Chương 34: Guests with Hidden Agendas

The Prefect's name was Li Jinghong. Fang Cheng noticed that this man was also a cultivator. He could faintly sense Divine Energy radiating from him, and his cultivation level seemed considerable. This surprised Fang Cheng. In the Great Sheng cultivation world, no one wanted to be a court official. The job was too troublesome and interfered with personal cultivation.

"Lord Pei, it's certainly not easy to get an audience with you." Li Jinghong spoke first, completely at ease. As he entered the pavilion and sat down, he picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, and took a sip. Pei Tang replied flatly, "I was away on a trip recently. Only returned today." Li Jinghong laughed knowingly. He could tell it was just a polite excuse. From what he knew, the Patrol Envoy had been back for some time. He set down his cup and looked at Fang Cheng, who had remained silent.

"This young brother looks unfamiliar. Might I ask your name?" Fang Cheng didn't answer. He glanced at Pei Tang, unsure whether to give his real name. His reputation wasn't exactly good in the Great Sheng court. Pei Tang understood his look. He introduced him to Li Jinghong, "Fang Cheng, a friend's nephew. His friend entrusted him to me for a while, to guide him in cultivation." Li Jinghong's eyes flickered. The name sounded familiar, but he didn't dwell on it.

He patted Fang Cheng's shoulder and praised him, "Brother Fang, your cultivation level may not be high, but your foundation is solid. Give it time, and you'll surely achieve great things, much better than my own useless son."

"Not at all, Prefect. You flatter me." Fang Cheng clasped his hands humbly. Li Jinghong laughed, then turned back to Pei Tang.

"Lord Pei, I heard you've been investigating a case lately?" Pei Tang raised an eyebrow.

"Investigations are the Underworld Bureau's business. As a Patrol Envoy, my duty is to manage the City Gods under my jurisdiction. Prefect Li, you must understand. Whether it's cultivators from the Hall of Eternal Life or officials from the mortal court, meddling in other departments' affairs violates the law." Li Jinghong waved a hand, his smile easy.

"Lord Pei, you make it sound like I'm trying to interfere with the Underworld Bureau's case. That would be quite a misunderstanding if it got out. I was just asking out of concern. After all, I'm a cultivator too." Pei Tang glanced at him.

"If it's not your business, don't ask. Remember, you're only the Prefect of Lianshan Prefecture."

"The Patrol Envoy is right to scold me." Li Jinghong clasped his hands, still smiling. Pei Tang picked up the teapot, refilled Fang Cheng's cup, then topped up Li Jinghong's as well.

"Prefect Li, is there anything else?"

"Of course. I came today on urgent business. It concerns all the people of Lianshan Prefecture." Li Jinghong dropped his smile and grew serious. Pei Tang frowned.

"What is it?" Li Jinghong cleared his throat and said gravely, "I hope you'll cancel the requirement for daily prayers. Change it to twice a month. Let the people pray at the temples on the first and last days of the month." Pei Tang's frown deepened. He didn't agree or refuse outright.

"I need a reasonable explanation." Li Jinghong replied, "Lord Pei, we're both cultivators. We know the mortal realm's reception halls have lost contact with the upper realm. That means we're not receiving Immortal Crystals from above. But there's an even more serious consequence. Those former Land Gods, cultivators without official Hall appointments, are suddenly left with nothing. Because they're not on the Hall's payroll, and they've lost contact with their immortal superiors, they feel abandoned.

Many have stopped managing their temples. Some have even destroyed them out of despair. And our people, with nowhere to pray, have to travel all the way to the county City God temples. Back and forth every day. It's a huge waste of time. Lord Pei, our people are busy enough. They have to work the fields, then go to the textile mills. Making them travel so far to burn incense, it's just too much." Pei Tang was silent for a moment.

"I've heard that the silk textile industry in Lianshan Prefecture is doing well." Li Jinghong nodded.

"Yes, mainly thanks to the court's support, new looms, and improved techniques. And since Lianshan has so many mountains and isn't suited for farming, silk and sericulture are a good fit. People's incomes have risen. They can afford to buy grain. Many families can even afford meat with every meal." Pei Tang's expression eased slightly.

"I've never been in favor of mandatory prayer. If people are sincere, praying at home is no different from going to a temple."

"So you agree, Lord Pei?" Li Jinghong was surprised at how easily Pei Tang had conceded. Pei Tang nodded.

"Do as you propose. I'll send a flying sword letter to the Hall of Eternal Life and explain the reasons. They... won't refuse me."

"Lord Pei, on behalf of all the people of Lianshan Prefecture, I thank you for your understanding and generosity." Li Jinghong stood and bowed to Pei Tang. Pei Tang waved a hand.

"As I said before, mind your own business. This is a critical time. We can't afford mistakes, or the realm may fall into chaos."

"With me, Li Jinghong, in charge, Lianshan Prefecture will have no problems. Unlike that demonic cultivator named Fang Cheng in the neighboring Xijiang Prefecture. Hmm, Fang Cheng?" Li Jinghong turned to look at the young man who had been sitting upright and silent the whole time, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. Pei Tang coughed.

"You're mistaken. It's a different person." Li Jinghong laughed heartily.

"Of course, this Brother Fang's Divine Energy is pure, with no trace of demonic influence. How could he be a demonic cultivator?"

"Yes, yes. I'm a righteous cultivator. I love upholding justice." Fang Cheng added. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Li Jinghong laughed even more.

"Brother Fang, you have a great sense of humor. Unfortunately, official business keeps me busy. When I have time, I'll invite you for a drink, and we can chat properly."

"I'd be honored." Fang Cheng clasped his hands. Li Jinghong said no more. He clasped his hands to Pei Tang and took his leave. After the Prefect left, Pei Tang had the steward change the tea and asked Fang Cheng, "You've met our first guest and heard what he had to say. Any thoughts?" Fang Cheng had many thoughts, especially about Lianshan's textile industry. From what he'd seen on his journey, it wasn't as rosy as Li Jinghong described.

The Li brothers' situation was a direct consequence of the textile boom, largely due to heavier taxes. That was a problem with the Great Sheng court. Pei Tang had mentioned several times that one should mind one's own business. As a cultivator, speaking up might seem like overstepping, and it might lower Pei Tang's opinion of him. But he needed Pei Tang's help now. No, he had to speak up. Holding it in would only make him more frustrated.

"Hmm..." Fang Cheng thought for a moment, then decided to phrase it more tactfully.

"Developing textile silk according to local conditions is good. But relying on a single industry is risky. If fabric prices crash or the market saturates, people's incomes will plummet. Add a drought year on top of that, grain prices skyrocket, people can't afford food, they go hungry, and they won't have the heart to pray. That goes against the sustainable development we cultivators advocate. So the economy needs diversity: textiles, farming, maybe fruit trees, so people have something to eat in hard times.

Also, we need to consider individual differences. Everyone has different strengths. You can't make a butcher do embroidery. That's ridiculous. So we should encourage people to find work that suits them, and if possible, provide subsidies to reduce the cost of trial and error." Pei Tang's face showed growing surprise. He remembered Han Bingxuan's letter. Fang Cheng was truly different from the rest. But this wasn't what Pei Tang wanted to hear.

"Fang Cheng, since Bingxuan introduced you, I won't treat you like an outsider, no formalities or empty words. Mortals have their struggles. As cultivators, we should care for them, that's only right. But before that, we need to solve the problems within our own ranks. Now, back to the point. Do you think Li Jinghong showed any signs of being suspicious?" Fang Cheng answered immediately, "The fact that he's Prefect is suspicious enough." Pei Tang chuckled.

"Look at his surname." Fang Cheng shrugged.

"Li is the most common surname in Great Sheng. More than half the population has it." Pei Tang shook his head.

"Li Jinghong's 'Li' is the same as the Hall of Eternal Life's Chief's 'Li.' They're from the same clan. Chang Sheng Bu Cheng Xian, Tian Ji Hua Jing Shu.

'The path to immortality is blocked; the heavenly secrets are written in the scriptures.' (Note: In ancient China, noble clans often followed a generation-naming tradition; each generation shared a specific character in their names, passed down through a family code or prophecy. Li Jinghong's "Jing" marked him as a member of that generation, a sign of his clan's lineage.) Li Jinghong was of the 'Jing' generation. He was sent here as Prefect because the Chief didn't trust me as Patrol Envoy."

Fang Cheng questioned, "If he doesn't trust you, why not just remove you? Why send someone to watch you instead?" Pei Tang smiled.

"The Hall of Eternal Life isn't run by one person."

"Fine. So it's just more factional infighting." Fang Cheng shrugged, not wanting to dwell on it. He continued talking about Li Jinghong instead.

"If Li Jinghong's job here is to watch you, then there's even more that doesn't add up. First, why is he pretending to care about the people? What's that got to do with him? Second, he says he's busy with official business. Doing what? Collecting taxes all day? He's from the Chief's clan. He doesn't need the money." Pei Tang nodded, about to share his thoughts, when the steward arrived with the day's second guest. Fang Cheng looked at the man, around forty, bearded, burly, with piercing eyes.

He stood outside the pavilion, not entering, and announced in a clear voice, "Patrol Envoy, I have urgent business to discuss." Pei Tang didn't answer him directly. Instead, he introduced him to Fang Cheng.

"Hu Tong, City God of Dongyang City in Lianshan Prefecture. Though now he's also the City God of Shuili City and Xiangshi City. Three cities in total. Have you met him before?" Fang Cheng shook his head.

"Never." Pei Tang nodded slightly and said to Hu Tong outside the pavilion, "Come in." Hu Tong stepped into the pavilion, bowed deeply to Pei Tang, and said firmly, "My lord, I'm here today to request permission to build a City God Temple in Greenwood City." Pei Tang snorted.

"Greenwood City, including the villages under it, has a population of less than a hundred thousand. That doesn't meet the criteria for a temple." Hu Tong explained, "My lord, you may not be aware. Greenwood City's Land Gods have all fled. The people have to go to Xiangshi City to pray. The two cities are on opposite sides of the Everlasting Mountains. Every time the people travel, they have to go around the mountains, and the beasts often come out and attack them. Casualties are severe.

I've also heard that some minor demons in the Everlasting Mountains, taking advantage of the chaos, have been capturing people for food. So I want to build a City God Temple in Greenwood City and send a few cultivators there. It would make prayer easier and provide protection." Pei Tang reminded him, "Hu Tong, watch your words. The realm hasn't fallen into chaos yet. And the spirit beast troubles in the Everlasting Mountains will be dealt with. Forget about building a City God Temple.

I haven't even punished you yet for building temples in Shuili City and Xiangshi City without authorization." Hu Tong quickly defended himself.

"My lord, you've wronged me! The temples in Shuili and Xiangshi were approved by the Hall of Eternal Life in the capital." Pei Tang questioned, "What authority do you have to contact the Hall of Eternal Life without going through me?" Hu Tong explained, "My lord, at that time, the immortal realm had just lost contact, and you had gone to the capital. You weren't at the Lianshan branch hall. I figured you were too busy with important matters, so I took the liberty..."

"Quite the liberty!" Pei Tang interrupted.

"Hu Tong, you violated the law and exceeded your authority. I could strip you of your City God position right now! But since you've served diligently in Dongyang City for over a decade, I'll let it slide. Go back and dismantle the temples in the other two cities. From now on, stay in Dongyang City." Hu Tong panicked.

"Please, my lord! The Land Gods of Lianshan Prefecture have all fled. The people need temples to pray. I'm doing this for them!" Pei Tang said, "I've already reached an agreement with Li Jinghong. The people only need to pray on the first and last days of the month. The people of Shuili and Xiangshi can go to your temple in Dongyang City. It's a short trip, only twice a month, so it won't affect their work. As for Greenwood City, they can go to White Flower City in the south.

It's closer, and they won't have to cross the Everlasting Mountains." Hu Tong's eyes lit up at the mention of White Flower City.

"I heard a demon came to White Flower City and the new City God died. The temple's closed. The people of Greenwood City would be wasting their time." Pei Tang chuckled.

"There will be a new City God appointed for White Flower City. Don't worry about it."

"My lord, White Flower City only has a few tens of thousands of people, less than that after the demon attack. If they can have a City God Temple, why can't Shuili City, Xiangshi City, or Greenwood City? They're all bigger than White Flower City!" Hu Tong kept arguing, unwilling to let his temples go to waste. Pei Tang said coldly, "You know White Flower City well, but there's much you don't know. White Flower City was once White Flower Prefecture, the second largest city in Great Sheng, after the capital.

It's still under the direct control of the capital and the Hall of Eternal Life. It's different from other cities. The City God Temple there has a purpose beyond just prayer."

"But my lord..." Hu Tong tried to say more, but Pei Tang raised a hand to stop him.

"Do as I say. In ten days, I'll inspect. If you haven't complied by then, you won't be City God anymore." With that, Pei Tang flicked his palm. Hu Tong felt himself lifted and, in an instant, found himself at the foot of the mountain. Pale-faced, he looked up at the mountain, then quickly disappeared from sight. Fang Cheng watched this in awe. If even an Eighth Realm great demon couldn't match this, then Pei Tang must be at the Ninth Realm Sacred Manifestation.

Pei Tang, meanwhile, had been observing Fang Cheng's expression. In fact, ever since Hu Tong arrived, he'd been watching both of them closely.

"It seems you two really don't know each other." Pei Tang took a sip of tea and said slowly. Fang Cheng scratched his head.

"My lord, what do you mean?" He sensed a misunderstanding. Pei Tang glanced at him.

"A month ago, Zhu Youchang visited the City God Temple in Dongyang City. After that, he became the City God of White Flower City. And then... you killed Zhu Youchang."