Yinshan Record

Chapter 221 The Power of People's Faith
Inside Tongde Tower, Madam Xie reluctantly closed the book in her hands.

It's time to set off.

There was still a distance to travel from Tian'an County to Cizhou City. She hated the bumpy journey, but she also understood that in life, there are many things that one cannot refuse to do, even if one is unwilling to do them.

"Madam, we can't leave now."

The maid walked into the room from outside with an unhappy expression and glanced at the book in the lady's hand.

"You're still watching 'The Legend of the Dragon Girl,' all that love and romance? What's the point?"

What happened?

"The city gates have all been sealed off by the Imperial Guards, who say that there are demons causing trouble."

As a member of the demons in a broad sense, the little maid was very unhappy.

Zhu Yan was a strange creature that roamed the primordial world in ancient times. Legend has it that it was a calamity-bringing beast, and wherever it went, war and disaster would follow.

Although the maid was taken in and raised by the Xie family of Chenjun from a young age, she still had the nature of a ferocious beast, and only the Lady Xie in front of her could control her.

Later, when she married into the Wang family of Langya, the Xie family of Chenjun simply gave this little Zhu Yan as part of her dowry.

Besides giving Madam Xie more confidence, the ultimate reason was that she knew no one but Madam Xie could control this strange creature, and keeping it at home would only bring more trouble.

"The Imperial Guards?"

Madam Xie keenly perceived the problem.

"Hmm, a bunch of second-rate seventh-rank officials."

Most of the top-tier operators in the elite units are around the seventh rank.

It seems that Shi Chibao has arrived.

Madam Xie made a deduction in her mind.

The two leading figures of the Cizhou Imperial Guard are Shi Chibao and Su Che. I've already met that old acquaintance before; he seems to have adopted the demeanor of a wandering knight.

This is normal, though. Su Che has only been with the Imperial Guard for a short time and hasn't figured out their usual tactics yet.

Only Shi Chibao could command the Imperial Guards to make such a racket.

But what is his intention in making such a commotion at this time?
"Madam, why don't you just show us the Langya Wang clan's name and we'll leave directly?"

"I'm rather intrigued; I want to see what they're up to." Madam Xie reopened the book, "The Legend of the Dragon Girl." "Let them seal it if they want."

At the city gate of Tian'an County, Magistrate Pei Huai glared angrily at Zhu Yi, who was dressed in official robes.

"What does this mean? Why are all the gates blocked?"

"It doesn't mean anything, it's just the intention of the Cizhou Judicial Commissioner's Office."

Zhu Yi was nominally a spy for the Imperial Guard in Tian'an County, but in reality, his spy career was very successful, and almost everyone in Tian'an County knew that he was a member of the Imperial Guard.

Pei Huai took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Old Zhu, now is not the time for jokes. With the city gates closed, where will the people in the county get their food, clothing, and other necessities?"

"We have to get through these difficult times together; there's nothing we can do about it."

Let's get through these difficult times together.

Pei Huai smiled when he heard those four words.

"The disaster victims outside are all waiting for the grain in the government granaries to drink porridge. Old Zhu, if this incites a popular uprising, it will be a terrible thing. Please talk to the higher-ups and ask them to be lenient."

Zhu Yi didn't speak, he just smiled.

Inside the silk shop, Su Che and Shi Chibao were doing some calculations together.

"The food in the soup kitchens outside should have enough for two days, but this doesn't take into account the fact that more and more disaster victims are arriving, so we'll count that as one day."

Su Che scribbled and drew on the paper.

"As the saying goes, 'If you're alive for a day, you need to eat; if you're alive for three days, you need to wear clothes.' In the end, it all comes down to survival, so sealing off the city is actually a poor strategy. Sealing off the city back and forth only causes trouble for the local government; what impact will it have on that City God?"

Su Che looked at Shi Chibao.

"The move of sealing off the city is a bad strategy no matter how you look at it." Su Che thought it was going too far. The target this time was the City God of Tian'an County, not the people of Tian'an County or the disaster victims outside the city.

If it really sparks a popular uprising, it will be a major upheaval.

At this critical juncture of "the arrival of the Three Yang Tribulations," we cannot afford any further complications.

“Brother, you don’t know this,” Shi Chibao said, “I’m actually only sealing it off for six hours. After six hours, I’ll open one city gate for people to come and go. As for the soup kitchens outside, as long as there’s food, nothing will go wrong.”

Su Che nodded; Shi Chibao was right. For the disaster victims who were arriving from all over Cizhou, Tian'an County was not their final destination, but merely a transit point.

They were going to Jiankang and Jiangzhou.

A bowl of hot porridge can soothe the internal organs, but we still have to keep going.

"The title bestowed by the Chief Justice..." Su Che thought for a moment, "is actually a matter of human nature."

"That's right, we need to create panic in Tian'an County."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che: "God is based on faith. When people's hearts are in turmoil, the incense offerings in the human world will also be in turmoil."

God is based on faith.

Su Che pondered the meaning behind Shi Chibao's words.

The foundation of spiritual practice lies in the offerings of incense and prayers from the human world; more specifically, it lies in the faith and power of people's hearts. One could say that the spiritual cultivation of deities is intertwined with that of their believers.

Therefore, at the end of a dynasty, when people's hearts are in turmoil, it is also the time when various gods are most prone to trouble. The old gods lose the support of their followers, and the new gods find an opportunity to rise up.

The chaotic thoughts and ideas of people's hearts are the stage where the gods fight for power.

The core of the belief of the City God of Tian'an County lies among the people of Tian'an County.

At this very moment, Shi Chibao deliberately created chaos and unrest among the people, using this opportunity to probe the true nature of the City God of Tian'an County.

"This is the first step."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che.

"Then comes the second move."

Cizhou's Chief of Justice pulled a list from his sleeve.

Su Che took it and looked at the name on it.

"These people are..."

"They are all his core followers."

The names on this list include the temple keeper of the City God Temple, several local gentry who had donated money to repair the City God Temple, and some incense burners who frequently organized people to worship at the City God Temple.

Some of these people genuinely believed in the City God of Tian'an County, while others were merely engaging in transactions with each other.

However, these people have formed a large network, and they are all important nodes in this network.

"I have already had my men ask them to leave."

Shi Chibao demonstrated his ruthless methods as a veteran member of the Imperial Guard, proving himself to be a man forged through countless trials.

"Once these people leave, he won't be able to appease them even if he wants to."

"Then comes the third step."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che and said, "When the time comes, I'll trouble you to join me in making him confess his crimes and be executed."

"I don't think he'll just sit here and wait to die."

Su Che looked at Shi Chibao.

“If it’s just a city lockdown, it might take him another half an hour to figure out who he needs to deal with. If we get rid of all his temple priests and core followers, he will definitely react.”

"So we still need to use speed to defeat slowness."

Shi Chibao looked at Su Che and said, "Brother, please go to the City God Temple first and meet this City God who has fallen into demonic possession."

(End of this chapter)