I become a god in another world

Chapter 736 County Preparations
Chapter 736

After Zhao Fusheng gave a brief account of the cause and effect of the ghost calamity in Wuqing County, the council hall of the Demon Suppression Division in Wan'an County fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone's face showed shock, fear, and a faint hint of relief.

Tao Lifang, Hu Rong, and the other two looked at each other, feeling lingering fear about their choices that day.

If the three of them had chosen to travel with Zhao Fusheng that day, hoping to seize the opportunity for immortality, perhaps they would have been among the people in Wuqing County whose evil spirits had been resurrected.

"Old Zhang died in the realm of reincarnation ghosts."

Zhao Fusheng lowered his voice.

She was reserved in her emotions and did not wail loudly because of Zhang Chuanshi's death, but when she mentioned Zhang Chuanshi, her eyelids drooped, hiding her inner sorrow.

This natural expression of emotion is all the more genuine.

Zheng He was suddenly overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

He recalled his first encounter with Zhao Fusheng. The two became friends after a fight. At the time, he thought Zhao Fusheng was strong and domineering, and Zhang Chuanshi was just a sycophant. Who would have thought that such a cowardly old man would have such a complicated and bizarre background, and would eventually die in such a way from a ghostly calamity.

Zhao Fusheng quickly composed herself. She took a deep breath and said again:
"In the case of the ghost in Wuqing County, Meng Po was also resurrected as a vengeful ghost, but I have now conferred upon her the title of ghost god to guard the ghost realm for me."

"This trip to the capital involved several major ghost cases, including the Red Shoes Case, the Reincarnation Ghost Case, the Erlang True God of Shangyang County, and the Ghost Case of Wuqing County. Two of my magistrates from Wan'an County have died due to ghostly calamities. Afterwards, I will ask Magistrate Pang to have statues of Old Zhang and Meng Po erected for them to receive incense offerings from the people. I will also request that a shrine be built for them to ensure that the people remember their merits."

Xie Jingsheng nodded silently.

At this moment, having lost his fiefdom, he could empathize with Zhao Fusheng's feelings.

After a long pause, he mustered his strength and asked:

"Fusheng, what are your plans for the capital now?"

"I will temporarily assume the post of governor of the capital, and I intend to replace some of the rule by man with rule by spirits and deities," Zhao Fusheng said.
"Before I left the capital, I built a total of fifteen land temples in the capital. Those who worship the two gods, Wang and Jiang, will become their followers and be 'marked' by them."

The marks of spirits and deities signify protection.

Offering incense can alleviate the killing by vengeful ghosts.

Furthermore, the presence of ghostly or divine auras can create a ghostly domain, suppressing the resurgence of other malevolent spirits.

If this continues, the existence and influence of the Demon Suppression Division will be further weakened.

When people have less of the mountain weighing on them, life will be easier than before, the resentment in the world may also weaken, and the resurgence of evil spirits will tend to decrease.

Xie Jingsheng nodded upon hearing this:

"Lord Fengdu had also had such a wish before, but he was willing but unable to fulfill it."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said:
"Do your best and obey destiny."

She was also figuring things out as she went.

Whether this path is feasible, or even if it will work, is something no one can answer right now; she can only take it one step at a time and see.

If she becomes exhausted, someone else will take over her mission and continue the journey.

Xie Jingsheng understood the implied meaning in her words, and his heart tightened involuntarily:
"After you control ghosts—"

Before he could finish speaking, he realized that what he had said was inappropriate. Then he saw Tao Lifang, Zheng He and others' expressions change slightly, and they stopped talking in time.

But everyone understood what he meant.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said:
"Don't be nervous, everyone. Dealing with ghosts is never completely safe, but at least for now I am clear-headed and there is no sign of the ghosts resurrecting."

Her words eased everyone's tension.

However, Zhao Fusheng immediately changed the subject:
"I'm just worried that Zhang the Paper Doll will cause trouble."

The mention of Paper Figure Zhang caused everyone's faces to darken.

"This person is quite extraordinary. He has an unusual background, but he has been poor since childhood, and his mind has long been twisted."

The incident at the Zang family ancestral hall back then led to the destruction of his family and the death of his people, turning him into a living ghost. He became extreme and unscrupulous in his actions, committing numerous major crimes, and countless people died directly or indirectly because of him.

"This is an extremely heinous crime!"

Zhao Fusheng said coldly:

"This person hates the world to the extreme and has a tendency to destroy it."

Meanwhile, Paper Man Zhang and Zhao Fusheng have differing ideologies and their ideas are completely opposite, making a battle inevitable in the end.

"What should I do?"

Zheng He asked with concern.

He had previously served as the magistrate of Bao County, but he was like a frog in a well, relying on his extraordinary strength to be able to govern a region.

Little did they know that such a terrifying figure was hidden in Wan'an County, their neighboring county.

In every major case mentioned by Zhao Fusheng, there was the shadow of Paper Man Zhang's involvement.

This person appeared directly in the two major cities of Shangyang and Wuqing, resulting in the deaths of several generals.

If such a dangerous person is going to harm Wan'an County, how will everyone survive this crisis?
"This is what I have gathered you here today to say to you."

Zhao Fusheng said coldly:

"I predict that day is probably not far off."

Her words sent a chill down everyone's spines.

"On that day in Wuqing County, I originally trapped the paper figure Zhang into reincarnation, but this person was extremely cunning. Afterwards, the Ghost Realm retrieved it, and I did not sense his presence."

Xie Jingsheng frowned and asked:

"Where did he go?"

This person is elusive and always alone; if he is hiding in the shadows, searching for him would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Zhao Fusheng said:

"I suspect he escaped on the ghost carriage of the Night Wanderer."

Xie Jingsheng exclaimed upon hearing this:
"You mean, he'll appear in Wan'an County next March?"

Zhao Fusheng nodded:
“Ayu’s Qiankun Brush once made a prophecy that trouble would break out in Wan’an County at the end of March next year.”

There were still several months until March of next year, and fearing that people would be frightened by what she heard, she did not reveal the whole story, but only gave a general outline.

"The Ghost Book of the Night Wanderer is in—"

Mentioning this cursed book, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help but feel annoyed.

She failed when she tried to set a time using the Qiankun Pen, which then altered the time.

At the time, she was furious, thinking that the Qiankun Brush was the work of a vengeful ghost's nature. But after leaving Wuqing County, she realized that the root of the problem still lay with herself.

Time stands still in the realm of ghosts.

After being trapped in Wuqing County, she lost her sense of time.

Since most of them left the capital in February, when she traveled from Baili Temple to Wuqing County and spoke with the two masters of the Chang family, she was cautious and asked about the details of the time. At that time, she deduced that it should be around the fifth day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raises its head.

Little did she know that this action would mislead her.

The timeline in Wuqing County is disordered—this may be due to the power of Yu Lingzhu.

In short, she misjudged the time, thinking that the influence of the ghost domain in Wuqing County would only last for a month or so. Therefore, when locating the ghost car, she wrote down the words "March of the 247th year of the Great Han Dynasty". In the end, the time setting failed, and the Qiankun Brush found an opportunity.

After leaving Wuqing County, Zhao Fusheng realized that half a year had passed since she was trapped in the Ghost Realm of Wuqing County. She then understood why the Qiankun Brush was able to successfully change the time.

What has already happened cannot be reversed. Although the Ghost Train can travel through time, it can only allow people in the present to stay in the past briefly, and cannot truly reverse time.

That's why she failed back then.

If only I had known this earlier—

Zhao Fusheng thought about this several times afterward and felt extremely regretful.

It's as if there's a hand at work, causing the laws to be executed by some unexpected twist of fate.

The Qiankun Brush prophesies: In late spring of next March, an important figure will die in Wan'an County.

She initially thought it was a curse from the Qiankun Brush, unaware that she herself was one of the factors that contributed to the curse.

Zhao Fusheng suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind and pretended to be calm: "The Ghost Book is scheduled for the fifth day of the third month next year. At that time, it will bring back Da Fan, Xiao Fan, Yi Zhen and the others. I suspect that Paper Man Zhang is hiding on this ghost carriage, so there will be a short period of peace during these three months."

However, three months later, with the arrival of the paper figure Zhang, Wan'an County is very likely to fall into chaos.

'Wow.'

Everyone gasped.

Zhao Fusheng then tapped the table with his fingers, and the hall fell silent again.

Zheng He was restless.

He was on the verge of a ghost's resurgence, and last year should have been his death day, but Zhao Fusheng extended his life.

From the moment the door god's seal was struck, his condition has remained stable, and the money-spitting ghost he commands has been suppressed by the door god's seal. This gave Zheng He the illusion that if he had continued to live in Wan'an County, he might have lived to the age he had previously predicted to die peacefully in his old age.

But just when everything was going well, Zhao Fusheng said that disaster was about to befall Wan'an County.

"Zhenghe".

Just then, Zhao Fusheng suddenly called out Zheng He's name.

Zheng He, who was lost in thought, broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing Zhao Fusheng's words. He immediately stood up and said uneasily:

"My lord, I didn't—"

Zhao Fusheng glanced at him, as if she could see right through his inner turmoil, but she didn't seem to care. Instead, she said:
"Quickly put down what you are doing and hand it over to Magistrate Pang. I will arrange for someone else to follow up."

After she finished speaking, she added:
"I'll give you three days. After you're done, take Gu Jiansheng and leave Wan'an County to go back and guard Bao County for me."

"grown ups--"

Upon hearing this, Zheng He felt an immediate sense of relief.

But amidst the relief, he couldn't help feeling guilty, and continued:
"My lord, I... I am willing to stay and stand with Wan'an County through thick and thin."

Gu Jiansheng panicked, scratching his head, but dared not utter a sound.

“You don’t need to stick with me here. Just do your job and ensure the safety of Magistrate Bao. That’s what you need to do,” Zhao Fusheng said.

Her gaze was firm, clearly indicating that she had not made this decision on a whim.

Zheng He breathed a sigh of relief, then said with shame:
"Yes, sir, I will certainly protect Magistrate Bao."

Zhao Fusheng nodded:
"Don't let the news get out, don't let Wan'an County fall into chaos."

After saying that, she waved for Zheng He to leave.

Zheng He felt as if he had been granted a pardon and left with Gu Jiansheng.

Tao Lifang and the others were left feeling uneasy.

"Tao Lifang, Hu Rong, and Jiang Ying, you three originally belonged to Changping County. Since Datong has not returned to Changping County, you do not need to stay in Wan'an County. Like Zheng He, you should go back today and pack your bags immediately. It would be best to set off for the county within the next two days."

The others agreed as well.

Once these people were removed from the scope of Wan'an County, Zhao Fusheng quickly asked them to leave the meeting hall.

After everyone left, Xie Jingsheng said:
"Assuming your guess is correct, with a major battle imminent, manpower is needed even more. If you send people away at this time, you will be isolated and helpless."

Zhao Fusheng shook his head:
“The ghosts that Zheng He and the others originally controlled were of low rank. In such a ghostly calamity, staying behind would not be of much use and would only increase casualties.”

On the contrary, at such a critical moment, if they can safeguard the stability of their respective counties, it will be of greater benefit to Zhao Fusheng.

"Moreover, when the paper effigy Zhang arrives on the fifth day of the third month next year, my ghost carriage will also arrive, and the people of Wan'an County will follow. I won't be completely isolated and helpless."

After she finished speaking, she paused for a moment and looked at Xie Jingsheng:
“Mr. Xie, I do need your help, but I cannot ask you to return to the capital for the time being.”

Xie Jingsheng smiled calmly:
"I'll stay then. At my age, I'm lucky to have lived this long; I won't have died in vain." He then asked:
"What do you want me to do?"

Zhao Fusheng said:

"With fewer ghost controllers in the county, we'll need you and Manzhou to help me with ordinary ghost cases. Wan'an County can't afford any trouble before the big battle begins."

During this period, Zhao Fusheng also needs to make some preparations to deal with the arrival of Paper Figure Zhang.

The two then spoke for a while, discussed some countermeasures, and finally left the council chamber.

Inside the Demon Suppression Division, everyone went about their own business.

Pang Qing was leading a group of people to count the gold and silver items that Zhao Fusheng had brought back, recording and weighing them before putting them into the treasury. In addition to drafting household registration regulations, Magistrate Pang also had to pay attention to the money and plan how to use the money to develop people's livelihood.

Xu Yachen and the others were still there, discussing how to host a banquet that evening to welcome Zhao Fusheng back.

Everything was calm and peaceful. The people here were looking forward to their future life, completely unaware that a storm would break out three months later.

……

In the time that followed, Magistrate Pang acted swiftly.

He immediately ordered someone to summon Kong Youde from Changtiao Town and Old Man Zhang to Wan'an County.

Soon after, a rumor spread in Changtiao Town: a tax totaling 387 taels of silver collected in Changtiao Town over the previous seven years was unreasonable, and it was suspected that it was one of the taxes that the neighboring Sifang Town and Po Town should have paid.

However, because seven years have passed and the matter is still in the past, fearing that the truth might not be clear, Mayor Kong Youde intends to thoroughly investigate the tax files.

However, this matter concerns tax revenue and is of great importance. Kong Youde is afraid that bringing it up rashly will anger Sifang Town, cause controversy, and then bring disaster upon himself, so he hesitates.

The news immediately caused unrest among the townspeople.

Just then, a rumor spread in Fengmen Village: if the villagers petitioned together and wrote to Wan'an County, ordering the county to send people to investigate thoroughly, they might be able to distribute this tax revenue equally to Sifang Town.

The news spread far and wide, and in less than half a month, some people in Fengmen Village volunteered to collect a list of 10,000 people and ask the magistrate of Wan'an County to re-examine this tax payment.

Not long after, an old man surnamed Zhang from Fengmen Village took the initiative to take on the task and began registering names to petition Wan'an County.

……

At this moment, in the courtyard of a farmhouse next to the former site of the Ghostly Calamity in Fengmen Village, Old Man Zhang moved a stool and sat at the door, instructing his two sons to strike a gong with wooden hammers.

A table and chairs were placed in the center of the courtyard, and a man of about fifty years old was sitting at the table, copying down names.

Three long queues formed in the courtyard, and the queues extended into the fields outside.

Old Zhang shouted:

"Lin Laoba, whose real name is Lin Bagou, was born in—"

As he spoke, the man sitting at the table began to register.

Seeing that Old Man Zhang had explained things in detail, Lin Laoba felt both uneasy and hesitant:

"Uncle Zhang, I'm just asking for permission, why are you saying all this?"

He said:

"This is like registering a household. If we go into too much detail, will the imperial court start collecting taxes again?"

Old Zhang's eyes widened:
"The person in charge of our county now is Magistrate Zhao. You've met Magistrate Zhao before. When Guo's family got into trouble, Magistrate Zhao traveled a long way to handle the case. He didn't eat or drink at your house, and he even exempted many people from taxes. What nonsense are you talking about?"

After he finished cursing, he said again:

“Now, Sifang Town may have embezzled more than 300 taels of silver from our town for seven years. If this amount of silver were divided among the villages in the town, each village and each person would have to pay a lot of money every year. How much can you save if you work hard in the fields all year? If this money were distributed back to Sifang Town, everyone might have some savings at the end of the year and be able to afford some meat for their families.”

After saying that, he scolded:

"So, are you going to write this name down or not? If you don't, I'll cross your name off. But let me make this clear first: if this goes through, I don't care whether your taxes change or not, but we will definitely pay less tax."

Upon hearing this, Lin Laoba immediately became terrified:

"Write it down, of course I'll write it down. I'll write down my child's name too, will that help?"

Old Zhang's lips curled slightly, and he said proudly:

"Of course it works, more people means more things are easier."

Before any doubts could even arise, Old Man Zhang suppressed them, and the subsequent petition from the entire Fengmen Village proceeded smoothly.

Three days later, a total of 921 people in the village were registered.

This stack of household registrations was submitted to Magistrate Pang of Wan'an County in the form of a petition.

(End of this chapter)