Chapter Eighty: This truly broadens my horizons.
"Lord Song, we will take this ghost back to the Underworld for trial shortly. Please rest assured, Lord Song, this ghost has committed evil deeds, and the Underworld will handle it impartially." The leading ghost officer continued talking to Song Ping while directing the other ghost officers to bind the painted-skin ghost tightly. Two ghost officers stepped forward and bound the painted-skin ghost securely with specially made chains. The chains gleamed with a faint blue light, and upon touching the painted-skin ghost's body, they emitted a hissing sound, causing the ghost to let out a shrill scream.
Song Ping cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "The officers are so sincere, how could I not believe them? Thank you all very much." He paused, then added, "Once this matter is settled, I will erect a longevity tablet for you officers at the City God Temple to express my gratitude."
“Lord Song is too polite; it is only our duty.” The leading ghost guard said solemnly, his voice under the black robe seeming to soften slightly: “There is only one thing we hope Lord Song will grant.”
"Please speak, officer." Song Ping listened intently, though somewhat puzzled as to what the ghost officer could possibly ask for his permission, he still adopted a posture of attentive listening. He noticed that while the ghost officer spoke, the other ghost officers stood quietly on either side, displaying a strict hierarchical order.
"Although Lord Song and we belong to the realms of Yin and Yang respectively, we are both responsible for the Changshao area. Our only wish is for the people to live in peace and prosperity; on this point, we are of the same mind." The ghost messenger carefully considered his words. His Majesty's intention was for them to cultivate a good relationship with Lord Song and do more for Changshao; mutual benefit was the best approach. "Our journey between Yin and Yang takes time, and during this time, if anything happens in the mortal realm, we will be unaware and unable to handle it. Lord Song is the official in charge of Changshao, honest and upright; we can receive your summons. If similar incidents occur near Changshao again, Lord Song can burn incense and pray, and send us a message, which we can promptly understand and resolve. Furthermore, if any murders occur in your jurisdiction and the culprit cannot be found, we can also provide you with information."
These words made Song Ping fall into deep thought. He recalled several unsolved cases he had encountered over the years, all of which remained unsolved due to a lack of clues. If ghost messengers were to help, wouldn't the victim's spirit and the wandering ghosts passing by not know who the murderer was? This undoubtedly provided a completely new approach to solving the case.
Ghosts and monsters generally return to the underworld, but some, though they haven't committed evil deeds in the human world, still have unfulfilled wishes and wander as wandering spirits. These wandering souls, how could they not witness countless events? Song Ping even thought that perhaps this method could be used to find the whereabouts of those who had been missing for many years and give their families an explanation.
After careful consideration, Song Ping realized that if the Yin and Yang realms joined hands, they could indeed solve many problems. "What the messenger said, I have thought about it carefully, and it is indeed of great benefit to both the Yin and Yang realms." His eyes brightened, as if he could already see all the benefits that cooperation would bring.
The human and the ghost had a detailed discussion before finalizing this unprecedented collaboration. They discussed the specific methods of communication, agreeing to set up a special incense burner in the City God Temple specifically for communication between the living and the dead. They also agreed on a code for quickly seeking help in emergencies.
The leading ghost messenger said leisurely, "My surname is Xie, and my courtesy name is Wujiu. If Lord Song has any important matters in the future, please write a short message for me when you burn incense, and you can inform me by burning it together."
Song Ping was filled with mixed emotions. Having served as an official for many years, he had never imagined that he would one day cooperate with the messengers of the underworld. This was probably a strange event that had never been recorded in history books.
Finally, Xie Wujiu and the group of ghost messengers led the bound and gagged Painted Skin Ghost back to the Underworld. Their figures gradually became transparent, eventually turning into a wisp of green smoke and dissipating in the courtroom. The Painted Skin Ghost's shrill screams also faded away with their disappearance, eventually returning to silence.
The courtroom fell silent for a moment, everyone still immersed in the unimaginable experience they had just had. After a long while, Song Ping coughed lightly, regaining his usual composure: "You have all witnessed what happened today. Yin and Yang have their order, and the underworld has its own laws. I hope you will all be careful with your words and actions and refrain from publicizing this."
Everyone readily agreed, but each of them knew in their hearts that what they had seen and heard today would likely be unforgettable for the rest of their lives.
Jiu Ya and Rong Jiang's group also managed to escape from the yamen smoothly. As they left, Jiu Ya noticed that Rong Jiang's gaze lingered on the underworld token for a moment, a faint smile playing on her lips. She couldn't help but think that perhaps all of this was within Rong Jiang's expectations.
The "skin-peeling monster" that had caused such panic in Changshao has been taken back to the underworld for trial. It will face countless punishments from hell, and the people will no longer have to live in fear. Song Ping ordered officials to post notices throughout the city, declaring that the one causing trouble was a ghost, which had been subdued by a highly accomplished master.
After the announcement, everyone felt relieved. The people of Changshao Town could finally escape the fear they had endured for months and return to a peaceful life.
When we left the government office, it was nearly noon, and the warm spring sun hung high in the sky. The sunlight at this time was not dazzling, but carried the gentle breath of spring, warmly shining on people and dispelling the gloom of the past few days.
However, the streets were still somewhat deserted. But as the officials posted notices and carefully explained to the people that the skinning monster that had been wreaking havoc in the city had been subdued and that such heinous incidents would no longer occur in Changshao, the people gradually began to leave their homes. For the people, the government officials still held considerable credibility. Under the leadership of the officials, Changshao slowly returned to its former bustling state. Shops reopened one after another, vendors set up stalls, and the streets gradually regained their liveliness.
Jiu Ya took a deep breath, feeling completely relaxed. She smiled and asked Rong Jiang, "Ranran, how did you know we were at the yamen?" She had been holding this question in for a long time, and now she finally had the chance to ask it.
To be honest, the scene when General Wang Fang saw the three of them was very misleading. They did not actually kill anyone, nor did they skin them, but the corpse was right next to them, and Bai Yu and Li Yue were holding weapons with the blood of the dead still on them. It was clear that they were the murderers.
Claiming to be investigating a murderer? Who would believe that? Where's the murderer? There's no murderer, only the crime scene. Basically, without using any magic, it's a scene that's impossible to explain.
However, Jiu Ya dared not easily use her power to protect her disguise. Being in the same city as Rong Jiang, what if she were discovered? Wouldn't that be a complete exposure? Jiu Ya was thinking about how to extricate herself completely from the perspective of an ordinary person when her daughter unexpectedly came to her rescue on a colorful cloud. She was so touched.
Sunlight bathed Rong Jiang's delicate profile in a golden glow. "Last night, while walking through the city, I bumped into that painted-skin ghost. Perhaps it was just luck; it thought I was a target and ran into me." Her tone was light. "I've observed the actions of the city's people and officials for the past few months. Perhaps they don't believe in ghosts and spirits and think this is a man-made crime. They're determined to catch the culprit, so they thought handing this ghost over to the authorities would put an end to their worries of the past few months. Little did they expect that A-Jiu, Miss Bai Yu, and Li Yue would be misunderstood and end up in this courtroom as well."
"Really?" Jiu Ya thought with a grin. This painted-skin ghost is really "lucky"! Of all the ghosts to run into, it had to run into the hands of the super boss among them! Hahaha, how miserable is that? And that ghost messenger Xie Wujiu—don't be fooled by his unwavering gaze towards Rong Jiang. Jiu Ya was absolutely certain that Rong Jiang would secretly give him a warning. That painted-skin ghost is probably going to be in big trouble.
Jiu Ya then asked, "Oh, right, Ran Ran, I have a little question I'd like to ask you." She blinked, a curious expression on her face.
"Hmm?" Rong Jiang looked at Jiu Ya, gesturing for her to continue. Sunlight shone into her deep eyes, reflecting shimmering golden light.
"Was that ghost really the Painted Skin Ghost?" Jiu Ya had been holding it in for a long time, and just thinking about the image of that ghost made her want to wash her eyes. Ahh, why did the incomparably beautiful Painted Skin Ghost she imagined look like that? A skeleton wrapped in human skin, empty eye sockets, and a body exuding a putrid stench, completely different from what she had imagined.
Upon hearing this question, Rong Jiang fell into an odd silence. She remembered that Jiu Ya had asked this question in court, hadn't she? However, Rong Jiang still patiently answered, "It was indeed a painted-skin ghost."
"But I've heard that painted-skin ghosts are mostly women. They can put on painted skins and become stunningly beautiful, using this to bewitch people's hearts, and then skin and rip out the hearts of those they've bewitched." Jiu Ya covered her face and cried out sadly, "But how is that ghost stunningly beautiful? How is it alluring? It's clearly an old man! How can it bewitch people's hearts? When people see him, they're lucky if they don't die of fright, let alone be bewitched?"
A skeleton wrapped in human skin, a mere shell of bones, the kind of thing that would terrify a child. Jiu Ya shuddered as she recalled the first time she saw that ghost. The way that thing clung to the victim, its bony fingers tearing at the human skin, was one of the most terrifying scenes she had ever witnessed.
Rong Jiang chuckled, a smile playing on her lips. She seemed to find Jiu Ya's reaction amusing, her eyes sparkling with delight: "A painted-skin ghost isn't necessarily a woman. Some ghosts die with no flesh or blood left, only a skeleton or a severely damaged body. To walk among humans, they need human skin as a disguise. Such ghosts can be called painted-skin ghosts, regardless of gender."
"Is that so?" Jiu Ya's eyes widened in surprise. Okay, Mei San Niang, that incredibly beautiful painted-skin ghost, wasn't the norm at all; she'd been overthinking it. She then realized how deeply ingrained her preconceived notions were.
She shook her head regretfully, "This is the first time I've ever seen a Painted Skin Ghost. It really shattered my expectations." As she spoke, she sighed exaggeratedly, which made Rong Jiang laugh even harder.
Bai Yu and Li Yue, the two demons, looked at each other, both seeing the same question in each other's eyes: Your Majesty, may I ask, what expectations do you have for the Painted Skin Demon?
Rong Jiang still remembered that when Jiu Ya first confirmed that the ghost was indeed Painted Skin, Jiu Ya had a heartbroken expression, saying it wasn't what Jiu Ya had imagined. Rong Jiang, with a mischievous look, asked with great interest, "So, in A Jiu's imagination, were all Painted Skins incomparably beautiful women?"
"Otherwise what?" Jiu Ya nodded firmly. "If you're not beautiful and pitiful, how can you bewitch others?" She recalled the supernatural tales she had read before, in which the painted-skin ghosts were all stunningly beautiful, which was why they could make scholars fall head over heels for them.
Isn't that how the "Painted Skin" chapter in *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* is told? If Mei San Niang weren't like this, how could she have tricked Wang Sheng into taking her back to his villa to seek revenge? It's precisely because Jiu Ya has read *Painted Skin* that she feels this painted skin ghost in Changshao is so out of character. The others all die unjustly and return for revenge. This one in Changshao did no good in life and continues to commit evil even after death. Tell me, does this resemble a painted skin ghost?
All Jiuya could think at that moment was, "The world is truly vast and full of wonders." Okay, her worldview had been reshaped.
"The Painted Skin Demon doesn't need to bewitch people to peel off their skin and gouge out their hearts. Take this one, for example. When it encounters a lone person, it strikes directly. Why would it need to bewitch people? Of course, each Painted Skin Demon has its own style, and they are not all the same," Rong Jiang explained, her tone carrying a hint of instruction.
Jiuya nodded in agreement, "Indeed." She looked thoughtfully at the gradually bustling street in the distance, and suddenly felt that the world was much more complex and interesting than she had imagined.
The sunlight was perfect, shining on the bluestone path and on them. Jiu Ya secretly glanced at Rong Jiang beside her and found that the other was also looking at her with a faint smile in her eyes.
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