National Division

Chapter 129 Wang Shence Arrives!
next day
The Guhe County government took action, sending yamen runners and constables to post notices announcing the attack of the corpse demon and proposing to mobilize able-bodied men to assist in the defense of the city.

Then, the three hundred soldiers of Guhe County took over the city gate and the Caohe ferry, preparing to face the approaching corpse demon.

Accompanied by Registrar Pei, Shen Bin began inviting several leaders of the Sihai Gang and Jinsha Gang to the county government office for a meeting.

Zhao Chang, the leader of the Jinsha Gang, and Sun Qi, the leader of the Sihai Gang, sat down in a chair with a backrest in the hall, their eyes fixed on Shen Bin, the magistrate of Guhe County.

Zhao Chang held a walnut in his hand, a thoughtful expression appearing on his slightly chubby face.

With a simple, honest smile on his face, Zhao Chang asked, "What brings Magistrate Shen here?"

Previously, Zhao Chang had followed the advice of Registrar Pei and sold the Crimson Essence Pill to Shen Xian. Unexpectedly, not long after, the Shen family father and son began to rise to prominence.

Zhao Chang couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had formed a good relationship with Shen Bin before; otherwise, given Shen Bin's aversion to gangs, he might have taken action against the Jinsha Gang as soon as he had a spare moment.

Sun Qi, the leader of the Sihai Gang, was more composed. He occasionally exchanged glances with Zhao Lang and Li Yan, knowing that there was nothing seriously wrong.

Shen Bin said in a deep voice, “Gentlemen, Guhe County has just received an urgent report from the imperial court that a major demonic disaster has occurred in Ningyang and Linchuan counties, and a tide of corpses will soon surge toward Guhe County. As the magistrate of Guhe, I urgently need to arrange defenses. Your families and businesses are all in Guhe County. When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? I hope that you will work together with the county government to overcome this difficult time.”

Zhao Chang patted his chest, a heroic air appearing on his face, and said, "Don't worry, Magistrate Shen. We are natives of Guhe County, and naturally we must protect our homeland."

Sun Qi echoed this sentiment, but a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes as he asked, "What is the condition of the Corpse Demon, and how strong is it?"

“Ordinary people, infected by the corpse demon's poison, lose their minds and become cruel and bloodthirsty, resembling monsters that tear people apart. Those who are torn apart are then infected with the corpse poison.” Shen Bin described the characteristics of the corpse demon, his face full of solemnity. He said in a deep voice, “They are not afraid of pain when wounded by ordinary swords, axes, or halberds, and can still charge and kill. They are truly fearless of death.”

Upon hearing this description, Sun Qi also found it quite troublesome and asked, "What about the martial artist? If his head is cut off, will he still be able to move around without any problems?"

“If we cut off its head, the corpse demon will die instantly,” Shen Bin said confidently.

How can a person live without a head?

Sun Qi felt somewhat relieved, and a questioning look appeared in his tiger-like eyes as he asked, "Then how does the county defend itself against the enemy, and what do you need us to do?"

Zhao Chang, the leader of the Jinsha Gang, thumped his chest loudly again and replied with a resounding voice, "Yes, we dare not disobey Magistrate Shen's order!"

"The county government is preparing to purchase a large quantity of kerosene. Recently, the Guhe River canal will be subject to control measures, mainly for transporting grain and fodder. At the same time, kerosene chains will be set up on the Guhe River to prevent the corpse demon from crossing it," Shen Bin said thoughtfully.

Not only will rockets and oil be prepared in the valley, but also in the city. At the same time, facilities will be placed outside the city to block the zombie horde in layers.

Sun Qi announced loudly, "Leave the matter of kerosene, rockets, and chains to the Four Seas Gang. Construction can begin on the Gu River."

The Four Seas Gang also has many members who are dockworkers making a living on the canal. It would be much better to leave this kind of thing to them.

Shen Bin nodded and said, "In a few days, the imperial court will also send a large army. The county needs to supply grain and fodder, which requires ships to purchase from other counties. Do either of your groups have ships?"

Guhe County doesn't usually have many government-owned cargo ships, so they have to rely on gangs for help.

Zhao Chang of the Jinsha Gang, having been outmaneuvered by Sun Qi, was already quite regretful. He quickly shouted, "The Jinsha Gang has many large ships that can transport provisions and weapons to support the army's operations."

"This matter will be left to the Golden Sands Gang," Shen Bin said with approval in his eyes and a slight nod.

Sometimes, you really can't do without these gangs.

In fact, Shen Bin did not know that because the government could not penetrate into all walks of life, self-governing organizations, as a supplement to the power vacuum, also had their necessity to exist.

Otherwise, it will increase administrative costs significantly.

Shen Bin said, “Gentlemen, once the zombie horde surges toward Guhe, the elders and folks of Guhe County will suffer at the hands of the zombie demons. You are all powerful figures in the county, so you should work together to repel the zombie horde. In addition, in order to suppress the zombie horde, the imperial court will reward martial artists who kill zombie demons with silver, pills and cultivation techniques. The specific regulations will be posted in the city.”

Last night, Shen Xian's proposal to capture the corpse demon was just a preliminary idea; the bounty would be determined based on the corpse demon's combat strength.

Upon hearing this, the gang leaders present all responded in unison.

……

……

Beside the Valley River stands a magnificent and elegant manor—

Princess Qing wore a well-tailored pale yellow dress, her hair styled in a magnificent bun. Her face was stunningly beautiful, with fair and smooth skin, making her incredibly alluring.

The noblewoman was holding a newspaper in her hand, which contained an article titled "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".

The beautiful woman, with her radiant beauty, said with a hint of regret, "It's such a pity that there's only one chapter."

Li Tianxia said softly, "Mother, Aunt said yesterday that Mr. Shen has been promoted to Scholar Shen and has too many things to do, so he can no longer write this novel."

In ancient times, writing novels was often considered a waste of one's proper occupation.

"Yes, these people are better off not being officials. Once they become officials, they stop writing books properly." Princess Qing put away the newspaper, her ample bosom surging, and her voluptuous face, as beautiful as a sunset, looked even more charming in the sunlight.

Li Tianxia said softly, "Mother, I think Mr. Shen values ​​this newspaper, so he should continue to organize it."

Princess Qing stretched out a fair and delicate hand, gently patted her chest, and said softly, "It's actually not bad here in Guhe County, it's just a bit too comfortable."

"Well, there are advantages to being at ease, though. Unlike in the capital, I don't have to live in constant fear," the beautiful woman said softly.

Li Tianxia gave a soft "hmm," her gaze lost in thought.

Just then, a maid entered the backyard and announced, "Madam, Miss Xue has arrived."

"Your sister Zhihua is here. Let's go see her together later," said Princess Qing.

Li Tianxia got up and followed Princess Qing toward the front courtyard flower hall.

Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua were sitting in the hall, enjoying fragrant tea.

Xue Zhihua said, "The place where Tianxia lives is too close to the Valley River. If the Corpse Demon attacks, I'm afraid we won't be able to withstand it."

“Then we can buy another one in the city,” Shen Xian said.

Xue Zhihua said softly, "It's not that it's impossible."

During the brief pause in their conversation, Li Tianxia and Princess Qing, along with her daughter, entered from outside the hall.

Li Tianxia's voice was soft and sweet, and a look of joy appeared in her beautiful eyes as she said, "Sister Zhihua."

As she spoke, she approached, fluttering towards me like a butterfly.

A radiant smile appeared on Xue Zhihua's fair and delicate skin as she said, "Sweet Xia, it's been a while."

Li Tianxia said softly, "Sister Zhihua has been in the capital for a month now."

At this moment, Shen Xian looked at the Princess Consort of Qing, who was as still as a virgin and as swift as a rabbit. They exchanged a glance, and Shen Xian nodded, not daring to look at her any longer.

He thought to himself, "This princess's figure is as amazing as ever."

Xue Zhihua said with a worried tone, "Recently, a great disaster will befall Guhe County. Madam and Tianxia, ​​you must be careful."

"What trouble?" Princess Qing asked, a hint of surprise in her beautiful eyes.

Xue Zhihua said, "In Ningyang and Linchuan counties, demonic people are causing trouble, leading to the death of corpse demons. They will soon flock to Guhe, and there will be a fierce battle in Guhe County."

Upon hearing this, Princess Qing frowned slightly, a look of surprise appearing on her face. She said, "We haven't had two days of peace, and now war has broken out again."

Li Tianxia's voice was sweet and lively: "Mother was just saying how comfortable it is."

Shen Xian: "..." As if noticing Shen Xian's sidelong glance, Li Tianxia lowered her bright eyes, her heart pounding wildly.

Shen Xian said, "The corpse demon has caused havoc, and countless people have lost their lives and been displaced."

"Yes." Princess Qing nodded, a look of surprise appearing in her clear, bright eyes. She asked, "The imperial court should send troops to suppress them, right?"

Shen Xian said, "The imperial army is already on its way."

"The imperial court has suffered from natural disasters and man-made calamities for the past two years, and the national treasury is probably already empty," Princess Qing sighed.

Just then, a servant entered the room and said, "Madam, a member of the Imperial Guard outside says that someone from the county government has arrived."

Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua exchanged a glance and whispered, "It seems that Wang Shence has arrived."

Xue Zhihua nodded and said, "We're almost there."

Shen Xian then looked at Princess Qing and said, "Your Highness, Zhihua and I have other matters to attend to, so we will not stay in the manor any longer."

Princess Qing said gently, "Scholar Shen, please attend to your own business first. However, if you have time, you should still write the manuscript."

Shen Xian said, "The manuscript for the second chapter should be printed in the Guhe Daily in the next couple of days."

As they spoke, they left Prince Qing's residence.

"Sister Zhihua, when are you coming to see me?" Li Tianxia asked, holding Xue Zhihua's hand with some reluctance.

County government office, government office

At this moment, Wang Shence's face was ashen. Supported by two sword puppets, he sat down in a chair with a backrest, his aura weak and listless.

Shen Bin asked, "General Wang, what's the situation in Ningyang County?"

If Wang Shence hadn't shown his Jinwuwei badge, Shen Bin wouldn't have been able to connect the listless middle-aged man with the Right Jinwuwei General of the imperial court.

Wang Shence's voice was weak: "Many of the people in Ningyang County have been infected by the corpse demons. They have attacked Linchuan County and killed tens of thousands of people. In the next few days, refugees from the two counties will likely flee here. Guhe County needs to make preparations as soon as possible!"

"General Wang, how strong is the Corpse Demon? How does it compare to a Post-Heaven Martial Artist?" Shen Bin asked.

Wang Shence said, "Not all corpse demons are made of copper and iron. If a strong adult male becomes a corpse demon, he is probably comparable to a martial artist at the third level of the acquired realm. Some of the stronger ones can even withstand a martial artist at the fourth level of the acquired realm."

Just then, a yamen runner entered the hall and said, "Your Excellency, Scholar Shen has arrived."

Shen Bin and Pei Zhubu looked in the direction of the sound and saw Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua entering the government office under the escort of the Qianniu Guards.

Wang Shence also noticed the Qianniu Guards dressed in their Qianniu robes, his gaze falling on the young man at the head of the group.

“Commander Xue.” Wang Shence naturally recognized Xue Zhihua, the daughter of the Duke of Xue.

Or rather, the Xue family was more trusted by the Empress Dowager than he was.

Xue Zhihua said in a clear voice, "General Wang, this is Scholar Shen, the Hebei Circuit Commissioner, Academician of Zhaowen Pavilion, and Supervisor of Qilin Pavilion. The Empress has entrusted him with full authority to deal with the corpse demons in Anzhou. General Wang, you can tell Scholar Shen about the situation of the corpse demons in Ningyang County and Linchuan County."

Shen Xian looked at Wang Shence and said, "I heard that you came to investigate the Yu family's escape to the capital. I didn't expect to encounter such a disaster when you passed through Ningyang County. It seems that we have some kind of fate between us."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shence's heart tightened.

Actually, I already knew from the account of the county clerks that the magistrate of Guhe County had been replaced by Shen Bin.

The scholar Shen before us is probably Shen Xian of the Lanxi Shen family, who is engaged to the Yu family's daughter.

Thinking of the reason behind this, a bitter smile appeared on Wang Shence's face.

Xue Zhihua said, "The Heavenly Empress has already pardoned the Yu family girl's crime. General Wang, there is no need to arrest the Yu family girl. Now, Scholar Shen is the Imperial Envoy, in charge of dealing with the demonic disturbance in Hebei Province. I hope General Wang will not hold a grudge because of the past."

“You were just following orders, so I won’t take it to heart. As for your injuries and the medicine you need, I will request it from the imperial court, and it will be delivered soon.” Shen Xian nodded and said, “Tell me, what is the current situation in Ningyang County? How did you survive the ambush that day?”

Upon hearing this, Wang Shence felt a mix of emotions and replied, "I was ambushed by the Corpse Yin Sect at the time!"

Then he recounted what had happened.

It turned out that Wang Shence had received the imperial edict to arrest the Yu family's daughter, and led the Jinwu Guard and the Dali Temple's criminal officers on horseback towards Anzhou.

However, when passing through Ningyang County, they noticed something unusual. At dusk, while staying overnight at an inn eight miles outside Ningyang County, they saw a green, eerie mist spreading, which seemed strange.

Wang Shence, confident in his fifth-level martial arts cultivation, was bold and daring. Ignoring the advice of the accompanying Dali Temple officials not to cause any trouble, he led his troops into Ningyang County to assess the situation.

As the sun set and the blood moon hung high in the sky, the people of the county went mad, tearing and biting each other in the streets.

Wang Shence was, after all, a fifth-realm [Martial God] cultivator, with a high level of cultivation. He fought fiercely and killed many corpse demons.

But it undoubtedly attracted the attention of the experts from the Corpse Yin Sect very quickly.

Many experts from the Corpse Yin Sect, who were at the fifth level of the Immortal Path, used their corpse puppets to besiege Wang Shence.

Wang Shence fought against three opponents without being at a disadvantage, finally attracting the attention of a sixth-realm expert.

Wang Shence unleashed his Martial Soul Strike in the end, but was severely injured and fled.

The Corpse Yin Sect experts gave chase, but he was saved by Lin Xuan, the peak master of Taibai Peak, who was assessing the situation.

Just as Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua were making preparations to leave Anzhou, the former residence of County Magistrate Liu—

Liu Yu, his face full of worry, was discussing the details of a letter with his steward when he looked at the middle-aged man in a martial arts outfit opposite him and asked, "Brother, are you really not coming back? Such a big thing has happened at home. If he doesn't come back, who can make decisions?"

"Second Young Master, the Eldest Young Master's cultivation breakthrough is urgent, and he really can't get away." The middle-aged man said, "The Eldest Young Master also said that there will be a great calamity in Guhe County soon. Although the Master has been dismissed from his post this time, he has escaped a calamity. He has asked the Dongyang Libationer to rescue him from the Dali Temple through the Yuqing Sect, so the Second Young Master does not need to worry about the Master's safety."

Liu Yu looked anxious and asked, "But what should we do with all the property and people in the Liu family?"

Liu Yu usually lacked his own opinions, but now that County Magistrate Liu had fallen from power, he was left to make all the decisions, and he was at a loss as to what to do.

"Second Young Master, we cannot stay in Guhe County for long." The middle-aged man said, "Pack your valuables and leave Guhe by boat. As for the servants, dismiss those who should be dismissed, and then have someone stay behind to guard the place, taking the land deeds and house deeds with them."

The steward advised, "Young master, the county magistrate is still interrogating the master. In the future, they will likely pursue the embezzled funds. The fields and shops are things that cannot be taken away."

Just then, a young servant from the Liu household came running in from outside, panting, and said, "Young master, something terrible has happened."

Liu Yu was extremely anxious and asked, "What is it?"

"Young master, there's a notice posted outside the county government office saying that a large number of corpse demons are causing trouble in Ningyang County and Linchuan County, and the zombie tide may reach Guhe River soon. They're asking every household in the city to send out able-bodied men to help defend the city." The young servant's face showed panic.

Guhe County wanted to recruit able-bodied men, so it was impossible for them to hide the news from their superiors. Moreover, both the soldiers and the county yamen runners had relatives and friends, and it was impossible to keep the news from being kept secret when it came to a matter of life and death for the county.

Once news of the zombie attack spreads, it's easy to imagine that wealthy merchants in the county will flee to other states for refuge.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu was startled.

"This is the trouble the young master was talking about," the middle-aged man said.

Seeing this, Liu Yu no longer hesitated and said, "Let's go, pack our things and leave immediately!"

As he spoke, he instructed his servants to start packing their belongings, preparing to flee Guhe County.

(End of this chapter)