I become a god in another world

Chapter 754 Everyone holds a lantern
Chapter 754

After Cao Gu finished speaking, he regretted it somewhat.

He lost his mind for a moment, currying favor with the newly arrived Lord Zhao, and betraying the two Lord Jiangs of Tongshan County.

If Zhao Fusheng had not come to replace Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu, but only to handle the case of the Hao Family Ancestral Hall, the two Jiang brothers might not have spared their lives if she left.

Thinking of this, Cao Gu became very anxious.

But words spoken are like water spilled; there's no way to take them back.

A venomous glint appeared in his eyes; he planned to find a way to kill everyone in the Saint's Hall who had overheard the conversation that night after this matter was settled.

In this way, it will be seamless.

He was plotting murder in his mind, but his face remained expressionless.

Zhao Fusheng saw his expression and couldn't help but sigh: This is the Ghost Realm. Tongshan County was destroyed more than forty years ago. No matter how vicious Cao Gu is or how many people he kills, it's all in vain.

Everyone here, whether rich or poor, ordinary or ghost-controlling, will ultimately perish.

Although she was thinking about these things, she pretended not to know, just like Cao Gu, and deliberately asked:
"Related to ghosts? Could it be their rules for controlling ghosts?"

Cao Gu had already decided to kill her to silence her, so he decided to focus on pleasing her first:
"I don't know about that, but during the two years I served in Tongshan County, I saw two Lord Jiangs collect tens of millions of gold. What's strange is that the two lords did not expand their private vaults to store gold."

Although this person was old, he was not confused at all; on the contrary, he was quite shrewd. Having endured working under the twin brothers, he was very good at reading people and situations.

"The two gentlemen were in good condition a couple of years ago, but their condition has visibly deteriorated in the last two years, and the aura of the vengeful spirits around them is not very stable."

He said:
“In previous years, the major landlords offered a lot of tribute, but in the last two years, the two Lord Jiangs specifically requested that more gold be sent.”

Each time the gold was delivered, the two would miraculously recover somewhat—only to become unstable again after a while, and so on in a never-ending cycle.

There was no ghostly calamity in Tongshan County, and the two brothers did not rely on the power of evil spirits to do their work. Logically, their situation should have been stable. This situation was very abnormal and attracted Cao Gu's attention.

But he couldn't afford to offend the two of them. He had noticed this before, but most of the time he pretended not to hear it.

If Zhao Fusheng hadn't come, these words might have been taken to his coffin with him when he died, and he would never have dared to utter a single word of them.

"Normally, when people send gold to the Demon Suppression Division, it is usually done by gentry or powerful families who send people to deliver it to their door in person." This is the confidence and arrogance that belongs to the Demon Suppression Division.

But the Jiang brothers are different.

They would go and get gold themselves whenever they heard of it.

Within Tongshan County, their reputation for greed spread like wildfire.

After hearing the backstory, Zhao Fusheng immediately understood why the news of the gold mine being discovered in Yijiang Town had prompted Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu to rush there as soon as it reached the Demon Suppression Division.

The gold is related to the laws of the Jiang brothers, and perhaps it can suppress the evil spirits on them. For the brothers, it is something that can save lives, which is why they are so eager for it.

After understanding the cause and effect, Zhao Fusheng smiled and looked at Cao Gu, the ghost tamer, with satisfaction in his eyes.

This man is meticulous and pragmatic, and it is very comfortable to talk to him. He can sort things out very clearly. After a conversation, the situation in Tongshan County became clear, the case of the ghost in the Hao Clan Ancestral Hall was also solved, and the situation of the lamp sacrifice and the Jiang brothers was also roughly understood. He is a very capable ghost controller.

It's a pity he was dead!

If the extinction in Tongshan County had not yet occurred, Zhao Fusheng would have to rescue him and bring him back to Wan'an County to make him a manager.

"I understand."

Zhao Fusheng said:

"Since Hao Dingzhu has offered up the gold mine, he must have something in mind. You mentioned earlier that he wanted the right to draw the Ghost Lantern?"

"You have a good memory, sir." Cao Gu nodded.
"Drawing a ghost lantern is a big deal, and those who participate in making ghost lanterns are very likely to encounter spirits."

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Pang couldn't help but ask out of curiosity:

What is "spirit encounter"?

He was just an ordinary person, and in the past, Cao Gu, considering his status, would not have been willing to pay him any attention.

But Magistrate Pang was traveling with Zhao Fusheng. Even when beating a dog, one should consider its owner. Cao Gu held him in higher regard, and upon hearing his question, he replied:

"It increases the chances of controlling ghosts."

He explained:
"Anyone who touches the ghost lamp is likely to encounter ghosts while alive, and there is also a chance that the ghost will be resurrected after death."

Both Zhao Fusheng and Magistrate Pang were taken aback by Cao Gu's words.

Magistrate Pang was not a ghost controller; he only felt fear regarding the existence of evil spirits and was completely unaware of their nature.

But Zhao Fusheng was different.

In fact, even the Demon Suppression Bureau has no definitive conclusion on the resurgence of evil spirits from the Han Dynasty.

Although she speculated that the Han Dynasty was corrupt and dark, and the people were living in misery and full of resentment, those who had unresolved obsessions before death, those who had come into contact with extremely ominous objects, or those who had formed karmic ties with vengeful ghosts were very likely to be resurrected by vengeful ghosts after death.

However, these are ultimately just speculations and have not been confirmed.

But at this moment, Cao Gu said that in Tongshan County, as long as one participates in drawing ghost lanterns, there is a chance that a vengeful ghost will be resurrected—no, what he meant was not just a chance, but that the two must be related and that it would definitely happen.

"Is this true?"

"I dare not speak nonsense or deceive the adults."

Seeing her serious expression, Cao Gu hurriedly pointed to the sky and swore an oath:

"My lord, if I lie, may my vengeful spirit be resurrected and I meet a terrible end."

Most demon tamers meet tragic ends, and the more this happens, the more they fear their oaths.

Cao Gu dared to say such a thing at this time, which clearly shows that the situation in Tongshan County was indeed somewhat complicated.

Zhao Fusheng frowned.

Just a moment ago, she felt that she knew about 50-60% of the things in Tongshan County, and that the rest would be known after further visits.
But upon closer listening, it seemed that many questions resurfaced with Cao Gu's words, as if this place held many mysteries.

Unfortunately, Xu Yu's mind wasn't on Tongshan County back then. She only knew that the place was destroyed, but she didn't know what had actually happened there.

Thinking of this, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help but feel a little regretful—Xie Jingsheng was a Jin general in the capital. Given his status and age, if he hadn't let him and Chen Duozi guard a ghost domain, but instead brought him along to venture into the ghost domain, he might have been able to find out some things about the past of Tongshan County from him.

The clues that had been cleared up are now in disarray again.

After calming himself down, Zhao Fusheng asked:

"Has this matter been reported to the Demon Suppression Division?"

As soon as she asked the question, Cao Gu chuckled dryly, unsure of how to respond.

The moment he saw that expression, Zhao Fusheng knew the answer perfectly well.

Tongshan County did not report the matter to the imperial court, but instead covered it up in private.

For local ghost-controllers, it's better to avoid trouble.

Furthermore, the matter of the Ghost Lantern Festival is difficult to explain, and if it is reported, it could easily arouse the vigilance of the Imperial Capital.

Deceiving superiors and concealing the truth is a common tactic.

However, the fact that Hao Dingzhu had set his sights on the right to paint lanterns made Zhao Fusheng feel that there was something fishy about the matter.

At this point in the story, she felt as if she had returned to square one.

It seems that the clues we had previously learned were useful, but also a jumbled mess, with a missing piece of crucial information to connect these fragmented clues.

Zhao Fusheng pondered for a moment:

"Hao Dingzhu wants to get involved in the making of the ghost lantern, and then hopes to emulate the Qin family, the former masters of Yijiang Town, and produce a ghost tamer?"

"No no no."

Cao Gu quickly shook his head:

"Even if you gave this old man a hundred lives, he wouldn't dare dream of such a wonderful thing—"

After saying this, he suddenly laughed:
"It's hard to say. Maybe he dares to think about it in private, but it's just a thought."

As soon as he finished speaking, he said coldly and arrogantly:

"Becoming a demon tamer is no easy feat."

Cao Gu said:
"At most, he would be fortunate if his family could guarantee one more lantern bearer each year." "Lantern bearer? You mean the special person you mentioned earlier, the one in the wealthy landowner's household who carries a ghost lantern to patrol his fiefdom and solve ordinary ghost cases in place of the Demon Suppression Division?" Zhao Fusheng asked.

Cao Gu nodded:

"Your Excellency is wise."

His words made Zhao Fusheng realize that although the events in Tongshan County seemed chaotic, there was an invisible hand behind them connecting them together.

Unfortunately, crucial clues are missing.

However, haste makes waste, and since this involves a ghost case, it cannot be resolved overnight.

Having grasped this point, Zhao Fusheng asked questions step by step:

Are there many lantern bearers in Tongshan County?

"many!"

Cao Gu nodded:

"Does Your Excellency still remember the number of local gentry and powerful families I mentioned earlier?"

He mentioned it briefly when he came earlier, but since the two had talked so much and the number of local gentry involved numbers, Zhao Fusheng might only remember a rough estimate and not the whole story.

Just as Cao Gu was about to reiterate, Zhao Fusheng said:
"remember."

She said:
“You said that there are 16 local gentry in the county, 6 merchants with assets of 100,000 strings of cash, and 7 powerful families.”

Upon hearing this, Cao Gu was taken aback, and immediately praised:

"You have a good memory."

He said this out of genuine feeling, not as flattery.

Zhao Fusheng remembered his words perfectly, which shows that she has a good memory and is very meticulous—it is even possible that she had already memorized every detail of their conversation at the beginning and had been analyzing and thinking about it, which is why she could easily say the numbers during the conversation.

Thinking of this, Cao Gu's expression changed slightly.

He quickly regained his composure, but his fists were clenched, clearly indicating that he was not at peace.
"Generally speaking, a gentry family would keep at least one lantern bearer, a wealthy merchant family would keep one or two, usually two would be the best, and they would be respected and worshipped. Among powerful families, there would be at least three lantern bearers."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to look at Zhang Wanquan:

"This kid is also a descendant of the Zhang family, a powerful clan in the county."

Upon hearing Cao Gu mention his name, Zhang Wanquan instinctively lowered his head, revealing a fawning smile, and bowed twice in response.

Anyway, I've said everything that I should and shouldn't have said, and in the course of my conversation with Zhao Fusheng, I've revealed almost everything about Tongshan County.

The Lamp Bearer is quite famous in Tongshan County. If Zhao Fusheng is interested, she can ask around in the city tomorrow and find out—she can even summon the Lamp Bearer from the Hao family.

If that's the case, it would be more straightforward to just say everything tonight.

Zhao Fusheng turned to look at Zhang Wanquan:

He mentioned the Zhang family clan. Does your family perhaps have three lantern bearers?

"Yes."

Zhang Wanquan readily agreed, saying, "My third uncle and cousin are both lamplighters, and they worship a lamplighter at the same time."

Cao Gu said:
"If Zhang Wanquan's service goes smoothly, he will have the opportunity to enter the Lantern Bureau after serving three years in the Demon Suppression Division, and then become a reserve Lantern Bearer."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanquan's face showed longing.

Zhao Fusheng's mind raced for a moment, and he quickly understood the underlying principle:

Although there is no ghost calamity crisis in Tongshan County, serving in the Demon Suppression Division is not absolutely safe.

She thought of the head of the steward, Sun Ming, who had been sent there earlier.

This place is strictly hierarchical, with severe punishments. Even the sons of aristocratic families live in constant fear, as it is not entirely safe.

You can rise to the top in a few years, or you'll die if you can't endure it.

Zhao Fusheng then thought: Even the menial tasks of the Demon Suppression Bureau are so dangerous, yet some people are willing to take the risk just to become a Lantern Bearer. This shows that the benefits of being a Lantern Bearer are very great.

She glanced at Zhang Wanquan, then at Cao Gu:
"Do aristocratic families frequently change their lantern bearers?"

Her words implied a question: Is it dangerous to be a lamplighter?

Cao Gu understood, and hesitated slightly:

"Let's see who does it."

Zhao Fusheng, understanding the implied meaning from the music, then asked Zhang Wanquan:

"In your Zhang family, how many years has your uncle been a lantern bearer?"

Both she and Cao Gu were shrewd individuals, and Zhang Wanquan was also astute, but he didn't quite understand the meaning behind her words for the time being. However, he did have one thing in mind: when adults ask questions, as long as you answer honestly and don't offend or make mistakes, you'll be fine.

Thinking this through, Zhang Wanquan immediately said:

"In reply to you, my uncle was promoted to Lantern Bearer eleven years ago, and my cousin joined the Demon Suppression Division seven years ago and has been a Lantern Bearer for four years."

Zhao Fusheng said:

"One took eleven years, the other four."

Zhang Wanquan nodded:
"Correct."

Zhao Fusheng then said:
"There are three lantern bearers in your tribe, so the other one is a hired servant, is that right?"

Zhang Wanquan couldn't help but glance at Cao Gu, who said with a stern face:

"Why are you looking at me like that? Just answer whatever the adults ask."

Zhang Wanquan had no choice but to say:

"Yes, my lord."

Zhao Fusheng then asked:
"Was the other lamplighter's offering changed frequently?"

Her question made everyone understand her intention.

Seeing that everyone understood the meaning behind her words, Zhao Fusheng simply asked more directly:

"Let me put it this way: from the time your uncle took over as lamplighter, how many lamplighters did your family have in the eleven years that followed?"

Zhang Wanquan was now somewhat frightened.

He couldn't figure out what Zhao Fusheng's words implied.

The powerful families of Tongshan County may seem invincible and hold immense authority in the eyes of the common people, but such power, wealth, and status are nothing but bubbles and illusions in the face of true ghost tamers.

If Zhao Fusheng wanted to deal with the Zhang family, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger.

Zhang Wanquan's expression changed.

He was about to complete his service here, but he never expected to encounter such a change at the last minute.

Just as he was feeling uneasy, Cao Gu said in a sinister voice:

"You dare not answer when the magistrate asks you a question?"

Zhang Wanquan felt utterly hopeless and immediately stood up straight, answering:
"The team is rotated every year, and twelve players have been replaced so far."

After he finished speaking, his face turned ashen, the life in his eyes vanished, and he looked like a dead man.

But the thunderous rage he had anticipated did not materialize. Zhao Fusheng's attention was not on him, but instead turned to look at Cao Gu:
"The Lantern Festival is held annually, and there must be quite a few people involved in making lanterns, right?"

Cao Gu nodded:

"Many people participated in making the lamp. According to the regulations left by Lord Liang, eight lamps should have been made every year to meet the quota. But for some reason, after Lord Liang, only one of these miraculous lamps was made."

Therefore, the rule in Tongshan County became: during the Lantern Festival, there is only one main lantern with the participation of the Demon Suppression Division.

This lamp has a spirit.

Or perhaps, this lamp possesses a strange, malevolent power, capable of devouring ghosts.

(End of this chapter)