Li, the head constable, stood on the threshing ground's roller, gazing at the Liu Miao Village populace below, feeling a sense of unease.
The year was the forty-eighth of Qianlong's reign, and in Yanzhou Prefecture, it was a time generally free of disaster. Yet, Liu Miao Village was entirely cloaked in white. Out of ten Jia and one hundred Pai, nearly every household flew a soul-summoning banner, and the silent villagers before him wore mourning.
The few trusted yamen runners trailing Li also felt a shiver. One, emboldened by kinship with Li, sidled closer and whispered, "Headman Li, something feels wrong here, doesn't it?"
Li, inwardly lamenting his predicament, yet unwilling to lose face before his men, scoffed, "What's so dire? Some troublesome folk starve to death every winter, what's there to fear?"
The runner pressed, "Headman Li, why don't we withdraw for now and return after they've finished their mourning?"
Li shot him a dark look and hissed, "Return another day? Do you want to wait until they finish their mourning and then hold ours? Don't forget, the Grand Master gave us only three days."
After reprimanding the runner behind him, Li turned back to the villagers below and bellowed, "Are there any surviving Jia heads and Pai leaders from Liu Miao Village? Come out and answer!"
The villagers exchanged glances, their gazes towards Li tinged with a strange glint. After all, the Jia heads and Pai leaders of Liu Miao Village had long gone to join the King of Hell along with Scholar Liu. And Li, without even a Maoshan Daoist, expected them to step forward?
After a prolonged silence, someone finally stepped out, cupping his hands towards Li. "Officer, please forgive us. The Jia heads and Pai leaders of our Liu Miao Village were all killed by Zhu Xiaosong, which is why no one has come forward."
Upon seeing the speaker, Li chuckled. "And who might you be? Ah, it's Physician Liu. Since your village's Jia heads are dead, you shall take up the burden for now, serving as Jia head for a few days. Oh, and pick a few others you deem suitable to fill the Pai leader positions."
Physician Liu inwardly cursed profusely.
"It was Advisor Liu who said that His Majesty would soon be traveling south, and would surely ascend Mount Tai. So he advised Master Hao to first剿 the heroes of Jade Emperor Mountain before His Majesty's tour, and then bestow a rebel title to rise in rank and fortune!"