Five Thousand Piculs of Grain

Around noon, Lu Yin kept Chu Danqing for a meal. As they were about to depart, the retainer named Xie Liyang finally arrived.

The man was an old fellow with a bulbous nose, and one could smell the alcohol on him.

His attire resembled that of an old farmer, save for the eye-catching, clear, emerald-green jade gourd at his waist.

"Young Master, please forgive my tardiness," Xie Liyang said with a hint of apology. "I was delayed by a group of bandits on the way."

"Old Mister Xie, what are you saying? We were just about to leave," Lu Yin naturally knew that Xie Liyang wouldn't be late for no reason; there had to be a cause.

As for the so-called bandits, they were certainly not ordinary people, but it was inconvenient to say so directly.

"This is Retainer Chu Mo, Chu Danqing, who excels in beast taming and spirit summoning," Lu Yin introduced.

Xie Liyang sized up Chu Danqing, not looking down on him despite his youth.

After exchanging greetings, they set off for the Ji Family together.

The entourage wasn't large, just a carriage and a few servants. The three of them sat in the carriage, chatting.

Chu Danqing also took this opportunity to inquire about a lot of information.

There was information about the government and the Way of Peace, and he also learned about the background of the Chief of Qingya Stronghold: he was a member of the Western Liang White Tiger Army stationed on the border.

It wasn't easy for ordinary people to obtain magical power, but the border troops were different. The fighting was brutal, especially in the Western Liang White Tiger Army, which specialized in killing. Nine out of ten soldiers possessed magical power.

However, this was also related to the special nature of the White Tiger Refinement Scripture, which focused on using war to sustain war.

That was why there was such a high proportion.

This method was easy to start but difficult to master, and it was easy to suffer hidden injuries that would cut off one's path to cultivation. Therefore, there were many cultivators, but few achieved anything.

Chu Danqing also learned about the Lu Clan's Heavenly Fire Wildfire Sutra, which Xie Liyang was now switching to cultivate.

However, Lu Yin didn't seem to be cultivating it, but rather another method.

Chu Danqing wasn't very clear on the specifics.

After all, he was just his temporary boss, so it wasn't good to inquire too much.

At the same time, Chu Danqing truly understood the difference between the Lu Clan and the Ji Family.

The Lu Clan had a family inheritance as its foundation, while the Ji Family did not.

No matter how much money they had, they were just nouveau riche.

Ji Zhen induced the Upper Corpse to enter his body, using it to comprehend the method of severing the Three Corpses in the Human Scroll of the Book of Peace, in order to create a Ji Clan method to complete the initial accumulation.

They chatted a lot on the way, stopping only after arriving at the Ji Estate.

Lu Yin had sent a greeting card in advance, and Ji Yun was prepared, so after meeting, they went straight to the point.

"Young Master Ji, the silver is correct, but why is the amount of grain higher?" Lu Yin looked at the contents of the contract and then pointed to the amount of grain.

Chu Danqing had previously said that it was one thousand shi, totaling five hundred thousand coins.

The amount of money was correct, but the amount of grain had changed from one thousand shi to five thousand shi.

Lu Yin didn't gloat over this or secretly pocket the difference, but instead pointed out the problem.

He couldn't be sure if there was some scheme involved.

"My old man is grateful for Retainer Chu's assistance, and his condition has improved somewhat."

"My Ji Family has no way to repay him. Since the Lu Clan needs grain, we can't be stingy for Retainer Chu's sake."

"Therefore, we're selling you an extra four thousand shi, and since Young Master Lu must have only brought five hundred thousand coins, we've conveniently lowered the price as well," Ji Yun said casually, explaining the reason.

Lu Yin's eyes flashed with a strange color after hearing this.

He didn't expect Chu Danqing to have so much influence in the Ji Family; it was indeed beyond his expectations.

"Hahaha, what a coincidence," Lu Yin followed suit and took out a porcelain bottle. "As soon as Retainer Chu returned, he asked for a Glass Heart Cleansing Pill for Old Mister Ji."

"After a thousand guarantees and ten thousand assurances, I finally agreed to let someone take one."

"With this pill, Old Mister Ji will surely be safe."

Surprise flashed in Ji Yun's eyes. He didn't expect Chu Danqing to be able to get him a Glass Heart Cleansing Pill. His position in the Lu Clan was truly not low.

He had heard of the great name of this pill. It was a unique treasure of the Lu Clan, and even with countless silver spent each year, there were at most only one or two pills.

After taking it, it could control demonic obstacles, subdue heart poisons, rectify clarity, and aid magical power.

His father, Ji Zhen, needed such a treasure pill to help him.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony," Ji Yun said, not refusing, and immediately took it.

Chu Danqing didn't quite understand why they were both pushing the credit onto him, but all that mattered was that everyone was happy.

Afterward, the two sides began to settle the transaction. Lu Yin took out a silver note worth five hundred thousand coins, and Ji Yun accepted it and then had someone take Xie Liyang to collect the grain.

Then the two sides began to chat.

Chu Danqing actually wanted to leave. The grain contribution was being settled, and he still had some time today. He was thinking of scrounging some contribution points for maintaining order during the porridge distribution.

However, he couldn't bring it up, so he could only join the conversation.

"Young Master Lu, do you have any insights on these Three Corpses?" Ji Yun suddenly changed the subject and talked about the main topic.

"I reckon this Lower Corpse Gait is probably holed up in the government offices," Lu Yin interjected calmly.

"Indeed. Before noon, the Commandant was replaced by a young man skilled in fist techniques, decisive and swift in his actions," Ji Yun said.

Chu Danqing's heart stirred upon hearing this, and he immediately asked, "Could he look something like this..."

"Exactly. Do you know him, Venerable Chu?" Ji Yun hadn't expected Chu Danqing to be able to describe the Commandant's appearance.

"We've met once." The person Chu Danqing described was none other than the Dimension Apostle who looked like a young man with a buzz cut.

He hadn't expected the Apostle to become the Commandant. This position was far higher than Chu Danqing's role as a Venerable.

Most importantly, the Commandant controlled the military power of Yangxian County.

"The new Commandant calls himself Fierce Fist. His skills aside, his meteoric rise to Commandant is rather absurd."

"The Lower Corpse Gait is lecherous. It made the former Commandant lose his mind to lust, even thinking of forcing the Prefect's wife. Fortunately, this Fierce Fist Commandant arrived in time."

"Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable." Ji Yun was still a little afraid when he said this.

If a scandal had truly erupted, the situation in Yangxian County would have become even murkier.

"What about the former Commandant?" Chu Danqing asked.

"He was killed by Fierce Fist, who also extracted a foreign object from his body. Someone knowledgeable recognized it as the Lower Corpse Gait," Ji Yun answered Chu Danqing's question.

"It seems they will soon launch an attack against the Way of Peace," Lu Yin added.

How could the Prefect possibly tolerate this?

The Commandant was controlled, and they even tried to instigate conflict. What was the Way of Peace trying to do?

"Our two families should also prepare early to avoid being caught in the crossfire." Ji Yun wasn't speaking to Lu Yin, but to Chu Danqing.

He was telling him to stay away from the Way of Peace, preferably to have no connection with it at all.

"In that case, half of the Three Corpses threat has been eliminated." Chu Danqing understood and continued, "But the mastermind is still nowhere to be found."

"We don't need to worry about that. The government is involved now. Even if that person escapes with their life, they'll be severely weakened." Lu Yin understood that the true ruler of Yangxian County had always been the government.