Chapter 109
As soon as Zhao Fusheng entered Ding'an Building, the angry look on his face quickly disappeared.
The steward of Prince Chu's Mansion arranged for her the best room in Ding'an Building. The room was spacious and had a row of large windows at the back, which afforded a panoramic view of the Shangjia River behind Ding'an Building.
Toiletries were already prepared in the room. Zhao Fusheng washed away the fatigue from the journey and stood at the window.
Perhaps due to the recent ghost troubles in Baozhi County, coupled with the death of the wealthy Sun family, many people were frightened and did not dare to travel again.
The river was pitch dark tonight, and there were no lights from the painting studio that Zheng He mentioned before.
Zhao Fusheng stared at the river in trance, thinking about whether he had missed anything in the Zhao couple's ghost case.
At this moment, there was a knocking sound outside the door.
When there was a knock on the door, Zhao Fusheng's back tensed up and he subconsciously tightened his grip on the ghost arm in his sleeve.
But she quickly reacted and shouted:
"come in."
The door of the room was pushed open, and the Fan brothers who had stayed outside brought in a restrained man.
Zhao Fusheng's eyes fell on this person and asked:
"Is this the person who reported the incident to Kongyun Temple that day?"
Fan Bidi nodded.
Zhao Fusheng asked about the situation of Kongyun Temple. The man was frightened when he heard "Kongyun Temple", but intimidated by the reputation of the Demon Suppressing Division, he reluctantly answered a few of Zhao Fusheng's questions.
But he was so frightened that he spoke many words in confusion. There was no point in asking any more questions. Zhao Fusheng quickly sent him away.
Then he looked at Fan Bisei:
"How did the discussion go?"
She asked vaguely, but Fan Bisheng knew what she was referring to and replied:
"Probably still do what you tell me after all."
This answer was what Zhao Fusheng had expected, so she curled her lips and said nothing.
Fan Bisheng felt a little weird in his heart.
Logically speaking, the commander of the Demon Suppression Division has his own opinions, and ghost controllers never like to be questioned.
Fan Bisheng shouldn't ask any questions about Zhao Fusheng's decision, he should just follow her instructions.
But today when he was in Sun Mansion, Fan Wujiu asked about the ghost case. Zhao Fusheng was not angry, but patiently explained to him. This made Fan Bishi realize that Zhao Fusheng was not an eccentric and unkind person. .
She acts with her own judgment and choices.
She seemed not to be shy about sharing her experiences and opinions on matters related to ghost cases, as if she was consciously teaching the two of them.
When he thought of this, Fan Bisheng tentatively asked:
"Sir, why did you designate Ding'an Building to trap the devil?"
Baozhi County is such a big place, and although there are not many places like Ding'an Building, it is impossible not to have them - but Zhao Fusheng chose Ding'an Building.
Zhao Fusheng glanced at Fan Bisei.
Her move made Fan Bisheng's heart skip a beat. Just when he was a little annoyed that he was talking too much, Zhao Fusheng was not angry, but asked him:
"Why did Zheng He reject my proposal?"
"this……"
This question immediately stopped Fan Bisei.
Isn't it natural for Zheng He to reject her proposal?
He himself has said that Ding'an Tower is a famous landmark in Baozhi County. All the former emperors have stayed here, and it usually receives dignitaries and literati.
If such a place is used to handle a ghost case, wouldn't it destroy this scenic spot and a river of blood if one is not careful?
Zhao Fusheng was no fool. Could she have thought of such an answer?
"Zheng He wants me to handle ghost cases for him, but he doesn't want me to handle ghost cases in Ding'an Building. It's just because he doesn't think highly of my abilities."
Zhao Fusheng laughed and took a deep look at Fan Bisei:
"He thought I was going to die in this ghost case."
As soon as she said these words, Fan Bisheng immediately understood what she meant!
Whether it was Zheng He, the palace manager, or even the Fan brothers, when they heard that Zhao Fusheng was going to handle the ghost case in Ding'an Building, their first reaction was: She is crazy!
Later, the Fan brothers felt sorry for the Ding'an Building.
The reason why the two of them had this feeling of regret was because they believed that a large number of people would die in this ghost case, which would cast a shadow on the ancient building that was originally brightened by the late emperor's visit.
No one trusts her!
Zhao Fusheng was keenly aware of this, so he wanted to compete with Zheng He.
"I'm here to handle this ghost case, so I should have the final say in everything."
Zhao Fusheng said calmly:
"Whether it's Wan'an County or Baozhi County, you must obey my words."
She didn't insist on Ding'an Building to handle the case, but from this little dispute, it could be seen that Zheng He was not as submissive as he appeared.
This case is just a fight for the right to speak, and it is impossible for Zhao Fusheng to let it go.
Fan Bisei immediately understood the meaning of her words, nodded and said:
"I see."
"What do you understand?" Fan Wujiu was confused when he heard this, and he still didn't understand the connection.
Fan Bisei glared at his younger brother:
"If you don't understand, don't speak."
After scolding his younger brother, he said to Zhao Fusheng:
"The person you met just now is also named Liu, and is known as Liu Rong. He is a close associate of the King of Chu and is temporarily in charge of Ding'an Tower."
"After discussing with Zheng He, he was worried about the ghost mark and was afraid that you would leave it alone, so he finally decided to lend the Ding'an Building to you for your use."
Zhao Fusheng nodded with satisfaction.
She left first and left the Fan brothers behind just to give Zheng He and the steward a buffer.
It not only lets them know that their attitude is firm and unchangeable, but also tests Erfan's ability to do things.
Fan Bishi said:
"Early tomorrow morning, Zheng He will present the list compiled tonight, select the selected people, and bring them to Ding'an Building before noon."
"very good."
"But Zheng He asked me to ask for a favor from you on his behalf." Fan Bisheng glanced at Zhao Fusheng and spoke carefully.
"Did he benefit you?" Zhao Fusheng asked with a smile.
Fan Bisheng's expression suddenly froze, and when he was about to explain, Zhao Fusheng said:
"Don't be nervous, I don't care about these things."
If the water is clear, there will be no fish.
The Demon Suppression Department handles ghost cases, and dealing with ghosts is dangerous work.
As long as it was not a major issue involving principles or personal safety, Zhao Fusheng was relatively tolerant of other matters.
Her attitude was beyond Fan Bishi's expectation. He was stunned for a moment, then the nervousness on his face gradually disappeared, and he whispered:
"What Zheng He means is that this case involves serious matters. Can some families who have been marked by evil spirits be taken off the list and only other family members be sent here."
"Can."
Zhao Fusheng nodded.
Her purpose is only to trap the devil, as long as someone is the bait. As for who will be the bait, Zheng He can arrange it.
"..."
Fan Bi died and breathed a sigh of relief.
He smiled and felt much more relaxed instantly.
After a while, he suddenly said:
"Sir, Zheng He said he would invite Wu Jie and me to the Hongquan Opera Troupe——"
"Just go and have fun."
Zhao Fusheng heard the meaning of his words and said:
"I don't want to join in the fun just yet. You go and eat, drink and have fun, then come back and rest. I have something for you to do tomorrow."
"Are you digging those two door panels?" Fan Bisheng asked.
"Yes."
Zhao Fusheng saw that Fan Bisheng was curious, so he simply explained to him:
"Only using people marked by ghosts as bait may not be able to fish out my parents." She said calmly:
"But if you add two door panels that have become dangerous objects, the ghost will definitely show up."
Fan Bisheng's heart tightened.
"Sir, are you very sure about our action tomorrow night?"
Zhao Fusheng couldn't help but chuckle when he heard this:
"very?"
"How can you be absolutely sure when dealing with ghosts? Don't say 10 points. If you get 6 points, I will dare to do it."
"..."
"Go play, I want to have a good rest." Zhao Fusheng waved his hand, not wanting to talk any more.
Er Fan obediently responded. Before leaving, Fan Bi hesitated for a moment and asked:
"Did your Excellency really want to kill Deputy Ling Zheng when he was at the Demon Suppression Division in the evening?"
"I don't joke around."
Zhao Fusheng responded.
She really wanted to kill Zheng He at that time.
On the carriage to Ding'an Building, when Zheng He strongly opposed her involvement in the Ding'an Building ghost case, she also thought about whether to get rid of Zheng He.
She might not be able to defeat ordinary ghost masters, but she was sure to kill Zheng He.
The time and space ghost bell she took away was the evil thing that defeated Zheng He.
As soon as the golden bell rings, the ghost carriage will come hearing the sound of the bell, and Zheng He is on the ghost carriage's list. The moment the carriage appears, he will be taken away.
…
Before Fan Bisheng left, she mentioned that Zheng He wanted to please her and would force people to drive away the painted boats and flower boats docked by the river and immediately light up the lights and set off so that she could see the night view of the Shangjia River from Ding'an Tower.
Sure enough, about a moment later, several shouts came.
Zhao Fusheng stood upstairs, watching the lights gradually light up on the dark river. After a while, the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras began to sound.
This is the excitement created by Baozhi County just for Zhao Fusheng. The bustling scene is mixed with an eerie silence, and suppressed cries can be faintly heard in the silk music.
There was a bit of absurdity in the excitement.
"well!"
Zhao Fu gave a long sigh, leaned against the window and watched the farce, and didn't go to bed until midnight.
Generally speaking, it is difficult for people to sleep before encountering something big.
But Zhao Fusheng did the opposite.
Zheng He and others had no sleep all night, but Zhao Fusheng slept well and did not get up until three o'clock in the morning.
The people in Ding'an Building prepared toiletries and a sumptuous breakfast for her. She had just finished eating and took the handkerchief handed by the servant to wipe her mouth when Zheng He arrived outside.
He hadn't slept all night, and there were no green shadows under his eyes. Instead, a few brown spots the size of copper coins appeared on both sides of his cheeks, which were increasingly similar to the grimace squeezed out of his chest yesterday.
Zheng He held a stack of lists in his arms and smelled blood when he came in. Zhao Fusheng asked him:
"Have you been to the scene of the incident?"
"Um."
He nodded and said:
"Something happened to Gu's family in the west of the city last night."
Zhao Fusheng raised his chin and motioned for him to sit down and talk.
Zheng He pulled up a chair and sat down:
"Gu Dayou has a family of fifteen. We checked the list of pilgrims at Kongyun Temple last night and confirmed that his widowed mother once went to the temple to add sesame oil to wish for her grandson to have children soon."
He complained: "It's better now. Not only is the incense incense ineffective, but it is also useless. It shows that praying to God and worshiping Buddha is useless."
"..."
Zhao Fusheng paused in wiping his mouth and glanced at Zheng He unexpectedly. Unexpectedly, this ghost controller from Baozhi County also had a wicked sense of humor.
"After something happened to his family, I rushed over to take a look. His family was considered a wealthy man. There was a courtyard with one or two entrances. Including the main entrance, there were two opposite doors. The outer door was not damaged, and the inner door panels were removed. Below, there are corpses on top.”
In other words, the corpse placed on the door of Sun's Mansion that day was not the work of the police officer, but the scene where the ghost committed the murder.
"Before the accident happened to Gu's family, a watchman passed by and saw that there was a strong evil spirit there and there was fog."
Recently, the news about ghost troubles in Baozhi County has been spreading for a long time, and it is impossible to suppress it. As soon as the watchman saw the fog, he knew that he had encountered a ghost, and he was so scared that he lost his food and ran away immediately.
"It should be the beginning of the Chou period (around 1 a.m.)," Zheng He said.
After the incident, the watchman rushed to the Demon Suppression Division in panic to report the incident. Zheng He received the news in time and rushed to the west of the city with others.
"When I arrived, it should be less than Yinshi. It took about half an hour to confirm that the Gu family had been killed. By the time I arrived at the Gu's, the ghost world had dispersed. It would be Yinshi3ji (3:45 in the morning)."
Zhao Fusheng's expression brightened:
"There can be at most an hour in between, but since no one has seen ghosts, I estimate that the time from the formation of the ghost realm to the time when the ghosts kill people is less than half an hour."
"yes."
Zheng He looked solemn:
"Li Gui may have advanced again."
"Master Zhao——" He was about to speak, but suddenly there were shouts and shoveling sounds from outside.
Zheng He had a look of irritation on his face, but after looking at Zhao Fusheng, he suppressed his impatience.
He explained:
"Liu Rong ordered people to remove the flowers and plants in the garden to free up space."
Zhao Fusheng nodded, looked around, and asked tentatively:
"Master Zhao, where are your two envoys?"
"I asked them to do something. They should be back by noon."
Zheng He rubbed his hands and was about to ask again, but Zhao Fusheng did not give him another chance and asked him instead:
"Is the entire list of people marked by evil spirits here?"
He responded:
"I dare not say 100%, but at least 90% are here."
"I have asked people to make a copy overnight, and asked all the officials from Wangzhi County to help pull people according to the list. At least one person from each family must be able to arrive at Ding'an Building before noon."
Zheng He is not good at handling ghost cases, but he is extremely qualified as an assistant.
At noon, under the escort of police officers, a large number of people who were marked by Li Gui and recorded on the list by Zheng He rushed to Ding'an Building one by one.
The originally quiet Ding'an Building gradually became crowded, but because of fear, everyone found a corner to sit quietly.
They believed that they would definitely die on this trip, and everyone had a look of despair on their faces.
Zhao Fusheng had nothing else to do except handle cases. He stayed in his room during the day and didn't come down from upstairs until almost evening.
It gets dark quickly today and the building is quiet.
The sound of Zhao Fusheng going downstairs was particularly harsh. Everyone who had been sitting quietly before heard the sound suddenly raised their heads.
Zheng He was also among the crowd.
As time passed and night fell, he became more and more frightened.
It was as if there was an invisible guillotine on his head, and he even had the illusion that his heart was still beating wildly because of his nervousness.
He came to Ding'an Building at noon, but he heard from the servants in the building that Zhao Fusheng was recuperating, so he didn't dare to disturb him easily. During this period, his mood was ups and downs, and he had all kinds of dark speculations.
It wasn't until he saw Zhao Fusheng appearing that Zheng He's heart dropped back to its original place.
"Master Zhao."
"Master Zhao——"
"Master Zhao showed up——"
"Master Zhao, help!"
"I don't want to die-"
…
As soon as Zhao Fusheng appeared, a series of cries and howls could be heard.
The originally quiet hall in the building suddenly became extremely noisy.
Zhao Fusheng frowned.
Zheng He's eyes kept falling on her. Seeing this scene, his heart skipped a beat and he shouted loudly:
"What's the fuss about?"
This person is decisive.
With a sharp shout, he pulled aside his clothes, revealing the ghost head with closed eyes on his chest:
"Whoever dares to yell and make a noise reaches Mr. Zhao, I will kill the noisy person first before the evil ghost comes!"
His move was very useful.
The noisy crowd was immediately shocked by him.
The ghost with its eyes closed has not yet revived, but ordinary people are extremely frightened by the sight of ghosts. The fear of death makes those who were crying suddenly shut up.
There was deathly silence inside and outside the building.
The people who were surrounding Zheng He immediately took a few steps away, and a circle of open space quickly cleared around Zheng He.
He did not pull up his clothes, but turned around in a circle, allowing people to clearly see the ghost on his body.
After doing all this, he walked towards Zhao Fusheng who had just come downstairs with a gloomy face:
"Master Zhao..."
"Have Fan Bisheng and the others come back?"
Zhao Fusheng didn't wait for him to speak and asked first.
Zheng He paused and shook his head:
"not yet."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Fusheng's expression turned serious. Zheng He's heart skipped a beat and he quickly asked:
"Is what the adults want them to do important?"
"important--"
Zhao Fusheng nodded. Before he could finish speaking, he heard someone shouting from outside:
"The two envoys are back!"
With this shout, Zhao Fusheng's tense expression relaxed.
(End of chapter)
