I become a god in another world

Chapter 735 Returning to Wan'an County
Chapter 735

Xie Jingsheng felt a pang of anxiety upon thinking about this.

He suddenly felt a tightness in his throat and stammered, "..."
"Wuqing Prefecture—"

"It's a long story, so be prepared," Zhao Fusheng said, giving Xie Jingsheng a meaningful look.

Her expression made Xie Jingsheng uneasy, but just as he was about to press her for more information, he suddenly heard the sound of galloping horses in the distance, followed by Magistrate Pang's hoarse shout:
"My lord, has he returned?"

At the same time, the sound of bells could be heard throughout the county.

'clang--'

'clang--'

'clang--'

The bell rang three times, and then the entire Wan'an County seemed to instantly 'boil' up.

A carriage sped by, and Magistrate Pang sat at the front. The moment his eyes fell on Zhao Fusheng, his eyes lit up with ecstatic joy.

"As expected, it is the magistrate who has returned." Magistrate Pang was in tears and immediately tried to jump off the carriage, but fortunately the driver caught him in time, preventing the old magistrate from getting into trouble.

Xie Jingsheng suppressed his anxiety, forced a smile, and said:

"You've been away from the county for almost a year, haven't you?"

Zhao Fusheng nodded:
"About the same time. I left around this time last year and returned around the same time this year."

Xie Jingsheng said:

“This old magistrate is quite worried about you.” After saying that, he added, “After we split up in the capital earlier, Tao Lifang and I also took the Zhu family to Wan’an County by waterway. This old magistrate was the one who received us when we arrived.”

Magistrate Pang was unaware of Xie Jingsheng's true strength and background, but he could tell that the ghost tamers accompanying him treated him with utmost respect.

Since Zhao Fusheng was not in Wan'an County, Xie Jingsheng stayed here temporarily to oversee things for her, which relieved Zheng He and the others.

Just as they were exchanging pleasantries, Magistrate Pang's carriage arrived.

The old magistrate was the first to nimbly alight from the carriage. When he reached Zhao Fusheng, he stared at her for a long while before his eyes finally welled up with tears. He then straightened his clothes and bowed deeply.
"My lord, you're finally back. I haven't failed you this past year; I've accomplished quite a bit."

This is not the time to discuss things in detail.

Magistrate Pang glanced at the boat again, and when he saw that Zhao Fusheng was accompanied only by Kuai Manzhou, his heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed.
"My lord, the other magistrates in the county—"

"This is a long story, I'll tell you the details later."

After saying that, Zhao Fusheng turned to Xie Jingsheng and said:

"Lord Xie, I received some gifts from the capital when I returned this time. I don't trust anyone else to carry me. Don't you have the Five Ghosts? Can I borrow them?"

These boxes are full of gold and silver. The evil spirit is not tempted by money and is very steady in its actions.

Xie Jingsheng couldn't help but grin:
"You've got some clever schemes up your sleeve, making my ghost do all the work for you for free. I'll get paid for this job."

Despite saying this, he still summoned the five ghosts and ordered the people who came with him to unload the boxes from the boat, attach ropes and carrying poles, and then the five ghosts carried the loads.

As they were talking, Zheng He and the others arrived one by one.

After exchanging a few words, the group headed towards the Demon Suppression Office of Wan'an County.

In just one year, Wan'an County has undergone tremendous changes—especially the passage from the dock to the Demon Suppression Division, which has been almost completely renovated.

The streets were surprisingly clean, and new shops had been built on both sides, with some businesses already moving in.

When the Demon Suppression Division's vehicles returned, people in the shops on both sides curiously hid behind to watch.

Magistrate Pang, who was traveling in the same carriage as Zhao Fusheng, took this opportunity to explain:

"My lord, over the past year, I have followed your instructions to build the docks first, then support the merchants to move in, and construct houses and roads. Centered on the Demon Suppression Division, I have now completely transformed the houses and shops within a five-mile radius of the Demon Suppression Division."

He said:
"Besides the money left by the adults that day, Xu Yachen and Yu Weide also contributed a lot. In many places, they were indispensable in providing money, manpower, and connections. Now, there are about ten cargo ships at the dock every month, and trade is gradually taking off."

At this point, Magistrate Pang hesitated for a moment:
"It's the adults' family fortune—"

Zhao Fusheng laughed upon hearing this:

"Money is meant to be spent. You've managed to accomplish so much with this money, which shows how hard the old magistrate has worked this year. Don't worry about the money. If it's not enough, I brought some back from my trip to the capital. A batch is still on its way. I'll put them all into the treasury later and hand them over to Pang Qing to sort out. You can still plan and allocate them."

Magistrate Pang had spent a year with her and had some understanding of her temperament. Although her attitude of not blaming him was within his expectations, he was still somewhat uneasy until he got a clear answer from her.

Hearing her say that, he replied:

"Now that you've said that, I can finally rest assured."

"I also have something to ask you to do," Zhao Fusheng said.

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Pang's spirits lifted:
"Sir, please speak."

"When I was in Beijing, I planned to compile a complete household registration list—"

Zhao Fusheng then recounted the whole story of how she had asked Jia Yi to re-register her household registration during her time in the capital, and also shared Jia Yi's reminders and her own concerns.

"Didn't I ask you to organize the household registration of Wan'an County before I left for Changping County? I wonder if there were any mistakes or omissions at that time? In the next month, please assign some people to check the household registration and confirm that it is correct. I will need it very much later."

"I see." Magistrate Pang pondered for a moment, then an idea came to him:

"I have a brilliant idea that might help in verifying household registrations."

"Oh?" Zhao Fusheng became interested upon hearing this.

Magistrate Pang asked, "Does Your Excellency remember Old Man Zhang from Fengmen Village?"

"I remember." Zhao Fusheng nodded. "You plan to use him for a task?"

Magistrate Pang said, "Yes, this old man is quick-witted and very capable of going up the mountain and into the countryside. He can talk about this and that. I think we can start with Changtiao Town."

He thought about it, then, full of confidence:

"If you entrust this matter to me, I will certainly handle it properly."

Seeing his confidence, Zhao Fusheng finally felt relieved.

Magistrate Pang has changed quite a bit in the past two years. Perhaps it's because Wan'an County has been relatively peaceful these past two years, and he is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Demon Suppression Division, nor does he live in constant fear. He has actually shown his considerable talent, which has greatly pleased Zhao Fusheng.

"Then I'll have to trouble you," Zhao Fusheng said.

Magistrate Pang exclaimed, "Your Excellency, what are you saying? I should thank you for giving me this opportunity, otherwise—"

He didn't say anything more.

……

After recounting the changes in Wan'an County over the past year, Magistrate Pang mentioned a few more details about the current situation of the county's residents. In the short time that followed, the carriage returned to Baoding Lane, and the gate of the Demon Suppression Division was not far away.

Baoding Lane changed even more in the year Zhao Fusheng left. Shops lined both sides of the street, and the street was bustling with merchants and pedestrians.

When the carriage returned, everyone moved aside to the sides.

Zhao Fusheng was satisfied with the changes in the Demon Suppression Division. When she was reborn, this place was desolate and deserted, but in just two years, it had undergone such a dramatic transformation.

Although many people on the street still had sallow complexions, their eyes now held a hint of curiosity, no longer numb and fearful.

This is the result of the joint efforts of everyone in Wan'an County.

Zheng He and his group received the message too late. Fearing they might miss meeting Zhao Fusheng along the way, they waited for him at the entrance of the Zhenmosi government office in Wan'an County.

When the carriage returned, Zheng He and Tao Lifang and others who were waiting in Wan'an County greeted it respectfully, and then exchanged pleasantries.

Zheng He was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

"My lord—" He had been separated from Zhao Fusheng for quite some time, and now that they met again, although Zhao Fusheng had concealed his murderous aura well, he still exuded an aura that made Zheng He instinctively afraid. This proved that in the past year, Zhao Fusheng's strength was probably even stronger than when he was in Bao County, controlling the two door gods and ghosts.

The money-spitting ghosts he commanded were completely suppressed and dared not make the slightest move.

Although Zhao Fusheng's strength had increased, her eyes remained calm, as if she were in a very stable state, which made Zheng He admire her even more.

"Thank you for your hard work this year."

Zhao Fusheng said:

"On the way back, I heard the old magistrate mention what you have done this year. Wan'an County has been managed very well."

Upon receiving her affirmation, Zheng He's face lit up with excitement.

He was about to speak when he noticed that only Kuai Manzhou had gotten out of the car; the others were nowhere to be seen. His smile immediately froze.
"My lord, the two envoys, Da Fan and Xiao Fan, and Yi Zhen and the others—"

"them--"

Before Zhao Fusheng could finish speaking, Xu Yachen and the others who were waiting nearby came forward to greet him.

Upon learning of Zhao Fusheng's return, these people rushed over to present him with gifts.

Zhao Fusheng's topic was interrupted, so Zheng He could only turn his gaze to Xie Jingsheng. Seeing that Xie Jingsheng's eyes were serious, Zheng He had no choice but to suppress his anxiety, force a smile, and join the others in escorting Zhao Fusheng inside.

The council chamber has already been cleared out.

This hall is not as grand as the headquarters of the Demon Suppression Bureau in the capital, but it is still quite impressive after the reconstruction. After everyone had talked for a while, Zhao Fusheng briefly mentioned his journey to the capital.

She mentioned the ghost incident she encountered on the boat on her way to the capital, her subsequent journey to Huangma Town, and her travels to Wenxing and Jin counties. She also mentioned the ghost incident in Jin County and her subsequent journey to Shangyang County.

Xie Jingsheng learned about what happened afterward and would occasionally respond with a smile and a few words.

Xu Yachen and the others listened with astonishment, but they were not ghost tamers. They only knew that ghost calamities were terrifying and that one had a slim chance of survival. However, when they heard about ghost calamities, their feelings were far less profound than those of ghost tamers.

When Zheng He heard that Zhao Fusheng had solved so many ghost cases, he understood why her aura had become so frightening.

He couldn't even imagine such a series of major cases. Even if Jin Jiang had experienced it, he would probably be in an unstable state. But Zhao Fu was living a perfectly good life and didn't seem to have been affected by the ghosts too much.

……

Yu Weide said:

"With a powerful figure in charge of Wan'an County, it is bound to achieve extraordinary things in the future. In that case, I can enjoy my retirement here in peace."

Xu Yachen echoed his sentiments, praising him repeatedly.

In retrospect, moving from Baozhi County to Wan'an County was arguably the best decision he ever made.

After speaking for a while, Zhao Fusheng stopped smiling and winked at Magistrate Pang, signaling him to lead the gentry and merchants to another place to rest.

Magistrate Pang understood that with Zhao Fusheng's return, the Demon Suppression Division had other matters to attend to, so he tactfully got up and led Yu Weide and the others away one by one.

Before long, the council hall was empty, with only the people from the Demon Suppression Division remaining.

The atmosphere immediately became serious.

Xie Jingsheng had been anxious ever since he saw Zhao Fusheng, and now that he had the chance, he immediately asked:
"Fusheng, has the matter in Wuqing Prefecture affected the capital?"

Zhao Fusheng nodded:
"The ghosts in Wuqing County are quite a menace. We were trapped inside as soon as we entered the county."

She paused for a moment after speaking.

Xie Jingsheng's eyelids twitched rapidly, and his ominous premonition grew stronger.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he felt timid and dared not ask.

"That--"

“Feng is dead,” Zhao Fusheng said directly.

These words struck Xie Jingsheng like a thunderbolt.

"what?!"

Tao Lifang and the others exclaimed in surprise.

Zheng He didn't know who Feng Du was at first—his rank was too low before. Although he had stayed in the capital, the Silver Generals he had come into contact with were already big shots in his eyes. Someone like Feng Du was beyond his reach.

However, after Xie Jingsheng and Tao Lifang arrived, they inevitably mentioned some matters concerning the capital, which gave him a general understanding of the situation there.

He knew that Feng Du was the actual person in charge of the Demon Suppression Division in the capital. Now that Feng Du was dead, did it mean that the power of the Demon Suppression Division would change hands?
Just as he was lost in thought, Xie Jingsheng finally came to his senses and said in a panic:
"How could this be? How could this be—"

Feng Du's condition has not been good in recent years, but as long as his vengeful spirits do not revive and the seventeen-layered ghost domain he controls does not undergo any changes, he should not die.

"The day you and Yizhen wrote the plaque, it clearly, clearly suppressed the gates of hell—"

Xie Jingsheng was deeply shocked by this disappearance, and his speech became somewhat incoherent.

He lost his father at a young age.

More than fifty years ago, due to that special time cycle, Feng Du and the young Xie Jingsheng formed an indissoluble bond. Feng Du always took good care of him. To Xie Jingsheng, Feng Du was like a teacher and a father. The two were very close. Now, upon hearing the news of Feng Du's death, Xie Jingsheng was so distraught.

After he calmed down for a while, Zhao Fusheng said:
"The ghost disaster in Wuqing County was more serious than we imagined. Wang Zhiyi, Jiang Jinshan and Yu Lingzhu all died in this ghost disaster. On the day of the ghost disaster, the paper figure Zhang appeared and caused trouble."

She looked at the stunned expression on Xie Jingsheng's face, and a hint of sympathy appeared in her eyes:

"The paper figure Zhang originally had the coffin lid that he had obtained from Liu Huacheng that day."

Then she recounted how she had used the power of the Ghost Mother to seal away the Paper Man Zhang in order to subdue him.

Paper Man Zhang used a clever trick, and in the end, not only was he not sealed by the ghost coffin, but he also managed to piece the ghost coffin back together.

Then, by forcibly opening the seventeenth layer of the ghost realm in Fengdu using the ghost coffin, the evil spirits in Fengdu were eventually revived.

It all seemed like a predetermined ending.

No one expected that the part of the ghost realm that was split off to trap the headless ghost would eventually become the key to ending Fengdu's life.

It's all about timing and fate.

Although this matter is inseparable from the mischief of the paper doll Zhang, it seems that the fate of those who control ghosts is ultimately like this: they will die an unnatural death and will not be able to die peacefully in their old age.

(End of this chapter)