Lanke Chess Edge
Chapter 30: The Lord City God Invites You

Yin Qing hesitated when he arrived.

“Mr. Ji, this place… My father and mother won’t let us come near this place…”

Xiao Yin Qing didn’t know how to explain it to Ji Yuan. If he said it bluntly, this honest-looking gentleman might misunderstand him.

Ji Yuan saw his troubled look, and didn’t plan on making things difficult for the child. Although he knew that the evil creature in this house had been exorcised by the four officials under the City God, the other people in town didn’t know.

“Okay, just put the bucket and pole by the door. I’ll bring them inside myself.”

Ji Yuan said, smiling as he took the initiative to help Xiao Yin Qing unload the pole. The child had clearly helped Ji Yuan carry the water a long way, and his small face was a little troubled.

“Sir, you… please don’t stay here! Here…”

Yin Qing swallowed and looked at the sun in the sky, still a little afraid to stand at the gate of the courtyard and speak the thoughts in his heart.

The elders in the family had told him not to talk about the Ju’an Pavilion, especially to its residents. It was too taboo, and his life would be over if he caught the attention and resentment of something evil.

Seeing that he wanted to say something but didn’t dare, Ji Yuan understood somewhat and patted Yin Qing’s head.

“Call me Mr. Ji. It’s rare to see such warmheartedness at such a young age. As for this Ju’an Pavilion, you don’t have to worry. I’ll be fine living here! Go on back, don’t let your family worry.”

“Then, Mr. Ji, I’ll be leaving now…”

Yin Qing didn’t dare stand at the entrance of Ju’an Pavilion for much longer. It was already pushing it to come all the way there. After saying goodbye, he quickly trotted away.

At that moment, watching Yin Qing leave, Ji Yuan suddenly felt something inexplicable, and turned to look at the other side of the street.

Not very far away stood a man who looked like an official. He wore a white robe and a tall cap.¹ His footsteps gave Ji Yuan the sense that it was an illusion, particularly as there was no sound.

A ghost? Could some ghosts really come out during the day?

The servant suddenly moved next to Ji Yuan and bowed to him.

“Daytime patrol Zuo Guan, under the jurisdiction of Ning’an County’s City God, greets Mr. Ji!”

Ji Yuan wasn’t too afraid. Seeing the official’s appearance, he guessed that it was about the evil of Ning’an County’s City God officials had expelled the night before. That short experience had also given him a good impression of the City God of Ning’an County.

As for why this official knew that his surname was Ji, perhaps he heard it just now, or perhaps they had some means of finding out.

“What can I do for you?”

Since the official had spoken, Ji Yuan had to reply.

Not too far away, Yin Qing, who had not yet run off, heard Ji Yuan’s voice behind him, and subconsciously stopped and looked back.

‘Is this Sir talking to me? ’

When he turned around, he only saw Ji Yuan facing in the other direction of the courtyard gate, as if he were talking to someone, but on the path no one was there.

Shivering, Yin Qing fled.

At the same time, the daytime patrol official respectfully answered Ji Yuan’s question.

“The Lord City God has invited Mr. Ji to the Temple of the City God to chat. If it is convenient for Mr. Ji, I can lead you there now.”

Now? Going to see Ning’an County’s City God?

Ji Yuan, who was calm on the surface, had an apprehensive feeling in his heart that he was about to meet the powerful leaders of the city. As for whether or not to go, there was no need to deliberate over his choice.

“Please wait a moment while I carry these two buckets of water inside.”

“Of course, Mr. Ji!”

Ji Yuan didn’t say anything more. He picked up the pole, hooked the buckets with the rope hook, and stood up very carefully. He did his best to imitate Yin Qing’s example, holding the rope with both hands positioned at the front and back, instead of grabbing the pole.

At last, he managed not to lose face in front of the daytime patrol officer, and he safely carried the water to the door of the kitchen in the courtyard.

The daytime patrol officer waited right outside the courtyard, watching Ji Yuan struggle to lift the bucket and pour water into the vat. A lot of water even splashed on Ji Yuan’s clothes. He didn’t look like a mysterious expert at all.

It was just that, he didn’t know why, but the clumsier he seemed, the more respectful the daytime patrol officer was, and by the end of it he didn’t even dare to stand too casually.

Lord Chenghuang had said before that the so-called true cultivators of the Immortal Palace who traveled around from place to place were arrogant and imposing. They were more like villains than gentlemen, and most of them could not be considered true experts. A true master followed the natural way of heaven, and returned to the natural state!²

“Haah…”

Ji Yuan put down the bucket and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at the corners of his sleeves and clothes. They were a little wet.

However, he had already figured it out before falling asleep. He had no intention of pretending to be an expert in front of the City God, so he acted casually without any pressure.

After rolling down the cuffs of his sleeves and casually brushing himself down, Ji Yuan walked out of the courtyard gate, and closed the door before looking at the daytime patrol officer.

“Let’s go, please lead the way. This is my first time in Ning’an County, so I don’t know where the Temple of the City God is!”

Ji Yuan didn’t care too much about brushing his teeth anymore, he simply decided to go.

“Very well! Mr. Ji, please follow me!”

The daytime patrol official stretched out his hand in invitation, but instead of letting him lead as Ji Yuan had feared, he walked forward.

After Ji Yuan caught up with him, he slowed down, as if he were walking by Ji Yuan’s side. Ji Yuan glanced at him but didn’t know what to say, so he just continued to walk forward. At worst, he could just ask if he didn’t recognize who he was supposed to be meeting.

After walking a hundred paces, they reached the first fork in the road. The daytime patrol official strode quickly to the left, and and stretched out his hand again.

“Mr. Ji, this way please!”

“Uh, okay!”

When Ji Yuan walked past, the daytime patrol officer was accompanying him once more.

‘This is so… a bit embarrassing…I’m really not a big-shot…’

The attitude of the daytime patrol officer was too respectful, and Ji Yuan felt extremely awkward. Even Lu Chengfeng didn’t act like this on that day.

In a small alley of Tian Niu Square, a daytime patrol officer invisible to ordinary people slowly proceeded, accompanied by the elegant and graceful Ji Yuan.

In order to alleviate the embarrassment, Ji Yuan could only try to find topics to chat with the ghostly patrol official about.

“I wonder what my guide’s surname is?”

Although the ghost didn’t need to breathe, Ji Yuan could feel that the daytime patrol official seemed to be relieved.

“I don’t dare accept your recognition.³ My surname was Liu before I was reborn, and my single name is Jiang!”

“Oh, Daytime Officer Liu!”⁴

“I don’t dare!”

Ji Yuan felt that this manner of speaking was a bit annoying, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do.⁵

“Daytime Officer Liu was a native of Ning’an before his death, right?”

“That’s right. Before my death, I was a native of Xiaxiaowanhe⁶ Village in Ning’an County. I used to work in the Ning’an County Government Office. Because I was kind and conscientious in life, when I died I was promoted to the daytime patrol by the county’s City God. It has been twenty two years since then!”

Ji Yuan could see that under the had of the daytime patrol officer, his face looked like that of a middle-aged man, and his heart was no longer quite so calm.

‘Damn, I’m afraid that this daytime patrol officer is older than my grandfather…’

“Daytime Officer Liu brought peace and eliminated violence in life, and protected the county even after his death. You were a good man in both Yin and Yang,⁷ which is admirable!”

Although his words were deliberately flattering, most of them were sincere.

Civil servants such as Daytime Officer Liu should be respected no matter where he was, let alone in ancient times.

“Mr. Ji flatters me, he flatters me very much!”

He said, but Ji Yuan could see that the daytime patrol officer was still very happy at his words.

A compliment and affirmation wouldn’t bring him much benefit, but it could make good people – rather, good ghosts – happy.

The atmosphere was soon rid of the previous embarrassment and became harmonious. Ji Yuan was walking, and suddenly his heart lurched. He glanced at the front corner of the alley, smiled, and continued to talk with the daytime patrol officer while walking.

Further ahead, Xiao Yin Qing’s heart was thumping, and his feet ran away without stopping.

It was too scary, it was too scary, that gentleman was walking alone but seemed to be chatting with someone. He was probably talking with a ghost!

The ghost in the small Ju’an’s Pavilion followed this gentleman out!

1. Most likely a Futou ↩︎
2. You might have seen this translated in other stories as “back to basics” or “return to nature.” It’s the concept that, once you get far enough in your cultivation, you have opened yourself up to the world so much that you and your energy have become indistinguishable from it – similar to some Buddhist denominations’ idea of enlightenment. ↩︎
3. 不敢称贵 Lit: “I don’t dare accept your praise” but it’s more like recognition. LR is basically saying “oh my gosh this big-shot cares about the name of a puny ghost like me,” hence the excessive “don’t dare”s ↩︎
4. 日巡 Rixun, title for the underworld daytime patrol. It’s not a proper honorific, so I’m translating it. ↩︎
5. A Western saying this time: adapt yourself to the customs of the place you are in. ↩︎
6. 小 (xiǎo): small; 湾 (wān): bay/gulf; 河 (hé): river, roughly translates to Small River Gulf Village, I’ll be leaving it untranslated since it’s not too important of a place ↩︎
7. Death and life ↩︎