I become a god in another world

Chapter 748 Jinzhou Back Then
Chapter 748

The contrast between the inside and outside of the house was too great; the visual and olfactory experiences were completely different. Apart from the two children, Zhao Fusheng and Magistrate Pang were both on guard.

Zhang Wanquan led the group through the long corridor, where everything they saw was exquisite.

The place was elegant in every way. Apart from the faint, ominous aura that reminded everyone that something was amiss, everything in front of them did not look like the government office of the Demon Suppression Bureau. Instead, it looked like the residence of a member of the royal family or a high-ranking official of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Zhao Fusheng was on edge the whole way, but he didn't encounter anything strange.

About half an hour later, Zhang Wanquan breathed a sigh of relief:

"My lord, we have arrived at the private hall."

As he was speaking, he raised his hand and pointed.

The direction he was pointing was at the end of the long corridor, which led to an extremely strange inner courtyard.

The inner courtyard was not elegant; on the contrary, its furnishings were rather strange—these things were placed haphazardly, yet a kind of solemn order was revealed amidst the chaos.

Lanterns hung everywhere in the courtyard. These lanterns were different from those in other places; their frames seemed to be made of pure gold, and their leather was a pale pink, like the flawless skin of young men and women.

The lamp is decorated with various hand-drawn beauties. As the lamp is illuminated, it rotates gently in the night breeze, and the beauties painted on it seem to come alive. The shadows cast into the inner courtyard make it look as if the beauties are dancing gracefully.

Zhang Wanquan's face showed a smug look as he pointed to the shadow on the ground:

"This is a unique spectacle of our Zhenmo Division in Tongshan County, which is famous far and wide in Jinzhou. After nightfall, the shadow of a beautiful woman dances. It is only open to special guests."

Zhao Fusheng remained calm and composed.
"The mechanism looks ingenious; it must have cost a fortune. I wonder which master craftsman designed it?"

Upon hearing her words, Zhang Wanquan immediately perked up:
"Sir, you are indeed an expert."

He gave a compliment, then continued:
"This was ordered to be built fifteen years ago when he was a Silver-rank General of the Demon Suppression Division. These eight lamps alone have quite a history."

"Oh?" Zhao Fusheng responded, then asked, "What's their background?"

Zhang Wanquan, wanting to show off his extensive knowledge, replied upon hearing this:

"Fifteen years ago, a special magistrate came to our Tongshan County. His surname was Liang. I dare not offend him. If you are curious, you can check the archives of the Demon Suppression Division."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Pang and Zhao Fusheng exchanged bewildered glances.

The four entered from the Zhang family's old residence in Wan'an County. Upon entering the ghost realm, they found themselves in Tongshan County, Jinzhou.

Looking at the ghostly figures writhing and leaping all over the courtyard in the distance, Zhao Fusheng approached Magistrate Pang and whispered a question:
"Does Mr. Pang know of Tongshan County?"

Seeing her approach Magistrate Pang and whisper to him, Zhang Wanquan tactfully pretended to straighten his clothes, quickly took a few steps forward, and distanced himself from the four men, considerately giving Zhao Fusheng and Magistrate Pang time to whisper to each other.

This person is too meticulous, too clever, and their reactions are very genuine.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every smell, and every sight here felt real, as if the four of them had truly traveled through time and arrived at a real Demon Suppression Bureau.

Magistrate Pang:

"My lord, Jinzhou borders Lizhou and Yizhou, and is one of the major prefectures. It has a total of twelve counties under its jurisdiction, but in this day and age, the counties and their names may have changed due to a ghostly calamity. Therefore, I really don't know anything about Tongshan County. As for the generals in the Demon Suppression Division, I am just a person of the imperial court and know nothing about the Demon Suppression Division."

He was somewhat embarrassed: "So, sir, regarding Lord Liang's matter, I... I am indeed lacking in knowledge and ability."

Zhao Fusheng shook his head:
“You’re not a member of the Demon Suppression Division, so it’s normal that you don’t know about the Demon Suppression Division’s ghost tamers. I’m asking this to see if the scene in this ghost realm is real.”

As soon as she said that, Magistrate Pang immediately realized what she meant.

Zhao Fusheng had been reborn for two years and only had a general understanding of the layout of the Han Dynasty. However, when she entered this domain, the people she met mentioned the place name Tongshan County in Jinzhou. This proved that what the four of them saw and felt was real—or at least it had once existed.

It's unclear what Zhang the Paper Figure is up to.

Zhao Fusheng composed himself and then asked Zhang Wanquan:
"You haven't finished telling me about the eight lamps yet."

"Yes."

Zhang Wanquan, who had been adjusting his hat, heard Zhao Fusheng call out and jogged back with a smile, hurriedly saying:
"If Your Excellency wishes to hear, I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

The rules here seem to be exceptionally strict. This person's flattery and tactfulness seem to be ingrained in his very being. He always speaks and claims to respect his status, not daring to offend in the slightest.

Zhao Fusheng realized this and did not interrupt him.

After Zhang Wanquan finished speaking, fearing that Zhao Fusheng might be getting impatient—he was very good at reading people and could tell that Zhao Fusheng didn't like excessive flattery and spoke concisely—he was used to this approach. Now that he had finished his ingratiating words, he quickly added:

"Seventeen years ago, Lord Liang of the Demon Suppression Division of Tongshan County was fond of craftsmanship. Therefore, he selected sixty-four fair-skinned and beautiful women and took the tenderest abdominal skin from them to cut out these few small pieces of skin suitable for making eight lamps."

His words immediately drew disgust to Zhao Fusheng's eyes.

"The bones inside are also very special. They are made by carefully selecting human bones and adding auxiliary materials, and then boiling them until they are as clear and translucent as jade. They are then polished by skilled craftsmen to support the lamps, and finally hand-painted by the master Wang Puyi."

"Wang Puyi?!" Magistrate Pang exclaimed in surprise upon hearing this.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanquan dropped his smug expression and raised an eyebrow at Magistrate Pang:
"This gentleman must also know the name Wang Puyi."

Magistrate Pang was already used to the faces and mouths of the people from the Demon Suppression Division.

In fact, Zhang Wanquan had already restrained himself considerably because of Zhao Fusheng's presence.

He wasn't offended by the man's attitude; instead, he looked at Zhao Fusheng and whispered:

"My lord, Wang Puyi—" He paused for a moment before sighing:
"This man comes from a scholarly family and is quite talented. The Ghost Master may not know him, but he is good at painting. Sixty-five years ago, he was summoned to the capital when he was young and was praised by the late emperor, who said that if he had been born in a prosperous era, he would have achieved great things."

He was a scholar, and his interest in refined pursuits was greater than that of a ghost tamer.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanquan's eyes revealed a hint of pride, and he nodded.
"Sir, you have good insight."

Magistrate Pang ignored him and instead said:
"Sixty-five years ago, after being summoned by the late emperor, he became famous throughout the capital. His paintings were highly sought after, and the capital even saw a shortage of paper because of him. However, in less than half a year, he disappeared without a trace, and the Wang family did not know where he went."

Magistrate Pang said:
“I have seen Wang Puyi’s paintings. He is good at landscapes, especially his color mixing, but he is not good at painting people.”

Zhang Wanquan then laughed and said:

“Wang Puyi was indeed not good at drawing people at first, but there are always exceptions.” He looked at Zhao Fusheng:
"This gentleman is quite knowledgeable. Wang Puyi was famous throughout the capital back then. Later, my master invited him to Jinzhou. In the end, Lord Liang specially opened a studio for him to practice. He practiced for more than ten years before he painted these lifelike portraits of beauties."

Zhao Fusheng frowned:
"So much trouble just for eight lamps?"

Her words ruined the mood.

Zhang Wanquan was startled.

Within the Demon Suppression Division of Jinzhou, the most important thing is not showing off, but being clever.

Anyone even slightly stupid would be long gone.

Zhao Fusheng seemed indifferent to these extremely rare items in the Demon Suppression Division, and did not value the origin or background of the octagonal palace lantern with the beauty painting.

Zhang Wanquan quickly realized that his attempt at flattery had backfired.

His face stiffened for a moment, then he immediately said:
"Your Excellency is right to reprimand me, but this was just something Lord Liang did casually back then, and it is indeed not worthy of being presented in a refined manner. Please come this way, Your Excellency, we have arrived at the Hall of the Sage."

As soon as Zhao Fusheng entered the Ghost Realm, he heard this 'old news'.

Although, judging from the timeline, this happened decades ago, the people involved in making the lamps may have already died.

Evidence regarding the time, place, and people involved confirms that this matter is true. While ghostly realms can interfere with a person's cognition and memory, vengeful ghosts cannot arise from nothing—it must be that Paper Doll Zhang somehow intercepted his past and presented it to him.

She was in a bad mood for a moment.

The demon tamers of the Demon Suppression Division are of dubious character, act arbitrarily, and do not value human life. In the matter of lamps, whether it is human skin, human bones, or painters, all have lost their lives or ruined their futures because of this demon tamer surnamed Liang's momentary impulse.

Did Zhang the Paper Doll lead me here so that I might see the ugly faces of the Demon Suppression Division?
Her emotions were in turmoil, but after a while she calmed herself down and regained her composure.

"This way, sir."

Zhang Wanquan respectfully called out.

He led Zhao Fusheng and the others down the steps of the covered walkway and onto the inner courtyard.

The courtyard was exceptionally magnificent.

The ground is made of various pearls, agates, jade, and some uniquely patterned stones, making it both gorgeous and exquisite.

The lights shone on the ground, and as the beauty's shadow swayed, the jewelry and jade reflected a dazzling array of light and shadow.

In this extremely luxurious environment, there is also a subtle, elusive atmosphere.

It wasn't a putrid smell; Zhao Fusheng was already extremely sensitive to the smell of the paper figure Zhang Guideng.

The smell was a mixture of stale, cloying blood and the aroma of tanned leather, along with the fragrance of food, alcohol, and the sweetness of pastries, creating a complex and nauseating odor.

Zhang Wanquan observes his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose.

The Hall of Saints within the Demon Suppression Division in Tongsan County, Jinzhou, is quite famous.

Besides the fact that every item here has a story and is exquisite, the most famous thing here is this road leading to wealth and prosperity.

Even a tiny piece of trash that falls on the road here would be worth a fortune outside.

However, he had previously been disliked by Zhao Fusheng for showing off the origins of the palace lanterns, so he dared not speak rashly at this moment.

As expected, Zhao Fusheng didn't care about the conditions and strode past.

The hall doors were wide open, revealing the interior.

The interior was naturally magnificent, with several large stone pillars standing on each side, each pillar being at least as thick as two people could hug, and adorned with jewels.

Besides the entrance, three niches, each over ten feet tall, were carved out on the left and right sides of the interior walls, each containing a tall, pure gold statue of a different design.

There is also an offering in the center of the interior.

Tables and chairs were placed on the right side of the hall, and they were already filled with cold dishes.

Zhang Wanquan said:

"Some hot dishes were put in too early and cooled down. Once the adults arrived, the kitchen would immediately start cooking."

Zhao Fusheng deliberately asked:

"Aren't you afraid of missing the optimal time for cooking?"

Zhang Wanquan said confidently:
“It will not cause any problems; those who cause problems will not be allowed to enter this door.”

Zhao Fusheng then said no more.

As everyone sat down at the table and faced with the various dishes, Magistrate Pang became restless and had no appetite at all.

Zhang Wanquan glanced at it, immediately clapped his hands, and summoned someone to bring hot water for Zhao Fusheng and the others to wash their faces and hands.

Taking advantage of this moment, Zhao Fusheng asked:

"What happened in Tongshan County, Jinzhou? How did it escalate to the point where we have to ask the imperial court for help?"

Zhang Wanquan smiled when he heard this.

Zhao Fusheng had seen many people at this time show fear when mentioning ghost cases—including many ghost controllers of the Demon Suppression Division, most of whom would be troubled and afraid when mentioning ghost cases, but this was the first time he had seen a servant in the division show such an expression.

Curious, she asked Zhang Wanquan with a smile:

"Actually, the matter is not so troublesome as to alarm the capital. It's just that a pedantic scholar in the county is making a fuss over nothing."

"How do you say this?"

Hearing him say this, Zhao Fusheng became somewhat curious.

Zhang Wanquan said:

"This matter may seem small, but it has a long history—"

Zhao Fusheng then interrupted him:
"Then speak slowly, I'm listening."

Her words caused Zhang Wanquan to pause for a moment, then he suddenly asked:

"There's something I forgot to ask the adults," he said with a smile.

"May I ask your name, sir, and what position you hold in the capital?"

He had heard the door open earlier, and when he went out to look, he saw Zhao Fusheng and others standing outside.

She awakened the people, but instead of panicking, she called herself the Demon Suppression Division.

Judging from her words and actions, she was not flustered at all, even though she was taking the elderly and children out in the middle of the night. She did indeed have the demeanor of a demon tamer.

But when Zhang Wanquan thought back, he realized that apart from him stating his identity, Zhao Fusheng and her group had not revealed their names, and he didn't even know if she was a guest from the Demon Suppression Division.

If the wrong person is brought in...

Zhang Wanquan's face turned deathly pale at the thought of the consequences.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said:
"My surname is Zhao. I heard the report from Jinzhou Prefecture and was entrusted by the Prince of the Capital to come and investigate the matter."

"King General?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanquan's face turned pale and then flushed.

He hesitated for a long time, then suddenly cupped his hands in greeting:

“My lord, since you have mentioned General Wang, I think this is not something I should interfere with. Please wait a moment, and I will ask Steward Sun from the manor to come and take care of him personally.”

After he finished speaking, he waited anxiously for Zhao Fusheng's response.

Zhao Fusheng frowned, noticing that the previously shrewd servant was now fidgeting, clearly frightened by her 'revealing her identity,' and was now covered in sweat. She thought for a moment:

"You can call Sun Ming, but you need to be good at reading people and speaking fluently. Come over later, I have something to say to you."

Zhang Wanquan couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind her words, and responded with trepidation.

He strode out, and the maids and servants in the hall stood silently, like statues.

(End of this chapter)