Golden-Ringed Poison Bees

Early the next morning, Zhou Wuji woke in another guest room.

He had said nothing to the inn's staff, simply finding an empty guest room at bedtime and going in to sleep.

The Zhang Household held far too much power locally. Neither the innkeeper nor the servants would dare oppose them.

Sleeping in a different room took no effort at all, yet greatly improved his safety.

Zhou Wuji quietly returned to his own room. When Wuming came to knock, he joined Wuzheng and the others for breakfast.

As usual, he ate only a token amount.

Wuzheng was going to visit the county magistrate that morning. After all, the Daoist orders received support from the imperial court and bore responsibility for subduing demons and vanquishing fiends. As the temple's abbot, he would certainly have to deal with the magistrate.

However powerful the Pacification Office, the Daoist orders, the great clans, the gangs, and the other organizations might be, on the surface, the county magistrate was ultimately the court-appointed official and master of the county.

Wuzheng disliked cultivating personal connections, but he had to pay the magistrate a visit and establish as good a relationship as possible.

"The magistrate's name is Han Yulin. He's in his early thirties, with decent features, and he knows how to handle people. They say he's from a collateral branch of the Han Household of Yanbei. He's a little greedy for money, but he's very particular about keeping his table manners clean. He isn't a bad man..."

Zhou Wuji had dealt with Magistrate Han Yulin before and actually had quite a good impression of him.

In times like these, no official was free of corruption. It was merely a matter of how they took their cut and how much. More importantly, were they capable of governing their territory well?

Han Yulin's abilities were mediocre, but he did not stir up trouble and was careful about appearances, so everyone considered him a good official.

After Zhou Wuji's introduction, Wuzheng felt relieved. As long as the man was easy to talk to, that was enough.

As for which great aristocratic clan the magistrate belonged to, that had little to do with him.

Hidden Dragon Temple was over twenty li from the county town. While Wuzheng went to the county offices, Zhou Wuji took Wuming and the others ahead to Hidden Dragon Temple.

The disciples of the various households had all fled Hidden Dragon Temple, leaving only a few menial workers.

Seeing Zhou Wuji return with so many people, the workers were both startled and delighted.

They were startled that Zhou Wuji actually had the courage to return, and delighted that someone was finally taking charge of Hidden Dragon Temple.

Hidden Dragon Temple was no small place, and its daily expenses were considerable. Without someone in charge, a group of menial workers like them could not hold out for long.

Seeing that Li Ruyi had left as well, Zhou Wuji was a little surprised.

It seemed the Li Household truly did not dare oppose the Zhang Household. Even Li Ruyi had to keep far away, not daring to have anything to do with Hidden Dragon Temple.

Familiar with the situation, Zhou Wuji called the workers over to help carry things, assigned everyone rooms, and settled their belongings.

The workers all held Zhou Wuji in great respect-even great awe. They worked with all their might, and none dared slack off or shirk their duties.

They bustled about until noon, getting everyone properly settled.

With nothing to do at midday, Zhou Wuji went to the main hall to offer incense and pray before the statue of the Northern Emperor.

He had little devout faith in the Heavenly Emperor beyond the nine heavens. His offerings and prayers were more for his master's sake.

Wuming followed him in offering incense and kneeling in prayer, asking the Heavenly Emperor for blessings and protection.

For some reason, kneeling and praying alongside Senior Brother Wuji filled her heart with sweetness. She kept feeling as though something good was about to happen...

"Second Senior Brother."

A cool, clear voice interrupted Wuming's lovely imaginings. She hurriedly rose and turned to see a girl of seventeen or eighteen rushing inside.

The girl was beautiful, with cool, clear eyes, her hair in a Daoist topknot and a blue-green Daoist robe on her body. She was actually a female cultivator.

The girl glanced at the alluring Wuming before her gaze shifted to Zhou Wuji, who was kneeling in prayer.

Zhou Wuji rose calmly and asked softly, "Wuyi, what is it?"

The girl was none other than Li Ruyi. Her bright eyes took a long look at Zhou Wuji.

After more than twenty days apart, Second Senior Brother's appearance had not changed, but his eyes had grown brighter and more spirited, and he possessed an indescribably pure, transcendent bearing.

Li Ruyi fell silent for a moment. The change in Second Senior Brother made him feel somewhat unfamiliar.

"Have we grown distant after just a few days apart?"

Zhou Wuji smiled. "Junior Sister, you were a great help to me that day. I've never forgotten that favor."

"If something's wrong, just tell me. I'll do everything I can."

He had always remembered that favor. Of course, he also remembered that Li Xin owed him four hundred taels of silver.

The reason he had not gone to find Li Xin was that he hoped the man would show some initiative and deliver that little sum himself. It would be excellent if Li Ruyi could bring the money too...

Li Ruyi had no idea what Zhou Wuji was thinking. But the situation was urgent, her father was away on business, and she could find no one else to help.

She could no longer spare a thought for the beautiful Daoist beside him. "Second Senior Brother, the Ironclad Guard arrested more than twenty able-bodied young men in Old Cang Village. They say they stole armor and weapons and hid them away, plotting wrongdoing..."

"Oh?"

Zhou Wuji did know about this matter, though he had paid it little attention at the time.

He knew everyone in Old Cang Village was surnamed Li and belonged to the Li Household.

Too many people had died in this incident, and the uproar was too great. It was nothing like what had happened at White Stone Ferry.

He would never touch the mutinous soldiers' armor or weapons.

It was only natural for the villagers of Old Cang Village to take some valuable clothing and armor while moving the bodies.

Times were hard, and the villagers were desperately poor. They certainly would not pass up a chance to make money off the dead.

Zhou Wuji understood these villagers. It was not a matter of good or bad, virtue or evil, merely a simple choice born of the need to survive.

He simply had not expected Wu Di to be so blackhearted. Taking the armor back was not enough; he had to detain the people as well.

The Pacification Office's guard stations had independent authority to investigate, arrest, detain, and interrogate.

The local government could not interfere with anyone arrested by the Pacification Office.

Things looked very grim for the villagers Wu Di had taken to the guard station.

After a moment's thought, Zhou Wuji said, "Wu Di just wants money. Put together a sum and sacrifice some wealth to ward off disaster."

Li Ruyi said anxiously, "My father is away on business, and none of my uncles are willing to pay. They say Wu Di is too greedy.

"Besides, secretly stockpiling armor is a serious crime. If the Li Household gets involved, even if it doesn't die, it'll lose a layer of skin..."

Zhou Wuji nodded. The members of the Li Household were selfish, certainly, but what they said was not wrong.

Wu Di was vicious and greedy. If the Li Household stepped forward to take responsibility for the whole affair, who knew how much money it would take to sate him?

Seeing Zhou Wuji remain silent, Li Ruyi said earnestly, "Those young men are their families' pillars. If anything happens to them, their entire families, young and old, will starve to death.

"Senior Brother, they were foolish and greedy, but they don't deserve to die!"

Wuming had understood from listening nearby. She could not help pleading, "Senior Brother, they're so pitiful. Please help them..."

Zhou Wuji sighed inwardly. Wuming looked haughty and prickly, but she was a naive sweetheart. She was not even as clever as Li Ruyi.

Li Ruyi said earnestly, "Second Senior Brother, you said you would send me to the lower temple. I'll give up that opportunity. All I ask is that you save these villagers."

"I'll do what I can."

Zhou Wuji knew he lacked the standing. As an eighth-rank initiated Daoist, he was a formal disciple within the Northern Pole Sect, but in the court's eyes, he did not even possess an ordination certificate.

He had no right whatsoever to negotiate terms with Wu Di. Wuzheng would have to intervene.

Before Wuzheng returned, Zhou Wuji took Li Ruyi to Siming County.

He had intended to find Wuzheng at the county offices, but happened to run into him at the town gate.

Zhou Wuji explained the situation. Though cold and stern by nature, Wuzheng had a good heart. He felt these villagers deserved only a light punishment; their crimes did not warrant death.

Once they fell into the Ironclad Guard's hands, however, their fate was hard to say.

Wuzheng immediately took Zhou Wuji to the guard station. Li Ruyi wanted to follow, but Zhou Wuji sent her away.

The guard station was also responsible for protecting the county town. It occupied a large area in the northern corner of town and even had a small drill ground.

A tall palisade surrounded the station. Inside stood rows of single-story brick-and-timber buildings, drab and unremarkable.

An Ironclad Guard wearing a saber sat idly in the entrance porch.

Only when he saw someone approaching did he saunter forward to meet them.

Zhou Wuji knew these lowest-ranking Ironclad Guards were called runners. He went over and explained their purpose. Hearing they wanted to see the company commander, the runner did not dare neglect them and hurried back to report.

The runner soon returned and led Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng into the guard station.

In a spacious hall inside the station, Zhou Wuji met Wu Di.

The company commander was not wearing his brown wrapped hat, only his regulation iron armor. He rose with a smile and welcomed Wuzheng and Zhou Wuji into the hall.

"I was just about to pay you a visit, Daoist Master, yet you've come first. Please, sit..."

Though Wu Di knew perfectly well that they had come on business, he asked nothing about it, merely exchanging pleasantries.

Wuzheng had no patience for such probing. He said directly, "Company Commander, we've come about the villagers from Old Cang Village.

"Please show mercy and release them."

Wu Di was a little surprised. Wuzheng was actually standing up for these mud-legged peasants? Even the Li Household would not bother with them. This Daoist had little sense of the situation!

He said solemnly, "They stole armor and secretly stockpiled it, plotting wrongdoing. That is a serious crime.

"I have great respect for you, Daoist Master, but I cannot put personal considerations above public duty."

Hearing Wu Di resort to official rhetoric, Zhou Wuji knew Wuzheng's standing was of no use.

He said gently, "Company Commander, we know this puts you in a difficult position.

"We won't ask you to do this favor for nothing. Whatever your requirements, please tell us."

Wu Di had not intended to bother with Zhou Wuji. The Li Household had money, but how much could Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng have?

Besides, if he named a high price, these two would not actually pay it even if they had the money.

Then another thought struck him. Zhou Wuji had delivered himself to his door. This was the perfect opportunity to earn a thousand taels of gold.

"I recently injured my lungs while cultivating. I hear there are Golden-Ringed Poison Bees deep in Red Leaf Ridge, and the Red Flower Honey they make has remarkable healing effects. If you can bring me a few jin, I can release them..."

Wuzheng knew nothing about Red Flower Honey, so he could only look toward Zhou Wuji.

Zhou Wuji considered for a moment, then nodded. "We'll do our best. Please give us a few days, Company Commander."

"Seven days. Bring the honey within seven days, and I'll release them. Not a moment later." Wu Di gave Zhou Wuji a meaningful look, emphasizing the deadline.