"Nonsense, any more of this would be too polite..." Xu Zhengyang laughed and slapped Chen Chaojiang on the back, saying, "Come on, let's go to Zhou Shun's shop and buy some cold dishes and a bottle of wine. We'll have lunch at your house, it's your treat."
Chen Chaojiang laughed and said, "Okay, just remember to reimburse me later."
"Damn it, I'll dock your pay!" Xu Zhengyang was even happier. Chen Chaojiang was actually joking now, which was the most gratifying thing. It meant that he had gotten rid of the shadows and knots in his heart.
As the two walked into the village, Xu Zhengyang called home to say he would have lunch at Chen Chaojiang's house. After buying some food and drinks at a small shop along the way, the two headed to Chen Chaojiang's house together.
From afar, I saw Chen Chaojiang's mother, Zhu Cui, sitting outside the courtyard gate, sifting rice with a winnowing basket, presumably planning to steam rice for lunch. Next to her sat two other women: Ji Lan, the wife of Liu Erhe, a neighbor, who was also Liu Xiuyan's mother; and Yao Xiaohua, the wife of Han Baosheng from the front yard.
Even from a distance, it was clear that the three women who seemed to be chatting idly were actually Ji Lan and Yao Xiaohua talking, while Zhu Cui was silently picking out gritty bits from the rice in the winnowing basket with her head down.
As they got closer, you could hear them casually boasting about how much money their husbands were making and how much their children were earning, while their expressions and eyes would occasionally glance at Zhu Cui, filled with smugness and disdain...
Upon seeing Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang approach, Ji Lan and Zhu Cui were initially taken aback, but then smiled and greeted Xu Zhengyang.
"Zhengyang, didn't you go to the city today?"
"Yes, Zhengyang, you're a very busy person in our village now."
Xu Zhengyang smiled and nodded politely in response.
Zhu Cui stared blankly at her son for a while, tears welling up in her eyes. Then she sighed, lowered her head, and continued picking up the grime, saying, "Where have you been these past few days? You didn't even come back to let us know. Your father is angry." After all, he was her son. No matter how disappointed she was, she wouldn't truly treat Chen Chaojiang as an outsider. Besides... she felt sorry for him! Her disappointment stemmed from the depth of her love and the intensity of her resentment.
Chen Chaojiang didn't say anything, and carried the wine and food home, with Xu Zhengyang following behind.
"Hey, Chaojiang, weren't you arrested by the police? Why are you back? Did you sneak back?" Ji Lan said sarcastically. "Or maybe this time the crime wasn't serious, so you weren't sentenced and were only detained for a few days?"
Yao Xiaohua said, "Where? Didn't you see Zhengyang with him? Zhengyang must have bailed him out. Zhengyang is a big shot now, he knows people everywhere he goes."
Chen Chaojiang paused for a moment as he stepped into the courtyard, not intending to pay attention to the women, and was about to go back into the house. Xu Zhengyang grabbed him, turned back to look at the gate, and gave a sheepish smile. He then said apologetically to the dejected Zhu Qin, "Auntie, I've been busy these past few days and haven't been able to get away. I'm sure you've heard... That's why I only managed to come back today to let you know. Chaojiang has been working at my shop this month..."
"Huh?" Zhu Cui looked up, nodded blankly, and said, "Oh, okay, okay, it's good to work for you."
"I'm so sorry, Auntie. I haven't been able to go to the shop or come back these days. I'm so grateful that Chaojiang has been taking care of me at my shop every day." Xu Zhengyang said with a simple smile and apology, as he pulled Chen Chaojiang back to the courtyard gate. "Well, I finally had some free time today, so I rushed back with Chaojiang. We bought all the food and drinks. We'll have lunch at your house and have a couple of drinks with my uncle to apologize."
Zhu Cui's slightly surprised face broke into a smile. "Go, go," she said, "this child, why are you being so polite? Go back inside and wait. I'll go tidy up the table for you. Chao Jiang's father will be back soon." With that, Zhu Cui quickly got up to go back and prepare, feeling incredibly pleased. No wonder her son wasn't working at the Futou Town police station anymore; he hadn't been arrested or run away, but had gone to work at Xu Zhengyang's shop. That was good; their relationship had always been good. Would Xu Zhengyang mistreat Chao Jiang? Xu Zhengyang was a wealthy man now; it was only natural for him to work for someone else.
"Oh, really?" Ji Lan smiled sarcastically, thinking that Xu Zhengyang was probably deliberately giving Chen Chaojiang a way out.
Yao Xiaohua then asked, "Chaojiang, how much do you get paid for working at that store?"
Before anyone could reply, Ji Lan continued, "Hey, it would be great if he really worked at Zhengyang's shop. Zhengyang's rich now, he'd probably be paid seven or eight hundred yuan a month." This was a bit of a dig at Xu Zhengyang. She thought he was just being loyal to his friend and trying to make Chen Chaojiang look good; he wouldn't actually hire anyone. She'd heard that it was uncertain whether his shop would even stay open, and that all his family's money had been used to build a house and pay people to help him get out.
"Since you're working, why did the police come to your house to arrest you the other day?" Yao Xiaohua looked even more incredulous.
Zhu Cui blushed, and her eyes showed surprise. She was extremely embarrassed and stood at the gate of the courtyard, unsure whether to go in or not. She just looked at Chen Chaojiang and Xu Zhengyang with a puzzled look.
On Chen Chaojiang's pale face, his usually icy eyes grew even colder.
"Chaojiang," Xu Zhengyang said, seemingly unperturbed, "If I gave your salary to your aunt, wouldn't she just squander it all?"
Chen Chaojiang was stunned.
"What? Take it out!" Xu Zhengyang patted his shoulder.
Chen Chaojiang snapped out of his daze, expressionlessly pulled the wad of money from his pocket, and handed it to his mother.
Zhu Qin was stunned when she saw the stack of money. How could there be so much money?
“A few days ago, because of my matter, the police probably came to find Chaojiang to investigate some things. That day, Chaojiang was not in the store; he went to deliver goods to someone.” Xu Zhengyang explained to Zhu Cui with a simple smile, and then said, “Auntie, we agreed on a monthly salary of two thousand yuan. But recently, Chaojiang has been busy in the store and has been working hard, so I gave him five thousand yuan as a bonus and overtime pay.”
“It’s too much, why give him so much…” Zhu Qin held the winnowing basket between her right arm and right hand, and her left hand trembled slightly as she took the wad of money.
"Not much. Chaojiang did a great job. I haven't been in the store these past few days, but Chaojiang has done an even better job than when I was here," Xu Zhengyang said with a simple smile, his gaze towards Chen Chaojiang carrying a hint of gratitude.
“That’s not necessary. It’s all what he should do, what he should do…” Zhu Qin excitedly clutched the money in her hand, her face beaming with joy as she called out, “What are you standing there for? Come inside quickly, I’ll prepare bowls, chopsticks, and wine cups for you.” As she spoke, she hurried into the courtyard.
Ji Lan and Yao Xiaohua, who were sitting on small stools at the door, were dumbfounded.
Earning five thousand yuan a month? Oh, there's a bonus, three thousand yuan in bonuses? A monthly salary of two thousand... that's more than twenty thousand a year. Add in the bonuses, how much does Chen Chaojiang earn in a year at that shop? And Xu Zhengyang, is his shop really that profitable? No wonder he dresses so well.
The two women stood at the door, lost in thought, but Xu Zhengyang ignored them and put his arm around Chen Chaojiang's shoulder as they walked into the house.
Ji Lan and Yao Xiaohua were stunned for a while before they came to their senses. They looked at each other, their faces filled with astonishment and... a hint of jealousy. Not knowing what to say, they got up with blank expressions, each preparing to go home and sulk.
Just then, Chen Chaojiang's father, Chen An, returned on his bicycle.
Ji Lan and Yao Xiaohua simultaneously managed to make their usually stern faces bloom with joy:
"Oh, Brother Chen is back?"
"Brother Chen, you're off work pretty early today!"
Chen An, somewhat bewildered, politely exchanged a few words. Only after Ji Lan and Yao Xiaohua left with impeccable smiles did he scratch his head in surprise, push his bicycle home, and think to himself: "Damn, this is strange. Have these two women lost their minds? They're usually so arrogant and look down on me, but today they're being as polite as if they'd seen the village secretary, Zhou Qingguo."
Volume 3, Chapter 098: The Wandering Judge Bound in Cixian County
Chen Chaojiang went to work at Xu Zhengyang's antique shop in Fuhe City. Just as the two of them had agreed beforehand, his monthly salary was two thousand yuan.
Chen Chaojiang didn't need to do anything; he could stay inside or sit outside the shop, just like Xu Zhengyang had described—"watching the shop"—a very general and rustic expression. Chen Chaojiang, with a touch of self-comfort, believed that this job was indeed as important as Xu Zhengyang said, because the items in the antique shop were all very valuable. Xu Zhengyang had probably put him in charge of watching the shop not only because of their brotherly bond, but also because he trusted Chen Chaojiang's skills and loyalty.
Most importantly, Xu Zhengyang knew very well that Chen Chaojiang's personality was not suited for doing anything involving business, and he would even have difficulty maintaining relationships with people in ordinary jobs.
He is loyal and righteous, yet cold-blooded, ruthless as a wolf, and mad with rage… However, this is a realistic society. Should he be led astray? Even if he were, someone with his personality could never become a powerful figure; he would only become a double-edged sword, sharp and deadly, driven by money, hurting others and himself.
Therefore, Xu Zhengyang could only keep him by his side, grateful for his help, which was also a way of saving him, and also a way of helping himself.
Regardless of the reason, it ultimately comes down to "loyalty and righteousness".
Yao Chushun did not express the slightest dissatisfaction or even doubt about Chen Chaojiang's job at Guxiangxuan. He simply smiled and nodded in agreement, praising Chen Chaojiang's good looks and saying that he looked like a loyal and brave man.
Little did he know that while he was praising Chen Chaojiang, Chen Chaojiang had absolutely no liking for him: "Why does this old guy look like that? He's obviously no good. Zhengyang actually partnered with him to open a shop. Hmm, I'll have to keep a close eye on Zhengyang, lest this guy swindles him money behind his back."
Xu Zhengyang had originally planned to take on the salary himself, so as not to put Yao Chushun in a difficult position or leave him with any resentment. In any case, Gu Xiangxuan's income was quite good. According to Yao Chushun's estimate, earning an average of 30,000 to 50,000 yuan per month was not a problem, and this did not include the income earned from the occasional large-scale transactions.
Anyway, that small share of the profits is enough to cover Chen Chaojiang's salary.
Xu Zhengyang isn't worried about money at all now. If he really needs money, he can just dig up some treasures. There are still some treasures undiscovered within Cixian County.
However, since Yao Chushun had this attitude, Xu Zhengyang certainly wouldn't pretend to pay the salary himself. Otherwise, if Chen Chaojiang found out, he might immediately quit and think, "Zhengyang, are you just pitying me?"
Furthermore, to be fair, Xu Zhengyang really felt that Chen Chaojiang needed to be in the Gu Xiang Xuan. No matter how much he trusted Yao Chushun before, it couldn't compare to his trust in Chen Chaojiang.
Yao Chushun must have understood this, which is why he readily agreed.
Of course, this will not affect the relationship between Yao Chushun and Xu Zhengyang. If the two partners are to have a rift over this, then the partnership is not far from ending.
Chen Chaojiang's personality was also suited to this kind of work. He could sit at the shop entrance all day without saying a word, or occasionally utter a few words that were neither fishy nor bland. It didn't matter to him. Besides, his presence could indeed ensure that Gu Xiang Xuan wouldn't be disturbed, because he possessed absolute skill and could easily take down three or four ordinary burly men with his bare hands. This was not only because his group had learned martial arts from Grandpa Liu Bin since childhood, but also because of their innate talent.
It wasn't that Xu Zhengyang wanted Chen Chaojiang to fight for him; serious brawls were rare in the antique market, since the police station was right across the street—who would dare to come with a knife and cause trouble? It was just that Chen Chaojiang's temperament and skills should be more than enough to deter those who tried to disrupt business. These kinds of people were quite common, especially since Zou Mingyuan's Tianbaozhai had been quiet for so long without making any moves. This surprised both Xu Zhengyang and Yao Chushun.
They simply didn't believe that Zou Mingyuan would abandon his plan to bring down Gu Xiangxuan just because Zheng Ronghua was the mastermind behind it. It was obvious: Yao Chushun and Zou Mingyuan were sworn enemies. Even if Zou Mingyuan didn't want to continue the fight, would Yao Chushun compromise? Clearly not.
However, Xu Zhengyang was too lazy to worry about such things.
The whole affair was Yao Chushun's doing, and Xu Zhengyang had already done more than enough by selfishly helping Yao Chushun get to where he was today. How to crush Tianbaozhai and strike at Zou Mingyuan was Yao Chushun's business; Yao Chushun himself had said he would ruin Zou Mingyuan's reputation. Besides, Xu Zhengyang didn't understand the intricacies of running an antique shop, so why should an outsider pretend to be an expert? Blindly meddling would only make things worse.
So in the days that followed, Xu Zhengyang returned home and sat leisurely under the grape trellis where the leaves were turning slightly yellow, reading books and thinking about... very important things.
Now he is a wandering judge in Cixian County, and the supernatural powers that a wandering judge has over a meritorious official are quite frustrating for Xu Zhengyang.
According to the county records—or rather, the case files—the so-called itinerant judges are different from the judges under the City God of Fuhe City. The itinerant judges are subordinate to the chief judge, and their jurisdiction depends on the location of the temple. Like the chief judges, the itinerant judges wield the judge's pen and carry the case files, determining the guilt and punishment of individuals, which are then submitted to the City God. The City God then instructs his subordinate ghost officials to carry out the punishments. Furthermore, the judges possess another supernatural ability: they can use their judge's pen to determine a person's fate in the case files. In other words, they can decide who is lucky and who is unlucky—well, they might step in dog poop every three steps while walking.
What frustrated Xu Zhengyang was that this supernatural ability to determine a person's fate wouldn't harm them physically, and the longer and deeper the determination of a person's fate, the greater the divine power consumed. Why the hell does it take so much divine power for a god to do anything?
Moreover... the county record has been automatically upgraded to a case file, but where did the judge's pen go?
When Xu Zhengyang inquired about the case file, he received the answer that the judge had found ironwood that had been imbued with the energy of the underworld for over a hundred years and, with great supernatural power, transformed his thoughts into the judge's pen.
Where can you find ironwood that's over a hundred years old and has been tainted by the energy of the underworld?
How can one be considered to have been influenced by the energy of the underworld?
The judgment book replied: This kind of ironwood is mostly placed by the City God in the place where the underworld and the human world meet, for the use of the City God and the judges.
Xu Zhengyang asked: Where is the place where the underworld and the human world meet? Shouldn't it be called the Gate of Hell?
The verdict states: The Gate of Hell is different from the place where the underworld and the human world meet. The place where the souls of the dead are drawn into the underworld is where every village has one; the Gate of Hell, however, is one in every city, used by the city gods and judges of the human world, the gods of the heavens, and the underworld's Yama and his ghost messengers.
Xu Zhengyang asked with a hint of excitement, "Then can I go down to the underworld for a visit right now?"
The judgment book replied: Only the chief judge may enter and exit on his own, while wandering judges must obtain an order from the City God before they can pass through the Gate of Hell.
Xu Zhengyang was devastated. This was ridiculous... It seemed that after being promoted, it was no different from when he was a clerk. What was the point of the promotion? However, he soon discovered that the judge was much more powerful than the clerk and the land official. At least when someone appeared in his dream, he could see his own judge's appearance.
Just like the costumes worn by opera characters, with red robes, red hats, black trousers, and black boots, they looked quite imposing and powerful.
Yes, Xu Zhengyang learned all of this more than a month ago, on the night he was taken to the Tianhong Hotel in Fuhe City.
When asked about the reason for his promotion to judge that day, Xu Zhengyang felt not only happy but also somewhat regretful and angry.
Because… Zhan Xiaohui recovered much faster than expected. After being discharged from the hospital, he had the Nuwa Temple, originally located on Huanshui Mountain north of Cixian County, renovated and renamed "Judge Temple." The name "Judge Temple" was purely coincidental, perhaps a clever move by Zhan Xiaohui, or perhaps a gesture of gratitude towards the official title of Gongcao. Among ordinary people, the term Gongcao was largely incomprehensible as an official title, less recognizable than the title of the Earth God, whose rank was lower than Gongcao… After much deliberation and consulting various sources, Zhan Xiaohui decided that "Judge Temple" was the most appropriate name.
No one objected to changing the Nuwa Temple to the Judge Temple. Anyway, nobody cares what name the temple has. Who cares about a temple on this broken mountain that has been without incense offerings for years?
Besides, if a wealthy person is willing to spend money to build a temple, the people living nearby would be more than happy to do so.
Why? This temple has been renovated and is quite pleasing to the eye when you take a stroll or hike up it.
However, Zhan Xiaohui never expected that his well-intentioned but misguided attempt to be clever would end up binding Xu Zhengyang, who could have been promoted to the position of Wandering Judge, back to Cixian County.
The county record states that the location of the temple determines the location of the wandering judge's residence.
There were basically no more temples dedicated to judges in the world, but one has inexplicably been built, and to make matters worse, it's located within the territory of Cixian County.
Xu Zhengyang sighed helplessly to himself, "Cheng Jinchang, Zhan Xiaohui, it would have been better if you had built this Judge Temple in another county. At least it would have given me a larger area to govern..."
However, Xu Zhengyang didn't blame Zhan Xiaohui too much. After all, it was an unintentional act. How would an ordinary person know what Lord Gongcao wanted? Besides, this benefactor of yours, Lord Gongcao, never took the initiative to contact Zhan Xiaohui and Deng Wenjing. After saving them, he simply played the role of an anonymous hero, making Zhan Xiaohui worry all the time, fearing that he had secretly memorized Lord Gongcao's contact information in this mortal world, which led to Lord Gongcao's dissatisfaction.
Especially... Xu Zhengyang's phone was switched off for more than twenty days afterward.
Originally, they had planned to renovate the Judge Temple. Zhan Xiaohui, who was about to call Xu Zhengyang to boast about his achievement, was even more frightened.
The magistrate is angry and won't talk to me anymore; I've really gotten myself into big trouble...
Xu Zhengyang was fully aware of these matters. During his stay in Fuhe City, besides strategizing daily to ensure the most appropriate conclusion to the matter and the safe release of those who had been persecuted and wronged, he also occasionally kept tabs on Zhan Xiaohui and Deng Wenjing's situation. After all, these two had contributed to his promotion to the position of Wandering Judge.
However, a series of events that followed left Xu Zhengyang with no time to pay much attention to Zhan Xiaohui and Deng Wenjing.
Now, Xu Zhengyang doesn't really want to pay attention to the two of them anymore.
Now that the two have been reborn as humans, and understand the existence of deities in this world, having even established a temple to the Earth God and a temple to the Judge to show their sincerity, then... let them peacefully complete their new lives in this world. As a deity, why should he interfere in their lives on earth?
As for revenge against Jiang Shiqing and Zhan Xiaoyun, that's Zhan Xiaohui and Deng Wenjing's business. Zhan Xiaoyun is currently sighing and pessimistic all day long, and is really not happy. Her brother, whom she had always wanted to kill, not only didn't die, but after recovering and being discharged from the hospital, he showed her no affection whatsoever, coldly ignoring her all day, as if he knew everything; and her husband, Jiang Shiqing, is about to face punishment and go to prison…
This could be considered a punishment for Zhan Xiaoyun and Jiang Shiqing, right?
Previously, Cui Yao was the first to possess another body. Xu Zhengyang, feeling sorry for the couple, allowed Cheng Jinchang to know Cui Yao's reborn identity. Therefore, Cheng Jinchang, reborn as Zhan Xiaohui, naturally found Deng Wenjing after recovering from his illness. Now, the two have reunited and are dating and discussing their wedding.