Chapter 485: Respect the Gods and Spirits, But Keep Them at a Distance
A large group of people began rummaging through everything, continuing their search. Some felt all over the Puppet Heavenly Lord, trying to find the strings that manipulated the puppet.
Others climbed on the roof beams, looking for a puppeteer hiding above.
Still others searched the courtyard, among the flower bushes, and atop the walls, looking everywhere.
The entire Salt Administration Bureau compound erupted into chaos. Large groups of soldiers rushed in, completely surrounding the side courtyard, making it impossible for anyone to get in or out.
It was practically a state of high alert.
However, their search was doomed to be fruitless. After a long while, they finally confirmed: “No one is controlling this puppet; it doesn’t even have any strings attached. It couldn't possibly be manipulated by a person.”
“Then how did it get in?”
Someone said, “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I saw it during the day; it was perched on that wall over there.”
“But Tie Niaofei and his subordinates aren't even here anymore. They took our people to inspect the goods and haven’t returned.”
“It couldn’t be Tie Niaofei. All his people are gone. Could he really manipulate such a bizarre thing from dozens of miles away?”
“Then how did it actually get here?”
“It couldn't have just walked in on its own, could it?”
No one knew who uttered that sentence, but everyone felt their hair stand on end.
Huang Yunfa’s hairs were so scared they stood upright. He stared deeply at the puppet for a long time, unsure of what to do.
“Should we burn it?” a subordinate asked.
“Don’t...” Almost everyone cried out simultaneously. “Don’t burn it recklessly; who knows what terrifying changes might happen if you do.”
“You might not believe in gods and spirits, but you must not disrespect them!”
“If you don't burn it, it might just be toying with you, leaving you alone. But if you burn it and offend it, things could turn serious.”
Huang Yunfa held the same thought in his heart: it couldn’t be burned.
As the ancients said, "Respect the gods and spirits, but keep them at a distance!"
He quickly said, “Please escort this puppet out of the city. Take it far, far away.”
He didn't even dare say “throw it out”; he only dared to say “escort” it out.
So, two subordinates carefully lifted the puppet, a group of people guarding them. That very night, they moved the puppet to a small grove outside the city. Placing it within the trees, they bowed, muttering, “Esteemed Puppet Lord, please don’t bother us anymore.”
Then they turned and ran, as if terrified it would chase after them.
Only after they had gone far did Li Daoxuan pat his backside, stand up, and chuckle, “Didn’t that scare the living daylights out of them? Hahahaha!”
However, through this little stunt, Li Daoxuan had managed to gauge the difficulty of assassinating a prominent figure in ancient times. In wuxia novels, people could casually scale walls and roofs to enter a powerful person’s home and assassinate their target.
But in real history, records of assassinations targeting officials and generals were extremely rare.
Why was that?
This incident perfectly illustrated the reason.
Assassins found it incredibly difficult to get close to their targets. Even if they did, one shout from the victim would immediately bring countless guards and soldiers swarming. How easy could assassination possibly be?
A prank was enough for now. He’d just wait for Tie Niaofei to return.
Oh dear, he’d been dumped in a small grove outside the city. Walking back would be quite tiring.
Li Daoxuan stretched his two slender, stick-like legs and, with a clack-clack-clack, ambled back towards the city in Hedong Circuit. Oh no, the city gates and walls were all guarded; he couldn’t get in.
But it didn't matter!
He deliberately swaggered around the edge of the grove outside the city for a bit. Soon, a scout from Zao Ying’s unit emerged from the trees and bowed deeply to him: “Greetings, Heavenly Lord.”
Li Daoxuan gave a clack-clack-clack laugh. “Perfect timing. Pick me up and hurl me into the city.”
The scout stared blankly. “Eh?”
His face was a question mark; he didn’t understand what this meant, but the Heavenly Lord’s decree had to be obeyed.
The scout grabbed the puppet’s arms with both hands, swung it vigorously, as if throwing a large sandbag, and with a whoosh, the Puppet Heavenly Lord flew and flew and flew, like a red dragonfly soaring towards the blue sky...
With a crash, it fell back into the city.
It landed with a heavy thud, but felt no pain; a puppet knew no pain.
The Puppet Heavenly Lord shook its arms, then its legs, and once again ambled towards the Salt Administration Bureau compound.
This time, he laid his cards on the table. No more pretense; he simply swaggered directly towards the main gate.
The Salt Administration Bureau compound had just settled down from its commotion, and all the soldiers were still alert. A team of night guards stood at the main entrance, discussing the events that had just unfolded.
Suddenly, the clack-clack-clack sound grew closer, coming from afar.
A soldier shrieked, pointing to the end of the long street: “Look... the puppet we just threw away, it’s walking back.”
The other soldiers turned to look. Sure enough, the puppet, with its slender limbs, moved with an eerie and clumsy gait, each step creating a distinct *clack* as its wooden parts knocked together. Step by step, it advanced down the night street.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“It’s haunted!”
“Help!”
The soldiers immediately descended into pandemonium...
The Puppet Heavenly Lord let out a “clack-clack-clack” laugh, its two wooden upper and lower ‘lips’ knocking together. The sound echoed down the night street, truly chilling enough to make one’s soul flee: “Huang Yunfa... Huang Yunfa...”
Someone quickly informed Huang Yunfa: “Master, this is terrible! The puppet is back, walking towards the compound’s main gate, and it’s calling your name!”
Huang Yunfa shrieked, “Ahhhhhh!”
This time, he was truly scared out of his wits. He couldn't fathom why this puppet ghost was haunting him; it was simply too terrifying to think clearly.
However, the Puppet Heavenly Lord ultimately did not enter the compound. He knew that when people were pushed to their absolute limits by fear, they might retaliate recklessly. If they truly burned his puppet body, it would be a waste of the puppet artisan’s hard work.
After swaying a few times in the street, he turned into a side alley and disappeared.
Only then did the guards at the gate let out a sigh of relief. Upon hearing the news, Huang Yunfa also breathed a sigh.
However, while they had exhaled, whether they could actually sleep that night was an entirely different matter.
The next morning, bright and early...
Master Zhan Seng had just woken up when he heard a frantic banging at his door. Opening it, he saw Huang Yunfa himself, sporting dark circles under his eyes and a haggard face. “Master,” he stammered, “do you... by any chance... know how to exorcise demons and evil spirits?”
Zhan Seng found this amusing. With all the commotion at the compound last night, he naturally knew what had happened and had already guessed it was the Heavenly Lord toying with the man. He just hadn't expected the prank’s outcome would be Huang Yunfa running to him for help first thing in the morning.
Zhan Seng said, “Amitābha! Patron Huang, do you wish to drive away that puppet?”
Huang Yunfa pleaded, “That puppet is terrifying, Master, save me!”
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