Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 80 Whose Home Field
Sheng Yuanyao felt that her outburst at the banquet was too sudden... She had hesitated during the banquet about whether she should have exploded, but Lu Xingzhou, who seemed to be the most thoughtful and the most likely to "take things slowly," launched a surprise attack first under the guise of toasting, and she, Sheng Yuanyao, was instead drawn in and cooperated with him.

Even Hao Jingchuan's "private conversation" was at Lu Xingzhou's behest, in order to force him to take action and completely confirm his suspicions.

You've confirmed it, but this battle won't be easy!

This isn't Xia Prefecture; it's the prefect's territory. Heaven knows how many people he actually has.
Look at the densely packed guards outside. Even if they aren't all demons, as long as the prefect doesn't outwardly appear demonic, the guards will only obey him...

In an instant, everyone was plunged into a fierce battle. Zhang Shaoyou and the others were not receiving enough supplies, and the prefect still had external forces at his disposal...

Not far away, the city gates opened wide, and the sound of horses' hooves pounded the long street.

In this battle, the power of a third-rank expert erupted wildly, reducing the entire prefectural government to ruins in the blink of an eye, with sword energy soaring to the heavens. The battle quickly alarmed the entire city, and the Dongjiang garrison reacted swiftly, rushing into the city.

In an environment where the prefect had been running for countless years, Sheng Yuanyao didn't even dare to ask the people of the Demon Suppression Division in the prefecture for help, fearing that the people of the Demon Suppression Division might all be demons, let alone the army, which could only be Hao Jingchuan's most important infiltration target.

It's clear how fragile her earlier statement, "I have the backing of a nation," appears here.

When the prefect is considered an enemy, it's unclear who the nation's support is actually for.

Looking across the entire prefecture now, apart from his own men, the only people he can truly trust are Lu Xingzhou's men. Perhaps even the Incense Burner is more reliable than others, at least they're not demons...

It's undeniably a huge irony.

But in reality, Sheng Yuanyao was overthinking things; Hao Jingchuan's reach wasn't that far. If the army and the Demon Suppression Division were both under his control, the Great Qian system would be nothing but a joke.

The bureaucracy remains the easiest to infiltrate. Hao Jingchuan has only managed to infiltrate most of the county's bureaucracy over the years, rendering it thoroughly corrupt. His reach hasn't extended to the Demon Suppression Division and the army, whose responsibilities don't overlap with his own. Even in subordinate counties like Xia Prefecture, his attempts were thwarted as soon as they began.

As mentioned before, many disciples who graduate from sects join gangs or enter the system, much like university graduates in the modern world going to various companies or taking civil service exams. Among them, many disciples of the Tianxing Sword Sect are at the grassroots level, and even produced a city lord like Xu Bingkun.

So what are the backgrounds of the military generals at all levels?
They are basically divided into three categories: those from various aristocratic families, those who rose through the ranks through military merit, and... those from the Tianyao Holy Land.

Tu Yugui, the commander of the Dongjiang army, was born in the Tianyao Holy Land, and it is impossible for him to be replaced by a demon.

But the problem is that he might be bribed or deceived... Hao Jingchuan is, after all, the prefect, and he has concealed his demonic aura well. In theory, the local garrison should obey the prefect's orders. Once he turns against him, the situation is uncertain.

As a result, Tu Yugui led his men into the city, and on the main street of the city gate, they saw a white-haired girl standing quietly there.

"Whoa!" Tu Yugui's heart trembled violently. He reined in his horse and halted his troops, his expression extremely solemn: "Your aura is..."

Frosty skies and frozen moons—not many people in the Tianyao Holy Land practice this, as it turns people into something less human, more like a glacier. However, this didn't stop Tu Yugui from having a general understanding of it, and he was somewhat suspicious based on Dugu Qingli's appearance.

Dugu Qingli took out a jade tablet and gestured to it.

Tu Yugui was so frightened that he immediately dismounted and knelt on one knee: "Greetings, Holy Maiden."

Strange, I've never heard of a Holy Maiden being established in the Holy Land. When did she appear...? She might not be a Holy Maiden, but this jade pendant that represents Ye Tinglan is definitely genuine. She is at least a direct descendant of True Person Tinglan!
Dugu Qingli asked calmly, "What brings you here, Martial Uncle?"

Tu Yugui hurriedly said, "A major battle has broken out at the Prefectural Governor's Office. This is a serious matter, and we must go and see."

Dugu Qingli simply said, "The prefect is a demon in disguise. How could my uncle not have discovered this for so many years? The Dongjiang army is incompetent."

Calling him "Uncle-Master" and saying the coldest things, Tu Yugui broke out in a cold sweat.

The prefect was a demon in disguise? He even drank alcohol and didn't notice at all!
Tu Yugui, of course, would never doubt his Holy Maiden's judgment. Even if the Holy Maiden brought a deer and said it was a horse, he would have to accept it. Without saying a word, he patted his chest and guaranteed, "Holy Maiden, rest assured, we will definitely make amends!"

At the same time, on another street, A'nuo pushed Shen Tang to block the way for the Demon Division's troops. This time, because a powerful demon was involved, Lu Xingzhou refused to let A'nuo participate in the battle, and she was relegated to pushing Shen Tang instead.

The members of the Demon Suppression Division were stunned when they saw Shen Tang wearing the Demon Suppression Division's official uniform: "Who are you...?"

Shen Tang smiled warmly, took out a token, and handed it over.

Commander Wan Cheng received the token, his expression changing drastically: "Huo..."

That's right, Wan Cheng, the commander of the County Demon Division, is a member of the Huo family. This plaque was taken from Huo Yu; it wasn't specially marked by the Sixth Young Master, it only proves his identity as a member of the Huo family.

Shen Tang pointed in the direction of the Prefectural Governor's residence: "Commander Wan, can't you tell that one of the people fighting the Prefect over there is Yang Dechang's retainer?"

Wan Cheng carefully examined the sword light, his heart tightening. He solemnly said, "I understand. Everyone, follow me!"

As he left, he glanced at Shen Tang one last time, feeling he looked somewhat familiar… Wasn't he the new sect leader of the Heavenly Path Sword Sect? So, the Huo family was secretly colluding with Yang Dechang to suppress the Heavenly Path Sword Sect, but were they actually working together behind the scenes? What was going on…?

Yes... It is said that Huo Yu investigated Lu Xingzhou because he was suspected of being Huo Shang.

Shen Tang watched the Demon Suppression Division members hurry towards the Prefect's Mansion, sighed, turned around and pinched A Nuo's cheek: "A Nuo, your master is so cunning, aren't you afraid he'll sell you off for candy?"

This is truly insidious. Yang Dechang probably never imagined that Lu Xingzhou's entrustment of him to help Sheng Yuanyao was also a way of using his Huo family identity. At the same time, he also had Shen Tang do this job, leading people to interpret it as the Huo family secretly helping Shen Tang.

That way, whether they attack the Incense Tower or eventually rule Dongjiang, there will be no more trouble. And, if things go wrong, they might even sow discord between the Huo family and his future princes…

Lu Xingzhou didn't use her princess status for anything; instead, he used his connection to the Huo family to help her. Thinking of this, Shen Tang didn't know how to feel, and her little feet felt a little itchy again.

Ah Nuo's face was being pinched, and her words were slurred: "I don't know if I'll be sold for candy. But I do know that he's already bought you, and for free."

Shen Tang didn't hear clearly.

If I had heard that clearly, I wonder if I would have wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

A fierce battle was raging at the City Lord's Mansion, with the left and right armies and the Demon Suppression Division rapidly closing in. Hao Jingchuan remained in human form, even concealing his demonic aura, having waited for this moment. Upon seeing them arrive, he shouted his prepared statement: "The Incense Burning Pavilion has betrayed us, somehow inciting the Demon Suppression Division of Xia Prefecture! Gentlemen, help me suppress them!"

The sound carried far and wide, audible for miles around.

Zhang Shaoyou: "..." So Sect Master Shen didn't participate in this battle, but only let us participate, for this reason?

The army and the Demon Suppression Division surged in like a tide, and Tu Yugui and Wan Cheng's swords rushed directly towards... Hao Jingchuan.

"?" Hao Jingchuan was dumbfounded: "I am the prefect! It was the Incense Burning Pavilion that betrayed us! You must have made a mistake!"

The two ignored him and unleashed their ultimate attacks: "You monster, prepare to die!"

"Whoosh!" Sheng Yuanyao, feeling much less pressure, finally managed to chop Xie Changshi down with a single stroke, then pressed a small wound on her shoulder and gasped for breath.

Looking at the overwhelming and decisive situation on the field, it seemed that she was suddenly no longer involved. Sheng Yuanyao gasped, "I didn't dare to approach them, afraid that I wouldn't trust them. Even if they weren't demons, it was hard to guarantee that they wouldn't be bribed... How dare you?"

Lu Xingzhou handed over a healing pill: "Bribery can't outweigh connections with higher-ups... The reason I dared to come to the prefecture with you to do this job is because I'm at least sure the army will listen to Little White Hair. Otherwise, why would I follow you? Do you think I'm as reckless as you are..."

Sheng Yuanyao silently pounded the pill without saying a word.

"The important thing is that you must bring them in, and you can only trust them once. Otherwise, the power will be in the hands of the prefect, and you won't be able to win. In the end, you will become the rebel. Only by involving different systems such as the army and the Demon Suppression Division can the influence of the prefect be suppressed. Especially if you need to preside over a purge afterward, do you think you can do it with your authority?"

Sheng Yuanyao said in a low voice, "So if you hadn't helped me this time, I would have been doomed here, either replaced by demons or ruined and turned into a traitor?"

"It's not that bad... You wouldn't have gone crazy at the banquet without me. It's strange, you didn't know I had some other arrangements, how dare you join me in launching this attack at the banquet?"

Sheng Yuanyao said irritably, "Since you've already made your move, of course I have no choice but to intervene. If you dare to act recklessly without any follow-up plans, I'll bite you back from the afterlife!"

Lu Xingzhou said, "It would be better if you rearranged the order of your last four words."

Sheng Yuanyao: “?”

Under the pressure of being surrounded and attacked, Hao Jingchuan could no longer keep up the act. The next moment, his clothes tore, and a pair of fleshy wings flapped into the air as he tried to break through the encirclement: "Sheng Yuanyao! You just wait!"

Two sword beams, one purple and one blue, shot towards Hao Jingchuan's head. Hao Jingchuan never expected that even in this situation, there would be two fourth-rank sword cultivators waiting to ambush him outside. He was caught off guard and blocked.

In that instant, Yang Dechang, Zhang Shaoyou, and the others caught up from behind, and two flying swords simultaneously pierced Hao Jingchuan's back.

Demon blood splattered across the sky. Hao Jingchuan looked down at the sword tip that had emerged from his chest, still somewhat bewildered.

How did things turn out like this just because Sheng Yuanyao came here for a meal... After running this business for so many years, it's all ruined by a single meal. Actually, the meal hadn't even started yet; the wine should still be warm...

The army and the Demon Suppression Division, without even asking Hao Jingchuan about his demonic aura, immediately stood on the opposite side. Whose home ground is this?
With a "bang," the demon's corpse fell to the ground, stirring up a flurry of snowflakes.

With Hao Jingchuan executed, the remaining demons were no match for the combined power of these forces and were wiped out and captured in the blink of an eye.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

After a long while, Tu Yugui hesitantly cupped his hands in greeting: "How should this matter... be classified?"

Sheng Yuanyao remained silent.

Now that she had calmed down, she realized that her previous remarks to Hao Jingchuan were somewhat naive. Even if Hao Jingchuan wasn't a demon and was just an old bureaucrat, he would most likely have turned on her.

The fact that most of the officials in a prefecture are demons is a shocking case. If it were to be revealed, it would cause panic throughout the country... At that time, everyone would be in danger, suspicious of each other, and the world would be in chaos.

So, did Father actually have a vague idea? Did he know more? He just couldn't reveal it, at least not at his level.

Looking around at Wan Cheng of the Demon Suppression Division, Tu Yugui, the military general, and even Yang Dechang of the Huo family, everyone's expression was solemn, and they all avoided her gaze.

Sheng Yuanyao looked at Lu Xingzhou for help, and Lu Xingzhou also advised in a low voice: "It's not appropriate. You can't take the responsibility, something bad will happen... and it will affect the whole family. Even your father wouldn't dare."

Seeing that Sheng Yuanyao seemed to listen to this "Officer Gou", Yang Dechang finally breathed a sigh of relief and advised, "This officer is right. We can't just expose this matter without considering the consequences."

Sheng Yuanyao asked wearily, "Then what should we do?"

Wan Cheng pointed at Mu Feng's demonized body: "One demon, the Prefectural Magistrate, is enough... The deaths of so many officials and even the Prefect of the Prefecture can all be attributed to it. Using this as a trigger, there is enough excuse to investigate the entire Prefecture. I, Wan, will take responsibility and guarantee that no one will be missed."

Tu Yugui also said, "The military will also cooperate in this matter."

Sheng Yuanyao asked, "What about tracing the origin?"

No one answered.

In this situation, what other source can you trace back to? Do you want to turn the sky upside down?
We are only responsible for the affairs of our own county; what do other people's affairs have to do with us?
Sheng Yuanyao asked Lu Xingzhou in a low voice, "What if we secretly report this to His Majesty?"

Lu Xingzhou said, "When I said something might go wrong, I meant you secretly reported to His Majesty. Maybe they'll deal with you first, and then consider this matter later... Anyway, as far as I know, even the princes are suppressing these kinds of things. They don't dare to guess how their fathers will react. How dare you?"

Sheng Yuanyao: “…”

She remained silent for a long, long time, finally letting out a weary sigh: "So what exactly is the purpose of our Demon Suppression Division?"

When she met his gaze, Wan Cheng turned his head away.

Sheng Yuanyao didn't ask him anything, but just nodded: "I understand. You guys discuss this and report it. I... I'll go back to Xiazhou first. This time, even the Heavenly King himself can't stop me from returning to the capital. It's utterly pointless."

Lu Xingzhou was silent for a moment: "I'll take you."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: This is almost 4K words again, please vote with monthly tickets!
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