Da Zaojun

Chapter 6 Six-Ministry Edict
The City God County Earl said with a look of relief: "I thought that County Lord Tian didn't take it seriously enough, but I didn't expect that I misunderstood you."

"Now that the city is about to fall, a faint black aura is already spreading in the city."

"If I am any worse, even the underworld in the city will be unable to maintain stability. At that time, hundreds of thousands of evil spirits will ignore the city walls and sneak into the city, causing panic among the people!"

"Once civil unrest breaks out, the city will soon be broken. Those demons and monsters outside are not only hungry for human sacrifices, but also for my godhood and your official position!"

"If a demon obtains my divine status and your official status, then Taichang County will become a demon city, with demons constantly being born."

"Then there will be devastation for all living beings!"

If Tian Chengbi had not seen the current situation outside the city with his own eyes, he would probably have thought that the City God was threatening him and demanding sacrifices.

As the chief official of a county, he felt a little ashamed to put his hopes in ghosts and gods, but now this was his only hope.

Previously, I sent a carrier pigeon to ask for help from the provincial capital, but the provincial capital only replied with a note saying "we will act according to the circumstances."

"Does the county lord have any ideas? I've been looking from a high place and see that the demons are constantly driving the victims to the city walls. I'm afraid they'll soon attack the city."

The City God pointed at the documents and said, "It is indeed urgent. Therefore, I have used my divine power to condense 108 talismans. Lord Tian can use them to recruit strong men to resist the evil spirits."

"Whoever signs this decree will be granted a position in the City God Temple by this deity, along with some cultivation techniques. However, this ritual requires sacrificial offerings, food, money, and treasures."

Tian Chengbi took the documents handed over by the City God and looked at them carefully. He saw that their texture was like paper and silk, with ruyi patterns and auspicious clouds around them, and words written on them. They were stamped with a large vermilion seal. They looked like letters of authorization, and they could be used only after filling in the name.

This made him wonder, "What are the uses of these talismans and temple positions? Can they ward off demons? Can anyone practice this cultivation method, or do you need to obtain a temple position talisman before you can practice it?"

The City God said, "Don't worry, County Lord Tian. Let me explain it to you personally."

"Each government office must have its own responsibilities, just as the county government has six departments: the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Personnel."

"My City God's office is even more complex, with a total of twenty-four departments. Each department has officials of either the ninth or eighth rank, each with their own focus. They assist this deity in running the City God's underworld, sheltering lonely souls, imprisoning evil spirits, judging the living and the dead, and handling the consequences of cause and effect."

"However, now, among these twenty-four departments, there is not a single assistant official. Only the Yin-Yang Department, which I personally lead, is functioning. The other twenty-three departments are all empty."

"Therefore, this god wants to recruit some Yang people to perform Yin duties, called walking people, to regulate Yin and Yang, and also to break the deadlock."

"If it weren't for the fact that the chief officer of each department must be a good ghost with enough merit to be promoted to a ghost god, this god would have wanted to directly let a living person take the position of chief officer of each department."

"Just like to hold even the lowest rank of ninth-rank official, one must at least have the title of scholar as a guarantee, ghosts and gods also have qualifications to hold official positions. This god cannot forcibly change the laws of the underworld."

"However, although I cannot become a high-ranking official in a department, I don't have many requirements for the people working under me."

"This decree is a piece of paper employment letter. Anyone who fills in their name can work in this department."

"Although there is no monetary reward, you can accumulate good karma and merit. If you can accomplish great deeds, this god can even decide for you to exchange it for a lifetime."

"Because a yang person is leading the underworld, his yang energy will be damaged to some extent. Therefore, this god will teach him the cultivation method to strengthen his yang energy. In addition, each department has its own magical instruments and spells. The person leading the underworld can understand the methods of refining and performing them through this talisman."

"The temple duties that this deity has gathered now are those of the twenty-four departments: the Punishment Department, the Investigation Department, the Summoning Department, the Confinement Department, the Investigation Department, and the Medical Department. These are the six departments."

"However, my seal alone is not enough. I need the county magistrate to affix the county yamen seal and add the imperial court's laws. Perhaps it will be effective." "I have one thing to say, with your and my status, we can be appointed as clerks, but not officials. If we use our magical powers and official ranks, we can only be appointed as ninth-rank officials."

Tian Chengbi looked at the documents and said, "Everything has its own yin and yang. It's normal for them to make sacrifices under this decree. But what about that demon? Has it reached a certain level?"

"Furthermore, writing an imperial edict requires the divine power of a county earl. So what does it cost for me to stamp it with my seal?"

"If a demon can wreak havoc on a village, destroy the local ancestral hall, and occupy the land, it will be considered a ninth-grade demon."

"If you can occupy a village or a town, you'll be an eighth-grade demon."

"If they can capture the county town, they will be ranked seventh. Every step of their growth requires the sacrifice of countless people!"

"This Taichang County, apart from this city, has become corrupted. Demons have taken over the countryside and villages, and the fortune has been taken away by them. It has become a serious problem."

"Anyone who covets the county town must have achieved the status of an eighth-grade demon!"

"Although I am a seventh-rank god, my sacrifices are rare. Although he is an eighth-rank god, he has already sacrificed countless blood and food. Even if we rely on the city, the outcome will be huge, let alone the city being broken."

"As for the consumption of YT County Lord, it is naturally the consumption of the laws and regulations accumulated since the founding of Taichang County Official Seal, and it is the consumption of the luck of the entire city."

"It's nothing more than sharing weal and woe with Taichang City."

Tian Chengbi wasn't being stingy; he simply wanted to understand more clearly. Now that he had a plan in mind, he said, "Alright! Even if it means sacrificing my life span, I'm willing to do it."

The City God said, "The County Lord is of the same rank as me. Unless the Prefecture Lord passes the examination, how can I fail?"

He then separated the six imperial edicts and explained them to Tian Chengbi.

"This Punisher punishes those who do evil and have too many karmas."

"The inspector can clearly judge matters and distinguish between good and evil. He can tell whether those entering the city are demons or people with excessive sins."

"The Lord of the Gou Zhao Si summons souls and can cure evil spirits."

"The Department of Confinement is responsible for detaining sinful souls, ghosts, and demons.
"Investigate the head of the department to find out information and investigate unusual events."

"The Medical Department specializes in treating severe diseases and plagues. They can also heal those affected by ghosts and demons. They can also collect treasures from demons and demons, blend herbs, and refine elixirs."

When Tian Chengbi heard the City God explain the duties of the Six Departments, although he felt that the ritual was a bit strange and seemed to be unorthodox, it did sound quite practical.

He was overjoyed and could not help but say, "With the help of these six officials, I can open the city gates, recruit refugees as laborers, and have the county lieutenant lead the brave county soldiers to cooperate with the City God Temple to hunt down demons and evil spirits and restore people's livelihood."

"As long as we kill a demon, no matter how great the sacrifice, it proves that demons are not invincible. They will die if killed!"

"This feat and this campaign will not only reassure the people of the county, but will also encourage the wealthy families in the county to contribute money and manpower. We can also recruit good families in the city as soldiers and recruit disaster victims outside the city as laborers. We can attack when we advance and defend when we retreat, making long-term plans!"

(End of this chapter)