Legend Management Bureau Chapter 216

[ … words ]

The two men immediately looked troubled.

“Shopkeeper… aren’t these tall hats meant only for the wealthy? How could people of our lowly status wear them…”

“What kind of talk is that?!” the shopkeeper protested, clearly displeased. “You are heroes in the eyes of the common folk, and you are determined to protect the safety of everyone in the county. You more than deserve these hats.”

The two thought about it, realizing the boss had a point. They had worn their hair wild and unkempt since childhood; even if dressed in bright and beautiful clothes, they would still look like paupers.

Du Yu looked at the two tall hats, finding them incredibly familiar.

After accepting the hats, Xie Bian spoke up again. “Shopkeeper, even though you gifted these to us, I have one more presumptuous request.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Could you help us embroider a few words onto the hats?”

“Of course!” the shopkeeper agreed. “But these hats are originally decorative items for wealthy households. If you embroider words on them, you’ll look less like rich men.”

Tears streamed down the old shopkeeper’s face as he looked at them both. “I truly didn’t misjudge you! Whatever words you want embroidered, just say the word!”

Xie Bian frowned in thought. “I’m not an educated man, so I can’t think of anything clever. It’s just that I realize how truly important money is now. I want to protect the people and help them earn more wealth, but what exactly should I write…”

Standing to the side, Du Yu quietly suggested, “What do you think of… ‘Prosperity at First Sight’?”

“Prosperity at First Sight?” Xie Bian’s eyes immediately widened. “Yes, yes, yes, that’s perfect! Shopkeeper, please embroider the words ‘Prosperity at First Sight’ for me!”

Du Yu covered his forehead with a palm. ‘Well then,’ he thought. ‘So the words ‘Prosperity at First Sight’ on the White Guard’s hat were originally meant to bring peace of mind to the people of Pu County whenever they saw him.’

Fan Wujiu spoke up as well. “I share Seventh Brother’s sentiments and would also like a few words embroidered. I’ve witnessed firsthand the suffering these people endure in times of war. Just yesterday, I saw a girl whose name I didn’t even know stabbed to death right before my eyes. I hope there will never be another war in this world… Let me think, my hat should say…”

“Peace on Earth,” Du Yu suggested again.

“Ah! Yes!” Fan Wujiu nodded frantically. “‘Peace on Earth.’ I wish for a world completely free of war!”

Du Yu let out a soft sigh. Even though the Seventh and Eighth Lords had started out as beggars, their integrity was in no way inferior to Chang Yuchun’s from yesterday. They truly lived up to the title of ‘heroes.’

The nimble-fingered shopkeeper quickly finished embroidering the hats and respectfully handed them over to the two men.

They accepted the hats and tied up their hair.

The moment they put on the tall hats, their auras noticeably shifted.

They felt almost identical to the figures in Du Yu’s memory.

If there was any difference to speak of…

It was naturally Xie Bian’s ugly appearance and Fan Wujiu’s pale, sickly complexion.

‘What exactly is going on here…’ Du Yu thought, struggling to understand.

Just as Du Yu had predicted, the two were deeply loved by the commoners when they took to the streets. They patrolled for an entire day and indeed caught a few thugs trying to stir up trouble.

In the past, they had only begged on these streets, always steering clear of any conflicts. Now that their identities had changed, they naturally couldn’t stand idly by. Over the course of their daily patrols, not only did they not make the citizens uncomfortable, but they became even more popular.

“Du Yu, what’s going on?” Dong Qianqiu’s voice chimed in. “Why are they suddenly wearing the robes of Impermanence?”

“Oh, Sister Qianqiu, you can see our visual feed now?”

“Yes, it just came through.” Dong Qianqiu nodded. “Why are they so beloved? Have they become government officials already?”

“Government… officials?”

Du Yu had almost forgotten about that detail. In the legends, the Seventh and Eighth Lords transformed overnight from beggars into government officials. Could this be the very catalyst?

At present, the two were more beloved than the local government itself. If the local magistrate had even half a brain, he would naturally recruit them into the yamen. This wouldn’t just boost the government’s prestige, but it would also provide a legitimate way to pay a salary to these two “Anti-Ming Heroes.”

“Seventh Lord, Eighth Lord,” Du Yu called out, stopping them. “Where is the Pu County yamen?”

“The yamen?” The two paused, confused. “Little Du, what do you want to go there for?”

“I have a matter I’d like to discuss with the county magistrate.”

“The magistrate?” Xie Bian blinked. “I advise you not to bother. The yamen is even more dilapidated than the City God Temple. We haven’t seen the magistrate in years.”

“Huh?” Du Yu was startled. “What do you mean? Is the magistrate a total shut-in?”

“I heard that the moment war broke out, the magistrate packed up his family and fled,” Fan Wujiu chimed in. “The imperial court can barely fend for itself, so they hardly care whether our county has a presiding official or not.”

“No wonder the streets are so desolate, and no wonder there isn’t a single guard in sight.” Du Yu finally understood the situation.

But if that was the case, wouldn’t the plot of the legend get stuck?

Even if they were wildly successful as city enforcers, eventually becoming the “Kings of City Management,” they would never truly be government officials without official recognition!

Yet with the magistrate gone, how on earth could they become officials?

The Seventh and Eighth Lords were already highly revered by the public; all they lacked was an official title.

A bold idea slowly surfaced in Du Yu’s mind…

‘Should I impersonate the county magistrate myself?’

Upon careful consideration, he dropped the idea. If he posed as the magistrate and officially appointed them as guards, wouldn’t he basically be seizing territory and leading a rebellion?

Tangled in his messy thoughts, Du Yu followed the group back to the inn.

It had already been three days since he entered the legend. Although the plot was progressing at a decent, orderly pace, it could bottleneck at any moment.

What worried him more was Xiao Nian. He had no idea when that eerie woman might appear. Since she could transform into anyone, he needed to remain vigilant at all times.

The group ate dinner in the inn’s main hall, noting that a fair number of people were present.

Du Yu chatted with them casually, imparting his wisdom on “how to be a good city enforcer,” when a conversation from an adjacent table caught his attention.

“Brother, did you hear? Last night, Emperor Shun of Yuan fled Dadu with his consorts and the Crown Prince.”

“I heard, I heard,” another man replied. “Word is they abandoned the imperial palace and are now fleeing toward Shangdu. Sigh, the world is about to change.”

Du Yu furrowed his brow slightly. ‘The Emperor has already fled the palace?’

‘Has Zhu Yuanzhang occupied the imperial palace?’

‘Doesn’t this mean the Yuan Dynasty’s rule has come to an end?’

“Sister Qianqiu!” Du Yu called out mentally. “Can I stay in this legend for a few more days? I don’t think seven days will be enough.”

“Huh?” Dong Qianqiu hadn’t expected this request. “It’s not impossible, but you’ll need to return on the seventh day. If you stay past the ‘first seven days’, your souls will have trouble returning.”

“Understood!”

Du Yu had a gut feeling that this matter wouldn’t conclude so quickly. The legend of Black and White Impermanence had been miscategorized. Just like Wuyan, this should have been classified as a “long-term legend.”

Just as Du Yu predicted, the impact of the dynastic change was profound.

The previously forgotten county town suddenly saw various officials passing through every few days. They would simply inspect the area briefly before leaving, and no one knew what they were up to.

On the seventh day, Du Yu found an opportunity to step away for a while. He took Ah Can and Ah Kui back to the Legend Administration Bureau to “return their souls,” before immediately descending back into the legend without a moment’s rest.

During these few days, the Seventh and Eighth Lords had been diligently maintaining order on the streets. The entire town seemed much more regulated. More people chose to come out and set up stalls for small businesses, and thugs were basically nowhere to be seen.

Xie Bian and Fan Wujiu became the recognized “administrators” in the hearts of the common folk, and the county town grew increasingly prosperous thanks to their presence.

What bothered Du Yu was that Xiao Nian had yet to make an appearance. It made him momentarily wonder if the “Saint” had abandoned this legend altogether.

Finally, on the thirteenth day, a major incident occurred in the county.

A large contingent of men and horses marched briskly into the county town, completely crowding the streets. Once the grand procession halted, a short, plump man stepped out of a sedan chair. He had a sparse beard and exuded a gentle, kindly aura. He stood there, looking upon the gathered townsfolk with a bright smile.

The commoners immediately flocked over to watch. In a place like this, even horses were a rare sight, let alone a sedan chair.

With a wave of the plump man’s hand, a middle-aged man with the scholarly air of an advisor stepped forward. He pulled a scroll of golden silk from his robes, slowly unrolled it before the crowd, and began to read aloud.

Du Yu and his group happened to be walking by. Seeing the spectacle, they also stopped to watch.

After listening for a moment, Du Yu furrowed his brow.

It turned out the scholarly man was a master secretary, and he was reading a “Letter of Appointment.” The document proclaimed that the realm had changed its national title to the “Great Ming.” The short, plump man before them was named Lang Boyi, and he had come under the Emperor’s orders to serve as the new magistrate of Pu County. The multitude of robust young men behind him were his personal guards brought from the capital, temporarily acting as yamen runners.

Du Yu couldn’t shake an ominous premonition.

Yes, appointing a new magistrate for Pu County was undeniably a good move. It guaranteed the town’s development and gave the people a presiding official.

However—

This new magistrate was an official of the Great Ming.

Hearing that the man before them was their new local leader, a few people involuntarily dropped to their knees. Seeing this, the rest of the commoners followed suit. After all, they hadn’t seen an official as high-ranking as a “magistrate” in years. They didn’t care whose surname ruled the realm; they only hoped someone would protect them so they could live normal lives.

Magistrate Lang smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for everyone to rise and dispense with the formalities. Only after the crowd had stood up did he speak with a beaming smile:

“This official has heard that there are two exceedingly famous ‘Anti-Ming Heroes’ in this county. I wonder which two fine gentlemen they might be?”