Headless Immortal

Chapter 122 I'm afraid he's too weak
Niu Xiaoting ate carefully.

His hands were long and strong, each grab hitting its target perfectly. His left hand held the bowl and the flatbread, without spilling any soup, and he didn't touch the perfectly intact fish and chicken.

Little Bean wasn't particularly hungry, but watching the county magistrate eat, he couldn't help but lick his lips. He stretched out his chopsticks and headed straight for the fish, but when he tried to pick it up, it wouldn't budge. The big fish seemed to be stuck to the bowl. Undeterred, he stretched out his chopsticks and poked it directly at the fish.

Deng Youfu quickly stopped him, saying, "Hey, this is for checking the dishes."

Xiao Douzi immediately understood that the fish was carved from wood and the chicken was made of clay. When he was in the capital, he had also eaten at banquets where the dishes were displayed, because some people had fallen on hard times and had no choice but to use these things to save face.

Later, he joined the Ministry of Justice, where he could at least make a living.

Even a lowly apprentice like him could save up some money, yet this sixth-rank county magistrate, who came from the Tiger List, was trying to fool them with a simple dish.

Even if the government is strapped for cash, they can still afford to eat meat. Little Bean frowned, wondering if he should dull the knife a bit, so it wouldn't be so sharp.

Lu Xun picked up a piece of tofu soaked in oil. He wasn't picky about food. While the food of the ancient world was certainly authentic, it couldn't compare to the taste of modern, industrialized food. Therefore, as long as it filled his stomach and prevented him from losing strength due to hunger, he didn't mind if it was undercooked.

The captain was used to living in the wild, either venturing into deep mountains or venturing into old forests. Moreover, he traveled through towns and villages to subdue demons and monsters, so he didn't care much about food.

Whether it's a delicious feast or a simple meal, Lu Xun has one requirement: to fill their stomachs.

After finishing his meal, Niu Xiaoting wiped his mouth, put down his chopsticks, and said, "This county magistrate will not run away, not now, and not in the future."

"However, I don't have time to spend with you all right now. I have a group of disaster victims to settle tonight. I will send Xiao Wu to assist you with things like setting up the execution ground."

Old Deng smiled awkwardly, realizing that his earlier comment about the magistrate running away had reached Niu Xiaoting's ears, and that he had been embarrassed by being pointed out.

But he wasn't angry; instead, he felt a mix of disappointment and helplessness. If his village's magistrate had been a just and upright official like Niu Xiaoting, his parents wouldn't have starved to death.

Adults and children have completely different mindsets.

……

night.

The yamen (government office) and its staff quarters.

Patio.

Little Bean brought over a basin of water, placed the Red Tassel Ghost Head Knife on the whetstone, and began to sharpen it with a clanging sound.

Lu Xun leaned against the door frame, holding a book in his hands, a county gazetteer he had borrowed from the county magistrate.

The captain, who was packing his things, stepped out of the threshold, changed into the indigo-blue robe with floral patterns of a Earth Division captain, put on a sword at his waist, and held a small booklet in his hand. When he walked to Lu Xun's side, he suddenly asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you think this drought is a natural disaster or a man-made one?"

Lu Xun looked up at the captain, raised the county gazetteer in his hand, and said, "Zhang County is north of Jiujiang. Although it is far from Xunyang River, has little fog and many clouds, and has flat terrain with high mountains but no ridges, it should not be this dry. Unless some great monster has absorbed the moisture, or human beings have changed the weather."

"The White Lotus Sect shouldn't have such powerful abilities, right?" Lu Xun looked at the captain with suspicion.

He had no concept of the powerful cultivators in this world.

The captain shook his head: "I have seen Commander Chu of the Earth Bureau make a move, cutting off rivers with a single finger. The White Lotus Sect Leader could only flee for his life when he saw the Commander."

The captain changed the subject, asking, "What do you think of Magistrate Niu, fellow Daoist?"

Lu Xun responded calmly, "It looks like a good one."

"Then how about we set up a trap..."

The captain didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

He wanted Magistrate Niu to live.

This requires cooperating with Lu Xun. They can find a bandit or robber, disguise him as Niu Xiaoting, and behead him in public. That way, the man will survive without violating the laws of the court.

Lu Xun, who was flipping through the county annals, paused for a moment, then shook his head.

The captain knew this was asking the impossible, and while he was surprised, a sense of disappointment flashed through his mind.

He had no prejudice against demons and monsters. There were many little spirits kept by the Earth God, so he didn't have any requirements for Zhao Jia's friends. However, he had heard Zhao Jia mention that the master and disciple had talked until late at night that day.

The captain initially thought of Lu Xun as an ordinary little monster who was intelligent and harmless, so he let him be.

That day, Zhao Jia said a lot, but mostly he was praising the great demon. He said that Wutong Mountain Lord had wiped out Mei Lan's demon den and distributed gold and silver treasures to the poor people, and his brothers also received a share.

The captain then assumed that this was a demonic swordsman.

But it's really not appropriate to make too many demands.

The great demon has already helped him a great deal.

Snapped.

Closing the county gazetteer, Lu Xun said, "He has made up his mind to use this head to remonstrate to the death."

The captain's eyes flickered slightly.

Lu Xun continued, "Originally, I intended to complete this mission and leave. However, killing a good person is not my wish. If you want to address both the symptoms and the root cause, don't resort to these deceptive tricks."

Substituting one thing for another is certainly a good idea.

And after that?
It's just a matter of replacing the county magistrate. If someone like Lü Qian were to come, the common people would be overjoyed.

If things get even worse, it's a case of good intentions gone wrong. Therefore, trying to plan big things through conspiracies and tricks won't work; big things are always done through upright and aboveboard strategies.

The captain asked, "What does the fellow Daoist mean?"

Lu Xun said decisively, "Eliminate the drought."

"good!"

Gao Qingzhi was overjoyed. He had been petty, only thinking about saving Niu Xiaoting's life. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "I am willing to travel with you, fellow Daoist."

Lu Xun shook his head: "No."

“We were ambushed by the White Lotus Sect on the way. The triple backlash from the White Lotus Daoist has left me bedridden. If the captain travels with me, who will look after ‘me’ at the county office? Moreover, the captain will need to do some maneuvering to write to the Ministry of Justice, saying that I need to recuperate for ten days or half a month, and it would be best to change the execution date.”

"With a captain stationed in the city, he can mobilize soldiers and yamen runners at any time. If I find the stronghold, I will need the yamen's help."

"Can……"

Gao Qingzhi hesitated slightly. Lu Xun's reasoning was impeccable; he should indeed be in the county town.

Gao Qingzhi said sincerely, "Although it is the early summer sun, those who can control the celestial phenomena, whether human or demon, are not easy to deal with. The Jingshi Army took advantage of the chaos to start a rebellion, and Ao Xiao gathered tens of thousands of people. I'm afraid they have been planning this for a long time."

We should definitely help. If it is indeed found that a great demon is causing trouble, he can mobilize the power of the local government.

The captain was mainly worried about Lu Xun's safety. Although the Lord of Wutong Mountain was no longer the same as before, he was still alone, and if he were to be surrounded in battle, his life would be in danger.

Lu Xun waved his hand: "I'm just afraid he's too weak!"

"puff."

A mouthful of blood spurted from Lu Xun's mouth, and he fell backward as a result.

Gao Qingzhi hurriedly caught the falling executioner and cried out, "Quickly, call a doctor!"

……

The scorching sun of the dog days of summer melts gold and smelts stone.

The 'scholar' holding the umbrella wiped the sweat from his forehead and face with his sleeve.

Staggering, he was sweating profusely. The scholar's skin was frighteningly pale, and his eyes were a faint red, making him look like he had albinism. The scholar walking on the ridge was none other than Lu Xun, who had escaped from Zhang County.

After saying goodbye to Gao Qingzhi, he continued north.

Lu Xun grabbed the water bag from his waist, but the pitifully little water in it wasn't even enough to moisten his throat. He licked his chapped lips and put the water bag down again.

There wasn't a single house on or below the ridge, so if he drank all the water, he wouldn't be able to replenish his body's fluids. At least these few sips told him that there was water in his water bag.

I really want a can of ice-cold soda.

As for why I came here, it's probably because of my own thoughts.

He would show no mercy if asked to kill bandits, robbers, or troublesome demons and monsters.

But he couldn't bring himself to kill a good official, especially as an executioner. All those excuses about not wanting to be the executioner of the ancient world's court, or wanting to find a more powerful person or monster… were just embellishments.

Ultimately, it all boils down to three words.

unwilling.

When you're crippled, you have no choice but to make a living. Are you going to have to swallow your pride and endure this now? That would be too unfair to yourself.

Upon spotting a small village in the distance, Lu Xun was overjoyed. He followed the path down the hill and walked along the yellow earth village road. The fields on both sides were sparsely covered with weeds, and the few crops that stood out from the crowd were already quite impressive.

Looking towards the village, there was no smoke from chimneys, nor the sound of chickens or dogs; it seemed to be trapped in the blazing sun, with nothing else to do.

The scholar approached and saw a reddish-brown village stele with the inscription "Hejiao Village".

The deathly silence made Lu Xun frown.

Just as they were hesitating, they suddenly saw a figure beckoning.

Whether it's a ghost village or a deserted village, people need water when they're thirsty. Even if some wild ghosts or monsters have taken over the village, he'll deal with them all, which will also help strengthen the magic of the Peach Blossom Living Buddha.

Seeing the scholar approaching, the man quickly made a shushing gesture: "Shh."

Then he saw the man lead him through a winding path into a small courtyard, where several men of varying ages were sitting around a table.

Upon seeing the man return, an old man immediately stood up and asked in surprise, "Dafeng, why did you come back instead of keeping watch at the village entrance?"

Da Feng stepped aside, and a pale-faced scholar appeared behind him.

Lu Xun tried his best to put on a friendly smile and bowed, saying, "I've been traveling all the way north and have come to ask for a few bowls of water."

“I won’t take it for free; I can exchange it for grain.”

He put down the basket on his back, which contained bags of rice. He had bought it in Zhang County before he left, thinking he could use the rice to exchange for some necessities along the way.

The old man returned the greeting and said, "I am the village chief of Hejiao Village. If the scholar asks about other things, Hejiao Village may be in need of water. If you need water, we will provide it in abundance."

The village chief of Hejiao Village hurriedly asked the middle-aged man to fetch a ladle of water.

Lu Xun took out a yellow talisman from his waist, rinsed it in water, and then gulped it down.

Thanks to this talisman, he no longer needs to fear the 'Lost Child of the Sea'.

I just don't know if the things I drank from my old head will still count if I get a new head.

The group watched as the scholar drank from the ladle one ladle after another, drinking eight or nine ladles before wiping his mouth.

The scholar asked for two more ladles to fill his water bag, then took out two bags of rice, each weighing one jin (500 grams), from his basket and handed them to the village chief, asking, "Since Hejiao Village doesn't lack water, why don't you irrigate the farmland?"

If it were a drought-stricken area, that would be one thing, but why doesn't this village, which is near a water source, grow any crops?

Relying solely on the county government for disaster relief is insufficient; people must rely on themselves.

The middle-aged man replied, "Scholar, you don't know this. We weren't seriously affected by the disaster, and even the upright official Niu provided relief. But a monster has appeared out of nowhere and is now lurking by the reservoir. We have enough water for our own drinking, but if we try to use the fresh water to irrigate our fields, that monster will immediately try to eat us."

"Most of the young men sent to Zhang County for help were eaten by that monster."

The village head sighed, "Even so, we have to send them. Otherwise, if we miss the busy farming season, we'll have no harvest in the second half of the year. How will the whole village survive?"

The village chief of Hejiao stared at the yellow talisman and asked, "Could you perhaps be a highly accomplished master?"

Lu Xun looked at the talisman soaked in water in his hand and said with a smile, "You could say that."

“I knew it,” Da Feng chimed in, excitedly adding, “How could a mere scholar possibly come down from the ridge unscathed?” “I could tell you were quite capable.”

Gulu!

A blush appeared on her pale face.

Lu Xun scratched his head.

That's not what he actually meant.

"Hurry up and prepare a feast!" the village chief urged.

The village head agreed and led a group of able-bodied men to call out the women from each household to come out and cook.

In the past, rows of tables were set up in the main hall of the ancestral hall in the center of the village. The elderly from each family would sit down first, while the young, strong and women would be busy.

The village's master chef wielded his cleaver with incredible skill, the two iron blades clanging as he chopped on the cutting board. A lean pig was being bled and cooked, and the large pot he had set up was steaming. The blazing firewood added a touch of smoky warmth to the intense heat.

The setting sun casts its rays, but there is no coolness.

Lu Xun was honored to sit in the main seat, next to the village chief.

A full cup of cloudy yellow wine, along with a cluster of field vegetables and fruits.

The village chief and the head of the village kept calling him "great scholar" and "renowned scholar".

They were worldly-wise and knew that not only were monks and Taoists capable, but scholars were also not weak. They believed that it was right to respectfully call him a "great Confucian scholar." Little did they know that the "Mr. Ni" sitting there was actually a monster from the river.

Unable to refuse their hospitality, Lu Xun responded to each invitation, raising his glass of yellow wine and drinking it down, savoring its sweet and sour taste.

While they were chatting, the dishes were served, and a plate of pork head was cut out and placed on the scholar's table as if it were an offering.

Lu Xun didn't waste any food. He ate as quickly as a high school lieutenant, until his belly was round. Then he laughed and said, "I've taken your money, so I'll do something for you. Tell me, where is the reservoir?"

What's the most important thing in doing business?
Integrity.

This is Mr. Lu's principle.

At the foot of the ancestral hall steps, a group of people knelt down with a thud. Among them, several families who had lost their able-bodied members wept bitterly, while children nestled in their mothers' arms and cried along with them.

Children don't understand what death is. Adults grieve, they grieve, and they just feel they should cry their hearts out without any restraint.

The village chief hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand to signal the village head to bring the things.

The village headman brought out a plate covered with a red cloth. When he lifted it, he found it contained some broken silver coins spread on top of copper coins, along with some jewelry in black, green, white, and yellow... all mixed together.

The village headman presented the tray to the scholar and knelt silently to the side.

The village chief of Hejiao Village, his lips trembling and his beard bristling, prostrated himself, then straightened up and said, "Please, great sage, rid the people of Hejiao Village of that evil monster so that we may have water to use."

Lu Xun glanced at the tray in front of him, which was mostly filled with copper coins.

He reached out, picked up a greenish copper coin from among them, held it up to his eyes, and said, "I'm going to kill it."

(End of this chapter)