Chapter 58 A Failure at the Last Minute
As night fell, Zhang Shi appeared at the west gate in his oxcart.
He had already spoken to the guards at the city gate, and they all knew he was a body transporter.
When entering the city, everyone kept their distance.
He also threw the money he had given as a bribe on the ground some distance away.
Only after he had walked away did a new soldier at the door ask curiously.
"Brother Wang, why don't you question him?"
Brother Wang, “That’s a mortuary on the outskirts of the city, they specialize in transporting corpses.”
The soldier's expression changed instantly, and then he realized something was wrong.
"They're still bringing the bodies into the city?"
Brother Wang didn't take it seriously. "It must be someone buying corpses from the mortuary for ghost marriages. I've run into that a few times already."
"We'll bring him in tonight for a funeral service, and then take him out for burial tomorrow."
The soldier shuddered. "Making a living off the dead, aren't you afraid of going to hell?"
Brother Wang reached out and patted the back of his head.
"They've done immeasurable good deeds!"
"If it weren't for that master and apprentice at the mortuary, you would have been the one carrying all the nameless corpses in the city!"
The soldier quickly put his hands together and said "Amitabha" several times...
When Wei Xun arrived, the group was talking.
He frowned as he looked at the group's lazy demeanor. "We can't let our guard down these next few days."
Wang Zhong immediately replied, "Yes."
Wei Xun beckoned to him, "Come with me."
"On the day of the prince's wedding, you will lead three hundred men..."
...
Zhang Shi delivered it to the address.
There was only a small Taoist altar in the courtyard, and nothing about ghost marriages.
"Are you performing a ritual to help the dead pass on, or something else?"
Shuangjiang covered his nose with his sleeve and continued making up stories.
“Our boss said that we should first perform a ritual to help these people pass on to the afterlife, and then have a master arrange a marriage.”
"The boss said it's not good to do too many immoral things..."
Zhang Shi chuckled, though he had already placed the corpse Shuangjiang's instructions inside the house.
He deliberately paused in front of her when he came out.
Frost was so frightened that it took several steps back.
Zhang Shi: "Why are you covering your nose? My master used medicine, it doesn't smell."
"Otherwise, do you think the bodies in the mortuary could be kept there for so long?!"
I dare not look at that house now that it's Frost's Descent.
"Won't it turn into a ghost...?"
Zhang Shi glanced at her, but didn't answer. Instead, he reached out for the money.
"Twenty taels for transporting the corpse."
"Twenty taels!" Shuangjiang's eyes widened.
Zhang Shi's expression remained unchanged. "You should have said so earlier. If you wanted to save this money, you could have brought it yourself."
Shuangjiang shut his mouth and took out twenty taels from his sleeve pocket to give to him.
"Indeed, only you can earn this kind of money..."
Zhang Shi took the money and then answered her previous question, "Even ghosts aren't as scary as you people."
Shuangjiang gritted her teeth, but now she couldn't make a sound.
As soon as Zhang Shi drove the oxcart away, she immediately locked the door and ran away!
Zhang Shi only emerged from the alley across the street after she had disappeared from sight.
He looked at the Wutong Alley and snorted coldly.
He knew there was a problem.
Such a significant event as arranging a ghost marriage had no head family or organizer; there was only a maid present.
He drove his carriage to the capital's yamen (official residence).
"Neither Prince Zhou nor Lord Wei are here?"
Zhang Shi couldn't help but press for more information.
The guard at the yamen yawned, "Don't you even know what time it is? Come back tomorrow during the day!"
After saying that, he slammed the door shut.
Zhang Shi gritted his teeth and swung his fist out of thin air.
If it weren't for the fact that he had dealt with Wei Xun a few times, he wouldn't bother with such trivial matters!
*
I was rubbing my arms when I came back home on the evening of Frost's Descent, and Little Bones in the yard heard the noise and darted out.
Frost was so startled that it fell flat on its backside into the flower bushes!
"Little Bone!"
Shuangjiang picked up the shoe that had fallen off and threw it at Xiaogutou!
Little Bone slammed on the brakes, turned around, and went back to the small courtyard.
The shoe hit the person's calf directly.
Wei Xun looked at the shoes at his feet, then glanced at Shuangjiang, who had crawled out of the flower bushes in a disheveled state.
"The girl was working as a gardener late at night during the Frost's Descent season."
As soon as the frost descended, she squatted down and hid her bare foot inside her skirt.
"What are you doing here so late at night!"
Wei Xun kicked lightly, sending the shoe precisely to her feet.
"Of course I'm leaving the manor, coming out from the Crown Prince's courtyard; this is the only way I can get here."
Shuangjiang quickly hid her embroidered shoes behind her back.
"Leave the residence as soon as you're out."
Wei Xun took a few steps forward and slowly squatted down in front of her.
"Frosty Maiden, you..."
He frowned slightly. "What's that smell?"
Shuangjiang raised her hand and smelled her arm, but couldn't smell anything.
"What do you mean by that?! Just because I'm a maid doesn't mean I have an unpleasant smell!!"
Her face flushed red with anger.
He pushed Wei Xun away and ran back to the courtyard!
"Hey! No..."
Before Wei Xun could even defend himself, the man had already vanished.
"Never mind, I'll explain tomorrow."
There are other important matters to attend to right now.
...
The next day.
There was a tinkling sound outside the door, and Jiang Shiyao got up with Fu'er.
We discovered that the courtyard had also been completely renovated.
When Madam Gao saw that she was awake, she bowed and said, "I've woken you, madam."
"The old lady said it was a joyous day, a special auspicious day, and that while the craftsmen were all there, they would renovate the lady's courtyard."
Jiang Shiyao gave a slight smile. "Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Gao."
Madam Gao said, "It's all what this old servant should do."
Jiang Shiyao was too lazy to look at her anymore, and took Fu'er's hand to go wash up.
What refresh? It was just the old lady giving her a hard time.
Regardless of whose family it is, once Song Jiyun enters the house, she will have to submit to Song Jiyun.
This is just to establish his authority over his grandniece.
She lived there until her death in her past life, and never saw her get her paint repainted.
Having lost face, Gao's mother could only tremble slightly at the corners of her lips.
When Jiang Shiyao and Fu'er finished washing up and came out, the outside was still not finished.
She turned to look at the newly painted courtyard.
It just feels ironic.
In the future, the new courtyard will be just right for the newlyweds.
Fu'er looked up at her mother and asked, "Mother, where are we going?"
Jiang Shiyao reached out and tapped her little nose, "Of course we're taking Fu'er to play!"
Fu'er opened her little arms, "Mother, hug me!"
Jiang Shiyao bent down and picked her up. Facing the slowly rising sun, she felt a lightness in her heart that she had never felt before!
Fu'er leaned on her mother's shoulder and waved her little hand at Gao's mother, who was still watching them.
Looking at her daughter's smile, Mrs. Gao felt a sudden jolt in her heart.
For no reason at all, I felt a little flustered.
She immediately pounded her chest twice, "The young master and Miss Song's wedding day is coming soon, I'm so happy!"
Shuangjiang followed Jiang Shiyao out openly through the side door.
The two stood at the doorway and looked at each other.
They both saw the smiles of impending liberation in each other's eyes.
Fu'er's crisp voice interrupted the two of them.
"I want a sugar figurine!"
Jiang Shiyao and Shuangjiang took Fu'er out for a good time today!
As night fell.
Jiang Shiyao, Shuangjiang, Fu'er.
It is about to disappear from this world.
Zhou Congxian stood at the end of the street, watching Fu'er pestering Jiang Shiyao to buy a little rabbit.
Jiang Shiyao kept shaking her head.
It wasn't until the Frost's Descent solar term that I bought a little rabbit paper lantern to appease the little girl.
It seems they've never strolled the streets like this before.
He stayed in the mansion the whole time and didn't go out.
Jiang Shiyao never uttered a single word of complaint.
Zhou Congxian lowered his eyelids and then turned around.
How could there be no resentment? Yesterday, every word I uttered was filled with resentment.
Wait three more days.
Three more days will be enough.
"My lord, my lord, someone is looking for you and insists on seeing you."
A soldier from the capital's yamen found him, panting.
Zhou Congxian, "Who?"
The soldier wiped the sweat from his other forehead. "He won't tell!"
Zhou Congxian: "Return to the yamen."
...
"Wife, we've bought too much..."
Frost approaches her.
Jiang Shiyao coughed lightly, "Tomorrow, you'll see how useful it is."
Only by buying a lot of things can she hide what she really wants among them.
Otherwise, buying only men's clothes, ropes, and tinder would be too conspicuous.
When she first went to Wutong Lane, she discovered that although the lane was on the street, no one lived there.
Liu Minghan was probably afraid of harming innocent people.
Thinking of this, she snorted coldly.
She's innocent too!
Well, she was going to run away anyway.
Let's just put the biggest blame on him!
She had already placed the letter from Liu Minghan that forced her to commit suicide together with the hairpin that Zhou Congxian had left behind yesterday.
As long as Zhou Congxian finds that hairpin.
You will then be able to see Liu Minghan's handwritten letter.
As Shuangjiang looked at the already dim sky, she patted her full belly.
He joked, "My wife, actually, I'm content to be a 'well-fed ghost' now."
Jiang Shiyao slapped her arm, "Pah! What nonsense are you talking about!"
"We'll buy some more easily stored snacks later."
"Still buying?" Shuangjiang's eyes widened.
Jiang Shiyao smiled but didn't say anything. She just told Shuangjiang to keep an eye on Fu'er and that she would be right back.
There is an inn next to the restaurant.
Jiang Shiyao went straight to book a superior room.
She put the snacks and other necessities she bought into the room.
"Shopkeeper, my younger brother has come to stay with me with his wife and children, but my mother-in-law doesn't agree. I'll open for a few days first to let her have some time to adjust."
How could the shopkeeper not understand? There are too many like that these days.
"Hehe, I understand. There's no reason why family members wouldn't help each other, especially one's own sister."
"When are you checking in? The shop can keep hot water available."
Jiang Shiyao: "They should arrive tonight."
The shopkeeper immediately replied, "There's water in the kitchen; your brother can fetch it himself later."
Jiang Shiyao smiled and said, "Then thank you very much, shopkeeper."
Those who come to the capital to seek refuge will stay and never leave.
Moreover, they bring their families with them; who would welcome that?
Jiang Shiyao took the key and went back to the restaurant.
She had just sat down when she saw two soldiers walk into the opposite Wutong Lane through the window!
Jiang Shiyao's heart jumped into her throat!
Frost's Descent has also been discovered!
The two exchanged a glance.
If it gets discovered, all our efforts will be in vain!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com