Volume One: Menial Servant of Changshui County Chapter Two: The Blood Corpse Case in the Capital

Lu Huaigu is dead?

How could that be possible?

Lu Jiuzhang found it hard to believe.

Although he often held some grievances against his elder brother Lu Huaigu—such as never being included when his brother went out for pleasure—he still felt a certain affection for him.

In the past half year, his elder brother had never let him lack for food or clothing.

“This is the last letter of your eldest brother, Lu Huaigu. You may read it.”

Director Chen placed a letter in front of Lu Jiuzhang.

He opened the envelope; there wasn’t much inside, and Lu Jiuzhang finished reading it at a glance.

“Lu Huaigu, a lowly official, is willing to serve as a scout for the Demon-Slaying Division, to seek out the whereabouts of monsters on Yanbei Mountain for the benefit of all in the division. Should I perish, the compensation is to be given to my younger brother, and I hope he may take up my post, entering the Demon-Slaying Division.”

To think his cheap elder brother was still thinking of him before he died!

Lu Jiuzhang felt even more moved.

Sadness welled up in him, his eyes growing moist.

“The Demon-Slaying Division deeply regrets your elder brother’s death,” Director Chen said. “In view of his bravery, the county magistrate has ordered the compensation doubled, a total of thirty taels of silver, all for you. As for joining the Demon-Slaying Division, this is your brother’s dying wish. If you desire to join, I can, as the representative of the Changshui County Demon-Slaying Division, approve your admission and waive many formalities.”

Director Chen spoke slowly.

“Director Chen, wasn’t Yanbei Mountain quite safe before? How did this happen…” Lu Jiuzhang asked, struggling to suppress his grief.

“I don’t know the details. I only know that about half a month ago, traces of monsters appeared on Yanbei Mountain, causing heavy losses to several trade caravans.”

“Yanbei Mountain is the main route to Anxi Prefecture. The county magistrate ordered that the monsters must be eradicated before the mid-year, to ensure the safety of autumn tax transport. I needn’t explain the importance of the tax convoys, do I?” Director Chen explained.

Taxes from all regions are gathered and transported to the national treasury, sustaining the Great Zhou Dynasty—its very foundation.

Though Changshui County’s contribution is small, if a precedent is set, other regions might also face problems.

The Great Zhou has stood for five centuries, passing through more than ten reigns. With a new emperor on the throne, no mistakes can be allowed in the tax convoys.

This is a matter of life and death—not only for the county magistrate, but even the prefect would be subject to imperial wrath.

Thus, a warning must be made, and even the smallest tax shipment is of great consequence.

“But…” Lu Jiuzhang wanted to ask more, but before he could speak, Director Chen interrupted. “I have pressing matters to attend to and cannot stay. If you wish to join the Demon-Slaying Division, bring my token tomorrow morning. Someone will guide you through the procedures.”

After saying this, Director Chen left behind thirty taels of silver and a token, then departed.

Outside, the snow was falling ever more heavily, quickly accumulating into a thick layer.

Such a heavy snow during the Awakening of Insects season was rare indeed.

After Director Chen left, a trail of fresh footprints appeared in the white courtyard.

The snow continued to fall as Lu Jiuzhang’s thoughts returned indoors.

Director Chen was the deputy director of the Changshui County Demon-Slaying Division, a renowned figure in the county. For him to treat a commoner like Lu Jiuzhang so courteously was already unusual.

But Lu Jiuzhang’s heart was still filled with unanswered questions.

The Great Zhou practices burial, yet his elder brother’s body had been burned before being brought back.

Why did the Demon-Slaying Division refuse to let him see Lu Huaigu’s remains?

Were they afraid he would discover something?

Second, Lu Huaigu was just an unranked warrior—why would he volunteer to be a scout?

That was clearly a death sentence.

Lu Jiuzhang did not believe his brother was so self-sacrificing as to risk his life for others.

Third, his brother was nearly illiterate, rough in manner, and could barely speak without cursing. The words in the will were clearly not his, nor could they have been dictated.

This could only mean someone from the Demon-Slaying Division wrote it, and it had nothing to do with Lu Huaigu.

But why would they lie?

Why recruit him into the Demon-Slaying Division?

…

Lu Jiuzhang sat quietly in his room, lost in thought.

There were so many suspicious points, but not a single clue.

This world was filled with danger—demons and monsters running rampant, feasting on humans, rivers of blood. Even the slaughter of entire cities by powerful demons was not unheard of.

He’d heard stories of such chaos before, but they had always seemed distant; remote Changshui County had remained peaceful.

His brother’s death this time left Lu Jiuzhang feeling lost and adrift.

He needed to become stronger—he could not continue living in such a haze.

At the very least, he had to investigate the truth behind Lu Huaigu’s death; he could not let his brother die without reason.

His eyes returned to the will. The letter was written on the Demon-Slaying Division’s special stationery, different from that sold in the markets—thicker, and a purer white.

Most in the Demon-Slaying Division were warriors; few were literate.

If Lu Jiuzhang remembered correctly, Lu Huaigu had a friend in the Demon-Slaying Division who had attended private school for a time and might be able to read.

With this in mind, Lu Jiuzhang secured his doors and windows and hurried outside.

His elder brother’s friend was named Wang Yunshan, a man fond of drinking—he and Lu Huaigu were close drinking companions.

Lu Jiuzhang had met him several times and was somewhat acquainted.

…

About a quarter of an hour later, Lu Jiuzhang stood before a small courtyard.

He knocked gently on the door.

With a creak, the faded wooden door opened, and a burly man in plain clothes stood before him.

This was Lu Huaigu’s drinking companion.

“Brother Wang!” Lu Jiuzhang greeted with a bow.

“Ah, it’s Second Young Master Lu. Come in, quickly!”

Wang Yunshan welcomed him warmly, then called for his wife to prepare a few dishes and bring out some wine.

Only after Lu Jiuzhang politely declined several times did Wang Yunshan relent.

“Second Young Master, I’ve heard about your brother’s death. I was planning to pay my respects, but you arrived before I could go out,” Wang Yunshan said, exchanging pleasantries. “Your brother and I were close. If you ever have difficulties, just come find me.”

No sooner had Wang Yunshan finished speaking than a sharp, shrill woman’s voice sounded from inside, “Oh, you’re so capable, are you? With that meager salary each month, and you still want to help others? Why don’t you look at yourself in a basin of water and see what sort of man you are?”

“Vulgar woman! I’m talking with Second Young Master—why are you interrupting? If you speak again, I’ll give you a beating.”

After Wang Yunshan scolded her a couple of times, the house fell silent.

“Brother Wang, I’m not here to seek your help, only to ask a few questions,” Lu Jiuzhang said steadily. “When the Demon-Slaying Division went to Yanbei Mountain to eliminate the monsters, did only part of the group go?”

“Yes, about a third went,” Wang Yunshan replied. “The monsters on Yanbei Mountain weren’t very strong, and the caravans to Anxi Prefecture had many guards with them. Though the caravans suffered heavy losses, they also killed quite a few monsters.”

Lu Jiuzhang nodded and continued, “Did you know about the will my elder brother left behind?”

He took out the letter.

“Let me see!”

Wang Yunshan examined it carefully and, after a long pause, said, “There’s no way your brother wrote this. He was just a rough warrior, always drinking, cursing, and chasing after women—he’d never have said these things.”

“But about a month ago, your brother did come to me to write a letter. The gist was that with the new emperor ascending the throne, a general amnesty was declared, and past wrongful cases under the former emperor were to be re-examined. Your brother wanted the authorities in the capital to reopen the ‘Capital Blood Corpse Case!’”