The group settled down at the Sima Mansion in Nan Prefecture to rest.
At dinner that evening, Wei Ming said, "I plan to stay in Nan Prefecture for about half a month, and then I will go on inspections throughout the region. The matter of the Prefectural Road officials embezzling salaries needs my serious attention."
"If there are indeed corrupt officials, they will be investigated one by one, then reported to the court, imprisoned, sentenced, and punished without mercy!"
"Furthermore, I am responsible for the assessment and evaluation of the hundred officials in Shan Nan Xi Dao, which is known as the Jing Cha, as well as overseeing the fairness and integrity of the criminal courts throughout the region. I cannot delay too long in Nan Prefecture."
The Imperial Inspector must travel on behalf of the Emperor, inspecting and assessing the officials of various feudal lords, prefectures, and counties. Their investigations and impeachments are especially important, with major matters being reported for judgment and minor matters being handled immediately.
Upon arriving at their destination, they must first examine the convicted prisoners, review the case files, and investigate any discrepancies or inconsistencies.
They need to inspect the sacrificial altars, their walls and offerings, show compassion for the elderly and the orphaned, check the warehouses, calculate the funds and grain, encourage schools, commend the virtuous, eliminate the powerful and corrupt, uphold social customs, and enforce discipline. These tasks are numerous and demanding, and they cannot be delayed.
Lu Ling Feng clasped his fists in a salute. "Brother Wei, please allow me to assist you from the sidelines."
The current year was Jing Yun. In two years, the Tian Sheng change would occur, when Li Dan would abdicate in favor of Li Long Ji, and Li Long Ji would ascend the throne, plotting to eliminate the followers of Princess Taiping.
Lu Ling Feng had not yet faced the difficult choice between the Crown Prince and the Princess. Currently, his heart was set on serving the Great Tang Dynasty, making contributions and achievements, and fulfilling his great aspirations and ambitions!
"Brother Lu has a righteous heart and a passionate spirit, which is a good thing. However, I have a more important task for you. You must act fairly and impartially, and not conceal any private matters!"
Lu Ling Feng rose to his feet, clasped his hands in a salute, and solemnly said, "Lu Ling Feng will act fairly and impartially, and never conceal any private matters. Otherwise, may I be punished by Heaven and Earth, and never be reborn!"
"Brother Lu, there's no need to be so dramatic." Wei Ming waved his hand. "It's like this: the mother of the Judicial Registrar of Nan Prefecture passed away. According to the current dynasty's rites, he needs to return home to mourn and observe a period of filial piety for three years. However, the Judicial Registrar sent by the court will not arrive for a while. So I discussed with Prefect Xiong, and you will temporarily take over as the Judicial Registrar of Nan Prefecture!"
Lu Ling Feng frowned and hesitated. "Wouldn't this affect Prefect Xiong? After all, I am currently a criminal..."
"Don't worry, I, the Imperial Inspector, have the authority to appoint someone for the task. The court will not blame you, nor will they implicate anyone else. Just focus on being the thief catcher, fighting for justice, and serving the people!"
Thus, Lu Ling Feng agreed.
Two days later, Wei Ming went to the Nan Prefecture Government Office for inspections and evaluations. He discovered that fifteen individuals had all assumed their positions within the past three years, which drew his attention.
After nightfall, the sounds of horse hooves echoed from outside the city of Nan Prefecture, as if thousands of troops were charging towards the city.
Upon hearing the news, Prefect Xiong Qian Nian was terrified and quickly notified the Nan Prefecture Garrison, drawing his sword and rushing out to the city walls.
Currently, the Great Tang Dynasty was peaceful and prosperous. While some remote areas might have bandits and highwaymen, there were hardly any organized, powerful evil factions.
Could it be an invasion from a foreign country? The possibility was extremely slim!
The Great Tang Dynasty was currently the strongest country in the world, the supreme sovereign of all nations! No country dared to attack its borders, fearing the wrath of the Great Tang and the consequences of disaster, national ruin, and annihilation.
Moreover, Nan Prefecture was located in the southwest hinterland, a remote area, and it was highly unlikely that bandits would attack here.
Just in case, Xiong Qian Nian still led the garrison troops to investigate the situation outside the city.
However, their investigation yielded no results. They didn't even find a single ghost!
Lu Ling Feng, Su Wu Ming, and the others naturally woke up and followed them out to the city walls. They found nothing, not even a single hoof print.
After a sleepless night, they returned to the Sima Mansion with a sullen expression.
Meanwhile, Wei Ming traveled by night to a clearing outside the city.
Three thousand soldiers clad in black armor stood in perfect formation, awaiting inspection.
Behind the three thousand black-armored soldiers were countless wandering souls, roughly estimated to be at least 300,000!
When Wei Ming left Chang'an, he had first dispatched three thousand black-armored soldiers, ordering them to help him gather and collect the spirits of the deceased.
As for the spirits of Shi Yi Niang and the Four Ghosts of You Li, they remained in the Ghost Market of Chang'an, helping him build the Underworld.
"All soldiers, you have worked hard. Each of you will receive one hundred spirit bodies to cultivate!"
Wei Ming had already taught the three thousand black-armored soldiers the methods of Yin cultivation. Now, each of them had solidified their Yin soldier cultivation, and several deputy commanders and the leading centurion had already become generals.
The three thousand black-armored soldiers received the order and began to consume the spirits. Just as Wei Ming was about to refine the spirit bodies, Dou Cong flew over, looking hurried and worried.
Wei Ming smiled. "You've arrived at the right time. Come, come, here are three hundred spirit bodies for you. Go absorb and refine them."
Dou Cong shook her head. "Sir, something has happened!"
Then, Dou Cong told Wei Ming everything she had seen and heard, laying it all out for him.
Wei Ming's expression became cloudy and unclear.
"Penglai Immortal Mountain? Immortal? Goddess Messenger? The Snake Immortal True Monarch is going to Ning Hu to subdue the monstrous dragon-crocodile and become a Crocodile Immortal!"
"And that so-called Immortal is going to personally deal with me?"
"Looks like I've caught the attention of Bai Yu Jing. Well, good. If they can't find me, they'll let me find them."
After muttering to himself, Wei Ming sat cross-legged and began refining the spirit bodies to enhance his strength.
【Current Confinement of Spirits and Dispatch of Souls unlock rate: 65%, 66%, 67%...】
The next afternoon, Wei Ming returned from the Government Office and found Lu Ling Feng and the others discussing something in the living room.
Wei Ming leaned in to listen and realized that the commotion caused by the three thousand black-armored soldiers rushing to the city last night was the topic of conversation.
Pei Xi Jun said, "The night before we left Chang'an, there were also sounds of horse hooves echoing from the outskirts of the capital, as if a thousand troops were passing through. The people of Chang'an said it was the passage of Yin soldiers."
Song A Mi, Xue Huan, and Fei Ji Shi shivered, looking scared.
Lu Ling Feng snorted coldly. "There's no such thing as ghosts and spirits in the world. It's just someone pretending to be supernatural."
"Perhaps it's an unexplainable natural phenomenon!" Su Wu Ming added. As a disciple of Di Gong, Su Wu Ming was one of the few materialists and atheists of the time.
Wei Ming stepped out from behind them. "Senior brother has truly received the inheritance of Master, but junior brother still believes in ghosts and spirits, or rather, he has a reverent fear of them!"
"Junior brother believes that ghosts and spirits exist?" Su Wu Ming was surprised.
"To be precise, they are a higher level of natural ecology, just like how humans have three souls and seven spirits, and how the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and how the tides ebb and flow."
The conversation between the two became profound, even Lu Ling Feng, who was not lacking in knowledge, couldn't keep up. Wei Ming eventually explicitly explained the two philosophies of idealism and materialism, and he also emphasized dialectics and historical materialism.
This had a huge impact on Su Wu Ming, who admired him. "Now I believe that junior brother has truly received the inheritance of the Taiping Dao. Your explanation is close to the natural Dao of Heaven, profound and obscure, not something ordinary mortals can comprehend. Senior brother admires you greatly!"
"Senior brother is too kind. It's just an academic discussion, a mutual exchange of knowledge."
"I have good news to announce!" Xue Huan interrupted, changing the subject.
Everyone turned to look at Xue Huan. Xue Huan looked at Lu Ling Feng, who nodded his consent. Xue Huan then announced loudly, "From now on, the Centurions will be my master!"
"I have finally been acknowledged by my master and accepted into his teachings!"
Everyone offered their congratulations. "Congratulations! May you soon learn a skill, serve your country, and fulfill your aspirations and ambitions!"
That evening, Wei Ming taught Pei Xi Jun a new painting technique called "Psychological Profiling."
"You can use it to create psychological profiles based on the descriptions given by others, including the suspect's height, build, appearance, and characteristics."
"This is very helpful in solving mysterious cases. If you want to learn it, I can teach you."
Pei Xi Jun nodded. "As long as it's taught by Wei Lang, I'm willing to learn!"
While the two exchanged painting skills in the room, Song A Mi came by with the chicken soup she had cooked.
She was about to knock on the door when she heard strange sounds coming from inside. Although she was inexperienced in such matters, she was not stupid. Naturally, she understood that Wei Ming was teaching. At that moment, she couldn't help but blush and her heart race.
Then, she lightly stomped her foot and left, carrying the chicken soup with her.
The next morning, Prefect Xiong invited Wei Ming and the others to drink tea.
"I didn't realize that everyone in Nan Prefecture, from the commoners to the Prefect, enjoys tea!" Su Wu Ming exclaimed with surprise.
Xiong Qian Nian proudly said, "Tea is one of Nan Prefecture's specialties, after all!"
"One of the Four Sons, Zhong Bo Qi, is renowned for his tea skills. From planting, harvesting, and making tea, to what water to use for brewing, what cups to use for drinking, and many other rituals and rules, were all established by Zhong Bo Qi."
Wei Ming felt a sense of regret in his heart. If Zhong Bo Qi hadn't done this, perhaps Lu Yu, who was born in the twenty-second year, wouldn't have become the Tea Sage!
Then, Xiong Qian Nian asked, "Speaking of which, isn't there a famous Chang'an Red Tea in the capital as well?"
The three of them exchanged glances, looking rather awkward, especially Su Wu Ming and Lu Ling Feng, who felt as if they were being slapped in the face.
Just then, a servant of the Prefect rushed in and reported.
"Zhong Bo Qi sent a message just now, saying that Qin Sheng Lu Gong Fu passed away last night!"
Everyone was shocked. "What? Lu Gong Fu passed away?!"
Wei Ming was stunned for a moment. He knew that Lu Gong Fu was killed by Zhong Bo Qi, but he didn't expect it to happen on the same night that he was refining the spirit bodies outside the city.
He had watched Tang Gui, but it only revealed the direction of the plot. The specific date of the incident wasn't mentioned in the drama, and he couldn't keep an eye on Zhong Bo Qi and Lu Gong Fu all the time.
All he could do now was to solve the case as quickly as possible, preventing Zhong Bo Qi from making more mistakes!
They rode their horses to Lu Gong Fu's bamboo grove villa and encountered Ouyang Quan mourning outside the gate.
Ouyang Quan looked heartbroken and clasped his fists in a salute. "Ouyang Quan greets all the officials."
Xiong Qian Nian asked, "You're here to mourn, but why don't you go inside?"
"I am just a businessman, and I am afraid of disturbing the peace of a renowned scholar. I must take my leave!" With that, Ouyang Quan left, looking distraught.
Su Wu Ming and Lu Ling Feng looked at Ouyang Quan's back suspiciously, while Wei Ming thought to himself: Why should a businessman become a Wine Immortal, and why should a renowned scholar be burdened by his fame!