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"Sigh."
Paper Figurine Zhang let out a silent sigh.
The wrinkles on his face to wiggle and he pursed his lips as if resigned to his fate, gesturing for Zhao Fusheng to place the dossier on the table.
After a long moment, one of his sleeves twitched twice, and a hand slowly emerged from within, pulling the dossier towards him.
This scene caught Zhao Fusheng's attention.
Compared to Paper Figurine Zhang's face, which was as old as someone in their seventies or eighties, his hand was well-proportioned, its skin snow-white and flawless, like that of a well-maintained sixteen-year-old girl.
Zhao Fusheng's gaze fell on his fingertips. She recalled his strangely wide black sleeves, which seemed to hide another world within.
To nurture such a pair of hands, Paper Figurine Zhang must have used some secret method.
Unfortunately, she had just mustered the courage to lift Paper Figurine Zhang's sleeve but hadn't seen anything unusual.
While her mind was occupied, she said aloud:
"You've kept these hands of yours quite well."
Paper Figurine Zhang's expression remained unchanged, and he deftly parried Zhao Fusheng's probing remark:
"My family has been artisans for generations, practicing delicate crafts. Naturally, one must cherish one's hands."
He clearly didn't wish to dwell on this topic. As he spoke, his fingers moved, slowly spreading open the dossier.
The two individuals, each with their own agendas, immediately ceased their verbal sparring and turned their attention to the dossier.
It read: 206th year of the Great Han, 6th month...
"Indeed. Forty years ago, my grandfather did collaborate with Su Long, the Demon Suppression Commander at the time, to resolve the Liu family's ghost infestation." He skimmed it briefly, then looked up at Zhao Fusheng.
This new Demon Suppression Commander was indeed young, yet surprisingly not foolish, and she faintly gave Paper Figurine Zhang a sense of being extremely difficult to deal with.
"You're here about the case in Yaofan Hutong, aren't you?"
Wan'an County had been abandoned by the imperial court, and the current situation was not good. Many wealthy households in the county were moving away one after another. If this situation was allowed to worsen, Wan'an County would become a ghost town in no more than half a year.
"Correct."
Zhao Fusheng saw that he wasn't looking at the dossier but had instead proactively mentioned the ghost case in Yaofan Hutong. It was clear Paper Figurine Zhang had long been prepared for her arrival. His earlier pretense of intimidating Zhang Chuanshi was probably an attempt to test her temperament and verify her character.
She rolled up the dossier again and said, half-truthfully, half-falsely:
"You also know, as the current Demon Suppression Commander of Wan'an County, there are some things I cannot evade—"
As she spoke, her gaze fell on Paper Figurine Zhang's face, observing his expression.
The Zhang family had close ties with the Demon Suppression Division; Paper Figurine Zhang must be aware of some of the Division's rules.
When she reached this point, Paper Figurine Zhang didn't refute her. Zhao Fusheng sighed, instantly realizing her guess was likely true.
The Demon Suppression Division had a rule that ghost cases must be resolved at regular intervals, a rule that could not be defied.
Fan Bisi had concealed this when he spoke to her, probably intending to lure her in.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the displeasure rising in her heart, and continued:
"I must go to Yaofan Hutong, but I haven't truly dealt with ghosts before. I don't have much confidence in this line of work."
Paper Figurine Zhang nodded and said:
"You want to ask about the ghost in Yaofan Hutong, to inquire about its identity, and to probe its killing methods?"
"Yes." Since things had come to this point, Zhao Fusheng naturally wouldn't hide her intentions:
"My strength is not yet formidable, and my experience is lacking. For my first encounter with a ghost, it would be best to drive it away. If that's not possible, then my priority is, of course, to preserve my own life."
"That's natural," Paper Figurine Zhang nodded in agreement.
"According to Big Brother Fan, there's a Confucian Temple on that street in Yaofan Hutong. The predecessor of this Confucian Temple was the Liu family's ancestral hall. The Liu family was once haunted, and it was Su Long and Zhang Xiongwu who resolved this ghost infestation."
Paper Figurine Zhang didn't seem angry that Zhao Fusheng directly used his ancestor's full name.
Most ghost tamers were cruel and violent by nature; addressing someone by their full name was no big deal.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly asked:
"Do you believe this ghost infestation is the same one from forty years ago?"
Zhao Fusheng didn't answer his question. Instead, she changed the subject, saying:
"I didn't find many clues about this ghost infestation from this old dossier, but I did find some interesting things." As Zhao Fusheng said this, Paper Figurine Zhang's gloomy face showed a hint of interest for the first time.
His eyebrows were rather long and already white. The long hairs at the ends of his brows drooped slightly, adding to his decrepit appearance.
At this moment, his brow ridges rose, and the corners of his drooping mouth lifted with effort. Looking at Zhao Fusheng under the pale lamplight, his smile seemed somewhat malicious:
"What did you find out?"
"Liu Huacheng, the head of the Liu family, was an official in his early years, rising to the rank of Right Supervisor of the Capital's Commandant of Justice. He later resigned from his post and returned to his hometown, taking over as the head of the Liu family. Then, on his sixtieth birthday, his home was suddenly haunted."
Paper Figurine Zhang's expression changed instantly.
His strange smile froze on his face, a look of surprise flashing quickly in his eyes. Then, his expression became cautious, and his gaze towards Zhao Fusheng held a hint of defensiveness.
"It seems my guess was correct."
Seeing his reaction, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help but sigh:
"So there was indeed a reason for Liu Huacheng's resignation and return to his hometown."
"I didn't expect you to be so clever. It seems the Fan brothers misjudged you," Paper Figurine Zhang shook his head and said:
"Looks like I've truly fallen this time, and it's my own doing! My own doing."
He sighed, then continued:
"How did you guess that this ghost infestation in Yaofan Hutong is the same one from forty years ago?"
Zhao Fusheng had only just met Paper Figurine Zhang today and didn't yet have a deep understanding of the old man's temperament. Hearing him ask this, a strange feeling instinctively arose in her heart, as if something was amiss.
She was a cautious person and trusted her judgment greatly. Once she sensed something was wrong, she immediately refrained from answering his question and instead carefully recalled everything that had happened since she met this old man.
After they met, he had immediately made things difficult for Zhang Chuanshi, intentionally displaying his methods to intimidate her, only to be intimidated by her in return.
Afterward, he appeared cooperative, even intentionally revealing parts of the secret to making 'ghost lanterns' in his words.
When mentioning the events of forty years ago, he also seemed prepared, as if he had long guessed her purpose in coming.
Most importantly, he had mentioned the ghost case from forty years ago, as if intentionally guiding her to think and to connect the two cases as one.
She instantly became alert, her suspicions about the Yaofan Hutong case re-emerging.
"I think you connected the two ghost cases because, a month ago, someone came to the Confucian Temple seeking help, asking the Demon Suppression Division to fulfill the agreement made forty years ago, right?"
Seeing her remain silent for a long time, Paper Figurine Zhang decided to answer his own question, revealing the mystery.
"Correct."
Zhao Fusheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
After Su Long dealt with that ghost infestation back then, he must have known that the Liu family's ghost case would reoccur someday. He likely made some agreement with Liu Huacheng at that time, which is why, forty years later, a young man came to deliver a message, mentioning the events of forty years past.
It was precisely because of this premise that when she heard Yaofan Hutong was haunted, she connected the two cases from different eras as one, guessing it was the work of the same ghost.
She had originally been quite confident in her deduction, but Paper Figurine Zhang's reaction now made her vaguely uneasy.
Zhao Fusheng repeatedly reviewed her understanding of this case but couldn't find any flaws for the time being. She could only temporarily suppress the apprehension in her heart and listen as Paper Figurine Zhang continued:
"You guessed correctly. Forty years ago—my—grandfather and Su Long of the Demon Suppression Division at that time, when dealing with this ghost infestation, did indeed have a subsequent agreement."
He seemed to lack breath, his tone drawn out as he spoke. The words he uttered did not alleviate the unease in Zhao Fusheng's heart, but she didn't interrupt Paper Figurine Zhang, listening quietly instead.
"You truly came to the right person about this matter. In the entire Wan'an County, I am probably the only one who can answer your question now."
Paper Figurine Zhang chuckled twice, "Heh heh." Beneath his drooping eyelids, his eyeballs glinted in the pale lamplight, giving off a malicious impression.
"Speaking of this ghost case, one cannot help but mention this head of the Liu family, Liu Huacheng."
His gaze fell on the dossier Zhao Fusheng held in her hand, then he curled his lip slightly:
"You probably have a general understanding of this person's background and origins. Besides what's recorded in the dossier, Fan Bisi should have also told you a fair bit."
Zhao Fusheng nodded.
She gleaned something from Paper Figurine Zhang's words: this old man was not unfamiliar with the Fan brothers and had a certain understanding of their temperaments. He was very certain that it was Fan Bisi who had told her about the case.
"I won't elaborate on other things. I'll start from where you feel something is amiss." He paused for a moment here:
"This former head of the Liu family was quite a figure. He once held the official post of Right Supervisor of the Commandant of Justice. Do you know what kind of official a Right Supervisor is?"
Zhao Fusheng shook her head candidly.
The original Zhao Fusheng had a lowly status. Paper Figurine Zhang knew her background and had probably dug up 'her' entire ancestry for eighteen generations. Concealment was useless.
Moreover, she truly didn't know much about official titles like 'Right Supervisor'. Since it concerned Liu Huacheng's past, finding out more clearly would certainly not harm the case.
"The Right Supervisor of the Capital's Commandant of Justice—is in charge of prisons and justice, judging cases and lawsuits." Seeing her candid expression, devoid of embarrassment or coyness, Paper Figurine Zhang frowned almost imperceptibly, then gave her a deep look:
"This head of the Liu family, back when he was in the capital, adjudicated a case and beheaded a criminal."
Hearing this, Zhao Fusheng knew this was likely the crux of the problem.
Liu Huacheng's resignation and return to his hometown might be related to this case. Perhaps this case was the reason his home was haunted on his sixtieth birthday.
"After all, it's an old case from decades ago. I'm not too clear on the specific details. I only know that after this criminal died, a malevolent ghost immediately revived, causing a ghost calamity of at least Sha-level in the capital!"
Paper Figurine Zhang's expression was grave.
Zhao Fusheng's heart skipped a beat. She instantly recalled that on this forty-year-old dossier, Su Long had added a warning at the end: Commanders who cannot control Sha-level or higher ghosts should not set foot in the Liu family's ancestral hall.
It turned out that decades ago, the ghost haunting the Liu family had very likely already reached the Sha-level.
Happy holidays everyone~~~