Journey to the West: Starting from the Imperial Horse Stable

Wang Chen paused almost imperceptibly for a moment, then resumed his normal pace.

Old Qian's meaning was crystal clear: he possessed evidence of Sun Mingyuan's negligence and potential irregularities. He intended to use this as a pledge of loyalty, or rather, as "assistance" in advancing the Zouma Delivery business.

But Wang Chen didn't want to listen.

At least, right now, here, he didn't want to hear a single word.

So, just as Lao Qian was about to finish saying, "Thinking about it lately, should I remind him?" and was about to lead into more specific details, Wang Chen spoke up.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable calmness, precisely cutting off Old Qian's next words.

"Old Qian," Wang Chen turned his head and glanced at Old Qian, his gaze devoid of any particular emotion, merely displaying the usual demeanor of discussing official business.

"Whether Supervisor Sun performs his duties is for his superiors to evaluate, and it is not for us subordinates to comment on. You just said that you handled the messenger service in your early years and are familiar with the ins and outs. Let me ask you, if this matter is truly intended to be restarted, in your opinion, how should we proceed?"

Old Qian was taken aback by his sudden question, and he had to swallow back the words about Sun Mingyuan that were on the tip of his tongue.

He could probably guess what Wang Chen meant. I know about this, but I don't want to hear it. It has nothing to do with me.

As for how to use these leverages later, Old Qian wasn't sure.

However, now that Wang Chen has brought up the matter of express delivery again, he should reveal everything he knows.

"If this matter is to be accomplished, it must be done step by step. We need to draft a proposal to restart the courier service, and then submit it to Wu Gongcao of the Carriage and Chariot Department, who will then forward it to the Heavenly Fortune Department for review and approval. However, these are all matters of procedure and rules. This matter still requires the approval of Hou Tongxingguan of the Heavenly Fortune Department."

When he mentioned Hou Tong's name, his tone unconsciously carried a hint of awe and helplessness. A fifth-rank star official was an unattainable figure for low-ranking celestial officials like them.

"So, the key lies with Hou Tong?" Wang Chen asked, his tone still calm.

"Exactly." Old Qian nodded. "If he doesn't agree, everything is over. But to get a star official to agree to share the spoils that's already in our mouths... it's difficult, very difficult."

He shook his head repeatedly, clearly not holding out much hope. His earlier encouragement was more of a wishful thinking.

Wang Chen didn't ask any more questions. The two walked in silence for a short while longer, and the vague outline of Old Qian's small courtyard could be seen ahead.

"This matter involves many aspects and cannot be resolved overnight," Wang Chen concluded, summarizing the evening's conversation. "Old Qian is familiar with past practices, and his words are quite insightful. Please allow me... to consider it further."

He made no promises and his attitude remained ambiguous.

Old Qian, being sensible, knew that this was all he could say for the night. He stopped and bowed, saying, "It is right that Your Excellency has given this matter much thought. I am merely providing some old news for Your Excellency's reference. Ultimately, the decision rests with Your Excellency."

"Yes, we've arrived. Mr. Qian, you can go back now." Wang Chen also stopped.

"Thank you for seeing me off, sir. Please rest well as well." Old Qian bowed again, then turned and walked towards his quiet little courtyard, his figure quickly disappearing into the darkness behind the door.

......

The next day, Wang Chen did not go directly to the Imperial Horse Stables for roll call, but instead took a detour to Xuanzhu Market.

He was going to check on the sales of "Qingxin Shoushen Dan" (a traditional Chinese medicine).

Before he even reached the vicinity of the agreed-upon shop, Wang Chen was slightly taken aback by the scene before him.

A long queue stretched from the shop entrance all the way to the street corner, even turning a corner. Most of those queuing were dressed as celestial soldiers, while some wore the robes of low-ranking celestial officials from various departments. Each of them wore an expression of urgency and anticipation.

It was only early morning, just after dawn. According to Zhang Jinghe's trading rules, these pills were only sold in limited quantities starting at late afternoon. There were still nearly four hours to go, yet the queue was already this long.

Wang Chen blended into the crowd and moved closer discreetly.

They overheard people whispering at the front of the line, complaining that the price had gone up again. At first, each pill cost only about 200 spirit stones, but today the listed price was 320 spirit stones. Even then, they weren't guaranteed to buy any; it depended on their queue number and the daily supply.

Someone chimed in, saying that these pills are now a form of hard currency; even if you don't need them yourself, you can make a profit by reselling them. So, just wait in line.

Wang Chen listened and made his assessment. Zhang Jinghe was truly skilled; he had mastered the routine that Wang Chen had taught him so quickly, and he had also grasped the timing perfectly.

The price has been driven up to 320 spirit stones, which is a considerable profit compared to the initial cost.

More importantly, not everyone in line actually suffers from severe inner demons. Perhaps they've simply been feeling tense and uneasy lately, and seeing the miraculous effects of this elixir, they want to try it out for peace of mind. Some might even be purely motivated by profit, wanting to resell it for a profit.

Regardless of the reason, this pill has become incredibly popular. Wang Chen calculated in his mind that if he sold off his 2,500 pills in batches according to this trend, the final profit would far exceed his expectations.

He did not contact Zhang Jinghe, but after watching for a while, he quietly left and went straight to the Imperial Horse Stable.

Wang Chen, who was in a good mood, sensed something was off as soon as he reached the alley where the Imperial Horse Administration was located. From a distance, he saw Zhao Deshun pacing back and forth by the gatehouse, looking anxious and glancing outside every now and then.

Upon seeing Wang Chen, Zhao Deshun's eyes lit up, and he immediately rushed forward, lowering his voice and speaking quickly and urgently: "You've finally arrived!"

"What's wrong?" Wang Chen asked calmly, noticing his expression.

Zhao Deshun leaned closer, his voice trembling with unease: "Something's happened! A few officials from the Performance Evaluation Office just arrived, saying they've been ordered to conduct a performance review. They're already at our prison, and you're in there this time."

Wang Chen frowned slightly: "Me? I've only been an ascendant for a short time, and I haven't been granted my immortal title for long either. According to regulations, newly promoted immortal officials are temporarily exempt from inspections. How come they've suddenly come to investigate me?"

"That's the strange thing," Zhao Deshun said, his face full of confusion and anger.

"Zhou Quan and I initially thought so too, and even went to explain to them. But when they took out the register and saw that it said, 'Sir, you have been granted the Immortal Register for five years!' According to the rules, you must participate in this performance review. Zhou Quan checked the copy of the record in our prison and found that it had been altered at some point, and was exactly the same as the register brought by the Performance Review Office."

Wang Chen's gaze suddenly sharpened.

The celestial register record has been altered. It has changed from "newly promoted" to "five years old".

This changed the situation from something that could be checked or not to something that absolutely had to be checked. A crucial aspect of the performance review was verifying whether one's cultivation level matched the job requirements. The position of Bi Ma Wen (弼马温) traditionally required a cultivation level of at least the peak of the Celestial Immortal realm. Wang Chen, however, was only at the early stage of the Celestial Immortal realm.

They're trying to get rid of him.

Without a doubt, who else could be the one who could tamper with the records within the Imperial Horse Administration and had the motive and ability to influence the records of the Performance Evaluation Department, besides that Assistant Director Sun who just suffered a great loss?

This isn't the first time Sun Mingyuan has been this anxious.

Last time, Li Jing's army had just set out on a campaign, and the outcome was still uncertain, but he couldn't wait to confirm his position as Bi Ma Wen (a low-ranking official in charge of horses). As a result, Li Jing suffered a defeat, and his cleverness backfired.

This time, he was only feeling the pressure after yesterday's setback in the distribution of elixirs and his loss of authority. Without even looking at the aftermath of Taibai Jinxing's attempt to recruit Sun Wukong, he immediately took drastic measures, intending to use this "performance verification" as an excuse to remove himself from his position as the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses.

Look, you're in a hurry again.

Seeing his silence, Zhao Deshun became even more anxious: "What do we do now? The people from the Performance Evaluation Office are inside, and they insist that the record is as it is and that we must proceed according to the rules. Zhou Quan is trying to negotiate with them, but he's almost at his breaking point."

Wang Chen's good mood wasn't spoiled by this. He patted Zhao Deshun on the shoulder and walked inside first. Zhao Deshun was still anxious, but seeing his calm demeanor, he felt relieved and quickly followed.

Wang Chen stepped inside and glanced around. He saw two unfamiliar celestial officials dressed in the robes of the Examination and Merit Bureau sitting in the hall, their faces serious. Sun Mingyuan was sitting at the lower end, a smile on his face, but when he saw Wang Chen enter, the smile deliberately faded, replaced by an expression of annoyance and apology.

"Wang Bi Ma Wen is back?" Sun Mingyuan spoke first, standing up and introducing him to the two officials from the Examination and Merit Department, "Gentlemen, this is our current Bi Ma Wen of the Imperial Stables, Lord Wang Chen."

He then turned to Wang Chen, sighed, and said with a helpless tone, "Lord Wang, look at the mess this has made. The two officials from the Performance Evaluation Department came to verify your performance today. I originally thought that since you were newly promoted, you wouldn't be included in the inspection, so I didn't tell you beforehand and directly arranged for the inspection to be held today. Who would have thought that there would be a mistake in the records, showing that your celestial register has been in effect for five years. What are we going to do now? It's really... alas, it was my oversight. I should have checked with you beforehand."