Volume One: Menial Servants of Changshui County Chapter Three: Shrouded in Doubt

Capital Blood Corpse Case?

Lu Jiuzhang racked his brain for a long time, but found no trace of such a memory.

“Brother Wang, do you know anything about the Capital Blood Corpse Case?” Lu Jiuzhang asked.

“You’re overestimating me, aren’t you? That was twenty years ago. Back then, how old do you think I was? Still running around in open-crotch trousers, playing with mud and my own pee,” Wang Yunshan replied, shaking his head. “Besides, that was a case from the Capital Prefecture, and we’re so far removed from there, it’s nearly a world away. News hardly ever reaches us.”

“Just hearing the words ‘Blood Corpse’ gives me the chills. That’s the Capital Prefecture, after all—how many powerful figures must be hidden there? And cases like this are usually highly classified. If you really want to know, you’d have to go to the Grand Justice Temple and dig up the old case files.”

Hearing Wang Yunshan’s words, Lu Jiuzhang felt even more confused.

His eldest brother, Lu Huaigu, was nothing more than a martial brute, working as a menial servant for the Demon-Slaying Division in Changshui County. How could he possibly have learned of such a case? Or perhaps, Lu Huaigu was deeply entangled in it—otherwise, why would he have bothered to try overturning the verdict?

A vague suspicion crept into Lu Jiuzhang’s mind: his brother’s death might hold far greater trouble than it seemed.

But the problem was just as apparent—the Capital Prefecture wasn’t literally a world away, but it was still a long journey, and investigating it was utterly unrealistic. Moreover, at present Lu Jiuzhang was nothing but an ordinary commoner—he’d be beaten and thrown out before even getting through the doors of the Grand Justice Temple.

For a moment, Lu Jiuzhang’s head throbbed with worry.

“Oh, and let me tell you another thing, though I can’t vouch for its truth—it’s just hearsay among us,” Wang Yunshan said. “I heard from a few colleagues in the Demon-Slaying Division that your brother might not have been killed by a demon beast. It looked more like he was poisoned.”

“Of course, that’s just a rumor—it doesn’t sound plausible. Even if it was poison, it should have been from a demon beast. How could it be a toxin concocted by human hands?” Wang Yunshan shook his head as he spoke.

“Brother Wang’s analysis is sound,” Lu Jiuzhang agreed, storing away another clue in his heart.

“Oh, by the way, did the Demon-Slaying Division give you any compensation?” Wang Yunshan suddenly remembered and hurriedly asked.

“They gave me thirty taels of silver and promised that I could join the Demon-Slaying Division,” Lu Jiuzhang replied.

This wasn’t much of a secret—soon enough, everyone around would know, so he didn’t bother to hide it.

“Hmm… thirty taels is fairly reasonable, a standard amount for compensation.” Wang Yunshan nodded, then his tone changed. “But promising you a position in the Demon-Slaying Division—that’s a bit odd. It’s not that easy to get in.”

He eyed Lu Jiuzhang’s thin, frail frame. “Generally, at the very least, you have to be a ranked martial artist to join. Even the lowest, ninth-rank martial artist can easily handle a dozen ordinary people.”

“But ranked martial artists are rare, especially in small places like Changshui County—so occasionally they recruit some strong laborers to help with tasks. These men count as members, but their treatment is worlds apart from the ranked martial artists.”

“Your brother and I were the lowest of the low in the division, but we were sturdy. You, with your slight build, will only be asking for trouble in there. The girls at the Crimson Lotus Pavilion would drain you dry in a single night—you’d be too exhausted to show up for work the next day!”

“I don’t recall any precedent for this, either—bringing in a brother or son just because someone died on the job. The Demon-Slaying Division isn’t a family business. Ordinary folks have no standing before the officers there, and they’re not about to open a backdoor for you.”

The Demon-Slaying Division was a vast institution throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty, present from the highest imperial offices down to small counties like Changshui, much like the local yamen.

Demon and monster attacks were rampant, leaving the common people in dire straits. The Demon-Slaying Division existed to maintain peace in their regions.

According to Wang Yunshan, at least in Changshui County, there had never been such a case.

So why had Chief Chen invited him into the Demon-Slaying Division? Was it to eliminate loose ends and silence him?

But as Wang Yunshan had said, commoners had no status before the officers. If they wanted to kill Lu Jiuzhang, it would be as easy as crushing an ant. Why bother bringing him in only to do him harm?

Before Lu Jiuzhang could answer, Wang Yunshan continued, “Still, it’s not a bad thing. If you can get in, the monthly stipend should be enough to live on. The Demon-Slaying Division wields a lot of power—among the common people, you’d be a man of authority.”

“Work hard for a few years, marry a good woman, have a fat son—those are the big things a man should do in life.” As he spoke, Wang Yunshan leaned in close and lowered his voice, “When you pick a wife, choose carefully. Don’t go for a shrew or someone with a shrill voice, or you’ll suffer for it.”

After saying this, he glanced back into the house, clearly dissatisfied with his own wife.

With a few more idle words, Lu Jiuzhang took his leave.

There were simply too many doubts.

On the way home, Lu Jiuzhang kept turning over several key questions in his mind.

The possibility of poisoning was strong—there’s no smoke without fire. Even if it was just a rumor, there had to be some truth behind it.

That would also explain why Lu Huaigu was returned only after cremation.

And then, why had they pushed him to join the Demon-Slaying Division? If they wanted him dead, there had been plenty of chances—no need to bring him into the Division first.

Finally, there was the Capital Blood Corpse Case—the greatest mystery of all. If he could unravel that, all the riddles would be solved.

But at the moment, that was the hardest matter—Lu Jiuzhang had no idea where to even begin.

Meanwhile, he still faced the threat of the Demon-Slaying Division. Refusing wasn’t really an option—they had their ways of forcing him in.

There were ways to avoid them, but they were all too difficult.

The Demon-Slaying Division wasn’t the only path to power in Great Zhou—there were also the imperial examinations.

If he became a licentiate, he would gain many privileges, no longer needing to kneel before the county magistrate or perform corvée labor. If he became a recommended scholar, he could become an official. And if he became a presented scholar, he would return home in glory, and his ancestors would be honored.

Six months ago, after transmigrating to this world, Lu Jiuzhang also dreamed of becoming a copycat scholar—reciting Tang and Song poetry, stunning the world, and earning universal praise, with fine wine and beauty at his side.

But dreams are sweet and reality bitter. Those poems and verses were useless here, and no heavenly omens would manifest because of them.

The only thing of interest was a towering pagoda that had appeared in his mind after crossing over.

At first, Lu Jiuzhang thought this was his golden finger, but when he tried to enter, he found the ancient, imposing tower utterly sealed. Its wooden doors were as impenetrable as iron—no matter what he tried, not so much as a crack appeared.

This so-called golden finger was as good as nonexistent, so Lu Jiuzhang had simply resigned himself to fate.