Chapter 311: Chapter 310 Choosing a New Emperor (Added More)
The Black Robed Mage was taken aback by the conversation between the two men.
He certainly knew that this noble had an unusual status. Although merely a son-in-law, he was the son-in-law of the Wei clan. This identity alone was enough for his Master, who was a Hall Officer, to intervene and save him. That was why he dared to send this person to Plum Blossom Lane.
But it was one thing for the Master to have doubts and be unwilling to save the person, yet why was the old servant inexplicably talking about plotting to become a County Governor and taking on official duties?
A small County Governor—was that worth bragging about in front of the Master?
Moreover, considering the current state of the court, everyone with insider knowledge understood. Those in the government were lying low. So what use was it to plot for some County Governor’s position?
However, upon hearing those words, the Master’s face grew unexpectedly grave. Meeting the Master’s gaze, the old servant only bit his lip lightly and nodded slowly.
"Do not speak."
Just as the Black Robed Mage was feeling puzzled, the Old Master suddenly raised his hand, patting him on the shoulder with a deeply serious expression. He intended to speak but abruptly looked up, glaring at the servant attending nearby.
That servant hadn’t seen such an expression on the Old Master’s face in years and hurriedly exclaimed, "I understand."
Turning around, he left the room and shouted loudly at the outside servants not to linger around the entrance. Even those cooking in the small kitchen and cleaning the courtyard were told to quickly leave. They all hid outside the main gate, waiting for someone in the courtyard to call them back.
"So, once everyone had gone," the Old Master slowly turned to the old servant and whispered, "Liyuan County isn’t much."
"Although the evil spirit is causing trouble now, there should be an official document as needed. But if I recall correctly, that Liyuan County is plagued by the Green Lotus Sect, is it not?"
"They seized upon the locust plague, beguiled the victims, seized the government, and opened granaries to distribute grain—wasn’t it them?"
The old servant was unsure if saying this was good or bad and was extremely nervous, but for the sake of his master, he nodded.
The Old Master focused his gaze on him, allowing no deceit, and said in a low voice, "Your Old Master took the official document there, arranged by the Wei clan. So, is he going to eliminate bandits or..."
"...to act as a strategist for them?"
The old servant never expected that a mere sentence would lead this elder to comprehend so much, and in an instant, he was so scared, cold sweat trickling down.
Seeing this, the Old Master in Plum Blossom Lane realized there was no need to ask further.
Inwardly nodding, the answer was indeed quite clear. If it were genuinely to eliminate bandits and prevent chaos, they should have sent a sword capturer from the Path. How could it be someone like this old Scholar with no cultivation?
He nodded slowly and finally spoke, "So, it has indeed begun?"
"Finally... they are beginning to choose the new Emperor?"
Those words, in the dim room, struck like a thunderbolt, evoking a sensation as if one’s very soul was being startled away.
The old servant had initially blurted it out but now realized the gravity of the matter and dared not speak further.
Beside him, the Black Robed Mage had been anxious, not understanding his Master’s words. But seeing his serious expression, he dared not ask. Finally, upon hearing his Master’s words, he was stunned, his heart skipping a beat.
The court had been negligent for years. Everyone was accustomed to it.
The Emperor being flayed was no longer a secret. Many discussed it in whispers, even treating it as a bizarre tale spread among the masses.
But choosing a new Emperor?
At least, for someone at the level of the Black Robed Mage, it was unimaginable how significant this was.
"I don’t know about other things."
The old servant stammered, making an effort, "I only know that my Old Master bears a heavy responsibility this time and must go to his post. Honestly, if time allowed, even asking the Wei clan to find someone would be possible, but my Old Master cannot be delayed any longer..."
"Please, Hall Officer, save my Old Master?"
"Say no more of these words."
The Old Master raised his hand, preventing him from kneeling, his expression suddenly serious as he looked at the old servant,
"Did your Old Master get entangled by a vindictive soul as soon as he arrived? Did he not prepare?"
"He did...made preparations..."
The old servant said anxiously, "To be safe, we dispatched someone to inspect first, confirmed no evil spirits were in the well, and sealed it just in case. Yet, inexplicably, he was ensnared on the road..."
Old Mr. Mei furrowed his brows, suddenly glancing at his Disciple, "And what did that small hall officer say?"
"She...she only said that the vindictive soul claiming a life was justified, and outsiders should not interfere..."
"Outsiders should not interfere..."
Old Mr. Mei repeated the words, sighed deeply, and said, "No wonder..."
"I couldn’t quite understand earlier why that noble would bother with such a trivial matter."
"Heh, it seems that although he remains in Mingzhou, hidden deeply, without contact with anyone from Mingzhou Prefecture, he actually understands everything."
"Selecting an Emperor is not trivial. He must have sensed it and is now perhaps purposefully showing his stance..."
"So, actually, it’s not that my Old Master accidentally encountered the evil spirit, but someone intentionally targeted my Old Master..."
The Old Master’s words weren’t entirely clear, but the old servant suddenly guessed. In an instant, he sweat like rain, his face turning pale as paper, frantically saying, "Old Master, I said all this, please..."
"Don’t speak!"
But the Old Master suddenly extended his hand to stop him. The servant quickly fell silent, only staring eagerly.
The Old Master was repeatedly loosening and clenching his fists as if undergoing extreme torment. After a long while, he suddenly made a decision, gazing directly at the old servant, and said in a deep voice, "Remember, if it’s that person’s will, no one can save your Old Master."
The old servant’s eyes widened in shock, wanting to speak, but was abruptly interrupted.
The Old Master lowered his voice, "However, if you are truly so worried about your Old Master’s life and willing to take a risk, there might still be a sliver of hope..."
"I...I am willing!"
The old servant hurriedly fell to the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.
Seeing the servant’s loyal demeanor, the Old Master also slightly furrowed his brows, made up his mind, and suddenly got up, approaching the cart where the dozing noble lay.
He lifted his eyelid, checked for a moment, then took his pulse, testing for a while, before whispering to the servant, "Your Old Master is entangled by a vindictive soul. With each passing day, his fortune and life diminish slightly. Yet, I can give him something, temporarily keeping him safe."
"But, I won’t take your household’s Silver Coin; instead, just treat it as if you stole it from me."
"And you, immediately embark on a speedy journey, galloping two hundred miles to Peng Family Collection, heading Southwest to Gouzi Camp at the South Mountain Valley."
"There, blindfold yourself with a black cloth, groping forward. Whenever laughter appears around you, turn towards the direction it came from, making five such turns. If Immortal, uncover the black cloth covering your eyes."
"If you see a black temple, kowtow every three steps, enter the temple to pray, and explain your master’s origins and imminent duties clearly."
"If the Divine Statue inside speaks to you, there may be a glimmer of hope for your Old Master."
"And if they ask you for offerings, you are not to mention the three sacrifices at all. Instead, just mention a certain matter; perhaps it will move it."
The instructions were a series of strange and bizarre requests. Seeing the Old Master speaking so earnestly, the old servant dared not ask more. He tried his best to memorize every word.
After the Old Master finished speaking, the old servant still held doubts but found no outlet. He looked up at the Old Master and saw that he had returned directly to the inner hall, as if he had never said anything. The Old Master had even closed the inner hall door.
The old servant remained silent for a while before suddenly understanding. He hurriedly stood up, went to the pawnshop ahead, glanced quickly, snatched a memorial tablet, and swiftly stuffed it into his Old Master’s hand.
Throughout the process, even the Shopkeeper in the pawnshop turned a blind eye, as if seeing nothing.
Then, the old servant fiercely glared at a few other servants, instructing them to take good care of the Old Master. He pulled a horse from the cart, quickly exited, and was soon heard galloping far away from the lane.
The people in the courtyard, unsettled by this mysterious aura, dared not speak out loud. Only the Black Robed Mage hurriedly followed into the inner hall.
There, he saw Old Mr. Mei kneeling on a praying mat, bowing toward a few obscure Divine Statues, muttering for a long time before cautiously inserting three incense into the incense burner.
Only then did he anxiously ask, "Master, that is..."
"This noble is worth saving, but not because of him, nor because of his identity as the Wei Family’s son-in-law."
Old Mr. Mei stood up from the praying mat and slowly said, "Only, I shouldn’t be the one to save him, and you certainly can’t. Now, the only one in the entire Mingzhou and surrounding areas with the possibility to save him is the one enshrined in that black temple..."
The Black Robed Mage had already guessed, but wasn’t entirely certain, cautiously asking, "I heard you mention before, that what is enshrined is..."
The Old Master of Plum Blossom Lane fell silent. After a long time, he slowly said in a low voice, "The Five Evil Gods."
"The Five Evil Gods?"
Upon confirming this, the Black Robed Mage was shocked, his heart trembling with fear, his lips dry. In a low voice, he said, "Such a ruthless and unruly entity, how dare we invite it here?"
"There is no other way."
The Old Master of Plum Blossom Lane waved his hand, clearly more aware of the consequences of inviting this entity than his Disciple, but only sighed deeply. "To protect his life, there is only this method..."
"This old Scholar’s fate has been altered greatly..."