In order to find Shopkeeper Cao, Li Changan decided to visit Jishi again.
Visit various shopkeepers and clerks along the street.
This time, he changed his approach and brought up the matter of shopkeeper Cao's breach of contract. People always sympathize with the weak, and besides, they are all businessmen, and they are most afraid of things that are unclear, so the answers are more cooperative than last time. Li Changan got more and more detailed information than last time.
Shopkeeper Cao is not a native of Qiantang. His parents and children stay in his hometown, and only his wife helps him take care of the business. Because people who work in the funeral industry are likely to be regarded as unlucky, most of the people they interact with are colleagues, and most of them make a living on this street, but their whereabouts are unknown.
It was also heard that in the past half month, he had successively sold off the coffins and artifacts in the store at low prices, and even sold out all the valuable items at home.
It won't work if we ask everyone to pay for it with things.
Fortunately, I learned that he also had a hard-working, fair-weather friend, a lawyer named Wen.
Litigation Master Wen lives in Zhongmiaofang, but when he found his house, the door was closed and no one answered the door for a long time.
After asking the neighbors, they said that a few days ago, Wen Liangshi's mother visited the neighbors one by one, talked about the feelings of the neighbors, and said that she was leaving Qiantang to return to her hometown. The whole family packed up their belongings and left gloomily that day. Just weird...
"What's weird?" Li Changan asked.
"The night his family left, there were dogs barking in the yard for a long time."
"What if the person leaves but leaves the dog behind?"
"What kind of dog is left behind?" the neighbor said with a smile, "The lawyer was born with a strange disease. He would get rashes when he touched dog hair. His family never kept dogs."
Li Changan quietly climbed over the wall and entered Wen's house.
Saw the body of the litigant.
He was hanging alone under the beam, with an overturned pedal under his feet and several empty wine bottles scattered beside him.
The Taoist priest went up and took a closer look, and found that he was indeed hanged to death, not frightened to death. But the death lasted only a day or two, and the soul had disappeared.
"Taoist Priest, look!"
Huangwei found a suicide note.
The litigator was drunk before he hanged himself. His words were scattered and smelled of alcohol. The beginning of the article was full of abuse. He scolded the unfairness of the world, scolded God for being blind, scolded the lack of talent... but it was Shopkeeper Cao who scolded him the most.
A month ago, the two of them went out to have fun together at night. Unfortunately, they bumped into the Cave City messenger, and each of them received a "thousand gold sticker." He thought it was shopkeeper Cao's business dealing with dead people that attracted ghosts and gods, and he was implicated by him and suffered the disaster of Chiyu.
…
All the ghosts gather together at night.
"Will Shopkeeper Cao be like this litigator? If he can't get the money, he just wants to settle it all?"
Everyone is worried.
Shopkeeper Ruocao died quietly in a corner of Qiantang.
How do you collect debts from a dead person? Even if I can catch up, I don't know how much time it will take to go back and forth.
The most lacking thing nowadays is time!
Everyone has been secretly thinking about how to survive the bitter cold in the mountains.
"He definitely didn't kill himself!"
Huangwei insisted.
When he wasn't panicking, his mind was still very flexible.
"The person named Cao is not the person named Wen. He only lives by a pen. He has three shops in his hands. If he is determined to die, how can he only sell items and not shops?"
Li Changan nodded: "We will continue looking tomorrow."
…………
On August 2, there was one less day.
Today, everyone changed their goals and investigated the entertainment venues where Shopkeeper Cao usually went.
Huang Wei was very familiar with these tile hooks and felt like a fish in water. Without much effort, he learned that shopkeeper Cao often went to a place called Lianchi Xiaoxie on the bank of Chunfang River recently.
The banks of Chunfang River are a special place in Qiantang.
There are no common densely populated small buildings, only exquisite courtyards connected by green bricks and green tiles. Willows are planted in front of the door, and flower vines are wrapped around the eaves. No matter in spring, summer, autumn or winter, there is always an intoxicating fragrance and a girlish charm. Bright eyes make people miss you.
Each of these courtyards is inhabited by young women, with several mothers-in-law and maidservants, all of whom claim to be young ladies from official families and live here alone. All of them have beautiful faces, are good at playing piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, and drinking. They are all full of wealthy men.
What the identity is, it is naturally self-evident.
Lady Jade Lotus from Lotus Pond Xiaoxie is one of the best.
"Oh, what Huang Xulang said is really funny. The only people walking around in the courtyard of the Nu family are Mr. Cao and Mr. Liu Lang, but there are no shopkeeper Cao and Mr. Liu."
Lady Jade Lotus gently shook her fan and talked and smiled.
Huangwei understood, and went up to him and begged: "You are so pitiful, girl. Our wealth and life are all in the hands of Cao. How can we have the money to be a husband? If you can speak a little more respectfully today, I will I will remember it from the bottom of my heart, and I will thank you generously afterwards!"
"You men are accustomed to talking sweetly and betraying your heart. No matter how nice you say it today, you will never admit it tomorrow." Lady Yulian's eyes suddenly fell on Li Changan, "That little brother, on the other hand, is tall and handsome. Even if you are not the husband or the husband, the slave family is very panicked."
Huangwei and the other ghosts who followed him all turned around with earnest eyes - Taoist Master, please just obey!
Li Changan: "..."
He had a wooden face.
"Girl, Pindao is a monk."
"What's wrong with the monks? Whose girl doesn't have a monk in her yard? I see that you are always in love with Sister He. Why do you talk about the rules and regulations when you come to the slave's house?"
The Taoist priest said seriously: "I am just staying at the Salesian Hospital. Girl, please be careful what you say, don't damage Dean He's innocence."
"How can women like us be innocent?"
"How can Dean He, who lives in poverty, abides by morality, and raises orphans, not be innocent?!"
Lady Yulian covered half of her face with a round fan, her eyes fixed on Li Changan, and she suddenly smiled: "You are so boring. That's all, I won't tease you anymore, then Shopkeeper Cao..."
According to her, shopkeeper Cao did visit Lianchi Xiaoxie many times in July, but not for pleasure, but to entertain a trainer from Zengfu Temple.
The last time was four days ago. When shopkeeper Cao left, he spoke very proudly.
Li Changan only knew that Zengfu Temple was one of the thirteen temples and that it enshrined Zengfu Zhenjun, also known as the God of Wealth and Wealth. He didn't know anything else.
"I know! I know!" Dahan shouted quickly, "I heard people say that Zengfu Temple is Qian Tang's money bag and is engaged in loan sharking business."
Huang Wei was stunned: "Where did you hear that?"
"I heard what others said about working at the dock."
"Don't listen to the nonsense of those poor people." Huangwei sneered, "Can the Thirteen Family like this little profit?"
"Sea trade is very profitable, but the storms are dangerous and people and ships are often wiped out, so Zengfu Temple comes out to collect money as guarantee. There are also businesses with promising prospects but lack of funds. Zengfu Temple will also provide money to support them. In the future, they can rely on their shares to do business." Dividends.”
Li Changan understood that it turned out to be a large consortium controlled by insurance and venture capital.
But dead people are not sold on the sea, and shopkeeper Cao has only three murder weapon shops, let alone a promising future. How can he attract the favor of Zengfu Temple?
"Taoist Master, have you forgotten?" Huang Wei said quietly, "There is also our business."
Li Changan suddenly realized that he was indeed in Lushan. Although "Guan Guan" only made a hundred taels, it was only a month after opening and had not yet developed a reputation. In Qiantang City, there are many people who wear silk and satin on the outside but eat glutinous vegetables behind the scenes!
In this way, Shopkeeper Cao had already planned this.
The ghosts became more and more angry, but still couldn't do anything.
"I have to try to find that guy again."
"The Taoist suspects that he lied."
"It's not necessarily a lie. The man named Cao is shrewd and will probably not reveal his whereabouts. But that guy is very cunning, so he may not really know anything about it."
"But we asked many times, and he didn't have any clue."
"Then ask someone else."
…………
Qian Tang is never lonely at night.
There was endless singing and dancing on the painted boat, and the water was bright and clear.
It is even more common for people returning at night to die drunk in the river.
But as soon as August comes, the joy comes to an abrupt end. People are like winter insects hibernating in their homes, fearing to disturb the messenger from the Cave City who has come to the human world.
Therefore, even though the small buildings of each household are closely connected, they are all as silent as an isolated island.
Paper shop.
The guy couldn't hold himself back and got up at night.
The shopkeeper was not here, so he held up the oil lamp carelessly. Wind seeped in through the cracks in the window, and the wick danced like a bean, shaking the room full of paper figures.
He left the light on and groped his way to the back room that served as the warehouse. He pushed aside the paper man's head that was blocking the way and opened the back door.
The fog was thick at night, dyed white by the moon, like too turbid water waves. The alley is the river, and the threshold is the bank. He stood on the shore with his legs crossed, and shook himself first without starting to release the water.
The cold and wet wind blew behind the ears and slid over the neck.
The "river" suddenly became turbulent.
Then, a canine growl sounded all around.
A vague outline emerged from the fog.
"Sinner Cao Lishi dares to defy the law. I am here to take away your soul on the order of Dharma King Weide."
"I will make you fall into the cave city forever! Fall into the cave city forever!"
The voice was shrill and unclear, echoing in the fog.
The boy was trembling more and more, but without making any excuse, he suddenly shouted and fled into the house.
The voice follows him like a shadow.
He fled into the back room, and the paper man's head sticking out seemed to be blocking the way to threaten him; he hid in the front hall, where the room was full of paper men laughing strangely around the candlelight; he threw himself on the floor again... and pulled out a wooden stick.
Leng Buding jumped up, turned around and hit where the sound came from.
The stick made a "wuwu" sound.
There was no fear on his face, only pride.
Where did this stupid thief come from and pretend to be a ghost? Nai Gong, how could you be so scared?
Poof~ However, the place where the wooden stick fell seemed to be covered with a ball of cotton wool, and there was only a slight echo.
The lights danced, reflecting the latter.
The guy's pride was etched on his face.
What kind of monster is that? ! Like a large mass of shadow or silt kneaded together randomly, there are three human faces, one is ferocious, one is narrow, and the other is miserable.
Bang~
The stick fell from his hand and fell to the ground.
The yellow soup warmed my crotch.
…………
That night all the ghosts gathered together again.
"The boy confessed."
"He told the whereabouts of Cao!"
"He really doesn't know this." Seeing everyone's eyes dimming instantly, Li Changan shook his head and smiled, "But he did tell a very useful piece of news."
The ghosts quickly cheered up.
"The man named Cao suddenly asked for many spiritual talismans more than half a month ago."
Huang Wei thought for a moment and then gritted his teeth: "That guy has already discovered that we are ghosts!"
"Not only that." Li Changan added, "He probably also knows that we all received the 'ten thousand yuan sticker', otherwise he wouldn't have chosen this day to hide."
The Taoist priest looked calmly at the ghosts.
Huang Tail's eyes rolled around, the old shopkeeper sighed, the scholars hesitated to speak, and the country folk were angry and confused for a while.
Now is not the time to pursue.
"So Pindao sneaked into his house again overnight and found this."
Li Changan took out a yellow charm and placed it on the table.
The spirit is so powerful that even if it is held in its mouth but not released, it still scares all the ghosts and makes them urinate and run away.
When he first came to Qiantang, he found that although everyone in Qiantang was looking for talismans, the ones circulating on the market were all shoddy and shoddy talismans. At that time, he just thought it was because his local colleagues looked too ugly.
Until one day, a ghost came to him and asked for an explanation.
It turned out that this ghost had a lot of money and was skilled in deception, so he pretended to be a living person, bought a house, married wives and concubines, raised servants, bought property, and lived in Qiantang City openly as a certain official.
Until one day, he was undressing and undressing his newly purchased concubine, who was wearing a talisman purchased from Li Changan.
He showed his true colors on the spot.
Therefore, local temples rarely give out talismans with such power. If there is a problem, the people usually ask a mage to come and solve it.
And if you want to get the "true talisman", you must be a believer with Buddhist connections or deep morals, that is, a regular customer who is diligent in offering incense and generous in spending money.
"The person surnamed Cao wants to use the help of Cave City to get rid of us so that he can monopolize the 'funeral viewing' business. Then he has to hide in a place before August 5th. We, or ghosts, can't find him, and there is nothing he can do. place."
Huang Wei's face turned ugly: "What did the Taoist priest mean?"
Li Changan tapped the seal on the talisman with his fingers.
"Wonderful views."
…………
We finally found out where Shopkeeper Cao was, but there was no joy on anyone's face.
"Wonderful views."
The name Yellow Tail Chew is like chewing Coptidis Coptidis.
Li Changan also said in a solemn tone: "That's right, it's that wonderful temple known as 'Gathering of True Gods and Guards of All Gods'."
Zhongmiao Temple is the most famous temple among the thirteen families.
Every morning on the day of chanting sutras, the temple emits a spiritual light like the sun in the sky, and ordinary ghosts dare not approach even a little bit.
As for Li Changan, even though his soul is pure and upright, he is not reviled by the righteousness and divine light. But the incense of the wonderful temples has been accumulated for thousands of years, and the number of protector gods they support is said to be tens of thousands. Not to mention that the Taoist priest is dead, even if he is still alive, he still has to take a quick detour.
The old shopkeeper hesitated and said: "Although Cao takes refuge in a wonderful temple, the immortals in the temple may not know the truth. If we go and talk to each other..."
Huang Wei interrupted him without politeness: "Brother, have you ever seen a temple in Qiantang that is willing to reason with ghosts?"
There was silence in the room.
Li Changan frowned and stood up, walked around the four corners of the house, walked around again in the opposite direction, and finally clapped his hands.
He sat down again and dug out a dozen copper coins. After thinking about it, he picked up a few more and took them back to save for tomorrow's meal.
"I have an idea. It might work, but you might have to spend some money to hire a helper."
The ghosts looked at each other for a moment.
"I don't have any money left." Huangwei scratched his face, "Will this thing work?"
He took out a bronze mirror.
"The same goes for old men."
The old shopkeeper took out a pair of boots from his bag. They were 80% new, but the stitching was fine.
The country folk also had no money. They randomly gave away some needlework balls, knives, nails, tin chamber pots... Li Changan saw a black thread.
"Where did you find these bits and pieces?"
"Aren't we worried that we won't find the man surnamed Cao in the end? The mountains are so poor that we can't just dive in empty-handed. When we went to his house, we grabbed some things." Huangwei said angrily, "How could he know how to clean his house? 'So clean!"
Li Changan couldn't laugh or cry.
"The helper I plan to hire may be small in stature, but I'm afraid he has a big appetite. These things can't be exchanged for much money."
The eyes of all the ghosts fell on the three scholars.
The scholars lingered for a long time, but in the end they were too thin-skinned to bear the crowd watching.
One took out a brush, another took out a few ink sticks, and another took out a small stack of jute paper.
These three people are usually very reserved. They always say that a gentleman will not change his noble aspirations even though he is in a lowly position. Unexpectedly...the three scholars were almost ashamed of themselves under the joking eyes of the ghosts.
Li Changan "comforted": "What a scholar does is not considered stealing."
The scholars said "woohoo", covered their faces and left.
