"Then we'll make arrangements in Changyuan Street tonight and kill that demon!"
Registrar Zhang rolled his sleeves up, his face raring to go.
Chen Chao glanced at him. He could not understand how a literary official had such enthusiasm for such a thing.
Although, Registrar Zhang's bearded face made him look nothing like a registrar, but more like a bandit chief.
The old post-mortem examiner nodded his head in agreement and said, "This old man is willing to offer my meager strength to eliminate this demon too."
Mi Ke asked, "What can you do?"
"... ..."
Lord Magistrate pulling the rug from under the post-mortem examiner in public put him on a spot.
Mi Ke did not have the energy to care about the post-mortem examiner's thoughts, but looked at Chen Chao and asked, "Younger Brother Chen, do you have confidence?"
He was not scared that it would end without accomplishing anything today, he was afraid that Chen Chao would not be able to deal with that demon hidden in the dark. At that time, this group of people would all have to die there.
"It's not a big deal."
Chen Chao expressed his thoughts, "At that time, have the court underlings secure both ends of the street. If that demon escapes, at least we'll know the direction. Lord Mi has been working hard for so long, you don't need to go over to Changyuan Street tonight. Just rest in the county office and wait for news."
As he spoke, Chen Chao kept looking at Mi Ke.
I've already prepared the stage for you, it's up to you now.
Mi Ke thought about it and said solemnly with a righteous look, "Warden Chen, that's not right. As the local government official, with such a major incident happening in Tianqing County, how can this official wait for news in the county office with peace of mind?"
"Nice! Your Excellency's words are truly admirable! You're well deserving of being our role model!"
The old post-mortem examiner was repairing his relationship with Mi Ke to the best of his ability.
Registrar Zhang chuckled, but he kept criticizing in his heart: His Excellency knows that following Warden Chen would be safer, right?
Chen Chao smiled slightly and said with a nod, "I was shallow. With Lord Mi's character, how can he be someone who clings to life and fears death?"
When talking, Chen Chao kept looking at Mi Ke. The meaning in his eyes was very clear: You're treating the next supper!
Mi Ke nodded his head repeatedly: that's of course.
As for those court underlings present who did not know what they meant, they had more respect for Mi Ke in their eyes.
Our Lord Magistrate is really a great official!
"Since that's the case, I'll go back and make preparations first."
Chen Chao smiled slightly. Looking at the color of the sky, he thought to himself that he could still sleep for the whole day after going back.
Mi Ke wanted to speak but swallowed the words back down. He really wanted to say: I can't bear to part with you. But in the end, he still gritted his teeth and said, "Warden Chen, come earlier later!"
I'm terrified when you're not around.
Chen Chao nodded his head and walked out of the county office, bringing along Xie Nandu who barely said a few words.
Looking at that young girl's back view, Mi Ke frowned again and muttered, "When did this girl come?"
Registrar Zhang turned a deaf ear to it.
While the old post-mortem examiner was thinking about whether or not to find some brain medicine for His Excellency.
Or maybe he should just open his head up to see if there's any problem?
Very soon, the old post-mortem examiner shook his head again. Cutting it open was easy, but the problem was that after cutting it open, he could not patch it back up.
After making arrangements, Chen Chao left the county office under the reluctant gazes of Mi Ke and the others. He stepped into the snowstorm again and returned to his own courtyard.
But before entering the door, Chen Chao bumped into the idle Zhou Gouqi again. Their eyes met and sat down at their respective doorsteps very tacitly and had a loud argument. But this time, it was still Chen Chao who was at a disadvantage. Chen Chao secretly cursed him. When he returned around to open the door, he was still lamenting that he did not perform well today.
After entering the courtyard, he sat down again in front of that heavily peeling pillar and rubbed his back on the pillar. Chen Chao seemed very satisfied."
"You like to argue with that guy so much?"
The young girl's eyes were sizing Chen Chao up and down. The two people had already spent more than one or two days together. She still had not seen through this youth in black. What she cared about was not this boy's fondness for quarreling, but that . . . he seemed like a totally different person than normally when doing something seriously.
However, the young girl immediately narrowed her eyes. She figured it out; this was a disguise. Showing weakness normally was just to give people the most fatal harm at the most crucial time.
"Don't look at me like that. And don't think so much either. We won't have much interaction in the future." Chen Chao said rather nonchalantly.
"I think that we'll meet in the Divine Capital in the future."
Xie Nandu smiled and said, "Someone like you won't stay in this small place for life."
Chen Chao smiled and said, "Then when the time comes, you have to take good care of me. After all, we're friends."
Xie Nandu said, "Since we're friends, why did you still charge me money?"
"Business is business. Talking about feelings hurts the wallet. Moreover, it's not like you don't know my situation. My monthly salary is meager and there aren't any more demons nearby to kill. If I'm not thrifty, how can I..."
Chen Chao had a pained expression. Of course, the pain that he expressed was more painful than his actual pain.
"Stop that, I won't increase the money."
Although Xie Nandu could not see through Chen Chao, she was very clear about something; which was that this guy in front of her rarely told the truth.
"Let's get down to business." Chen Chao changed the topic and took the initiative to talk about the murder case that happened today.
As the warden, that was where his responsibilities lay.
Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao and said, "Since you already have an idea in mind, why is there a need to ask me?"
"Then why did you say that in the county office?" Chen Chao sighed and said, "You blurted out what I was thinking, it's hard to guarantee that it wasn't heard by that demon. When the time comes, where am I going to look for it across the vast Tianqing County?"
Xie Nandu fell silent and said, "Actually, it might not just be demons."
She said it very slowly. But her judgment at this time was already different from before. But, Chen Chao did not show any surprise, as if he had thought of it a long time ago.
Xie Nandu muttered to herself, "There are some cultivators in the south who are a branch of qi refiners. They follow an unorthodox path and have the ability to control demons. It could be demons raised by them."
"If a cultivator who's passing by lets a demon under their command out to commit evil, then they won't have any misgivings."
Chen Chao's expression was a little ugly. Great Liang Dynasty's cultivators had always ignored imperial authority and viewed lives as grass. If it was really a cultivator, it would be a big problem.
Xie Nandu looked at Chen Chao and asked, "If it's really a demon raised by a cultivator, what will you do?"
This was a very straightforward question. Actually, it was also the question that the entire Great Liang Dynasty had been facing for these 200 years. As for the answer, for many years, many Great Liang Dynasty government officials have already used action to answer it.
That was to turn a blind eye to it.
If they angered those cultivators on top of the mountains, could Great Liang Dynasty withstand their wrath?
Forget about Great Liang Dynasty, just talking about the present situation, if it was really a demon raised by a cultivator, what could you, Chen Chao, a measly little warden do?
Chen Chao did not answer this question. He just looked at Xie Nandu and asked, "Are you staying here tonight? Or following me to Changyuan Street?"
"No, I'm staying at home tonight."
Xie Nandu acted uncharacteristically this time and did not choose to follow Chen Chao.
Chen Chao said seriously, "I feel a need to remind you, this is my home, not your home."
Xie Nandu said rather aggrievedly, "It's just a minor thing, is it worth saying it so seriously?"
Chen Chao nodded his head and was still very serious as he said, "I'm scared that you'll have some designs on me. Of course, I'm a really great guy, if you can't help but fall for me, I don't think that it's a problem. But the issue is, I'm afraid that after you give birth to this idea, you'll feel that me saving you is something that goes without saying, and you'll forget to give me my remuneration."
Xie Nandu was absorbed in thought and asked, "If I really fall for you, wouldn't you be able to obtain more?"
"That's true. This is really something difficult to refuse, but I'll still have to reject you."
Chen Chao casually tore off another piece of flaking paint from the wooden pillar and said with a slight smile, "Living off a woman is comfortable, but I don't like it."
……
……
The snow was lighter today, but it was still very cold.
Zhou Gouqi sat on his own doorstep wearing a thick cotton robe and rubbing his hands. But, he was in a good mood.
The reason for his good mood was not because he won the argument with that Chen brat again. After all, he always won and had gotten used to it.
It was because that fat lady of his returned to her parents' home today. His father-in-law was celebrating his 80th birthday today.
That fat woman gave him a good thrashing before she left. She wanted him to go back together with her, but she was still refused by Zhou Gouqi. He had not been doing well these few years. The relatives on his father-in-law's side had been laughing and mocking him. If it were others, they would not want to suffer eye-rolling again on such an occasion today too.
However, he was purely just lazy.
Lazy to walk from this street to that street.
Troublesome.
Zhou Gouqi who was currently enjoying this leisure time all by himself suddenly heard a creak. Lifting his head and looking, that door opened again. A youth in black walked out.
Who could it be if not that brat who was surnamed Chen?
Zhou Gouqi narrowed his eyes and became energized.
They were old acquaintances after all. Chen Chao knew what this old punk was thinking the moment they met gazes. He waved his hand impatiently, "I have official business. I don't have time to argue."
Zhou Gouqi clicked his tongue and said, "Brat, are you going to Changyuan Street?"
"Yeah, a demon entered the city. Be careful when you're sleeping at night."
"Wow, you punk, you're showing concern for Your Father?" "Do you feel that if Your Father died, no one will argue with you?"
"No, money has been tight recently."
The corners of Zhou Gouqi's mouth twitched, his expression somewhat ugly.
This brat really scolded people without saying vulgarities.
"Do you really think that demon will still appear on Changyuan Street?"
Hearing this, Chen Chao suddenly stopped and turned to look at this man who was far from being handsome.
Could it be...
"What ideas do you have?" Chen Chao looked at Zhou Gouqi, a strange idea gradually emerging.
Zhou Gouqi laughed loudly and said, "Brat, your brain isn't sharp. After committing two murder cases on Changyuan Street, could that demon still continue to stay there tonight?"
"This is the same reasoning as Your Father hiding private savings. Who would hide their private savings in one place?"
The man had a wise look, appearing quite conceited.
"It's gone?"
The corners of Chen Chao's mouth twitched. He was currently full of regret.
What on earth was I looking forward to?
"What? You still don't understand?" The man had a look of disdain, his expression somewhat judging him for being a hopeless case that could not be taught.
Chen Chao raised his middle finger at the man expressionlessly. Without waiting for the man to react, he walked away.
