Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Who, Elder Zhao?"

Jin Xu walked over and took down a candied haw stick from the pile, asking.

"No, it's that big, silly fellow from the other day."

"Oh, Xu Qian."

Just right, the little Taoist remembered that he still owed him a reward that hadn't been paid, so he had Little White carry the candied haw pile and lead the way ahead.

They hadn't walked far when Jin Xu saw a group of constables surrounding the entrance to a desolate mansion.

Xu Qian stood in the middle of the crowd, with his long sword strapped to his waist and his brows tightly furrowed.

Little White walked forward.

"Shoo, shoo, shoo, go sell your candied haws somewhere else. Can't you see we're busy here?"

A constable called out, trying to drive them away.

"..."

Jin Xu, who was following alongside, was about to explain that they were not there to sell candied haws.

They had come to collect a debt.

However, Xu Qian, who heard the commotion, turned his head first. Seeing the little Taoist Jin Xu, his furrowed brows relaxed, and a notion called hope sparkled in his eyes.

"Jin Xu, the little Taoist!"

Xu Qian pushed past the constables who were still trying to shoo them away and quickly walked up to the three of them.

The surrounding constables didn't comprehend why their superior greeted the candied haw sellers with such enthusiasm.

"Jin Xu, the little Taoist, I went to Little Platform Mountain this morning to find you, but your Taoist temple's main gate was tightly closed. There were also a few wild wolves lying in front of the door. They started barking as soon as I approached, so I didn't dare to come closer. I didn't expect to run into you here."

"Cough, you didn't harm them, did you?"

Those few wild wolves had been summoned by Little White that morning to guard the gate. Her reasoning was, all three of them were going out, and such a large Taoist temple had to be guarded by her underlings for peace of mind.

"No, I saw that those few wild wolves had a hint of intelligence; I thought they might be your demon pets, so I dared not get close."

Jin Xu thought to himself that it wasn't him but his demon pet that had nurtured those beast pets.

"Right, here is the reward money for the last case."

As he spoke, Xu Qian took out a parcel from his storage bag and handed it over.

Jin Xu took it and handed it to Yu Yaoer to check carefully before putting it away.

The Little Fish Demon finished checking and gave her master a reassuring look before storing the parcel in the red jade bracelet.

After collecting the debt, Jin Xu was ready to leave, but Xu Qian called out to him.

"Little Taoist, I have another case here. Could you help me out again?"

The little Taoist didn't stop.

When Little White was buying the candied haw pile, he overheard the vendor say that Spirit Stones were more valuable than gold and silver.

He was now a Taoist with a chest full of immensely valuable Spirit Stones; why should he work hard for that little reward money?

"Ten thousand taels of gold, plus 3,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones."

Well...

Earning a bit more couldn't hurt.

Jin Xu turned around and went back to Xu Qian.

"What's the case, with such a high reward?"

Seeing Jin Xu, the little Taoist, return, Xu Qian showed a happy expression.

"Initially, the reward wasn't so high, but someone added to it afterwards. Little Taoist, do you know the history of this mansion?" Xu Qian pointed at the entrance of the desolate residence as he spoke.

The little Taoist followed where his finger pointed and looked over. The originally vermillion gate's color had peeled off, and the knocker was rusty. The surrounding walls obviously had not been tended to, and being summer, they were covered with green vines.

Looking up at the plaque above, one could barely make out the character "Zheng."

Jin Xu had a rough guess in his heart, but he said, "If you keep beating around the bush, I might not take the case."

"No, no, no, listen, let me explain to you," Xu Qian responded quickly, his pace quickening at the prospect of the little Taoist walking away.

"This mansion was the one involved in child trafficking with Da Rong Village. Overnight, all one hundred and thirty-eight members of the Zheng family perished without a single survivor."

Before the young Taoist could respond, Xu Qian continued to speak at a brisk pace.

"After the incident with the Zheng family, the house was left vacant for over half a year, but given its prime location on the highly sought-after East Market Street, another wealthy businessman bought it for a low price, thinking he had found a bargain. However, within less than a month of the businessman's family moving in, they all died sudden violent deaths, and the mansion has since fallen into ruin."

"After such a major incident, didn't your night watchmen investigate?" the young Taoist asked, puzzled.

"That's just what I'm getting to. Before coming here, I looked through the case files, which mentioned that an investigation was conducted, but for some reason, it suddenly stopped."

"So, what's the deal today? Re-investigating an old case or trying to make a performance quota at the end of the month?"

Not understanding what Jin Xu was getting at, Xu Qian went on to explain.

He, too, had no desire to take on this troublesome task; it was all because of that unfortunate child from Magistrate Song's family.

...

Third Young Master Song was a notorious profligate in Gusu City.

Apart from serious matters, he was good for anything else.

Last night, he spent half the night drinking with Xiangxiang at Yingchun House, and then headed over to Tongtian Square to gamble at the break of dawn.

In the midst of gambling, he began to boast to his group of scoundrel friends. He claimed that his father had given him a treasure on his coming-of-age ceremony that was said to ward off all evil and make him invulnerable to ghosts."

Once he said this, someone mocked him, saying you're just the son of a concubine – what good thing could your father give you?

And it is well known that, in the city, on top of the night watchmen, there's also the City Lord Mansion.

Everyone puts you down a notch; what kind of treasure would fall into your lap?

You see, if you're handsome and someone calls you ugly, you might just laugh it off.

But if you're not handsome and someone points at your nose and calls you ugly, then it's likely most people would get angry.

Third Young Master Song was among that majority.

Add to that he had drunk quite a bit, he immediately got angry.

People, when they're extremely angry, can do anything.

He ordered his escort to capture a resentful spirit or some evil ghost on the spot. He had to prove tonight that the treasure his father gave him can truly ward off all evil and repel thousands of ghosts!

The escort was dumbfounded when he heard this. It's late at night, and in Gusu City, if you're looking for perverts or gambling spirits, then Tongtian Square has plenty.

But if you're looking for evil ghosts, there are none.

At this point, one of the "smart ones" among his scoundrel friends came up with an idea, saying if you're looking for an evil ghost, it's simple.

East Market Street, the old Zheng mansion – it's said to be unclean inside.

For decades, it's said that no one who has gone in has come out. If you can go inside, take a full round, and come out intact, then we brothers will believe that what you have is a real treasure."

Upon hearing this, Third Young Master Song said let's do it.

At the third watch before dawn.

A group of rakes, along with their escorts, swaggered straight to the old Zheng mansion on East Market Street.

Upon reaching the main gate, cooled by the night breeze of summer, Third Young Master Song was already half sober.

Looking at the desolate and dilapidated gate before him, he started to have second thoughts.

But so many were watching behind him.

For the sake of face, he gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and called his escort over!

He told him, if I don't come out in the time it takes an incense stick to burn, quickly go get my mother to save me.

His plan was to take an escort and just stand at the gatekeeper's room for the duration of an incense stick – anyway, nobody else would know.

And he left a lookout outside as a messenger; he thought he was being quite cautious.

With all the "preparations" in order, Third Young Master Song patted the jade axe around his neck, silently bolstering his courage.

"Dad, you'd better not have lied to me."

He then commanded his escort to push open the big door of the old Zheng mansion.

As the two stepped inside.

The faded vermilion gate creaked,

and firmly shut.