Chapter 60
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“Caught a person——”
One of the constables shouted at the top of his lungs. The group of more than ten men holding the net pulled it tight, and in an instant, the Daoist, drenched in black dog blood, was forcefully entangled and knocked to the ground, struggling as he gripped the iron net.
A constable struck him on the head with the hilt of his sword, delivering a solid blow.
“Stay down!”
He then turned back to face the approaching Chief Constable, saluting with his sword in hand. “Chief Constable, we’ve captured the man.”
Zuo Zhengyang gestured for a cloth to be brought over. He pressed it against the dazed Daoist’s head, wiping away the blood to reveal his face. Letting out a disappointed grunt, he tossed the bloodied rag aside.
“It’s not Lu Liangsheng…”
He had carefully set up an ambush upon arriving, not only here but also in the surrounding streets, with his men stationed to capture anyone trying to flee. Yet, seeing the man caught in the net, he couldn’t help but feel some regret.
“Chief Constable Zuo, who would’ve thought we’d meet here.”
A voice suddenly echoed from the moon gate. The surrounding constables reacted instantly, with the sound of weapons being drawn ringing through the air. Zuo Zhengyang stood up and turned toward the source of the voice.
Walking through the moon gate was a scholar clad in a long, blue robe. He bent down and picked up a pair of brass bells, which had been set up by the constables as part of their alarm system.
With a casual shake of the bells, Lu Liangsheng jingled them twice before handing them back to a nearby constable. He then approached Zuo Zhengyang and cupped his hands in greeting.
“Lu Liangsheng greets the Chief Constable.”
His tone was gentle, and both his expression and words were sincere, leaving a favorable impression on the surrounding constables. Zuo Zhengyang, sensing no hostility, waved his hand. “Sheathe your blades!”
“Yes!” The constables promptly complied, returning their swords to their scabbards.
As Zuo Zhengyang looked at the scholar before him, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. He returned the greeting with a formal bow of his own.
“It’s somewhat moving to meet an old friend from Fushui County here in He Valley Prefecture, though I can’t say it’s an accidental encounter.”
The underlying meaning was clear, and Lu Liangsheng understood. It was likely that he had spotted his movements earlier and had followed him here.
“In the deep of night, the cold wind pierces to the bone, and there are also wicked people who take advantage of the night to cause trouble.”
Lu Liangsheng said, using the opportunity to reveal the truth of the situation and express his gratitude to Chief Constable Zuo and the constables for capturing the evildoer.
Hearing these words of praise, the constables unconsciously straightened their posture, feeling a surge of pride. One even gave the ensnared Daoist a swift kick.
“Bah! Zhou Zhen is a great scholar of our prefecture, and you dare to cause trouble in his home? Beating you to death would be too lenient!!”
“Bring me another basin of black dog’s blood. I’ll soak this Daoist in it…”
“…There might be some left with the brothers outside. I’ll go grab it!”
“Come back, I was just talking.”
…..
Zuo Zhengyang’s expression also softened as he gave orders for the evildoer to be tied up. Just then, his deputy approached and spoke quietly.
“Chief Constable, for this Daoist to cause harm to the Zhou Manor from such a distance reminds me of the case at Landlord Chen’s estate in Fushui County three years ago… Could this Daoist have been involved in that as well? One incident could lead to another.”
“Take him back to the yamen and interrogate him thoroughly!” Zuo Zhengyang cast a glance at the scholar, then waved his hand toward his men.
As the barely conscious Daoist Yangming began to stir, he overheard this exchange. His eyes widened in panic.
“Rubbish! I’ve never been there…mmpf!”
A blood-soaked cloth was stuffed into his mouth, and a constable smacked him on the forehead.“Shut up!”
“Woo woo woo…”
Gagged and helpless, the Daoist shook his head in desperation, he looked at the scholar and Chief Constable angrily, while being dragged further away.
His muffled protests slowly faded into the distance. Meanwhile, Zhang Dongming was also brought over by the constables, having heard bits of the conversation about the incident at the Zhou Manor. Trembling with fear, he glanced at Lu Liangsheng, then at the stern and authoritative Zuo Zhengyang, hurriedly bowing.
“Esteemed one… Chief Constable… I have been wronged. That Daoist Yangming claimed he could cure my son, but I never imagined he would harm Zhou Rong. After all, she is my son’s betrothed, though they haven’t married yet.”
“You’ll know soon enough what the truth is. This constable will investigate thoroughly. But given your advanced age, you are to remain at home and not leave until we summon you. When the yamen calls, you must respond immediately!”
Considering his age, Zuo Zhengyang thought locking him up right away might be too harsh. Besides, the details of the situation still needed to be investigated further at the Zhou Manor.
With the immediate situation handled, he dispatched a group of constables to escort the Daoist back to the yamen. He himself left the courtyard alongside Lu Liangsheng.
The two of them were old acquaintances, and were exchanging a few words as they walked. A few constables followed behind.
As they strolled through the quiet streets late at night, the occasional sound of dogs barking echoed in the distance. Lu Liangsheng’s feelings were complicated, especially after hearing what Zhang Dongming had just said.
Noticing the scholar’s pensive expression, the Chief Constable with the saber on his back chuckled.
“When you work at the yamen, you get used to dealing with all kinds of cases like this. It’s nothing new. By the way, you’re here for the Autumn Imperial Examinations, aren’t you?”
Lu Liangsheng nodded.
A few constables trailed behind at a distance. Zuo Zhengyang glanced back and then lowered his voice, saying: “Since you’re here for the examinations, I advise you not to use your techniques again. I know it was you responsible for the case of Landlord Chen, and I’m aware that Gentleman Shuhua and Min Daren, both upright and intolerant of evil, have vouched for your character. That speaks to your nature, but the law is the law—if you break it once, and you cannot break it a second time.”
[TL_Note: Daren is a title of respect toward superiors]
The two men stopped walking and stood still in the middle of the street. Lu Liangsheng did not avoid the Chief Constable’s gaze, meeting his eyes with clarity and calm.
“Chief Constable, do you believe what I did was right or wrong?”
“Right, but also wrong.”
Zuo Zhengyang’s eyes were stern as he spoke, but he shook his head afterward. “You and I stand on different grounds. Someday, when you pass the exams and become an official, you may understand what I mean.”
“In fact, I already do.”
Lu Liangsheng resumed walking, his gaze drifting toward the lights that still flickered in some of the nearby homes.
“In the path of cultivation, one encounters both people and situations that bring doubt. Some remain true to themselves, some lose their way, and some are simply careless or negligent… Just like the matter between the Zhou and Zhang families. Zhang Dongming did what he did for his son’s sake, driven by desperation to commit such an act. It’s understandable—after all, the two families were supposed to be in-laws… But out of concern for his son, he allowed a Daoist’s selfish desires to destroy the marriage of the next generation that was meant to bind the two families. Now, they will surely hold deep grudges against one another in the future. The cause and effect of this world, it’s truly hard to predict.”
Lu Liangsheng chuckled softly and cupped his hands toward Zuo Zhengyang. “I apologize for my rambling, Chief Constable.”
“It’s no matter.”
Zuo Zhengyang waved his hand, a smile crossing his face as he added: “I’ve heard that cultivators are supposed to be free from worldly desires, yet today I’ve seen one who was insatiably greedy and another who is overly sentimental. Haha! Well, I’ll take my leave here and head back to the yamen. Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Zhou Manor to investigate further. Until we meet again!”
“Farewell!”
Lu Liangsheng cupped his hands once more and then turned to walk toward the street corner.
The Chief Constable didn’t leave immediately, holding the reins of his horse as he watched the scholar’s figure disappear into the distance. A constable, noticing his lingering, approached with a curious expression.
“Chief Constable, what are you looking at?”
“Nothing.”
Zuo Zhengyang smiled at the constable, mounted his horse, and tugged at the reins with a snap.
“Let’s head back. We’ll interrogate that Daoist through the night!”
With a loud shout, he spurred his horse, calling out, “Hyah!” as the hooves thundered down the street, disappearing into the night.
By the time Lu Liangsheng returned to the Zhou Manor, it was already late. He quietly descended over the courtyard wall. Honglian, having returned earlier, was waiting at the door to the main room. Her long sleeves covering her face, and her eyes were curved like crescent moons in amusement.
Curious, he asked: “What’s going on?”
Barely suppressing her laughter, Honglian pointed inside the room. There the Toad Daoist was standing at the head of the bed, waving his webbed hands.
“This old man told you to stop moving. If you move again I’ll beat you to death!”
On the bed, Sun Yingxian lay stiffly, his body wrapped in bandages from head to toe, with only his eyes peeking out.
“Mmff… Old… Toad… try hitting me again!”
A pile of burned Daoist robes lay on the floor, likely the result of the earlier fight that had left him injured.
The toad was winding more bandages around him, his webbed hands occasionally slapping Daoist’s forehead whenever he squirmed. “So what if I hit you? Your skills are lacking, and you’re embarrassing your master!”
Upon hearing footsteps, he turned to see Lu Liangsheng entering the room. He tossed the remaining bandages over to him.
“Take care of him…Master still has some important things to do.”
“That…Master, the spiritual medicine…”
Before he could finish saying “medicine”, the Toad Daoist had already hopped off the bed, wiggled his way under it, and waved his webbed hands dismissively. “No more.”
Uh…
Lu Liangsheng sighed, sitting at the edge of the bed with the bandages in hand. From under the wraps, Sun Yingxian mumbled: “Loosen the bandages near my nose, I can barely breathe.”
“Young Master!” Nie Honglian floated over, holding a bowl from the table. She peeked into it and then turned to Lu, smiling. “It seems Master Toad didn’t even apply medicine to Daoist Sun’s wounds.”
“Ah! That old toad definitely did it on purpose!”
Ignoring the Daoist’s screams, Lu Liangsheng could only sigh internally as he pressed him back down onto the bed. With Honglian’s help, they unwound the bandages, applied the medicine, and wrapped him up properly again. By the time they finished, Sun Yingxian had already drifted off to sleep, snoring loudly.
The scholar was exhausted as well, the weariness crashing over him like a tidal wave, overwhelming him.
“Ah…”
Honglian floated over, gently draping a thin robe over his shoulders. She then glided to the window and softly blew out the candlelight.
The room fell into a peaceful silence as she sat quietly beside him, gently kicking with her embroidered shoes.
She hummed a soft melody for him.
Outside, the moonlight shimmered faintly, casting a tranquil glow over the courtyard.
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