You audacious demon!

The villagers looked at the road, the likes of which they had never seen before, a trace of fear on their faces.

"C-can we step on this?"

They wondered whether a road like this was perhaps not meant for them to walk on.

"This is just an ordinary road His Honor ordered built. Walk on it all you like."

Cheng Feng looked back at the villagers, who had all stopped where they stood, looking wary.

After explaining, he urged them, "Hurry up. They've already started cooking porridge at the yamen. I can smell it already."

Although they had yet to approach the county yamen, he could already smell the fragrance of porridge made from polished rice from this far away.

Presumably, His Honor had already made preparations to cook porridge for disaster relief.

This was His Honor's rule: disaster victims were to drink porridge at first. His Honor said this would protect their bodies.

Cheng Feng did not understand such things. He only knew that His Honor would not deceive them.

Hearing this, the villagers sniffed carefully, and their eyes began to light up. Yes.

It really was.

Every one of them could indeed smell the fragrance of porridge now.

At once, the group forgot all about the road and hurried after Cheng Feng toward the county yamen.

Soon, they arrived at the county yamen.

At that moment, great pots had once again been set up in front of it.

Knowing Cheng Feng and the others had gone to bring the villagers back, Fang Weiyan had specifically ordered people to cook porridge in advance for disaster relief.

When the villagers arrived before the yamen and saw the thick porridge cooking in the great pots ahead, they all began swallowing their saliva.

Seeing the people ahead lining up, they hurried to follow their example.

"Wash your hands first. There's water here. You can have some water first."

Yamen runners were maintaining order up ahead. Seeing more villagers arrive, they hurriedly called out.

They directed these villagers to wash their hands, then wash the bowls and chopsticks they held as well.

The runners all wore fresh, gleaming clothes, with long sabers hanging at their waists. At the sight, all the villagers hurried to obey.

"Your Honor, Cheng Feng has fulfilled his mission and brought the villagers back. I'm here to report."

Cheng Feng strode up to Fang Weiyan, then cupped his fist and bowed as he spoke.

Fang Weiyan raised his head and smiled faintly at Cheng Feng before him.

"Mm, well done. There are others here now. You can go have something to eat and get some rest."

"Yes!"

Hearing Fang Weiyan's praise, Cheng Feng felt a surge of delight, then withdrew.

Fang Weiyan watched the villagers who arrived afterward, counted them, and recorded the number.

After confirming that all the runners he had dispatched had returned, Fang Weiyan knew there was no one else. He was about to return to the yamen.

Just then, however, a woman stepped out of the line and knelt at Fang Weiyan's feet.

"Your Honor, both my parents are dead, and I am all alone in the world. Now that Your Honor has given me food to eat, I have nothing with which to repay you. I ask only to serve as your personal maid, so I may repay this kindness."

Just like that, a woman had suddenly knelt before Fang Weiyan.

The commoners beside them froze at the sight, then began speaking in low voices.

"This girl certainly sees things clearly. His Honor has so much grain, and he's a good official too. If she becomes his personal maid, at any rate, she won't have to worry about food or drink for the rest of her life."

"Ah, what a fool! What a fool I've been! Had I known, I should have had my daughter become His Honor's personal maid earlier too!"

"Old Li, isn't your daughter only ten? She hasn't even grown into her looks yet!"

At these words, someone nearby immediately cursed, bluntly exposing his shortcoming.

The commoners beside them began discussing it, all thinking the girl was clever.

Whatever else might be said, they all considered His Honor a good official, so he certainly could not be a bad person either.

If this girl could enter the yamen, she would have found the right person to follow.

That was what the commoners beside them were saying, and Fang Weiyan heard it too.

Fang Weiyan's thoughts were much the same as theirs, but then he lowered his head.

He looked at her kneeling at his feet, her peach-blossom eyes filled with a pitiful look, her skin somewhat dry and shriveled, the very picture of prolonged malnutrition.

Her hair was filthy too, and she did not look particularly attractive.

But judging by her face, she would probably look quite pretty if she were fed and cared for.

At this sight, however, Fang Weiyan's heart gave a slight twitch. What the hell?

A fox spirit at my door?

Fang Weiyan looked at her eyes. Whatever else might be said, those eyes were far too bewitching.

Besides, he always felt somewhat wary of this woman who had suddenly appeared.

It was probably because he had read too much Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.

After a moment's thought, Fang Weiyan gave a soft hum of assent.

"Come with me."

"Yes."

The woman lowered her head slightly, a glint of triumph flashing through her peach-blossom eyes. She had thought she would need to use some demonic arts to bewitch the man before her.

But judging by the situation, she had overthought it.

How could mortal men possibly resist beauty?

She had simply wasted a little extra effort, even imitating the appearance of those starving commoners.

Had she known this official was such a lecher too, could she not simply have conjured the appearance of a beauty?

Now, he probably intended to take her into the yamen, then engage in the acts of husband and wife, did he not?

Well, so be it. She had heard her sisters say before that making love with mortal scholars was an entirely different experience.

She might as well try it today.

The woman thought with her head lowered, following behind Fang Weiyan in small steps.

Yet Fang Weiyan did not take her straight back to the yamen. After leading her around several street corners, he arrived before the Land God Temple.

"Land God, time to work!"

The moment Fang Weiyan saw the Land God Temple, he hurriedly darted to its entrance, then turned toward the woman behind him and shouted.

"You audacious demon, reveal your true form at once!"

???

The woman raised her head and looked at Fang Weiyan with her peach-blossom eyes, her face filled with astonishment.

This fellow... what was going on?

How could an ordinary person see through her disguise?

After Fang Weiyan spoke, the Land God beside him trembled slightly as well, divine light blooming little by little.

"Quick, subdue her! Who knows where this fox spirit crawled out from, playing out Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio here."

Fang Weiyan urged the Land God.

Yet the Land God beside him still did not unleash his divine power, and cold sweat began breaking out on Fang Weiyan.

What the hell? Was this Land God in cahoots with her?

It was over. Hadn't he been careless?

Had he known, he would have been better off not exposing her.

At that moment, Fang Weiyan was so anxious that he no longer knew what to do.