Catastrophe of Mountains Toppling and Earth Caving In

Cheng Yishu's face instantly flushed scarlet. He immediately clasped his fists and bowed deeply. "This subordinate swears to serve my lord unto death!"

Fang Xun nodded in great satisfaction, then changed the subject. "However, though you have served in government for many years, your record has been unremarkable. If I were to transfer you too easily, it might invite criticism. Fortunately, an opportunity that comes once in a thousand years now lies before us."

Fang Xun then told him that the newly appointed Cold Mountain County Magistrate would have to delay taking office because the official road was blocked.

"Before I leave office, I can first leave behind an official document and make an exceptional promotion, appointing you to temporarily act as Cold Mountain County Magistrate. 'Before the county magistrate arrives, the county commandant shall temporarily oversee the county's School of Totality affairs.' This is also permitted under the Great Gan Code."

"Though you will not sit in the acting county magistrate's chair for long, so long as this glorious stroke is added to your record, it will help you fend off much criticism in the future." Fang Xun spoke slowly and earnestly.

"Act... acting county magistrate?" Cheng Yishu stood rooted to the spot.

In truth, a trace of unease and doubt should have arisen in his heart. But faced with the highest authority in an entire county—the authority he had squandered half his life yearning for, the authority he had craved in countless dreams—that insignificant hesitation was instantly burned to ashes by an uncontrollable blaze of greed.

He took a deep breath, hesitated no longer, and agreed on the spot.

"Yishu, I knew I had not misjudged you!" Fang Xun burst into hearty laughter, his face full of satisfaction.

Over the following days, Cheng Yishu openly assumed the role of "acting county magistrate" and began acquainting himself with every matter, great and small, in Cold Mountain County.

At first, he remained somewhat cautious and restrained.

But as he issued orders and watched the reverent expressions on the faces of everyone throughout the county, Cheng Yishu felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction rise within him, as though he held everything in his grasp.

"So this is what it means to be the honored ruler of a county."

"Having tasted this feeling once, even dying tomorrow would be worth it!"

Meanwhile, Fang Xun had already begun packing his belongings.

"When I take up my post and return to the capital, keep everything simple. Do not let others think I have lived some life of luxury these years in Cold Mountain."

Freed from the burden of managing an entire county's affairs, Fang Xun seemed far more relaxed. Even his complexion had become much rosier. Holding Huan'er in his arms, he directed the servants.

And as the "Cold Mountain husband" personally chosen by Fang Xun, Li Shun would naturally be going with him as well.

"Just leaving like this?"

Inside the flower room, Li Shun was watering the Cold Mountain Grass with his own essence blood, yet his gaze casually swept over the busy servants outside.

A faint sense of discord stirred within him.

He turned it over and over in his mind, yet could not grasp the source of that strange feeling.

"The Xiang Kingdom remnant was indeed captured alive and handed over to the Black-Robed Envoys for escort. But why has there still been no word of the court's reward?"

"Could Fang Xun be planning to swallow it all for himself? But this School of Totality makes no sense at all. As Cold Mountain County Magistrate, he was already entitled to the foremost merit. At most, everyone else would merely share in the glory."

"Or was the credit intercepted by someone at court? Fang Xun could not contend with them and felt ashamed before the people of Cold Mountain County, so he decided to flee in haste?"

No matter how Li Shun pondered it, he could not see through to the truth.

After a long while, he could only shake his head and give up.

"In any case, it has nothing to do with me anymore. I am merely a lowly Cold Mountain husband. Even if there were heaven-shaking merit, it would never fall upon my head."

"What worries me more is that once we reach the Sacred Capital, great powers will be everywhere. The matter of my lifespan being extended by two hundred years may well be exposed. Even with Threefold Self-Reflection's ability to rewind time, I fear it will still be exceedingly difficult to protect myself."

Li Shun was considering a way to escape.

Suddenly, an incomparably shrill woman's scream rang out from a distant side room.

Fang Xun's expression abruptly darkened. The surrounding servants were even more silent than cicadas in winter, all lowering their heads as far as they could.

Handing Huan'er to the wet nurse beside him, Fang Xun took heavy steps and slowly followed the sound.

Before long, the screaming came to an abrupt halt.

"Yu Niang has truly grown more and more deranged over these past six months." Li Shun secretly shook his head.

Ever since Fang Xun had confined Yu Niang, her mind had worsened by the day. Not only did she often vent her anger on the servants, she even dared point at Fang Xun's nose and hurl curses at him.

No one knew what methods Fang Xun had used to discipline her, but those curses had vanished without a trace. In their place were these bloodcurdling screams that occasionally drifted from her room.

"Given Fang Xun's nature, he should not be planning to bring Yu Niang back to the capital..."

Catching sight of Fang Xun returning from the corner of his eye, Li Shun quietly withdrew his gaze.

He watched Fang Xun carry Huan'er into the bedchamber, and his heart sank slightly. I fear he intends to leave the mother and keep the child.

Inside the bedchamber, the doors and windows were tightly shut, sealing out all prying eyes.

Huan'er giggled sweetly, calling out "Daddy" in muffled, indistinct words as he stretched out a pair of lotus-root-like arms, asking to be held.

Yet there was not a trace of the School of Totality's smile on Fang Xun's face.

He coldly ignored the child's pleading and slowly closed his eyes.

"Huan'er, do not blame your father either. Who told you that you were not fated for wealth and honor?"

His voice was low and hoarse, as though he were speaking to himself.

Cold Mountain County Yamen, Left Office.

County Assistant Yu Shang was bent over his desk handling official affairs when he suddenly saw Constable Wu Kuang slip in with a hurried expression, and suspicion immediately arose in his heart.

Especially when he saw Wu Kuang shut the door tightly behind him before stepping forward, Yu Shang found it all the more strange.

"Constable Wu, what matter requires such secrecy?" Yu Shang asked.

Wu Kuang lowered his voice, and a trace of panic flashed through his eyes. "Elder Yu, have you noticed that the county magistrate... has been somewhat off lately?"

"Hm? Wu Kuang, watch your words!" Yu Shang's expression hardened as he sternly rebuked him.

"Even if you gave this lowly man ten times the courage, I would not dare speak recklessly of my lord! But it truly is..." Wu Kuang nervously glanced around, seemingly afraid that Fang Xun might suddenly leap out from some corner.

He lowered his voice further. "In the past, Lord Fang was diligent in official matters. Aside from inspecting the four borders, he would be stationed in the yamen, with only the occasional time to rest and indulge himself. But over the past half year, the county magistrate has often vanished without explanation."

"At first, I did not pay it much mind, until County Commandant Cheng began acting as county magistrate!"

Wu Kuang's tone grew more urgent, yet his voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"I have followed the county magistrate for many years. No one knows his temperament better than I do! There is still a month before he leaves office, so how could he possibly hand over power so readily? That talk about paving the way for County Commandant Cheng's future promotion... I do not believe it!"

"On top of that, the reward for our joint capture of the Xiang Kingdom remnant has never come through. The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became. So..."

"So?" Wu Kuang's throat tightened. His brawny body actually began to tremble slightly from overwhelming terror.

Yu Shang's face sank completely. "Go on."

"This lowly man's family has lived in Cold Mountain for generations. My ancestors once mined in the Cold Mountain Mine Cave. Though the mine cave was later abandoned, people still occasionally went in secretly to pick up discarded ore. After several generations, our family came to know the Cold Mountain mine tunnels rather well."

"That day, I happened to see the county magistrate returning from the direction of the Cold Mountain Mine Cave. Something stirred in my heart, so I went to investigate that night."

"But I never expected..."

"For some reason, the mine cave had gained countless new tunnels, packed densely together, as though they had nearly hollowed out the entire mountain!"

Fear gripped my heart, and I followed those newly opened mine tunnels to investigate.

"I discovered they had not been excavated in search of ore at all..."

"Because several hundred of them actually extended beneath Cold Mountain County City."

"With one slight misstep, it could bring disaster—mountains toppling and the earth caving in!"

Having said this, Wu Kuang could no longer hold himself up. His entire body went limp.