Infinite Professions

Chapter 378 - 198: Night Banquet

Chen Chuan’s entire body felt numb, his mind blank yet filled with countless thoughts.

Mountain paths, temples, villages, dock fortresses, county towns, festivals, and this Yellow Crane Tower...

Although he had not yet met Song Shenjun, since entering Huangshan Pass and arriving at Qinghe County, everywhere bore traces of his handiwork. Industries, affairs, and objects all seemed connected to him inescapably. The faith of the masses was subtle yet deeply rooted.

In his daze, Chen Chuan felt as if this god stood right before him, like a heaven-reaching and earth-shattering giant supporting the livelihood of an entire county, unseen and untouched, yet omnipresent, like a man in a mountain who sees peaks everywhere, steps over rocks, but cannot glimpse the full grandeur of the landscape.

A sense of awe and dread!

"Sir, sir?"

Amidst his confusion, he was awakened by gentle calls.

Turning his gaze, it was the coachman’s aide and that assistant official.

The concerned expressions of the three quickly brought Chen Chuan back to reality, realizing his back was soaked through, his forehead slightly damp, wiping it away revealed a layer of fine sweat, not warm but rather cool.

"Sir..."

The scholar saw this and hurriedly offered a handkerchief.

Chen Chuan took it, wiped away the sweat, and barely managed to suppress his chaotic thoughts, though his complexion remained pale, evidence of mental exhaustion.

Sometimes, ignorance is indeed bliss.

For, the more vast the world appears, the more aware one becomes of their insignificance.

The stark contrast, the intense impact, may stir some to engage and strive for transcendence, but more often it crushes one under brutal reality, prompting resignation.

Chen Chuan now felt a semblance of this, like an ant futilely trying to shake a tree, lost on how to act or what to do, resigning to let things flow, following the tide.

And what would resisting accomplish?

Could he hope to contend with it?

Better to just let it be!

Once the mind is freed, the world feels vast.

With such thoughts, Chen Chuan relaxed instead and soon collected his mindset, leading the group to the fence, gazing upon the bustling city, market streets, he unexpectedly felt poetic inspiration, turning to the aide said, "Sir, let’s compose a poem to see if it can win favor from the divine."

"..."

Chen Chuan’s stance left the aide silent.

He noticed that his lord seemed resigned, content to let things deteriorate, no longer as confident as before.

Clearly, he was affected.

But it was to be expected, the methods of the Huangshan Divine Monarch were beyond ordinary deities, likely intertwined with great karma, ties, and terrors.

Entering such a vortex would be unwise.

Going with the flow, preserving oneself wisely, is the orthodox Dao.

Therefore...

"If sir has such an interest, I am naturally inclined to join."

The aide smiled, avoiding all else, focusing only on poetry.

Chen Chuan responded, showcasing his poetic talent, also extraordinary.

Still, it’s true once the mind is freed, the world feels vast.

Thinking less, indeed there are fewer worries.

No matter the actions of this god, there’s no threat to him, any lurking danger, any scheme, at worst after three years’ term, he’ll find a reason to transfer away.

Three years fly by, even if Qinghe County holds Celestial Thunder, it won’t ignite so soon.

Thus, he could rest assured in resignation.

In comparison, the Qinghe City God bears heavier burdens.

With the separation of Yin and Yang, differences between deities and humans, being appointed by the Court as County Magistrate, his position is secure, work quite easy, even acting like a hands-off shopkeeper, carefree.

But the Qinghe City God is different, humans compete over reputation, gods over incense offerings, and such faith competition is inexorable.

Now, the Huangshan Divine Monarch rules over a mountain and pressures two counties, even holding his birthday celebration in Qinghe County Town; the situation of the Qinghe City God is imaginable, the incense faith likely lost to a terrifying extent.

Incense is the foundation of Divine Dao, without offerings, deities not only lose Divine Power, they could even fall from their pedestal, shattered, fading to ashes.

So, compared to being a County Magistrate, the Qinghe City God’s position is uncomfortable, cannot fight, cannot resign, likely struggling to transfer away from Qinghe County.

Such comparisons made Chen Chuan’s attitude even more relaxed, thoroughly immersed in poetry.

Thus, the day passed and night descended.

All over the city, lights lit up, various festivals continued, though not as grand as during the day.

At Yellow Crane Tower, composing poetry and drinking, a somewhat intoxicated Chen Chuan returned to the Prefecture Government Office escorted by a few.

The office had three halls, the main hall for public judgment, the second hall for errands, and the third hall – the County Magistrate’s residence.

The coachman handed the slightly drunk Chen Chuan to two maidservants to take him to his bedroom, while he stayed behind with the aide, sighing, "The lord rarely indulges like this."

"Indeed."

The aide nodded, merely answering, seemingly missing the underlying meaning.

The coachman glanced at him, then said nothing more, turning to feed the horses.

The aide also stood up, swaying slightly as he departed.

The nights are dimly lit, as darkness deepens.

Lying on the couch, Chen Chuan was rare to be drunk, soon entering the dream.

In his dream, amidst confusion, he found himself outside the Prefecture Government Office.

"This..."

The cold wind blew, dispelling much drunkenness, Chen Chuan awoke, unexpectedly confused.

"How am I here?"

Outside the office city, lights brightened everywhere, celebrations were evidently ongoing, yet somehow those lights and fires, alongside people within, remained hazy, even illusory, as though seeing flowers through fog, shadowy and unclear.