Infinite Professions

Chapter 376 - 197: Huang Hex

Chen Chuan led the group to outside the Government Office, only to see everywhere adorned with lanterns and streamers. The towers of the grand sacrifice were echoing with firecrackers and the sound of gongs and drums, along with dragon and lion dances, making quite a lively scene.

The crowd surged, the streets were busy with traffic, moving from one place to another, with numerous stalls and Jianghu performers selling various items and showcasing performances.

As a member of a prominent family, Chen Chuan, although accustomed to many scenes, was still somewhat astonished by the prosperity before him.

This kind of celebration, in such grandeur, seems hardly inferior to the temple fairs in the Prefecture City or even the State Mansion.

The major affairs of a nation are in sacrifice and warfare.

This celebration is a kind of sacrifice, capable of showcasing power, uniting people’s hearts, and enhancing authority.

Seemingly, beneath the lively surface of this mountain god’s birthday, lies the prosperity of incense, firm convictions, and the robust display of divine power, manpower, and resources.

Only with people’s hearts directed and resources abundant, can there be such a grand celebration!

After all, festivities always exhaust immense resources, without adequate strength, it’s impossible to sustain.

Of course, one could fabricate names to increase taxes and donations from the people for celebrations, but such taxing of the people would certainly arouse public resentment, diminish one’s own fortune, ultimately leading to more loss than gain.

Only with a solid national foundation, affluent populace, and the people having spare capacity, can such celebration and grand sacrifice be put to proper use.

"This Song Shenjun, indeed knows how to govern the people!"

Chen Chuan mumbled softly, feeling a sense of defeat, his energy seemed drained.

But being a noble offspring, he quickly regained composure, saying to his clerks on the left and right: "Since encountering such a grand event, let this county rejoice with the people for once. Each of you go about freely."

Saying that, he left everyone behind and returned to the mansion. Shortly after, he came out in common attire, only bringing along the driver and advisor, and several local guiding Assistant Officials, disappearing into the crowd.

The crowd was surging yet not congested; in many places, Government Office officials were maintaining the traffic.

Chen Chuan walked for a while, then frowned slightly, asking the Assistant Official acting as a guide: "Why is there not a single beggar in the city? Could it be they’ve been driven away for this celebration?"

"Sir, you might not be aware."

The Assistant Official chuckled: "Captain Song has long cleared the county of gangs, especially the Beggar Gang. Now, within Qinghe County, no one begs anymore."

"No one begs?"

Chen Chuan furrowed his brow: "How is that possible? Even if the Beggar Gang was eradicated, what about the original beggars? Surely they can’t all be locked up?"

"How could that be?"

The Assistant Official laughed: "County Captain Song sent them to Little Yellow Mountain, settling them in newly established villages, turning beggars into citizens, beggars into farmers, and after years of arrangement, naturally no one begs in the county anymore. Even beggars wandering from surrounding counties are sent for settlement."

"..."

Chen Chuan fell silent for a moment, then looked around, sweeping his eyes through the crowd for a long time, before turning his gaze back to the Assistant Official: "Are the thieves dealt with the same way?"

"Indeed the same."

The Assistant Official nodded: "These years, County Captain Song made great efforts to arrest thieves, initially handling them according to Court laws, sending them to labor at Little Yellow Mountain for their sentences, transferring those with families home upon release, settling those without families locally. Thus, incidents of banditry have gradually ceased within the county, while not saying one could abandon items on the road without worry or sleep without locking doors, nonetheless, the county’s public safety has greatly improved."

"Even..."

The Assistant Official paused in his speech, seeming slightly hesitant, but ultimately revealed to Chen Chuan: "Under the Mountain God’s lordship, there are Night and Day Traveling Gods, Black and White Impermanence, Cow and Horse General, and many Divine Soldiers, patrolling the Yin and Yang Realms, overseeing the world’s affairs. Wrongdoers not only face Court penalties in life but also being cast into the Eighteen Layers of Hell after death, causing people to reverentially fear and not dare to transgress the bounds of law."

"Eighteen Layers of Hell?"

Chen Chuan’s brow furrowed tightly, unsure how to respond.

Yin and Yang differ, matters of gods and ghosts should not interfere too much with the human realm, otherwise, at the least, it’s the Superior Officer’s responsibility, at the worst, it’s a condemnation by Celestial Rules.

But this afterlife world belongs to faith dissemination, as long as the Little Yellow Mountain God doesn’t indiscriminately kill the living, it’s not considered a violation.

This principle is evident from the Buddhist Sect—they talk about the Western Paradise daily, and no one says anything against it, right?

Now, it’s the same for the Little Yellow Mountain God; whether discussing ending up in the Eighteen Layers of Hell after death or listing ancestral spirits for worship, it all falls under faith propaganda, though it interferes with the human realm, it doesn’t violate Celestial Rules.

There’s nothing you can do about it.

But Chen Chuan has a question.

How did it convince people.

Buddhist Sect folks often speak of the Western Paradise, attracting followers this way.

While this has some effect, it cannot make everyone wholly believe, otherwise, the Buddhist Sect would have long been dominant.

It’s the same logic now, though hell matters can serve as a posthumous threat, how did the Little Yellow Mountain God convince everyone?

Just by rhetoric?

Or did it employ some extraordinary means?

Chen Chuan was puzzled, but in this place, it was not appropriate to inquire much.

Luckily, the Assistant Official was quite worldly, and swiftly changed the subject: "Sir, ahead is the Yellow Crane Tower, would you like to visit it?"

"Yellow Crane Tower?"

Chen Chuan furrowed his brow: "What kind of place is that?"

The Assistant Official laughed: "This Yellow Crane Tower is the tallest building in Qinghe County, built at the Qinghe Riverbank in the city, with eight floors, dozens meters high, not only allowing you to enjoy panoramic views inside and outside the city by climbing high, but also watch ceremonial performances at various towers in the city, it’s also a place for the Mountain God’s Literary Sacrifice, scholars, and literary figures should all be there now."

"Such a famous scenic spot?"

Chen Chuan furrowed his brow, looking towards his advisor: "Sir, have you ever heard of it?"

"This... I haven’t heard of it."

The advisor shook his head, looking towards the Assistant Official: "What ancient site is this Yellow Crane Tower?"

"Not an ancient site."

The Assistant Official smiled: "It’s a new building, constructed ten years ago funded by Song External Official."