Chapter 122, Immortal Worship

Translator: StarReader

 

The Second Master Zhang, along with a group of over a dozen constables, swaggered into the countryside.

 

The county constables had been exceptionally busy recently.

 

In the previous two months, the pirates of the Whale Gang had rebelled and wreaked havoc, creating a significant disturbance. The pirates were ferocious and showed no fear of the authorities, so the constables remained within the county seat, too afraid to venture out and collect taxes. With the New Year fast approaching, the tax revenue from many remote townships had yet to be collected.

 

Following the battle on the Vastest Lake, the Whale Gang pirates were wiped out, and the unrest completely subsided. Gusu County City smoothly resumed its governance over the remote townships.

 

The constables breathed a collective sigh of relief, finally daring to leave the city to collect taxes. And, of course, to celebrate with a feast in each township.

 

Team Leader Second Master Zhang, having received the tax collection task, brought a group of constables and put on a formidable display as they arrived at Zhou Village to collect taxes.

 

In the thirteen counties of the Wu Region, there existed the position of village head. Every hundred households constituted a village, within which one village head was appointed. Every five villages constituted a township, within which one township head was assigned.

 

As the constables ventured into the countryside to collect taxes, the village head of Zhou Village naturally served cautiously and accompanied them, going door to door to collect the taxes that had not yet been paid this year.

 

The arrival of the constables invariably caused chaos throughout the entire village. It was necessary to exhaust every effort to appease them to avoid incurring the displeasure of Second Master Zhang.

 

The village head bowed low, serving with utmost caution, and pleaded, “Second Master Zhang, in the months prior, those pirates from the Vastest Lake would daily visit Zhou Village to profit from the villagers, stripping nearly every household bare. We villagers have no money; this year is truly difficult! Could you perhaps plead our case with the county magistrate and request some leniency?!”

 

“You mud-legged peasants are truly ungrateful! If it weren’t for our constables sacrificing their lives and spilling their blood, how could the Whale Gang have been wiped out?

 

“The court expended a considerable amount of silver for this battle—did you have that calculated?”

 

“The weighing fees from the Whale Gang pirates are gone forever. The government has saved the fishermen of Zhou Village a considerable amount of silver! Can’t you show some gratitude instead of dwelling on some imagined hardship?!

 

“Don’t give me that nonsense; begging won’t do any good. The tax for Zhou Village this year must be collected in full within two days!”

 

Second Master Zhang glared at the village head and broke into a torrent of curses. “Go prepare some fresh delicacies for me to whet my appetite! I’m tired of rice and noodles every day in the city; I need a change of pace.”

 

“Yes, yes!”

 

The village head quickly nodded and bowed, ordering people to bring forth fresh river crabs to entertain the constables and Second Master Zhang.

 

“You peasants, are you bringing these clumsy crabs to placate me? Even dogs wouldn’t want to eat them! Give me something worthwhile; a few prized Silverback Swordfish, or a basket of redtail prawns will do.”

 

Second Master Zhang glanced at the basket of river crabs and immediately scowled, unleashing a barrage of curses.

 

“Second Master, these are too rare… whether we can get them depends entirely on luck; they’re not something we have readily available.”

 

“If that’s truly impossible, then some white rice and white noodles will have to suffice.”

 

Xiang Zheng’s face was a mask of misery. “Second Master, white rice and white noodles are only prepared for the New Year’s festivities; this time of year, there’s nothing available, families have no money to acquire them, only some common fish.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Second Master Zhang’s expression darkened.

 

Damn it, he couldn’t squeeze a single bit of profit from this.

 

Was he being sent on a fool’s errand!?

 

The more than a dozen burly constables behind him glared menacingly at the village head, their eyes sharp and predatory.

 

The village head immediately panicked and quickly said, “Second Master, please calm your anger. I’ll go search each household; perhaps we can find something.”

 

There was no other choice; he could only try to scrape together something to appease them.

 

Second Master Zhang nodded, finally satisfied, as he led a group of constables along the riverbank.

 

They saw a cluster of over thirty villagers gathered near an old row tree beside a fishing boat, creating a scene of unusual festivity and merriment.

 

“Whose household is this, celebrating a joyous occasion?”

 

Second Master Zhang’s expression darkened, pointing ahead and asking, “What’s going on?”

 

The village head peered and quickly said, “That’s the Su family’s fishing boat. They’re always poor, and I don’t know what they’re celebrating. Could it be an arranged marriage?!”

 

“Hmph, sure enough, a group of lawless commoners! You have money for a celebration, but you don’t have money to pay taxes? Do you think I, the constable of Gusu County, am a mere decoration? This year’s boat tax will be collected starting with the Su family!”

 

Second Master Zhang scoffed, leading over a dozen constables with an air of arrogance towards the old fishing boat by the river.

 

The village head was drenched in sweat, fearing trouble, and quickly followed.

 

…

 

“Constable Team Leader Second Master Zhang is here, and they’ve come to collect taxes again!”

 

A young herder, seeing the village head accompanying a group of constables towards the Su family’s fishing boat, hurried into the bustling crowd.

 

Amidst the crowd, Father Su and Mother Su immediately felt a sense of unease.

 

“W-what are we going to do?”

 

They had been planning to use the ten silver taels they had on hand to first handle the urgent matter of their eldest son’s arranged marriage. They hadn’t expected the constable to come to the village to collect this year’s taxes, and the money they had on hand would probably not be enough to hold a wedding.

 

Team Leader Second Master Zhang was strutting about, leading the constables towards the old crow tree fishing boat, several dozen paces away.

 

He abruptly stilled, his feet suddenly weighted as if filled with lead.

 

Second Master Zhang stared in disbelief as a young man in simple clothes, his expression serene, stood within the bustling crowd of fishermen and cast a cold, dismissive glance in his direction.

 

“I-Immortal Su?”

 

Second Master Zhang trembled with fear, nearly losing his footing.

 

As a constable and team leader, he had once accompanied Magistrate Wang, witnessing the battle of the Vastest Lake, and had seen the true visage of Immortal Su. His aura of divinity descended, obliterating the three leaders of the Whale Gang in a single stroke.

 

[T-this is Immortal Su’s home? Heaven’s almighty! How did I stumble upon this esteemed immortal?]

 

The other junior constables, unfamiliar with Immortal Su, remained oblivious.

 

Team Leader Second Master Zhang turned ashen, scrambling backward in a comical tumble, then bolted away toward Gusu County City, running faster than a rabbit.

 

The other constables, bewildered, trailed behind, unsure of their Team Leader’s sudden panic. They hurried after Second Master Zhang, puzzled.

 

“Team Leader, what’s wrong?”

 

“Hurry, go to the constable headquarters and report to Magistrate Wang. I found Immortal Su in Zhou Village! It’s an urgent matter; report to the magistrate immediately!”

 

Second Master Zhang gasped for breath, a mix of terror and elation flooding his senses.

 

Magistrate Wang was desperately searching for the immoral’s whereabouts; this was a monumental achievement.

 

His face alight with manic joy, he ran even faster, his legs a blur, the wind at his back. More than a dozen constables struggled to keep up, choking on the dust.

 

…

 

“What’s going on?” The village head and a crowd of anxious village women and fishermen all froze, completely bewildered. “

 

The constables were supposed to be collecting taxes. Why did they all scatter like that?”

 

Just then, Butcher Zhang appeared, leading his wife in a donkey cart, racing towards the Su family’s old fishing boat.

 

“Oh, Brother, no, Uncle Su! Your nephew has come to visit! Such disrespect on my part, not having brought any gifts all these years!

 

“Now that young Su has finally returned home, let’s have a big feast to celebrate his homecoming!”

 

Butcher Zhang saw Su Chen and Father Su and Mother Su and quickly called out loudly.

 

He hopped off the cart and unloaded two heavy loads.

 

His son, Zhang Tieniu, was too ashamed to approach his fellow disciple, now Immortal Su.

 

But Butcher Zhang had a thick face, and he saw Su Chen every month, delivering silver back to his old home in Zhou Village.

 

Who in the entire Gusu city was closest to Immortal Su? It was undoubtedly Butcher Zhang. Who truly knew where Immortal Su’s old home was? Only Butcher Zhang knew.

 

Who else in this world could understand the Su family’s situation better than Butcher Zhang?

 

Butcher Zhang had been pondering for days and had worried that directly approaching to build a relationship would be too obvious but also felt that this was a rare opportunity, and he had to seize it. Finally, he made up his mind to buy a pile of gifts and hurried overnight to Zhou Village.

 

One of the two heavy loads was a hundred kilograms of pork and wine.

 

The other load was a complete assortment—white flour, steamed buns, tofu, roast duck, barbecue, osmanthus cake, noodles, and rice wine—everything needed for a banquet or celebration.

 

“Uncle, Aunt! Your nephew missed you so much! Today’s feast to celebrate young Su’s return home is on me!”

 

Butcher Zhang turned to Father Su and Mother Su as if they were his own parents.

 

The village head and the villagers of Zhou Village were all stunned, their faces a picture of bewilderment.

 

Butcher Zhang’s son held a position of some standing within the Medicine King Group’s Security Hall and within Zhou Village; every time he returned to Zhou Village to visit his home, he walked with his head held high and was always known for his stinginess.

 

What was this? He was brazenly going to ingratiate himself with the Su family?

 

Father Su and Mother Su were equally perplexed; there was no need to spend so much, especially to hold a banquet to greet him, even though their son only returned home every few years. They weren’t even close enough with Butcher Zhang for this.

 

They had never seen Butcher Zhang so eager before.

 

“Come now, everyone stop staring! Young Su has made a rare trip home; it requires a grand celebration! I am personally hosting this homecoming banquet; let’s celebrate properly! Everyone, get to work, and you can eat and drink freely afterwards!”

 

Butcher Zhang and his wife paid no heed to the villagers’ thoughts and quickly borrowed tables and benches from the Su family’s old fishing boat’s shore, setting up a grand feast to entertain their neighbors.

 

Su Chen silently watched them prepare this homecoming banquet.

 

He didn’t feel right confronting Butcher Zhang; after all, he had once helped him send money home. It wasn’t a big deal, but he had done him a favor.

 

He had only returned home less than two hours this morning, and Butcher Zhang arrived shortly after. The team leader was already heading towards Gusu City, and the news couldn’t be contained. It seemed that a peaceful reunion with his family would be out of the question.

 

…

 

A startling piece of news spread rapidly through Gusu City and throughout the martial world.

 

The grand avenues were filled with galloping horses, and numerous martial groups and martial artists received the news and desperately spurred their steeds towards Zhou Village, wishing they could sprout wings to fly there.

 

A large official boat, a constable of Gusu County, slowly docked at Zhou Village.

 

“The county magistrate has arrived; bystanders, step aside!”

 

“The Immortal of Wu Region, bestowing blessings upon the people!”

 

The sound of gongs and drums, the clamor of copper gongs!

 

Thirty constables held aloft banners, fifty constables beat gongs and drums, and over a hundred people, adorned with red ribbons, carried two enormous plaques that read ‘Immortal of Wu Region’ and ‘Bestowing Blessings upon the People,’ disembarking from the boat.

 

Magistrate Wang of Gusu hurried, leading three teams of constables, quickly descending from the official boat.

 

Following closely were over a hundred baggage carriers, their loads filled with exquisite silks, ceramics, preserved goods, and other luxuries.

 

“Oh my, the county magistrate has come!”

 

The village head was startled, quickly running forward to welcome the county magistrate and his entourage to Zhou Village. This Gusu County magistrate had never before visited Zhou Village since taking office.

 

Magistrate Wang hurried, having no time to acknowledge them. He waved the village head aside, and under the lead of Team Leader Second Master Zhang, anxiously headed toward the old fishing boat.

 

He stretched his neck, shouting, “Immortal Su, where is the Immortal? I, a humble official, am late in arriving, unable to welcome the Immortal with a grand homecoming, a grievous offense indeed! I have brought a few gifts to arrive swiftly. Imperial Envoy Wang, Governor Zhao, and several other ships laden with gifts will soon follow. Please forgive my tardiness, Immortal!”