Chapter 51: The High-heeled Cup of Deception

  Cheng Huang is a local deity, sitting in the city, and cannot leave easily. However, at this time, if it can ease the relationship, then let's ease it...

  Thinking of this, he had an idea. At that time, sending someone to Chenghuang Temple would be looking for death, as the City God was in a bad mood.

  In three to five days, I'll let Cheng An take the two unlucky guys and a crystal cup with a hole in it to apologize to the City God.

  It's okay to be flexible, but since Ben Shan can't take you down now, I'll just have to swallow my pride for the time being! It's just a matter of saving face, but when it comes to interests, not an inch of concession is allowed!

  Having made up their minds, sure enough three days later they released Cheng An and the others. In a calm tone, he said: "Three days ago, the City God sent out 500 troops, but halfway through they were ambushed by a group of wild ghosts and defeated!"

  As soon as this was said, the two ghostly officials looked at each other in dismay. Which ghost would believe such a lie? Where did this fierce wild ghost come from, and how could it defeat all 500 of the City God's ghost soldiers? This must have been done by Liu Yi and his ghost soldiers!

  Although they thought so, the two of them were locked up for several days and suffered a lot. At this moment, Liu Yi said something, and they could only nod and dare not say more.

  Liu Yi knew they didn't believe it and wouldn't force the two to believe either. In fact, this was just giving the city's side a passable excuse.

  "Thirty ghost soldiers, I really can't hand them over. Look at it this way, without a doubt, you've obtained an invaluable treasure. Since we don't dare to use it ourselves, let's entrust you to bring it to the City God as a token of apology!"

  As he spoke, someone brought out a beautifully wrapped gift box. When opened, it revealed a high-stemmed glass cup placed on a yellow satin cloth.

  Cheng An and the two of them were indeed connoisseurs, seeing this high-footed cup was crystal clear all over, without a single flaw. The shape was also elegant. This is a rare treasure in the mortal world.

  Why harbor resentment in your heart? If you had spoken up earlier and said that you had such a treasure in your hands, wouldn't it have been better? Why did you have to let things deteriorate to the point where both sides lost face and they suffered for several days for nothing?

  Seeing the two ghostly officials' facial expressions, Liu Yi was pleased and smiled: "This wine cup, you can take it back to give to the god!"

  Two corrupt officials saw Liu Yi releasing people and immediately thanked him a thousand times. They took the gifts and left!

  "This kind of killing talent, what's the use of keeping him? Even if the city guards' army comes, how can they withstand being killed by us?"

  As soon as this was said, the ghosts under Liu Yi's command all shouted and clamored to rush up and kill Cheng An and his companion, and then hide the crystal cup.

  Liu Yi smiled but didn't speak, this glass cup was just a few dollars anyway. In his opinion, what's the point of saying more? If he could persuade that city to surrender, that would be the best outcome.

  Time is on our side, the longer we wait, the stronger we become.

  After sending the crystal cup away, there was no more movement from the Chenghuang Temple side, let alone sending ghost soldiers to kill again. For a time, everything was calm and peaceful.

  It was only after a few days that someone from the Cheng An faction came secretly to report. They said that although they had obtained the crystal cup, the city's face looked good for some time, but they were still resentful and dissatisfied.

  It's just about to be the twelfth lunar month, when all ghosts come out, and the City God cannot send out all ghost soldiers to attack Liu Yi.

  The dispatched ghost soldiers were insufficient and could not defeat Liu Yi, instead inadvertently increasing his prestige. As a result, they had no choice but to take advantage of this opportunity to withdraw themselves.

  However, Cheng Huang didn't intend to let things go easily. He wanted to borrow a knife to kill someone and contacted the evil spirits hiding in Su Shan to deal with Liu Yi.

  Liu Yi didn't find anything strange about the content of the message. But what was strange was that it was secretly sent by Cheng An?

  Isn't this guy suffering from Stockholm syndrome? Being locked up for a few days and he's already developed feelings?

  It was naturally impossible to think of it, but Si Hua's words reminded Liu Yi.

  "Your Excellency, what's there to think about? Although Cheng An is an old acquaintance of Qi Shengjun, he didn't show any nostalgia for the past when he came to my spiritual realm last time. He must have been impressed by Your Excellency's overwhelming strength, which far exceeded his expectations. So, he's trying to curry favor and rebuild their old relationship, leaving a way out for himself!"

  At this point, Liu Yi suddenly realized and nodded repeatedly. The most useful general under his command was indeed Shen Tuxi.

  The cruelest one goes without saying is Fan Ping, but when it comes to the most cunning one, it's none other than Si Huai Mo.

  "Your Excellency, the deeper we go into the mountains of Su, the more powerful and numerous are the evil spirits. The further in we go, the more vicious they become. Zhang Yue and the others may be fierce ghosts, but they are only on the outer periphery of Mount Su. There are even more powerful and malevolent spirits deeper within!" Shentu Qi said seriously: "We must be prepared, Your Excellency!"

  Zhang Yue was the leader of the seven most powerful vengeful spirits among a group of more than 20 strong and evil spirits who came to offer sacrifices, apart from these seven, the others could only be considered resentful ghosts!

  Liu Yi nodded and said: "Shentu is right. From now on, you will all have to go out every night for patrol, driving away the ghosts that sneak into the nearby area!"

  "Yes!"

  Shentu Qi and other ghost soldiers accepted the order one after another.

  Liu Yi was thinking that he had mentioned Qi Sheng earlier. He thought to himself that it had been a long time since Qi Sheng last came, and wondered if he was still busy with his revenge plan?

  Also thinking of Yu Shu, I decided to take a look. Yu Shu's current reputation has gradually spread throughout this county.

  As a result, the story of Shen Yu Xiaozi being granted a magical pill by the gods to cure his mother's illness gradually became widely told and retold.

  This brought fame to Liu Yi, and it was passed on. Even several times, people from outside the nearby Fenglai Mountain came to Liu Yi's temple to ask for medicine.

  Unfortunately, such things can't be rushed and need to be slowly fermented. After several years, a decade or two, or even several decades, Liu Yi's reputation will surely spread slowly.

  But Liu Yi couldn't wait that long. He thought to himself, if he could help Yu Shu be selected as a Filial and Incorrupt official, his reputation would surely soar!

  Yu Shu's reputation has grown, but his learning is still somewhat weak. Although the promotion of filial piety and integrity is a recommendation based on moral character, after the recommendation, there will still be an examination.

  So, your level is too poor, and others will not recommend you at all.

  In this world, the ultimate is the meaning of the classics. Yu Shu has been studying hard since childhood, but without family learning, he closed himself off and created his own theories, which naturally resulted in a significant difference in his scholarship.

  Fortunately, Mou Su under Liu Yi's command had studied under a great Confucian scholar for three years. Although he was only a disciple and not a son, his learning was much better than Yu Shu's.

  So Liu Yi often asked Mou Su to instruct Yu Shu, and recently Yu Shu's learning has increased a lot.

  "... Therefore, the key to governing a country lies in rectifying names. When names are rectified, the Five Teachings flourish; beyond the five generations, good and evil take shape, and one can be said to have grasped their true nature..."

  Liu Yi had just arrived at Yu Shu's place when he heard Yu Shu reading a book and happened to hear this passage.