The Land God

"Not long ago, Military Governor Song Yuan dealt Five Creeks Marsh a crushing defeat in the dense forest. Some Marshfolk fled into Jiannan Circuit, and one band roamed the south. Those villages of yours were destroyed by their hands."

After sighing a few times, Liu Huai told him everything he knew.

Though he was a steward of the Pan Household, his home was not large and had none of the many rules of that estate. They normally ate in the main hall. Now that Qiu Yan had returned safely, Liu Huai had hurried back, had the dining table cleared away, and the few of them sat down separately.

Qiu Yan's aunt by marriage, Liu Yue's wife, withdrew.

"Five Creeks Marsh. Military Governor Song Yuan."

As Qiu Yan listened to Liu Huai, his gaze gradually changed.

After Great Rui established its dynasty, it implemented a three-tier local system of circuits, prefectures, and counties. Yet beyond that, there was another kind of administrative division—military commanderies.

These commanderies were not the shorthand term for an army from Qiu Yan's previous life, but a name for a city. A "commandery" generally governed one city, similar in size to a county. There were no subordinate villages or stockades beneath it, but there were garrison troops and military settlements.

There were seven commanderies throughout Dragon Sword Circuit—seven garrisoned cities directly under the circuit's authority. They were mainly spread across the south and west, serving as shields for the realm and fighting Marshfolk and Barbarians year-round.

The highest official of a commandery was the military governor, who controlled its military affairs, government, and people's livelihood.

Song Yuan was the military governor of Wuxin Commandery in the southwest, and the supreme authority of Wuxin City. Situated between Yuanning Prefecture and Rongzhou Prefecture, it had fought the people of Five Creeks Marsh for years and rarely suffered defeat.

Having grasped the general situation, Qiu Yan gradually pieced together the thread of events. He asked, "Where did this news come from?"

"The authorities have already issued a notice. A few days ago, Wuxin also sent soldiers to encircle and suppress the defeated Marshfolk troops. The people from those villages have all been buried, and specialists have been assigned to settle the refugees who fled here." As Liu Huai spoke, he kept watching Qiu Yan's expression. Seeing him frown again and again, he said, "Yan'er, your father..."

His nephew had been stubborn and dull since childhood, the sort to charge down a single path without turning back. Liu Huai feared that once he learned the full story, he would seek revenge, and so he could not help worrying.

It was said that those Marshfolk were all vicious fiends who killed without batting an eye.

Liu Huai had never thought highly of Qiu Yan's father, Qiu Zonglin, but he had always been especially fond of Qiu Yan, the son of his own elder sister.

Last year, the Qiu father and son had gone to take the examinations one after another. The son wanted to become a xiucai, while the father wanted to become a juren, yet both returned with broken wings and became the laughingstock of Qingchang County. That was why the Qiu Family moved to Zuoqu Village. Who could have imagined that only a few months later, such a tragedy would strike? Several villages had been wiped clean, even Qiu Zonglin had lost his life, and only his nephew had survived by sheer luck.

Qiu Yan's calmness did not reassure Liu Huai. Instead, Liu Huai feared he had already made up his mind and would act rashly, so his concern deepened. "Stay here for now. Go back to observe mourning rites after some time. In two years, you can take the Imperial Examinations again."

Liu Huai did not actually hold much hope for Qiu Yan's path through the Imperial Examinations. In his eyes, Qiu Yan was like his father—neither of them was cut from that cloth. It would be far better to settle down peacefully, even as a village tutor or an accountant, than to throw himself heart and soul into the examinations. But he feared his nephew might do something foolish, so he used this as a hope to keep his mind tethered.

Like ancient China, this world also observed filial mourning. There were not many restrictions, except that one could not hold office, sit examinations, or marry. The period lasted twenty-seven months—two years and three months.

Qiu Yan had possessed a good memory since childhood and had dabbled in the classics and histories. At sixteen, he had passed both the County Examination and the Prefectural Examination. His father, Qiu Zonglin, had been overjoyed, believing the family was about to produce a youthful juren. Yet before the formal Provincial Examination, Qiu Yan was stopped at the hurdle of the Dao Examination. He took it again at nineteen last year and still failed, unable even to earn the title of xiucai.

The Dao Examination was held twice every three years, in the fourth and fifth months. Once Qiu Yan finished mourning, he would arrive just in time. If all went smoothly, he could even take that year's Autumn Examination.

However, Qiu Yan's father, Qiu Zonglin, had become a xiucai at twenty. He then sat examinations for more than twenty years without advancing another step. In the end, the family's four walls stood bare, surviving on his wife's mending and patching. It left Qiu Yan's mother with a lingering illness, and five years ago she finally passed away. From then on, Liu Huai no longer associated with Qiu Zonglin.

Seeing through Liu Huai's thoughts, Qiu Yan shook his head. "Uncle, rest assured. I know my limits. Those people are not foes I can handle right now."

"It is best that you can see reason. There is still work at the Pan Household, so rest first. Tonight, we'll arrange another table of food to calm your fright. I haven't yet told your aunt that you've returned. I'll go tell her in a while. These past days, she has been heartsick over you and has even been scolded by Madam Pan several times."

At that, Liu Huai remembered something else. "Right, the screening of refugees has been very strict this time. Try not to wander outside these next few days, and do not reveal your identity. Otherwise, there may be more trouble. Wait until the storm has passed."

Qiu Yan nodded in agreement. Even if Liu Huai had not told him this, he had planned something similar. He had even intended to ask Liu Huai to cooperate with him, but Liu Huai had beaten him to it, saving him quite a bit of effort.

After a few more words, Liu Huai and Liu Yue left first. Both worked at the Pan Household, and Qiu Yan's sudden arrival had already pushed the limits of how much time they could spare to come comfort him.

As Liu Huai and his son departed, Qiu Yan fell into thought.

The matter of demons has somehow become defeated bandits crossing the border. The villagers who were eaten have become casualties of war, while the "refugees" who escaped have all been isolated and gathered into special shelters. With that, the truth has been hidden from the sky and crossed over the sea. No one knows what truly happened in the south. It seems that Mountain-Passing Great King's influence is anything but ordinary...

As he thought, his stomach suddenly began to rumble.

"Xiaoyan, your uncle came in too much of a hurry just now and did not even let you eat your fill. Tonight, I'll have words with him. Go to the kitchen, take some food, and keep eating." His aunt by marriage happened to hear and urged him to finish his meal.

Qiu Yan did not stand on ceremony. He nodded and went.

After absorbing that drop of Blood Essence, my body has indeed become tougher, but my appetite has also grown. Over the past half month in the mountains and forests, I could nourish myself with wild game. But here, I fear it will not be so easy to eat my fill from now on.

Thinking as he went, Qiu Yan entered the kitchen.

He had obtained a physical body and inherited Karma, but he had also fallen into danger. Especially under the current circumstances, the other side clearly possessed considerable power in the human world. He had to be all the more careful.

Still, what has happened also proves that though those demons are cruel, once they reach places thick with human presence, they must follow the rules as well and do not dare act without restraint! The more people there are, the safer it is. At the very least, I need not fear a massive demon attack.

Mouthful by mouthful, Qiu Yan ate, and the thoughts in his mind became increasingly clear.

Coming to Yuanning City and seeking refuge with Qiu Yan's uncle counts as truly inheriting this identity. Observing mourning rites for over two years is not entirely bad either. It will give me time to sort myself out. I still need the Imperial Examinations, because I have inherited the Karma of that ambition. But if I entered the examination hall now, I would probably do even worse than the original Qiu Yan. Still, since inheriting these great Karmas, they have slowly tangled around me over these past dozen days. I have a vague feeling that once I fulfill those Karmas and break free from their entanglement, there will be benefits beyond measure.

Time passed swiftly, and soon night arrived.

The Liu Household's courtyard was not far from the Pan Household. Once the hour of the dog had passed, Liu Huai and his son returned from the Pan Household. The family gathered around the table and shared a meal.

During the meal, Liu Huai naturally offered Qiu Yan plenty of comfort. Fortunately, this Qiu Yan was no longer the original one, and he agreed to each word. At last, Liu Huai took out a small box.

"You know more or less what things are like for your aunt in the Pan Household. She has nothing much to give you, so she asked me to bring you some pastries." After setting down the box, he took several pieces of broken silver from his robes. "Take this money. Some is from your aunt, and some is from me. Our family is not well-off, so we cannot give you much. Make do with it."

"I cannot accept this!" Qiu Yan hurriedly declined.

The aunt Liu Huai spoke of was his younger sister, and also Qiu Yan's mother's younger sister. She had been quite pretty in her youth and was noticed by Pan Yuanwai, becoming his concubine. Liu Huai had only managed to obtain a steward's position through that connection. Yet over more than ten years, Liu-shi had borne only one daughter, and her standing in the Pan Household had steadily declined. By now, she often had to rely on Liu Huai's support instead.

As for Liu Huai, if not for his long seniority and advanced age, he likely would have lost his position long ago. Even so, he could now manage only trivial matters. The Pan Household was enormous, with seven or eight stewards alone, and Liu Huai was merely one of them. His family's life had grown worse than before. Only recently had Liu Yue gradually earned the trust of the household's Third Young Master, bringing some improvement.

Under such circumstances, Qiu Yan naturally did not wish to accept their gift.

"Stop refusing. Buying books and food—what does not cost money? Brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones are the biggest expenses. If you do not take it, how will you study and write? If you feel you owe your uncle and aunt, then when you become an official in the future, do not forget us. Take it!"

After some persuasion, Qiu Yan finally accepted it. Just as Liu Huai had said, in this world, one could not move a single step without money. Not even gods were exempt.

But this will only deepen the entanglement of the Karma of kinship. In the future, I must repay them somehow.

Listening to Liu Huai's slightly drunken words, Qiu Yan felt a thread of warmth rise in his heart, even though he was not the original owner of this body.

The meal lasted nearly two hours. By the time Qiu Yan returned to the room prepared for him, the night was already deep.

Sitting by the bed, he pondered for a moment.

There will probably be movement tonight.

With that thought, Qiu Yan took a bundle of green scholar's robes from beside his pillow, spread it out on the table in the room, then lay down and went to sleep. Before long, faint snores sounded.

The night was silent.

A breeze slipped in through the window, stirring the air and making the green robes on the table flutter faintly.

Suddenly!

A ray of green light appeared without warning, burrowing out from the ground and spinning into a cone.

The light faded, revealing a hunched figure. It was a person, shaped like a dwarf, back bent and standing less than three feet tall.

The moment he appeared, the man rose onto tiptoe and looked toward the table.

White light flickered. The green robes on the table stirred faintly, and a tall figure clad in scholar's robes rose up. It was Qiu Yan's divine true body. Shaking out both sleeves, he drifted down gracefully and bowed. "Greetings, Land God."

"No need for such ceremony. I am the South City Land God under the Yuanning Metropolitan City God, here by my superior's order. May I ask who you are, and what business brings you to Yuanning City?"