A dical officer spoke cautiously, "Could it be man-made?"
"Listen to finish," Li Wenhu was displeased and took a sip of hot soup to soothe his throat before continuing, "One day, I t a young girl at the execution ground. She was very young, about eleven or twelve years old, looking terrified and unsettled. I asked her what happened, and she told —"
"There is a ghost at the execution ground; she saw with her own eyes a hungry ghost eating the corpse of an executed prisoner!"
Upon hearing this, the patients exclaid in fear, their faces showing terror.
However, the dical officers remained unfazed.
"Then what?" Chang Jin asked.
"Then I left," Li Wenhu spread his hands, "I’m not a Taoist; exorcising ghosts is not my responsibility."
Ji Xun frowned and said, "Why didn’t Lord suspect the girl? It’s strange for a young girl to appear at the execution ground all of a sudden. Perhaps she was lying, or maybe the mystery of the corpse was her doing."
Li Wenhu was stunned.
The dical officers around him looked at him intently.
He started to stutter, "I, I didn’t think that much. She was so young and seed so frail and helpless. She said she was lost, and I even gave her so candy to eat... And I... I’m also scared of ghosts!"
As soon as he heard about a ghost, he panicked so much that he didn’t dare to take another look, let alone calmly analyze the situation and notice the suspicious points about her.
However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, this ghost story had started and it was best to finish it, so he reluctantly said, "Later, I also heard that the offerings in this temple are often stolen, and so people have seen a female ghost in white clothes coming and going at night, which made even fewer people dare to co here."
There was silence all around.
The dical officers were sowhat disappointed.
The story had started off vividly and had whetted everyone’s appetites, but after the dical officers analyzed it, the terror evaporated, exposing Li Wenhu’s negligence at the ti.
Lu Tong had nothing to say.
Pei Yunng’s eyes flickered slightly, and after a mont, he lowered his head and smiled faintly.
In the midst of the crowded chattering, the scarier the story, the bolder people beca. Soone joked, "Even if there really is a hungry ghost, we don’t have to be afraid. There are so many of us gathered together, and at worst, we have Little Lord Pei."
"It’s said that fierce ghosts are afraid of the knife’s qi. Even the most vicious female ghost would lose courage at the sight of Little Lord Pei’s Silver Knife, with Lord’s knife here to protect us, there’s nothing to fear from any demon or strange creature!"
The patients all began to flatter him.
Pei Yunng remained smiling and silent.
So more enthusiastic won, seeing his friendly deanor and smiling eyes, which did not resemble the arrogance of aristocratic youths, boldly asked with a laugh, "Little Lord Pei is so young, I wonder if he is already betrothed. If not, once the epidemic ends, Cai County Chief could arrange a fine match for you."
Before coming to the Plague Hospital, this woman was a well-known matchmaker from across Su Nan City. Cai Fang gave a soft cough, but the woman did not hear.
Pei Yunng’s lips curved up as he said, "I already have soone in my heart."
Lu Tong’s fingertips trembled.
But the woman was elated, "Who is it? Is there a matchmaker? Have the marriage arrangents been settled?"
He toyed with the dicine pouch in his hands, his tone neither light nor heavy, "It’s a pity she doesn’t like ."
"..."
The crowd fell silent for a mont.
Li Wenhu looked towards Cai Fang and silently mouthed, "Impressive."
The woman looked at him, sowhat baffled, "She doesn’t like Lord? That girl must have really high standards... but Lord needn’t worry, with so many fish in the sea, tell what kind of woman you like. I’ve been matchmaking for many years, I can definitely find you a perfect match."
Soone else laughed, "Lord Pei cos from a noble family and has a promising future; even if he were to look for a lady, she would have to be from a family equal in status. Red Matchmaker, why do you worry needlessly?"
The woman retorted, "Who says I can’t find a noble lady? In Su Nan City, I’m the second-best matchmaker, and no one dares to claim first. Little Lord Pei," she asked Pei Yunng, "What kind of woman do you like? Quiet or lively, gentle and dignified, learned and talented? Or perhaps clever and witty, bold and generous? You must have a type."
The crowd egged him on, looking at him expectantly.
The young man smiled faintly, as if pondering, then after a mont looked up, his gaze seeming to sweep casually over the crowded room as he spoke in what appeared to be jest.
"Family and lineage don’t matter."
"I’m superficial; I like soone who is good-looking."
The teasing grew louder, accompanied by good-natured jokes. Lu Tong placed the empty bowl on the ground, stood up, and walked out the door.
Ji Xun watched her and, after a mont’s thought, also followed her outside.
It continued to snow outside; the snowfall was heavier than in the early morning. Looking towards the direction of Luoi Peak, it was a vast expanse of silver and white.
Large snowflakes fell on her, quickly lting, leaving only a chilly sensation.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Ji Xun walked up beside her and, following her gaze in the direction of Luoi Peak, asked, "Why aren’t you staying inside?"
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