is handled according to the rules each year, a case summary must still be written every year to show that the local Demon Suppression Bureau is operating normally—this is an experience summarized by predecessors to prevent the spread of local ghostly calamities without anyone in charge knowing, which could eventually lead to an uncontrollable catastrophe.

“The county government pays its dues annually, which is an unavoidable matter. If it is interrupted, it will cause major problems. The prefectural government, on the other hand, must submit a document every six months, which we call the ‘Peace Letter’.”

Ding Datong said:

"It is said that the strictest measures were taken earlier, but they were later relaxed a bit. After all, sometimes the distance is far and the letters may be lost for various reasons. Also, the ghost-controller may have a strange and uncontrollable temper. Therefore, the time for sending the 'peace letter' was extended. Later, it was normal to send it once a year."

However, no matter how much you push the limits, one year is the maximum.

“If the ‘Peace Letter’ is not delivered to the prefecture within a year, the prefecture general will assume that there is a problem and will send people to the prefecture to investigate.”

This is when things get complicated.

When someone is sent down from above, there's a high probability they'll be accompanied by a powerful ghost tamer.

This move serves two purposes: firstly, it is to anticipate the occurrence of ghostly calamities in the area, and the powerful ghost-controllers accompanying them are prepared to resolve these calamities.

Secondly, it is to eliminate unstable factors.

This instability also includes the demon tamers of the local Demon Suppression Bureau.

These people may be on the verge of being resurrected by vengeful spirits, or they may already be resurrected by vengeful spirits.

The new demon tamer is to replace him.

Therefore, failing to submit a "safety report" for a year is a relatively serious incident and could very likely lead to serious consequences.

　Sorry for the late update.

　　I've been very busy lately. I got home late yesterday, and this morning I was delayed by checking and making revisions.

　　(End of this chapter)