Chapter 166: Chapter 127: Seizing the Gold in Public
The lively sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers from the City God’s parade had not yet faded into the distance.
[The City God Duan Mingbi bestows three days of misfortune upon the Diagram Master, which is detrimental to him, to counteract the birth of Evil Qi. If killed, Evil Qi can be obtained.]
This reminder from within the Transformation Diagram struck Chen Ku like a thunderclap in spring.
What in the world?
He instinctively looked toward the retreating silhouette of the shrine.
How did I offend the City God? And he cursed me with three days of bad luck?
Chen Ku’s heart began to race. Could it be that the City God heard my inner complaints? How is that possible?
He racked his brain. He was sure he hadn’t entertained any thoughts about the City God Lord just now. At most, he’d been mulling over the Daji Dynasty’s reasons for their Demonic Exorcism Method and supporting True Gods. What did that have to do with the City God Lord? Besides, if this City God Lord truly possessed the ability to see into everyone’s heart, why would there be a need for all this commotion, with every household beating gongs and drums to offer Donation Deeds? After all, if a person, or a so-called ’god,’ could read everyone’s minds, then forget widespread rebellions, there shouldn’t even be any secrets within Baojiao County itself. The supposed Demon People of the Peace Path, the hidden agendas of various trades—all unsavory matters would be as clear as day to this City God. Through this line of reasoning, Chen Ku concluded that it absolutely couldn’t be his own thoughts that had provoked the City God’s punishment.
He then looked at Jiang Shaoyou beside him. Jiang Shaoyou, however, seemed completely unaffected, still watching the parade with interest.
This further confirmed Chen Ku’s conviction. The words Jiang Shaoyou had just spoken were far more disrespectful.
As it happened, just then, after the Parade Team had passed, he saw two men dressed like government officials. One held a book and the other a plate. They walked into the Tongwen House and greeted Jiang Shaoyou with a smile, "Owner Jiang, Happy New Year! Wishing you prosperity and good fortune! May the City God protect you, and may this year bring favorable weather."
"Thank you for the City God Lord’s blessing."
Jiang Shaoyou, clearly prepared, smiled and returned the greeting. With a wave of his hand, a clerk immediately presented one hundred taels in silver notes.
Upon seeing the one hundred taels in silver notes, the two ’City God Officials’ beamed and immediately announced, "Register it! Jiang Shaoyou from the West Street Tongwen House donates one hundred taels of Patterned Silver in incense offerings!"
Accompanied by the striking of a gong.
The official’s announcement echoed through the street.
"Take care," Jiang Shaoyou smiled, clasping his hands in farewell.
He watched as the two officials departed.
Chen Ku felt he was beginning to understand.
But he still asked for confirmation, "Senior Brother, does every household need to donate? What happens if they don’t?"
Jiang Shaoyou pondered for a moment, then said, "This City God Parade is conducted in four waves, passing through the four main streets of the Inner City—north, south, east, and west. It’s now the fifth day of the New Year, and most businesses have opened, so every household is expected to donate something. If they don’t... well, it’s said they’ll incur bad luck, but it’s hard to say exactly what kind of misfortune."
Not donating means bad luck?
Chen Ku’s complexion turned slightly pale. So it really was because of not donating!
Jiang Shaoyou, seeming to guess something from Chen Ku’s question, paused and then asked with confirmation, "Junior Brother, your Iron Bank shop... it isn’t open today, is it?"
Chen Ku replied honestly, "Medicine King Hall is closed for six days, and I gave the Iron Bank seven days off. So, no, it wasn’t open today. The doors were probably shut tight when the City God’s parade passed by my iron shop."
Jiang Shaoyou said thoughtfully, "That’s not good."
Chen Ku raised an eyebrow. "What’s not good about it? Medicine King Hall isn’t open today either."
Jiang Shaoyou explained, "Although the City God Temple isn’t a yamen of the Mortal Realm, it holds an imperial sanction from the Imperial Court and thus also functions as a yamen of the Underworld. While they certainly wouldn’t openly punish someone, secretly noting down names and devising ways to cause trouble... well, that’s hard to say. As for Medicine King Hall, even though it’s not open, as a major player in town, they always ensure such incense offerings are made. Junior Brother, I think you should quickly have someone make up for the contribution in the next day or two."
Chen Ku felt a surge of irritation. What kind of world was this? When he gathered herbs, he was exploited by the Medicine and Firewood Market. Starting a shop meant paying taxes to the Yamen. And now... even this blasted City God Temple was demanding a ’forced donation’!
"Understood, Senior Brother. I’ll take my leave first."
Chen Ku suppressed his inner turmoil, his expression unchanged.
He decided to head to his Iron Bank shop first and see for himself.
"Hmm, don’t take this lightly. The City God Lord, though a posthumous title without a physical body, has received incense and possesses some supernatural power. It’s best not to offend him." Jiang Shaoyou added, "Junior Brother, just be mindful, that’s all I’ll say. I won’t elaborate further."
Chen Ku clasped his hands and bid farewell.
Unexpectedly, just as he left Jiang Shaoyou’s Tongwen House and was walking toward his Iron Bank shop, he carelessly stepped right into a pile of cow dung.
Chen Ku’s face darkened, and suspicion flared in his heart.
Is there really something to this bad luck? Or was it just a coincidence?
He pushed the thought down.
「Half an hour later」
He arrived at the Iron Bank.
Unexpectedly, the Iron Bank’s door was open. Wu Gui was inside, and upon seeing Chen Ku approach, he hurried over, his face a mask of distress, and quickly apologized, "Shopkeeper, it’s all my fault! I completely forgot about this! Every year on the fifth day of the New Year, we have to donate incense to the City God Temple. This year, we took a longer holiday. By the time I heard the City God’s gongs and drums from home and rushed over, I found that a white paper had been stuck on our shop’s door."