Su Che placed the item he had obtained from Withered Forest Monastery in Shanyin County's Ever-Provision Treasury. This was also the conclusion he had reached after thinking it over last night.
"Although I don't know what this thing is, it is clearly extremely important to that One-Eye demon. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come looking for me again after taking a loss."
"There are only thieves who steal for a thousand days, never guards who stand watch for a thousand days. That demon must be able to sense his own severed body. Rather than keep it on me and waste the treasures I got from the Yellow Heaven Sect, I might as well find it the best possible use."
Thus, Su Che drew up a list in his mind.
What was the most urgent matter at present?
Cultivation.
He had already found a direction for cultivation. With the Sword Case in hand, along with the method of the Heaven-Supporting Jun Sword, while it was naturally impossible to grow fat in a single bite and achieve results in a short span, he was still advancing step by step.
So cultivation could be set aside for now.
What was the second problem?
It was making sure he did a good job as Shanyin County's county constable.
In being a person, doing things, or serving as an official, the first priority was to seize the key point.
If he wanted to do well as Shanyin County's county constable, what was the key point?
How to get along with the demons and monsters around him.
If he could settle them, then he could truly let his hands fly in carrying out his duties as county constable.
If he handled them poorly, it might even affect his core interests.
Namely, cultivation.
Whether that one from Withered Forest Chan Temple had called it bad luck or a chance coincidence, the relationship between the two sides was now somewhat awkward.
So it was the next key target to deal with.
What petty, trivial matters lay before him after that?
The case of the stolen treasury silver.
Two taels of silver went missing every day. If Magistrate Jiang and Registrar Tian each spat out a little, that would make up the amount.
Su Che went through the case files once.
He did not come from a criminal investigation background. Of the so-called detective novels, the only one he had read from beginning to end was Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald," a Cthulhu fanwork of Sherlock Holmes that belonged to the fantasy genre.
And this case might also involve demons, monsters, and ghosts, which brought Kyogoku Natsuhiko of Japan into the picture. About that, he knew even less.
"So these two matters need to be handled as one. If the treasury silver case cannot be solved, that is only a minor detail. Even if the men below are willing to carry silver with their assholes, they would only earn hardship money. Old Jiang and Old Tian are the real scourges."
"The situation from top to bottom in Shanyin County is already crystal clear. Oppressing the common people is in their nature, while when facing demons and monsters, they flee as far away as they can. I need to find a way to set them against each other. Then things will be easier to handle."
If that One-Eye demon could turn Shanyin County's Ever-Provision Treasury upside down and, better still, clear out that rotten storehouse completely, it would be doing him a tremendous favor.
Su Che did not summon the bookboy. He merely changed into the blue scholar's robe that students commonly wore and waited at the county yamen entrance for the constable to return.
The treasury silver case was one matter, but the old woman's affair could not be ignored.
"This subordinate greets Lord County Constable."
Before long, the constable Zhang San returned with a glowing face.
"How much silver did the Qi Household give you?"
The moment Su Che saw the way he looked, he knew Zhang San must have returned with a full load this time.
With the atmosphere in Shanyin County, anyone expecting a constable to remain pure and spotless, unstained by the mud, had to have something wrong with their head.
Zhang San's face reddened. He did not know what this newly appointed county constable was trying to do.
He had just told me to teach that old hag a lesson. He probably isn't upset that I took someone else's silver.
Could it be that he wants me to share some of the silver the Qi Household gave me? I heard he is a young master from a prominent household. He probably wouldn't think much of this money.
Zhang San had some quick wits. Knowing he could not keep Su Che waiting too long at such a juncture, he immediately laid everything bare.
"Reporting to my lord, the Qi Household's young master gave me one tael of silver and also invited me to drink with him."
One tael of silver was a thousand coins. Heh heh, the Qi Household was quite generous. A small business like tung oil could not support such lavish spending.
"Go back and change out of those clothes. If anyone asks, say I told you to accompany me on a walk and act as my attendant."
"Understood. I will not mention the matter of the Qi Household's old madam beating the Grievance Drum to anyone. But if Magistrate Jiang and Registrar Tian ask..."
"The fact that you considered that proves you are clever. If Magistrate Jiang and Registrar Tian ask, tell them that you were tired and dozing off at the time. When the sound of the Grievance Drum woke you, you happened to see the newly appointed County Constable Su driving the old woman away."
"I was the one who drove her away. Understand?"
"This humble one understands. This humble one will go change clothes at once."
Su Che watched Zhang San with great satisfaction. As the saying went, fragrant grass could always be found within ten steps. Just yesterday, he had been thinking of Lu Qianhou and Old Madam Wang. Wasn't there a ready-made candidate right here?
Not long after, Zhang San had changed clothes. A yellow cloth was wrapped around his head, and he wore a hemp garment, looking every bit like an attendant.
"Young Master Su, shall we head south?"
"Mm, south. Does your household believe in the Dao?"
"My family has revered the Celestial Masters since my grandfather's time."
"I believe in the Dao too," Su Che said casually. "I recall that there is no Daoist temple in this county. Where do you normally go to revere the Celestial Masters?"
"There truly is no Daoist temple around Shanyin, but starting the year before last, a Celestial Master from the Yellow Heaven Sect came here to treat illnesses with Talisman Water. He usually stays in the City God Temple."
Someone from the Yellow Heaven Sect? He would have to find an opportunity to pay them a proper visit.
"You should know most of the details about the Qi Household's matter, right?"
"Ah?"
"I will have to ask you to clear up my confusion."
"This humble one will speak of everything he knows."
"Shanyin County is not large. There are only so many people in the city. If a household were truly being haunted by a demon, it should be impossible to keep it hidden, especially when you are a constable. Tell me, what have you heard happened?"
"My lord's calculations are divine."
Zhang San first offered a small bit of flattery, then continued.
"The Qi Household in the south of the city is not particularly well-known. Their tung oil business is merely a small operation, barely enough to make ends meet. But three months ago, something strange happened in their household."
It seemed the demon had entered the household three months ago.
"Their mistress seemed to become a different person overnight. She spoke nonsense for several days, then began dressing and grooming herself."
"It is normal for ordinary people to dress and groom themselves, but that household's mistress dressed herself for the sake of becoming a man."
Now this was a topic that caught his interest.
"What does it mean, dressing herself for the sake of becoming a man?"
"It means she dressed in a man's style. Her clothes, shoes, and hats all changed. Every day, she dressed herself up as a handsome young gentleman."
Perhaps her husband simply wanted to change things up.
"If that were all, it would not be especially strange. But after dressing as a man, she went out to the streets every day to tell fortunes and interpret characters." Zhang San's expression turned mysterious. "And her readings were extremely accurate."
"You had your fortune told by her too?"
Zhang San nodded very solemnly.
"Was it accurate?"
"Extremely accurate."
"Then I should pay her a visit all the more."