Collecting Ghosts

In the afternoon, the number of people coming to pay respects decreased. The wives and concubines, who had been crying dramatically in front of outsiders in the morning, were also tired. They started to slack off, and when no one was around, they warmed themselves by the brazier, only letting out a fake cry when someone arrived.

Suddenly, a person wearing a Yisa Robe and Cloud-head Shoes stood before the mourning hall.

"More work," the wives and concubines thought, letting out half a cry. The person raised a palm, and a dull gray, soybean-sized Pill rolled out from their palm, falling into the brazier.

Whoosh—

From the brazier, which was only left with embers, a pillar of fire about ten feet high suddenly erupted.

Although the pillar of fire was fierce, it was a strange dark green.

Countless tiny, peculiar insects, seemingly real yet illusory, flew out from the pillar of fire, spreading throughout the entire mansion.

Whether it was the wives and concubines in the mourning hall or the servants rummaging through valuables openly and secretly in the front and back courtyards, they were all pursued by a swarm of insects.

The mansion descended into chaos! They swatted and fled, but it was useless. Soon, the insects pounced on them.

Some insects burrowed into their nostrils, ears, and mouths. Others directly merged into their skin.

In a short time, everything became quiet again.

Everyone was terrified. Although the insects seemed to have no effect after entering their bodies, the horrifying scene just now made no one believe the insects were truly "harmless."

"Everyone come here."

The person commanded, and everyone obediently gathered in front of the mourning hall.

"Where is Qiao Zi'ang's study?" the newcomer asked coldly.

The wives and concubines eagerly led the way.

A moment later, the newcomer turned Qiao Zi'ang's study upside down and roared in anger, "Where are the things?!"

The wives and concubines looked bewildered. "What is Your Excellency looking for?"

The newcomer rushed out of the study and began searching from room to room.

"Hey... Your Excellency..." The wives and concubines tried to stop him, each having hidden gold, silver, deeds, and property titles in their rooms.

Now was the time to choose between money and life.

The newcomer roared, "Get lost!"

A wall of fire rolled up, causing the wives and concubines to retreat with screams.

However, the various valuable items the newcomer found were discarded without a second glance. The pearl and jade ornaments were swept to the ground and smashed, causing the wives and concubines immense heartache.

For over an hour, the newcomer searched the entire Qiao mansion.

He also searched every servant, maid, wife, and concubine multiple times.

When the newcomer was searching the main wife of Qiao Zi'ang, a strong servant, filled with righteous indignation, resisted on the spot but was immediately burned into a piece of charcoal!

Yet, the thing the newcomer wanted was still nowhere to be found.

He seemed to remember something and returned to the study, examining it carefully: on the side table in the outer hall of the study, one vase was missing.

"Someone got here first!" he gritted his teeth and turned to leave quickly.

These decorative items for scholars had specific regulations and etiquette. Qiao Zi'ang was the most pretentious about elegance, so he wouldn't make a mistake in this regard.

"Your Excellency, spare us..."

The wives and concubines screamed, begging for an antidote, but the figure of the great lord had long since vanished.

The person did not leave Wangjing Ward. He weaved through the alleys within the ward, and after confirming he was not being followed, he slipped into the backyard of a solemn mansion in the northeast corner.

This was a secluded back garden.

Compared to the Qiao mansion, this place was several times grander.

Several exquisite houses were hidden among the trees in the garden. He pushed open a door and got straight to the point: "The item is gone!"

Inside, a master sat reclining on a chaise lounge, reading a scroll.

"Is Qiao Zi'ang really dead? Or does he intend to use that item as a stepping stone to join someone else?" the master asked.

"He wouldn't dare."

The master put down his book and thought for a moment. "The Qu Hui Division went to River Worker Alley today. There's a kid there who seems to be involved in Qiao Zi'ang's case."

"The Qu Hui Division is here? Then we can't wait any longer. I'll go and capture that kid." He acted decisively and turned to leave.

"Come back!" the master commanded in a low voice. "You're an outsider and don't understand the situation in Shanhe County. River Worker Alley is a bit strange."

He tapped the table with his finger. "Send Old Qian to test the waters in River Worker Alley. If there's an opportunity, bring that kid back."

"Master, if that kid Xu Yuan really has a problem, we absolutely cannot let him fall into the hands of the Qu Hui Division!"

The master frowned. "I know what I'm doing! You continue to monitor the Qiao family. The item might have been stolen by an insider from the Qiao family."

"Don't worry, all those people in the Qiao family have taken my Gu Pill. Everything about them is under my control."

He went out and called "Old Qian" in, and the master gave him a series of instructions.

Old Qian's face was a mass of wrinkles, his frame thin and stooped, bent and hunched over as if a strong gust of wind could knock him down.

He received his master's orders, said nothing, nodded, and went back to prepare.

His master didn't know at that moment that two capable lieutenants from the Qu Hui Division had suffered a great loss at the entrance of River Worker Alley. Otherwise, he would have been more cautious and wouldn't have easily sent Old Qian to test the waters.

After arranging these matters, his master picked up a book and was about to continue reading when a young attendant walked up the path outside the door and bowed. "Master, Wang Mingqian, the Magistrate of Shanhe County, requests an audience."

His master didn't even lift his eyelids. "I will not see him."

"As you command."

Inside the gatehouse of the manor, Wang Mingqian, who had come in plain clothes and with few attendants, dared not show any dissatisfaction. He left his gifts and slunk away.

Old Qian lived in a row of gloomy rooms by the west wall of the back garden.

This group of people, including him, were all brought back from the Southern Capital by his master.

After receiving his task from his master, Old Qian returned to his room to prepare.

Several Hanged Ghosts hung from the roof beams—Old Qian took them down and packed them one by one into his pockets.

He then shouldered a hoe and went to the base of the wall to dig up some jars and pots.

After some thought, he went out again to call for a carriage and drove out of the city to Qili Pu, seven li outside the city. By the small river outside the village, he retrieved the "net cages" he had set up several months prior.

Inside were seven or eight Drowned Ghosts, half-human and half-fish.

Old Qian collected them all.

He returned to the city, and the sky was about to turn dark.

"Time for dinner, and then to get things done."

Xu Yuan was also having dinner.

Tonight, he was having meat-filled sesame cakes, which were Xu Yuan's favorite.

Pork belly was diced and mixed with chopped scallions and beaten eggs to make the filling.

The wrapper was kneaded by his stepmother herself, rolled to the thickness of two sheets of rice paper, and then pan-fried until golden brown on both sides after being wrapped.

Xu Yuan ate one after another, finishing about half-full. He then realized a problem: it was already the second day since he had returned. At most, by tomorrow, this good life of delicious meals every day would come to an end.

He would soon be disliked.

Lin Wanmo was actually very lazy—no matter how virtuous and diligent she appeared to the elders in the alley, she couldn't hide it from Xu Yuan, who had lived with her for over a decade!

Of course, his stepmother hadn't intended to hide it.

She was a great cook, but she absolutely disliked cooking.

To maintain this standard of living, Xu Yuan felt he had to do something to make her feel guilty.

So, Xu Yuan fumbled in his embrace and threw a bundle onto the table.

Clang!

Clang!

Coincidentally, Lin Wanmo also threw a bundle out!

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