Yin Qing came this far, then hesitated to go any farther.
"Mr. Ji, this place... Father and Mother never let us come anywhere near here..."
Little Yin Qing did not know how to describe it to Ji Yuan. If he said it outright, would this refined-looking Great Mister misunderstand?
Seeing how troubled he was, Ji Yuan did not intend to make things difficult for a child. Though he knew the ferocious entity in this residence had already been jointly slain by the Four Divisions of the City God, others did not know that.
"All right, just leave the water buckets and carrying pole by the door. I'll take them inside myself."
As he spoke, Ji Yuan smiled and stepped forward to help Little Yin Qing take down the carrying pole. The boy had carried water for Ji Yuan over no short distance, yet his little face instead showed a hint of embarrassment.
"Great Mister, y-you'd better not live here! This place..."
Yin Qing swallowed, glanced at the sun in the sky above, yet still did not dare speak his true thoughts while standing at the courtyard gate.
The elders at home had said never to casually discuss Ju'an Pavilion, especially not its residents. It invited taboos too easily; if some filthy thing bore a grudge against you, that would be the end of it.
Seeing that he wanted to speak but did not dare, Ji Yuan understood somewhat. He patted Yin Qing's head.
"Call me Mr. Ji. To have such a warm heart at such a young age is truly rare. As for this Ju'an Pavilion, you needn't worry. I'll be fine living here!"
"Go back. Don't make your family worry."
"Then, Mr. Ji, I'm leaving..."
Yin Qing had long been unable to stand at the entrance of Ju'an Pavilion. For a child to have done this much was already quite commendable. After saying farewell, he hurriedly ran off at a trot.
As Ji Yuan watched Yin Qing leave, he suddenly sensed something for no reason at all. He turned to look toward the other side of the path.
Not far away stood someone dressed like an official runner, clad in white robes and wearing a tall hat. The movement of his steps gave Ji Yuan an unreal sensation. More importantly, there was no sound.
A ghost? A ghost that could come out during the day?
The official runner drifted closer to Ji Yuan and bent at the waist, cupping his hands in salute.
"Day Patrol Left Official under Ning'an County City God, paying respects to Mr. Ji!"
Ji Yuan did not feel particularly frightened. Seeing the man dressed much like an official runner, he guessed that this was a Yin Cha of Ning'an County City God. His brief experience last night had also left him with a fairly good impression of Ning'an County's City God.
As for how he knew Ji Yuan's surname, perhaps he had overheard it just now, or perhaps he had some method of finding it out.
"What do you want with me?"
Since the other party had spoken, Ji Yuan could hardly ignore him.
Yin Qing, who had not yet run very far, heard Ji Yuan speaking behind him and instinctively stopped to look back.
Great Mister isn't talking to me?
When he turned around, he saw only Ji Yuan facing another direction from the courtyard gate of the pavilion, as though speaking to someone. Yet the little path there was utterly empty.
Shuddering, Yin Qing hurried away as if fleeing for his life.
The Day Patrol Emissary answered Ji Yuan's question with utmost respect.
"Lord City God invites Mr. Ji to the City God Temple for a conversation. If Mr. Ji is available, we may set out now."
Now? Go meet Ning'an County City God?
Though Ji Yuan appeared calm on the surface, he inexplicably felt like a common man of modest means about to meet the city's highest-ranking leader. As for whether to go, there was no choice to make.
"Day Patrol Emissary, please wait a moment while I carry these two buckets of water inside."
"Please do as you wish, Mr. Ji!"
Ji Yuan said nothing more. He picked up the carrying pole, carefully hooked the rope hooks over the water buckets, and slowly stood up. Then, imitating Yin Qing, he steadied the ropes with his hands before and behind instead of gripping the carrying pole itself.
At least he did not embarrass himself before the Day Patrol Emissary. He carried the water steadily to the kitchen door in the courtyard.
The Day Patrol Emissary waited outside the courtyard, watching Ji Yuan laboriously lift the buckets and pour the water into the water vat. Quite a bit even splashed onto Ji Yuan's clothes, and he looked nothing like some unfathomable master.
Yet for some unknown reason, the more he looked like this, the more respectful the Day Patrol Emissary became. He did not even dare stand too casually.
Lord City God had once said that those so-called disciples of immortal estates and True Cultivators from renowned rivers and great marshes, who came and went on high and carried themselves with overbearing airs, were mostly petty men and few were gentlemen. Most could not be called true masters. A true master should accord with the natural Way of Heaven, cast off ornament and return to simplicity!
"Whew..."
Ji Yuan set down the water bucket and let out a breath. He looked at his sleeve cuffs and the hem of his clothes. What had yet to dry from earlier had now gotten wet again.
But after sleeping, he had already thought it through. He had never intended to pretend to be some master before the City God anyway. With no bundle to weigh him down, he could act as he pleased.
He rolled down his sleeve cuffs, casually dusted off his front and back with his sleeves, then walked out through the courtyard gate. Only after closing the main gate did he look toward the Day Patrol Emissary.
"Let's go. I'll trouble Day Patrol Emissary to lead the way. I have only just arrived in Ning'an County and do not know where the City God Temple is!"
At this point, Ji Yuan did not care whether he had brushed his teeth or not. He would just go.
"Only proper! Mr. Ji, this way!"
The Day Patrol Emissary extended a hand in invitation. Rather than drifting forward like a soul as Ji Yuan had worried he might, he took the lead and began walking.
After Ji Yuan followed, the Day Patrol Emissary instead slowed his pace, as though accompanying him at his side. Ji Yuan glanced at him and found it awkward to say anything, so he simply kept walking. At worst, if he did not know the way, he could ask.
After walking a hundred paces, they reached the first fork in an alley. The Day Patrol Emissary quickly stepped ahead to the left, stood sideways, and gestured with his hand.
"Mr. Ji, this way, please!"
"Uh, all right!"
When Ji Yuan walked over, the Day Patrol Emissary once more fell into step beside him.
This is... a little awkward... I'm really not some important person...
The Day Patrol Emissary's attitude was simply too good. Ji Yuan felt exceptionally uncomfortable. Even Lu Chengfeng had not been like this that day.
In a small alley of Tianniu Quarter, the Day Patrol Emissary, invisible to ordinary people, accompanied Ji Yuan, who appeared quite graceful in the eyes of the common folk, as they walked slowly onward.
To ease the awkwardness, Ji Yuan could only try making conversation with the Day Patrol Emissary.
"May I ask Day Patrol Emissary's honored surname?"
Though ghosts did not need to breathe, Ji Yuan felt as if the Day Patrol Emissary had let out a sigh of relief as well.
"I dare not claim honor. In life, my surname was Liu, and my given name was river!"
"Oh, Day Patrol Liu!"
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"
Ji Yuan found this manner of speaking rather long-winded, but there was nothing to be done. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
"Day Patrol Liu, you were a local of Ning'an in life, weren't you?"
"Indeed. In life, I was from Xiaowan River Village under Ning'an County. I once served at the Ning'an County Magistrate's Office. Because I was kind-hearted and fulfilled my duties in life, when my lifespan came to its end, Lord City God of this county promoted me to Day Patrol Emissary. It has now been twenty-two years!"
The face beneath the Day Patrol Emissary's official cap appeared middle-aged, but Ji Yuan's heart was far from calm.
Damn, then this Day Patrol Emissary might be much older than even my grandpa...
"Day Patrol Liu eliminated violence and upheld the good in life, then protected this land in death. In both the yin and yang worlds, you have carried out an official's duties faithfully and properly. You are truly admirable!"
Though Ji Yuan's words contained a measure of deliberate flattery, most of them came from his True Heart, Sincere Intent.
Public servants like the Day Patrol Emissary deserved respect anywhere, let alone in the broader setting of ancient times.
"Mr. Ji flatters me, flatters me!"
Though he said so, Ji Yuan could tell that the Day Patrol Emissary was still quite pleased.
A word of praise and affirmation brought no benefit, yet it could make a good person—no, a good ghost—happy.
The atmosphere shook off its earlier awkwardness and became harmonious. As Ji Yuan walked, his heart suddenly stirred. He looked toward a corner at the head of the alley, smiled, and continued talking as he walked with the Day Patrol Emissary.
Far ahead, Little Yin Qing's heart thumped wildly. His feet flew as he ran, and he did not dare stop again.
Too frightening, too frightening! That Great Mister was walking by himself, yet he looked as if he were chatting with someone. He must be talking with a ghost!
The ghost from Ju'an Pavilion had followed that Great Mister out!
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