Chapter Twenty-Four: The Magistrate Who Rides a Pig
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Early morning.
More than half the snow piled upon the roof tiles had melted, yet the distant mountains and rivers were still shrouded in white.
At that moment, three fine horses came galloping along the official road through the mountains. Behind them followed an official carriage and five ordinary wagons, with a company of roughly a hundred armored soldiers carrying bows close behind.
The cold wind howled, sweeping up the fallen leaves.
The young woman gently tugged the reins, slowing her horse. Her eyes shone with anticipation and curiosity as she raised a hand toward the ancient, weathered city walls ahead.
“Senior Brother, is that Northward Gaze City?”
The man beside her lightly patted his horse’s neck and replied, “Yes, that’s Northward Gaze City. Once we arrive, we can finally have a proper rest.”
The rider on the third fine horse was an armored commander. He was Fang, the military officer assigned to escort the prefect on his inspection of the various counties.
As for the man, his name was Kong Yue, while the young woman was called Shen Ling. They were disciples of the nearby Azure Cliff Temple and had joined the journey because of their connection with the prefect.
Fang straightened his back and looked at them.
“Thank you both for accompanying and protecting us all this way, young heroes. Without you, we would surely have suffered harassment from the demons and spirits along the road. Once we reach Northward Gaze City, I’ll buy you both a drink. I hope you’ll do me the honor!”
“Gladly! I’ve heard that the Four Directions Inn in Northward Gaze City serves excellent wine. I’ll certainly have a cup there,” Kong Yue replied.
He was not especially handsome. He had large eyes, a low nose, and thick lips that gave him a rather honest and sturdy appearance. Yet there was a sharp intelligence in those eyes.
A man like him was difficult for outsiders to read. He did not waste words, but every step he took was carefully calculated. Otherwise, he would never have risen to become an inner disciple of Azure Cliff Temple in his thirties. Talent had certainly played a part, but his own careful cultivation of connections and opportunities had played an even greater one.
“Senior Brother, do you really think that thief will be in Northward Gaze City?” Shen Ling asked, her willow brows faintly furrowed and her almond eyes filled with doubt.
Her skin was as smooth as jade, her features as delicate as a painting. With her elegant nose, cherry-red lips, and lively, mischievous air, she resembled a cluster of blossoms newly opening on a spring branch—bright and captivating.
Yet her voice was slightly shrill, and the faint urgency in her tone gave one the impression that she was straightforward, quick-tempered, and not especially patient.
Kong Yue said, “Judging by that thief’s love of wine, he is certain to visit the Four Directions Inn in Northward Gaze City for a drink. Once we enter the city, we’ll surely be able to learn where he is.”
Fang did not interrupt. He was merely curious about how exactly that thief had offended the two Cangwu cultivators from Azure Cliff Temple. Once they found him, the man would certainly meet a miserable end.
As they spoke, they had already come within five miles of Northward Gaze City’s main gate. The city entrance was close at hand.
…
What should he do?
At the county office of Northward Gaze City, Magistrate Li paced back and forth through the reception hall, his face clouded with worry. His subordinates had just awakened him with the news that his superior, Prefect Shen, had arrived in Northward Gaze City while touring the various counties. The prefect’s advance party had ordered him to hurry to the city gate and receive him.
“Why did Prefect Shen have to come inspect the city at a time like this? Could he have learned about the theft of my official seal and come here to hold me accountable—to make trouble for me?”
The county assistant entered from outside and urged him, “My lord, the official sedan and reception party are ready. We should go to the city gate to welcome Prefect Shen.”
Li raised his head and instructed him, “Tell the others to keep their mouths shut. They must not reveal anything to me—er, to anyone.”
“My lord, rest assured. I gave those orders long ago. But with all the recent trouble caused by demons and spirits, I fear the truth cannot remain hidden forever. Many constables and soldiers have been killed or wounded. To make matters worse, a demonic cultivator broke into the prison last night and slaughtered numerous guards. The prefect may well hold us accountable for that.”
“It doesn’t matter. Casualties are to be expected when dealing with demons and spirits. At most, he’ll question us a few times. But tell me—have you completed the matter I assigned to you?”
“Rest assured, my lord. I found the finest sculptor in the city, and the work was completed long ago.”
“And where is it?”
“It has been placed in the secret compartment of your study.”
“Good. You’ve done very well.” Magistrate Li straightened his back and adjusted his official hat. “Come. Accompany me to the city gate to welcome Prefect Shen. I’d like to see exactly what that old scoundrel is up to!”
With that, the county assistant followed Magistrate Li out of the reception hall.
Outside the county office, Li climbed into his official sedan. A procession of attendants followed behind, beating gongs and drums. At his command, the bearers lifted the sedan and carried him toward the western gate of Northward Gaze City.
…
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Western Gate of Northward Gaze City.
Prefect Shen’s party had stopped outside the gate. Fang rode over to the carriage and asked, “My lord, Magistrate Li still hasn’t arrived. What should we do now?”
A slender, snow-white hand emerged from the carriage window and lifted one corner of the curtain.
“Wait!”
Roughly half a day passed. The area outside Northward Gaze City’s gate had long since filled with curious onlookers. The people pointed and whispered among themselves, wondering why the prefect’s official carriage and entourage still had not entered the city.
“What an impressive procession. He must be an official of prefectural rank!”
“Why are they still waiting outside the city?”
…
Several guards at the gate looked increasingly anxious. Every so often, they glanced toward the city. One of them muttered, “The messenger informed Magistrate Li long ago that the prefect had arrived outside the city. Why hasn’t he come yet?”
He looked up at the sky. The sun had risen above the treetops, and there were still several hours until noon.
Another guard said, “The magistrate and the prefect have never gotten along. Perhaps the magistrate is deliberately trying to put the prefect in his place, leaving him waiting outside the city for so long.”
A third guard slapped him on the head and cursed, “Are you stupid? A magistrate is nowhere near as powerful as a prefect! If anyone were going to put someone else in his place, it would be the prefect! I’d say Magistrate Li is in for a rough time.”
The fourth guard guessed, “They’ve probably been left waiting outside for several hours now. The prefect certainly has patience—he refuses to enter the city. I wonder what Magistrate Li is thinking. Could he really be doing this deliberately?”
“That Magistrate Li is unbelievably bold. He’s kept us waiting outside the gate for three whole hours. He truly isn’t afraid of the prefect coming after him. I’d say his days as magistrate are numbered.”
Fang squatted on the ground, his eyes fixed intently upon the depths of the city gate. His face was full of anger, and his voice dripped with resentment and disdain.
Shen Ling bit her lower lip, her brows drawing together into a deep crease as she grumbled unhappily, “Magistrate Li is going too far! Uncle Fang always said that Li Changfeng was foolish and constantly opposed him. I was only half convinced before, but now that I’ve seen it with my own eyes, Uncle Fang was absolutely right. The only reason that man has been allowed to remain magistrate all this time is because Uncle Fang is too kindhearted.”
Kong Yue remained calm, his eyes undisturbed by even the slightest ripple. He raised a hand and gently patted Shen Ling on the shoulder.
“Junior Sister, don’t lose your temper. We only need to wait a little longer.”
Fang said, “Young Master Kong, you truly are calm and composed—not at all like the rest of us.”
“Hmph!”
Shen Ling planted her hands on her hips and complained, “When that Magistrate Li finally arrives, I’m going to teach him a lesson and make sure he understands the consequences of leaving us waiting here on purpose.”
“I’ll go ask the prefect whether he still intends to wait for Magistrate Li or whether we should simply enter the city ourselves,” Fang said.
He took up a water flask and walked toward Prefect Shen’s carriage. After gently knocking on the side, he asked, “My lord, we’ve been waiting for several hours. You must be thirsty. Would you like some water to soothe your throat?”
A hand emerged from behind the carriage curtain. Prefect Shen accepted the flask and ordered, “Tell everyone to wait a little longer. If Magistrate Li still does not appear, we will enter the city and go straight to the county office to find him. I would very much like to see what sort of game he is playing.”
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Fang clenched his fist in dissatisfaction.
“My lord, you’re simply too softhearted. If it were me, I would have beaten Li Changfeng senseless by now. How dare he leave us standing outside the gate, exposed to the bitter north wind!”
Inside the carriage, Prefect Shen took several sips of water. The corner of his eye twitched faintly as he thought, That Li Changfeng—I’ve disliked him for a long time. Unfortunately, I never found an opportunity to punish him severely. But this time, I received a secret letter saying that he had lost the official seal.
Now I can use the loss of the seal to report him to the court and have him stripped of his office. Then I can place my own man in his position.
…
At that moment, a sudden commotion erupted along the main street. A carriage came racing toward the city gate like an arrow loosed from a bow.
What made the sight especially astonishing was that the carriage was not being pulled by horses, but by two black, long-haired pigs weighing nearly a hundred pounds each.
Though the pair was nowhere near as swift as horses, they could at least serve in an emergency.
Magistrate Li sat rigidly atop the carriage, listening to the laughter of the surrounding townspeople and the strange cries of “Pig-Riding Magistrate” and the like. He wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground.
He hurriedly covered his face with his official robe, filled with regret. He knew that the nickname “Pig-Riding Magistrate” would soon spread throughout the entire city.
How could he have known that good news travels slowly, while bad news travels a thousand miles?
Only a few months later, the story reached the imperial court, and every civil and military official knew that Northward Gaze City had a “Pig-Riding Magistrate.”
“Out of the way! Make way for the county assistant!”
The county assistant gripped the reins tightly with one hand and brandished a long whip with the other, lashing it heavily across the back of the long-haired black pig as they charged toward the city gate. He displayed all the bold vigor of a rider galloping at full speed.
If the main street had not been so crowded, he would surely have composed a poem to express the exhilaration he felt.
At last, they reached the city gate. Magistrate Li could bear it no longer. He rose to his feet and kicked the county assistant from the carriage. Then, under the strange gazes of those around him, he lifted the hem of his official robe and ran toward Prefect Shen’s carriage.
He felt as though someone had stripped him naked and sent him sprinting through the main street. But he had no time to care. He cursed the county assistant for coming up with the terrible idea of sending him in a pig carriage. If he had not been desperate to see Prefect Shen, he would have stripped the man naked and thrown him into a pigsty to vent his fury.
The townspeople and soldiers gathered around the city gate stared at Magistrate Li, who had just climbed down from the pig carriage, their mouths hanging open.
A moment later, uproarious laughter broke out. One particularly bold onlooker mocked him, “What a ridiculous magistrate! He actually rode pigs to welcome the prefect. Is the county office so poor that it can’t afford a carriage? Or does Magistrate Li simply have unusual tastes? Perhaps he dislikes riding in horse-drawn carriages and prefers pig-drawn ones!”
A burst of laughter escaped Shen Ling as she covered her mouth.
“This Magistrate Li is truly a strange one. He actually enjoys riding in pig carriages.”
Kong Yue turned his head aside and shook it helplessly.
“I never imagined the magistrate of Northward Gaze City would be such an absurd man. Does the imperial court truly have no one else to appoint?”
In front of the prefect’s official carriage, Fang clasped his fists and said coldly, “Well, Magistrate Li, you certainly are enthusiastic! You left us waiting outside the city gate for half a day, and then came riding in on pigs to welcome Prefect Shen. What exactly are you trying to pull?”
He continued, “Do you believe our prefect is only worthy of being welcomed by a pig carriage?”
An attendant opened the carriage door. Prefect Shen emerged with a dark expression and deeply furrowed brows. Pointing at Magistrate Li, he shouted:
“Li Changfeng, you have truly disappointed me—and turned the imperial court into a laughingstock! Of all things, you refused to ride in a proper carriage and chose a pig carriage instead. Have you found serving as an official so dull that you’re thinking of resigning?”