Anti-fraud manual for the cultivation world

At dawn, it was time for the government office to begin its workday.

Li Gu and Zhang Yi arrived at the Six Doors and signed in, a process called "Dianmao," which is similar to the modern "clocking in for work."

The "Shenzhou Law" stipulates that all clerks, constables, bailiffs, and yamen runners must sign in at the yamen at 5:00 AM (卯时) and leave at 5:00 PM (酉时). Those who fail to sign in without cause will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane for one day, and more severe penalties will be imposed for three or more days of absence.

As Li Gu marked the sign-in book, he shook his head and sighed inwardly: No matter what world you're in, it's not easy being a cow or a horse.

I had just thought of oxen and horses when they appeared.

Niu Xin and Ma Zhi also came to clock in for work.

After yesterday's exchange, both men acknowledged Li Gu's strength and their attitudes towards him changed drastically.

Ma Zhi nudged Li Gu lightly with his shoulder: "We agreed yesterday that Wangjianglou would treat you to dinner. How about we go and have dinner there this evening?"

Li Gu wanted to agree, but he couldn't leave the yamen today.

He was considering what excuse to use to get Ma Zhi to change the date when Chief Constable Cai Xinzi squeezed in from the side and slapped Ma Zhi on the forehead: "You and Niu Xin don't have time to treat anyone to dinner today!"

"Huh?" Ma Zhi asked in surprise, "Why?"

Cai Xinzi snorted and said, "There was an anonymous letter just now reporting that the Yangtze River Gang has a shipment of shady goods that will be unloaded at Yinglongmen Wharf tonight. You two go to Yinglongmen Wharf and take a look."

Ma Zhi and Niu Xin looked worried: "It must have been the Jinzhu Gang who reported it. These two gangs are constantly giving us trouble in order to seize control of the dock."

Cai Xinzi rolled her eyes: "Other people would kill for this kind of good thing. Do you think I'm making you suffer by letting you go? You know what to do."

Niu and Ma both pursed their lips. Of course, they understood what Cai Xinzi meant: after they caught that batch of shady goods, they should extort some money from the Yangtze River Gang.

But these two are still young and haven't been completely corrupted by society. They still have a bottom line and are not happy about extorting gangs like this.

After a listless reply, Niu and Ma turned to Li Gu and said, "We can't treat everyone tonight, but we'll go out for a better meal tomorrow."

Li Gu noticed their lack of interest, nodded, and watched them walk away.

Cai Xinzi beckoned to Li Gu and Zhang Yi: "You two come with me."

He led the two men to a corner, his face darkening. "Prefect Hong has ordered that you two be assigned to handle paperwork within the Six Doors all day today; you are not required to go out."

Li Gu and Zhang Yibiao remained calm, but secretly thought: "Prefect Hong is really taking good care of us. We don't even need to make excuses; she has already given us advance notice."

Cai Xinzi smacked her lips, her expression quite unpleasant: "You two have pretty powerful backers! Today we're going to take the murderer of the night watchman case to the execution ground and behead him in public. We also have a thick stack of case files to deal with. Everyone in the yamen is extremely busy, but you two are doing well. The prefect himself ordered you to stay in the yamen to drink tea and read the official gazette."

Li Gu and Zhang Yi shrugged, unsure of what to say.

Seeing that Cai Xinzi looked like she was about to get angry, his expression suddenly changed from fury to ingratiating, even with a slight smile: "So I helped you get Niu Xin and Ma Zhi away! Gentlemen, may I ask what your relationship is with Magistrate Hong? Are you junior members of her clan? How come she would make such detailed arrangements for you?"

Li Gu and Zhang Yi: "..."

Such a quick change of expression?

The two were left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Li Gu sighed, "We don't have any special relationship."

Cai Xinzi clearly didn't believe her, and assumed Li Gu was unwilling, saying, "Alright, alright! You all should rest well today and not worry about what's happening outside. There are court gazettes on the desk in front of you; feel free to look through them. There's tea on my desk; take as much as you like. I'll go and get busy now..."

He walked away, shaking his head.

Zhang Yi shook his head: "How could this person do this?"

Li Gu sighed softly, "The more power a person has, the more they fear power above them. Alas! What I'm worried about now is that Prefect Hong has helped us so much; it won't be for nothing. When she needs us, what can we do in return?"

Zhang Yi suddenly smiled and said, "Could it be that Senior Sister Bai Yan really likes you, and wrote in the letter that she asked Prefect Hong to take care of you?"

Li Gu rolled his eyes: "That's the least likely reason!"

The two returned to the table and sat down. People from the Six Doors gradually left. Today, the murderer in the night watchman case was to be beheaded at Caishikou. Even Cai Xinzi had personally led the team to maintain order at the execution ground. In the vast Six Doors, only Li Gu and Zhang Yi remained.

Li Gu had heard Cai Xinzi mention the term "official gazette" several times, and he became interested in it. His gaze swept across the desk, where he saw a thick stack of "newspapers." They contained articles about court news, imperial edicts, personnel appointments and dismissals, official memorials, natural disasters, and people's livelihoods…

Li Gu casually picked up a document and happened to see the headline on the front page: "Jiangzhou Prefect Hong Lin has neglected his duties in apprehending thieves and has been negligent in his official duties. The Ministry of Personnel has issued a reprimand, and the Emperor has issued a stern decree reprimanding him. He is to be fined but allowed to remain in office. He must not continue his previous negligence."

Zhang Yi leaned over to look: "Prefect Hong was reprimanded by the Immortal Emperor with an imperial edict, and is being punished with a salary deduction while remaining in his post."

Li Gu couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's one thing for the Ministry of Personnel to reprimand her, but the Immortal Emperor actually wrote an imperial edict to reprimand her? She's acting like a mortal. How high is the Immortal Emperor's cultivation? He's probably already half a step into the Void Realm. What business is it of yours to care about the affairs of the mortal world? You should be saying, 'Let the floods outside not interfere with my cultivation, I'll just hide in the inner palace to cultivate and let my officials manage the country.' That's more like it."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Hong Lin's voice rang out beside her: "Because the Immortal Emperor cultivates the Path of the Mortal World."

Li Gu and Zhang Yi were startled; Hong Lin always appeared and disappeared without a trace.

Five hundred years ago, there were two major sects vying for supremacy over the world.

Honglin actually started telling stories: "One is called Entering the Mortal World, and the other is called the Lotus Sect."

"Both schools follow the path of worldly life, advocating cultivation in the world, not hiding in the deep mountains, but refining their Taoist heart in the city, human relationships, joys and sorrows, and proving the Tao through the mundane world and the myriad aspects of life. They believe that the secular world is the true place of Tao."

Honglin said, "This struggle for hegemony lasted for more than a hundred years. In the end, the one who entered the mortal world won and became the current dynasty."

"From then on, the Lotus Sect was identified as a heretical sect. The imperial court, wielding its power as the founder of the nation, swept away Lotus Sect disciples throughout the land. Many members of the Lotus Sect were forced to hide in the mountains and forests, changing their name to 'Hidden Flower Village'."

Upon hearing the phrase "Hidden Flower Pavilion," Li Gu and Zhang Yi both exclaimed "Ah!"

"But the Lotus Sect also practices the path of worldly affairs, and hiding in the mountains and forests is neither beneficial nor harmful to cultivation. Many Lotus Sect disciples are forced to leave the mountains and mingle in the mortal world."

"The name Lotus Sect can no longer be used, and the name Hidden Flower Sect is also unsuitable, so these people call themselves the Demonic Sect."

Hong Lin looked at the two of them with a strange expression: "So, you should be considered disciples of the Demonic Sect."

"No, we are not disciples of the Demonic Sect, but rather poultry raised by them." Li Gu felt his mind clearing up considerably, and he gradually understood why Prefect Hong was protecting him: "Although we are weak, we would never join forces with the Demonic Sect; we will only fight them to the death. Prefect Hong is willing to spare our lives because he knows this."