v5c9: The Plum

Lu Ri, Senior Disciple of the Cloudy Sword Sect, was mildly amused at how quickly Rou Jin, Hong Meiling, Cai Xiulan, and Hong Xian prepared a table and tea to better hear what Lu Ri had to say about the audit.

The concern all of them had for the Lord Magistrate warmed his heart; truly, the Patriarch of Verdant Hill’s virtue was rewarded with such a loyal student, and similarly loyal subjects. Even the least of the mortals who lived here were a cut above many Lu Ri had seen.

However, before such talk could begin in earnest, Lu Ri did have his duties to attend to… and duty came before discussing such things, especially duty to Honoured Allies of the Cloudy Sword Sect.

Lu Ri intently studied a set of glowing symbols; a diagnostic formation deployed with a key of which only he and Elder Yukong held copies. He considered them at length, noting their strength and position, and referencing it against the thick scroll he had been given by Elder Yukong.

It took perhaps thirty minutes to complete his task, and then, with a nod and a flex of his Qi, the formation disappeared.

“The stabilization continues according to the timetable Elder Yukong granted me,” Lu Ri informed his companions. “By summer, it will have fully stabilized and all of its protections will have fully activated.”

There were pleased looks from Jin and Meiling, both appreciative of the protection being offered this village. Some would say it was excessive, to protect a village of mere mortals so heavily.

Those people would be fools.

“Thank you once more for your hard work, Master Lu Ri,” Hong Xian intoned, bowing his head politely. Lu Ri inclined his head in return. Like working with the Lord Magistrate and Lin Bao, working with Hong Xian was always a pleasure. Lu Ri could safely say the mortal was brilliant—he could even comprehend the barest secrets of the Formation that protected his home, after Lu Ri had explained them.

A formation crafted by Elder Yukong of the Cloudy Sword Sect. There were cultivators who would have sat there dumbfounded after Lu Ri’s explanation, yet Hong Xian had grasped the basics..

As expected of the man who had managed to complete a formation so profound it had earned him the title of Honoured Ally. The Demon Siphoning Formation would be of great use to the Cloudy Sword Sect in the centuries ahead, and indeed the entire Crimson Phoenix Empire. His intelligence had also clearly been inherited by his daughter.

Hong Xian was also a very good host; he always had a room prepared for Lu Ri, despite the fact that he rarely rested in the village… and his ability to create herbal teas was top notch. Lu Ri wet his palate before he addressed the tiger in the room.

The bitter medicinal flavour contrasted well with the honey candies Miss Yuanlin had given him. He did not know the woman well, but she was kind to him whenever he came back to Hong Yaowu to check the wards and listened intently whenever he spoke about the mail. She seemed very interested.

Lu Ri swallowed his candy, feeling quite relaxed, and began.

“Indeed, the Lord Magistrate is being audited. The Imperial Auditor arrived last week—quite uncharacteristic of most I know to arrive so late in the season and brave the hardship that the snows bring, yet his credentials were wholly in order.”

“Is it anything to be worried about? Because I’ve only really heard of audits in the sense of things to be avoided… or as things the government uses to attack people they don’t like,” Jin said, his arms folded and a frown upon his face.

Lu Ri inclined his head slightly at the insightful, if cynical, answer from Jin. The man had an intuition about him that was top notch. “Indeed, wielding the powers of government against one’s rivals is something of a common practice in the cities. This far out, I originally assumed there was no ill will to his investigation. This Lu Ri has examined all of the Lord Magistrate’s records, and there can be no fault found with his bookkeeping.”

Hong Xian looked slightly shifty at Lu Ri’s words. The man obviously knew about the state of the Lord Magistrate’s finances. Lu Ri knew about the discrepancies, and Lin Bao had obviously assisted the Lord Magistrate with some… creative bookkeeping.

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However, the most hidden and most severe breaches were all done for virtuous reasons; funds for the construction of the Gutter, buying and distributing food after harvests failed, taking in the survivors of one of Sun Ken’s rampages, all of these were buried so deep Lu Ri nearly hadn’t noticed them and he was quite certain that the auditor would not at all.

These breaches of the law, in Lu Ri’s determination, were not true crimes. Yes, they violated the letter of the law; yet the man had always paid back everything he had ‘stolen’ from the government’s taxes… if slightly down the line.

There were other small sources of corruption as well, hidden competently but noticeably. Lu Ri knew that these were likely put there for a reason. Auditors came expecting at least some corruption and guilt. Having some minor things that could warrant a slap on the wrist at most, if the discrepancies were even found, would have the auditor walking away satisfied.

These too Lu Ri dismissed. A crate of a certain type of wine every three months or so using some of the tax revenue was permissible, especially when the man had put far more of his own personal finances into aiding his commandery than he had ever taken out.

Indeed, there should be nothing of concern for most auditors to uncover.

But of course… that was only if an Imperial Auditor was acting in good faith.

“Originally?” Hong Meiling asked, her eyes narrowing. “He is here to harm the Lord Magistrate?”

Lu Ri smiled at her deduction, as well as the affront in her voice that anyone would dare target Lu Ri’s good friend. How pleasant was it, to have intelligent conversation partners. Things had been getting better since Elder Ge had restored order to the Sect, but there were still few who were so open with Lu Ri.

“Yes. Originally, I thought him merely a delayed asset, sent north to assess the higher amount of taxes the Lord Magistrate was sending forth. However, I did ask a friend about his background and they were only too happy to tell me. It appears he is a creature of the Wu family—the family of Lady Wu, the Lord Magistrate’s wife. Previously, he had been deployed to the Dueling Peaks, to make trouble with the Lord Director there and send information about what the cultivators were doing to the mortal noble families.”