The third watch gong struck, and the general's storeroom cast a bluish-gray shadow in the moonlight. Liu huddled behind the rockery, staring at the copper lock on the storeroom door, her nails white from pinching them in her sleeve pockets.

"You little bitch, you guarded the warehouse like an iron barrel..." She spat, remembering the scene in the daytime when Shen Weiwan brought the servants to borrow money from her, and her heart ached. "If I don't get the things in the warehouse out, what am I going to use to prepare a dowry for Ruorou?"

Lu'e came over holding an oil-paper bag, her voice trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind: "Madam, everything is ready... It's just this night wind that makes it so creepy..."

Liu grabbed the oil-paper bag, which contained half a piece of lard - she planned to smear it in the keyhole so that Shen Weiwan would not be able to open the lock tomorrow. Just as she was about to tiptoe closer, the old locust tree in the west wing suddenly creaked, startling her so much that she almost dropped the lard on the ground.

"Who?!" Liu shouted, holding up the lard bun, and the echo echoed in the empty yard.

The only answer she got was the whirring of the wind, like someone crying in the shadows. Liu swallowed, a chill running down her spine as she recalled the rumors in the general's mansion about the soldiers who had died in battle.

"Madam, look at that..." Lu'e pointed at the roof of the warehouse, her teeth chattering with fear.

Liu looked in the direction she pointed and saw a white object floating under the eaves, swaying in the moonlight, looking very much like a female ghost with disheveled hair! She screamed "Ah!" and the lard bag fell to the ground with a "pop" and rolled into the nearby ditch.

"Ghost...there's a ghost!" Liu turned around and ran, her skirt got caught on the rockery and she almost fell flat on her face.

Suddenly, a shrill "meow!" sounded from the base of the warehouse wall, as shrill as a baby's cry. Liu was so frightened that she didn't even bother to pick up the lard buns. She lifted her skirt and ran to her courtyard, shouting, "Help! The warehouse is haunted!"

Shen Weiwan, who was hiding in the dark, looked at Liu's embarrassed back and almost laughed out loud. Chuntao came out from behind the tree, still clutching a piece of white cloth in her hand: "Miss, your trick is really effective! Did Liu wet her pants in fear?"

"Almost." Shen Weiwan took the white cloth strip - that was what she asked Chuntao to tie to the eaves with the kite string, "Go and bring the cat over, and learn to meow a few more times, so she won't get suspicious."

Chuntao came back with the tabby cat in her arms. The cat had just woken up and meowed twice, just in time for Liu's scream. Shen Weiwan nodded with satisfaction, and when she saw the lights on in the direction of Liu's courtyard, she knew that the drama was about to end.

"Miss?" The old butler came over with a cane and a lantern in his hand. "I heard a cry just now, but what happened?"

"It's okay, it's okay," Shen Weiwan waved her hand, "I just saw my aunt running outside the warehouse in the middle of the night, as if she was frightened by something." She deliberately raised her voice, "Didn't my aunt say that the warehouse had no money? What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Could it be..."

The old housekeeper immediately understood and coughed, "Yes, I find it strange too. The warehouse has been in disrepair for a long time, and it is very gloomy at night. Madam Liu should not come here too often."

The two sang the same tune, deliberately letting the servant sent by Liu to spy on the situation hear them. The servant was so frightened that he peed his pants and ran back to report. He mistook the white cloth for a three-foot-long white ghost and the cat's cry for the wailing of an injured soul. Liu turned pale and fainted on the spot.

The next morning, the news that the warehouse was haunted spread throughout the general's mansion.

"Have you heard? Madam Liu saw Bai Wuchang last night!"

"That's right! I even heard ghosts crying!"

"The warehouse is very spooky. You'll have to avoid it next time..."

Shen Weiwan sat in front of the dressing table, listening to Chuntao's imitation, and paused with the eyebrow pencil in her hand: "Oh? There is such a thing?"

"That's right!" Chuntao laughed so hard she fell backwards. "The maid in Liu's room said she had all the amulets hung up this morning and she didn't even dare to leave her room!"

As he was speaking, the old housekeeper hurried in with a smile on his face: "Miss, Liu sent someone to say that she will no longer be in charge of the storehouse affairs. Let you take care of it!"

Shen Weiwan put down her eyebrow pencil, a gleam in her eyes: "Oh? Are you giving in so quickly?"

"That's right!" the old butler stroked his beard. "She also said that she would hand over the household expenses to you from now on, and only asked that you not let her go near the storeroom again!"

Shen Weiwan couldn't help but laugh. This trick of the warehouse being haunted was indeed more effective than the chili powder keyhole! Liu was already guilty of being a thief, and after being frightened like this, she was afraid that she would never dare to think about the warehouse again.

"Housekeeper," Shen Weiwan stood up, "since Auntie doesn't care, let's clean out the treasury. Oh, and take out that fake account book from last time and add a few more 'ghosts' accounts to show her how powerful we are."

The old housekeeper took the order and left. Shen Weiwan walked to the window, looked at the closed door of Liu's courtyard, and a hint of "asking for a beating" appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Chuntao," she said suddenly, "go get my string of peachwood beads and tell them you're giving it to Auntie to calm her nerves."

"Peach wood beads?" Chun Tao blinked. "Miss, isn't that what you play with?"

"Yes," Shen Weiwan picked up the beads and shook them, "I picked them specially for my aunt. I'm sure she'll like them when she sees them."

Chun Tao immediately understood and, suppressing her laughter, went to get the beads. This string of beads was carved by Chen Weiwan from peach wood, with the crooked words "Zhen Zhai" engraved on it. It was said to ensure safety, but in fact it was frighteningly ugly.

Sure enough, when Chuntao brought the beads to Liu's room, Liu's face turned green when she looked at the crooked string of peach wood beads.

"Miss, you are so thoughtful," she gritted her teeth and forced out a smile that was uglier than crying, "but I am not feeling well, so please don't worry about me..."

This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!