Chapter 223: The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper
Chapter 223: The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper
Hu Ma only understood why Miss White Wine had asked him to come at this time after seeing this person. She had mentioned an old acquaintance, and now he knew who it was.
The old shopkeeper, upon seeing Hu Ma, was slightly taken aback, as if he was struggling to recall something.
Hu Ma smiled and gestured for Zhou Datong and the others to pull the old steward aside. He then approached the old man politely, bowing deeply and said, "Senior, it's been a long time. Do you still recognize me?"
"Eh, don't say anything yet..."
The old man quickly stopped him, saying, "You look familiar, I'm just about to remember..."
Seeing his reaction, Hu Ma knew it would be difficult for him to recall.
He smiled and said, "Have you forgotten last year when I guided Second Uncle into the mountains for you?"
"Ah!"
The shopkeeper slapped his forehead and laughed, "It's really you! You looked familiar. Why are you dressed in the Blood Food Gang’s attire?"
"It's not that my memory is bad. It's just that you look very different after just a year..."
"..."
It turned out that this shopkeeper was none other than the one who had accompanied Miss White Wine when she went to Old Yin Mountain to find the Fox Coffin. He had even tried to use the Five Ghosts Technique to help Hu Ma find his grandmother, though it didn't work well in Old Yin Mountain. Nevertheless, it showed that he was also someone from the inner circle. Hu Ma wasn't surprised to meet him here, given that he was the shopkeeper of this herbal medicine shop.
Hu Ma smiled, "Thanks to you and Miss, I joined the Blood Food Gang last year and now earn a living."
"You helped me bury my grandmother, and I haven't forgotten your kindness."
"..."
"That was out of respect for your grandmother. No need to be so formal."
The old shopkeeper laughed and looked Hu Ma up and down, "You're doing well, I see. You’ve become a manager? I heard some commotion earlier, what happened?"
"It's about a sister of mine."
Hu Ma quickly lowered his voice, "She has soul loss syndrome. I want to ask the doctor at Caoxin Hall to take a look."
The old shopkeeper was taken aback and said, "If she has lost her soul, just have a Ghost Walker call it back. Your grandmother was a Ghost Walker, she should know how."
Hu Ma replied, "It's not that simple. We can't call it back."
"Is that so..."
The old shopkeeper frowned and beckoned Hu Ma, "Then going to the clinic won't help. Bring her here!"
Hu Ma was delighted and quickly had Zhou Datong and the others bring Li Xiangyu over. The old shopkeeper led them upstairs and laid her on a soft couch in a hall.
The shopkeeper waved his hand, and an apprentice brought a basin of clear water. He washed his hands, then lit a stick of incense in the nearby incense burner. He then gently opened Li Xiangyu's eyes to examine them.
After looking at her eyes, his expression turned serious. He then checked the red spots under her skin and flipped her hand to press her palm.
An apprentice was by his side, and while he didn't chant like a doctor, he explained as he examined, "To diagnose soul loss or ghost possession, first check the earth spirit. If it's agitated, it's a recent case. If it's slow, it's a chronic one."
"If the pulse at the base of the thumb jumps, it indicates a shock from a road encounter."
"If the first joint of the little finger jumps, it indicates a shock from an animal, usually a furry one. If the first joint of the ring finger jumps, it indicates a shock from a scaled or armored creature."
"If the earth spirit is normal, check the first joint of the middle finger. If it jumps, it indicates a ghostly collision. If the middle joint jumps, it indicates possession by a willow spirit, which can be removed by clamping it with chopsticks..."
"..."
He was very systematic, explaining as he examined. However, after pressing Li Xiangyu's hand a few times, his expression turned grim, and he stopped talking. After further examination, he straightened up and said to Hu Ma, "Little brother, we have a bit of a past, but I'm not trying to avoid helping you. However, the girl you brought, we at Caoxin Hall might not be able to treat."
"..."
Earlier in the village, when Hu Ma was just a child, the old shopkeeper had barely even remembered his name. Now, seeing Hu Ma in the Blood Food Gang and dressed like a manager, he was much more polite.
But despite the politeness, his final attitude made Hu Ma suddenly worried. He remembered that the old shopkeeper was quite skilled and seemed willing to help, so why would he say they couldn't treat her?
The old shopkeeper seemed conflicted and paused before whispering, "Her soul was taken in a very peculiar way."
"We at Caoxin Hall treat illnesses, not grudges."
"..."
Looking into his eyes, Hu Ma immediately caught the hidden meaning, "So, Li Xiangyu's soul was indeed taken by someone?"
With a hint of suspicion, he turned to look at the old steward, guessing something.
The old steward, who had been anxious, had intended to find a Life Commander at Caoxin Hall as soon as they arrived but couldn't find one. Seeing Hu Ma's acquaintance helping, he was relieved and waited patiently. Now, seeing the old shopkeeper unwilling to help, he became anxious again.
He stepped forward and bowed to the old shopkeeper, "Sir, may I speak to you privately?"
The old shopkeeper was taken aback and turned to look at Hu Ma. Hu Ma remained calm and said, "This is a relative of a friend, but we're not very close."
"Then let's talk here!"
The old shopkeeper turned to the old steward and said, "Since it's the same patient, we at Caoxin Hall operate by the rules. There's no need to speak in private."
The old steward hesitated for a moment, glancing around, unsure of what to do.
However, the old shopkeeper of Caoxin Hall paid him no mind and instead turned to Hu Ma, saying, "Little Brother, it’s not that we don’t value old ties, but your patient’s condition is quite peculiar. I think you should look into the root cause first!"
"Caoxin Hall has its own rules, and we can’t make exceptions."
"..."
His tone was courteous but firm, causing the surrounding people to feel uneasy. The old steward was even more anxious, looking as if he wanted to say something but held back.
"The reason for Fragrant Girl’s soul loss syndrome must be related to something that happened in her dreams."
Hu Ma thought to himself, "Caoxin Hall must have noticed something unusual. Perhaps Fragrant Girl has been ensnared by something, and they don’t want to offend it, so they’re asking me to look into the root cause."
"Normally, I should leave now to avoid putting Miss White Wine in an awkward position."
"But Miss White Wine did say she would appear if necessary. Should I leave or stay?"
"..."
While he was pondering, no one noticed that when Hu Ma and the others carried Fragrant Girl upstairs, a cat had been lazily lying on the stairs between the second and third floors, its amber eyes observing everything.
As the atmosphere on the second floor became tense, a pair of delicate feet in white embroidered shoes appeared from the third floor. Soon, a pair of slender hands reached down, picked up the cat, and descended the stairs gracefully.
Hearing the sound of the stairs, everyone turned instinctively and was immediately captivated.
A white-clad woman descended from upstairs, holding a cat. She was strikingly beautiful, yet her demeanor was remarkably calm, with a faint scent of herbal medicine.
It seemed she had come down unintentionally and, upon seeing the people, glanced around. Her gaze fell on Hu Ma, and she paused slightly. Then, her eyes moved to Mr. Wu, as if seeking some confirmation.
"Master..."
The shopkeeper quickly stood up and smiled, "Do you remember this child?"
"Last year, when we entered the mountains, he guided us. Now he has made it, becoming a young manager in the Blood Food Gang."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Hu Ma hurriedly stood up and bowed politely.
He thought to himself, Miss White Wine is indeed very beautiful.
In the old Yin Mountain, she never left her sedan, so this was the first time he had truly seen her.
They were already quite familiar, but in reality, they had to act as if they weren’t. He couldn’t show their familiarity, so he just bowed politely and stole a glance.
"That’s not a manager, look at that robe, he seems more like a shopkeeper."
Miss White Wine was even better at acting. She glanced at Hu Ma indifferently and said, "When we were in the village, I noticed this child was quite extraordinary. When I encountered trouble in the forest, he, despite his young age, knew to help. He has good character."
"Shopkeeper?"
The Five Ghosts Shopkeeper was slightly surprised and re-evaluated Hu Ma.
Last year, Hu Ma was just a child in the village, and now he had become a shopkeeper in the Blood Food Gang. His rise was indeed rapid...
Of course, as the shopkeeper of Caoxin Hall, he might not hold the Blood Food Gang’s shopkeeper in high regard, but on the surface, they should treat each other as equals.
Surprised, he thought, "Rising so quickly is not easy. Did he sell his body or his life?"
But he quickly smiled and bowed to Hu Ma, saying, "My eyes must be failing me. Little Brother, you have quite the talent. Now that you’re in the city, come by for some tea when you have time."
"Senior, you flatter me."
Hu Ma also bowed, noticing the surprise in the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper’s eyes. He thought to himself, reaching the position of shopkeeper is enough. I shouldn’t push things too far.
Last year, I was just a poor youth in the village. In just over a year, I’ve become a shopkeeper in the Blood Food Gang. Even if my actions have been logical, others might see it as a meteoric rise.
If someone from the Ten Surnames comes, they might suspect something and cause trouble.
In the future, some things should be done in secret.
Seeing Hu Ma and the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper greet each other, Miss White Wine seemed uninterested, as if she had only recognized Hu Ma and didn’t care much about it.
She simply instructed the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper, "Since he’s an old acquaintance, treat him well and invite him to stay for lunch!"
"Red Lantern Lady is building a temple now, so she’s not considered an outsider. Interacting with the Red Lantern Society’s young shopkeeper, who is also an old acquaintance, doesn’t violate Caoxin Hall’s rules."
"..."
Hu Ma quickly said, "Miss Master, we have a patient here, what do you think...?"
Miss White Wine replied, "Let the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper examine the patient. Don’t skimp on the consultation fee. We settled the favor from last year in the forest."
Hu Ma immediately felt relieved and smiled, "Of course."
(End of Chapter)
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