Chapter Ninety-Three: An Envoy from the County Office

Chapter Ninety-Three

A leaky roof meeting with a night rain—when troubles come, they come in threes.

When two clever people speak, there is no need for many wasted words.

The moment Zhao Fusheng revealed the crucial detail, Liu Yizhen immediately understood what she meant.

Decades ago, a case handled by Liu Huacheng had turned into a ghostly disaster, and the calamity had dragged in a golden general from the Imperial Capital’s Demon Suppression Bureau who controlled a great ghost, costing him his life.

“There is cause and effect between ghost cases,” Liu Yizhen said.

“Exactly,” Zhao Fusheng replied with a nod.

She had not been reborn for long, but she had already properly handled two ghost cases.

In her free time, she had also browsed the Demon Suppression Bureau’s old records. From the patterns of the past, she had come to understand this: resentful ghosts have no memory and no thought; they act on instinct. Yet the rules they form are tied to the circumstances of their lives, and even to the cause of their death.

For example, the beggar ghost had been a beggar in life, accustomed to begging food from others, and had died because of it. The murderous rule it formed after death was to knock at doors and beg; neither the living nor the dead could refuse its request.

The fierce ghost of Dog-Head Village was the same.

Its birth could not be seen in the light, and so after death its rule became the erasure of all traces of it from people’s memories.

The ghost carriage was no different. It, too, was linked to cause and effect.

Once the matter turned to business, both of them grew calm and solemn.

“The golden general who controlled the ghost died because of the headless ghost before it was broken apart, and the headless ghost died because of your grandfather. The three ghosts are entangled with one another, so the ghost carriage’s journey to the Liu family ancestral shrine was by no means a coincidence.”

As soon as Zhao Fusheng said this, Liu Yizhen’s expression turned grim.

If Zhao Fusheng’s guess was correct, the ghost carriage had at least reached a level of disaster, perhaps even beyond calamity. If it truly charged into the beggar alley, the two fiercely balanced ghosts there would surely awaken.

No wonder Liu Huacheng and the headless ghost had shown signs of fluctuation last night.

Liu Yizhen was mentally resilient. Though he knew the situation was dire, he did not lose composure. Instead, he said, “If that is so, then it truly cannot be blamed on you. The cause of it lies with me.”

“Right,” Zhao Fusheng said.

Seeing that Liu Yizhen was willing to shoulder responsibility, she showed a look of approval and shamelessly continued, “Because you mentioned the ghost carriage to me that day, I was marked by it. Even if I had not brought it up to you today, you would still have encountered it in the future. How could that be blamed on me? Don’t you think so?”

“...”

Liu Yizhen was silent for a long while, then tacitly accepted the black锅.

“Then since you boarded the ghost carriage, how did you escape?”

As he asked, he carefully studied Zhao Fusheng from head to toe once more.

“To escape a ghost disaster of calamity level or above and come away unscathed—”

Especially since the power of the ghosts she controlled had been completely suppressed by the ghost carriage, and she could not even use a resentful ghost’s strength, yet still got out safely. Liu Yizhen marveled, “That is simply unbelievable.”

Zhao Fusheng thought of last night’s terror and also felt a lingering fear.

It had all been pure coincidence.

Fortunately, she had previously handled the Dog-Head Village case and obtained a paper substitute. Using the substitute ghost’s rule-like talent, she had replaced herself and sat in the carriage.

Afterward, she had relied on the ghost arm’s talent to steal the golden bell from the resentful ghost driving the carriage, breaking its murderous rule.

Had it not been for that, her body would likely already be stiff by now.

“Just luck,” Zhao Fusheng answered, then added, “Not entirely unscathed, either.”

She had paid a price.

Liu Yizhen remained half-convinced, half-doubtful.

Though Zhao Fusheng’s words suggested she had been injured, when the two met that morning, she had been clear-headed and in good spirits, with all limbs intact and no blood visible on her clothes. She did not look as though she had suffered severe harm.

She claimed it was luck, but surviving an encounter with a ghost naturally depended on strength. Luck mattered, certainly, but it was by no means the main factor.

Still, everyone had secrets. Since Zhao Fusheng would not say more, he did not press further.

“Where is the ghost carriage now?”

Liu Yizhen composed himself. What concerned him most was still the ghost carriage.

“It has stopped at—” Zhao Fusheng began, then paused.

Liu Yizhen waited patiently for a while. Seeing that she did not continue, he assumed she did not know, and just as he frowned and was about to ask the next question, Zhao Fusheng said:

“Guess.”

“...”

Liu Yizhen’s mouth twitched, then he frowned at her.

Zhao Fusheng was utterly unfazed.

“When I handled the beggar alley ghost case, you were just as unpleasant. Now it’s finally my turn for revenge.”

“Childish!”

Liu Yizhen could not忍 any longer and rolled his eyes.

She laughed aloud. “Hahaha.”

That brief exchange eased the atmosphere between them considerably.

Only after finishing her joke did Zhao Fusheng say seriously, “The ghost carriage has stopped forty years in the past.”

“What?”

Though Liu Yizhen had not seen the carriage before, and had guessed that perhaps it was hidden by some rule so that ordinary people could not perceive it unless they touched the rule itself, he had never imagined Zhao Fusheng would say the ghost carriage had stopped forty years ago.

“It seems the ghost carriage has the power to ignore the rules of time,” Zhao Fusheng said.

Her answer made Liu Yizhen’s brows knit tightly.

“When I jumped off the ghost carriage, I happened to see the scene from the night of your grandfather’s sixtieth birthday.”

The headless ghost had awakened and killed, and the ghost carriage had stopped at the front gate.

“If you had not appeared in time then, I might have been dragged into the torrent of time,” Zhao Fusheng said with a sigh.

The power of the ghost carriage was too heaven-defying.

Liu Yizhen could not respond; he was still struggling to digest the information she had given him.

Chapter Ninety-Three

Such a terrifying ghost carriage had actually ended up in Wanan County. Could it have been because of the influence of the ghost fog?

“How do you plan to deal with this case?” The more Liu Yizhen thought about it, the more troublesome the ghost carriage case seemed.

Fortunately, he was not the commander of the Demon Suppression Bureau in Wanan County. At most, for the sake of the two ghosts in Master Temple, he could lend Zhao Fusheng a hand for the time being.

After thinking it over, he said, “I can help within my abilities.”

After all, Zhao Fusheng had become involved in this case partly because of him, and whether publicly or privately, he could not simply stand by.

“However, my strength is limited. More importantly, my main task is to guard the two ghosts in Master Temple. Before the hidden danger from those two ghosts is fully resolved, I cannot leave Master Temple for long.”

He stated his limit in advance.

Zhao Fusheng said, “That is enough.”

She smiled, lowered her head, and glanced at the soup before her. Her lowered eyelids hid the thoughts in her eyes.

“Rest assured. Though I cannot completely resolve the threat of the ghost carriage for now, it should not cause trouble again in the short term.”

Though a resentful ghost killed according to its rule, the ghost that drove the carriage had lost the golden bell and would likely search for it first; only after that would it look for Zheng He. Its assault on the Liu family ancestral shrine forty years ago would probably come only after those first two conditions were met.

Liu Yizhen heard the implication in her words and seemed to understand that she had temporarily stripped the ghost carriage of its ability to stir up mischief. His pupils contracted sharply in shock.

Zhao Fusheng casually revealed her extraordinary strength, then went on, “But this ghost case will be resolved sooner or later.”

With that said, she asked in apparent idleness, “Since we’re bound to work together someday, Yizhen, what methods do you have for dealing with resentful ghosts? Are you also someone who controls ghosts?”

She had buried that question in her heart for a long time.

It was only that, before now, they had been wary of each other, and Liu Yizhen might not have told her even if she asked.

Now that they had made an agreement to cooperate in the future, there were some things Liu Yizhen ought to reveal.

Liu Yizhen hesitated for a long while.

This was his secret, but after he had ‘dragged’ Zhao Fusheng into such a horrifying ghost case, he had already lost the right to keep hiding it.

After a moment, as if making up his mind, he shook his head.

“I am not a ghost-controller.”

He looked up at Zhao Fusheng.

“But when my grandfather was alive, he said I was born to be a keeper of resentful ghosts.”

“A keeper of resentful ghosts?”

Hearing that title, Zhao Fusheng could not help but freeze for a moment.

Liu Yizhen nodded.

“My existence can—”

He thought for a moment.

“Suppress resentful ghosts?”

“Wouldn’t that be the same as the power of the headless ghost?”

Hearing this, Zhao Fusheng was truly somewhat shocked.

“It’s different.”

Liu Yizhen shook his head.

“The headless ghost frightens other ghosts, but my existence—more precisely, it can soothe them and make them fall into a brief state of slumber.”

“Isn’t that skill even more absurd?” Zhao Fusheng cried out.

But then she thought of something.

“Only ghosts have special rules like that. You don’t control any resentful ghost, so how—”

“Because I myself should already count as a living ghost.”

As soon as he said that, Zhao Fusheng’s expression changed at once.

“Don’t worry.”

Liu Yizhen forced out a faint smile.

“My existence is somewhat similar to the ghost case you handled in Dog-Head Village.” After saying that, he added, “But there are also differences.”

Suppressing her astonishment, Zhao Fusheng listened as he continued.

“In the Dog-Head Village ghost case, the resentful ghost was born a ghost and later, because of Zhang Xiongwu, fully transformed into one.”

At this, Zhao Fusheng nodded.

Liu Yizhen went on, “You are also clear about my family’s situation.”

Liu Huacheng had spent the latter half of his life in the company of ghosts. His son died young, and with resentful ghosts all around, his grandson had nearly died in the womb.

Growing up in such an environment, Liu Yizhen somehow came to possess a portion of the power to soothe resentful ghosts.

The reason the headless ghost could still remain asleep even after losing the nail and lid of its coffin, apart from the beggar ghost’s offerings and their mutual suppression, was also partly due to Liu Yizhen’s existence.

“However, I am still a human being after all. My human nature has the upper hand, so my suppressive effect is not very strong.”

By now, Zhao Fusheng finally had a clear understanding of Liu Yizhen’s true condition.

She thought for a moment.

“So that means, after you die, there is a very high chance the resentful ghost in you will awaken.”

“Possibly,” Liu Yizhen said with a nod.

“Your Liu family ancestors must have been smoking green from the grave to keep producing ghosts,” Zhao Fusheng muttered.

“If you die someday, you absolutely must not die in Wanan County.”

Liu Yizhen gave a faint laugh and did not take up her words.

“As for the ghost carriage case, let’s set it aside for now. I’ll look for you again when I need you. For now, stay at Master Temple.”

Now that she understood Liu Yizhen’s background, Zhao Fusheng might have coveted his ability, but she was even less willing to use him lightly.

If she used him to death, trouble would follow.

“Forget it, forget it. Let’s not talk about this anymore.” Zhao Fusheng waved a hand.

After laying their cards on the table, the trust between them had grown somewhat. She glanced at the bowl of soup on the table.

“I am rather curious, though—”

As she spoke, she turned to look at Meng Po, who was busy washing dishes.

“You suspect there is something wrong with her?”

Liu Yizhen was also perfectly in sync and did not mention the ghost carriage case anymore, instead following her lead.

“Seeing the ghost carriage, yet not being taken away by it.”

When the beggar ghost case occurred, the ghost domain had appeared just not far from where she had set up her stall.

Zhao Fusheng asked him, “Don’t you think that is too much of a coincidence?”

“It is a bit coincidental,” Liu Yizhen said with a nod.

“But investigating a case is your responsibility, not mine.”

With that said, he called out, “Meng Po, would you mind wiping the table?”

Meng Po answered and hurried over with a cloth. As she wiped the grime from the tabletop, she carefully asked the two of them, “Have you made up?”

“We weren’t fighting in the first place,” Zhao Fusheng replied with a smile.

Then she picked up the slightly cooled vegetable soup on the table and gulped it down in several mouthfuls. Afterward, she wiped her mouth.

“It was just that he was petty and misunderstood a few things.”

“...”

Liu Yizhen did not refute her. Thinking of the beginning and end of the ghost carriage case, he tacitly accepted the accusation.

After finishing the soup, Zhao Fusheng patted herself down and suddenly thought, Oh no.

After being reborn, she seldom went out, and she had never been in the habit of carrying much money.

She had not brought much with her yesterday either; after paying for the soup, there was nothing left. She had thought she could simply return to the Demon Suppression Bureau, but who could have imagined that the appearance of the ghost carriage would send her back to Master Temple instead?

Now she was utterly penniless.

Seeing her pat herself down twice, Liu Yizhen immediately grew wary.

“You didn’t bring any money, did you?”

Meng Po smiled and said, “It’s fine if you don’t have any money. What’s so much about treating you two to a bowl of soup? If the lord had not said yesterday that she would help me find my daughter, I’d be grateful beyond words…”

“How could that be acceptable?”

Zhao Fusheng shook her head.

“You’re just running a small business, and washing rice, cleaning vegetables, and simmering soup is hard work.”

Meng Po did not earn money easily.

Although Zhao Fusheng was suspicious of how she could have been so lucky as to avoid the ghost disaster, Meng Po was after all a human being and a citizen of Wanan County. Zhao Fusheng had her own principles for conducting herself.

“Let’s do this—Yizhen will pay.”

“What?”

Liu Yizhen, holding his soup bowl, hurriedly objected.

“I didn’t bring any money either.”

Zhao Fusheng ignored him and pointed at him to Meng Po.

“Put it on his tab. I’ll collect from him later.”

Liu Yizhen could no longer bear it.

“We’re both going to keep accounts—why not put it on yours?” he said. “You only came because you said you were treating.”

“I’ll treat next time. Definitely next time!” Zhao Fusheng promised.

“...”

Liu Yizhen rolled his eyes again, and Zhao Fusheng burst into laughter.

After that, the two of them no longer spoke of ghostly disasters, instead focusing on finishing their soup. Liu Yizhen was anxious to return to Master Temple, and before leaving, he told Meng Po that she should come collect the money in Beggar Alley after she finished her work.

Not long after he left, Zhao Fusheng heard the sound of a carriage approaching.

Having only narrowly escaped death the night before, she instantly shed her earlier relaxed demeanor. At the sound of hoofbeats and wheels, her scalp went numb, and she turned around reflexively.

At the distant intersection, a carriage came racing toward them. Once she made out its shape and the person driving it, she finally relaxed.

It was a carriage from the Demon Suppression Bureau, and the driver was none other than Fan Busi.

He looked somewhat anxious and was not paying proper attention as he drove, glancing around to left and right.

When the carriage turned off the main road and headed toward Beggar Alley, he subconsciously looked toward Meng Po’s stall. Then his gaze happened to meet Zhao Fusheng’s.

The instant he saw Zhao Fusheng, Fan Busi’s eyes lit up. Unconcealed joy broke over his face. He pulled on the reins and shouted, “Whoa!”

At his cry, the horse threw its hind legs into a halt and the carriage stopped. He jumped down and called out, “My lord!”

Anyone could tell he had come specifically to find Zhao Fusheng. Something urgent must have happened inside the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Their brief moment of leisure vanished.

Zhao Fusheng rose, waved goodbye to Meng Po, and walked toward Fan Busi.

“My lord, it is wonderful that you are all right.”

The moment Fan Busi saw Zhao Fusheng appear at Meng Po’s stall, the great stone in his heart finally fell.

“The Demon Suppression Bureau is in an uproar. Since last night, everyone in the prefectural yamen has been searching for you. Magistrate Pang and the others did not sleep all night, and they are still waiting in the Demon Suppression Bureau for news of you.”

Zhao Fusheng climbed into the carriage.

“Is all peaceful within the prefectural yamen?”

Seeing Fan Busi’s unsettled expression, she asked first.

“This—” Fan Busi hesitated.

“It is a long story.”

“Then make it a short story,” Zhao Fusheng said coolly.

“People from the Precinct Magistrate’s office came looking for you,” Fan Busi finally said at once, dropping the heavy news straightaway.

As he spoke, he secretly turned to study Zhao Fusheng’s expression.