Yinshan Record

Chapter 126 The Tide Comes and Goes
Su Che pushed open the window and looked at the flowers and weeds in the courtyard.

It was already broad daylight, and the season was approaching autumn. Looking up at the sky, all one could see was a vast expanse of blue sky, with high clouds and light mist.

I've been in Shanyin County for quite some time now, but I haven't had many comfortable nights spent lying in bed.

With the Azure Emperor's Treasure Garden in hand and the White Deer Cave's spies dead, he entered the Yellow Heaven Path's Longevity True Man's sect. Relying on his predecessor's ancestral blessings and so-called destiny, this first step was taken with ease and naturalness.

Su Che sat down with peace of mind, slowly ground the inkstone, and began to write a letter.

This letter was to be taken back to the palace by Feng Xingbu, so that he could give an explanation to his elder.

The wolf-hair brush, soaked in ink, wrote neat lines of small characters on the blue paper.

Su Che wrote down some of the things that had happened since he took office, omitting the beginning and end, and then set them aside to dry quietly.

Even after the Green Lion left, the rights and wrongs still linger.

There are also many temptations that attract all sorts of people.

The nine-page golden book, each page containing a great Buddhist supernatural power, is an absolutely captivating treasure.

There's also the legendary innate divine talisman, which, according to legend, grants one the power to ascend to godhood. Countless demons and monsters covet this secret treasure that can directly alter one's divine path.

This is still the real thing, and as for the various other illusions that inevitably arise from the rumors, who knows how many heroes will be tempted to bow down.

The mountain demons have departed, but the inner demons remain untamed.

Shanyin County is destined to have little peace.

Su Che felt that he still had to do something for the people of Shanyin County, otherwise he would have accomplished nothing in his term as an official.

If we're talking about what was done, it's not like nothing was accomplished.

A demon with one eye was hidden in the county treasury, intending to divert trouble elsewhere. However, this attracted the demon's mischief, and a strong wind swept away the treasury of Shanyin County, but the people received a sum of relief.

Another matter is that, under the attack of the Black Mountain Monster, the powerful Jiang family in Shanyin County was ruthlessly wiped out by the Imperial Censor Yu Ze. With this local powerful family removed, the people of Shanyin County may have two or three years of peace.

However, both of these events were actually accidental, orchestrated by others. They could be said to have some connection to me, but not much.

"Chief Justice, your humble servant Lu Bai requests an audience."

Su Che turned his head and saw that Lu Bai, a fair-skinned imperial guard with a long sword with a ring pommel at his waist, was saluting him at the door.

"What's the matter?"

"Commander Shi told me to wait for the executioner, saying that I should go to him first to await orders, and that there would be important matters to discuss with Eunuch Feng when he returned."

"What's the most important thing?" Su Che thought. "The old lion has been reduced to ashes, and most of the demons in Xuanshan with names and surnames have been wiped out. What else could be so important?"

"Wait a moment, I'll go with you, and we can return your Qilin robe to you."

Su Che quickly tidied himself up, straightened his clothes, dipped some cool tea from his teacup and wiped his eyes, put on his official seal, pushed open the door and went out to hand the satchel containing the Qilin robe to Lu Bai.

"There's news from Xuan Mountain. When will Eunuch Feng return?"

"A messenger returned this morning, saying that the search of the mountain was a great success. Lord Feng has killed several powerful demons and is preparing to lead Wuyun back to the city. The demons with reputations in Xuanshan are either dead or have fled, and the rest are no longer a threat."

"Liu, the military advisor of the Jingye Division, has returned from the imperial court."

Su Che went through the name in his mind and remembered who this person was.

The leader of the Cizhou Jingye Division, Liu Yu, the registrar, is said to be a fifth-rank master from the Taoist alchemy lineage.

I had heard Shi Chibao mention before that it was this Military Advisor Liu who went straight to Jiankang with his secret letter to report, which led to the arrangement for Feng Xingbu to lead Wuyundu out of the capital.

Now that Feng Buxing has led reinforcements and completely breached Xuanshan, this messenger has arrived late, which is quite intriguing and thought-provoking.

Needless to say, this Military Advisor Liu must also be one of us who slacks off, and definitely a master at it.

"By the way, is that cow behaving itself with you?"

"He's very honest, but he talks a bit strangely. He keeps saying that we're already kindred spirits, and that he'll give me some kind of gift." "That's good. Don't pay any attention to him. Let him wait and see. I'll keep this ox for later."

Su Che's residence was not far from the county government hall. As he and Lu Bai chatted, they walked outside the hall and saw a rather refined-looking middle-aged man chatting with Shi Chibao with a smile.

Shi Chibao's face was undeniably grim.

"You're quite lucky. We served you hand and foot here in Shanyin, living in fear and trembling, and then you got promoted..."

Liu Yu, however, spoke with a serious expression.

"Sigh, that's unreasonable. Who hasn't endured hardship and fear? Don't talk nonsense. Next time it will be your turn. The Holy Emperor is on the throne, so don't hold grudges..."

“Sun Zicai harbors resentment. I ask you, is that matter true?”

"What's the matter?"

"It's Princess Guangning..."

"My esteemed judge, with your gossipy nature, it would be a miracle if you ever got promoted."

The two chattered away, and Su Che listened intently.

He coughed softly from a distance between them.

The two of them then came to their senses.

"Is this Su Lixing? He truly is a young hero."

Upon seeing Su Che arrive, Military Advisor Liu spoke quite amiably.

"I have met Military Advisor Liu."

Su Che returned the greeting.

"No need to bow to him, we're not colleagues anymore anyway."

Shi Chibao reached out and grabbed Su Che's sleeve, pulling him behind him.

"Su Lixing, remember this: our Imperial Guards should keep to themselves and the Jingye Division, but to put it bluntly, we should never have anything to do with them again."

You two seemed to be having a great time chatting, even gossiping about the Princess.

Judging from the demeanor of these two henchmen, Su Che could tell they had a very good personal relationship.

"Don't listen to him. Business is business, and personal matters are personal matters. Shanyin is in decline. When we arrive in Cizhou Prefecture another day, I will host the event. I hope that Judge Su will do me the honor."

"How dare I? How dare I? Military Advisor Liu, you are too kind. I will certainly pay you a visit."

Shi Chibao hummed and hawed for a while before getting to the point.

"Princess Guangning...is she really missing?"

Princess Guangning, that name sounds familiar.

Su Che listened as the two continued their gossip.

“Red Leopard, I told you to read more books. If someone goes missing, they are lost and cannot be found. But is Princess Guangning’s disappearance considered missing? She was just out of sight for one night. At most, she went out for a trip.”

"Didn't see anyone all night?"

"His Majesty, for some reason, became temperamental and invited Princess Guangning and several others to a meeting. But somehow, something went wrong. We can't find them anywhere, so we've sent the Imperial Guards and the Jingye Division to search for them."

"We searched all night long, hehe, with so many experts from both sides, we couldn't even find a trace of them."

"His Majesty was furious, but fortunately His Highness the Crown Prince was there to persuade him, which prevented a disaster."

(End of this chapter)