Anzhi Hall
Jin Shanyao against the threshold, watching Li Xiao continuously brushing paste onto the walls of the Anzhi Hall, and chuckled, " Guard Li, putting up a notice?"
Li Xiao ignored him and continued to apply paste... but the paste was like water, no matter how much he applied, it all flowed down the wall. He held the notice thoughtfully.
I then placed the notice on the ground, brushed paste onto the back of it, and tried to stick it to the wall, but it still wouldn't stick no matter what I did.
He refused to believe it and kept applying paste and sticking things on... working up a sweat all by himself.
Jin Shanyao behind him, hands behind her back, kindly reminding him, " Guard Li... the sun is blazing this afternoon, don't faint from the heat."
Li Xiao gritted his teeth and said, "It's none of your business."
Jin Shanyao her head, thinking... well... he doesn't appreciate it...
Li Xiao tried applying the plaster for nearly half an hour, using all sorts of methods, but it just wouldn't stick. He was exhausted and sweating profusely, and he sat under the sunshade, panting heavily from the heat.
A bowl of ice cream suddenly appeared in front of him, the cool air rushing up his face from the bowl. Li Xiao swallowed hard and looked up at the bowl with his eyes fixed on it.
Then Jin Shanyao looked at him with a grin. "Tired? Have some ice cream to cool down, rest a bit before continuing."
These words pierced Li Xiao's heart like a knife, filling him with shame and indignation.
Li Xiao's gaze turned hostile as he said, "Don't be so arrogant... My master won't let you get away with this."
Jin Shanyao an eyebrow, said "Oh," and picked up a bamboo stick, scooped out a large piece of shaved ice, and put it in her mouth. "Did you sleep well last night? I want to send Ghost Two to find you."
"What do you mean??" Li Xiao looked at her warily.
Jin Shanyao ate her ice cream and casually said, "You stole my notice and then plastered my wall with paste... I'll remember your kindness."
"Don't worry, Ghost Two is a child. If you don't like him, I can send Ghost Three instead; he's an old man."
Li Xiao asked instinctively, " Ghost One?"
"Of course there is, but she has to go to Lord Zhu. If you like female ghosts... I'll have her come to you in half a month."
"Pah, pah, pah... Who likes female ghosts? You're crazy!" Li Xiao said, getting up to leave, but halfway there he realized the notice was still in his hand.
So he went back and slapped it onto the wall of the rouge shop. Li Xiao stared at the notice, puzzled. How did it get up there so quickly???
Oh well, Anzhi Hall and the rouge shop are next to each other anyway, so it'll be visible no matter where it's posted. Having figured that out... Li Xiao carried the paste back to the government office.
Evening, in the back courtyard of the government office.
Ever since Zhu Huaizhang returned the talisman to Wu Zhuangzi, he has been suffering from the heat and has been unable to sleep.
In his dazed state, he seemed to see two heads staring straight at him, which startled him so much that he broke out in a cold sweat.
Zhu Huaizhang was half-asleep, his chest felt like it was being pressed down by a ghost, making it hard to breathe and unable to move.
The female ghost was burned black all over, and her eyes seemed to be bleeding.
" Lord Zhu... thank you."
Zhu Huaizhang was both surprised and frightened. "What are you thanking me for???"
Ghost One was slightly taken aback. She had no idea what to thank. The eldest brother then told her and Ghost Three to come and express their gratitude. She and the old man lay down on Zhu Huaizhang's pillow, one on each side.
The two began to express their gratitude, thanking Ghost Three other Ghost One. Zhu Huaizhang's head throbbed with thank you; he was initially a little scared.
But they discovered that the two ghosts did nothing but say thank you... Fear gradually turned into anger.
You Jin Shanyao! I was already planning to turn a blind eye and let you continue selling talismans. But you actually let evil spirits come to your door to say thank you.
Zhu Huaizhang was furious and asked in a cold voice, "Did Jin Shanyao send you here?"
Ghost One paused before saying "thank you," instinctively retorting, but was interrupted by Ghost Three's "thank you." Ghost Three glared at Ghost One... "Idiot, this Lord Zhu is clearly trying to trick you into revealing information."
Ghost One also realized what was happening, and in a fit of rage, he suddenly flipped over and pinned Zhu Huaizhang down, his charred hands gripping his neck tightly.
While shouting and swaying, she said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."
Zhu Huaizhang almost threw up from being shaken so much. He used to be skeptical of ghosts and gods, but now he was completely convinced...
He didn't wake up from his nightmare until dawn. Looking at the empty house, he wondered if what had happened last night was real.
Zhu Huaizhang, feeling dizzy, dressed and stepped into the second hall, where he came face to face with Li Xiao.
Li Xiao had dark circles under his eyes and his steps were unsteady. When he saw Zhu Huaizhang's face, he exclaimed in fright, "My lord, did you dream of ghosts last night?"
Zhu Huaizhang frowned and said, "You dreamed about it too?"
Li Xiao slammed his fist in anger and said indignantly, " Anzhi Hall's Jin Shanyao said yesterday that she would send Ghost One and Ghost Three to find you tonight, and Ghost Two to find me."
"You wouldn't believe it, that three-year-old brat gave me the creeps, he was making a ruckus all over the house... I didn't get a good night's sleep."
Zhu Huaizhang already suspected that Jin Shanyao was behind it, and Li Xiao's words only confirmed his suspicions.
He sat silently in the chair, muttering to himself, "So ghosts really do exist in this world."
"Yes, definitely... That kid said he lived in a mass grave and was always bullied, but things got better after he joined the boss..."
Li Xiao, fearing Zhu Huaizhang might not have understood, added, "His boss is Jin Shanyao."
Seeing that Zhu Huaizhang remained silent, he tentatively asked, "Sir, should I go and talk to her?"
"What's there to talk about? If I back down, she'll just lead me by the nose... Stand up straight."
Li Xiao choked, thinking to himself, "You can hold on if you're stubborn, but I can't."
Three ghosts arrive at the yamen (government office) on time every day for their roll call.
At first, Zhu Huaizhang was furious, then he was exhausted, and finally he became completely numb... Whatever, at worst he'd just die. He would never succumb to evil forces.
On the fifteenth night, past midnight, Zhu Huaizhang waited as usual for the two ghosts to come and thank him, but as time passed, his pillow remained empty.
The room was completely silent, without a sound. Zhu Huaizhang waited all night, but the two ghosts never came.
The next morning, Zhu Huaizhang went to work with dark circles under his eyes.
Li Xiao, no longer the dejected man he once was, strode in with renewed vigor. "My lord... we've finally made it through."
He suddenly stopped speaking, noticing that Zhu Huaizhang looked more tired than usual.
"My lord... Ghost One and Ghost Three are here to see you again," Li Xiao said angrily. "How dare Jin Shanyao go back on her word? Didn't she say half a month? It's been sixteen days already, why won't she let you go? I'm going to find her..."
He was about to leave when Zhu Huaizhang stopped him, "Don't go... those two ghosts didn't come."
"Why haven't you slept well even though you're not here?? Having insomnia??"
Zhu Huaizhang pointed to the door, "Get out..."
Li Xiao was completely confused. "Sir... what am I supposed to do outside?"
Zhu Huaizhang...