Chapter 45: Wang Wei

The chilling wind intensified, causing everyone to panic and back further away from the table.

Some even shouted to Li Bai and the old Mountain God of Mount Lu, "Why are you still lingering there? That person has completely provoked the ghost!"

"Hurry and leave, run!"

"Alas! You don't even know how to run, truly... Old man, you should hurry up and leave! Go save your life!"

Finding they could not persuade the group at that table, the guests abandoned any further questions and fled for their lives. Some hid under tables, others pressed close to the monk, and some retreated into the kitchen to stay with the post station attendants. They wept and wavered in a tangled mess, overwhelmed by the feeling of having narrowly escaped death.

Inside the main hall, the ghost turned its gaze toward them. Its voice had lost its previous gentle cadence, replaced by a harsh, mocking, and grating demonic wail.

At the table, the old Mountain God of Mount Lu stroked his beard and smiled. "The gentleman is so mischievous; the ghost probably thought it could pass for a human."

The people hiding inside the hall were astonished upon hearing these words.

What kind of origins did these people have? From the beginning to the end, they were utterly fearless. Facing a malevolent spirit, they still conversed with ease and drank as usual.

They were surely extraordinary beings.

"Those who die harboring grievances inevitably become malevolent ghosts." They watched the man in blue robes speak as he scanned the surroundings. "Its burial place must be right here in this post station."

"What the gentleman says is true."

The feeble old man with completely white hair and beard actually agreed.

"When humans die, they become ghosts, and ghosts are naturally weaker than humans. Who knows how it died to harbor such immense resentment."

The merchant hiding beneath the table listened in rapt attention.

A vague realization took root in his heart: tonight, he had undoubtedly encountered extraordinary people. When discussing a malevolent ghost, their demeanor was completely composed, devoid of any trace of fear.

These must be true adepts of the Dao.

Immortals walking among mortals.

The merchant felt a slight urge to crawl out from under the table, but he was afraid of being spotted by the ghost. Torn between freezing terror and a burning curiosity, he remained curled up in the middle, continuing to listen to the commotion inside the room.

He heard the low murmuring of the malevolent ghost, a sound blending ghostly laughter with weeping, as if it had grown enraged.

The chilling wind felt like boiling water pouring over his back.

The merchant instantly drew his head in tight.

He heard the man utter a slight exclamation of surprise, followed immediately by a piercing, shrill shriek akin to thousands of night owls simultaneously gouging out their own eyes. It was intensely grating and struck terror deep into the heart.

The roof tiles rattled violently, and everyone hid themselves completely.

After a few breaths, the noise finally subsided.

They heard the man in blue robes speak again, his tone level and casual, as if he had merely done something effortless.

"Everyone, you may come out now."

"We waited some time earlier to draw it out. After today, this place will no longer be haunted."

The merchant dared not move hastily, primarily because the terror of the ghost still lingered. Only when others began to emerge in twos and threes did he laboriously crawl out from beneath the table. His legs were somewhat numb, trembling and unsteady.

As the candles were relighted, everyone looked at the scene inside the main hall and fell speechless for a moment.

The entire floor was in utter disarray. Cups, plates, and bowls were shattered in great numbers, and the wine pitcher was overturned. The ghost was nowhere to be seen, leaving only a scholar lying unconscious on the ground, his chest rising and falling intermittently.

There was no telling how intensely the fierce spirit had struggled.

The merchant bowed deeply with folded hands to Jiang She. "Many thanks to the exalted master... Were it not for your presence, I fear I would have been devoured by the malevolent spirit today."

The others also stepped forward one after another to pay their respects to Jiang She.

Realizing they were safe, the post station attendants finally ventured out from the kitchen.

Filled with bitter resentment, some of the guests intended to demand an explanation from them. They had nearly lost their lives at the station just now, yet the attendants had offered no warning, fleeing blindly to save themselves.

Fists and feet soon began to fly in their direction.

Jiang She withdrew his gaze and picked up the room tag for the superior quarters that he had purchased earlier.

"Tonight's affairs are settled. Everyone, go rest."

Before leaving, Jiang She saw the monk press his palms together and bow to him in salute.

Jiang She took one superior room, the old Mountain God of Mount Lu took another, Yuan Danqiu and Li Bai shared one, and the two servants slept in the communal quarters, finally washing away the fatigue of their long journey.

Early the next morning, having rested for the night, the lodging guests had shed their fear, leaving only profound amazement.

Merchants transporting goods were usually pressed for time, but today they sat leisurely at their tables, slowly sipping millet porridge and leek-leaf dumplings, picking at preserved vegetables with their chopsticks while chatting idly. They showed not the slightest sign of haste.

It was as if they were waiting for something.

Right until the卯 hour (dawn), when they saw the man in blue robes emerge surrounded by others, holding a cat in his arms, the crowd instantly grew enthusiastic.

The merchant hurried forward eagerly. "Thank you so much, sir, for last night..."

He bowed and had his men carry out a prepared gift of gratitude, saying, "I deal in fabrics and possess nothing of great value, so only these textiles can faintly express my gratitude."

A heavy crate of dense satin and silk was carried over.

"Though these are merely worldly possessions, please accept them, exalted master!"

Seeing someone take the lead, the others chimed in eagerly.

"Indeed! I nearly lost my life. That ghost last night was terrifying; it must have been a fierce spirit, definitely a fierce spirit!"

"Just how did it die to hold such massive resentment?"

Jiang She listened politely to the end, then looked toward the attendants and beckoned one over.

Having been terrified out of his wits the previous night, the attendant was immensely grateful when the exalted master subdued the troublesome ghost and resolved a major crisis, eagerly obeying every command.

"Could you guide me to take a look at the sealed superior room?"

The attendant's heart gave a sudden tremor.

...

The superior rooms formed a secluded courtyard covered in a layer of dust. The attendants rarely cleaned this part, but it had clearly been tidied up; there were no bloodstains, only an unpleasant odor.

Li Bai followed behind, glanced around, and pointed toward the base of a tree near the courtyard wall.

"It should be right here."

The attendants looked at Jiang She.

Jiang She nodded, and the men finally sprang into action, wielding shovels and mattocks to break the earth.

Seeing these people turning the soil with shovels, the cat watched with curiosity, its claws flexing as it also wanted to dig. Jiang She picked it up and held it in his arms.

After two quarters of an hour, the men finally stopped.

"There really is a dead body here..."

"Phew, the flesh is already rotting," the attendant muttered, frowning as he covered his nose and mouth, fighting the urge to vomit. "How long has this person been dead?"

"This clothing looks familiar..."

Seeing them unearth the corpse, all the station attendants gathered around, a mixture of fear and curiosity driving them to look.

Suddenly, someone recognized it. "Isn't this the butcher Wang San's wife? Why is she buried here..."

The deceased turned out to be the wife of Wang San the butcher, and her body bore blade wounds. Unsure of what had transpired, the familiar attendants whispered among themselves. Remembering Wang San's current madness and his skill in slaughtering pigs, a chill crept into the depths of their hearts.

The attendants turned their gazes back to the exalted master.

Jiang She had no intention of meddling in these matters.

"You should report this to the magistrates," he said. "Let the official yamen handle the verdict."

The sun was already high in the morning sky. Amidst the lingering, reluctant gazes of the crowd, Jiang She and his companions set off once more on their journey. The monk Zhiyuan opened his mouth as if to speak, but in the end, he simply watched the carriages and horses slowly depart.

As for the lodging fees, the attendants no longer dared to collect them and refunded every coin.

Li Bai looked at the old Mountain God of Mount Lu, recalling that the Mountain God belonged to Mount Lushan.

Surely he could not travel far.

The old Mountain God looked back at Jiang She.

With a smile, he said, "This little deity shall accompany the gentleman a bit further."

While they spoke, they caught sight of another carriage hurriedly speeding past from the opposite direction. Judging by its ornaments and carriage-work, it was the kind possessed only by grand, noble aristocratic families.

Who could they be, and what made them rush about with such urgency?

...

...

By evening, after a hurried journey, they finally managed to enter the city.

A carriage welcomed its arrival in front of Lu Xiang's residence.

Lu Xiang felt a sudden surge of bewilderment, wondering why this friend, covered in frost and dust, had come to visit. He stepped forward to greet him in person, telling his servants to fetch a change of clothes immediately while ordering the kitchen to prepare food at once.

"Mojie, what brings you here like this..."

"I received your letter and hurried over without delay."

The young man had traveled in haste, and a servant was now tending to him with a cleansing towel. He possessed a youthful, fair complexion and a refined, elegant bearing. Dressed in wide-sleeved robes, he resembled the fresh rain over an empty mountain—an embodiment of a noble scholar in white, exuding an extraordinary aura.

He asked:

"Do you know where the immortal resides?"