Jiuxian House was the finest establishment in Gujing County, and what it was best known for was not its cuisine but its wine.

Gujing County had gotten its name from an ancient well in the town — a well of unknown age. The water from this ancient well was sweet and pure, and legend held that drinking it regularly would strengthen the body, prolong health, and extend one’s years.

That well now sat within the Daoist temple where Fang Yuzhu and his people were lodging.

The people of Gujing County could no longer say for certain whether the temple had become famous because of the well, or whether the well had become known because of the temple. The temple was called Zhengqing Temple; the ancient well was called Immortal Dew Well.

Legend had it that over a hundred years ago, when the first-generation General Dantai had only just arrived in Liangzhou, the allied forces of the Western Regions were ravaging the land, slaughtering countless lives and leaving fields of corpses. With only a few thousand fierce soldiers, General Dantai had driven back an enemy dozens of times their number. At the most desperate moments of that battle, the heroes of the jianghu and ordinary commoners from all across the western frontier had rushed to the battlefield to lend their strength.

The seventy-two Daoist priests of Zhengqing Temple had strapped on their swords and marched west.

The temple master was already seventy-one years old. His disciples all urged him not to go, but the old temple master said: “You’re all going, and I will not — if you don’t come back, I won’t be able to bear the grief.”

The old temple master said: I am your master, and you have your own disciples. I must set an example for you; you must set an example for them.

The old Daoist said: Those of the Way, in times of peace, we cultivate in stillness; in times of turmoil, we enter the world — this is the rule our Founding Patriarch left us.

Of all the schools and sects under heaven, only the Daoist rule of conduct explicitly states: All disciples of the Way shall take the protection of home and country as their duty; betraying the realm and collaborating with the enemy is forbidden. The Founding Patriarch wrote this down, and so we must abide by it. He dared write it because he firmly believed that from his time forward, for a thousand generations, every disciple of the Way would uphold it.

The old temple master further said: The Founding Patriarch dared write this down because he trusted us, his posterity. If he dared write it, we must dare act upon it.

I am your master; I set the example. You have disciples; you set their example.

If I fall in battle, you take my place. If you fall, your disciples take yours.

After the great battle, General Dantai personally escorted seventy-two coffins home. That iron-hard general, who had cut down enemies without number, wept aloud repeatedly as he dug the graves himself in Zhengqing Temple with his own hands.

Of the several thousand Liangzhou soldiers, only a few hundred survived that engagement. Thousands of jianghu fighters also fell. The old temple master had been named the leader of the jianghu fighters — seventy-one years old, sword in hand.

He had said: Everyone asked me to lead, and I accepted. So I cannot stand behind others and watch. That is not leading. A leader belongs at the front.

The old man killed more than twenty enemies and was struck by six arrows.

As he lay dying, the old temple master still managed a smile. He said to those beside him: “Let me tell you a secret — I have never truly believed in heavenly retribution and divine justice. I only believe in the Way following the natural.”

And what is the Way following the natural?

With trembling hands, blood-soaked fingers pointing at the bodies of the jianghu fighters strewn across the ground, he said: “This is it. Acting from the heart’s own truth — the Way following the natural.”

All souls under heaven are the Way.

After the great battle, the people of the county came spontaneously to Zhengqing Temple to pray, beseeching heaven to let the Daoist priests return safely.

When they had departed, swords on their backs, easy and laughing, utterly unafraid of death.

When the coffins came home, countless people knelt before Zhengqing Temple, weeping with gut-wrenching grief. Some cried out in anguish: “They didn’t come back.”

General Dantai knelt before the spirit tablets and bowed his head with full military courtesy. The General said: “They came back.”

Zhengqing Temple still stood today, and in the rear courtyard, those seventy-two graves still remained.

Looking at those graves, Fang Yuzhu’s expression was one of contempt.

“Nothing but men who died chasing empty fame,” he muttered to himself.

His disciple Jù Hé said: “Dying for a name is still an obsession.”

Fang Yuzhu said: “The men in those mounds of dirt have long since turned to dry bones. By now, no one even knows their names. What good did grasping at fame do them?”

Saying this, he found himself thinking of that stubborn old fool on Dragon Tiger Mountain.

“When I was on Dragon Tiger Mountain, I debated the Way with that obstinate old man. I said: since the Founding Patriarch said the Way follows what is naturally in the heart, then all impulses of the heart are the Way following the natural. Was I wrong in that? If every impulse of the heart is the Way, then why is mine considered wrong?”

Jù Hé said: “He was just too proud to admit it.”

Fang Yuzhu nodded. “If that old mule had opened the temple gates, how much would the annual donations from the faithful have amounted to? Surely no less than a million taels — at the very least several hundred thousand.”

“But he refused. A meal of plain tea and simple food twice a day, his disciples tilling fields, tending cattle and sheep alongside him.”

Fang Yuzhu said with anger: “We are men of the Way, discerning truth for the sake of all living souls — why should we not be supported by the offerings of the faithful?”

Just as his indignation was rising, a disciple came running in to say that Deputy Magistrate Gao had sent for Fang Yuzhu.

Fang Yuzhu cast one more glance at those graves, gave a cold snort, and said: “I will never become like them. If the day ever comes when I hold power, I’ll have these dirt mounds dug up. The very sight of them irritates me, and looking at them makes me think of that old mule.”

Jù Hé said: “Why not dig them up now?”

Fang Yuzhu was silent for a moment, then shook his head. “Wait until this entire Gujing County has become followers of the Eastern Mound Way. Then, whatever I say is right will be right, and whatever I say is wrong will be wrong.”

An hour later, at Jiuxian House.

Li Chi sat at the head of the table. Magistrate Liu Shengchun sat to one side, keeping him company and introducing both the finest wines of Jiuxian House and the history of Gujing County.

“Most of the wine shops in Gujing County draw water from Zhengqing Temple’s Immortal Dew Well for their brewing. But the wines of Jiuxian House have a different character.”

Liu Shengchun said: “In those years, the old temple master accepted no donations, but he opened the temple’s doors — because the people all said the well water had miraculous properties, the old temple master said: take from it as you will.”

Hearing these words, Li Chi was briefly struck. By contrast with the Daoist temple on Fengming Mountain in Jizhou City — where even climbing the mountain cost money — this was an entirely different world. And in truth, the Daoist priests on Fengming Mountain were all frauds.

Liu Shengchun continued: “Later, some people began drawing the well water to brew wine for sale. The disciples were puzzled, and asked him: ordinary people take the water freely — that is natural. But merchants take the water to make wine to sell for money — why should that also be allowed?”

Li Chi asked: “How did the temple master answer?”

Liu Shengchun said: “The temple master said: the water is not ours. It is nature’s gift — we only happen to live beside it.”

“Where is the temple master now?” Li Chi asked.

Liu Shengchun then recounted for Li Chi the story of the seventy-two Daoist priests who had strapped on their swords and marched west. When Li Chi heard it, he was visibly moved.

“Tomorrow I would like to go and offer incense and add earth to the graves.”

Li Chi let out a slow breath.

Liu Shengchun immediately nodded. “The temple today has a proper line of succession — there are Daoist priests who came from elsewhere. They draw water from Immortal Dew Well to make medicine and distribute it to the people, and they are much admired.”

Li Chi raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.

“Oh?” He smiled and asked: “What Daoist priests, with such breadth of spirit? I would very much like to meet them.”

Liu Shengchun said: “If you wish to meet them, this official can arrange it. Those Daoist priests came from Dragon Tiger Mountain — they practice Dragon Tiger Mountain teachings and are said to have remarkable abilities.”

Zhang Yuxu, seated nearby, changed expression slightly. He sat without any outward reaction, but beneath his sleeves, both fists had quietly tightened.

At this moment, having just heard the story of the seventy-two Daoists marching west with their swords, only a single thought occupied his mind.

Fang Yuzhu and his people were unworthy to reside in Zhengqing Temple. Their presence was a desecration of those seventy-two priests.

“Actually…” Liu Shengchun smiled and continued: “Tonight’s reception has also been arranged by that Daoist priest, Fang. You know how it is, sir — governing a place like this is genuinely difficult. One wants to benefit the people, but there is no support from the court; the yamen has no income at all. For several years now, this official and the others have not drawn a single tael of salary.”

Li Chi said: “I had no idea your circumstances were so difficult, and yet you have maintained public order so well. When I return, I shall certainly mention you to the Commandery Lord, and see to it that funds and grain are allocated to you without delay.”

He glanced at Liu Shengchun and said: “However…”

Liu Shengchun thought to himself: damn it, there it is again.

But this time, Li Chi did not drag it out.

Li Chi said with some difficulty: “However… it is not only your situation here that is hard. Things are hard everywhere. On my inspection tour, every prefecture and county has been struggling. When I passed through Linbing County, there was an unexpected incident — several yamen officials lost their lives, and there was not even money to hold a proper burial. I paid out of my own pocket to see them laid to rest.”

Hearing this, Yu Jiuling’s mouth twitched at the corner.

The magistrate and officials of Linbing County — some had been killed by the West Fence followers, the rest had surrendered. Then Que Nan had arrived at Linbing County and served as high priestess, with those surrendered officials bowing and scraping before her as minor priests. In the battle at Linbing County, Tang Pidi had killed so many people that those yamen officials had not escaped. Calling it an unexpected incident was accurate enough; saying Li Chi had seen them buried was also, in a manner of speaking, accurate enough.

Liu Shengchun, hearing the meaning beneath Li Chi’s words, immediately grasped it: every prefecture and county was suffering, not just Gujing County — so why should you be first in line for the allocation of funds and grain?

Li Chi said: “Commandery Lord Pan genuinely intends to put things in order and offer some support, which is why he sent me to inspect the various localities and take a careful look.”

He glanced at Liu Shengchun and lowered his voice: “Are you aware of what happened when His Majesty visited Jizhou?”

Liu Shengchun had heard something of it, and quickly said: “This official has heard.”

Li Chi said seriously: “What Commandery Lord Pan intends to do is something His Majesty personally charged him with, so the Commandery Lord does not dare be negligent either. He has looked into Jizhou City’s reserves of grain and silver, and made a comprehensive assessment.”

His voice dropped lower still. He leaned closer to Liu Shengchun and said: “Commandery Lord Pan has said — for the counties in the most dire circumstances, an allocation of two hundred thousand taels of silver will be made, with grain and seeds to be dispatched in priority. For counties that are managing adequately, the allocation will be five thousand taels, with less grain and on a slower schedule.”

“Two hundred thousand taels?!”

Liu Shengchun’s eyes went wide immediately.

Li Chi sighed: “Yes. That is precisely why this burden on my shoulders is so difficult.”

He raised his wine cup; Liu Shengchun hastily raised his in turn.

Li Chi drank and said: “You see how hard this is for me as an inspector. Every place is suffering — who do I prioritize? Who is most deserving?”

Liu Shengchun hurried to say: “Sir, we in Gujing County are truly suffering — suffering greatly. So much that… it is barely sustainable.”

He glanced at Deputy Magistrate Gao Youxin. Gao Youxin immediately chimed in: “This county is truly destitute. The people have long since run out of grain reserves — come next year, countless people could starve.”

He rose, walked to the door, and beckoned to someone outside. Two large chests were promptly carried in.

Gao Youxin set the chests down and bowed: “These are the ledgers from these past years — revenue and expenditure, all recorded in detail. This official thought: although you have witnessed the hardships of the various prefectures and counties on your journey, none of them will have records as clear and complete as Gujing County’s.”

He opened one of the chests — it was packed full of silver.

Li Chi said: “You have certainly put in the effort. Every other place is suffering, yet none of them had the presence of mind to write down exactly how they are suffering, clearly and in full.”

He waved a hand: “Send it to the post-station. I’ll look it over carefully when I return.”

“Yes, yes, certainly…” Gao Youxin hastily instructed his people to carry both large chests to the post-station.

Li Chi said: “Very well then — shall we go to Zhengqing Temple tomorrow? I would like to meet this Daoist who has come from Dragon Tiger Mountain.”

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