The weekend came, and since Lin Wan had both days off, Lu Zheng visited her on Friday night to chat. On Saturday, they went shopping together, but a phone call interrupted, and Huang Xiumin showed up, tactless as ever.
“Lu Zheng, listen, Liu Yifan’s dead, his whole family’s dead, and it was gruesome!” Huang Xiumin gestured wildly, “Stiff as corpses, but their bones turned to noodles. Even the coroner said they’d never seen such a bizarre disease.”
Lu Zheng grimaced, “What’s your point?”
“My point is, they got what they deserved. With Liu Yifan’s family gone, Longxia Group’s in chaos. Company veterans and distant relatives are fighting over control. It’s a mess.”
Huang Xiumin looked curiously at Lin Wan and Lu Zheng, “Don’t you feel vindicated?”
Lu Zheng clenched his fist, feigning rage, “Vindicated! So satisfying!”
“Tch,” Huang Xiumin scoffed, “Lame acting, too fake.”
She nudged Lin Wan, whispering with a smirk, “Did you two celebrate last night?”
Lin Wan smiled, “Yeah, we celebrated most of the night.”
Huang Xiumin’s teeth soured, cursing the couple inwardly, “I’m the one who dragged you to that murder mystery game! I’m your matchmaker, you owe me!”
“Number 224!”
“Thanks a lot, it’s our turn, go grab the milk tea!” Lin Wan handed Huang Xiumin the ticket.
While Huang Xiumin fetched the drinks, Lin Wan leaned toward Lu Zheng, “Bone-Dissolving Palm or Blood-Coagulating Claw?”
“You’ve read too many wuxia novels. This is clearly Gold-Wave Flower Poison.”
Lin Wan blinked, “What’s Gold-Wave Flower?”
“Such a fake wuxia fan, not knowing one of Jin Yong’s three great poisons.”
“When did I say I was a wuxia fan?” Lin Wan retorted confidently, then, seeing Lu Zheng’s innocent look, asked suspiciously, “It really wasn’t you?”
Lu Zheng shrugged, “If it was me, you’d probably arrest me yourself.”
Lin Wan bit her lip, pausing, “Not anymore.”
Lu Zheng tapped her forehead, “Stay in character, you’re the iron-faced, cold-hearted cop.”
Lin Wan recalled last night’s roleplay as the stoic cop, blushing and itching to bite Lu Zheng.
“Milk tea’s here!” Huang Xiumin returned, handing Lin Wan a matcha latte, “What were you talking about?”
Lu Zheng said, “We haven’t played a murder mystery in a while. Want to play one this afternoon?”
Huang Xiumin shrugged, “Why bother? Ever since your classmate paired up with that girl, they stopped playing. Such a waste of time.”
Lu Zheng gave Huang Xiumin a knowing look. She glared back, “What? It’s my day off, can’t I shop with Lin Wan?”
You’re a cop, you’re always right!
…
After a relaxing weekend, Lin Wan returned to her busy work, and Lu Zheng resumed his ancient-era cultivation. With a fresh batch of fortune light, he wasn’t content until it was spent.
A few days later, Yuanjing arrived at Lu Zheng’s home with a middle-aged man dressed like a steward, around forty.
“Junior Brother Yuanzheng.”
“Senior Brother Yuanjing, please sit. And this is…” Lu Zheng gestured, inviting them inside.
“This is Mr. Zhang Zhuo, the steward of the Zhang family in Pingtian County,” Yuanjing introduced.
“Mr. Zhang, good to meet you,” Lu Zheng saluted.
“Master Lu, a pleasure!” Zhang Zhuo quickly returned the gesture.
Lu Zheng seated them, had Uncle Li serve tea, then turned to Yuanjing, “The Zhang family in Pingtian County, I recall…”
Yuanjing nodded, “The same one I visited before.”
Lu Zheng blinked, staying silent.
Zhang Zhuo said nothing, but Yuanjing continued, unperturbed, “It’s been less than five days since I dealt with that ghost, and the Zhang family came again, saying they’re haunted once more.”
“What?” Lu Zheng was stunned. Ghosts weren’t leeks, sprouting anew after being cut down.
“Uncle Mingjun’s away, and this seems suspicious, so Master sent me with Steward Zhang to fetch you. We’ll head to Pingtian County together to investigate, and watch each other’s backs.”
Lu Zheng: ╭(╯^╰)╮
I just decided to stay put in Tonglin County, and now you’re dragging me on a mission? Talk about a slap in the face.
As a lay disciple of White Cloud Temple, akin to a nominal disciple, Lu Zheng had few obligations. The temple rarely called on them unless shorthanded or overwhelmed, like now.
He could refuse, but needed a solid reason. Without one…
“Fine, when do we leave?” Lu Zheng agreed, figuring if Yuanjing could handle it, he could too. Plus, there’d be fortune light, and Pingtian County was next door, not a dragon’s den.
“Tomorrow morning,” Yuanjing said.
He was unaware of Lu Zheng’s inner grumbling, or he might’ve challenged him to a friendly spar.
…
The next morning, Yuanjing and the Zhang family’s carriage arrived at Tongyi Lane. Besides Steward Zhang, there was a driver and a guard.
“Tch, the Zhang family’s loaded,” Lu Zheng remarked.
“The Zhangs have been in Pingtian County for four generations, with a thousand mu of fertile land, ten shops, frequent guests of the county magistrate, hosting scholars, building bridges and roads, and earning goodwill county-wide,” Zhang Zhuo boasted.
Lu Zheng raised a hand, cutting off the praise, and asked Yuanjing, “No place like our White Cloud Temple near Pingtian County?”
Yuanjing nodded, then shook his head, “There’s a temple, but it’s been abandoned for over a decade.”
“Hiss,” Lu Zheng sucked in a breath, *A Chinese Ghost Story*’s BGM playing in his mind.
Female ghost, tree demon, Black Mountain…
Wait, something’s off?
Lu Zheng smacked his lips, “No other forces settled in Pingtian County?”
Yuanjing shook his head, “Since Jiming Temple fell ten years ago, Pingtian County comes to White Cloud Temple for help.”
Lu Zheng nodded, then his eyes flashed, “Have you visited the abandoned Jiming Temple, Senior Brother?”
“I have,” Yuanjing nodded.
“Nothing happened?” Lu Zheng asked.
Yuanjing blinked, “What could happen?”
Steward Zhang and the guard looked unfazed, making Lu Zheng laugh dryly, realizing he’d overreacted.
Fair enough. The Jing Dynasty was prosperous, with the Demon Suppression Division quelling anomalies, cultivation sects guarding regions, and wandering martial artists. Ordinary demons and ghosts rarely appeared, unlike the *Liaozhai* world.
…
Two days later, the mission was complete.
…
Lu Zheng had braced for a ghost battle, uncovering a melodramatic plot or a hidden mastermind.
Instead, it was a newly dead ghost, drawn to the lingering yin qi from the previous ghost at the Zhang mansion, settling in until the Zhangs noticed.
Yuanjing didn’t even act. Lu Zheng’s single exorcism spell solved it.
He gained two points of fortune light, barely more than Night Mountain’s fodder ghosts.
Realizing his last injury caused him to neglect cleanup, Yuanjing personally cleared the mansion’s yin qi this time.
In the end, they pocketed a hundred guan and were politely sent off by the Zhangs.
Lu Zheng felt his first mission lacked any twists or satisfaction!
“Senior Brother, don’t you think something’s off with the Zhangs? Why does their old mansion keep attracting ghosts?”
With the Zhang issue resolved, they prepared to return to Tonglin County.
Yuanjing shook his head, “I checked. Their mansion faces north, long uninhabited, with a deep, dry well gathering yin qi, attracting ghosts. Not surprising.”
“Oh,” Lu Zheng nodded.
“That ghost was likely from someone in the county who died, didn’t enter the Netherworld, and was drawn to the mansion’s yin qi, making it home. Only recently did it gain enough power to manifest,” Yuanjing explained.
“Oh,” Lu Zheng nodded.
“Not every ghost haunting a rich family means they’re immoral. Wealthy families have more people, land, and activity, plus things that attract ghosts.”
“Got it, thanks for clarifying, Senior Brother,” Lu Zheng saluted, thinking he’d been misled by modern TV dramas. Well, not his fault.
As they prepared to leave the city, they encountered two men entering from outside.
Yuanjing raised an eyebrow, Lu Zheng blinked.
One man was tall and handsome, clad in a scholar’s robe, exuding learned grace. The other was short, shifty-eyed, also in a scholar’s robe but looking sleazy, like a monkey in fine clothes.
Two scholars, entering the city early in the morning?
Spotting Yuanjing and Lu Zheng, they visibly panicked, then kept their eyes forward, heading into the city.
Lu Zheng looked at Yuanjing, who casually stepped forward, saluting, “I’m Taoist Yuanjing. Greetings, gentlemen.”
The two froze. The tall one seemed at a loss, while the short one quickly saluted, “Yi Ziqian, greetings, Taoist. May I ask what you need from us?”
“Heh, nothing major. Just curious why you two are entering the city so early,” Yuanjing smiled, his gaze sharp as a blade.
Lu Zheng stood by, unconcerned. These two demons couldn’t hide their demonic qi in broad daylight, clearly weak, with maybe twenty years of cultivation at most. He could take them down single-handedly.
“Strolling in the city,” the short one said.
“Looking for someone,” the tall one said.
The tall one stiffened, and the short one shot him a glare.
“Looking for someone,” the short one said with a grin.
“Strolling in the city,” the tall one corrected hastily.
Yuanjing, “…”
Lu Zheng, “…”
Short one, “…”
Tall one, “…”
