Chapter 185 Yunmeng Sui'an

After the meeting, everyone had their own thoughts and dispersed.

Zhou Huaian, however, kept Chen Mu behind.

"Chief Chen, please stay a moment."

With only the two of them left in the second hall, Zhou Huaian dropped the official posturing and personally poured Chen Mu a cup of tea, gesturing for him to sit.

"Chief Chen, there are no outsiders here, so I will speak from the heart."

Zhou Huaian looked at Chen Mu with deep, inscrutable eyes.

"Regarding Brother Xu, Lu Zhenshan and the others have already told me the truth. He... truly strayed onto a crooked path."

Chen Mu's heart stirred; he hadn't expected Zhou Huaian to be Lu Zhenshan's direct superior.

"You were able to make a decisive decision and turn the tide, not only saving Yunmeng but, to a certain extent, preserving Brother Xu's reputation after his death, preventing him from becoming a sinner for all ages. For this, I am personally grateful to you."

These words were quite skillful; they indicated that he knew the inside story while also elevating Chen Mu's actions.

But Chen Mu just listened quietly.

"Although you are young, you are already at the pinnacle of martial power in Yunmeng and the surrounding counties. I won't hide it from you: before I came, I investigated you in detail. From the cat demon in Sangye Village to the Ghostly Creature at the Zhao estate, and then to Qinglin Town and the City God Temple, every single instance was something an ordinary person could not achieve. It is no injustice that Brother Xu was defeated by your hand!"

After saying this, his tone became extremely solemn.

"Now that the Special Envoy is arriving and the threat of the Beimang demon trouble is emerging, Yunmeng is beset by troubles both internally and externally. I am in need of a pillar like you to stabilize the situation."

"As long as you help me stabilize the situation and handle the Special Envoy's inspection well, when it comes time to report achievements to the Prefecture, I guarantee you wealth and glory. This is no empty promise, and resources in Yunmeng can also be tilted towards you as appropriate."

"As for the worries regarding Beimang..."

Zhou Huaian's eyes flashed, and his tone added three parts sincerity.

"If they truly dare to invade, it would be an open provocation of the imperial laws. At that time, I can petition to mobilize the Prefecture's garrison, or even report it to the Demon Suppression Division headquarters. I believe it is not impossible to fight them, and you would claim the primary credit."

There were no threats, the enticements were tangible, and the promises sounded reasonable.

Zhou Huaian was indeed much smarter than Xu Changze and knew better how to wield Chen Mu, this blade.

He did not mention control, only cooperation; he did not speak of danger, only dangled carrots. What he wanted was for Chen Mu to behave himself before the Special Envoy arrived and be used by him when needed.

Chen Mu looked up at Zhou Huaian.

This magistrate had calculations and ambition in his eyes, but there was also a hint of genuineness. Thus, he spoke slowly.

"Lord Zhou, eliminating demons is the primary duty of the Demon Suppression Division, and maintaining the stability of Yunmeng is also my responsibility. As long as you act without violating the law and do not harm the people, I will naturally fulfill my duties."

He did not agree, nor did he refuse; he simply laid out his bottom line clearly.

Do not violate the law, do not harm the people.

A flash of surprise passed through Zhou Huaian's eyes, which then turned into deeper appreciation.

He understood the subtext of Chen Mu's words: cooperation was possible, but he shouldn't be used as a blade to do dirty work, nor should he try to exploit the people. He clapped his hands and laughed.

"Good, good! Chief Chen is straightforward and has the Righteous Path in his heart. I admire that. Then it is settled; in the future, we shall cooperate sincerely and overcome these difficulties together."

After speaking, he personally escorted Chen Mu to the door of the second hall. Watching Chen Mu's departing back, the smile on his face gradually faded.

"Do not violate the law, do not harm the people..."

He repeated the phrase in a low voice, shook his head, then nodded.

"He is a man of principle. That is fine; people with principles are actually easier to handle. As long as the credit is sufficient and the future prospects are guaranteed, I don't have to worry about you not working hard."

He turned and walked back into the hall, summoned a trusted aide, and gave instructions in a low voice.

"Go and find out what Chen Mu has been doing lately and what he is interested in. Also, allocate a batch of high-quality golden sore medicine and Qi-Replenishing Pills from Anlu. Additionally, find two swords of good quality and send them to him. Tell him that I see he is working day and night, and this is just a small token of my appreciation."

"Yes!"

The aide accepted the order and left, leaving Zhou Huaian alone in the second hall.

The Special Envoy was arriving; this was Zhou Huaian's opportunity, and Chen Mu was the most important card in his hand, one that needed to be held carefully.

...

For several days in a row, under Zhou Huaian's governance, Yunmeng actually began to show signs of being in good order.

It seemed this Anlu magistrate indeed had some methods.

The defense of the four gates was rearranged. The twenty armored soldiers brought by Zhou Huaian were mixed with local yamen runners and militia for rotating shifts, day and night without stopping. The damaged sections of the city walls were urgently repaired, guard posts were added to key roads, and a curfew was implemented after nightfall. Anyone without urgent business was not allowed to linger on the streets privately.

The common people, who had been uneasy due to the death of Xu Changze and the rumors of demon trouble, gradually calmed down after seeing the orderly city defenses and the frequently patrolling runners. Although the markets were not as bustling as before, rice shops and pharmacies remained open as usual. While prices had risen slightly, there was no chaos of hoarding or looting.

Within the county office, Zhou Huaian sorted through the backlog of administrative affairs one by one, approving what needed to be approved and rejecting what needed to be rejected with incredibly high efficiency. Moreover, he did not dare to be in a hurry to exploit Yunmeng for taxes and grain. Instead, he transferred a batch of grain and rice from the Anlu county treasury and set up porridge stalls in front of the City God Temple to provide relief to the poor who had lost their homes due to the demon trouble.

This method of winning over the hearts of the people was far more sophisticated than Xu Changze's evil method of stealing the people's wishes, and this behavior also significantly improved the perception of this Magistrate Zhou among the members of the Demon Suppression Division.

Chen Mu's life these past few days had been quite peaceful. Following the magistrate's instructions, he led his team to patrol the city every night. Occasionally, he encountered a few low-level Ghostly Creatures wanting to cause trouble; before they could harm anyone, he would slay them with a single strike of his blade, collecting all their Lifespan.

Zhou Huaian was also quite satisfied with Chen Mu's cooperation, sending someone every few days to deliver high-quality Medicinal Pills, refined swords, and even once a box of cold jade marrow, a specialty of the northern lands, saying it had miraculous effects on tempering Protective Aura.

Chen Mu was not polite and accepted everything, but he never said much.

He knew clearly in his heart that everything Zhou Huaian did was merely to stabilize the situation before the Special Envoy arrived and to accumulate political achievements for himself. As long as his bottom line was not touched, he did not mind maintaining this situation of mutual benefit.

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were still surging.

Zhou Huaian's eager wooing, the deathly silence following the rumors of the Beimang Fox Clan's secret arts, and the urgency of the Prefecture Special Envoy's arrival—everything was like the calm before a storm.

Seven days later, the Special Envoy arrived.

Just as the sky was beginning to brighten, the four gates of Yunmeng City were thrown wide open, and the streets were swept spotless.

Zhou Huaian, dressed in a brand-new official robe and wearing a black gauze cap, led the heads of the six bureaus of the county office, the Squad Leaders of the Demon Suppression Division, and officials above that rank, waiting neatly by the official road outside the East Gate. There were also several prominent local gentry and elders standing solemnly outside the city gate.

Twenty armored soldiers with bright helmets and shining armor stood solemnly with spears, adding to the imposing atmosphere.

Chen Mu and Liu Ziming stood at the very front of the Demon Suppression Division line. Liu Ziming had also changed into a respectable Squad Leader official uniform today, his expression tight, adjusting his lapels from time to time, while Chen Mu remained in his black martial attire, his expression calm.

At the third quarter of the Chen hour, dust rose in the distance, and the shadows of carriages and horses finally appeared on the official road.

First came several guards clearing the way, all riding black-armored horses, their auras disciplined and refined—clearly the elite of the Prefecture. Behind them followed a four-horse carriage. The carriage itself was simple, but the horses pulling it were exceptionally spirited. Behind the carriage, a dozen more cavalrymen brought up the rear.

Zhou Huaian's eyes narrowed, he took a deep breath, straightened his official attire, and was the first to step forward to welcome them, with everyone behind him quickly following.

The carriage stopped not far away. Before the official inside could disembark, Zhou Huaian had already rushed forward and bowed deeply.

"Your subordinate, Anlu Magistrate Zhou Huaian, currently acting in charge of Yunmeng's administrative affairs, respectfully welcomes the Special Envoy. You have had a difficult journey, My Lord!"