The more you believe me, the more true I am. Chapter 025

Character name suggestions:

Qian Youcai ()

Fang ()

After glancing at the Xīchì embroidered on the other party’s robe, Qian Youcai raised an eyebrow and said,

“Is the person who has come Prefect Fang, Lord Fang?”

He truly didn’t recognize Prefect Fang, because his Qian family had been operating in the provincial capital since his father’s generation.

He only knew the name of the prefect here at the old family residence, but he truly didn’t know what he looked like.

“I am he, may I ask if you are the Second Young Master Qian?”

Qian Youcai, accompanied by several guards, quickly walked up to Prefect Fang.

After looking suspiciously at the surrounding yamen runners, he cupped his hands and said,

“Lord Prefect, I am humble and untalented, but indeed, I am the second son of the Qian family, Qian Youcai. May I ask what this means?”

“Even if you are the Lord Prefect, to come to my Qian family’s private residence with such a large show of force, you should at least give an explanation!”

Prefect Fang spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly,

“To apprehend a demonic daoist!”

As soon as these words were uttered, Qian Youcai and the martial artists’ pupils suddenly contracted.

A moment later, Qian Youcai exclaimed,

“You want to apprehend the Daoist Priest?”

His voice had lost its previous confrontational tone, replaced only by surprise and confusion.

It was like walking down the street and suddenly someone claiming they wanted to arrest the Emperor, giving the reason that the Emperor had rebelled, which filled one with an indescribable feeling.

“Daoist Priest? That’s a demonic daoist!”

At first, Prefect Fang even considered whether it might be a misunderstanding, but as he investigated further, Prefect Fang broke out in a cold sweat.

Because the several men he found all said in unison — that was a true master, truly capable, and could even subdue demons and ghosts!

And it wasn’t just that; the most crucial thing was that these few men, in just one night, had influenced their neighbors.

What did this mean?

It meant that if he reacted any slower, this damned demonic daoist might be able to re-enact the events of the Southwest in just a few days!

If such a thing were to happen in his Qing County.

Firstly, he would be ashamed of the Emperor’s grace, allowing a rebellious act to occur under his governance.

Secondly, he would be ashamed of the common people, allowing a charlatan to ascend to a position of prominence.

So he quickly made arrangements and was about to break into the Qian family to make arrests.

As soon as they were in prison and shackled, the common people would naturally know what kind of person that was.

“Second Young Master Qian, if you step aside now, I can still consider you to have been deceived by the demonic daoist’s tricks. Otherwise, don’t blame me for impeaching your Qian family for attempting rebellion!”

Qian Youcai was truly exasperated and laughed.

To say that I’m rebelling is one thing, but you dare to say that the Daoist Priest is a demonic daoist?

This fellow surnamed Fang has truly defied heaven and earth!

So Qian Youcai immediately sneered,

“The Daoist Priest is a true master. If you wish to meet him, I am naturally happy to introduce you. But if you are slandering him, my Qian family is not to be trifled with!”

Prefect Fang narrowed his eyes and said,

“So, it’s not that demonic daoist, but your Qian family?”

He had originally thought that the Qian family was just an ordinary prominent clan and shouldn’t have the guts to do such a big thing.

He had simply believed that they, like the county magistrate, had been deceived by the so-called True Person Ziyun.

Now it seemed that it was indeed these prominent clans who wanted to use the instability in the Southwest to play some sinister tricks!

He just didn’t know who was standing behind the Qian family.

Qian Youcai once again stated seriously,

“You, surnamed Fang, I will reiterate, the Daoist Priest is a true master. Don’t use your baseless accusations to defile the Daoist Priest’s reputation!”

Prefect Fang was about to say no more and directly order the yamen runners to seize the person.

But at this moment, he noticed a large crowd of common people gathered outside the Qian family’s courtyard gate behind him.

It turned out that the men who had left last night were also too excited to sleep all night, so they knocked on the doors of their neighbors, one by one, recounting the Daoist Priest’s abilities.

By morning, when more people were up, they saw a large crowd heading towards the Qian family.

In this way, even those who didn’t know would be curious and follow.

Thus, a large crowd gathered.

Just at this moment, Qian Youcai also pointed to the men behind the door and said,

“If Prefect Fang doesn’t believe it, you can ask those few brothers. They, along with me, Qian Youcai, witnessed the Daoist Priest’s abilities in front of my Qian family’s ancestral tablets last night!”

And the few men outside the door also responded,

“Yes, the Daoist Priest was here last night and broke the ‘ghost-hitting-the-wall’ illusion we encountered, and even subdued a monster!”

“That’s right, it’s true! I saw it with my own eyes!”

…

Upon hearing this, Prefect Fang inwardly thought, “This fellow wants to incite the common people?”

So, he quickly turned to the common people and said,

“My dear elders and fellow villagers, please listen to me!”

Prefect Fang was indeed a good official, so as soon as he spoke, the common people immediately quieted down.

Seeing that his authority was effective, Prefect Fang first breathed a sigh of relief, then felt a sense of self-satisfaction. It seemed that his years of painstaking efforts had been recognized by the common people!

Thus, today would be much more peaceful.

With a little self-satisfaction and more relief, Prefect Fang turned to Qian Youcai and said,

“Since he is a true master, does he dare to come out and show his abilities?”

Qian Youcai was truly exasperated and laughed. He had even brought up his ancestors, and this fellow surnamed Fang still didn’t believe him!

He even dared to ask the Daoist Priest to come out and show him his abilities?

The Daoist Priest was a person of great importance, how could he be ordered around by a mere dog official like you?

So Qian Youcai directly took a step back, letting the martial artists behind him step forward and say,

“The Daoist Priest said he needs to rest well, so, don’t think of disturbing his cultivation!”

Qian Youcai had firmly remembered Du Yuan’s words from last night.

Looking at the martial artists who stepped forward, Prefect Fang was also about to explode with anger.

“Qian Youcai, is your Qian family truly trying to rebel?!”

“You, surnamed Fang, stop slandering others! I tell you, I dare to go to the capital and file an imperial complaint before His Majesty about this matter, do you dare?!”

“Good, good, good, you don’t even dare to let that demonic daoist come out and confront me face to face, yet you still dare to say you dare to go to the capital to file an imperial complaint?”

Prefect Fang suppressed his anger and said to the common people behind him,

“My dear elders and fellow villagers, you have also seen that it is the Qian family who is in the wrong and dares not show themselves. Therefore, I will enforce the law impartially! Men!”

The yamen runners all stepped forward.

Qian Youcai also roared in anger,

“Stop them!”

The martial artists who were already blocking the way immediately drew their sabers.

Although there were only a few of them, they showed no fear when facing twenty or so yamen runners, and even seemed eager for a fight!

“How dare you!”

Under Prefect Fang’s angry roar, the yamen runners also drew their sabers.

However, in terms of momentum, the yamen runners, who followed their fathers’ footsteps for generations, truly couldn’t compare to the guards of prominent clans who had been trained since childhood.

After all, the former were just a group of common people with stronger physiques who earned imperial salaries, while the latter were essentially the private soldiers of prominent clans!

The common people outside the courtyard were anxious, pushing and shoving the yamen runners who tried to stop them, shouting,

“Lord Prefect, no, truly no, the Daoist Priest truly has abilities!”

“That’s right, Lord Prefect, this must be a misunderstanding somewhere!”

…

But the more the common people spoke, the more Prefect Fang strengthened his resolve to apprehend the demonic daoist.

After all, in his opinion, this matter, no matter how he looked at it, was an imitation of what happened in the Southwest!

Just as the two sides were on the verge of conflict, a voice came from behind the Qian family’s main hall:

“Everyone, please calm down, this humble Daoist is right here!”