Back in Changshan County, everything that met his eyes began to slowly merge with the memories gathering dust in the back of his mind.
The initial sense of unfamiliarity gradually faded. In its place, more of the previous owner's memories—fine and tangled fragments—surged uncontrollably to the surface of his mind, like a thawing stream.
The bleak, cold reception outside the walls and the noisy prosperity within, separated by a single gate, were like two completely different worlds.
On one side were gaunt, sallow-faced refugees and apathetic guards. On the other, streets and alleyways teemed with traffic and the din of crowds. Yet, this stark, jarring contrast somehow felt perfectly natural here.
Chen Sheng had expected that the initial show of force from the local magnates and the County Office wouldn't end with the cold shoulder at the city gate. He thought they might face further obstruction upon reaching the office, perhaps even a deliberate attempt to humiliate Wu Kuang.
However, to his surprise, dozens of people were already waiting to greet them when their party arrived at the County Office.
The man in the lead was none other than the County Magistrate of Changshan County, Lin Shou. He was fair-skinned and portly, his round face set with a pair of smiling, narrowed eyes and framed by a full beard. He smiled before he even spoke, striding forward and cupping his hands toward Wu Kuang with an apologetic air.
"Oh, my goodness! I was so tied up with official business that I nearly missed the important matter of welcoming County Captain Wu! It was all my oversight. I hope you can overlook it, Brother Wu. Please, don't take offense!"
"Haha, County Magistrate Lin, you speak too gravely!"
Wu Kuang dismounted cleanly, a smile as warm as a spring breeze instantly blooming on his face, as if the unpleasantness at the city gate had never occurred.
"County Magistrate Lin, you are a father to your people, handling countless matters each day. That is a blessing for the citizens of Changshan County. I am not so petty as to be unable to see the bigger picture. We all serve the imperial court and strive for the people's well-being. Such trivial courtesies are hardly worth mentioning."
Chen Sheng stood quietly to the side, observing in silence, his expression unchanged. He knew that while Wu Kuang was greedy, he was also incredibly shrewd and politically adept. 'This ability to switch masks in the political arena is just a basic skill for him.'
"Haha, since County Captain Wu is so understanding, that puts my mind at ease!"
Hearing this, Lin Shou's smile grew even more genuine, as if everything that had happened earlier truly was just a misunderstanding. He then made an enthusiastic offer:
"County Captain Wu, your offices have been prepared, and everything has been newly furnished. Furthermore, the esteemed gentlemen and elders of our county have arranged a modest banquet at the Gathering Immortals Tower to welcome you. I do hope you won't refuse, Brother Wu."
"Oh? If the esteemed gentlemen are being so gracious, then it would be rude of me to refuse." Wu Kuang pretended to consider it for a moment before readily agreeing.
"Excellent! Excellent! That's wonderful!"
Lin Shou clapped his hands in delight, looking extremely pleased.
Next, Lin Shou introduced the officials behind him to Wu Kuang one by one, including the County Administrator, the Chief Clerk, the Archivist, the various Chief Constables, and the more influential clerks of the County Office.
Even though there might be underlying friction between them, Wu Kuang's official rank as a Standard Seventh-Grade County Captain was undeniable, so everyone remained outwardly respectful.
Wu Kuang, in turn, formally introduced his trusted subordinate, Chen Sheng.
Lin Shou had already noticed the young man behind Wu Kuang, who carried himself with a composed and formidable air. Hearing the introduction, he gave Chen Sheng a thorough look-over and praised him with a smile:
"Truly a man of outstanding talent and remarkable presence. To have such a prodigy under your command, County Captain Wu, is truly enviable!"
"You flatter me, Your Excellency. I am unworthy of such praise," Chen Sheng said, bowing quickly with a humble attitude.
Lin Shou waved this off, however, and offered a few more words of praise, his gaze lingering on Chen Sheng for a moment longer than necessary.
Yet, it was this extra attention that sparked a flicker of unease in Chen Sheng. He felt that deep within the County Magistrate's eyes, something more complex was hidden—it wasn't simple admiration.
'Could it be… my identity has been exposed?' The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. 'That shouldn't be possible. Even if my predecessor's identity had some complications, it has no direct connection to this Lin Shou. Besides…'
He secretly probed his sea of consciousness. The Celestial Book of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil was completely still, offering no warning. 'Looks like I'm just being paranoid.'
After the exchange of pleasantries, Lin Shou personally led Wu Kuang into the County Office to show him around and get him settled. Chen Sheng, of course, lacked the rank to accompany them. After paying his respects at the door, he received his orders: lead his men to the Military Preparation Camp and get them billeted.
In accordance with recent adjustments to official duties made by the court to cope with local unrest, the County Captain's authority had been significantly expanded. He was now responsible for arresting thieves, eliminating bandits, maintaining peace and stability, and even suppressing rebellions throughout the entire county.
In theory, the divisions of the County Office's Three Shifts of Government Officials and Six Departments' Clerks related to law enforcement and criminal justice also fell under his jurisdiction.
The core of his direct forces, however, was the Military Preparation Camp of Changshan County—a local armed force of considerable size under the County Captain's direct command.
And the position of Grand Commander of this Military Preparation Camp was precisely the target Chen Sheng had set his sights on.
To command a county's armed forces was to hold real power. In terms of influence within Changshan County, the position ranked in the top five and came with an official title of Standard Eighth Grade.
However, he was well aware of the difficulty. Strictly speaking, his current title of "Vice Commander" was only a temporary military appointment. It held no official rank from the court, not even that of a Junior Ninth Grade.
Even if Wu Kuang wanted to promote him, he couldn't just drop him into a position as important as the Grand Commander of the Military Preparation Camp out of thin air. Meritorious service, seniority, and even his publicly displayed level of Cultivation were all factors that had to be considered.
On the journey here, Wu Kuang had already laid out the plan: first, he would arrange for Chen Sheng to become the commander of one of the county's four major city passes. This was a Standard Ninth Grade position, granting him sole command over his own territory.
Once he had accumulated enough merit and raised his Cultivation to a level that would command respect, they could then make a play for the Grand Commander position in the Military Preparation Camp.
There was no doubt an element of dangling a carrot to this promise.
But a glimpse of the future Chen Sheng had seen through the Seeking Fortune ability of his Celestial Book indicated that Wu Kuang's words were not entirely hollow.
With Huang Ren dead, Chen Sheng was the only military confidant Wu Kuang had brought to Changshan County. As long as he demonstrated sufficient value and loyalty, Wu Kuang truly did need to prop up a capable subordinate he could completely control in order to secure command of the armed forces.
That night, the Gathering Immortals Tower was ablaze with light, the banquet within in full, boisterous swing.
Nearly all the county's officials and influential gentry were present. Nominally, it was a banquet to welcome the new County Captain, but in reality, it was a battlefield of probing questions and subtle clashes, churning with undercurrents. While the sycophancy wasn't excessive, there was an unending stream of compliments and flattery.
However, beneath the harmonious veneer, Chen Sheng clearly heard the subtext in their words: they hoped Wu Kuang would choose to cooperate, to collude with the local powers for their mutual benefit.
The old saying, "Noble Families are cast iron, while officials are flowing water," was a clear hint: Wu Kuang should recognize the reality of the situation and not get in the way of everyone's path to riches.
Taking things a step further, upon learning that Chen Sheng was Wu Kuang's confidant, one Patriarch of a Noble Family, under the guise of drunkenness, vaguely proposed a marriage alliance with one of his clan's women in an attempt to win him over.
Sugar-coated bullets, plain and simple.
The cold shoulder at the city gate by day was their show of force; the warm, lavish banquet at the Gathering Immortals Tower by night was their show of "sincerity."
Whether they would be friend or foe rested entirely on Wu Kuang's decision.
Observing with a cool detachment, Chen Sheng knew that if not for the strict orders they'd received from the Prefecture City to clean up the local administration, Wu Kuang, with his "profit above all else" mentality, would have likely just gone with the flow, joined forces with these people, and gotten rich alongside them.
Unfortunately for them, Shangguan had transferred him here precisely because of his military background and lack of deep local ties, hoping he would act decisively and break the stalemate.
If he chose to collude with them and failed to produce results, he would likely be cast aside by Shangguan without a second thought and replaced with someone who could get the job done.
In that moment, Chen Sheng could faintly sense the imperceptible conflict and calculation hidden beneath Wu Kuang's smile.
Midway through the banquet, Chen Sheng found an excuse and quietly slipped out of the noisy Gathering Immortals Tower. He didn't return to the Military Preparation Camp. Instead, he got his bearings and headed toward the North City district he remembered.
That was where his predecessor's home had been.
He wasn't going there just to reminisce or to let the familiar sights stir up old feelings.
It was because the Celestial Book of Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil, which had long been silent, had given him a new message just before he entered the city.
My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read these words, I am already filled with regret...