"Ah..."
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper was startled when he heard this. Seeing Miss White Wine picking up the cat and heading back upstairs, he quickly followed with small steps.
He felt a bit helpless. These village children were too good at taking advantage of a situation. Back on Old Yin Mountain, it was because of a single word from this boy that Miss Dong had pushed aside her own important affairs to help him find his Granny.
And now, because of another word from him, she was making treat soone.
Their statuses were worlds apart—one in the heavens, the other in the muck—so how did they get along so well?
Still, Miss Dong was generous. Seeing soone she recognized, she had casually asked for my help, even though she didn't actually understand the full situation...
He murmured a few words to her, then glanced back at Xiang. Miss White Wine was slightly taken aback upon hearing this and frowned, saying, "Is it that troubleso? Rescuing people is a duty, but it's also right not to get involved in grudges."
"Let's find out clearly before helping!"
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper understood Miss White Wine's aning. "So, we still have to help?" he asked, though he could only agree for now, letting out a helpless sigh inwardly. When he turned around, his face was wreathed in smiles.
Miss White Wine still valued her reputation. Normally, Grass Heart Hall wouldn't even inquire about matters clearly entangled in grudges.
"Young brother, the owner has spoken, so we must listen," he said as he returned and sat down beside Xiang, offering Hu Ma a helpless smile. "But you must thoroughly explain the background of this patient you've brought and how she ca to be in this state."
"Otherwise, even if we want to examine her, we won't be able to..."
"Yes." Hu Ma nodded and then looked to the side.
The old housekeeper from Xiang's family had been anxious, unsure how to speak. It was only then that Hu Ma addressed him, "You've been evasive this whole ti, and I haven't pressed you. Now that you've heard the old shopkeeper, are you still unwilling to speak?"
"I..."
The old housekeeper was overco with urgency. eting the gazes of Hu Ma and the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper, he finally felt he couldn't hold back any longer. Yet, he seed troubled by the number of people around, his expression conflicted.
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper of Grass Heart Hall, already quite impatient, waved his hand, dismissing the assistants nearby. Zhou Datong, adept at reading situations, also led the other assistants away. Soon, only Hu Ma, the old housekeeper, and the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper remained.
However, the old housekeeper still hesitated, seemingly due to Hu Ma's presence.
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper was visibly annoyed now. "Old sir, you certainly have a flair for the dramatic," he said coolly. "Perhaps it's best you say nothing and just take your young lady and leave!"
"Yes, yes, it is my fault…" The old housekeeper's brow was beaded with anxious sweat. He bowed apologetically to Hu Ma, then, as if steeling himself, turned to the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper. "Old sir, to tell you the truth, my young miss..."
"She is the young lady of the Li Family from Lingshou Prefecture, the guardians of the Ghost Cave..."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of both Hu Ma and the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper changed subtly.
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper appeared sowhat surprised. He quickly glanced at Xiang, then recoiled slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
"Guardians of the Ghost Cave?"
Hu Ma was slightly taken aback. What's this about? So it's not really Impermanence Li...
Although I initially found it hard to believe I'd just stumble upon soone from the Impermanence Li Family, a part of wondered, what if it was true? Wouldn't I have struck gold then?
Now that I hear it's not them, I can't help but feel a little disappointed, as if I've lost sothing valuable...
"The Li Family of Lingshou Prefecture?" The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper frowned slightly, then looked at the old housekeeper. "So what?"
"Ah?" The old housekeeper had been so secretive, unwilling to reveal Xiang's identity directly, only intending to whisper it to a Si Ming of Grass Heart Hall if necessary. Now that he had blurted it out, he hadn't anticipated such a reaction. His expression imdiately turned a little panicked.
"I know of this family," the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper said to the old housekeeper. "They are a prominent clan in Anzhou Prefecture, well-known in the jianghu."
"But, old brother, by suddenly dropping this na, you've put our Grass Heart Hall in a difficult position. The Ghost Cave Li Family and our Grass Heart Hall have no prior grievances or connections. If this illness falls within the rules of our Grass Heart Hall, we would treat even an ordinary commoner. If it does not, surely you cannot force us to treat her, can you?"
"If you possess such great abilities yourselves, you would have cured her already. Why co to us?"
These few words left the old housekeeper feeling quite embarrassed; Grass Heart Hall's reaction was vastly different from what he had expected.
"I don't know anything about this Ghost Cave Li Family," Hu Ma interjected at this point. "But this girl, I rescued her from the river. She had been abducted and her mory is unclear, but she's a good person. She has been staying around my Manor for so ti now, working diligently and treating others with kindness. Everyone there holds her in high regard."
"Before this happened, she was doing needlework and hadn't offended anyone. Then, suddenly, she ended up like this. I don't know anything more."
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper looked at Hu Ma. "Did she visit any ominous places beforehand? Did she offend anyone? Or perhaps, did she provoke so powerful evil spirit?"
Hu Ma shook his head. "She was just helping out at the tavern, at most delivering als to the Manor. She hardly ever left the village, so how could she have provoked anything powerful?"
"If there was anything strange..." As he spoke, he glanced at the old housekeeper beside him. "...it would be the appearance of this old gentleman."
Hearing this, cold sweat dripped from the old housekeeper. He hastily said, "Please, sirs, do not speculate. I am indeed aware of my young lady's condition. She is a natural spirit dium; ever since she began nstruating, her Living Soul has been able to leave her body to guide lost souls."
"It seems her Living Soul is now trapped sowhere and cannot return to her body."
"But, in truth, so much has happened before and after... even I am not entirely clear about it all..."
"Ever since... ever since she was abducted during the lantern festival, I felt sothing was amiss, though I didn't know why. This ti, when I found my young lady, she didn't recognize . However..."
"But I believe, no matter what, the Old Master will certainly be able to help her."
"This ti, I ask for nothing more than for Grass Heart Hall to help stabilize her Life Gate, at least so she can hold on until she sees the Old Master. That would be enough..."
His words implied he wasn't expecting Grass Heart Hall to cure her, rely to stabilize her condition.
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper hesitated slightly, appearing contemplative.
The old housekeeper was about to drop to his knees. "The Li Family of Big Stone Cliff will forever rember Grass Heart Hall's life-saving grace..."
"Don't kneel, don't kneel..." The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper quickly stopped him. "Whether we treat her or not will be according to our rules; it has nothing to do with your family's status. Besides, this matter is not simple. I must go upstairs and consult with my Miss first."
"Please wait here, you two. Soone, serve tea!" As he spoke, he instructed an assistant in the shop to bring tea, while he himself rose and headed upstairs.
Hu Ma and the old housekeeper sat there, watching over Xiang. The old housekeeper seed ill at ease. After a mont, he said to Hu Ma, "Benefactor, please don't misunderstand. It's not that I don't trust you, but my young lady's background is imnsely complicated. I dared not speak of it."
He claims he didn't want to say it, but hasn't he said it all anyway? Hu Ma thought, a sneer appearing on his face as he said to the old housekeeper, "Old man, don't bla for being blunt."
"I saved her by chance and didn't think much of it at the ti."
"Now that she's ill, I've put in the effort and even leveraged my connections for her. Logically, now that her family has supposedly found her, I should be eager to wash my hands of this and let you take over."
"But I sent word to Big Stone Cliff, and her family didn't co. Instead, you showed up, claiming to have co on your own. Moreover, back at the tavern, Xiang didn't even recognize you."
"Now you keep insisting you're her family's manager. Do you have any token to prove it?"
"I'm still here precisely because I don't trust you. Yet you continue to be so evasive. Who do you think you're looking down on?" Latest content published on NoveI★Fire
His words made the old housekeeper flush with sha. Earlier, he had carried a faint air of pride, typical of soone from a large household, but now he seed stripped bare. He explained awkwardly, "I know I should present so token to earn your trust..."
"It's just... on my journey here, I traveled for a long ti, encountered dangerous foes, was beaten half to death, and lost all my luggage. It's truly..."
"That's your problem," Hu Ma stated coolly. "Besides, even if you did have a token, I would only feel relieved to hand her over to you and return to my Manor to attend to my own affairs."
"What, do you really think your Ghost Cave family is so kind of imperial relative that everyone should fawn over?"
His blunt words had already made the old housekeeper unable to hide his sha, and he suddenly knelt. "Benefactor, please don't speak like that! You make this old man lose all face..."
Hu Ma, however, just as he was kneeling, reached out and pulled him up, refusing to let him kneel. But he also frowned, his expression far from pleased.
"What's all this?"
Just then, the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper ca down the stairs. He was slightly taken aback by the scene but quickly ignored it, turning to Hu Ma. "My Miss said that since Xiang didn't invite this trouble upon herself, we can take a look."
"However, today I must burn incense and purify myself by bathing to properly perform the Siming Technique." He smiled at Hu Ma. "I had intended to share a few drinks with you at noon, little brother, but that will have to be postponed to another day."
"I cannot touch alcohol today."
Hu Ma quickly smiled. "There will be plenty of ti in the future. Why rush this one day?"
A thought stirred in Hu Ma's mind. Xiang could voluntarily dispatch her Living Soul to guide vindictive souls. So, it wasn't entirely clear if her current predicant was self-inflicted. After all, unintentionally trespassing into an evil spirit's domain wasn't much different from actively provoking it.
To put it bluntly, whether they saved Xiang or not depended entirely on a single word from Miss White Wine.
Now that she had decided to save her, was it because, in her eyes, Xiang was soone for whom it was necessary to break the rules?
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