Qu Hui Division

"Don't go running around these next few days. Your second uncle will probably come looking for you again. Also... I'm afraid the matter at Qihetal won't be settled so easily."

"You mean the Pingtian Society?"

His stepmother shook her head. "The Pingtian Society may not find you for a while. But something this big has happened, and so many people have died. The Qu Hui Division will definitely investigate."

Xu Yuan nodded.

The Qu Hui Division belonged to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

It was a department established by the Great Ming specifically to investigate and deal with all kinds of evil spirits and strange occurrences.

Together with the Monster Extermination Army and the Shanhe Division, it was known as one of the Great Ming's "Three Yamen of Strange Affairs."

Their jurisdictions overlapped in some areas—a situation common among the Great Ming's various government offices. As a result, they often quarreled over who was responsible. Whenever there was something to gain, they all rushed in; whenever there was trouble, they all passed the buck.

The Shanhe Division belonged to the Canal Administration. It was responsible for resolving all strange occurrences related to the canal, ensuring that it continued to run smoothly to the greatest extent possible.

Of the three, only the Qu Hui Division had truly been established to deal with evil spirits. Naturally, it was also the most specialized.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau's power had expanded rapidly since two hundred years ago.

And its biggest task every year was determining the "almanac"!

After dinner, Xu Yuan took the initiative to wash the bowls.

His stepmother went back to her room and told Xu Yuan, "Get to bed early. You'll sleep in your room; I've made your bed."

Xu Yuan called after her, grinning. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Go on."

Xu Yuan took out the Three-eyed Hand Cannon and the Secret Machine Cannon Powder Formula. "Repair this for me. And make some cannon powder while you're at it."

Lin Wanmo's eyes showed a hint of dislike as she looked at the Three-eyed Hand Cannon. Still, for Xu Yuan's sake, she picked it up and fiddled with it a few times. When she saw the name "Chen Wutong" on it, her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Xu Yuan took out Saint Aunt's hammer, too. "I won't make you work for nothing. You can have this."

His stepmother had no expectations about what sort of gift her "delinquent son" might give her. After all, the choice of gift already looked promising: he'd given her a hammer.

She glanced at it casually, but her eyes lit up when she sensed that it was extraordinary. She took it and examined it closely.

"An excellent Artisan Cultivator's tool. It'll serve you perfectly well until the Sixth Stream." Then she accepted it without the slightest hesitation.

In Saint Aunt's hands, this thing had been like a pearl hidden in the dust. She hadn't had the ability to bring out its power.

"I can repair this firearm, but I'm not very skilled with this sort of thing. It'll take a few days." His stepmother agreed. As for the Secret Machine Cannon Powder Formula, she merely skimmed it before growing wary. "What do you need this for?"

She had just warned him not to keep cultivating his Inner Pill with cannon powder.

Xu Yuan slapped the Three-eyed Firearm on the table. "For this."

"Really?"

Xu Yuan sounded impatient. "What, can't you make it?"

"Heh!" His stepmother gave a cold laugh. How hard could it be?

But his stepmother truly thought the powder was meant for the Three-eyed Firearm. It never occurred to her that this kind of cannon powder was meant for the Crafted Cannon.

Lin Wanmo wasn't skilled at making firearms and cannons, which was why she made that mistake.

Still, Lin Wanmo wouldn't make a lot for Xu Yuan—at most, enough for about twenty shots.

Even if the boy kept strengthening his Inner Pill with cannon powder behind her back, the harm would be limited.

"Then I'll be waiting." Xu Yuan wasn't in any hurry for either item. The two of them then returned to their rooms to rest.

Xu Yuan's sheets, blankets, and everything else had all been washed clean. When he lay down, the comfort was blissful. Compared to the broken plank covered in straw at Qihetan Town, the difference was like night and day.

"Home really is the best." Xu Yuan let out a long breath. After resting for a while, he took out the iron box.

It contained a full twenty catties of cannon powder.

Xu Yuan consumed it all as Bait/Food in one go.

His Inner Pill, which had been no bigger than a mung bean, quickly grew to the size of a longan.

By his estimate, he could use its properties about fifteen times.

But if he wanted to increase their power, that was harder to say.

The nights in the city were much "quieter" than those in town. Over the course of the night, Xu Yuan heard only two strange noises.

Just after dawn, the entrances to the eastern and western alleys were already bustling.

Uncle Mao got up early to open his shop. He set out the various small pieces of furniture he'd made by the door.

Aunt Wang's leftover-dish shop was doing brisk business just then. Two large basins of leftover dishes sat outside, with a brazier burning beneath them and steam bubbling up.

Beside them sat a large basket filled with griddled flatbreads.

A portion of food and four flatbreads cost only fifteen wen. Laborers and porters came and went without pause.

Xu Yuan slept until the sun was high before getting up. He looked at the almanac on the wall. Today's prohibitions were: night travel, bathing, sacrifices, and temple construction.

No wonder his stepmother hadn't woken him.

He was supposed to visit his father's grave today, but sacrifices were forbidden.

Xu Yuan wiped his face with a damp cloth, not daring to actually wash it.

Bathing was forbidden—better to be cautious.

He had just finished getting ready when someone knocked on the door. "Is anyone there? We're looking for Xu Yuan."

Xu Yuan went to open it. A constable stood outside, with a man and a woman behind him.

Xu Yuan's gaze lingered on the man for a moment.

The man's Fate Imprint was a dazzling gold:

Taiyin Guarding Fate Imprint!

He was born for the Qu Hui Division.

The constable looked thoroughly unwilling to be there. No one from the yamen wanted to come to River Worker Alley.

"I'm Xu Yuan. What can I do for you?"

The constable stepped aside. "These two officials are looking for you."

The pair wore black satin robes with sword-shaped sleeves. Red-thread dragon patterns embroidered the collars and cuffs. The only difference was that the man's cuffs had three cloud patterns, while the woman's had only two.

Almost everyone in the Great Ming recognized the uniform: the Qu Hui Division's official robes. Their identities were obvious.

Xu Yuan thought to himself that his stepmother had been right. They'd arrived quickly.

The man seemed to be in charge. He pointed toward the courtyard. "Let's go in and talk."

The constable stayed at the entrance, smiling ingratiatingly. "Sirs, then I'll—"

The man didn't give him a hard time. He waved a hand. "You're dismissed. Go back to the yamen."

The constable bowed and hurried off.

Xu Yuan ushered them inside and pretended to play host in the main room, trying to pour them tea, but he couldn't find any tea leaves.

The man said, "Don't trouble yourself. We're only here to ask a few questions. We'll leave once we're done."

Xu Yuan sat down, too. "Please, sir."

The man proceeded methodically. First, he took paper and a brush from his sleeve and arranged them on the table in order. The sequence couldn't be disturbed. Only once everything was ready did he prepare to take notes.

Then he took his Waist Token from his other sleeve. "Please take a look. This is my proof of identity."

"I am Fu Jingyu, a third-rank Mountain Mover Captain in the Jiaozhi Southern Bureau of the Qu Hui Division."

He beckoned to the woman accompanying him. "Song Lu, show him your Waist Token, too."

Song Lu reluctantly took hers out.

Then Fu Jingyu asked Xu Yuan, "Have you verified our identities?"

"Confirmed. There's no problem with either of your identities."

"Good." Fu Jingyu put away the tokens and picked up his brush. He began his questioning. "Xu Yuan, how did Qiao Zi'ang die?"