The Unruly Immortals

"Do we need to thank each other? If it weren't for you, I would have died long ago. Your problems are my problems, so stop crying and wait for my news,"

Li Huowang patted Bai Lingmiao's hand with his hand, pried her fingers apart, and walked outside.

He wasn't good at expressing love, but he didn't want Bai Lingmiao to experience the hardships he had faced. That feeling was just too uncomfortable.

Bai Lingmiao quickly followed, her voice tinged with worry as she asked, "Senior Brother Li, do you know where my parents have gone?"

"I don't know."

"Then how will we find them?"

"Don't worry, I have a status now, and I'll find a way." Li Huowang took out his Astrological Bureau identification badge and showed it to Bai Lingmiao.

The disappearance of an entire village couldn't be considered a small matter, and the County Magistrate in charge of Niuxin Village must know something. He could start his inquiries there.

Li Huowang led out a horse, glanced at the map, and mounted.

He wasn't very good at riding, but it was okay—he would learn after a few falls. Others might be seriously injured, but he would be fine.

After a lot of stumbling, a day and a night passed, and it wasn't until dawn that Li Huowang finally reached the largest county town nearby.

Looking at the medium-sized county town before him, a dusty Li Huowang led his horse in.

The County Magistrate awoke and, without opening his eyes, kicked gently inside the blankets. The concubine sleeping at the other side of the bed hurriedly got down and knelt on the floor, her forehead touching the ground. "I am ready to assist your lordship in dressing," she said.

The County Magistrate finally opened his eyes and sat up with the soft support of his wife and concubines' hands. He reached out, and a peeled willow twig was brought to him.

He dabbed the willow twig lightly in the fine salt held by a maid and started to scrub his teeth with it.

When the County Magistrate was almost done, the maid quickly brought a rosewood spittoon, already prepared.

After swishing some warm water in his cheeks and shaking his head, he bent down and spat into the spittoon.

Seeing the County Magistrate close his eyes slightly, the maid bearing the towel cautiously began wiping his face with the facecloth.

After the face-washing maid withdrew, another maid, carrying his official robe, slowly approached to assist him in dressing.

Once the seven or eight maids withdrew, he, dressed in dark blue official attire, slowly walked out of the bedroom.

As soon as he stepped out of the house, a wave of heat hit him. He looked up at the high-hanging sun and a frown of displeasure crossed his face.

"Another day with such a scorching sun, there are hardly any comfortable days," he complained as he walked on, while two maids with fans hurried to keep pace with him.

He soon reached the large wooden desk where he usually worked, his capable assistant Counselor standing by, waiting for him.

"Tell me, has anyone come to lodge a complaint by beating the drum recently?" he asked.

The assistant with the goatee smiled obsequiously. "Your lordship, there is one case today, and the plaintiff has offered ten pieces of silver," he said.

"Oh?" The County Magistrate took a few bites of the translucent jelly and spoke slowly, "Who is the defendant then?"

"The defendant is a horse trader from Qingqiu. He has offered one piece of gold, but that one piece is pure gold," the assistant informed.

"Hmm! The jelly is quite good today! It's just a pity there's so little of it," the County Magistrate remarked.

Hearing this, the assistant instantly understood and responded, "Understood, your lordship, I know how to deal with them privately."

He then took out a sheet of paper from his bosom and started to read the complaint.

As the County Magistrate was nodding along to the complaint, he suddenly saw a man emerge slantingly from the ground.

Faced with this eerie scene, the County Magistrate was startled at first, then panicked, and finally, he stood up abruptly, causing the bowl of jelly to scatter across the table.

"Who goes there! You dare to kill an official appointed by the Imperial Court! The Astrological Bureau will never let this go!"

Li Huowang looked at the trembling man before him, too lazy to waste words and pulled out his badge, displaying it in front of him. "I have a question for you."

Seeing the badge in Li Huowang's hand, County Magistrate Wang immediately squeezed out from behind the Counselor, his face adopting a flattering smile.

"Ah, a high-ranking expert from the Astrological Bureau, Counselor, do hurry and serve tea!"

"Don't bother, I want to know what happened to the people of Niuxin Village? They've been gone so long, you can't possibly be unaware, right?"

The other party was clearly startled upon hearing this, then whispered to the Counselor in a low voice. "Counselor, what's happened with Niuxin Village?"

"My lord, have you forgotten? The entire village's population vanished without a trace, you had arrest officer Cao investigate this matter. He wanted to tell you something earlier but you were busy and didn't listen."

"Well, what are you waiting for, fetch Cao Xin back here now!"

"But arrest officer Cao has gone patrolling, sir! I truly don't know where he is."

Hearing this, County Magistrate Wang turned to Li Huowang with an awkward smiling face. "Esteemed expert, shall I take you to find arrest officer Cao? He's in charge of this matter."

"Let's go, and be quick about it, I don't have time to dawdle." Seeing Li Huowang head out, County Magistrate Wang and Counselor Hu quickly followed.

"Clang—" The grating sound rang out.

"County—Magistrate—Old—Lord—is—going—out~"

Under this deliberately drawn-out call, County Magistrate Wang wearing his official cap bowed and made his way to a blue sedan chair.

Just as he was halfway seated, he turned back to Li Huowang with a smile. "Esteemed expert, would you like to sit?"

"Get in the sedan, I don't have time to dawdle."

"Yes, yes, yes." County Magistrate Wang laughed to himself as he got into the sedan, but before he could settle down, a remark from Li Huowang nearly scared the soul out of him.

"So many people gone and you didn't report it to the Astrological Bureau?"

Feeling blamed, County Magistrate Wang immediately panicked, pulling back the sedan curtain to start deflecting responsibility.

"Esteemed expert, we are still investigating the matter, if we reported without knowing anything and there was a mistake, it's fine if I get punished, but if it caused you to make a wasted trip, wouldn't that be a huge delay?"

"Oh, my apologies, it's all because of these useless subordinates I have. They've been dragging their feet in the investigation, imposing this personal visit on you."

"As soon as this is over, I will definitely host a banquet at Fubai Tower to apologize and I will penalize myself three drinks!"

Li Huowang waved his hand impatiently forward, "Move along."

If he hadn't heard that the arrest officer had discovered something, he really wouldn't bother talking to such a talkative person.

As the sedan bearers moved in unison, the sedan creaked and swayed up and down.

The county wasn't large, and finding a patrolling arrest officer wasn't difficult; soon enough, Li Huowang saw one, standing at the entrance of a brothel, laughing and flirting with the women inside, clad in green.

Seeing the County Magistrate's sedan, the arrest officer and the constable immediately donned serious expressions, quickly adjusted their hats, and started patrolling in earnest with measured steps.

"Ah, County Magistrate." Arrest officer Cao greeted with clasped hands towards the sedan.

"County Magistrate, you're out and about so early to inquire about public sentiment, you mustn't overtax yourself for the sake of the people."

"Ah, the hardships are nothing for the sake of the people." Seeing Li Huowang's face darken, he quickly asked with earnestness, "Arrest officer Cao, have you found anything about the disappearance of the villagers from Niuxin Village?"

"Think carefully before you answer, this man here is a high-ranking expert from the Astrological Bureau who has come personally to attend to this matter!"

"Ah?" Arrest officer Cao turned to Li Huowang in bewilderment.

"But the one who took an entire village from Niuxin Village was the Astrological Bureau."