No Sex, No Right or Wrong

Foreword:

I toil and labor without regret, but what I hope for is the emperor's favor, which I cannot rely on.

--Gao Shi

[Part 1: Porters]

With the death of the Hundred Eyes Great King's chief disciple, the Wu family father and son were so frightened that Mao Sen was drenched in sweat and dared not mention the Zhao Brothers again, remaining silent.

Jiang Xueming took out his staff and used it to poke at the corpse of the Yuzhen the Immortal. He could vaguely see a round insect nest, which was the "inner core of the Qi Sea" of the Blood-Given Monster, according to the Great Xia.

He strode quickly across the gate of the courtyard, carrying a lamp to pour oil and burn the shattered inner core. Before the slowly wriggling White Lady could crawl out, amidst the raging fire, he saw the coiled insect body emitting chilling shrieks. In just a few breaths, the ancestor of all poisons and the source of all evil was completely dead, leaving only a pile of red ash.

At this point, Wu Cheng Zhang finally decided to speak up and demand an explanation.

Zhang Congfeng

"Magistrate, bring the Zhao Brothers here immediately." After cleaning up the mess, Jiang Xueming found a grand chair nearby and sat down.

"I'll go get help! I'll go get help!" Wu Cheng Zhang immediately agreed.

Jiang Xueming pointed at Wu Xiuwen: "Your godson is supposed to go pick them up? You're the county magistrate, how can you lower yourself to go to jail and pick up two prisoners?"

"Godfather!" Wu Xiuwen panicked. With Yu Zhen dead, he absolutely dared not face the Zhao Brothers again—these two savages, though shackled, possessed a brute strength that ordinary constables couldn't handle. If they met again, and the Zhao Brothers seized the opportunity, Wu Xiuwen feared these two country bumpkins would smash his skull open with their chains and kill him on the spot!

"Zhang Congfeng summons you, then go without worry!" Wu Cheng Zhang's face darkened with anger. "Those two righteous men who killed the bear have been starving for days, and their fingers were chopped off by that monster Yu Zhen. They don't have much strength left! They've delayed Zhang Congfeng's business! Do you want to turn into minced meat and bones? Turn into human scum and tofu?"

Jiang Xueming said, "Don't scare your godson. I don't kill people. If he's scared, make him tell the truth. He'll say a doctor came to treat the Zhao Brothers' injuries, and their case was a misunderstanding—it's that simple."

"Hehehe, Zhang Congfeng is right." Wu Cheng Zhang saw the doctor's calm and indifferent expression, which was exactly like a living Yama. Not killing people? This is probably the funniest joke in the world. The courtyard was stinking, but the doctor was sitting in the armchair, taking two tea cakes from the small package and eating them by himself.

This isn't about not killing; it's about killing with a clear conscience, killing as if it were natural, killing out of habit.

After Wu Xiuwen had gone far away, the old eunuch Wu Cheng Zhang was alone with Jiang Xueming.

Xue Ming finally got down to business.

"--Magistrate, I'm on my way to the capital. There are bound to be many demons and monsters along the way. What happened tonight?"

Before Xue Ming could finish speaking, Wu Cheng Zhang immediately interrupted.

"It will be kept secret! It will definitely be kept secret for you!"

Jiang Xueming glanced coldly at the old eunuch, a sharp glint flashing in his tiger-like eyes.

Wu Cheng Zhang immediately fell silent. "You speak, you speak, you speak! You want me to be quiet? I'll shut up right now!"

Jiang Xueming: "I heard about this from the yamen runners of Xiantai Prefecture. Your godson, relying on his father, the county magistrate, has been committing all sorts of evil deeds and bullying the innocent. This matter has already spread far and wide. I also inquired at the South Gate and the market and got the gist of it. Almost everyone knows about it—you're so powerful. It seems that you're the one who calls the shots in Zhuzhou. You're the biggest. Nobody dares to disobey you."

Wu Cheng Zhang did not reply; he dared not respond and was waiting for Zhang Congfeng state his terms.

"I've found out about this Yu Zhen Immortal's family. He has a very powerful master and a godmother, the Goddess Zhuzhu and the Hundred Eyes Great King, both of whom are considered local deities of Pearl State. I killed their student and their child, so this hatred is definitely irreconcilable, and I don't need you to bring up this grudge."

Wu Cheng Zhang was about to speak when he realized he was anxious.

But the doctor spoke slowly and deliberately, and everything he said resonated with him.

"County Magistrate, this matter happened in your territory, I know you're afraid." Jiang Xueming finished his tea cake and continued, "The Emperor appointed you as the prefect, how many years have you been in that position?"

"It has been sixteen years since I left the palace," Wu Cheng Zhang replied immediately.

Jiang Xueming: "You're a good official, better than the governor, prefect, and magistrate of Xiantai Prefecture. They worship gods and don't do any productive work—since I came to Zhuzhou, I haven't seen any wandering bodhisattvas, nor have I encountered any disasters. You shouldn't believe in this."

"Thanks to the good trade in the peninsula, my little temple doesn't consume much grain. I only need to exchange silk fabrics and gold and silver for goods from other prefectures, and we can live comfortably with good weather and plenty to eat and wear." Wu Cheng Zhang quickly added, "We don't need any divine intervention."

"You're afraid." Jiang Xueming heard voices outside the yamen and knew the Zhao Brothers had arrived, so he cut to the chase. "You're afraid that Goddess Zhuzhu and Hundred Eyes Great King will cause you trouble and bring disaster upon Zhuzhou."

Wu Cheng Zhang, still wanting to maintain a facade of humility, said politely, "It's not that I'm afraid of trouble."

Jiang Xueming got up to greet the two brothers and spoke to Wu Cheng Zhang.

"Give the Zhao Brothers to me; I need two helpers. Also, bring your godson with me on this journey. I'm going to their cave to meet these two immortals. Regardless of success or failure, they won't blame you."

After much deliberation, Wu Cheng Zhang gritted his teeth.

"Then I entrust my son to your care, sir. If he can stay by your side and work as a porter, it will be a good deed."

You can always find another godson, but if the people of Zhuzhou suffer a disaster and the Emperor blames you, Wu Cheng Zhang's official hat will be lost along with his head.

Jiang Xueming asked, "How much will it cost to get me a travel permit from Zhuzhou to Taiye?"

"Five silver dollars." Wu Cheng Zhang regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth, realizing the doctor's meaning. "Oh! No need, no need, why should the doctor pay for such a small matter?"

"I feel at ease when things are done according to the rules." Jiang Xueming tapped the old eunuch's head hard. "Listen carefully, do things according to the rules."

The two brothers were listless and dejected. First, Yu Zhen cut off their fingers, causing them to bleed a lot. They were also injured while fighting wild wolves and bears. They had no food in their stomachs, were tired and hungry, and had no strength left. When they saw the county magistrate, they knelt on the ground and waited for their fate.

Wu Xiuwen, still smug, stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Zhang Congfeng! The person has been brought before you! I've handled things perfectly, without wasting a single moment!"

"Zhao Jianying!" Jiang Xueming called out.

Old Zhao raised his head, a strong smell of blood emanating from his lips and teeth. He was already dehydrated from blood loss, and his eyes could barely see. He followed the sound.

He felt a pair of warm, large hands lift his body up. He was immediately stunned, like a frightened wild beast, grabbing the wooden lock and iron shackles around his neck and swinging them to the side, trying to break free of the restraints.

But Jianying couldn't move. It was as if his shoulders and neck were tightly bound by two soft, boneless cotton strips. After being pulled back and forth a few times, he felt warm water slowly flowing over his skin in his two palms where he had lost his Thumb. The wounds that had been hurting all night gradually subsided. The pain was gone, replaced by an maddening itch!

"Jianxiong! Jianxiong!" Jianying couldn't see clearly and panicked, so he called out to his second brother, "Jianxiong!"

Old Zhao blinked hard, finally seeing the person in front of him clearly. After taking a few more breaths, he found that his body was becoming stronger and stronger. His spine, which had been bent and dislocated by the Black Bear, was now slowly recovering, and his back was straightening up.

He saw Zhao the Second kneeling on the ground beside him and witnessed Jiang Xueming applying medicine and setting bones. He finally understood that the Wu family seemed to be telling the truth and were going to help the two brothers heal their injuries.

"You old eunuch! What are you plotting?! You want to harm me first, and then save me?" Jianying shouted at Wu Cheng Zhang.

The county magistrate was scolded, but dared not retaliate. He stood aside with his head bowed, like a little follower, serving water to Zhang Congfeng.

At this moment, Jianying seemed to understand something.

It wasn't that the Wu family had a change of heart! A hero had come to their rescue!

When Jianxiong woke up, Jiang Xueming put away the Universal Elixir and spoke to the two strong young men.

"I heard about your story on the way here and felt you were being wronged, so I came to help you. Fortunately, the magistrate is a reasonable man and is willing to let you go."

Jianying didn't know what to say. Despite their full beards, the two brothers were actually just seventeen or eighteen-year-old kids.

He tried to kneel down to express his gratitude for being given a second chance, but Xue Ming kicked him, and his two thick, sturdy knees bounced back.

Jiang Xueming said, "A man's knees are worth their weight in gold."

Zhao Jianying looked aggrieved. If his younger brother hadn't been watching, he might have burst into tears. He could only gasp for breath, unable to speak. Imagine, in this Five Fingers -black prison, someone pulls you up, clears your name, and helps you avenge your wrongdoing. How could you control your emotions?

"I have no money on me, you'll have to find someone with gold in their pocket to kneel before," Jiang Xueming joked half-heartedly.

Zhao Jianying was completely baffled. He couldn't understand the foreigner's lame joke at all. He was just a country bumpkin who thought the doctor was trying to talk to him about some practical principles.

"Ah ah."

[Part ② - Heading Towards the Tiger's Den]

At this moment, Wu Cheng Zhang approached Xue Ming and greeted him, "Sir, the person has been brought here. What are you going to do next?"

Jiang Xueming asked, "Zhao Brothers, I need a few helpers. Would you be willing to come with me?"

Before Jianying could answer, Jianxiong, still dazed, woke up and shouted, "Brother! I want that old dog dead! He framed me and framed me! I still have to work as a local constable! Why waste my breath on these the Beasts!"

Jianying didn't know what to do either. His second brother was hot-blooded and had been a village bully since childhood in Zhao Family Village, relying on his physical strength. However, he had been unlucky and suffered from a plague, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up in such a state.

Now that he's arrived at the county government office in such a confused state, Jianying wouldn't be able to bring himself to reprimand his younger brother.

"Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor." Jiang Xueming pointed to the crimson ashes in the courtyard. "The person who cut off your fingers is dead, and the dog that ate your fingers is on its way too— Jianxiong, are you still not satisfied? I want Wu Xiuwen to sew clothes for you, using the skin of that Black Bear, and I want him to personally and respectfully present the cloak to you, okay?"

Jianxiong was stunned. He hadn't expected such a good thing. He pointed at the magistrate's nose and cursed him. He was already prepared to be beaten. Insulting an official of the imperial court was punishable by law. No matter how arrogant he was, he had already confessed his crime. The shackles were not on his body, but in his heart.

Jianxiong quickly asked, "Is this true?"

At this point, Jianying finally couldn't listen anymore.

"Second brother!"

"Don't yell at him." Jiang Xueming stated his request. "You are brothers. I'm trying to settle this matter for you, but I also need your help. The one who came to kill you is the chief disciple of Hundred Eyes Great King. I want to go to Taiye Prefecture, and the journey there will definitely not be peaceful."

Zhao Jianying immediately replied, "Whatever you, sir, my brother and I will do!"

"We need him too." Jiang Xueming pulled Wu Xiuwen up and held him in front of the two brothers as if he had caught a chick.

Wu Xiuwen was under control and somewhat flustered.

"Huh?! Me?"

Jiang Xueming explained, "When I travel, I think everything about Xiabang is wonderful. But I'm unfamiliar with the area, and it won't be enough for Jianying and Jianxiong to protect me alone. I need a local to guide me. You should be most familiar with this rural area, right?"

"Ah!" Wu Xiuwen kept winking at his godfather.

He never imagined that this Foreign Doctor would actually intend to clash with Hundred Eyes Great King!

"You want me to lead the way? Along with these two villagers? We're going to venture into the Guanyin Cave of Goddess Zhuzhu and climb the Black Wind Ridge of Hundred Eyes Great King?"

Jiang Xueming looked at Wu Cheng Zhang: "Oh my! County Magistrate! Looks like we've found the right person!"

Wu Cheng Zhang readily agreed, "Yes, yes, my son is good-for-nothing, obsessed with magic and immortality all day long. If he said he was going to take an exam, I would never believe it, but as for a karmic connection, he definitely has it!"

When the Zhao Brothers heard the Foreign Doctor's demands from Wu Xiuwen, these two savages were not as panicked as city dwellers. They had been closer to demons since childhood, had heard all sorts of strange tales, and had even seen man-eating devils. Naturally, they hated him thoroughly and had no hesitation or fear whatsoever.

Jianxiong was too young to know how dangerous this journey would be. Jianying gave his younger brother a meaningful look.

He also wanted his younger brother to stay in Zhuzhou; both his brothers' lives had been saved by this Foreign Doctor, how could he possibly ask him to?

"I want you to be a helper." Jiang Xueming seemed to see through Jianying's thoughts. "Just do helper work. As for protecting me, just take it as a joke."

With verbal promises, the common people of Xia Bang are easy to deceive, just like the Yuzhen the Immortal listening to the county magistrate's empty promises. They seem to believe anything that is spoken.

Zhao Jianying nodded in agreement. "Then I'll go with the doctor."

Xue Ming originally thought that taking Wu Xiuwen away would be a good deed for the county magistrate. This old eunuch was truly a doting father; once he had a son, he spoiled him rotten. Once a person has a weakness, they will do anything to protect and indulge that weakness.

As for taking the Jianying Jianxiong brothers away, it was because Xue Ming wanted to help them to the very end.

These two brothers will not have a good ending if they stay in Zhuzhou; he doesn't believe Wu Cheng Zhang will let them go.

Even if the old eunuch really promised to send the two brothers to Zhuzhou Town and County to serve as local militiamen and assist the village chief and town mayor, their lives would only get harder and harder. Given his eunuch background, if his plan to frame the bear failed and he wanted to destroy the evidence to protect his career, Jianying and Jianxiong would not survive.

We can underestimate the political tactics of these feudal remnants, but we cannot underestimate their political wisdom. People's hearts are the most difficult thing to predict. Even in this small Zhu Prefecture County Office, the Wu family father and son spoke of "family matters" with hidden barbs. Moreover, the Zhao Brothers are two rash and impetuous outsiders—they will not have a good end if they stay here. It is better to give them another chance.

Killing someone with a knife is easy for Xue Ming, but killing doesn't solve the problem.

If he wanted to kill the Hundred Eyes Great King quickly and ruthlessly, he had to spare Wu Cheng Zhang's life. A cult without the support of local officials was nothing but a monster that everyone wanted to kill. With the approval of the prefect, magistrate, and county magistrate, and with the human flesh trade going smoothly, the evil god could enter the homes of ordinary people and be gilded with his image.

"Settle the money," Xue Ming said to Zhao Jianying, having thought of this.

Jianying was stunned. "Money? What money?"

"The travel permit to Taiye requires five silver dollars for the county magistrate, making it twenty in total with yours." Jiang Xueming tossed the doctor's bag to the young helper; carrying luggage and fighting for his life on the journey wasn't a good idea. "Keep an eye on the stuff, give the red note to the county magistrate, and tell him to exchange it himself—"

"Brother Xiuwen, you and Jianxiong go and buy some food and water to last for 120 li. No need for a carriage or horses, I can't afford them. Just carry them on your shoulders. Put it on my tab, and ask Jianying for it after you've paid."

"Leave tomorrow morning."