Nan Zhi hadn't even managed to get a full night's sleep; she had only been dozing on her bed for a few hours when she heard her family calling for her urgently.
“Sister! Sister! The Wang family is haunted, and they’ve come to ask you to exorcise the ghost!”
Nan Ye was stomping her feet in excitement, a hint of secret delight visible on her face:
“I heard that Master Wang was hanged from a ceiling beam by a female ghost yesterday, his tongue lolling out quite long—it was terrifying!
Young Master Wang has been waiting outside since early morning. He says he provided poor hospitality before and neglected you, so this time he’s asking you to come back and save their lives!”
The rest of the family knew about Nan Zhi’s previous visit to the Wang house.
They believed in Nan Zhi's abilities; if she said the Wang family was haunted, then it certainly was.
In Nan Ye's eyes, Master Wang's refusal to invite Nan Zhi and his insistence on seeking spirit charms from a temple instead was the height of stupidity.
—Ignoring the true Buddha right before his eyes to seek fake scriptures from afar.
“They were making a fuss all night; it’s about time they came to fetch me.”
Nan Zhi nodded and rose unhurriedly. As she freshened up, she didn't forget to instruct Nan Ye:
“By the way, Sister Ye, remember to have Mom find the gifts and money the Wang family sent earlier and get them ready. I’ll be returning them later.”
“Huh? Did the Wang family offend you?”
Nan Ye’s eyes widened, her expression turning strange. She hesitated for a moment before advising, “Sister, this is a matter of saving lives. If you don't help, wouldn't that be standing by and watching someone die?
If the Wang family was rude to you, a lesson would suffice. It’s not worth... it’s not worth...”
—Nan Zhi returning the Wang family's gifts was a clear sign that she didn't want to get involved.
“What are you thinking?! How could I be such a petty, vengeful person?
I am an arrest officer of the Demon Suppression Division now. I am an official, after all. By rights, I should look into all supernatural matters within the Northwest Circuit, let alone the Wang family’s business.”
Nan Zhi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. she reached out and tapped her sister on the head:
“It’s just that the ghost the Wang family has run into is a karmic debt-collector from decades ago, not some ordinary spirit.
I cannot grant what the Wang family asks, so I certainly cannot accept their gifts.”
Nan Ye only half-understood, but she grasped the urgency of the situation and hurried out to find Chen Jingui.
Once Nan Zhi finished freshening up and stepped out of her room, she indeed saw Young Master Wang waiting in the courtyard with his manager and several distillery workers.
The carriage outside was loaded with over a dozen gifts, large and small, looking quite substantial.
Young Master Wang’s face was as pale as paper, and though it was early morning, his forehead was drenched in beads of sweat.
Perhaps because he had come in such a hurry, the jade pendant hanging from his waist was askew, yet he hadn't even noticed.
“Officer Nan, please come to my house and save us! My family is truly facing a disaster!”
Upon seeing Nan Zhi, he looked as if he had found his savior and rushed toward her as if to bow down:
“My father was tormented by a female ghost dressed in mourning last night! He was hanged from a ceiling beam for a full two hours and nearly passed away!
Poor Father was already physically weak, and after suffering such a shock and ordeal, he’s now lying in bed babbling nonsense. He doesn't recognize anyone and just screams ‘ghost’ at everyone he sees—”
He was hanging all night and didn't die?
What kind of neck does Wang Fugui have?
Is it made of iron or gold?
Nan Zhi couldn't help but lean back slightly in a gesture of mock respect.
Naturally, she wouldn't tell him that she was the one who had personally let the ghost into his house.
At least on the surface, she was still an arrest officer of the Demon Suppression Division. If word got out, someone might try to use it against her.
“Oh? Such a thing happened? A ghost is actually harming people in Dingyuan?
And the victim is our famous, charitable Great Philanthropist Wang? This is truly appalling!”
Nan Zhi immediately turned serious. Frowning, she took a step forward and helped Young Master Wang up, asking, “Has your father regained consciousness? Did he leave any instructions?”
Young Master Wang felt that Nan Zhi’s tone was somewhat unpleasant, and he also felt a bit of disgust toward the Butcher’s Daughter's appearance, causing him to instinctively shrink back.
Nan Zhi naturally noticed his small movements.
But she couldn't be bothered to care.
Since he needed her help, Young Master Wang could only steel himself and explain:
“Father was conscious for fifteen minutes this morning and only gave two instructions.
First, check if the door god statues and the Kitchen God portrait in the distillery are still there.
Second, check the mother vat in the courtyard to see if there’s still water inside.
He said if the statues and portrait are still there and the mother vat still has water, then it’s nothing serious. We would just need to stay home, eat vegetarian, and chant for seven days.
But if the statues are gone, the Kitchen God’s eyes are closed, and the mother vat doesn't have a single drop of water, then we must immediately pack our bags, prepare the horses, take our valuables, and leave. We mustn't delay for a single moment.”
At this point, Young Master Wang paused. The manager and workers behind him all had looks of genuine terror in their eyes:
“This... this morning, the door god statues vanished. The Kitchen God portrait in the distillery also shattered on the floor as if it had rotted away.
Even the Bodhisattva Guanyin my mother worships in the inner chambers has her eyes closed and appears to be weeping!
And the water in the mother vat!”
He could no longer suppress his inner fear and began to tremble violently, looking at Nan Zhi imploringly:
“That vat was filled with well water just a few days ago, but when we looked today, it was bone dry without even a trace of water. Instead, it was filled with clumps of pitch-black strands of a woman's hair!
The servants have all fled. The few who have stayed by my father’s side for a long time begin to vomit mouthfuls of hair the moment they step out the gate, and their bellies have swollen like women about to give birth!
I risked my life to come out and seek help today. Our ancestral property is here, and it is hard to leave one's home. I only beg Officer Nan to help me and quickly eliminate this ghost!”
“A woman's hair?”
Nan Zhi suddenly remembered that even before Wanniang entered the Wang house, there had already been rumors of hauntings at the distillery.
Wang Fugui was indeed shrewd and calculating.
He must have realized immediately that Wanniang had come for her revenge.
That was why he told his son to take their valuables and flee immediately. As long as they could escape Dingyuan, they would have a better chance of survival.
But Young Master Wang was a fool.
Or rather, the greed in his heart outweighed his survival instinct.
Nan Zhi looked at Young Master Wang, her gaze shifting between him, the distillery manager, and the workers until they began to feel uneasy.
Young Master Wang’s legs were shaking as he said meekly:
“Officer Nan, has that ghost... followed me here?
Your cultivation is profound, and you have always hated evil with a passion. Please, display your divine powers and exterminate this ghost! The Wang family will never forget this kindness—”
“You don't seem surprised at all that a ghost is seeking your father's life.”
Nan Zhi stared at Young Master Wang, refusing to miss any subtle expression on his face. Suddenly, she had an epiphany:
“Could it be that you know the origin and identity of this female ghost?”
“...”
A flash of embarrassment crossed Young Master Wang’s eyes, but then, as if remembering something, he plucked up his courage and questioned her:
“It’s nothing more than some old business from decades ago. Are you really going to stand by and watch a vengeful ghost harm people without doing anything?
The Demon Suppression Division belongs to the Great Song, and it is only right that you uphold justice for the common people.
Besides, the current Emperor loves his people like his own children. Although I am not very accomplished, I have attained the rank of scholar. Given the chance in the future, I could nearly be considered a disciple of the Son of Heaven.
If Officer Nan knows of the past, then you should be all the more willing to stop that female ghost from harming people.
Even if you don't think of yourself, you should consider your family—”
Before he could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, as if a mountain had come crashing down upon him!
It hurt.
It felt like being stomped by a rampaging warhorse or gored in the stomach by an angry ox.
The speed was so fast that he didn't even have time to react; he only saw a blurry phantom.
Nan Zhi kicked Young Master Wang out, sending him flying along with his gifts.
“Blegh... You dare... how dare you... blegh...”
Under the intense pain, Young Master Wang couldn't help but retch.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, he heaved a mass of dense, fine strands of a woman's hair onto the ground.
The hair was black and slender, and it even carried a faint fragrance of wine as it constantly writhed, twitched, and knotted into clumps.
“Young Master!”
“Master!”
“Are you alright, Young Master?!”
“Assault! She’s hitting him!”
The servants screamed in unison and rushed forward, but in the next second, they were all frightened back by the writhing hair on the ground.
“Using your status to pressure me won't work.”
Nan Zhi slowly retracted her leg and gestured toward the group with her chin:
“The sins Wang Fugui committed thirty years ago have now come back to haunt him. His karmic debt-collectors have come to settle the score.
You should understand the principle that a life for a life and a debt must be paid. If you have a clear conscience, then leave the Wang family and flee for your lives; you’ll be fine.
But if you were involved in the Wang family’s blood-stained business back then, you won't be able to escape even if you flee to the ends of the earth.”
The servants looked at each other, hesitating for a moment.
Although they had sold themselves to the household as servants, they hadn't agreed to sell their lives.
Even husbands and wives part ways when disaster strikes, so why shouldn't they?
Now that they had seen Young Master Wang vomiting hair with their own eyes and were frightened by Nan Zhi, they immediately fled for their lives.
Manager Wang remained loyal, supporting Young Master Wang as he pleaded in a nearly begging voice:
“Officer Nan, this old man knows I offended you in the past. Please, be merciful and save my master and the young master!
Master... he indeed has a guilty conscience regarding the events of the past, but I watched the young master grow up. By the time he was born, Wanniang had been dead for who knows how long!
The entire matter has nothing to do with the young master or the young mistress!
I beg of you, please go to the house and take a look. Persuade Wanniang to let the young master and young mistress go. This old man is willing to pay her back with my life!”
—Since he could accurately name Wanniang, he was likely a former member of the Qu family.
“Fine, I shall make this trip with you.”
Nan Zhi looked at the increasingly heavy ghostly aura hanging over the Wang house and immediately agreed.
They say ghosts are full of lies.
Although Wanniang had promised not to harm the innocent, if she were consumed by bloodlust, there was no guarantee that the ordinary people in the Wang house wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.
In the end, it was better to go and see for herself just to be safe.
Rate on N.U.
