"Was it taken care of?"
When they returned to the estate, Shopkeeper Wu and the mustachioed steward Sun still hadn't finished their drinks. In the short time they'd been gone, two more women with powdered faces had joined them, pouring their wine.
The men who'd been selected to join the Red Lantern Society were all young and vigorous. One look at the women was enough to make their mouths go dry. They hurriedly lowered their heads, sneaking hungry glances from the corners of their eyes.
The young man in fine clothes stepped forward and stopped outside the threshold. "It's taken care of," he called.
Shopkeeper Wu smiled, pushed away the wine cup the woman beside him was holding to his lips, and assumed a dignified air. "How did you take care of it?"
The young man answered loudly, "I took a lantern and had the men spread out to surround their den. Then I burned incense and tried to reason with them. They wouldn't listen and even tried to cause trouble, so I killed one of them. The rest all fled. I don't think they'll dare come back."
Shopkeeper Wu's brow furrowed slightly. "You killed it?"
"Yes!"
The young man hurriedly took the carcass of the yellow pelt from the attendant behind him and placed it before the threshold with both hands. "This is the one."
"It's been around for quite a while. Even its whiskers have turned white."
"..."
He had meant to boast of his achievement, but when Shopkeeper Wu looked at the carcass, no joy appeared on his face.
The mustachioed steward at the same table merely watched from the side, smiling without a word.
Shopkeeper Wu frowned, then said calmly, "It had bewitched someone earlier and was brought here, and then it tried to cause trouble.