"You really are forgetful. He offended you twice. The first time was the day you got the Vein Opening Pill, when his cousin Zhu Wulun showed killing intent upon seeing you, and Zhuang Yun killed him on the spot. The second time was when you returned to Yellow Dog County and said you wanted to demote everyone from the County Magistrate to the head constable by two ranks. Now Dogged Luck is probably preparing for a demotion to head constable."
"Ah, this..."
Zhu Xiaosuo indeed hadn't remembered that Dogged Luck had offended him.
As for his cousin Zhu Wulun, Zhu Xiaosuo had long forgotten about him.
The last he heard, someone referred to him as the Zhu Clan's chief instructor, and both Zhu Liude and Shen Ma considered him a major enemy.
He died quietly.
As for the second time... he did intend to establish his authority in Yellow Dog County, but due to unforeseen events, his power waned for a while, and his words didn't come to fruition.
Now that he had regained his strength and established connections with the City of Seeking Immortality, he naturally intended to fulfill his promise of revenge.
Otherwise, where would the Zhu Clan's face go?
If he wanted to use Dogged Luck, he needed a good excuse.
"If you want to use him, come up with an excuse yourself, one that preserves the Zhu Clan's face and allows him to vie for the County Constable position. Otherwise, you've demoted everyone in Yellow Dog County, and only Dogged Luck gets transferred to Mountain Chicken County as County Constable, which doesn't make sense. You can't just say his name destined him to have dogged luck, can you?"
With that, Madam Feng used her age and fatigue as an excuse to send Zhu Xiaosuo away.
Zhu Xiaosuo thought it over and decided he could only ask his godfather for help.
"Zhu Xiaosuo, what nonsense are you spouting? I'm a dignified disciple of the Immortal Sect, and you're saying I owe Dogged Luck a meal? How could you make that up!"
"Godfather, I have no choice. Could you come up with a way to bring Dogged Luck up?"
"No way! You want the Zhu Clan's face, but does that mean I, Zhuang Yun, don't care about my face? I'd rather die here today than agree to this absurd tale!"
"Godfather, your words chill my heart. Why am I trying to elevate Dogged Luck? For the business of the Zhu and Zhuang Clans! The profits from the business are all for your cultivation, my father!"
"My cultivation issues are mostly resolved! I don't need many Spirit Stones anymore! The Zhu Clan's business is yours! Find a reason yourself!"
"What reason can I find? His cousin wanted to kill me, and he offended me. How can I just swallow my pride and slap the Zhu Clan's face? The only way to elevate him is through your status, godfather!"
"Though what you say is true, but..."
"Godfather, you can't just take the Cloud-Walking Boots and leave your son to fend for himself!"
Zhuang Yun knew Zhu Xiaosuo needed to conceal the source of his cultivation resources, so he didn't outright refuse.
"Godfather, do you remember those few favorites you killed in front of the Red Pavilion?"
"Of course, I remember Xiao Hong, Xiao Fang, Xiao Xia, Xiao Die, and Xiao Cai. But to cultivate your independence, I had to appear resolute and break ties with you in front of outsiders. Their tragic deaths were all because of you, my son!"
"Alright, godfather, stop kicking me around. As long as you remember."
"What do you mean by kicking? What does remembering them have to do with Dogged Luck?"
"I just heard from Zhu Qigao. That Xiao Die, her surname is Gou, and she's Dogged Luck's cousin. She was sent to please you but ended up being killed by you. After Xiao Die's death, Dogged Luck was chased and beaten by his uncle for days."
"Ah, Xiao Die was a sweet girl..."
"Godfather, stop reminiscing about the past. Her ashes are already buried. Both emotionally and rationally, there's no issue with helping him."
"Alright, I'll agree. After all, I was at fault in Xiao Die's matter."
"Don't absolve yourself completely; this was entirely your fault, not anyone else's."
"..."
And so, Dogged Luck was elevated by the Zhu Clan.
Dogged Luck once gave Zhuang Yun a meal.
Of course, the Niu, Ma, and Yang Clans and County Magistrate Qin Ruyu didn't believe this.
Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun were practically insulting their intelligence.
But the Zhu father and son were shameless.
The two of them tearfully recounted how Zhuang Yun, over fifty years ago, was pursued by a traitor from the Immortal Sect and was on the brink of death.
Fortunately, he encountered Dogged Luck, who gave him a meal, saving his life.
Everyone listened with blank expressions, and Niu Shilin said quietly:
"Dogged Luck is forty-eight this year."
But no one objected.
With the tacit approval of the other three clans, Dogged Luck was transferred to Mountain Chicken County, with his position temporarily set.
Though temporary, barring any changes, he would be the next County Constable.
Currently, the strongest forces were the Niu and Zhu Clans.
The top three positions in the county's local authorities were the County Magistrate, appointed by the local community, and the County Deputy and County Constable, chosen from within the county.
The Niu Clan took the County Deputy position, so it was only natural for the County Constable to go to the Zhu Clan.
The Qian Clan protested, but it was futile, as they lacked a cultivator and didn't have veto power.
Before making this public, Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun met with Dogged Luck.
Informed by Zhu Qigao that he had given Zhuang Yun a meal and would be transferred to Mountain Chicken County, Dogged Luck rode overnight to the county, kneeling outside the Zhu Clan's gate to request an audience with Zhu Xiaosuo.
Dogged Luck soon met with Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun.
"This humble one greets the two immortal masters."
Zhuang Yun didn't respond, instead saying:
"I killed your cousin, and I killed your cousin."
Dogged Luck replied:
"My cousin died because of me, and I will fulfill my filial duties to my uncle on her behalf. My cousin died for failing to see the situation clearly, and I will help take care of my uncle's family."
Zhu Xiaosuo added:
"Your cousin wanted to kill me, and your subordinates in Mountain Chicken County also wanted to kill me."
Dogged Luck said:
"This humble one is grateful to the two immortal masters for not holding grudges. From now on, I will not fear any danger!"
Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun nodded in agreement.
He took responsibility for his family's mistakes and didn't shirk the duty of caring for his family.
Dignified.
In line with the Zhu Clan's style.
He seemed like someone who could work well with them.
"Good, prepare yourself. You'll be the County Constable of Mountain Chicken County."
"Thank you, immortal masters, for your great kindness!"
The meeting ended simply.
In the future, Zhu Qigao would be the Zhu Clan's internal chief steward, while Dogged Luck would be the external chief steward.
Zhu Xiaosuo and Zhuang Yun only assessed Dogged Luck's character and adaptability, not how he would perform his duties.
The County Constable position required a clear mind, a thorough personality, the ability to delegate small tasks, and personal involvement in major matters, not something just anyone could do.
But the Arrest Warrant level had already filtered out unqualified candidates.
Though his style might differ from Zhu Xiaosuo's, Dogged Luck's abilities were undoubtedly up to standard.
If Zhu Xiaosuo had to teach his own people how to do everything, he wouldn't be the family head but a steward.
After deciding on the County Constable candidate, Zhu Xiaosuo called Zhu Qigao to discuss matters.
At that time, Zhu Liude was on the road to the City of Seeking Immortality with Zhu Liusong to deliver goods; otherwise, he would have been called to discuss as well.