OBS Chapter 49 Officials Arrive at the Door
Chapter 49 Officials Arrive at the Door
autumn harvest.
The rice paddies on both sides of the Qinghe River have been harvested, leaving only neat rice stubble gleaming pale gold in the autumn sun.
In the threshing grounds of Shixi Village and Shanghe Village, freshly threshed rice stalks were spread out in round shapes, and several old men sat on the sidelines smoking their pipes.
The Jiaoshen Temple in Shixi Village.
Lin Shi had just finished offering incense and turned to walk out when he heard hurried footsteps approaching. He frowned.
These weren't the gentle footsteps of villagers offering incense; one could faintly hear the sound of leather boots treading on the bluestone slabs, heavy and deep, almost like the clatter of horses' hooves striking the ground.
Lin Shi listened intently.
"Please wait a moment, officers. I will go and fetch Mr. Lin right away."
Lin Shi frowned slightly. Not far away, Xu Zhong's somewhat nervous voice could be heard.
Officer?
Officials?
The world Lin Shi transmigrated to was not much different from the ancient world of his previous life in terms of social structure and customs. The title "Bailie" meant that he must be a government official.
Is this the routine autumn tax collection?
Is it a household registration inspection?
Or perhaps there's some other reason?
A thought flashed through Lin Shi's mind: the chilling, spying aura from half a month ago, the escaped male toad spirit, and the evil cultivators who might be hiding in the shadows.
Is there a connection?
"Xu Zhong".
"Please invite the officer into the palace."
Lin Shi called out, his voice not loud, and went out steadily. He walked unhurriedly to the copper basin in the main hall of the ancestral hall, washed his hands with the clear water. This was the offering water taken from Bibo Pool in the early morning. It was warm to the touch. At the same time, with a thought, he merged with the dragon.
Deep within the emerald pool, the chains murmured softly, and a gentle, peaceful spiritual energy rippled outwards like waves, silently spreading throughout the village along the watercourses and the flow of spiritual energy, ensuring that one would know immediately whatever happened.
This is the first time I've ever dealt with an authority since I came into this world.
Be prepared!
Lin Shi straightened his clothes, walked out, and immediately saw
Two chestnut horses were tethered under a big tree in front of the ancestral hall.
The horse had a glossy coat, a neat saddle and bridle, and two people stood beside it.
A man around thirty years old, with a dark complexion, slightly high cheekbones, and a gleaming leather scabbard at his waist, lightly pressed his right hand against the hilt of his knife. His eyes were constantly scanning the ancestral hall with great sharpness.
Another man, a bit older, in his early forties, was dressed in a blue tax official's uniform. He was holding a book with a blue cloth cover and was looking up at the ancestral hall's lintel, walls, and even the roof tiles, examining their quality.
"You two officers have come from afar with great difficulty. I am Sun Ming, the clan chief of Shixi Village."
Sun Ming strode over and bowed deeply.
"Clan chief?"
"My surname is Zhao, and I am a patrol inspector in the county government's patrol office. This is Wang, the tax collector."
Zhao Hualiang pointed at Wang Ming, his voice loud but devoid of any emotion.
Who are you?
Zhao Hualiang stared at Lin Shi as he walked out.
"My name is Lin Shi, and I am currently in charge of the affairs of the ancestral hall. Please come in, gentlemen."
Lin Shi stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
Zhao Hualiang's gaze lingered on Lin Shi's face for a moment. Lin Shi was wearing a clean blue cloth shirt, with distinct knuckles and neatly trimmed nails. Unlike an ordinary farmer, he was calm and composed, without any flattery or panic.
Zhao Hualiang thought for a moment, nodded, and stepped onto the stone steps.
Zhao Hualiang entered the main hall, and the scene was different from what he had expected.
Over the years, we have handled seven or eight cases of "licentious temples". Those temples were either dark and messy, with hideous and grotesque statues; or the incense smoke was so thick that it was choking, and shamans and sorcerers pretended to be gods and ghosts.
The ancestral hall in front of us is spacious and bright, with its blue brick floor swept clean and spotless.
The dragon image on the shrine has smooth lines, exuding both majesty and peace.
The walls on both sides are covered with wooden panels, inscribed with neat phrases such as "encourage people to do good" and "protect the hometown".
What's most striking is the wisps of incense smoke rising from the hall, yet it's not pungent; instead, it carries a faint scent of cypress. Sunlight streams in obliquely through the windows, casting tiny dust particles that float gently in the beams of light, creating a peaceful atmosphere that makes you unconsciously slow your breathing upon entering.
"This ancestral hall is quite well-organized."
Zhao Hualiang spoke, but his tone was neither complimentary nor critical.
Lin Shi led Zhao Hualiang and Wang Ming to look around the main hall, and then they sat down in the side hall. Xu Zhong brought out the water that had been prepared in advance, in a rough pottery bowl, with boiling water and two pieces of homemade wild tea floating in it.
Zhao Hualiang picked up his teacup but didn't drink, his gaze constantly scanning the area.
"According to the law, any newly built ancestral hall or temple in a village must be reported to the county government's rites office for approval and registration. Your ancestral hall doesn't seem to be on the register?"
Wang Ming opened the booklet in front of him.
Sun Ming's hands, resting on his knees, tightened slightly, his heart filled with unease.
"Your Excellency is wise. This shrine is not newly built, but a renovation of an old one. The elders in the village all know that there was originally a Stone Toad Shrine here, which has existed for hundreds of years."
"In recent years, the villagers have been grateful for the divine protection of the dragon god and raised funds to rebuild the statue and renamed it the Dragon God Shrine. This was done spontaneously by the villagers, who did not dare to disturb the government."
Lin Shi remained expressionless.
"The Flood Dragon God?"
"I have served in Qinghe County for twelve years, inspecting countless villages, yet I have never heard of any dragon god being included in the official sacrificial rites. Does the one you worship have an imperial decree? Does it have a monk's ordained status?"
Zhao Hualiang put down his teacup and looked at Lin Shi and Sun Ming; the atmosphere suddenly tightened.
A thin layer of sweat seeped out on Sun Ming's back. He glanced at Lin Shi, his face no longer showing any panic, and he felt a little more at ease.
"What you say is absolutely right, officer."
"The dragon god is the spirit of the local water veins, and is worshipped by the villagers because of their gratitude. There is no imperial decree bestowing any title upon it."
Lin Shi knew that this matter could not be faked, and that making excuses was useless and unnecessary. He might as well openly admit that there was indeed no imperial decree.
"Last July, the Qinghe River swelled, flooding the rice paddies on both banks. That night, villagers saw a dragon's shadow churning in the pool, and the water receded on its own, saving 3,000 mu of rice. More than 300 households from the two villages can testify to this."
Lin Shi's gaze remained calm as he met Zhao Hualiang's scrutinizing eyes.
Wang Ming nodded slightly, confirming that this was indeed the case.
"An epidemic broke out in Shanghe Village. The water source was polluted, and people and livestock were infected."
"The villagers prayed sincerely by the stream, and that night the stream cleared up on its own, and the sick gradually recovered. There was a local earth god temple in the village, but the temple keeper was helpless. Instead, the dragon god appeared and saved more than a hundred people."
Lin Shi continued, his voice low but each word clear.
Zhao Hualiang's eyes flickered slightly. He remembered that Shanghe Village had indeed reported an epidemic, but it had mysteriously subsided later. He had heard rumors about what Lin Shi had just mentioned, but he hadn't taken it seriously, thinking it was just the villagers exaggerating.
"This year's autumn harvest."
"As you two officers have seen along the way, the rice fields on both sides of the Qinghe River are bountiful, free from pests and droughts. The villages of Shixi and Shanghe have paid 10% more in grain this year than in previous years. This can all be verified by the village elders and the accounts."
Lin Shi pointed in the direction of the fields in front of Shixi Village.
"I heard you often hold mass sacrificial ceremonies? How many people participate? Do you gather at night and disperse at dawn?"
Tax collector Wang pressed for an answer.
"There is indeed a joint worship ceremony on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, as well as on festivals."
"The number of people ranges from a few dozen to over a hundred, all for the purpose of praying for blessings and fulfilling vows. The sacrificial rites are always held between 7 AM and 5 PM, and there has never been a gathering at night."
Lin Shi spoke frankly and directly.
"The existence of a god does not depend on titles, but on merits."
"The dragon god protects the safety of the two villages."
"Only then did we gain the villagers' approval to offer incense."
Lin Shi was very clear that the Jiao God was indeed not officially appointed by the imperial court and was not on the official register; he was a wild god. However, his explanation was watertight and there was definitely a problem, but it wasn't a big one.
"I received intelligence that you are inciting unrest here. What is your explanation for this?"
Zhao Hualiang stood up, walked to the window, looked around for a while, then suddenly turned around, his gaze sharp as a knife, and stared at Lin Shi and Sun Ming.
Sun Ming's face turned pale, his lips trembled, and he wanted to defend himself but didn't know where to begin.