Vengeful Ghost

May was the season for harvesting winter wheat. The main crops here were wheat and rice. Winter wheat was generally planted in October of the previous year and harvested the following May; rice was sown again in March or April and harvested in autumn, with the occasional vegetables planted in between. This kept people busy almost all year round and made for a high rate of land use.

Harvesting wheat was a major affair. The entire village had to turn out, and even the old and young had to lend a hand.

At this time, most villagers wore the joy of a bountiful harvest on their faces.

Su Hu diligently tied up the wheat, preparing to transport it to the village mill. Seeing He Song had just finished harvesting a field and was resting by the ridge, eating dry rations, he went over and greeted him. "Brother He, all done? This year's wheat is truly a bumper harvest! I weighed it earlier—every mu should yield ten or even twenty extra jin! That's the kind of harvest we only saw in the best years before. The Land God is truly divine! My father said that once the wheat is in, our village must hold a grand sacrifice for the Land God!"

He Song wiped away his sweat and said, "Isn't that so? Ever since our village began worshipping the Land God, our days have been rising higher and higher!" Yet he seemed somewhat absent-minded as he spoke. He looked toward the county town, his gaze dark, as though a trace of longing lay hidden in his eyes.

Su Hu's eyes rolled as he thought of something. "What, are you still thinking about that? Fair enough. You and Clerk He are relatives within three generations. Since you have this chance, you should give it a try. Who knows, perhaps our village might produce a Clerk!" He Dong had died of illness, leaving the Clerk position vacant. Naturally, his son had taken it over. Unfortunately, his son had learned neither his tact nor his abilities. In just over a month, he had made a complete mess of the duties, offended his superiors without even realizing it, and spent every day drinking and gambling. At last, heaven and earth alike were enraged, and the county magistrate dismissed him from his post.

The county magistrate had that authority. He could appoint subordinate clerks on his own, up to and including a Clerk. Yet there was an unspoken rule: minor clerk positions could be inherited, and relationships within the county were tangled as roots and vines. If a county magistrate dismissed clerks without cause and installed his own confidants, the clerks across the county would secretly band together, place stumbling blocks in his path, and might even frame him until he was convicted and stripped of office.

Thus, county magistrates generally would not do such a thing. This time, He Dong's son had offended more than half the county office, so naturally no one would help him. But there were still rules: candidates had to be chosen from among the He family's younger generation first. Only if there was truly no one suitable could an outsider be appointed.

He Song and He Dong were within three generations of kin. Whenever they met, He Song had to address He Dong as "Uncle of the clan." Though He Dong somewhat looked down on this poor country relative, the genealogy recorded it clearly, so he had to acknowledge it. Thus, He Song had this opportunity as well, though it was exceedingly slim.

He Song gave a bitter smile. "The county is no comparison to the countryside. It is all about connections of every kind. I know a few characters and understand a little arithmetic, but there are so many He family descendants. I truly dare not hope for it." What he meant was that he had the ability, but lacked connections.

Su Hu also smiled bitterly. He knew this man had talent and wanted to pull some strings, but his own family had only just become village heads. They were still two ranks below a Clerk. The matter of a Clerk was a contest between county officials, far beyond what his family could reach. He could only say, "If you want to go to the county and lack silver, just tell my family. If you do not give it a try, how can you be willing to accept it? I have always admired Brother He's learning. Even if it does not work out this time, you will surely have your day to rise."

After pausing, he scratched his head and said, "Or perhaps you could ask the Land God?"

He Dong's expression stirred, but he once again said with a bitter smile, "I'll accept your auspicious words!"

Riding the favorable wind of Qingyu Village's bumper wheat harvest, Fang Ming's faith spread even more widely. Dachang Village and Yuanhe Village had both built Land God temples upon their altars, praying for abundant harvests. White cloud aura constantly surged above his head. The Golden Seal was already two-thirds full, his daily income exceeding a hundred strands of white Divine Power, while his accumulated reserves were even more substantial—about twenty thousand strands of white Divine Power, ready for use at will. The talisman within his body changed, bringing Dachang Village and Yuanhe Village under his jurisdiction.

The experiment on Li Dazhuang had also concluded. Having summarized the experience, he began searching the villages for temple keepers to train. He was also preparing to begin his cultivation plan for Wu Xinling. He still held considerable expectations for this "Spirit-Linking Constitution." Overall, every aspect was going splendidly.

That day, Fang Ming was condensing Divine Power. Since red Divine Power was more useful and could be swiftly broken apart when necessary, he planned to convert all his Divine Power into red. This was a matter of grinding water through stone. Within his body, ten strands of white Divine Power drifted out and entwined with one another, transforming into a single strand of red Divine Power. It was an extraordinarily strange sight.

But after Fang Ming converted one-third of the Divine Power in his body, he seemed to hit a bottleneck. White Divine Power began repelling itself. Unless he expended the red Divine Power, no more could be produced. He raised his head in sudden understanding and looked at the Fortune churning above him. Red aura occupied only one-third of the whole; he knew he had reached the limit. Unless he increased the proportion of red Fortune, his body could hold only this much red Divine Power. Yet when he recalled the matter he had previously entrusted to He Dong, he felt a measure of anticipation. He rose and paced, waiting for news.

Just as he was thinking, a voice came from outside. "My lord, your subordinate He Dong requests an audience!"

The voice faintly carried a sobbing note. Fang Ming's heart sank, but he immediately said, "Come in quickly."

He Dong entered the main hall, and his appearance gave Fang Ming a shock. He Dong's form was badly damaged. One arm had vanished without a trace, and many parts of his body were missing as well. Had a mortal suffered such injuries, he would have long since died. Struggling, he performed a salute, then said with a mournful face, "Forgive me, my lord. I am incompetent and failed to accomplish the task."

Seeing his state, Fang Ming had already guessed what had happened, but he did not say so. In a deep voice, he said, "What happened? Explain it clearly."

He Dong used his remaining hand to wipe away tears again and choked out, "By my lord's command, I went to Qingxi Township to meet Zhang Qingyun. I told him that my lord promised that, if he surrendered Qingxi Township, he would be appointed Clerk, freed from his constraints, and promoted further in the future."

"When Zhang Qingyun heard this, he flew into a rage and attacked on the spot, beating me into this state. He also said..."

"What else did he say? Speak freely." Fang Ming's voice was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.

He Dong's body trembled. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Zhang Qingyun also said that my lord harbors a wolf's ambition, that you are one of those Vengeful Ghost demons and fiends, seeking to seize Qingxi Township. He said you should give up that thought as soon as possible!"

Bang! Fang Ming slapped the table, making He Dong tremble again.

Fang Ming sneered. "Out of consideration for his service in guarding Qingxi Township, I had intended to settle this peacefully. But he cannot distinguish the will of Heaven and seeks his own death. He cannot blame me!" Killing intent laced his words.

This was the truth. He had not wanted to make a great fuss before, for killing an Ancestral Spirit without cause and seizing its altar seemed likely to damage his merit. Fang Ming would not do that. He was also short of men. The promise of a Clerk position was the highest post he could presently offer; even He Dong and Wang Liulang had not attained such a status. Fang Ming had even considered that if Zhang Qingyun knew what was good for him and had ability, then once Fang Ming became the Land God of a township, he could consider enfeoffing a pantheon of gods and grant Zhang Qingyun the position of Land God for a village.

After all, the Divine Way could not be sustained by one god alone. In his previous life, whether East or West, which divine court had not possessed numerous deities? Even that god of monotheism had so many angels beneath him as wings at his side! Thus, Fang Ming often studied the divine office talismans, hoping to find a method of enfeoffment. But this was merely an idea for now, with many problems yet to resolve.

Fang Ming had deliberately sent He Dong to probe first, leaving room for maneuver. After all, even if He Dong's negotiations collapsed, he could continue talking afterward. Who would have thought—who would have thought Zhang Qingyun would not even observe the rules? Had he been an Ancestral Spirit for so long that his brain had turned stupid? Fang Ming fell silent, secretly weighing matters in his heart.

The atmosphere became somewhat heavy. Cold sweat trickled down He Dong's body. Seeing this, Fang Ming said gently, "This is not your fault. Go down for now. Keep watch on Qingxi Township's movements and report daily." He pointed with one hand. Divine Power surged, white light flashed, and every wound on He Dong's body vanished. Even his arm grew back.

"Your subordinate obeys!" He Dong bowed in thanks and withdrew.

The moment He Dong left, another voice sounded outside. It was Wang Liulang. "Your subordinate requests an audience!"

"Come in."

Wang Liulang strode in with a grave expression. After saluting, he said, "By your command, I patrolled the four villages and gathered intelligence. Today, I received news that a Vengeful Ghost in Green Mountain has raised the banner of the Linjiang Prefecture Ghost King. It is recruiting fiends and evils, reorganizing Yin souls, and plotting something improper."

Fang Ming sucked in a cold breath. The title Linjiang Prefecture Ghost King was naturally somewhat exaggerated; otherwise, all of Linjiang Prefecture would have long since fallen. But a peak Evil Ghost was certainly no empty boast. If that one had truly turned his gaze toward the neighboring prefecture, things would be troublesome. Still, it was also possible that some Vengeful Ghost was borrowing his fierce reputation in hopes of growing powerful.

He asked, "Where did you obtain this news? Is it reliable?"

Wang Liulang replied, "I got it from a Yin soul in Dachang Village. I have long been acquainted with him and share some friendship with him. He said that Vengeful Ghost is highly ambitious. Every ghost with a fierce reputation received an invitation. Quite a few have been persuaded and are gathering at Green Mountain, saying they will plot great deeds together. I fear they may act before long."

Fang Ming rubbed his brow, feeling a headache coming on. He paced back and forth a few times, then sat back down in his chair. "Go back and investigate further. Hmm, you may bring some wine and meat for the ghost who revealed the news. Tell him that if he wants to endure for the long term without harming people, he may come work for me. At the same time, order the subordinates to strengthen their guard!"

"Yes!" Wang Liulang gave a military salute and withdrew.

Fang Ming let out a long sigh. He knew that a Vengeful Ghost gathering troops to cause trouble was not frightening. So long as it dared enter his territory, he was confident he could wipe it out in one stroke. What he feared was that it would not attack his domain, but instead sweep through villages in other townships. Those villages had no altar spirits, and he could not possibly cover every angle. They would surely be breached. If the Vengeful Ghost were allowed to grow into an Evil Ghost, it would become impossible to contain.

Even if it did not become an Evil Ghost, an incident like this at such a critical juncture would surely draw the county and prefecture's attention. They would send people down for a thorough investigation. His "fake Ancestral Spirit" identity would certainly attract notice. And if Zhang Qingyun, the Ancestral Spirit of Qingxi Township, took the chance to kick him when he was down, then the result—heh heh!

For now, he could only first send dreams to the villagers under his jurisdiction, stopping them from entering Green Mountain to hunt lest something unforeseen occur. Then he would lead troops into Green Mountain to suppress them. They had to be exterminated completely and the matter quietly smoothed over without a sound.

As things stood, he wished everyone in the county were deaf and blind, allowing him to spread faith steadily through the countryside, consolidate his foundation, nurture his vitality, and make his roots firm. Fortunately, this world's countryside was full of Ferocious Ghosts, and county officials did not casually enter rural villages. So long as the taxes were paid, they basically did not interfere. That was why he had been able to roam freely until now without those above discovering him. But he likely could not delay for much longer. Still, every extra day bought him another measure of strength!

The old saying still held: if he could delay one day, then delay one day. Stability was the priority now. Whoever dared stick their head out, Fang Ming would be the first to refuse. Having made up his mind, even if that Vengeful Ghost was the biological son of the Evil Ghost leader of Linjiang Prefecture, he would kill it!