Liang Shixian's gaze immediately locked onto the flintlock in Bai Yuan's hand.
It was a long-barreled firearm, its barrel extended like a cold steel bamboo pole reaching into judgment itself. The mechanism looked complex enough that even a single glance gave the impression of "this is not something ordinary humans should casually understand."
With Liang Shixian's limited scientific literacy, he could not even begin to decode it.
He pointed at the dead bird on the ground.
"Was this shot by Bai sir?"
Bai Yuan immediately brightened the moment the topic landed on him. His face lit up like someone who had just passed the imperial examination and invented a new dynasty at the same time.
"Hahahaha, yes indeed, it was I who shot it," Bai Yuan said proudly. "From a hundred paces away, I struck a flying bird with a single shot. Hahaha! Within the Six Arts of the Gentleman, the skill of 'she' or archery, there is simply no one in the world who can compare with me anymore. Hahahahaha!"
Liang Shixian's mind immediately went into quiet analytical panic.
Something feels off.
Very off.
Is the "she" in the Six Arts of a Gentleman really just about shooting anything with a weapon?
He began his internal knowledge retrieval mode.
A scholar who had read extensively, Liang Shixian mentally flipped through classical texts, commentaries, and definitions like a rapid scroll of bamboo slips being thrown across his brain.
Then suddenly, there was a "ding" in his mind.
It locked onto a passage.
The Rites of Zhou, Earth Officials, Baoshi section.
The "she" skill was divided into five techniques: white arrow, continuous linking, sharp targeting, lateral precision, and aligned formation.
Not only did it include archery technique, it also included ritual standards and etiquette of shooting.
This had absolutely nothing to do with "bang bang bang" firearms.
Not even remotely compatible.
Before he could even begin to complain internally, Bai Yuan raised the firearm again.
He performed a smooth loading motion with practiced ease, then aimed at another flying bird in the distant sky.
"Boom."
A gunshot cracked through the air.
The bird dropped again from the sky like it had suddenly received an official retirement notice.
Bai Yuan cheered loudly, then casually picked up the dead bird that had previously knocked Liang Shixian's hat askew. He shoved it directly into Liang Shixian's hand.
"This bird that I just shot down is gifted to the magistrate. I will go fetch the next one."
And then he ran.
He ran so fast his white robe trailed behind him like a fleeing immortal who had suddenly remembered he forgot to turn off the stove in his cultivation cave.
In an instant, he vanished.
Liang Shixian stood there holding a dead bird in his left hand, while his right hand remained awkwardly extended into empty air.
"Hey? Don't run! I came here to discuss serious matters with you! Where are you going?"
He hurriedly lifted the hem of his official robe and chased after him.
Unexpectedly, he ran quite fast himself.
Thud thud thud, he actually managed to keep up.
At this exact moment, Ding Dengzi Zhao Sheng, Zhao Sheng, was walking from the opposite direction, waving a piece of paper.
"Magistrate! You came at the perfect time! The refugees from Qingjian County want to apply to transfer their household registration into Cheng County. This kind of matter for you should be as easy as re… re… re…"
Whoosh.
Liang Shixian flashed past him like a passing administrative storm.
Zhao Sheng froze.
"Hey? Magistrate, please wait! I still have important matters to discuss!"
And then he also started running after him.
Now it became a chase scene involving three scholars sprinting across the field of Gao Village, each one yelling something completely unrelated.
They ran more than two hundred steps.
Finally, Bai Yuan stopped after retrieving another dead bird and laughed loudly.
"Hahahahaha!"
Liang Shixian caught up, grabbed his arm firmly, and gasped for breath.
"Huff… huff… stop running randomly. I have serious matters to discuss."
Behind him, Zhao Sheng finally arrived, panting heavily.
"Magis… traaate… I also… have urgent… matters…"
Three scholars stood together in a chaotic cluster.
One talked, another interrupted, and the third tried to recover his lungs while still attempting to speak.
After a messy exchange of overlapping sentences, all three finally managed to understand each other's situations.
Zhao Sheng's request was simple. Not difficult at all.
In the Ming dynasty, household registration was strictly controlled, but large-scale population relocation had already happened multiple times in practice. The court had precedent systems for mass migration administration.
So modifying large batches of household registration entries was not a problem for Liang Shixian.
At most, it was paperwork hell.
But manageable paperwork hell.
The real problem lay elsewhere.
The five regional commanders had entered the capital to render imperial aid, which meant the military strength in northwest China had sharply declined.
Without that deterrence, bandit activity would only become more severe.
Distant bandits were one thing.
But Fan Shanyue was different.
He was right next door in Heyang County.
Too close for comfort.
And worse, he still carried official authority after being pacified and appointed as Heyang garrison commander.
That made direct action politically sensitive.
White Yuan, Bai Yuan, Bai Yuan, finally spoke.
"Magistrate, what is your view on Fan Shanyue?"
Liang Shixian sighed.
"I have thought about it carefully. There is no better solution. Fan Shanyue is the Heyang garrison commander, while I am only the Cheng County magistrate. I have no authority over Heyang matters. If he causes trouble within Heyang County, I cannot interfere directly. I can only strengthen defenses along the border between the two counties. If he crosses into Cheng County, then I can deploy Inspector Fang Wushang and the militia to engage him. Even killing him first and reporting later is permissible."
Bai Yuan immediately followed.
"So what you mean is, I should lead the militia to guard the border and wait for him to come?"
Liang Shixian sighed again.
"Yes. That is all we can do."
Bai Yuan shook his head.
"This is too…"
He could not finish.
Liang Shixian also shook his head.
"Indeed… too…"
Both of them sighed at the same time, synchronized like two bureaucratic souls experiencing existential collapse.
At that moment, Li Dao Xuan intervened.
He spoke through Gao Yiye.
Gao Yiye immediately ran over.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun has issued an order."
Both Bai Yuan and Liang Shixian instantly straightened up.
Gao Yiye pointed at Bai Yuan's rifled firearm.
"Bai sir, Tianzun has already bestowed this divine weapon upon you. It can take lives from two to three hundred paces away. Why not use it to uphold justice?"
Bai Yuan's eyes lit up.
"Oh! Right!"
Liang Shixian still looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
Bai Yuan grinned.
"Magistrate, Fan Shanyue is now an official. We cannot openly go to Heyang County to deal with him, correct?"
"Yes!"
"Then we deal with him in secret," Bai Yuan said smoothly. "We find a forest several hundred paces away, set up this divine firearm, and boom, eliminate him. Then we immediately disappear into the mountain valleys. Who would know it was us?"
Liang Shixian's eyes widened.
"Wait, wait, wait. That… that is assassination. Isn't that a bit too lawless?"
Bai Yuan immediately corrected him.
"Lawless I can accept. But you cannot say 'no heaven.' These are Tianzun's decrees. That is heavenly will. How can you say there is no heaven?"
Liang Shixian froze.
"!"
Bai Yuan continued without mercy.
"Fan Shanyue used to be a bandit who forced civilians, robbed commoners, and did all kinds of evil. Now he has official status but has not changed his nature. He still extorts and plunders. He is no different from Youji Li Ying. Killing such a person is called upholding justice for heaven. Tianzun himself has issued instructions. What is there left for the magistrate to hesitate about?"
Liang Shixian thought carefully.
Then nodded slowly.
"…That does make sense."
Bai Yuan clapped his hands.
"Exactly. Magistrate, you cannot leave Cheng County. That is your official duty. But I, Bai Yuan, do not need to follow such restrictions. Heh heh heh. Leave this matter to me. Wait for my good news."
Liang Shixian mulled over it again.
Then his logic finally settled into place.
Heavenly principle versus law.
Which is higher?
Obviously heaven.
Even emperors were called the Son of Heaven.
So above heaven's will, everything else was lower.
In that case, listening to Dao Xuan Tianzun, Li Dao Xuan, was unquestionably correct.
"Someone bring me paper and brush," Liang Shixian said firmly. "I will write a letter to the Heyang magistrate to coordinate cooperation."
And just as he finished speaking, a strange sound echoed faintly from somewhere in the distance.
A very faint sound.
Like something wet and unexpected suddenly arriving where it did not belong.