Madmen don't keep diaries

Chapter 355, Section 354: Jiangluo Creek

Eroding authority is the only way to destroy the divine bones.

Xi Jun merely forged the divine seal's divine essence.

The Eastern God and the Western God—the current state of the world was achieved through their joint efforts; neither can be dispensed with.

No wonder the Goddess of Wind and Rain said they were inseparable.

Inside the carriage, Feng Xiuhu pondered, organizing the information he had just acquired.

Without Shi, the one who unscrewed the bottle cap, Xi Jun could not put "water" into the new bottle; without the new divine seal, he could not confer titles upon the new deities.

With so many gods already existing in the Eastern and Western Continents, what impact will the lack of new gods have?
Feng Xiuhu was unclear about this issue, but he was certain of one thing—for the Eastern Gods as a whole, Shi and Xi Jun were definitely inseparable.

It is not only because their authority complements each other, but also because only when they are together can they form the central hub of the complete Eastern pantheon.

Once they separate, it means that the current balance of power will be broken.

The good news is that nobody knows about this right now.

The bad news is that they really did break up.

But what exactly caused their falling out?
Feng Xiuhu had new doubts.

Fang Youliu and Shunzi were discussing where to stay for the night when he turned to Feng Xiuhu and asked, "There should be a Misty Prayer Hall in Jiangluo Creek; perhaps we can rest there."

Indeed, Feng Xiuhu and Shunzi's identities are not fake; they are upright priests and guards—nowadays they should be called agents.

Feng Xiuhu was about to nod when he suddenly realized, "No."

"what happened?"

Fang Youliu was taken aback, and Shunzi also looked over.

Feng Xiuhu said, "No means no."

Fang Youliu shrugged and said indifferently, "I'll listen to you. Finding an inn is the same thing—but you'll have to pay for the room yourselves."

Feng Xiuhu had his own considerations, but he could not state them explicitly here.

They came here to avoid trouble. The battle in Fancheng will inevitably attract the attention of many forces. The name "Feng Xiuhu" is too famous in Fancheng and will easily be noticed by those with ulterior motives. Therefore, to be on the safe side, they must act discreetly.

Feng Xiuhu moved forward and pulled Shunzi over: "We can't use our old names anymore. It's fine for us to call each other by our names in private, but when we're out and about, we need a new name."

Fang Youliu was quick-witted and immediately understood Feng Xiuhu's concerns. He grinned and said, "I don't need it. I don't have as much fame as you guys."

Shunzi scratched the back of his head: "I'll do whatever you say, brother."

Feng Xiuhu thought for a moment and quickly came up with an idea: "From now on, in front of outsiders, I will be called Ma Er, and you will be called Ye San. If anyone asks, just say that we are visiting relatives from afar."

Fang Youliu chimed in, "That's great! I've got one ready, so I'll call him Fang Liu."

Shunzi asked, puzzled, "Is there any special meaning behind this name?"

Feng Xiuhu explained, "Idiot, if you break down the character 'Feng' in my name, it's just 'Ma Er' (马二)."

Shunzi then asked, "And what about me?"

Fang Youliu laughed and quickly answered, "Take a look at the character '顺' (shùn, meaning smooth/favorable) when you break it down?"

Shunzi suddenly realized.

……

By the time the carriage arrived at Jiangluo Creek, the sun had already set in the west.

It lost the daytime's intensity, pouring down a thick, warm golden-red hue that bathed the gray old city walls in a flowing halo—the outlines of the city tower's eaves were clearly defined, the weeds between the roof tiles seemed about to burst into flame, and the broken wind chimes hanging from the eaves were occasionally stirred by the wind, emitting a few muffled tinkling sounds. The huge shadow of the city gate was stretched long, the wooden door covered in rusted iron was open, and the door studs reflected a few dim lights in the afterglow. Latecomers from the countryside were hurrying into the city in twos and threes.

Shunzi peered out the window, looking around in amazement at everything.

Feng Xiuhu gazed at the scene outside and muttered to himself, "It's not quite what I imagined..."

"What's the difference?"

Fang Youliu asked casually.

Feng Xiuhu shook his head and remained silent.

It was his own fault for being prejudiced and ignoring that Fang Youliu's description of "lively" and "prosperous" was relative to the county town, while Feng Xiuhu had only seen Fancheng before, so he naturally used Fancheng as a comparison.

The carriage passed through the archway and entered a street paved with bluestone slabs of varying sizes, worn smooth by countless footsteps.

The stone-paved road was uneven, and the carriage swayed as it passed by. The gaps were filled with wet mud and animal excrement, which mixed with the smell of dust and seeped into the carriage.

Shops lined both sides of the street, but most were already preparing to close because the sun was low in the sky.

The glass windows of the silk shop reflected the setting sun, making the colors of the brocade appear deep in the twilight. The shop assistants were busy rolling up the fabrics displayed outside and bringing them inside. A few women were reluctant to leave, making the most of their last moments to haggle over the prices of the fabrics.

Half of the bamboo baskets and earthenware jars piled up in front of the grocery stall were shrouded in shadow. The stall owner, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, sat behind and called out, "Cheap! Last few items—closing price!"

The towering medicine cabinets of the pharmacy were hidden in the dim light. A kerosene lamp was lit early on the counter, casting a small circle of dim yellow light. Next to the halo of light, a few customers were still waiting for the doctor to dispense their medicine.

The bellows in the blacksmith's shop had stopped, and the clanging of tools being packed away could be heard. The blacksmith draped a thin jacket over his bare upper body, then used a large ladle to scoop water and pour it out of the dim red-hot furnace, sending up a large plume of white steam with a hiss.

In the distance, a mother's voice called for her children to come home, and villagers carrying loads and baskets on their backs hurried past on the road.

The walls were covered with faded notices and colorful advertisements, and several police officers in black uniforms stood below smoking, glancing at passersby from time to time.

A beggar sat in the shadows of the alley, staring blankly at the broken bowl in front of him. Only when a gust of wind blew in did he instinctively wrap his tattered clothes around himself.

As the sun sets, the entire county town seems to be shrouded in a sense of weariness.

Feng Xiuhu stopped looking and turned his gaze away from Fang Youliu, saying, "Let's find a place to stay first."

Fang Youliu stopped the car in front of the police, got out, and bowed with a smile: "Excuse me, sir, could you tell me how to get to the inn in town?"

The three police officers stopped talking, first sized up Fang Youliu, and then turned their gaze to the carriage.

The lead constable asked, "Where did you come from?"

Fang Youliu said, “Reporting to the magistrate, we came from Fancheng, and my master is in the carriage.”

"Sail City?"

The policeman's eyes lit up. He tossed aside his cigarette and smiled, "First time in Jiangluo Creek? What brings you here?"

Fang Youliu's smile remained unchanged: "This trip is to visit relatives in another place. We are just passing through Jiangluoxi to stay overnight. We will leave tomorrow."

"Just passing by..."

The police officer nodded thoughtfully, then turned his gaze back to the carriage: "Which gentleman from Sail City is inside? Tell me, and I might recognize him."

Fang Youliu cupped his hands and said, "My master is a businessman, but his business is not large, so he should not have been accepted by the higher-ups yet."

Feng Xiuhu was getting impatient—he was just asking for directions, why was he being questioned like this?
After listening to Fang Youliu's explanation, the lead constable winked at the other two constables and then put on a stern face: "Since you are businessmen, did you pay your taxes when you entered the city?"

P.S.: Still updating at 3 PM.

(End of this chapter)