Da Ming Xia 48

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Chapter Forty-Eight:

Penglai Inn

"Harmony between Heaven and Man, Unity of Man and Heaven." After circulating the newly learned Hunyuan Qi from Wang Tingxiang for twelve cycles, Ding Shou couldn't help but ponder deeply.

The Heavenly Demon True Qi might not be weaker than Hunyuan Qi, yet he was constantly restrained by Li Mingshu when using the Heavenly Demon Hand. The Yi Sword Technique was known for anticipating the enemy's moves and breaking all other techniques, while Wang Tingxiang, who knew no martial arts moves, could defeat the Yi Sword Technique solely with his powerful internal energy and a straight punch that resonated with the principles of heaven and earth. Was this what was meant by "no moves are better than moves"...?

Thinking of this, Ding Shou shook his head in self-doubt. Even idle brawls were without moves or styles; a martial artist could easily take their life. The so-called "no moves" also required a foundation of powerful internal energy. One force can overcome ten techniques; the so-called "four ounces can deflect a thousand pounds" means that even if one wins with skillful force, one can still deflect a force of ten thousand pounds. I have only been practicing martial arts for four years. Although I have the help of Zhu Yunwen to open up my meridians, my internal strength cultivation is still insufficient. My Heavenly Demon True Qi has stagnated after entering the fourth level. I don't know when I will be able to reach the level of "overcoming skill with clumsiness and great skill without artifice"...

I sighed softly, feeling lost and disappointed. Suddenly, I heard the cabin door open and Jang Geum skipped in, followed by Wang Tingxiang with a smile on his face.

"Master, Uncle Wang taught me a poem." Eager to impress her master, Jang-geum recited it as soon as she stood still:

"Once I accompanied the immortals in Penglai, my writings flourished amidst the five-colored clouds.

When will I be offered a banquet beneath the Jade Terrace? When will I be moved to the Jade Steps to enjoy my glory?

The sun dyes the sunset, the rain and dew deepen the clouds; the cold brings warmth, the wind and smoke abound.

They should laugh at me, for I am better than the willow by the riverbank, riding the waves to send Zhang Qian on his journey."

Listening to Jang-geum's childish recitation of the Tang poem, Ding Shou nodded in praise, "Jang-geum is truly intelligent, not a single word is wrong." He made little Jang-geum beam with joy.

Ding Shou then looked up at Wang Tingxiang and asked, "Brother Ziheng, why did you teach me this poem? Are we approaching Dengzhou soon?"

Wang Tingxiang smiled and nodded, "Brother, you should also prepare yourself; there will be many social engagements in Dengzhou."

"I'll leave these matters to Brother Ziheng; I won't get involved," Ding Shou shook his head.

"This..." Wang Tingxiang hesitated for a moment, then spoke up to dissuade him, "The civil and military officials of Dengzhou have already made preparations. Your actions, my

virtuous brother, are far too impolite." "My reputation for arrogance has already been established during this mission, so one more time won't make a difference," Ding Shou said nonchalantly, affectionately ruffling Jang-geum's head. "I promised Jang-geum I would visit Mount Tai. I'll take this opportunity to travel light and still make it back to the capital at the same time as you."

Wang Tingxiang wanted to speak more, but seeing the bright, eager look in Jang-geum's eyes, he refrained from further persuasion.

*** ***

A gentle breeze, carrying the salty, damp scent of the seaside, lingered around a two-story inn nestled in the bay. The inn's banner fluttered gently in the wind, revealing four large black characters: "Penglai Inn."

The place was named Penglai, but it had absolutely no connection to any overseas fairy mountain. The walls were made of yellow earth, and the beams of wood. There were a few seats on the first floor and guest rooms on the second. Ding Shou and Jang Geum had left the main road, never expecting to end up in such a frustrating place.

"A pot of Zhuyeqing tea, two cold dish platters, a steamed chicken, and two catties of beef, hurry up and bring them out!" In a small place, one couldn't be too fussy; the Second Master was still considerate.

The waiter was short, around twenty years old, with a simple, honest face. After hearing Ding Shou's order, he chuckled and said, "No, we don't have that."

Ding Shou rolled his eyes, but before he could get angry, the waiter explained, "Please forgive us, sir. The shop is small and out of the way, we didn't prepare that much. The meat we recently served just sold out."

Seeing Jang Geum beside him, Ding Shou restrained himself. Being a teacher, he said gently, "You run a shop by the sea, you must have seafood, right?"

"Yes, yes," the waiter nodded excitedly.

"Stir-fry some cuttlefish, braised sea cucumber, and stew some sea bream soup." Ding Shou felt his temper had improved considerably after venting his anger in Korea.

But the waiter still didn't move. Ding Shou tilted his head, mimicking his tone, "Still nothing?"

"Yes," the waiter nodded first, then gave a troubled, bitter smile, "The chef doesn't know how to cook."

Forcing himself not to flip the table and hit him, Ding Shou glared at the waiter, "Are you running a restaurant?"

"Yes, we run a restaurant," the waiter said, looking aggrieved, "I've gotten beaten up by customers countless times for this. The boss won't change the chef, what can I do?"

"Little Dazi, stop with the nonsense. Eat if you want, get out if you don't." The tone was sharp, but the voice was clear and pleasant.

Ding Shou looked in the direction of the sound and saw a flash of red on the second floor. A glamorous woman quickly descended the stairs. As she got closer, he saw she was about thirty years old, with a voluptuous figure and alluring eyes and brows. Her face was unadorned, her skin fair and delicate. She flipped her red skirt over at the table, sat down, placed her embroidered shoes on the bench, crossed her legs, leaned back, propped herself up on the table, raised her chin, and asked crisply, "What, not satisfied with this humble establishment?"

This appearance startled Xiao Changjin, who moved closer to Ding Shou, thinking to herself how fierce this woman was. Ding Shou, however, took a good look at the proprietress's alluring curves from head to toe, glancing at her ample bosom. He smiled and said, "Not at all, a guest will do as the host says. We'll eat whatever you have."

With a cold snort, he got off the table. The proprietress swayed her hips and walked behind the counter, picked up the ledger, flipped through it a few times, and then threw it down heavily. "Little Dazi!"

"Hey," the waiter trembled in fright, bowing and scraping, "What are your orders, ma'am?"

"Where has Old Xu gone? He hasn't even finished settling last month's accounts yet!" the ma'am shouted, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Old... Old Xu... he... he..." the waiter stammered.

The ma'am softened her tone, smiling gently, "Alright, alright, I'm not angry this time, I just raised my voice a bit. Don't be afraid, speak slowly."

The waiter took a deep breath and said, "Old Xu said he's going to pick up a distinguished guest, he should arrive before tonight, and he said you definitely won't be angry, you'll know as soon as I tell you." He spoke these words in one breath, without pausing, and only after finishing did he catch his breath.

"Oh," the ma'am suddenly realized, then said sharply, "Then what are you waiting for? Tell Old Jiang to get ready, we have a distinguished guest coming." She then chuckled, tucked a stray hair behind her ear with her delicate fingers, and gracefully walked upstairs.

Seeing that the proprietress had disappeared, the waiter breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said to Ding Shou, "Please forgive her, sir. The proprietress has a bit of a temper, but she's kind-hearted."

"It's alright," Ding Shou smiled. "Your name is Xiao Dazi. Judging from your accent, you're not a local?"

"Sir, you have a good ear," the waiter said with a hint of shyness. "I'm a Tatar. Eight years ago, I was sold by the border army in Ningxia. The proprietress bought me back with ten sheepskins. Originally, they called me Little Tatar, but after a while, I started calling myself Xiao Dazi."

Ding Shou didn't care whether the boy was Mongolian or not. The Ming Dynasty's ethnic policies were relatively good; they didn't openly discriminate, saying things like "those who are not of our race are bound to have different hearts," nor did they adopt a "two less, one lenient" approach of supporting a bunch of living fathers. Zhu Yuanzhang's proclamation against the Yuan Dynasty stated, "Those Mongolians and Semu peoples, though not of the Han Chinese race, are born under the same heaven and earth. Those who know etiquette and wish to be subjects will be treated no differently from the people of the Central Plains." After gaining power, he issued an edict: "Mongolians and Semu peoples are all my children. If they have talent and ability, they will be promoted and employed equally." Therefore, from the hereditary garrison system in the early Ming Dynasty to the late Ming Dynasty... Among the generals who died fighting were many high-ranking officials, but Second Master was preoccupied with something else. "May I ask the name of your shopkeeper?"

Xiao Dazi paused for a moment, then, realizing what he meant, smiled and said, "No one ever mentions the proprietress's name. Everyone who knows her calls her 'the charming one'..."

Ding Shou was about to inquire further when he heard a call of "Waiter!" Another customer entered. The man wore a Dongpo turban, a royal blue satin robe, a wide belt, a red cloud-patterned pendant, and grey cloud-patterned shoes. He was plump and fair-skinned, resembling a Maitreya Buddha statue.

Xiao Dazi went to greet him, and the man chose a table next to Ding Shou, smiling and nodding at him. Ding Shou returned the greeting with a smile.

"Sir, what would you like to eat?" Xiao Dazi draped a white cloth over his shoulder and asked.

"What did this gentleman order?" the fat man asked, pointing to Ding Shou's table.

"This..." Xiao Dazi looked at Ding Shou with some difficulty. He couldn't very well say that the master hadn't ordered anything.

Ding Shou timely came to the rescue, "Just bring a few of your specialties."

"Alright!" Xiao Dazi shouted happily. Before he could ask any more questions, the fat man said, "The same as this master's..."

*** ***

Damn it, these are their specialties. Ding Shou looked at the plate of salted fish that smelled fishy and the dish of smoked meat that was cut into uneven slices, feeling like crying. Chang Jin even obediently put a few pieces of food on his plate and said, "Master, please eat."

A hoarse laugh rang out, and the fat man at the next table, acting all familiar, sat down beside him with his wine glass. "My surname is Luo. I'm here to buy seafood. You don't seem to be from around here. Are you new here?"

Ding Shou nodded slightly, too lazy to pay him any attention. The fat man, finding him annoying, continued, "May I ask your name?"

Oh dear, this fat man's got a problem with me. Ding Shou felt a wave of disgust. "My name is Ding Shou, I'm sorry to offend you." "

May I ask what business you have here, Brother Ding, and what grand plans you have?" Fat Luo's eyes, already small, now appeared as mere slits when he smiled.

The words "None of your business!" almost slipped out, but Ding Shou silently reminded himself, "I'm a teacher, I'm a teacher. I can't set a bad example for the children. I'll hold back." "Haha, I am a humble tutor in my household. I recently had some free time and brought my disciples here for a spring outing to express our feelings."

"Oh dear, it's a gentleman! I've been impolite. Please accept my toast." Fatty Luo picked up his wine cup, but his hand trembled slightly, spilling the wine. He quickly stood up and apologized profusely.

Ding Shou returned the bow, but then he saw Fatty Luo's right hand, fingers like a knife, swiftly aiming for his "Futu" acupoint on his neck. In the split second, Ding Shou shifted his shoulder downwards, raising his palm to protect his neck. He waited for Fatty Luo's fingers to strike, then turned his palm into a claw and twisted his fingers off.

Fatty Luo's fingers stopped abruptly half an inch from Ding Shou's palm. He withdrew his hand, turned around, and chuckled, "Teacher? You seem to be a martial arts expert."

Ding Shou casually dusted off his clothes, saying, "Who says teaching can only impart morality and literature? Brother Luo's methods don't seem like those of an ordinary purchasing merchant."

Still smiling before speaking, Fatty Luo's fat face jiggled as he said, "The world is not peaceful. If I didn't have some tricks up my sleeve, I'd probably be a skeleton on the roadside long ago."

Ding Shou gave a light "oh" and said calmly, "With the current Holy Emperor on the throne, the country is peaceful and prosperous. I wonder what Brother Luo is referring to?"

"This..." Fatty Luo was momentarily speechless, his face turning ugly.

Ding Shou raised his wine cup and laughed, "I was just joking. Brother, don't take it to heart."

"That's right, that's right, of course not." Fatty Luo raised his cup to clink.

For a moment, the two men, each with their own ulterior motives, drank together, enjoying each other's company.

Just as Luo Pangzi put down his wine glass, wanting to say a few more words, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the shop.

A gaunt old man, about fifty years old, pushed open the door and shouted, "Xiao Dazi, come quickly and help unload the goods! Boss lady, we have a distinguished guest!"

Hearing the shout, Xiao Dazi came out from the kitchen and, seeing the gaunt old man, complained, "Old Xu, why are you only coming back now? The boss lady was just asking about you."

Old Xu didn't mind and instructed Xiao Dazi to unload the goods from the cart outside the shop, leading a tall man wearing a straw hat upstairs.

Ding Shou noticed that the man's knuckles were thick, clearly indicating he possessed martial arts skills. As he went upstairs, he lifted the brim of his hat and glanced at the table. He saw two thick eyebrows, and one eye was blind.

Seeing this appearance, Ding Shou's heart stirred. He gave Changjin a few instructions, apologized to Luo Pangzi, got up, and left the table, heading towards the kitchen.

The inn wasn't large, but the kitchen was quite spacious. Three large pots sat on the stove, and a stack of rough porcelain bowls were haphazardly placed on a huge, coarse wooden chopping board. Ding Shou looked around for a way to the second floor when suddenly a sense of unease arose. He whirled around and was startled.

A hairy thing was almost pressed against his face, causing him to take two steps back. He then realized it was an old man with white hair and a beard that had grown all over his body, his face expressionless, staring straight at him.

Seeing that the old man was wearing an apron, Ding Shou felt relieved and tentatively asked, "Are you the cook?"

The old man didn't answer, which angered Ding Shou. He raised his voice again, "I'm asking you a question, don't play dumb."

The old man still stood there dumbfounded. Ding Shou's face turned pale, and he was about to explode in anger when Xiao Dazi happened to carry in a basket of vegetables. He patted the old man on the shoulder, gestured a few times, and the old man nodded, then swayed and walked out.

"Please don't mind, sir. Old Jiang is mute. The landlady took pity on him and gave him a meal. Please forgive him if he offended you. You are..." Xiao Dazi explained with a smile, then asked in confusion.

"Oh, I need to relieve myself. Where is the outhouse in your backyard?" Ding Shou asked directly in the kitchen about the toilet.

Xiao Dazi pointed to the side door, his face full of smiles, "Go out this way, it's next to the stable. I still have to unload goods, so I can't take you there."

"It's alright, you go ahead and do your work." Ding Shou declined, walked out of the side door, and seeing that no one was around, he leaped and silently climbed onto the roof.

While crouching to avoid being seen, he listened carefully and finally heard voices around the corner of the inn. Ding Shou hung his legs on the eaves and hooked himself upside down to the window. He could hear what sounded like an argument inside.

"Calm down, both of you. Even if a deal falls through, we can still be on good terms. Why ruin our

relationship over a little money?" The voice was hoarse, and it sounded like the accountant, Old Xu. "A little money? You make it sound so easy. It's a hundred taels per person to help others go to sea, but I'm asking for a thousand. Do you think I, Feng Mengxiong, am a sucker?" His tone was full of resentment.

Ding Shou smiled slightly. It was indeed him, Feng Mengxiong, the "Water Dividing Rhinoceros," a notorious bandit on the Yangtze River. He was ruthless and never left any of his men alive. He was a well-known figure in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Then came the landlady's seductive voice, "Master Feng, I can't accept such words. How can those petty thieves compare to a nobleman like you? Your reward alone is worth eight hundred taels. How can I accept less than that, worthy of your status, Master Feng?"

With a cold snort, Feng Mengxiong said hatefully, "If I don't give it to you, are you planning to inform the authorities?"

"Oh, I can't do something that goes against the rules of the underworld," the charming voice paused, then said with a coquettish laugh, "However, news has come that Xiao Zijing, the chief constable of the Six Doors, has arrived in Shandong. I wonder if Master Feng is interested in settling the score for the blinding injury from years ago..."

There was a "crash," something shattered, followed by Feng Mengxiong's heavy breathing and Old Xu's attempts to calm him down.

"Alright, a thousand taels of silver, I'll pay it.

Arrange for me to set sail immediately." A giggle rang out. "Master Feng is a man of his word, a deal is a deal. Once the ship arrives in the next couple of days, arrangements will be made for you right away."

"Wait? You..."

Old Xu's voice rang out again. "Master Feng, sailing at sea is not like sailing on land. You have to act according to the weather. You'll have to stay here for a couple of days."

"Who the hell wants to linger in this godforsaken place..." Feng Mengxiong was furious and was about to say something more when he suddenly heard a commotion ahead.

Ding Shou drifted down to the backyard like a fallen leaf, from the kitchen to the front hall, and saw Xiao Dazi blocking five or six monks in cloth robes and straw sandals at the gate. The monks looked agitated and seemed to be arguing.

Back in his seat, Ding Shou asked Fatty Luo, who was watching the commotion, "Brother Luo, why are they arguing?"

Fatty Luo stroked his bald chin and chuckled, "What shopkeeper would want to accommodate monks who eat and stay for free, especially when they're bringing patients along?"

"Gentlemen, our shop really can't accommodate you. Please walk a little further ahead; there are temples in Dengzhou Prefecture where you can stay," Xiao Dazi advised with a worried expression.

Several monks refused to listen. The woman, known as "Wanrenmi," strode over, leaned against the door, and stepped on the other side of the doorframe. "This isn't a Buddhist temple. If you want to freeload, go to a temple! Get lost!"

A young monk, seemingly the leader, stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and said, "Greetings, madam. We are passing through your esteemed area, but one of our companions has caught a cold and is unable to continue. We beg your mercy and grant us this favor."

Wanrenmi looked behind them and saw a monk being supported by two men, looking dazed. The proprietress remained unmoved. "If you're sick, go find a doctor. I don't have a doctor in my shop. What are you doing here?"

The young monk seemed well-mannered and didn't get angry. He said gently, "I have my own medicine. Please provide us with a humble room to rest for a few days. As for anything else, I won't cause you any trouble." He then took a cloth bag from his sleeve and handed it over.

The charming monk disdainfully took the cloth bag, weighed it in his hand, and looked surprised. He opened the small cloth bag and found it was full of loose silver. At this time, the Ming Dynasty had not yet seen the large influx of silver from the Americas during the Longqing era when the seas opened. In daily life, copper coins were still the most common currency. He never expected that these ordinary-looking monks would be so wealthy. The proprietress immediately smiled broadly. "Master, what are you saying? Everyone has difficulties when traveling. Helping others is helping yourself. Old Xu, quickly arrange a superior room for these masters."

Xiao Dazi stepped forward and said, "Proprietress, didn't you say..."

"Say your mother's leg!" The charming monk kicked Xiao Dazi in the butt. "You even push away the God of Wealth. What sins did I commit to pick up such a heartless thing like you?"

Xiao Dazi rubbed his butt in grievance and then quickly stepped forward to help the monks carry their luggage. When he reached out to take a bundle from a monk's arms, the monk's face changed, and with a low shout, he pushed him to the ground.

The entire shop fell silent as everyone stared in astonishment at the scene. The leading monk quickly stepped forward to help Xiao Dazi up, brushing the dust off his clothes and saying apologetically, "Please forgive me, benefactor." He then shouted at the monk who had pushed him, "Apologize to the benefactor!"

The monk, clutching his bundle, bowed deeply but remained silent.

Xiao Dazi shook his hands frantically, "It's alright, it's alright. I was ignorant and offended the master; I brought this upon myself."

The charming woman, however, hardened her face, "So what if you have money? Shop assistants are also born of parents. I'm not serving you anymore. Take your money and get out!" Despite her words, she clutched the bag of silver tightly in her hand.

With a deep sigh, the leading monk bowed again to the proprietress and said, "We have a difficult matter to discuss. Our master recently passed away, and we brothers wish to take his relics back to the temple for burial. The relics this junior brother is carrying are our master's remains. We were afraid that your shop might have some taboos, so we couldn't say it outright. Please forgive us."

The charming monk looked troubled. "While this is understandable, we shopkeepers value good fortune. You've brought..."

The young monk, quick to read the room, took out a bag of silver from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. "Please forgive us

, proprietress." "Master, you're too kind. There's no need for forgiveness. This is a blessing for the next life. Please come upstairs, and I'll have someone arrange a vegetarian meal for you." Taking the silver, the proprietress's smile could melt an iceberg.

Seeing the monks enter the room, Old Xu approached, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the two bags of loose silver. "Boss lady," he said, "I didn't expect these monks to be so generous. They must have at least thirty taels."

With a chuckle, the charming woman tossed the silver onto the counter. "Weigh it and put it in the account."

"Alright," Old Xu replied, taking a silver scale from the counter and weighing the loose silver pieces one by one. A moment later, he exclaimed happily, "Thirty-four taels! We've really made a profit this time!"

"I'm afraid not," said Fatty Luo, who was always around, as he approached the counter. He picked up a piece of silver, examined it, and tossed it aside. "This silver is dull in color and of low quality. I reckon it wouldn't be worth this much if it were melted down at a dumping ground."

Seeing someone take his silver, Wanrenmi was about to erupt in anger, but Fatty Luo's words made his heart clench. "What? Is the silver fake?"

Shaking his head, Fatty Luo said, "It's not perfectly pure, but the refining process was a bit poor. However, this silver is probably at least twenty taels of pure silver."

Hearing that half the silver was gone, Wanrenmi immediately flew into a rage, glaring at Xiao Dazi who was carrying food upstairs and yelling, "Xiao Dazi, where are you going?"

Xiao Dazi was somewhat bewildered. "Didn't you say you were bringing vegetarian food to the masters…?"

"What vegetarian food? Just give me a few cold steamed buns," the charming woman said coldly, then spat under her breath, "Damn it, what kind of world is this? Even monks are swindlers."

Ding Shou sat there and chuckled. This proprietress was really obsessed with money. One tael of silver was enough for a family of three in the Ming Dynasty to eat and wear for a month. Even twenty taels of silver was a huge profit for her, yet she still felt it wasn't enough.

Chang Jin whispered, "Master, this sister is so fierce. She even scolds monks."

Ding Shou chuckled softly, "These monks are also of dubious origin. They all look light-footed and agile. They must be from the martial arts world."

"Jianghu, where is Jianghu?" Little Jang-geum asked curiously.

"Jianghu is a general term for the world where people toil and struggle. Zhuangzi once said in 'The Great Master': 'When the spring dries up, the fish are stranded on land, moistening each other with their breath and saliva. It would be better for them to forget each other in the rivers and lakes.' Ding Shou explained, maintaining his dignity as a teacher, 'In other words, when the spring dries up, two fish are trapped in a small puddle on land. They can't move and try to keep each other moist with their saliva. In this situation, it would be better for them to live freely in the rivers and lakes, without knowing each other.'"

"Master, those fish are so pitiful. But if they really forget each other, wouldn't they be even more lonely? Jang-geum will not forget Master." Little Jang-geum's tone was firm. Since losing her father and mother at a young age, it was rare for someone to care for her so much. Although this master was sometimes unruly and not as respectable as Uncle Wang, he made her feel closer to him.

"Jang-geum is so sensible," Ding Shou said, gently stroking the little girl's twin buns. He called out loudly, "Innkeeper, give me a superior room."

*** ***

The night was still and quiet.

Looking at the sleeping Jang-geum, Ding Shou smiled slightly, opened the back window, and climbed out.

Feng Mengxiong's appearance was an unexpected delight; capturing him would allow him to slap the Ministry of Justice in the face. However, Ding Shou was more interested in the monks of unknown origin.

He stealthily approached the monks' window, listening intently to their steady breathing. He quietly poked a hole in the window paper, peered inside, and saw

the young monk in the lead sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. Two monks were resting on the bed, while two others were awake. One was clutching a blue leather bundle, and the other was tending to the "sick" monk by the bedside.

The monk, about forty years old, was beardless, with his eyes tightly closed and a sallow complexion, truly appearing ill. Suddenly, Ding Shou noticed his eyelids twitch, as if he were about to wake up.

The fat monk who had been watching over him naturally noticed as well, hurriedly taking out a paper packet from his robes, helping the monk sit up, prying open his mouth, and pouring all the powdered medicine inside into his mouth with water. The monk, lying down, fell asleep again without a sound.

Ding Shou glanced sideways and saw that as the monk sat up and lay down, his robes flipped up, revealing his hands tightly bound together with a cowhide tendon. Could these monks be kidnappers? Suspicious, he wanted to look closer when suddenly a scream pierced the silent night—

"It's Jang-geum!" Ding Shou's heart tightened, and he immediately rushed back. Inside, he saw Jang-geum huddled in a corner of the bed, trembling. Upon seeing Ding Shou, she burst into tears. "

What's wrong?" Ding Shou went forward and embraced Jang-geum, asking.

"There's a monster!" Jang-geum cried, pointing to the window beside the door. "A monster was just peeping at Jang-geum there."

Seeing a hole in the window paper, Ding Shou opened the door and strode out, scanning his surroundings.

All the doors were open. Across the way, Fatty Luo, dressed in his undergarments, looked tired and dazed. Diagonally opposite, Feng Mengxiong, neatly dressed, glanced coldly at them before slamming his door shut. The young monk also stood in front of his door. Seeing Ding Shou looking at him, he smiled slightly, clasped his hands together, and bowed.

Ding Shou nodded in return. Although this group's origins were unclear, they were the most innocent. As for the fat man's suspicion, who knew if it was feigned?

Old Xu, carrying an oil lamp, shuffled downstairs, followed by Xiao Dazi, who was draped in a robe and looked sleepy. Wanrenmi emerged from downstairs, tilting her head and hands on her hips, shouting, "Why aren't you sleeping at this hour? What are you howling about?"

"My apprentice had a nightmare and startled you all. Please forgive him," Ding Shou said

, bowing respectfully. "Making a ruckus in the middle of the night, serves you right for running into a ghost," Wanrenmi sneered.

Ding Shou's eyes narrowed; was this woman implying something or just saying it casually? Wanrenmi didn't reply, turning to Old Xu, "Why aren't you sleeping? Burning oil lamps costs nothing." She turned and went into the kitchen.

Xiao Dazi rubbed his eyes, yawned, and said, "Old Xu, I didn't see you when I woke up. Where did you go?"

The dim light illuminated Old Xu's face, which flickered in and out of focus. He casually replied, "I went to the outhouse." He blew out the oil lamp in one breath, his sleazy old face disappearing into the darkness.

*** ***

The kitchen was still a mess. Old Jiang, the cook, with his trousers rolled up, sat sprawled on the floor, a large bowl filled with leftover food, which he shoveled into his mouth with bamboo chopsticks.

"A bunch of shifty-eyed thieves, none of them good people," the charming woman said coldly as she strode in, tidying up the clutter on the rough wooden table. Without even looking at him, she continued, "All you do is eat all day long. You'll eat all my stuff sooner or later. Now get back to work."

Old Jiang continued shoveling rice into his mouth, his beard, covered in rice grains, trembling as he chewed, a strange smile inexplicably creeping onto his lips.

*** ***

Closing the door, Fatty Luo, who had been smiling, turned cold. He turned back to the bed, lifted the blanket, revealing a black nightsuit hidden underneath. With a flick of his wrist, a palm-sized curved knife appeared in his hand.

The curved blade was shaped like a crescent moon, as thin as a cicada's wing. Fatty Luo ran his middle finger lightly across the blade, and a drop of blood dripped from it.

He put the cut finger in his mouth, the faint salty taste filling Fatty Luo with a look of ecstasy…

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