The Demonic World I designed-Chapter 72 - 69 The Inescapable Fog

72: Chapter 69: The Inescapable Fog

72 -69: The Inescapable Fog

“Is the gentleman looking to buy some pancakes?

Lucky for you, these are freshly ground wheat flour pancakes my old lady made this morning, fragrant and sprinkled with sesame seeds and sugar…”

“Yes, Uncle General, my grandma’s pancakes are delicious…” A little girl about six or seven years old was helping the old man promote his wares, looking lively and adorable.

But upon seeing the approaching girl, Li Danian’s face twisted with horror, and he hastily backed away with his horse.

The horse, sensing its master’s panic, also raised its hooves in alert, warning the little one not to come any closer.

Startled by the horse, the girl let out a sharp scream and fell backward.

The old man rushed forward to pick up his granddaughter, shouting angrily, “What’s wrong with you, soldier?

If you’re not buying, don’t scare my granddaughter like that!”

Li Danian, still in shock, looked at the grandfather and granddaughter and saw that, like the previous times, the old man was about to move his granddaughter to the side of the road.

Suddenly, his expression turned fierce, and he clamped his legs around the horse’s belly, controlling the animal to trample over the pair!

Though puzzled, the Dragon Horse could sense its owner’s resolve and charged forward without hesitation, letting out a fierce neigh.

The Dragon Horse, being a top-class military mount of the Imperial Court, had the size of an elephant and the speed of lightning.

How could an old man and a child possibly dart away quickly enough?

In an instant, they were crushed into pulp by the massive hooves amidst screams!

What was once a fine pair of grandfather and granddaughter, now lay in a gruesome state of death.

But the perpetrator, Li Danian, was still visibly shaken.

“Dead?”

“Just like that, truly dead?”

Muttering to himself, Li Danian dismounted and drew his sword cautiously, taking a closer look.

Bones, flesh, everything appeared as it should in a normal trampling death; there seemed to be no mistake.

Could I have been wrong?

Are these two really just ordinary people?

But…

Li Danian looked around with a trace of suspicion.

The familiar scenery, familiar road, the familiar pair of grandfather and granddaughter, and even the familiar sky was exactly the same as the three times he had passed by before!

Three times now, it was like a loop he couldn’t escape.

He was sure he had been going straight without any turns, so why did he end up back in this haunting place every time?

Encountering this pair of grandfather and granddaughter?

Li Danian took a deep breath, his gaze reluctantly passing over the crushed little girl, but he didn’t dwell on it.

He mounted his horse again and rode onward into the familiar distance once more.

This time, with the pair dead, it couldn’t possibly return him to the same place again, right?

He can’t delay delivering General Weichi’s military dispatch to the Imperial Court!

With that thought, Li Danian galloped on, focusing intently, watching the surroundings, yet feeling colder inside. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

Because once again, he saw that the sun had barely risen in the sky.

But surely…

by the time he left the spot where the pair lay, it was nearly noon…

Once again, the setting around him was growing too familiar, the road was the same as previous ones he had taken, and most unsettling of all, there was that…

faint mist enveloping everything!

“Is the gentleman looking to buy some pancakes?

Lucky for you, these are freshly ground wheat flour pancakes my old lady made this morning, fragrant and sprinkled with sesame seeds and sugar…”

The expectant pair at the street corner looked at him again, the same old man, the same granddaughter, the same…

familiar fragrance of pancakes.

Li Danian felt he was losing his mind…

—————————————————

“Could that be Officer Zhou?”

In a teahouse owned by a relative of Ma Erniang on North Street in Lyuzhou, a gentle voice with a hint of inquiry made Zhou Haitao, who was tallying the population there, shiver and look up, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Such a beautiful woman from the Western Regions!

“Who are you, and what business do you have with me?” Swallowing a mouthful of strong tea, Zhou Haitao asked seriously.

The woman smiled softly and promptly instructed the people around her, “Officer Zhou has been toiling for the sake of the people of Lyuzhou, truly admirable.

Come, brew some fine tea for Officer Zhou.” She sat opposite Zhou Haitao with a radiant smile, “This is a famous treat from Jiangnan, try it and see if it suits your taste, Officer Zhou.”

“There’s no need,” Zhou Haitao declined indifferently, “I’m used to plain tea and can’t enjoy your delicate treats.

Speak plainly if you have business; I’m quite busy, so please be brief…”

“Yes, yes…” The woman shielded her face from the two displeased followers behind her and said with an apologetic smile, “Your dedication to public service commands respect.

My name is Ye Xiaoqian, and I’m currently in charge of Huasheng Trading Company.

I came to inquire about an issue concerning the South Street Shops.”

“In charge?” Zhou Haitao raised an eyebrow, “Oh, I heard rumors about a woman managing one of the top ten businesses in Jiangnan.

Are you that lady?”

Damn, why does a woman have to be that tall?

Zhou Haitao spoke casually, even with disdain, causing the two red-dressed women behind to look even more displeased.

Their charge commanded respect when walking through Jiangnan; even the Provincial Governor treated her courteously.

Who did this ninth-rank official with the temporary post in Lyuzhou think he was?

“You flatter me, sir,” Ye Xiaoqian continued with the same gentle smile, even taking the initiative to pour tea for Zhou Haitao, “I saw your commanding presence at the docks today at noon.

It was truly awe-inspiring.”

“What’s so grand about routine fortifications?” Zhou Haitao lifted his nostrils high and curled the corners of his mouth ever so slightly, clearly insincere in his words.

“Nowadays, soldiers are so overbearing.

To see someone as righteous as you, sir, daring to argue on principles is truly rare.

In the three years that I’ve been in Jiangnan, this is the first time I’ve encountered someone like you, especially when the other party is General Weichi Feihong, who once massacred a city in the north.”

Uh, a massacre?

Zhou Haitao’s face twitched.

Damn it, that scar-faced man this morning had actually massacred a city?

Why hadn’t he mentioned this earlier?

But at this moment, in front of a woman, he couldn’t let his aura of strength wane.

Zhou Haitao put down his slightly trembling brush and looked at her: “Whether civil or military, we all serve the Imperial Court and thus should speak according to the Court’s regulations and rules.

Even if General Weichi possesses great military achievements, he still needs to act according to the rules, doesn’t he?”

“Really?” The woman smiled brightly.

“But isn’t it against the rules for the Provincial Government Office to personally purchase all those properties in Lyuzhou?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures!” Zhou Haitao replied without batting an eyelid, mimicking the tone of Chen Qing: “The role of the government is to stabilize the population’s livelihood.

After the incident in Lyuzhou, the market visibly collapsed.

If the government didn’t step in and someone with ulterior motives monopolized the real estate, the harm would be endless!”

“Oh?”

Ye Xiaoqian suddenly looked at him with newfound respect; she hadn’t expected this new official in Lyuzhou to have such long-term vision.

“I’ve learned something today,” Ye Xiaoqian said as she gracefully poured him another cup of tea, then asked softly, “The officials have such foresight, truly a blessing for the people of Lyuzhou.

Now that Lyuzhou is starting to recover, would the officials consider returning the shops to the private sector?”

“Of course…” Zhou Haitao drank the tea served by the beauty, his face the picture of relaxation.

Damn, he finally felt something like a real lordly official.

Having worked under Chen Qing for a month, he really felt no different from working as a helper in his father’s inn.

Oh no, perhaps even worse, because his father never failed to pay his wages!

If his father knew that after so many years of study his work resembled these menial tasks, he might regret spending so much silver to send him to the Capital City for the examination.

Regaining his composure, Zhou Haitao looked at her and asked: “Could it be that Miss Ye is interested?”

Hurry up and buy, my salary finally has a chance to be settled!

“Indeed, I have such intent…” Ye Xiaoqian smiled and asked, “Could you, sir, make such a decision?”

“Of course!” The fat man puffed up his chest and raised his head: “The Prefectural Governor is busy with important affairs; for such small matters, I am well within my rights to decide.”

Joy flickered in Ye Xiaoqian’s eyes; she had come merely to try her luck, but unexpectedly hit the jackpot.

The fat man could actually make the decision himself!

Upon entering the city, it was natural for the heads of their businesses to wish to speak with the Magistrate, but with both the newly appointed Commander and several influential members of the Shen Family also seeking the Magistrate, it was clear they would have to wait their turn.

In this gap, Ye Xiaoqian certainly didn’t want to waste any time and took the opportunity to observe the Provincial Government Office’s movements, soon noticing Zhou Haitao, the plump man.

This ball of flesh bustled in and out of the Government Office all day, extremely conspicuous.

At first, she thought he was just a menial worker, but after inquiring, she was floored to learn that he was actually an official with the Official Seal, a full-fledged Register.

Because of his appearance, she had mistook him for a runner or a laborer, especially since she saw him assisting Ma Erniang that morning—the very image of a servant holding down multiple petty jobs…

But after watching more, she discovered this little fat man was involved in all sorts of things: registering households, recording dispute cases, scheduling city gate soldiers, measuring dock goods…all handled by him…

Truly multi-talented!

Thinking they wouldn’t get to see the Magistrate for a while, she decided to probe here first, since her fellow traders hadn’t noticed him yet.

But who would have thought that she would stumble upon such good fortune?

“Are you serious, sir?”

“Would I speak nonsense?”

“Not at all, it’s just…

I thought you, sir, were so busy with various affairs that perhaps someone else was responsible for matters regarding real estate.”

The fat man’s face twitched upon hearing this: “Miss Ye wouldn’t…mistake me for a menial laborer, right?”

“Hahaha, sir, you must be joking!” Ye Xiaoqian coughed lightly, laughed to cover her embarrassment, quickly poured herself a cup of tea, and then brought up the business at hand: “May I ask what the government plans to sell these properties for?”

“Ten thousand taels!”

“Pfft!!”

“Miss Ye!!” Zhou Haitao wiped the tea from his face, angrily saying, “Please show some restraint!”

“Sorry, sorry…” Miss Ye quickly dabbed at the mess with a handkerchief.

Wiped by a fragrant handkerchief held by a beauty, the fat man’s expression eased slightly.

Then, remembering the tea that was spat out came from her mouth, his mood improved a bit more.

“Sir,…you were joking, right?” While wiping, Ye Xiaoqian cautiously asked, “Ten thousand taels for one shop?”

This price was ridiculously affordable, too much so; was the Lyuzhou Magistrate really this generous?

“What are you thinking?” The fat man looked at her as if she were an idiot: “I meant ten thousand taels per square!”

Ye Xiaoqian: “….”