Chapter Eighty-Five: Fate Has Ordained It

Chapter Eighty-Five

After Zhao Fusheng finished speaking, she sipped her tea, quietly observing the reactions of those present.

Magistrate Pang, Yu Weide, and the other local gentry had long sought to gauge her true strength. As Yu Weide had mentioned, a ghostly mist had appeared in the county, and rumor had it that whenever this mist arose, the red moon would follow, heralding calamity. In such circumstances, even the imperial court dared not intervene in Wanan County. Yet Zhao Fusheng not only urged everyone to stay put, she even intended to attract more people to the county. Naturally, she needed to showcase some extraordinary ability; power, after all, was not meant to be hidden at such a juncture.

Her handling of the ghost cases in Beggars’ Alley and Doghead Village had been impressive, earning her a measure of reputation. Yet, in terms of personal power, the Deputy Commander Zheng of neighboring Bao County was far more renowned and held a clear advantage. If Zhao Fusheng wished to draw people over, she had to make her own strength plain.

The gathered officials had suspected she had an ace up her sleeve, but none had imagined she would so quietly and effortlessly command a ghost of the malevolent grade.

“You—you said—what?” Yu Weide was so agitated he began to stammer.

“Did I mishear—?”

Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly and said, “The ghost I command is also of the malevolent grade. I may have only handled two cases, but if any more arise, I will deal with them as well.”

The Fan brothers were speechless, shocked beyond words.

Zhao Fusheng’s gaze swept the hall, taking in the mixture of awe and fear on each face. Satisfied that she had established her authority, she chuckled lightly and continued, “As for Deputy Commander Zheng you mentioned—he may have handled an extra case, but what is his mental state now?”

Those who commanded malicious spirits inevitably suffered backlash. Zhao Fusheng herself had escaped such effects only because of the Investiture of the Gods. Zheng, on the other hand, was an ordinary ghost handler; his mind could not be as stable as hers. If she wanted to win people from the neighboring county, she felt no qualms about pointing out Zheng’s shortcomings. “I’ve read the case files of the Demon Suppression Bureau, and I know well the lists of personnel changes. How many officers and commanders die across various bureaus each year? I need not say more. Zheng may be skilled, but how many more cases do you think he can handle in his current state?”

The room fell utterly silent, no one daring to speak.

“Frankly, if Bao County faces another catastrophe, Deputy Commander Zheng will probably have to beg the court for help.”

If the court sent reinforcements, Zheng’s days would be numbered. If not, he would be helpless in the face of further hauntings.

“He might not only fail to resolve the matter—he could even lose his own life in the process.”

Even without new disasters, Zheng hovered on the edge of losing control over his ghost. “If he goes out of control, Bao County will fall under a shroud of hauntings, just as our own Demon Suppression Bureau in Wanan County did—a warning plain for all to see.”

Zhao Fusheng carelessly glanced at the old gentry. “If your old friend insists on staying in Bao County under such circumstances, he must have a death wish.”

Having revealed some of her power, Zhao Fusheng saw no need to indulge the gentry further. She had always appeared mild-tempered, but if they mistook her for someone easy to manipulate, they were sorely mistaken.

“Yu Weide, write to your friend at once. If he’s willing to come to Wanan County, I’ll grant him land to build a home for his family. If he won’t come, he’ll not be welcome in the future.”

Her tone was unyielding. “This is a one-time offer. Fan Wujie will keep an eye on this matter!”

“Yes—” Yu Weide replied in a trembling voice.

Fan Wujie was still in shock until his brother Fan Bisi nudged him. Only then did he come to his senses and hurriedly agreed.

Fan Bisi’s heart was pounding; he pressed his lips tight to maintain a facade of calm. Seeing his brother speak up, he too rose quickly. “Actually, my lord, you’ve handled more than two cases.”

He was shrewd enough to know when to declare his allegiance and had chosen his timing well. “Don’t you remember? The day your parents’ remains revived as vengeful ghosts, you suppressed them yourself.”

“Yes, yes,” Zhang Chuan-shi, silent for long, finally seized his chance. “Those were two nearly awakened malevolent ghosts. You put them down at the same time and averted a calamity. That’s as significant as any ghost case—by my count, you’ve handled three.”

The Demon Suppression Bureau hadn’t publicized this incident, since Zhao Fusheng’s parents had been buried in Bao County and the Fan brothers had kept quiet. Now, with Zhao Fusheng seeking to revitalize Wanan County and demonstrating her strength, Fan Bisi found the courage to reveal the truth.

The gentry and Magistrate Pang were stunned. Both she and Zheng were bureau officers capable of commanding malevolent ghosts and had each handled three cases. Yet the difference was stark: Zheng teetered on the brink of death, a hollow shell barely holding on. Zhao Fusheng, in contrast, had solved her cases with finesse and displayed remarkable self-control, showing no sign of ghostly influence.

If she could maintain this for a few more months, perhaps Wanan County, forsaken by the court, might yet be revived.

Initially, the assembly had only wished to probe her, but the answers they received far exceeded expectations.

Magistrate Pang was overjoyed. Though Zhao Fusheng was still speaking, he could barely contain himself, his smile impossible to hide. He had believed himself doomed in his twilight years, trapped in Wanan County, but after Zhao Qiming’s death, the county had unexpectedly gained a new pillar in Zhao Fusheng.

Having read the crowd’s expressions, Zhao Fusheng smiled again. “In short, anyone who enters Wanan County and is willing to pay taxes may claim a free plot to build a home for their family.”

She paused, then reminded them, “This is a one-time chance. If they miss it, there may not be a place for them later.”

“Yes, yes.” The others hastened to agree.

Having learned the details of the Doghead Village case and heard Zhao Fusheng’s bold confession about her ghost, everyone was eager to leave and confer among themselves.

After a few more polite exchanges, Magistrate Pang took the initiative to excuse himself, citing the late hour and not wishing to delay Zhao Fusheng’s rest.

Once they departed, the Demon Suppression Bureau felt suddenly empty and quiet. Zhao Fusheng remained seated, unmoving.

After a long time, Fan Bisi ventured, “Is the ghost you command truly of the malevolent grade?”

“It is,” Zhao Fusheng replied, lifting her teacup. Zhang Chuan-shi hurried forward to refill her cup, but he was so agitated that blood dripped from his wounded face. Fan Wujie, disgusted, pushed him aside and refilled the cup himself.

Fan Bisi’s face twitched. “Is it the same ghost as before?”

“Yes,” she nodded.

Fan Bisi was stunned. “It’s reached the malevolent grade—no wonder Qiming lost control so quickly…”

He realized his slip and quickly composed himself, though his mind was filled with questions. He wanted to ask when her ghost had advanced, how she managed to wield its power without suffering any backlash or change in temperament. But he knew he wouldn’t get an answer.

Ultimately, Fan Bisi swallowed his doubts.

Zhao Fusheng paid him no mind. At this point, with her increasing power and growing number of cases, the Fan brothers were no longer a threat. Their petty thoughts were beneath her notice; her focus was on strengthening herself.

In the Han Empire’s harsh climate, increasing one’s strength was the only way to solve ghost cases and preserve one’s life.

“All the silver sent tonight by Magistrate Pang and the others goes into the treasury,” she ordered. “Renovate the bureau, repair the road outside. All unclaimed shops on this street are to become bureau property and will be rented to the highest bidder.”

She unceremoniously claimed the entire street as her own. Fan Bisi nodded, committing her instructions to memory.

Business concluded, Zhao Fusheng brought up something she’d mentioned to Zhang Chuan-shi earlier. “Find a time to go with Old Zhang to Bao County and retrieve the coffin planks buried separately with my parents.”

Fan Bisi froze at her words.

Fan Wujie couldn’t hold back. “Fusheng, isn’t that a bit much?”

In his agitation, he forgot to address her properly. Fan Bisi quickly glared at his brother and corrected him, emphasizing “my lord.” Fan Wujie realized his mistake and looked embarrassed.

Fortunately, Zhao Fusheng did not dwell on such trifles.

Fan Bisi breathed easier, gaining a new understanding of her character. He composed himself and said, “My lord, tonight you’re asking Yu Weide to recruit people. We’d previously buried a ghost corpse in Bao County, and now you want to dig up a dangerous object—”

Such actions were tantamount to provoking Deputy Commander Zheng, bullying an honest man. No matter how good Zheng’s temper, repeated provocations would strain anyone’s patience—let alone someone who commanded a ghost.

As Zhao Fusheng had said, Zheng was on the verge of losing control, having already handled three cases. He must be barely hanging on, the fear of death and the ghost’s influence making him difficult to deal with.

“Why risk antagonizing him?” Fan Bisi reasoned. “As you said, he commands a malevolent ghost.”

The higher the grade of the ghost, the greater the toll on its handler, and the swifter their demise. Zhao Fusheng’s earlier comments about Zheng were not exaggerations but fact, so no one had dared refute her.

Fan Bisi suggested, “Why not wait until he’s dead, then quietly recover the planks?”

Zhang Chuan-shi agreed, “That’s the safest course.”

The old man, greedy for life and timid, was now tied to Zhao Fusheng’s fate in Wanan County but still feared Deputy Commander Zheng. Best to offend neither side and muddle through.

“No!” Zhao Fusheng rejected the suggestion outright. “No delays—the longer we wait, the greater the risk.”

She fixed Zhang Chuan-shi with a look. “Paper Doll Zhang is still at large, and he’s collected many dangerous items. I can’t let those coffin planks fall into his hands.”

At the mention of Paper Doll Zhang, the others knew her mind was made up and fell silent.

Zhang Chuan-shi looked crestfallen.

“As for offending Deputy Commander Zheng—” Zhao Fusheng smiled at Fan Bisi.

Fan Bisi’s eyelid twitched; foreboding crept over him.

She went on, “This is the way of the world now. My choices are not meant to spite anyone—it’s just how things are. I’m only trying to survive.”

Fan Bisi found her words increasingly familiar, but dared not speak. He instinctively glanced at his brother, who was frantically signaling him to keep quiet.

“Life is cheap; no one wants to die. It’s just how it is,” Zhao Fusheng said with a smile. “Besides, Zheng has faced countless crises and knows more about ghosts than anyone—why would he take offense at a newcomer like me?” She set her teacup down carelessly. “He should know that even without me, trouble would find him sooner or later. If I add a bit more to his woes, so be it. Perhaps it’s simply his fate to face this calamity.”

Fan Bisi was speechless.

Only then did he recall—after his brother’s warning glance—that these were the very words he and his brother had once used to counsel Zhao Fusheng after she had come back from the dead, urging her to accept fate and abandon thoughts of revenge. Now she’d turned their own logic against them, telling others to bear their losses in silence.

She was neither forgiving nor one to suffer in silence.

With the matter thus settled, Fan Bisi had no grounds to argue. He clenched his jaw and nodded.

Of the group, Fan Bisi was the shrewdest; once he yielded, the others dared not protest and quickly agreed.

They began discussing when to set out for Bao County and whom to recruit for the task.

Zhao Fusheng paid them no heed and retired to her quarters to rest.

Having just solved a ghost case and with 986 merit points in hand, she slept soundly and did not wake until late morning.

The servants had prepared hot water and breakfast. The Fan brothers were nowhere to be seen. On inquiry, she learned they had left early on important business.

Zhao Fusheng surmised they were preparing to recover the coffin planks. Having entrusted the task to them, she meant to see how capable Fan Bisi truly was.

As she was lost in thought, a servant asked, “My lord, are you going out?”

Since the bureau reopened, Zhao Fusheng had mostly remained indoors reviewing case files. Her sudden inquiry about Fan Bisi made the servant think she was preparing to go out and needed his assistance.

Zhao Fusheng shook her head. “No—”

Yet as she spoke, a thought struck her.

The Doghead Village case was, in some ways, tied to Beggars’ Alley—a place steeped in misfortune. Once the ancestral hall of the Liu clan, it now harbored three dormant vengeful spirits, with Paper Doll Zhang possibly lurking nearby, waiting for his chance. The bureau’s nominal officer Liu Yizhen was stationed there. Now that she had some leisure, Zhao Fusheng decided a visit was in order.

With this, she nodded. “Prepare a carriage. I’m going to Beggars’ Alley.”