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Chapter 409 The Time to Show Off Has Come (Three-in-One)

Xu Yuan guessed correctly, but there were still parts he hadn't guessed yet.

The four of them, including Geng Qi, had watched their young lady grow up and knew her personality very well.

At the Exorcism Bureau in Jiaozhi South, when choosing a target from the offered evil spirits, the four worked together tacitly, using some subtle verbal techniques to subtly persuade the young lady to choose this nail-head boil.

This evil spirit is extremely rare and possesses bizarre abilities.

But in reality, even if you are parasitized by this thing, it won't be fatal immediately.

Even if something happens to the young lady, there is still room for redemption.

But the four of them would never tell anyone about this, even if their lives depended on it.

It is a grave taboo for servants to use such methods to "control" their masters.

If the young lady's safety hadn't been of paramount importance, the four of them wouldn't have resorted to such methods.

Geng Qi became increasingly certain that this young man was able to become the head of the law through his own abilities.

It's a pity that such a talented young man wasn't born into a good family; otherwise, his future would have been limitless.

“Then…” Xu Yuan continued, “When we pursue Nailhead tomorrow, I will try my best to let it go.”

If Xu Yuan had said this when they first met, Geng Qi would have said frankly, "No need to hold back, just keep chasing. That Nailhead Boil is cunning and slippery; even if you chase him with all your might, you won't be able to catch him."

But now, Geng Qi nodded repeatedly: "Lord Xu, please be merciful and don't actually catch that thing. We will all remember the favor done by the head of the law."

Once the two had agreed, Xu Yuan immediately took his leave.

He never glanced into the yard again.

Geng Qi nodded secretly: This young man is truly cautious and will never cause trouble for himself.

……

Xu Yuan returned to his room, took out the case documents again, and added a section at the end.

He offered a few words of defense for the local magistrate, and then emphasized his excellent work in resettling the victims after the strange disaster.

Then, Xu Yuan took out his official seal and stamped it on.

"Xiao Ba." He called out, and Lang Xiao Ba immediately pushed the door open and came in.

"Send this file to the county magistrate and ask him to review it again. If there are no problems, send it to the Southern Office tomorrow."

"Yes."

Lang Xiaoba took the document and the county magistrate was moved to tears after reading it.

Don't be fooled by Xu Yuan's previous promises.

However, in official circles, there are countless instances of people making verbal promises but then reneging on them.

It's rare to see Lord Xu so decisive.

That evening, the county magistrate again invited Lord Xu to a banquet.

The banquet was held at the most elegant place in the county, the "Pipa Pavilion".

The county magistrate then explained to Xu Yuan in detail the wonders of the "Pipa Pavilion".

There are four top courtesans in the brothel, who were bought from Nandu by the brothel owner at a high price.

The four girls had fingers as delicate and graceful as spring onions, and their pipa skills were top-notch even in Zhengzhou.

He can compose poems and couplets, and he is also skilled in ink painting.

She is a woman of exceptional talent.

Lord Xu seemed to be swayed by what he was said.

This banquet was prepared the day Xu Yuan arrived.

Now that the case is closed, Xu Yuan no longer refuses.

But Xu Yuan said, "Let's not go to the Pipa Pavilion. It's inconvenient to stay overnight outside the yamen. Let's just stay in the backyard."

The magistrate understood immediately and arranged the banquet in the backyard of the county government office.

Four girls from the Pipa Pavilion who were skilled at playing the pipa were also invited over.

Xu Yuan was drunk, and the laughter of men and women echoed in the night sky of the backyard.

This left the young lady both amused and exasperated. She said to Wei Shi, "Auntie, your strict guarding has scared them. They've even broken the law by indulging in prostitution and banquets in the yamen, just to tarnish their image in front of me."

It would be awkward if I didn't say ten, but my young lady is incredibly clever.

But she didn't complain that Xu Yuan "went too far".

People should know what's good for them. Why is Xu Yuan working so hard?

……

Xu Yuan slept until late morning the next day.

The young lady sent Geng Jiu to ask twice, and Lang Xiaoba answered with a sullen face each time: "My master has not yet woken up."

Wei Shi thought Xu Yuan had overdone it, but she didn't know that this was a series of elaborate schemes by Lord Xu.

Just so we could leave a little later today.

Let the boil run a little further.

To avoid accidentally getting caught.

So Xu Yuan waited until 1:45 AM before getting up.

After washing up and having a simple breakfast, I solemnly apologized to the young lady who was already getting impatient.

He said things like "I indulged myself last night".

The young lady, with her peach blossom eyes hidden behind her veil, couldn't help but roll her eyes again.

"Hurry up and go, Auntie has found the whereabouts of that nail-head boil..."

As the young lady was speaking, the magistrate arrived, smiling, and said, "Lord Xu, those four young ladies last night fell in love with you at first sight. Seeing that you had no one to serve you tea and water, I took the liberty of buying them and presenting them to you..."

Four girls, each holding a pipa, followed behind the magistrate, looking at Xu Yuan with a mixture of shyness and anticipation.

But before the magistrate could finish speaking, he was interrupted again.

Ji Shuangqiu burst in, her voice booming: "My lord, Attendant Zhu is here."

Xu Yuan was still wondering who the "Zhu Zhanglu" she mentioned was when he saw a lithe and graceful figure emerge from behind Ji Shuangqiu's burly and delicate frame.

Zhu Zhanmei!
He was promoted to the rank of Law Master when he went back last time.

The official robes have now been replaced with new ones.

Her clothes were bright and clean, and her pretty face was serene.

He doesn't look very happy.

Xu Yuan was dumbfounded.

It feels like some kind of law has been triggered...

The county magistrate, being an old bureaucrat, keenly sensed something was amiss.

He immediately shut up and dared not mention again the matter of sending women to Lord Xu.

He took a step back, put his left hand behind his back, and gestured to the four pipa players: Get out of there quickly!

The young lady suddenly spoke up: "The magistrate is truly generous. You must have spent a lot of money to give these four courtesans to Magistrate Xu, right?"

Even the old bureaucrat's brain couldn't keep up: Miss, you seem so intelligent, why are you adding fuel to the fire at this moment?
The magistrate looked at Zhu Zhanmei, then at the young lady—he felt as if the young lady was gloating.

Xu Yuan immediately waved his hand and said, "I appreciate the magistrate's kindness, but I'm used to being alone. I appreciate the kindness, but please take the person back."

"Yes." The magistrate quickly pushed the four girls out.

Xu Yuan then looked at Zhu Zhanmei: "Why are you here?"

Zhu Zhanmei glanced at the young lady beside her; she knew who this noblewoman was.

I just can't figure out how this woman got involved with Xu Yuan.

"Lord Ma has sent me to summon you to Luocheng."

"Did the commander send you?"

Zhu Zhanmei is from the Mountain and River Bureau. When Ma Tianshou wants to summon Xu Yuan, he will also send people from the Purification Bureau.

Zhu Zhanmei said, "Something big has happened in Luocheng. The imperial court has secretly issued an order, and now the Exorcism Bureau, the Mountain and River Bureau, and the Demon Extermination Army are working together to deal with it."

“They’ll talk about it inside,” Xu Yuan said.

There are many people and eyes in the courtyard, making it easy for secrets to be leaked.

Zhu Zhanmei and Xu Yuan went in together.

"A delegation has arrived from India, but they are all blue-eyed barbarians!"

Xu Yuan frowned: "Blue-eyed barbarians?"

"We have learned from various sources that the Blue-eyed Barbarians have conquered South India..."

Zhu Zhanmei explained the current situation to Xu Yuan in detail.

The Ming dynasty was ambitious, and there was even a long-term plan in the court to launch a two-pronged attack to completely conquer India.

It is said that the biggest driving force behind this was the Dragon King of the Grand Canal.

There is a great river in India, and the Dragon King of the Grand Canal is determined to possess it.

The imperial court's massive plan involved deploying 500,000 troops and conscripting an additional 3 million laborers and workers for river engineering!

As a result, the blue-eyed barbarians have now seized India first!
"It is said that the Blue-eyed Barbarians in India were so powerful and unstoppable that they encountered almost no resistance. After their steamships landed, they occupied the entire South India in just six months."

Xu Yuan frowned and asked, "What is their purpose in sending a delegation here?"

"They promoted martial prowess and warned our dynasty against further interference in India. As a result, more than half of the delegation members were their 'professionals'."

It is said that he also brought several artifacts as 'gifts' to present to the emperor.

These creations are incredibly powerful; they are the latest achievements of the Blue-eyed Barbarians.

Xu Yuan sneered, "Is this just an attempt to scare us?"
It's not like we haven't fought against the Blue-eyed Barbarians before; the Ming Dynasty won.

"Have they already reached Champa?"

"Not yet, probably another five days," Zhu Zhanmei said. "However, the situation is not optimistic. They passed through the territory of the Demon Extermination Army and must have had several secret battles with them."

The demon-slaying army was vague about the situation, but it's estimated they suffered a heavy loss.

Xu Yuan understood: "So the imperial court is planning to teach them a lesson in Champa?"

Zhu Zhanmei nodded: "The imperial court has entrusted this matter to Lord Ma. Now, in Zhancheng, all three departments in charge of strange affairs are under your jurisdiction."

I happened to be delivering a batch of military equipment to Luocheng, and the old master instructed me to bring you this message on my way. Be sure to appear in Luocheng in five days.

Xu Yuan nodded, then suddenly realized, "You just happen to be passing through Shiping County."

"Yes, I was passing through outside the city and didn't plan to go into the city. I happened to run into Ji Shuangqiu, and she told me that you were in the city."

What are you doing wandering around outside the city so early in the morning, Ji Shuangqiu?!

Xu Yuan made a mental note of Ji Shuangqiu as a hero.

"There's no river garrison stationed in Champa, so who are you sending the weapons to?" Xu Yuan asked again.

"It will happen soon," Zhu Zhanmei said. "The court is about to reach a conclusion on the matter of the Crown Princess. They have already ordered a battalion of 500 river soldiers to be stationed near the Champa dock."

This batch of military equipment was delivered ahead of schedule for the construction of the camp.

"What use is a battalion of five hundred men to Ghost Witch Mountain?"

Zhu Zhanmei: "The court's intention is probably to proceed cautiously and gradually. But it's also possible that... they can't do anything about Lord Ruan Tian for the time being, so they can only put on a show. They can't just let a princess die without any reaction."

Xu Yuan had a vague feeling that things probably wouldn't be that simple.

But in any case... this is my chance.

By secretly maneuvering, he always manages to cause some trouble for Master Ruan.

"Just how strong is the Blue-Eyed Barbarian delegation?"

"The old master has already arranged for people to investigate." Zhu Zhanmei said with some dissatisfaction, "The Demon Extermination Army is very secretive and refuses to tell us."

Xu Yuan felt a wave of disgust.

That's very much in line with the style of the demon-slaying army.

They felt they had lost face after being taken advantage of.

The imperial court put Ma Tianshou in charge, ordering him to get revenge within Luocheng.

However, the Demon Exorcism Army did not want the Exorcism Division and the Mountain and River Division to steal the limelight.

If I lose and you win, wouldn't that prove I'm a loser?

Therefore, the demon-slaying army must have been secretly hoping for Ma Tianshou's crushing defeat and was unwilling to share information.

Xu Yuan shook his head: "The strange case in Shiping County has been resolved, but I owe a favor to that important person outside. I promised her yesterday that I would help her hunt down an evil spirit, so I can't accompany you back to Champa."

Zhu Zhanmei said "Oh," glanced at Xu Yuan, and couldn't help but remind him, "That girl's background is not simple."

Xu Yuan smiled wryly and said, "Why do you think I was indulging in debauchery last night?"

Zhu Zhanmei's eyes darted around, her mood suddenly brightening, a smile appearing on her lips: "What are you explaining to me?"

Xu Yuan: "..."

After the two came out, Xu Yuan said to the young lady, "I have finished dealing with my business. Now we can set off to hunt down Nailhead Boil."

The young lady nodded.

Wei Shi said, "That evil spirit went to Champa."

Xu Yuan was taken aback: "You went to my Champa!"
Zhu Zhanmei had almost walked out of the courtyard when she heard this and stopped.

Xu Yuan laughed and said, "Perfect timing, let's go back to Champa together."

The young lady looked at Zhu Zhanmei with great interest, then at Xu Yuan.

She knew about the third young lady of the Zhu family.

"Then let's go quickly," the young lady said with a smile.

The county magistrate was too ashamed to face Lord Xu, so he did not come out to see him off.

Wei Zhenbang was assigned to escort everyone out of the city.

On the way, Wei Shi said to Xu Yuan, "I can only limit the location of that thing to Changhuai Ward. You are the law master of Champa. What is the situation in that ward? Is it convenient to make an arrest?"

Wei Shi already knew about the "agreement" between Xu Yuan and Geng Qi.

This question gives Xu Yuan an opportunity to explain the various difficulties he faces. If he fails to catch the nail on the head in the end, the young lady will find it understandable and will not blame the head lawyer, Xu.

But before he could say the name "Changhuaifang", Xu Yuan's expression suddenly changed.

Immediately afterward, Xu Yuan said, "I am very familiar with Changhuaifang!"

Wei Shi felt something was wrong. Why did this... feel like he was gritting his teeth?

Miss and Geng Qi and the others also looked at Xu Yuan with curiosity.

Only Zhu Zhanmei suddenly remembered something.

Ji Shuangqiu, a valiant man, raised his thick eyebrows and shouted, "What! That evil spirit has gone to our lair? Young Master Fu Jingyu is still on patrol in the southern city!"

Lord Xu Yuan, the head of the Champa Purification Bureau, has a deep affection for Changhuai Ward.

At least for now, Lord Xu Yuan considers that place his "second hometown".

Because the South City Patrol Office is located in Changhuaifang!
If Lord Xu becomes successful in the future and stays in other places for a longer period of time, this "second hometown" may change hands again.

But at least for now, Lord Xu cannot allow evil spirits to run rampant in Changhuaifang.

Besides, Fu Jingyu and Song Lu were both there.

Xu Yuan suddenly raised his hand and ordered, "Hang up the calligraphy scrolls and rush back to Champa at full speed!"

"Yes!" the officers responded in unison, hung the calligraphy scrolls on their horses' legs, and galloped away.

Xu Yuan didn't even greet Geng Qi.

I had previously discussed with Geng Qi that we should release water to let the boil escape.

But this thing actually ran to Changhuaifang. If it really causes some disaster, how could Lord Xu let it off!
I was too embarrassed to talk to Geng Qi much.

The five young ladies looked completely bewildered: What's going on?
Zhu Zhanmei couldn't keep up.

She was escorting military equipment, with more than a dozen carts and over a hundred people, and could only travel slowly along the official road.

Before the 21st, Zhu Zhanmei came to inquire, and told her the truth.

Geng Qi's expression turned strange, and he turned his head to the side to avoid being noticed by the young lady.

How could things be so unlucky?
Geng Qi couldn't accuse Xu Yuan of breaking his promise.

The young lady clapped her hands repeatedly, overjoyed, and said, "Let's hang up the calligraphy scrolls too, and hurry after them! That evil spirit has offended Master Xu, and in his rage, he will surely catch that thing!"

Geng Qi, Wei Shi, and others were unwilling, but they could not disobey.

Zhu Zhanmei thought to herself: You guessed right!

……

When they arrived, the entire Department of Purification was decorated with calligraphy scrolls.

The case was urgent, and we needed to get to Shiping County as soon as possible.

But on the return trip, Master Xu wanted to save some money.

In the end, we still didn't save any money.

The group of people traveled twenty miles at a speed, and then the five young ladies easily caught up with them.

Calligraphy copybooks also vary in quality.

Geng Qi had been looking for an opportunity to talk to Xu Yuan again, away from Miss.

But Lord Xu did not give him this opportunity until he entered Champa.

……

The nailhead boil is a parasite that lives in the human brain.

This evil spirit is half physical and half ghost.

The solid part is shaped like a worm, about the size of a pinhead.

The part of the spirit was half a zhang in size.

When opened, it resembles a large umbrella.

It can move freely in mid-air by rotating and floating on its ethereal part.

Yesterday, it entered Champa through the south gate, and then gently trembled the umbrella of the wandering spirit.

This is one of its cunning techniques, allowing it to sense whether there are any entities in this area that could threaten it.

If it exists, it will leave without hesitation.

It was this strange skill that allowed it to escape from Geng Qi and the others' pursuit.

Unfortunately, neither Lord Xu nor Dafu were in Champa yesterday.

No one in the city can threaten it.

The man with the nail head was overjoyed. This entire city, with a population of hundreds of thousands, was now his!

It spun and drifted as it entered Changhuaifang.

The vibration of the half-zhang-sized floating umbrella allowed one to clearly perceive the strength of the people within a radius of about ten zhang below.

The nail-head boil likes to parasitize cultivators.

A lowly law enforcement officer from the South City patrol station happened to pass by, and the nail-headed boil swayed down behind him.

Not too far, not too close, just an arm's length away.

No one else can see it.

It did not rush to act. At this moment, the nail-headed boil retracted its half-zhang-long umbrella of yin energy, which trailed behind it like a goldfish's tail, swaying and swimming in the air.

The captain walked through a narrow alley, where there was no one around, and then Nailhead suddenly pounced on him.

They drilled a pinhole into the back of the head and inserted the yin energy umbrella, which quickly opened and filled the entire cranial cavity, sucking the captain's brain dry!
The captain collapsed, his eyes rolled back, and his whole body convulsed uncontrollably.

A porter was passing through the alley when he saw the captain lying on the ground and rushed over to ask, "Sir, sir? What happened to you...?"

The captain suddenly tensed up, startling the porter so much that he stumbled backward.

Then the captain stood up, dusted himself off, and left without paying any attention to the porter.

The porter shook his head in confusion: "Strange..."

The captain returned smoothly to the patrol post in the south city, then greeted his colleagues somewhat awkwardly, saying that he was not feeling well and was going back to his room to rest.

The boil sucked out the brain matter, needed a night to digest it, and then gave birth to a bunch of offspring.

The brain matter of a low-level cultivator can produce at least a hundred offspring at once!

For ordinary people, there would be at most twenty.

……

Xu Yuan led his team at breakneck speed. The guards at the west gate saw them from afar and hurriedly cleared the roads inside and outside the gate.

"Lord Xu is in such a hurry, there must be something important."

Without stopping, Xu Yuan rushed into the city gate.

Even a meticulous person can tell from these details that this young law magistrate enjoys extremely high prestige in Champa.

Fu Jingyu is diligently processing various documents.

Make sure there are no errors in the procedure.

Xu Yuan rushed in, and the captains along the way all bowed and greeted him: "Sir!"

Fu Jingyu smiled when he saw him: "You're back..."

Xu Yuan first gave him a look of "looking at his fate," then breathed a long sigh of relief and asked in a deep voice, "Did all the brothers go on duty today?"

"They're all here."

Has anyone asked for leave?

"No." Fu Jingyu asked, somewhat puzzled, "What happened?"

Xu Yuan said, "Gather all the brothers right away, and I'll explain to you slowly."

"Okay." Fu Jingyu left immediately.

Soon, everyone in the patrol room in the south city was summoned.

"Twelve brothers have gone out to patrol the streets."

"Send someone to retrieve it immediately." Xu Yuan emphasized again, "You go yourself."

"Okay." Fu Jingyu then walked out.

After he left, Xu Yuan immediately raised his hand, and the foul net flew out with a whoosh, spreading rapidly.

It covered the entire courtyard.

The foul-smelling silk crawls everywhere—on the ground, on the walls, on the ceiling, it's everywhere.

Geng Qi and Wei Shi originally wanted to stop the young lady from coming in.

But it couldn't be stopped.

Seeing Xu Yuan making such a big show of things, the four of them immediately surrounded the young lady.

Geng Jiu whispered, "Does Master Xu have a way to see through the nailhead boil?"

Geng Qi shook his head slightly; he didn't know either.

Xu Yuan opened "Looking at Fate," looked at everyone, and breathed a sigh of relief.

The brothers in the South City patrol room are all fine.

But then, Xu Yuan suddenly thought of another possibility: Could it be among the twelve people patrolling the streets?!
If that's the case, Fu Jingyu might be in danger!
Xu Yuan immediately turned and rushed out, but halfway there, he suddenly remembered something and called out, "Dafu!"

Dafu's long neck stretched out from behind Master Xu, and his forehead twisted to the left and right, making him look rather unintelligent.

Xu Yuan picked him up in one swift motion, ignoring Dafu's strong resistance: "It's time for you to prove yourself!"

Then he rushed out.

The young lady's interest was piqued: Dafu is so cute, could it catch evil spirits?
Otherwise, why would Xu Yuan say that?

"Hurry, hurry, keep up!" the young lady urged.

The fourteen men were extremely unwilling, and they followed Lord Xu for twenty feet, dragging their feet along.

Xu Yuan went out and asked around at the shops along the street, and found out which direction Fu Jingyu had gone.

So they immediately gave chase.

Wei Shi guessed Xu Yuan's thoughts, but was also a little puzzled: "Is he so sure that the nailhead boil is parasitizing the brain of the Exorcism Division Captain?"

In fact, Xu Yuan was not sure.

However, in Xu Yuan's mind, the captains of the South City Patrol Office were all his people, and their priority was naturally higher than that of ordinary people.

Lord Xu first needs to make sure that his men are alright.

So upon entering the city, they went straight to the South City Patrol Office.

The twelve captains split into two teams, each patrolling the streets along a fixed route.

Fu Jingyu found one of the teams first and immediately waved and said, "Stop patrolling and come back with me."

"Yes!" The six men bowed in response.

When one of the captains opened his mouth to speak, he spat out a boil with a nail-like head.

Fu Jingyu turned and left, and the nail-headed boil quickly followed, about to pierce into the back of Fu Jingyu's head!

Suddenly a white shadow swooped down and clamped the insect in its jaws!
The boil struggled violently and involuntarily revealed its form.

Dafu didn't care about you; he just stretched out his neck and swallowed it.

The young lady happened to witness this scene from behind. Her small, cherry-like mouth was wide enough to fit an egg, and her eyes sparkled with admiration: "So cute and so amazing?!"

(End of this chapter)