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Chapter 15: I Have a Method
*Squeak~~*
The creaking of the wooden door hinges echoed unpleasantly.
Outside stood a man, around thirty years old, dressed in black clothes and boots. Although he didn't carry a long sword, it was evident he was a constable or a law enforcer. However, at this moment, both of his hands were full of gifts, and there was a smile on his face.
"Greetings, Master."
"Greetings, Head Constable. Are you here for..."
"Oh, I'm Luo Jun(罗钧), living just across from you, Master." Head Constable Luo said with a smile. "I've heard that a skilled master has moved into our Sweetwater Alley(甜水巷), but I haven't had the chance to visit. Please forgive me."
"No need to apologize."
"May I..."
"Oh, please come in, Head Constable Luo." Song You quickly invited Head Constable Luo in.
Dayan followed a bureaucratic system where high officials would frequently rotate positions, resulting in most of the actual power being wielded by lower-ranking officials on the ground. Therefore, lower-ranking officials couldn’t be underestimated.
Among them, constables held martial positions but were closely related to the livelihoods of the people. They represented the government while frequently interacting with individuals from various walks of life, including those associated with the martial arts world. Moreover, constables in Dayan were likely to be hereditary, with power passed down through generations, making them not to be trifled with.
Nonetheless, Head Constable Luo was very respectful to Song You at this moment. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he placed the gifts he brought on the stone table.
There was good wine brewed by Heavenly Heart Tower(天心楼), red sugar from Nine River County(九河县), cloth from Hé Family Village(何家庄), and even a set of tea utensils, showing considerable effort.
"I should have come to visit Master earlier, but I've been busy lately with catching thieves, so busy that I hardly have time to rest," said Head Constable Luo, finally finding a moment to bow. "Yesterday afternoon, I did have some free time to come and visit, but unfortunately, you were out at the time."
"How can I deserve such generosity?" Song You frowned as he looked at the gifts.
"Master is a talented individual, naturally deserving of it," without waiting for Song You to speak, Head Constable Luo continued, "To be honest, when I visited yesterday, I coincidentally met a tea merchant from Mount Wu County who came to visit you as well. In our conversation, I learned that the skilled individual who eliminated the Fog Fiend on Golden Sun Path was actually Master, you..."
"It was just a spontaneous act."
"Master selflessly protects the people without any desire for personal gain. I truly admire that and wish to show my gratitude." Head Constable Luo said, offering another bow to Song You.
"There’s really no need for that." Song You could only show a helpless expression.
In the society of Dayan, politeness and courtesy were paramount in every conversation.
For example, an escort named Chen was not an escort leader, but people would still address him as such. Similarly, Song You initially didn't know if Luo was a regular constable or a head constable, yet he still addressed him as "Head Constable" right from the start. When ordinary people spoke, they were often excessively polite. Song You wasn't sure whether he was accustomed to this behavior or not, but either way, he didn't like it.
Fortunately, Head Constable Luo was also a shrewd individual who could read the situation well. He quickly discerned that someone like Master Song, a skilled individual, likely didn't appreciate such circumlocution.
Feeling that being straightforward might win a few points, he spoke directly. "To be honest, this time I came to visit not only to welcome you as my new neighbor but also to seek advice from you, Master."
"You don't need to be so polite, just speak your mind."
"It's a long story." Head Constable Luo sighed heavily: "In the past year or two, there have been frequent thefts in Yidu City. The stolen items were all valuable items from noble households, and they even stole from the magistrate's residence. The dignitaries in the city are furious, ordering us to immediately capture the thief. Yet, despite our efforts, we couldn't trace the thief's whereabouts at all. At one point, the common folk even speculated that it was the work of Yaoguai. It wasn't until a few months ago that we finally saw the true face of the thief and understood how he managed to sneak into noble households to steal without leaving a trace."
"Does this thief possess extraordinary power of flying or traveling underground?"
"Master has heard about it too?"
"I've seen the wanted poster at the city gate." Song You remembered seeing a wanted poster for an underground-fleeing thief at the city gate when he arrived.
"That's the thief! Although he can't fly, he somehow possesses the skill of underground travel." Head Constable Luo said, looking at Song You. "I wonder if Young Master is familiar with this kind of skill?"
"I have some understanding."
"Really?" Head Constable Luo subconsciously asked.
As soon as he finished speaking, he realized it wasn't appropriate and hurriedly explained, "During this period, we have been unable to capture the thief, and the dignitaries in the city have issued ultimatums. Despite setting traps several times, the thief was too cautious and wary, never falling into them. The thief even stood nearby mocking us the other day. It's utterly infuriating. I've been eager to catch him..."
"Not to mention, I have also consulted a Buddhist master at the Temple of Peace and Tranquility, but..." Head Constable Luo shook his head before finishing his sentence.
"What suggestion did the wise master at the Temple of Peace and Tranquility offer?" Song You suddenly became curious.
"The wise master Guang Hong(广宏) of Temple of Peace and Tranquility suggested that we dig a circle of pits and bury them with manure to break the thief's underground fleeing technique," Head Constable Luo said with a helpless smile.
"For those not proficient in the art, it might work."
"So, was the wise master Guang Hong not lying to me?"
"The idea of using filth to break a magical art has always existed. Perhaps the master was just trying to help, but he himself wasn't sure."
"That's what I thought too." After Head Constable Luo finished speaking, he looked at Song You again. "Young Master, do you have any other methods? If you assist in capturing the thief, I promise that not only will I persuade the magistrate to reward you fully for catching the thief, but there will also be additional gratitude."
"Head Constable, you mentioned that the thief is cautious and wary?"
"This is my personal judgment."
"With your experience, I trust your judgment."
"I wonder what relevance this has to capturing the thief?"
"Head Constable, you may not know, but like the art of walking through walls, the art of underground travel also has its intricacies. The practitioner must firmly believe in the success of the art. If the practitioner harbors doubts or apprehensions, they may end up suffocating themselves in the ground or being sealed in a wall," Song You explained, "So, throughout history, those who practice these arts are either individuals with unwavering determination and courage, or they are fools, utterly clueless."
Song You truly understood this underground traveling art.
Crouching Dragon Temple had complete arts for underground travel and walking through walls, and he even understood the principles behind these two arts very well. However, he himself couldn't perform these arts.
The principle of belief brings existence, disbelief brings non-existence; firm belief strengthens while doubt weakens, applied to many magical arts, but the art of underground travel and walking through walls inherently had flaws—they had a probability of failure no matter how well one mastered them. It was just a matter of probability.
One could study them diligently for half their life, but they could only slightly reduce this probability.
This contradiction arose from the fact that the principle of "the practitioner must firmly believe in the success of the art" conflicted with the fact that these arts always had a probability of failure.
Therefore, since ancient times, few cultivators would practice these two arts. The more they understood them, the more they realized their flaws. When practicing, doubts inevitably arose, which would increase the probability of failure, creating a vicious cycle.
Those who used these arts were mostly small-time crooks.
Head Constable Luo frowned after listening.
"During this period, I have encountered that thief several times, but because he knows the underground fleeing technique, he always manages to escape. And last month, I finally found out where he lives. I believe I have some understanding of him. He is at most a bit foolish but certainly not a person with firm determination or foolhardy."
"Did he have any expertise in this art before?"
"He was just a penniless scholar in the past, unable to pass the imperial examinations. I don't know where he learned this underground fleeing technique, but he started down the wrong path."
"Perhaps someone taught him behind the scenes, either without informing him of the drawbacks of this art or using secret methods to dispel his doubts and fears. Maybe he only acquired the art without understanding its intricacies," Song You paused and glanced at the gifts brought by Head Constable Luo, pondering for a moment before saying, "If one of these two possibilities is true, I have a method to try. But, I can only ask the Head Constable to try it out. I can't guarantee it will work."
“Please teach me this method, Young Master."
"Just point out its flaws."
"How do I do that?"
"Head Constable, are you familiar with a book called 'The Records of Peach and Plum Seasons'(桃李岁时记)?"
"'The Records of Peach and Plum Seasons'..." Head Constable Luo couldn't understand how breaking the underground fleeing magical art was related to a book.
Fortunately, Dayan had the highest literacy rate in history, and he came from a prominent family and had learned to read. After thinking for a while, he vaguely remembered—it seemed to be a collection of strange and bizarre stories, often regarded as a collection of ghost and fantasy stories.
"I have some impressions."
"All you need to do is tell him that 'The Records of Peach and Plum Seasons' records that someone who was accustomed to using the underground fleeing art suffocated three feet underground."
"Will that work?"
"Perhaps."
"Uh..." Head Constable Luo was taken aback. Although he felt this was even more unreliable than digging pits and burying manure, he still made a mental note.
After chatting for a few more words, Song You saw him off.
The book: "The Records of Peach and Plum Seasons" was quite famous. Such miscellaneous books had high sales, especially since there was no concept of copyright in this day and age, and many bookstores printed them. The compiler of this book was originally a Daoist, and many of the stories were his own experiences or things he had heard, making them quite realistic. Anyone with some knowledge of Dao could tell that after hearing this, the thief who was cautious and wary would certainly investigate.
Even if he couldn't read, hearing someone confidently assert it would inevitably shake his confidence.
If it worked, then it worked. If not, they could try something else later.
"..." Song You shook his head and began to count his belongings.
The cured meats and sausages were hung on the beams of the kitchen, while the red sugar, tea cakes, and wine were neatly stored in the kitchen. Originally a rented ghost house, it now had a bit more of a homey feel.
"No need to be troubled about the food for a while." Song You muttered to himself, then looked at the cloth.
The fabric was of good quality, probably the most valuable among the many gifts. Looking at the old robe he was wearing, he felt that he could make a new robe out of it.
Sadly, the pattern was too flashy; he preferred plain colors.
"..." Eventually, he decided not to change it.
Though the robe was worn and old, it had been covering and warming him for many years. Through diligence and care, it had become the most comfortable and suitable. Even now, with no tears or holes, it continued to shield and warm him. How could he discard it just because it had aged a little?
Returning to the courtyard, he saw Lady Calico had run to the underside of the stone table, where the rope used to lift the wine had fallen, and was playing with it with her claws.
Those who find joy in simple things are no less than those who revel in riches.
Song You was like this, and so was Lady Calico.
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