The local customs of the Wu region held the City God deity in the highest reverence. The local populace would carve a likeness of the spirit from wood, draping it in fine brocade, rendering it startlingly lifelike. Whenever the deity’s birthday approached, the common folk would pool their resources for a grand celebration, parading the wooden idol through the streets on horse-drawn carts. Gongs and drums would clash in unison, colorful banners would fly high, and the scene would be one of unparalleled festivity.

On one occasion, the magistrate was traveling outside his jurisdiction and happened upon the procession. Seeing the extravagant and wasteful nature of the gathering, he was consumed by fury. Pointing a finger at the idol, he shouted, “You claim to be a divine guardian of this region. If you are obstinate and unresponsive, then you are nothing more than a deluded ghost, unworthy of worship. But if you are truly efficacious, you ought to cherish the people’s strength, not squander resources so carelessly, wasting the very marrow of the populace!” Having spoken, he commanded his subordinates to push the effigy to the ground, sentenced it to twenty strokes of the staff, and decreed that from that day forward, the custom of worshipping the spirit must cease.

The magistrate was impartial and upright in his governance, yet in his youth, he had possessed a playful spirit. Not long thereafter, while climbing beneath the eaves to investigate a bird's nest, he unfortunately fell, shattering his thigh, and passed away shortly after.

After the magistrate’s death, the townspeople heard continuous clamor emanating from the City God Temple, as if the magistrate and the City God were locked in a fierce dispute, arguing ceaselessly for several days. The people of Wu, unwilling to forget the magistrate’s virtuous deeds, interceded repeatedly to mediate the quarrel. They then financed the construction of a separate shrine for him, where they paid homage morning and evening, and only then did the dispute finally subside.

The shrine built for the magistrate was also given the name City God Temple, and offerings were made there during the spring and autumn rites; it proved to be remarkably efficacious.

To this day, Wu County still maintains two City God Temples.