Chapter 123: The Peculiar Luo Family Village and Its Peculiar People

The clamor raised by Zhou San, Xu Er, and the others sent a tremor through the entire village. Many villagers ran out from their homes and fields, lining the path to watch. Shuanggui Village had never produced a government official before; seeing Shang Lu, they all seemed eager to approach and curry favor, yet were held back by awe and trepidation.

Even Village Chief Gong, upon hearing the news and seeing the official robes on Shang Lu, was visibly stunned. This young man had been lying on his deathbed, gravely wounded, only a few months ago. Later, by the grace of heaven, he had recovered, only for rumors to spread that he was about to lose his position as a constable. And yet, not only had he kept his post, but he had soared, first becoming a deputy chief constable, then a chief, and today, he had actually attained the rank of a County Lieutenant!

Having seen more of the world than the average villager, Chief Gong understood how difficult it was to transition from a mere clerk to a titled official, making his shock all the greater.

Shang Lu did not put on airs before his fellow villagers. He spent the walk back smiling, greeting those he knew, and exchanging small talk. When Shang Mingqiu and Wu Guizhi received word from their neighbors, they hurried out to meet him, their eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of their son in official attire. They said little in front of the neighbors, but once they had welcomed Shang Lu home, seen off the village chief and elders who had come to offer congratulations, and closed the door, they pulled him aside to confirm again and again if he had truly become the County Lieutenant.

Shang Lu laughed, amused. "Could this be a lie? Impersonating an official is a capital offense."

"Good, good, good! Worthy of being the seed of Shang Mingqiu, inheriting all my best qualities!" Shang Mingqiu roared with laughter, eager to claim credit for the success.

Wu Guizhi, however, pulled Shang Lu close, her heart aching. "I heard them say it is incredibly hard to go from a clerk to an official. My son, how much hardship and suffering you must have endured."

"Mother, don't worry. With Sanniang by my side, how could I suffer?" Shang Lu patted her hand, explaining that he had achieved this through a stroke of luck by performing a great service and saving a shaman official, which led to his extraordinary promotion. He did not mention a single word of the dangers he had faced. Hearing this, Wu Guizhi felt relieved, believing he had truly avoided any great hardship, and asked if Sanniang had come along.

Sanniang had long since emerged from her oil-paper umbrella. Hearing Wu Guizhi ask after her, she gently took the older woman's hand. Though Wu Guizhi could not see her, she could feel Sanniang’s touch, and she held it, offering endless praise and gratitude.

Shang Lu accompanied them for a while before saying solemnly, "Father, Mother, pack your things. Come back to the county seat and stay with me for a few days."

Shang Mingqiu and Wu Guizhi refused in unison. They did not want to move to the city, preferring their life in the countryside and not wanting to disturb Shang Lu and Sanniang. Sometimes distance made for better relationships; once living together, it was easy to spark conflicts—not just between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but between father and son as well.

Shang Lu had anticipated this. He lowered his voice: "The county hasn't been very peaceful lately. If you stay in the village, I fear someone might use you to threaten me. Come live in the city for a while; once I have restored order to the county, I won't stop you if you wish to return."

Both parents were reasonable people. Hearing this, they stopped resisting and immediately began to pack, only to be told that everything they needed had already been prepared and they need not bring a thing.

Before leaving, Shang Mingqiu took Shang Lu to the ancestral graves to burn incense and pay respects, thanking their ancestors for their protection. As he moved through the graveyard, he mumbled something under his breath. The sound was faint, but Shang Lu heard it clearly. He was muttering: "They say that when descendants find success, the ancestral graves will emit blue smoke. How is it that even though Lu'er is now a County Lieutenant, these graves show no sign at all?"

Shang Lu felt a headache coming on, thinking that if the graves truly started smoking, the ancestors would likely haunt his dreams to scold them. However, he noticed that the wisps of blue smoke from the incense swirled and drifted into the graves. Afterward, a faint, gentle energy flowed out from the earth, returning to them. It was weak and subtle, but undoubtedly real, and it felt comforting.

*So there really is ancestral protection?* Shang Lu was amazed. There was so much in this world that remained unknown.

After paying their respects, Shang Mingqiu and Wu Guizhi were helped onto the horses and left Shuanggui Village with Shang Lu and Du Feng. The villagers watched with envy, saying that the couple was off to live a life of luxury in the city. In their envy, they lectured their own children to learn from Shang Lu and become high officials so they, too, could enjoy such comfort. One rebellious child retorted, "If you yourselves are failures, why should I have to work so hard? I’d rather wait for you to strike it rich or become officials so I can be a spoiled brat." The child was promptly given a sound thrashing; whether or not they were convinced was unclear, but their crying was certainly bitter.

As they left the village, Shang Lu made a point to offer incense at the local shrine. Even though he was taking his parents away, this bond of faith could not be severed; after all, his parents might return one day, and he didn't want to be burning incense in a panic then.

The government horses were spirited; once they carried his parents, they moved even more steadily without losing any speed. Soon, the four reached the county seat. Shang Lu took them directly to Old Locust Alley on the west side of the city, but instead of his own home, he settled them in the house next door.

Because the "ghost house" was so infamous, the houses in Old Locust Alley were difficult to rent or sell. The closer they were to the ghost house, the more they were avoided. Shang Lu had managed to secure both properties for a very low price. The former owners, far from feeling cheated, were incredibly grateful to him. By settling his parents in the adjacent courtyard, he made it easier for Uncle Locust to help protect and watch over them, while still maintaining some privacy.

Shang Mingqiu and Wu Guizhi were satisfied with this arrangement. Seeing that there was a large patch of empty land in the courtyard, they decided to plant some vegetables to keep themselves busy.

Once his parents were settled, Shang Lu went out again. Before leaving, he did not forget to bow to the old locust tree reaching over the wall. "Uncle Locust, I entrust my parents to your care." The old tree shook its branches gently, as if saying: *All is in my hands, have no fear.*

Outside the alley, Liu Zhi was already waiting. Seeing Shang Lu emerge, he bowed and reported, "My Lord, I have relayed your orders to the team leaders and the village militia commanders. They have already organized men to begin investigations."

"Well done," Shang Lu nodded. "Tell them, if they find the burial sites surveyed and selected by the feng shui master, they must record the exact locations and report them to me."

"Yes!" Liu Zhi replied. This time, he didn't return to the yamen himself. Instead, he grabbed a constable patrolling nearby, gave him detailed instructions, and had him repeat them back before sending him off.

Shang Lu looked at the sky; it was neither too early nor too late. After a moment's thought, he decided to continue patrolling the county. The feng shui master’s actions were surely not an isolated incident. Within Luoshui County, there were undoubtedly other demons, ghosts, and spies lurking. Shang Lu wanted to flush them out before they could cause a major disaster.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye, and the sky turned completely dark. During this time, Shang Lu had delivered pension money to the families of another victim and investigated the situation in their village. He found nothing suspicious. The "benevolent" feng shui master had not appeared in the vicinity.

Now, in Luo Village, Shang Lu, Liu Zhi, and Du Feng were delivering pension money to the family of the late constable Luo An. Seeing that it had grown pitch black, they intended to ask for lodging for the night, only to be met with a refusal. Luo An’s father offered a forced smile; though he seemed anxious, his attitude was firm. "My home is simple and lacks extra rooms or bedding. I cannot offer lodging to such honorable guests. I am truly sorry."

At first, Shang Lu, Du Feng, and Liu Zhi did not suspect anything, assuming it was indeed inconvenient. But as they tried several more households in Luo Village, they were refused under various pretexts. Even when they offered to sleep on the floor just to have a roof over their heads, they were still turned away.

This strange situation immediately aroused the suspicion of the three men. The people of Luo Village did not want them staying; was there something hidden in this place?

"My Lord, look," Liu Zhi whispered, pointing discreetly at something he had noticed.

Shang Lu had already seen it. In the darkness and the shadows, pairs of cold eyes were watching them. It was the villagers of Luo Village. But at this moment, they looked like specters—eerie and bone-chilling.