The heavy rain came down suddenly and with great force.
“Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash...”
“Splash, splash, splash...”
It was as if a hole had been opened in the sky, and the waters of the Silver River were pouring down through the collapse. Countless lines of rain smashed against the mortal world along with the wind, creating a chaotic, rhythmic clatter.
Once it rained, the road became even harder to traverse.
Rain mixed with yellow mud, entangling the souls of travelers.
In the vast wilderness, beside the official road, only a small foot shop still had two lamps lit.
Those two beams of yellow light looked like the eyes of a beast in the darkness, keeping a wary watch on the distance.
“Knock, knock, knock! Knock, knock, knock!”
“Shopkeeper! Shopkeeper! Are you still open for business?!”
Nan Zhi wiped the rain from her face and knocked on the tightly closed door.
“We are passing through and got caught in the heavy rain. We would like to stay the night! Please, do us a favor!”
Soon, the sound of someone walking in shoes came from inside.
“Where are you from?! In such heavy rain, how can a girl like you be on the road alone?”
A man holding an oil lamp spoke with hesitation.
“We are full today and not taking business. Go somewhere else!”
—There were rules to running a shop; if a lone woman sought shelter late at night, one had to consider it carefully.
After all, no one knew if the person they were welcoming in was human or ghost.
“Shopkeeper, do not misunderstand. I am not alone.”
“My sister and I are returning home from visiting relatives. We are heading to Shouzhou to catch a boat, and we have two servants with us.”
Nan Zhi raised her voice and shouted:
“The rain is heavy tonight, and we have nowhere else to go. If the master has no guest rooms, just give us a woodshed to shelter from the rain. It is fine even if we just need to change the water and hay for the horses!”
“Creak—”
The person inside seemed to relax his guard. He removed the door bolt and opened a small crack while holding the oil lamp.
“This was originally a foot shop, but my master bought it later. We occasionally take in travelers.”
He revealed half his face and looked Nan Zhi's group up and down.
The one calling at the door was a somewhat sturdy woman with a dark face, thick eyebrows, and dressed in green silk. The boots on her feet were exquisite and eye catching.
Behind her were two male servants. The older one was aged and hunched, his years hard to discern.
The younger one was fair skinned and clean cut, looking more like a scholar than a servant.
As for the “sister” the woman mentioned, even though she kept her face covered with her sleeve, one could tell she was as beautiful as a flower, infinitely charming.
This combination looked strange no matter how one viewed it.
The man brought the oil lamp closer. After seeing them clearly, he curled his lip with a hint of disdain.
—What “returning home from visiting relatives”?
Clearly, it was some concubine or young lady running away with the family property, and he could tell.
But the man did not say much, only nodding to the woman who had spoken first.
“Fifty wen for the room, twenty wen for hot water and pancakes. Water and hay for the horses are extra. Wine and meat must be bought with silver. It is a fair price. Well? Staying or not?”
So expensive?
Nan Zhi sighed, but she did not seem to have another choice right now.
She could not exactly leave the carriage on the road, could she?
The three humans and one ghost entered the shop one after another. Nan Zhi tossed a silver ingot into the man's arms and instructed:
“Open two rooms for us. Three servings of hot water and hot pancakes as well. Send them to the rooms once they are ready.”
“As for wine and meat, it is so cold that drinking some to warm up would be good. If there is good meat, slice two plates thinly and send them to the room my sister and I are in. For them—”
Her gaze lingered on the Wang family master and servant for a moment before she added:
“Give them a pot of wine too, and boil some ginger soup to send over. The cheapest kind will do.”
Upon hearing this, Manager Wang immediately cast a grateful look at her, pulling Young Master Wang to thank her repeatedly.
“Thank you, Lady Zhi. Thank you, thank you.”
—In such heavy rain, they had been soaked in the cold while traveling. If they were not careful and caught a cold, it could be fatal.
“Uncle Li, it is just a bowl of ginger soup. Why bother...”
Young Master Wang did not appreciate Manager Wang's humble attitude at all.
He was about to say something, but when he caught Wanniang's mocking gaze, he swallowed his words and said sullenly:
“Thank you for your kindness, Lady Zhi.”
Before him were one human and one ghost. One was the demon suppressor who had refused to save his Wang family and forced him into a corner.
The other was the culprit who had killed his father and caused the ruin of his family.
Now, with his father's body barely cold, he had to bow and scrape to his father's killers, saying nice things just to get a bowl of ginger soup.
Wang Chen felt extremely humiliated, wishing he could just end it all right then and there to escape this disgrace.
Thinking this, a faint look of humiliation appeared on his face.
If someone who did not know the situation saw him, they might truly think he was a filial son and a man of unyielding integrity.
Nan Zhi pretended not to see it.
All she wanted was for these two to arrive in Kaifeng alive and in one piece, without missing any limbs.
She did not care if he felt humiliated or frustrated.
The shop assistant saw the silent exchange between the group and found it curious and amusing.
Once he had seen enough, he went to the backyard to call someone to lead the horses, then lit the candles on the lobby table and warned them:
“My master went out to drink with someone and has not returned yet.”
“Including me, there are seven assistants in the shop, all living in the lower rooms. If you want wine or late night snacks during the night, just call for me.”
“However, this shop has been open for a long time and is quite old. There are always some strange occurrences. If you hear any noises in the middle of the night, just lock your door and sleep with your head covered.”
Nan Zhi raised an eyebrow and said pointedly:
“That is easy. I have never been afraid of ghosts or gods in my life. You guys just lock your doors and sleep. If there really is a noise at night, I will come out and take a look for you.”
“You girl, why do you talk so big? You had better go upstairs with your sister and get some rest!”
The assistant waved his hand, thinking Nan Zhi was joking.
“I just checked the kitchen. There is half a piece of braised wild boar meat left, a portion of boiled mutton, and a bowl of peanuts. I will have them sliced and sent up in a bit.”
“Remember, once you have had your fill, just cover yourselves with the blankets and sleep. Under no circumstances should you come downstairs.”
...
...
Nan Zhi and Wanniang shared a room. She asked for hot water and ginger soup to bathe and change.
A moment later, a young assistant came up to deliver the food.
“Ladies, your meal is ready. Third Brother told me to bring it up!”
Nan Zhi let him in. By the light of the oil lamp, she noticed the delivery boy looked only thirteen or fourteen years old but was quite sharp and handsome.
“Thank you, little assistant. Here, take this to buy some snacks.”
Nan Zhi pressed a few copper coins into the young assistant's hand as a tip and took the chance to strike up a conversation.
“I heard them say earlier that your shop has a rule about not going out at night?”
“It is not really a rule. It is just that the shop is very remote, and foxes or wild cats often run in looking for food.”
The young assistant's face lit up with a smile after receiving the coins, and he answered whatever Nan Zhi asked.
“If someone gets up in the middle of the night and runs into those beasts, they are bound to get a fright.”
“The shop owner is afraid of trouble, so he simply says there are ghosts here. Those words are just to scare you!”
“Is that so?”
Nan Zhi nodded thoughtfully, though it was unclear if she actually believed him.
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