Self-Reflection

The moon hung over Mid-Autumn, and the cups and plates lay in utter disarray.

The welcoming banquet for Su Che's appointment went on until Magistrate Jiang and Registrar Tian began debating how the seniority between the two of them ought to be calculated. Only then did the feast finally come to an end.

The Jiang and Tian families were both great clans of Shanyin County, their roots and branches tangled together. If those two were to sort out their exact seniority, no one would need sleep tonight.

Su Che's residence was within the county yamen, in the County Constable's Office.

Registrar Tian was a meticulous man. The moment he received word that a new county constable would be taking office, he had people clean the place up well in advance.

Su Che now sat properly within his office, with towering stacks of thick case files beside him. Registrar Tian had previously ordered those archives moved here.

A teacup sat on the table. Su Che lifted it and drank the fragrant tea within.

He recalled every detail from today's banquet.

It was a habit he had developed in his previous life. At midnight, when all was quiet and it was time to rest, he would revisit everything he had done that day. Whatever he had done right, he would turn into habit. Whatever he had done wrong, he would find a way not to repeat.

This was also the meaning of the Confucian saying, "I examine myself thrice each day."

Magistrate Jiang's and Registrar Tian's households had already become one. These local landlords and powerful families of Shanyin County had ties as tangled as roots and vines, long since forming a bloc of shared interests. With my current abilities, I cannot possibly shake them.

As for them, cooperate where possible. If conflict arises, avoid their sharp edge for now.

The county instructor and the yin-yang scholar were both outsiders, and their abilities were limited to begin with.

From their words, he could tell that neither was willing to shoulder responsibility. In daily life, they believed one less matter was one less trouble, and one less thing managed was one less thing to worry about. They could not be relied upon when something happened.

However, they controlled the county's library, where every sort of classic and reference material was complete.

That would neatly make up for his inadequate understanding of this world. In the future, he would have to pay them many visits.

At present, there were three urgent matters.

First, he needed to nurse his body back to health and gradually set foot upon the path of cultivation. As for what method to cultivate later, he could write to Jiankang and have them find a way.

The Duling Su Clan had elders serving in the palace. They would certainly not lack such resources.

Moreover, he had made preparations before leaving the capital.

Second, he needed to gain a firm foothold in Shanyin County. He had to provide something to answer for to those above him, and the best way was to solve a few cases and demonstrate his worth as county constable.

But he had to grasp the proper measure. He absolutely could not provoke those truly formidable demon kings.

Below him, he needed to establish his own image and gather a few trusted followers.

A sedan chair needed everyone to lift it. Without anyone to help, nothing would work.

Su Che slowly sorted through his thoughts, then began grinding ink, moistening his brush, and writing letters.

Since this life had granted him the background of a spoiled young master, naturally he had to make good use of it.

In The Water Margin, when Gao the Yamen Inspector set his sights on Instructor Lin's wife, what was the first thing he did?

He sought out Lu Yuhou, a man utterly devoid of conscience and single-mindedly climbing upward.

When Grand Officer Ximen was struck head over heels after Pan Jinlian's window prop knocked him, whom did he seek out to make his move?

Madam Wang, sharp-tongued and quick-witted, who knew the ways of the world.

Some matters required help from Jiankang. Others still had to be handled by himself.

While Su Che focused his mind and pondered deeply, caught in prolonged thought,

a thoughtless fellow arrived to stir up trouble on the other side.

"Young Master, the kitchen just made some sliced-fish hot pepper soup to settle your wine. They told me to bring it over."

The little book boy naturally had no qualifications to attend the banquet, but he had hidden in the kitchen and quickly become familiar with the cooks who had come along to prepare the food.

He was naturally easygoing and good-looking besides. Mindful of his status, the cooks had specially made several good dishes for him, and he had eaten and drunk with them in the kitchen.

As the saying went, even after three years of drought, a cook would not starve. The little book boy had eaten until his face glowed red, feeling happier than he had ever been in Jiankang.

He even found himself feeling more gratitude toward the people of Shanyin County.

"Young Master, when are we going to burn that Withered Forest Monastery to the ground?"

The little book boy watched his young master slowly blow the ink dry on the letter paper, then solemnly seal it inside an envelope.

"When did I ever say I was going to burn down Withered Forest Monastery?"

Su Che cast him a sidelong glance. The hot pepper soup the book boy had brought looked richly colored indeed, its sour fragrance rushing at his nose, so he had the boy bring it over and drank it slowly.

The kitchen had also put thought into it. They had specially baked two flatbreads, called oil buns in the Yuzhou dialect, then finely shredded them and soaked them in the sour soup. It was just right.

"Though I didn't stay by the banquet table for long, I could still tell those officials didn't like handling affairs. There are so many demons above and below Shanyin County—aren't they all waiting for you to act?"

"Who told you I was going to act?"

"That's what all the cooks said. They said Shanyin County has been plagued by immortals these past few years mainly because the court never sent a county constable. The county officials kept passing the buck to one another, and that's how things became what they are now. Now that the court has sent you here, it means they know what's happening in Shanyin County and intend to strike with an iron fist."

"How come I never heard about that?"

The hot pepper soup was delicious. After soaking the flatbread shreds through the soup twice, Su Che put them into his mouth and chewed slowly.

"We hadn't even arrived yet, and the whole county was already talking about it." The little book boy suddenly said in a mysterious tone, "And there's something very dangerous..."

Something very dangerous? Su Che looked at him. Had someone taken a fancy to his peach-blossom eyes and wanted to probe his depths?

"There are people in the county consorting with demons, colluding with those monsters..."

"People in Shanyin County colluding with demons is like people in Guobei County sleeping with female ghosts. It would be stranger if there weren't any."

"It's a high official who's colluding with demons. A lot of people say one of the county's high officials consorts with demons." The little book boy spoke with great solemnity. "Which means..."

The little book boy's implication was perfectly clear. The person consorting with demons was at today's banquet.

"There are no high officials in this county." Su Che smiled. "Think about Old Zhou we met last night. Do you think he colludes with demons?"

"Old Zhou?" The little book boy suddenly thought of a possibility. "As expected of you, Young Master—the Little Tyrant of Danyang's Iron Whip. Your methods truly are vicious enough."

What did that even have to do with anything? Su Che had actually noticed that group of herb gatherers was unusual back at Withered Forest Monastery, but it was only at the banquet that he recalled something he had been overlooking.

Demons surrounded Shanyin County's mountains, and gathering herbs in them was a nine-deaths-and-one-life undertaking.

And the county's villagers naturally all knew that Withered Forest Chan Temple had problems.

To enter the mountains to gather herbs and bring everyone back out safely, a man could not rely on courage alone. Courage alone would have gotten him killed in the mountains long ago. Only someone bold and meticulous could lead herb gatherers and accomplish such things.

Yet Old Zhou clearly knew Withered Forest Chan Temple had problems and still insisted on leading everyone there to spend the night and rest.

Wasn't that utterly foolish and reckless?

The odds of two utterly different dispositions—bold meticulousness and foolish recklessness—appearing in the same person were far too low.

Thus, Su Che had a simpler deduction.

Old Zhou had connections with the demons in the surrounding mountains.

It was precisely because he had connections that he could enter the mountains and "gather" medicinal herbs.

Perhaps those medicinal herbs had been given to him by the demons.

It was precisely because he had connections that Old Zhou dared lead everyone to spend the night at the problematic Withered Forest Monastery.

It seemed he would have to find an opportunity to meet Old Zhou again.

"Young Master means to lie low for a while, wait until you understand the situation within the county and the demons around it, then sweep them all away with the force of thunder. As expected of you, Young Master. The great heroes in storybooks all do this, and this vicious scheme even has a name."

The little book boy snorted twice. "It's called playing the pig to eat the tiger."

"Do I have some grudge against you?"

"Young Master, why do you say that?"

Su Che said irritably, "My major sinews were injured by someone, and many of the channels throughout my body are severed. Yet you want me to risk my life against a pack of demons whose depths we don't know. You're really something."

"Ah, Young Master, so you're a silver spear with a pewter tip—good-looking but useless?"

"This young master doesn't even have the silver appearance. I'm nothing but a broken candle about to go out. Count yourself lucky if you can spare me a glance."

Su Che waved his hand.

"Enough. Pack up your things and get lost back to bed."