Chapter Four, Eighty-Four People Become Ghosts in the Market, One Heart and Two Numbers Transform into Master and Apprentice

Since he had made up his mind, Master Ba no longer thought too much about it. By the time he drove the donkey cart to the temple gate, his face had already returned to its usual lewd grin, and he stared at the three people, shouting: "What are you looking at? Hurry up and come over to unload the goods for me—my old arms and legs can't handle it, and I won't be responsible if I break anything from your shop"

"What a great 'big deal'! Old Wang, just based on your words, I have to help you!" Amid laughter, the temple priest Old Liu opened the door, tossing a dark lead pellet in his hand, "Fox lady, what do you think?"

"Then you can eat," Luo Erni walked to the donkey cart and said, "Uncle and I will unload the things onto the ground first, and then we will distribute them..." Just as she reached out to untie the rope of the rain cover, she suddenly saw a short, dark arm sticking out from behind the donkey cart.

"Go ahead!" Lu Panzai's eyes twinkled, and he immediately laughed: "I'll give you this old man; you just need to waive my rent for next month..." Upon hearing this, Liu Laodao swiftly slipped through the wall with a whoosh, his movements were even quicker than a monkey's.

Before the words had left his mouth, someone burst into hearty laughter

Ah! Er Ni tugged at Wang Bayue's clothes and shouted: "Uncle Ba, Uncle Ba! That stinky Taoist is here to steal wine again!"

Ah? As soon as the likes of Fat Lu heard this, they all surrounded me, staring at each other for a while. Suddenly, Old Man Gou started shouting with his hoarse voice:

This person was wrapped in a black cloth robe, and draped with a thick woolen blanket, completely concealing herself. She hunched over, almost ready to lie on the ground, holding two thick wooden canes in her hands, and each movement required tremendous effort

The old goods shop of Wu Magan is adjacent to the widow's funeral clothing store, and is also part of the ghost market. There are both sellers and buyers, dealing in various items such as old bottles, ancient books, and silk jars, the year of origin of which cannot be determined. Whether there are truly antique items is uncertain and cannot be definitively stated.

Speaking too hastily, he couldn't catch his breath. Lu Fatty paused to take a heavy breath, and when he spoke again, he had changed his tone: "And you, Old Wang, why didn't you keep an eye on things? Once we arrived, you just left it all to me, right? Have you forgotten everything while enjoying your meal? What do you expect me to do with this jar of wine?"

Puh! You shameless person, I only have one jar of wine left, and you dare to say such things? This made Fatty Lu laugh: "Old Liu, considering your age, how did you end up being such a lecher? Aren't you afraid of embarrassing your sect?"

This is a placeholder text.

Duh! Duh! Duh!

The matter is too significant; no one wishes to take responsibility for it

Ah

In August, a child was brought back, and everyone came out to see—instantly, the entire City God Temple became lively

The temple keeper Liu Biyun chuckled a few words, continuing with a playful demeanor: "You need not worry about our family's reputation; I disposed of what needed to be discarded cleanly decades ago, leaving not a trace behind. I am quite easy to serve; just that jar is sufficient for me to reach into, and I have no complaints, right..."

This sound is incredibly eerie, as if a stick is being struck against the heart of every individual, almost shattering their very souls

In the back of the shop hangs a thick curtain, easily concealing a sense of eeriness. The fourth establishment is known as the fortune-telling shop of the 'Fox Woman.' The old lady's real name seems to be something like 'Amber,' but unfortunately, in this rural area, no one recognizes her. After a few disturbances, she has now come to be known by this name—though perhaps it is for the best, as names like 'Wong Tai Sin' tend to attract wild rumors from the village women. The Fox Woman's fortune-telling shop is, however, the most famous at the City God Temple of Que'er Mountain.

***

Then the forearm bent and reached out from under the car board, directly extending into the two wine jars behind... Of course, if one calms down and listens carefully, there is a faint sound of gurgling, gurgling.

Since he has said this, everyone naturally turned their gaze towards Fat Lu. He quickly forced a smile, his face full of flesh: "No, no objections at all! Whatever you decide, my elder brother, I have never questioned it, you know that!" At this point, he paused slightly and tentatively added: "However, elder brother, you must understand that this is a ghostly scheme; it would not be good if it ends up hindering you..."

The funeral clothing store run by Widow Luo and her sister, Luo Erni, offers a complete range of funeral garments, shoes, and socks. They also customize burial robes, pillows, and shrouds for the deceased. No matter how long someone has been dead, the garments they create fit perfectly—how should one put it? Even in death, one should be dressed comfortably

The dark hand suddenly withdrew from the wine vat and retreated under the cart, then a grayish figure swiftly emerged from beneath the front board of the donkey cart, darting into the temple like a gust of wind, and with a loud "bang," slammed the main door shut tightly.

While they were still talking, Nani Naro had already taken action. She reached out and pulled the rain cover, revealing a child wrapped in clothing underneath. She was momentarily stunned, then let out a heart-wrenching scream

Wang Bayue understood that Lu Pangzi was not a bad person; his words were indeed for his own benefit. He sighed: "How could I not know the power of this ghostly fetus? But since I have encountered it, how can I just stand by and watch it perish? Meeting is fate, so why should I ponder what fate truly is? I will only know when that day comes—at worst, I will exchange my three lifetimes of virtue for his peace in this life"

Including the temple priest Liu Biyun, there are a total of eight shops and ten living people here, which constitutes the entire ghost market

The old fox raised her head slightly and said with a sinister smile, "Since Brother Liu has spoken, I am naturally willing to lend you a helping hand"

The three people waiting under the tree instantly formed an alliance of offense and defense, mocking in unison: "Look at your demeanor!" Still walking at a leisurely pace, as he approached, Luo Erni had already dashed over in quick steps, stuffing two buns into his arms: "Eighth Uncle, my sister asked me to bring these to you..."

The one-eyed Mr. Gou's dumpling shop sells tangyuan, dumplings, and eggs, while also offering candies, fried gourds, and assorted snacks known as "three big cannons". He serves as both the owner and the staff, and on ordinary days, he manages to live comfortably without worries about basic needs

This fellow sat on the wall, holding a wine gourd and rubbing it in his bosom, after a few strokes, he pulled out a clay pellet and flicked it away, pretending to be serious: "Next time, remember to be more observant, in whatever you do, you must keep your eyes open and your ears alert, do not let small gains confuse your true nature..." After a few more words, he took a swig of wine and continued with a shameless grin: "This time, consider it as me, your master, enlightening you. So, what do you say? Will you bring me a couple of side dishes and a pot of wine to thank me?"

There is no need for discussion! Wang Bayue's expression was as pale as water as he said, "This child is one I picked up, and naturally, I will raise him! It has nothing to do with anyone else, and there is no need for you to decide his fate!" He looked around at the crowd, his face unusually solemn: "Fat Lu, do you have any objections?"

With the emergence of that sound, the thick curtain at the door of the small house was gently lifted, and a figure slowly appeared.

However, while the craftsmanship may seem rough, Cheng San's skills are indeed remarkable. The coffin's inner casing is particularly well-made, with four interlocking grooves that fit perfectly with the outer coffin. Once the inner coffin is placed inside, it aligns seamlessly, making it nearly impossible to remove without effort

"Exactly!" said a voice as a head popped out from the wall of the City God Temple. "I've been waiting here all night, and you didn't notice, did you? Just focused on making money, right?" The person was wearing a dark robe that seemed to be made of fine fabric, but it was so covered in grease and dirt that its original appearance was unrecognizable. His face and hands were black with mud, and his hair was messily tied up in a bun that looked like a bird's nest, with a thick incense stick stuck in it. It seemed to be made of fine fabric, but it was so covered in grease and dirt that its original appearance was unrecognizable. His face and hands were black with mud, and his hair was messily tied up in a bun that looked like a bird's nest, with a thick incense stick stuck in it.

Since Master Ba has brought back this child, he must have his own plans. Why provoke him unnecessarily? ... However, this child is indeed of a ghostly nature. If he were to speak and keep the child...

The third house on the left of the temple is not a shop; it looks more like a home dedicated to the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva altar. There is not much business conducted here on ordinary days, and the blind owner, Cui Deyuan, is only skilled in one thing: traversing the underworld.

Lu Pangzi ran breathlessly to the donkey cart, unable to catch anyone, and could only stand there cursing loudly: "Liu Piyun, you shameless, stinking Taoist! You said you were stealing wine to drink, but at least you could wash your hands, right? Now your filthy, muddy paws are scratching in the wine jar like this, how are we supposed to drink..."

It is essential! Several people exclaimed in unison: "Are you foolish yourself!"

The freshly baked steamed buns were scalding hot, and as soon as they were stuffed in, Wang Bayue became flustered, hurriedly tugging at the hem of his clothes to wrap them: "Be careful, be careful, it's hot! Hey, it's really hot..." Despite exclaiming about the heat, he still stuffed a bun into his mouth and took a bite, chewing while inhaling repeatedly: "Wow, delicious... so comfortable... so hot... really enjoyable..."

This person said in a chilling tone: "Are you scared? Hmph, usually you are quite bold, so why are you so frightened by a mere infant this time..."

Beside him, Wang Ba Yue stuffed the last piece of bread into his mouth and patted Lu Pangzi on the shoulder, saying: "Stop rambling on endlessly! You want to get this guy to waive the rent; it's not like you haven't tried before. When has it ever worked? He's too clever to come up here to help you out—hurry up and give me a hand unloading the goods, I have other matters to attend to..."

However, this group of people seemed indifferent, ignoring everything around them, with not even a single head turning in response—only Wu Magan furrowed his brow and murmured, "It always has to be like this; can't you come up with something new for a change..."

When Master Gou let out a howl, the entire ghost market erupted in commotion. Everyone who should have been in bed came out of their shops, surrounding the child—yet after just a glance, they all understood the situation regarding the child. A profound silence fell over them as they lowered their heads to help unload the goods, with no one uttering a single word.

"Hey, of course you would say that, you just don't..." Lu Panzai began to retort but suddenly remembered the taboo and stopped, laughing as he changed his words: "...not to mention anything else, this child, being a ghostly offspring, is a calamity no matter who keeps it. Ultimately, we must consider this matter carefully over the long term"

There are exactly eight shops in the City God Temple, with four on each side

Lu Pangzi's liquor tavern typically sells roasted chicken, roasted goose, cured meat, and salted fish, as well as Fenjiu and Laobai Gan. The entire establishment consists of a few tables placed under an old locust tree outside. During the day, the tables are covered with fallen leaves and dust, yet the goods sold are always fresh. Regular patrons of the ghost market sit and enjoy a couple of pots of liquor without being picky, and it does not matter whether they bring their own dishes or not, as the tables are free to use.

Although everyone in the ghost market consumes this bowl of yin-yang rice, their abilities vary greatly. Wang Bayue has been here the longest and is the oldest, his skills subtly placing him at the forefront among the crowd. Aside from the usually playful temple priest Liu Biyun and the fox woman, the gap between him and the others is far more than just a small difference.

The first shop on the left is Wang Bayue's, which needs no further introduction. Next to Baye's is a coffin shop, run by a man named Cheng San, who just played Pai Gow and drew three flowers and ten. He is a robust man in his forties from Northeast China, built with the strength of over a hundred jin in each arm, and is known for his silence and straightforwardness. Aside from making coffins, he takes on any physically demanding work, such as carrying coffins, relocating graves, transporting corpses, and digging bones. He even engages in building graves and carving tombstones, not for any other reason, but simply to earn the two jin of coarse rice he needs for each meal.

What should we do? Cold dish! Wang Bayue puffed out his cheeks and glanced: "You know that guy's habits; every time we buy something, he sneaks a few bites. Yet you still dawdle behind, not getting things done quickly." He rolled his eyes: "It has nothing to do with me!"

The shop on the right side is clearly more chaotic, with makeshift straw shelters set up outside

They seem to have become accustomed to it as if it were a common occurrence

Suddenly

It was not Wang Bayue who was anxious upon hearing those words, but rather the chubby proprietor of the wine shop, Lu. The normally unhurried fat man suddenly became agitated, shaking his ample flesh as he charged towards the donkey cart, shouting, "Old Liu, you shameless old priest, do not steal my wine! Put down the wine gourd!"

Whoever sees this person cannot help but feel a chill in their heart

Luo Erni jumped back a few steps like a cat, suddenly feeling that her movement was perhaps too conspicuous. Her face flushed, and she stammered while pointing at the infant: "There, there is a child... Uncle Ba brought back a child... It's nothing much, just a child, that's all..."

Hey! Fat Lu was dumbfounded: "So it turns out it's still early and that guy hasn't gotten up yet—according to you all, is this still my fault?"