The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 358 Heavenly Street
The sky will be bright.

The city of Nanjing was filled with mourning and despair.

A fire broke out in Longjiangyi last night, turning the entire building into ruins. The fire spread to the surrounding houses, eventually turning into a disaster that killed and injured hundreds of people.

It is said that a commander of the Imperial Guard who stayed at Longjiang Post Station died in the fire... Such an event will undoubtedly bring many more troubles in the future. Some residents living nearby have already packed their belongings and moved away overnight, not daring to touch anything.

Outside Longjiang Post Station, chaos reigned, with some people kneeling on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to their crumbling homes and muttering incantations.

Last night, it was said that a monster entered the city and destroyed hundreds of houses like an earthworm turning over, leaving a chaotic and tangled path in the city.

Fortunately, there was Master Zheng.

Four eunuchs, who were guarding the city, sought out this reclusive master. They entered the city and fought the monster. In the end, both sides were severely injured, and they finally drove the monster out of the city.

That's what they say, but ghost stories are ultimately not something that can be taken seriously, so naturally some people will raise questions.

On the street, a Confucian scholar shouted passionately.

"The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits. What nonsense about demons and immortal masters! This is clearly an earth dragon turning over! If you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear. Those eunuchs believe in such things, how can you be so foolish!"

Someone below retorted: "Kid! Don't be ungrateful!"

"This matter was announced by the government this morning; how could it be false? Besides, look at these ruins—do they look like the earth has turned upside down?"

"If you anger Master Zheng, and he leaves, can you bear the consequences if the demons return?"

The scholar, his face flushed with anger, spouted a string of classical allusions, only to be berated in return. Feeling utterly disgruntled, he turned and headed home with a flick of his sleeve.

As he walked into a small alley, he suddenly felt a chill on his back, followed by a sudden heat. Looking down, he saw a knife tip protruding from his chest.

Before he could turn around, he was kicked to the ground and stabbed several times before losing consciousness.

On the street he had just left, several eunuchs, escorted by soldiers, walked into the middle and shouted in unison.

"You all listen up!"

"Last night, Master Zheng fought that monster, but he was unable to kill it in order to save you! This noon, he will perform a ritual in the Heavenly Street to slay the evil spirit!"

"This method requires the use of human energy, so listen carefully: gather at the Heavenly Street at noon today, Master Zheng will personally pray for you! He will also personally perform the magic of turning stones into gold!"

"The gold and silver pointed out by Master Zheng can be freely taken by anyone who arrives! No exceptions!"

Having said that, he ignored the ecstatic looks on the faces of the people around him and turned to walk toward the next street.

As one's gaze rises, nearly a hundred groups of eunuchs surge from the palace gates into the streets of the city, like a school of fish diving into the sea, creating a surging crowd. Then, a dense mass of people rushes towards the main street.

Inside the palace walls, in the Huagai Hall, four guarding eunuchs stood nervously, looking at Zheng Anqi before them.

"Master Zheng... are you alright?"

Cun Dong asked.

Zheng Anqi's complexion was no longer as rosy as it had been when they met yesterday; instead, it was faintly pale, while his lips and the corners of his eyes were an unnatural rosy red, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

He waved his hand and said with a smile.

"It's nothing, it just damaged my cultivation a bit, but it's nothing serious."

Cun Dong was finally able to relax a little.

But then Shang Qiu spoke in a deep voice.

"Master Zheng, are we really going to perform the ritual today?"

He spoke with a hesitant expression.

"This morning I received news that twenty out of the twenty-eight water fortresses have lost contact, and all the captains have disappeared... Apart from that person, no one can eliminate so many people silently without using a large army."

"It's almost certain that person, Li Miao, has arrived outside Nanjing and could appear in the city at any time."

"Plus the evil spirits that caused trouble in the city last night... isn't it a bit too risky to take action now?" Zheng Anqi smiled without saying a word, while Liu Chun and Shou Xia rebuked him in unison.

"Why are you talking so much nonsense! What else can we do? Wait until tomorrow to make a move? Things are already at a critical moment. Since you know that person could enter the city at any time, are you happy to wait until he comes to kill you tomorrow instead of making a move now?!"

"Master Zheng has damaged his cultivation, yet he still tries his best to perform rituals for us. Why do you keep talking nonsense? Why don't you just go and meet your death with that person? Wouldn't that be more satisfying?"

Shang Qiu's face was grim, but he remained silent because he knew that Liu Chun and Shou Xia were right.

They've risked everything for a "resurrection," and what they've done is practically tantamount to rebellion. If they fail, death is the only outcome. It's laughable that they're now hesitating and trying to play it safe.

Cun Dong waved his hand, forcefully interrupting the argument between the three.

"Now is not the time to turn against each other, and Master Zheng is still here. What kind of behavior is this, arguing back and forth?"

After saying that, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zheng Anqi.

“Master Zheng, this matter is of great importance. Why don’t I go over today’s tasks with you again, and see if there are any oversights?”

Zheng Anqi smiled and nodded.

Cun Dong cleared his throat and said in a deep voice.

"The valuables collected during this period have been stored in boxes and placed on the rooftops of the houses on both sides of Tianjie Street. We have also sent people to spread the word throughout the city, inviting all the common people to come to Tianjie Street."

"It is now Chen Shi (7-9 AM), and by Wu Shi (11 AM-1 PM), all the people should have gathered at Tianjie (Heavenly Street)."

"The platform you will use for the ritual has been set up in the middle of the main street. It is 33 feet and 3 inches high. All the necessary items are ready. We are just waiting for you to go and perform the ritual at 9:00 AM."

At this point, Cun Dong swallowed hard, his face revealing barely suppressed joy, like a gambler who had staked everything on the table, or a demon about to achieve his long-cherished wish.

Behind him, Liu Chun, Shou Xia, and Shang Qiu all wore identical expressions. Coupled with their increasingly similar and eerie faces, they appeared like ghosts in the candlelight of the room.

"It's winter," Cun Dong said in a hoarse voice.

"At noon, we will give the order once you raise your magic sword."

"The wealth collected during this period will all pour down from the rooftops on both sides of the main street and fall at the feet of those common people."

"They will never know that this is their 'life-saving money'."

“By borrowing their ‘popularity,’ you can use your magic to… restore our health.”

By the end of his sentence, his voice trembled slightly.

Zheng Anqi smiled and nodded.

The four guarding eunuchs were overjoyed. They knelt down before Zheng Anqi with a thud, kowtowed several times, and then got up and walked out of the hall.

Shang Qiu, who was lagging behind, was a step behind and still looked uneasy. Finally, she gritted her teeth, turned around and bowed to Zheng Anqi.

“Master Zheng… I’m still a little worried.”

"What if Li Miao and that evil spirit attack us while you are performing the ritual? And what if they come after the ritual is complete?"

Among the four guarding eunuchs, he was the most steady, or perhaps the most timid. He always wanted to be the best, so it was not unexpected that he asked these two questions at this time.

Zheng Anqi stepped forward and reached out to grasp his wrist.

A warm current flowed slowly into Shang Qiu's body through his pulse points, gradually dispelling his doubts.

Zheng Anqi said softly.

"It's alright, it's alright, Shang Daban need not worry."

"Once the immortal technique is completed and the popularity of the people is borrowed, I will also achieve enlightenment... At that time, neither Li Miao nor that evil demon from Penglai will be a problem."

(End of this chapter)