A Mere Female Ghost

"How can this be? A female ghost bullying people too much! Brother Xu, don't worry, your brother will go through fire and water, even sell all his pots and pans, to help you eliminate her!" Xiao He slammed the table and stood up, his heart filled with admiration and a resolve to uphold justice.

Having a brother entangled with a female ghost was a double-edged sword.

If it was bad, he couldn't bear to stand by and watch his brother perish.

If it was good, he couldn't bear it even more.

Therefore, the female ghost must be eliminated, and there was no time to lose; the sooner, the better.

"Xiao Shisi, how do you plan to subdue this demon and eliminate this devil? Should I go report it to the authorities now?" Xiang Yuan's spirits lifted. Xiao He came from an extraordinary background and must possess treasures that ward off evil.

"No need. A mere female ghost can be subdued with a little trickery."

Xiao He said to Xu Jixian, "There's a ghost in the backyard well. The Xu Residence isn't safe. Come stay at my place for a few days."

"Absolutely not! What if Widow Wang follows you to the Xiao Residence and decides to stay in your well? Where would I even begin to reason with you... I mean, what if she harms you? Where would I begin to reason with you? We must eliminate her at the Xu Residence." Xu Jixian refused, somewhat blinded by lust and his mind clouded by the female ghost.

Xiao He snorted coldly and gritted his teeth. "Fine, we'll do it your way, at the Xu Residence. This menace cannot be left alive, not for another night."

He said to Xiang Yuan, "Brother Xu and I are scholars. We possess Vast Righteous Qi. This female ghost only knows some illusionary techniques and cannot harm us. Eliminating her will be a piece of cake."

"Exactly! Ordinary people encounter female ghosts and are drained in a few moves. We scholars are protected by Vast Righteous Qi. Who knows who will end up drained!" Xu Jixian chimed in, his experience of fighting the female ghost all night serving as a vivid and convincing example.

Don't tarnish the reputation of scholars. You two are barely scholars, let alone truly human!

Xu Jixian had been entangled with the female ghost all night without any illness or disaster, appearing lively and unharmed. This showed that scholars' bodies could indeed withstand a female ghost's torment, but that wasn't the point. Withstanding torment didn't mean they could turn around and torment the female ghost, let alone kill her.

This wasn't Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. For proper demon subduing and devil eliminating, a professional was needed.

Xiang Yuan shook his head slightly. "Just in case, let's find a real scholar."

"Very well. Since Brother Xiao Yuan is worried, I'll invite the old man to come and preside. He has powerful means and can easily eliminate a mere female ghost with a wave of his hand," Xiao He said confidently.

Finally, they got to the point!

Xiang Yuan was extremely curious. Books mentioned that 'qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting' could also accumulate Qi, each corresponding to a different Martial Path, allowing for Acupoint Opening and Foundation Establishment. Wang Wenxu was full of knowledge; could he be a Martial Path master who had specialized in qin, chess, calligraphy, or painting?

He wanted to see.

After the three finalized their plan to subdue the demon and eliminate the devil, Xiao He prepared to take a carriage to the academy to fetch Wang Wenxu. He feared the female ghost in the backyard might overhear their strategy and immediately launch a full-scale assault on Xu Jixian. He dragged Xu Jixian into the carriage under the guise of safety, ignoring his protests.

Xiang Yuan knew that Xiao He wasn't afraid of the female ghost overhearing, but rather of stumbling upon Xu Jixian and the female ghost's rendezvous upon his return.

The female ghost couldn't be allowed to suffer, and their brother couldn't be allowed to get involved. It was simply unacceptable.

On the way, Xiang Yuan fully experienced the two's comedic talent, musing that even without wealthy fathers or income from rent collection, they could live comfortably by performing comedy, with even spare money to find lovers.

"To be honest, brothers, I also have a past grievance with a ghost."

"Is that so? Brother Xiao, please tell us quickly."

"I dreamt a female ghost chased me for three blocks. Then I thought, it's just a dream, nothing to be afraid of. So I turned around and chased the female ghost for three blocks, but I couldn't catch her. Hmph, I woke up in anger."

"Then you're no match. Widow Wang is much more formidable, with bountiful harvests!" Xu Jixian said proudly.

"You're talking about that again," Xiao He said, grinding his teeth in annoyance.

Although Xu Jixian's foundation wasn't harmed by the female ghost, he wasn't entirely unscathed. He was certainly bewitched, and whenever Widow Wang was mentioned, he would invariably utter a few praises about her.

Infatuated and lingering, as if it were true love.

"Alas, I did have some intentions at the time, but I wasn't trying to bully or mistreat her. I wanted to treat her well. She's already a widow; I couldn't let her live a widow's life!"

Xu Jixian lifted the carriage curtain. Light and shadow intertwined, like a devoted black horse. "Even less could I let her go around eating from different households, having a new man every few days. Oh, beautiful lady, how could my heart bear it?"

Xiang Yuan observed coldly. After all this talk, she was still just a female ghost.

Xiao He sneered repeatedly. After all this talk, he had slept with her.

"You two, judge for yourselves. She's knowledgeable and virtuous. If only she weren't a female ghost, how wonderful it would be. I, a down-on-his-luck scholar; she, a tragic widow. We meet by chance at night, support each other, and grow old together – a beautiful tale."

Xu Jixian looked at them, waxing poetic and boasting, "Even if we couldn't be together forever, and her husband's family elders broke us apart, I would have experienced the bitterness of love. From then on, I would be a romantic wanderer, living unrestrainedly, accompanied by poetry, wine, and beautiful women. Being alone would also be wonderful."

What, you want to be heartbroken and become a romantic legend?

Wake up. Only good-looking people are called playboys. You're just a water ghost!

Listening to Xu Jixian's shameless boasting, Xiang Yuan grumbled in his mind, unable to bear it any longer. He spoke sarcastically, "Brother Xu, when you like someone, you can't just look at their appearance."

"I know, brother."

"You also have to look at your own appearance."

"..."

"Well said! That's music to my ears!" Xiao He rejoiced, loving it. "Keep going."

"Brother Xiao Yuan, why are you exposing Brother Xu's shortcomings..."

Xu Jixian mumbled, then his face lit up with a mischievous grin. "Although my appearance isn't great, my lack of appearance is what's great! Don't believe me? Go ask around in the pleasure districts. I'm quite a well-known figure in the circles."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Xiao He winked. "Brother Xiao Yuan is not yet sixteen. He hasn't experienced the storms of life, nor has he been to the pleasure districts. Brother Xu, you're exposing his shortcomings."

"That's excellent. I'll arrange it another day to make up for Brother Xiao Yuan's shortcomings."

"Indeed, we must arrange it."

"Hehehe..." x2

The two shameless fellows, as they chatted, shifted their focus to Xiang Yuan. Sounds of singing, speaking, joking, and storytelling intermittently came from the carriage.

The carriage stopped at Yulin Academy.

Afraid of being punished for faking illness, Xu Jixian lay stiffly in the carriage. Xiao He went to find Wang Wenxu, while Xiang Yuan got out and waited on the spot.

After the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, Xiao He returned quickly. He hadn't managed to get Wang Wenxu to come, only bringing back a hand scroll.

"The teacher didn't come?" Xu Jixian's illness was cured on the spot.

"With this item, it's the same whether the old man comes or not." Xiao He jumped onto the carriage, unrolled the scroll, revealing four characters in ink that hadn't yet dried: People Have Intentions.

The brushstrokes were vigorous and strong, exuding a noble spirit. The strokes opened and closed with measure, opening like a roc spreading its wings and closing like a dragon diving in the abyss. Seeing the characters was like seeing the person; Wang Wenxu's broad mind and profound thoughts, honed by extensive reading, leaped from the paper.

Xiang Yuan secretly nodded. The artistic aura was inspiring, teaching through calligraphy. While subduing demons and devils, he hadn't forgotten to admonish the two students. Wang Wenxu was truly a good teacher.

"To control everyone, the old man is also a kindred spirit!" Xiao He said cheerfully.

"Brother Xiao, you're reading it backward. It's People Have Intentions..." Right, right, I misread it. It is control everyone," Xu Jixian joined in the laughter.

The two good-for-nothings, who sought no progress, burst into laughter. Hearing them made Xiang Yuan want to hit someone. What a waste of Wang Wenxu's earnest intentions.

The teacher has suffered from Xiao and Xu for a long time. If I don't abandon him, I, Yuan, wish to take the teacher as my mentor!

"The old man has a noble spirit; even ghosts avoid him at night. With this calligraphy from him, it's fitting that we three brothers will subdue the female ghost tonight." Xiao He waved his hand grandly, looking confident and self-assured.

This is a sure win!