Chapter Ninety: The River Sacrifice

Though the Five Poisons Cult had only a few hundred followers, Streamjade Valley was no small place, and its peculiar terrain made any search especially difficult.

The West Bureau’s secret agents and the government constables spent a full two days combing through it. Only after confirming that not a single person had been missed did they dare return to make their report.

At this moment, the Prefect of Jiangling trailed at the side of Jiang Jin’s party, wiping the cold sweat from his brow as he spoke placating words, repeatedly and tactfully inquiring what sort of objects the Director favored, so that he might offer some token of his sincerity and fulfill the duties of a host.

Though he did not stand at the center of power, he understood perfectly well what such privileges as “inspecting all officials,” “executing first and reporting later,” and “imperial authorization” truly meant.

The various command heads of the West Bureau also knew that, though the Prefect of Jiangling could not be called an incorruptible official, he was nonetheless a capable man willing to do practical things for the people. Thus they offered him a few reassuring words and did not make things difficult for him.

Once they returned to the residence, the men tidied themselves and went to pay their respects to the Director.

Xu Boqing had just grown weary of reading. With nothing else to occupy him, he was idly teasing a little green songbird in its cage in the courtyard.

Seeing Jiang Jin arrive arm in arm with the Prefect of Jiangling, he casually asked, “Is it all settled?”

“Reporting to you, Director…”

Jiang Jin stepped forward with a register in hand and said, “Your subordinate has already sent men to search all of Streamjade Valley. A total of six hundred thirty-eight members of the Five Poisons Cult have been captured and are now all confined in the underground cells. I ask the Director to inspect the list.”

“Mmm…”

Xu Boqing took the register and flipped through it at random. As though recalling something, he said, “His Majesty will need to make an example of them in public. Select some from among these and escort them back to the capital.”

“Yes…”

Jiang Jin hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Director, how should the rest be dealt with?”

“Kill those who should be killed, imprison those who should be imprisoned, release those who should be released.”

“Yes!”

“Oh, and one more thing…”

Xu Boqing pondered briefly, then said, “You will be responsible for escorting the prisoners back to the capital this time. I will not be returning with you.”

“Ah, this…”

Jiang Jin froze for an instant, then quickly understood and asked with care, “Director, do you intend to go straight to Xingyuan Prefecture?”

“Exactly.”

Xu Boqing gave a slight nod and explained, “The road is long enough as it is. Escorting prisoners there and back would only waste more time. I’ll go directly to Xingyuan Prefecture and wait for you there.”

He paused, reflected a moment, and added, “There are many of you, so there’s no need to hurry to rejoin me. As long as you arrive at Xingyuan Prefecture within two or three months, that will do.”

“This subordinate understands.”

“Very well. Handle the remaining matters as you see fit.”

Xu Boqing paused again, as though another thought had struck him, and asked with a faint furrow of the brow, “The West Bureau’s agents are spread throughout Great Liang. If I am somewhere within Xingyuan Prefecture, you will be able to find me, won’t you?”

Jiang Jin’s breath caught at once. A fine sheen of cold sweat sprang out across his back, and even his legs went weak.

Instantly he was reminded of what had happened earlier in Hongyang, when his group had “failed in their duties” and had not passed the Director’s “assessment.” Though the Director had been magnanimous and had not pursued the matter, some disappointment had surely remained.

Now that the Director had brought up the matter of finding someone again, he was clearly giving him a warning.

“What is it?”

Seeing how frightened he looked, Xu Boqing raised a brow and asked, “You don’t want this assignment? Or is finding a person too difficult a task for the West Bureau?”

“No, no, no…”

Jiang Jin hurriedly dropped to one knee and said thickly, “It is we who handled matters poorly. Yet not only did the Director not blame us, you even rewarded us often… And now you have given us such an opportunity. This subordinate… this subordinate is grateful from the depths of his heart.”

“No need for such formality.”

Xu Boqing inclined his head slightly. Considering that Jiang Jin would be escorting prisoners back to the capital and would certainly have to report to Emperor Yonghe, thereby appearing before the Son of Heaven, calling it an opportunity was not inaccurate.

Then he looked to the Prefect of Jiangling at the side and said with a smile, “Prefect Song, I have troubled your residence for several days. Now that the matter has reached a satisfactory end, I shall not impose any longer.”

“I would never dare say such a thing…”

The Prefect of Jiangling had all this while stood at the side with utmost caution, making himself nearly invisible. The moment his name was called, he gave a start; yet on hearing that the man was leaving, he felt both joy and apprehension.

He hurried forward and said, “This humble official has already ordered a banquet prepared. Director Xu has at last come to Jiangling—why not sample some of Jiangling’s local flavors before departing?”

“I appreciate your kindness, Prefect Song.”

Xu Boqing also knew that his presence was like a plague god’s; these past two days, the man had likely neither eaten well nor slept soundly. So he shook his head with a smile and said, “The flavors of Jiangling can wait until my next visit. Farewell.”

With that, he cupped his hands, turned, and departed.

The Prefect of Jiangling stared blankly after his retreating figure, smacked his lips, and said, “The Director is a man of lofty character and unsullied conduct—truly a blessing to His Majesty, a blessing to the capital, a blessing to the realm!”

Jiang Jin cast him a glance. He knew well enough that the words were meant for his ears, and merely smiled without offering any further comment.

Xu Boqing had originally intended to head straight out of the city, but as he passed a small roadside eatery that specialized in mutton, the rich aroma of meat stirred his appetite so sharply that he turned in without thinking.

The shop was small, with only a few tables. Perhaps because it was mealtime, every table was occupied, each one set with great bowls filled with mutton stewed until it nearly fell apart.

The diners gnawed away noisily at the meat. Those with heavier tastes mixed up little dipping dishes of chive blossom paste or chili and the like, eating and wiping sweat at the same time, crying out over how satisfying it was.

Even as a mere onlooker, Xu Boqing felt his mouth water.

Seeing the proprietor in the back kitchen adjusting seasonings over the stew pot, he called out, “Shopkeeper, bring me five jin of mutton.”

“It’s gone, gone…”

Without even turning his head, the proprietor replied perfunctorily, “Today’s sold out. If the gentleman wants some, come earlier tomorrow.”

Xu Boqing’s expression stiffened. Looking at the fragrant meat already stewed in the pot before him, along with the prepared condiments, he said with some displeasure, “Isn’t there still some in that pot?”

The proprietor turned around at those words and jerked his chin toward the shop. “Sir, just look—my little place has no seats left.”

“No matter.”

Xu Boqing swept his gaze around the room, casually cleared a corner of a table piled with odds and ends, and said with a smile, “I can sit here and eat.”

The proprietor’s face showed difficulty.

The other diners in the shop were all familiar faces from nearby, and at this they burst into laughter.

“Old fellow, it’s rare for a young stranger to come to your place for meat. Stop hoarding and give up your portion.”

“You old miser, is your own eating more important than your business?”

“Young man, don’t blame him. This old codger always keeps back a few jin at mealtime for his drink. We’ll make him bring it out for you.”

Xu Boqing smiled as well, cupped his hands in acknowledgment, then took out a small piece of silver and tossed it to the proprietor. “I happened to pass by and was drawn in by the fragrance of the meat in your shop. Might you be willing to part with some?”

“All right, all right, I’ll bring it out for you…”

Catching the silver, the proprietor gave a rueful smile.

He then fished the stewed mutton from the pot, ladled over the rich broth that had boiled down to a milky white, sprinkled on a little chopped scallion for garnish, and brought it out. After that, he also set out several dipping sauces of his own making.

As the diners in the shop continued teasing him, he wiped his hands on his apron and explained, “It’s not that this old man is greedy for food. The main thing is, all my sheep have been bought off by others… What I’m eating now are only lambs. I can hardly bear to eat them myself. Maybe by tomorrow this shop will have to close for a while.”

“Oh?”

The diners all looked surprised, and one acquaintance asked, “If I remember right, old fellow, you’ve got dozens of sheep back at your place outside the city. They were all bought?”

“Ah, and even then they said it wasn’t enough.”

“Dozens of sheep still weren’t enough?”

Xu Boqing tore off some mutton from a large bone, dipped it in chive blossom paste, and popped it into his mouth. Hearing this, he asked in puzzlement, “What sort of people need to buy that many sheep?”

“Oh…”

The proprietor waved a hand and said, “The wealthy households by the Qianling River hold a river sacrifice every few years. They have to slaughter pigs and sheep as offerings to the River God. We’re not all that far from the river here, so any sheep of decent size have all been bought off by several rich families.”