"What is happening here?"
The sight of the old housekeeper rushing over, dusty and weary, was so pitiful that even Li felt a bit of reluctance. Seeing that he was somewhat related to Xiang's family, Li prepared something for him to eat.
Yet, before he could finish a bowl of rice, the man saw Brother Ma Zi, fell to his knees, and started crying. He was then taken to the inner courtyard to speak. Li, too, felt a surge of curiosity, wondering what they were discussing.
"Shopkeeper, please listen to what this old man has to say."
The old housekeeper, having brought Hu Ma into the inner courtyard, looked troubled and whispered, "There are words I have long hesitated to say. I fear they may annoy others, but I must beg the Shopkeeper's understanding. After all, I am but a mere..."
"...housekeeper!
"There are many matters concerning the family that I am aware of, yet cannot speak of. If they are mere conjectures, just pondering them would be disrespectful to the family."
...
Hearing this, Hu Ma looked up at him and said, "It is quite candid of you, old man, to speak thus. But did you bring me in just to say all this?"
"Of course not..."
The old housekeeper sighed softly and said, "What I wish to tell the Shopkeeper is that while the young lady is undoubtedly the unique lady of the Ghost Cave Li Family, the situation of the Li Family is far more complicated than outsiders could imagine."
"For generations, the Li Family has been tasked with guarding the Ghost Cave, a heavy responsibility that prevents them from dedicating much energy to mundane affairs."
"Our Old Master is kind-hearted and cares deeply for the young lady, but..."
He paused slightly at this point, his expression evidently worried, and said in a low voice, "Yet this old man has lived long enough to understand certain things, has he not?"
"Back then, the Old Master trusted me to watch over the young lady. This was because I hailed from the Trick Door; I was sharp-eyed, quick-handed, and thorough in my work. But even under my vigilant watch, someone managed to abduct the young lady..."
"Not to mention the present situation. The young lady is a member of the Ghost Cave Li Family, with inherent spirit-walking abilities and protected by the Yin Talisman. Yet, someone still managed to take her soul, and she couldn't return to her body..."
...
Hearing him speak, Hu Ma became serious, raised an eyebrow, and said, "So you believe the matter of your young lady going missing..."
The old housekeeper nodded emphatically. "There must be some trickery involved, perhaps even..."
"...certain people associated with the Li Family are responsible!"
...
Hu Ma had already suspected as much and now simply nodded slowly. "So it appears, the letter I sent out at the time actually did reach the Li Family?"
The old housekeeper nodded heavily again and said, "The letter should have arrived."
"But it definitely was not received by the Old Master."
"...Sigh, as the head of the Ghost Cave Li Family, the Old Master must oversee the Ghost Cave and manage the three valleys. External affairs are handled by others. Letters coming from outside need to go through several hands to reach the Old Master's desk!"
...
Hu Ma slowly nodded. He realized the old housekeeper was revealing the truth and sincerity. He then pondered, "So, you think it's better to escort her back directly, instead of sending another letter and potentially causing more trouble?"
The old housekeeper sighed lowly and said, "If someone indeed schemed against this old man, abducting the young lady from under my care, and then, after receiving that letter, immediately used sinister methods to prevent her soul from returning, their intentions must be truly malicious..."
"The young lady was fortunate to meet someone as kind-hearted as you, Shopkeeper, saving her life and preserving her innocence. This indeed shows she is greatly blessed..."
"Frankly, upon finding the young lady this time, this old man is both elated and afraid. I'm elated because the peril was avoided. I'm afraid because, if she was lucky this time, what about the next?"
"Rather than sending another letter back and waiting for who knows who to come, it might be better to just send the young lady back home directly."
"Whoever is behind the misdeeds, once the Old Master sees her, it will be as if the young lady has survived this calamity. As long as the Old Master acts, those secretive schemers, each and every one, will have to fill the Ghost Cave!"
...
The old housekeeper nodded repeatedly, but Hu Ma frowned again. "Then why not simply look for an escort agency?"
"An escort agency..."
The old housekeeper said with a wry smile, "Firstly, their skills, even to this old man, are somewhat underwhelming..."
"Secondly, to be honest, this old man is now suspicious and paranoid, unsure of who wants to harm our young lady. Therefore, I dare not seek anyone from past acquaintances nor let the news leak out. Apart from you, Shopkeeper, I truly don't know whom else to trust now..."
...
At this point, Hu Ma thought the timing was nearly right.
Yet, he still seemed somewhat hesitant, sighing, "I understand the old gentleman's intentions."
"It's just, sigh..."
"I originally just meant to help someone in passing, but now... it has become all this..."
...
Seeing Hu Ma's troubled expression, the old housekeeper felt a pang of guilt as well.
He remained silent for a long while before suddenly making a firm decision. He stood up and presented something to Hu Ma, saying, "Shopkeeper, please look."
Hu Ma was somewhat surprised and looked down to see a bloodstained Copper Coin in his hand.
Slightly hesitating, he asked, "What is this..."
"A Life Substitute Coin."
The old housekeeper appeared to have made a significant decision, speaking quietly, "The secret techniques of the Ghost Cave Li Family are profound beyond the comprehension of others, and they have always been broad-minded, treating people with utmost sincerity."
"This Copper Coin was actually given to me by the Old Master as a reward after I entered the Li Family as a servant."
"This old man also knows that repeatedly troubling my benefactor is excessive. If I don't show sincerity, it would be too much to impose. So, I have taken this Copper Coin out from my body. Firstly, to confirm my identity, and secondly..."
...
He steeled his heart and said, "With this Copper Coin, no matter if one encounters Punishment Soul, Haishou, or life-threatening evil spirits, it can substitute for a life once."
"To put it bluntly, this is the money for which I pledged my life when I joined the Li Residence."
"I couldn't bring it out at the Grass Heart Hall because those from their Siming Path despise such things. But facing my benefactor now, I won't hide anything."
"Whether the Shopkeeper agrees to help or not, I'll leave this Copper Coin here as security."
...
"You this..."
Hu Ma looked at the Copper Coin, genuinely surprised.
The old housekeeper is truly desperate, Hu Ma thought. Even if he hadn't offered anything, if he'd just persisted a little more with his words, I would have agreed...
"Never mind, never mind."
Hu Ma waved a hand and sighed, "Old gentleman, please put it away."
"To tell you the truth, I've been quite uneasy ever since I paid the consultation fee for you both. You speak so kindly, old gentleman, but if any mishap befalls you, my own future could be ruined because of it."
"So, you suggest sending Xiang back home. Though challenging, this suits me as well, because I can follow along and see for myself. This will ease my anxiety much more than just waiting idly."
"But the journey from Mingzhou Prefecture to Anzhou is no short one."
"Our trip will likely not be smooth. Hence, even if we are to set off, you must first agree to a few of my conditions."
...
Hearing Hu Ma's words, the old housekeeper was already filled with excitement and said repeatedly, "Please, Benefactor, give your instructions."
Hu Ma slowly thought and said, "Firstly, I can escort her back. But just as you doubt others, I also doubt others, and I even have some reservations about you..."
"So, throughout this journey—where we travel, rest, and lodge, and in all matters big or small—you must listen to me."
...
The old housekeeper immediately nodded. In fact, the more cautious and hesitant Hu Ma appeared, the more convinced the old man became that Hu Ma had no ulterior involvement.
"Secondly..."
Hu Ma continued, "If there are any issues and I inquire about matters concerning the Li Family, especially regarding these so-called feuds, you must not keep anything from me. Otherwise, if we encounter trouble, we won't even know where it's coming from."
The old housekeeper, momentarily stunned, nodded and said, "Yes, everything is for the young lady's safety. Even if I say things I shouldn't, I believe the Old Master would not reproach me."
Hu Ma nodded and added, "Thirdly, I have no objection to escorting Xiang back to Anzhou. However, on this journey, we must remain incognito and absolutely discreet. From my perspective... to avoid trouble, how about we let Xiang sleep in a coffin?"
"Don't worry. Since she neither eats, drinks, nor moves now, sleeping in a coffin with ample air holes will be fine. Meanwhile, we can disguise ourselves as corpse drivers returning her home. Wouldn't that be much more convenient?"
...
"Ah?"
The old housekeeper was startled at this, but after Hu Ma explained in detail, he became reassured.
Actually, he himself hailed from the Trick Door and had abundant jianghu experience; how could he not know this was the safest way?
It was just that, as the housekeeper, such a thing could be suggested by others, but not by him.
Seeing that the old housekeeper agreed to all his proposed conditions, Hu Ma felt slightly relieved and proceeded to plan further in detail.
That day, Hu Ma had the old housekeeper stay at the Manor to rest. The following morning, he sent Zhou Datong and Zhao Zhu into the city to the Grass Heart Hall to bring Xiang back.
He then instructed Zhou Liang to go into the city and consult with the Mule and Horse Market and an escort agency, spending silver to have each draw up a route plan, detailing where was safe, where was dangerous, where to travel, and where to rest, covering all necessities.
After that, he went to the town to purchase a ready-made coffin for Xiang to sleep in.
However, the final preparation was also the most crucial part.
Hire a Ghost Walker!
To make the act of "escorting someone home" convincing, how could they not have a Ghost Walker accompany them?
The journey from Mingzhou Prefecture to Lingshou Prefecture in Anzhou was indeed long.
They would first travel along the official road to Gunzhou and cross the Sand River. Then, they would venture through the ancient Pingnan path, passing through Dongchang, Weiqing, and Huai De to reach Anzhou. There, they would deliver a letter to the local Reincarnator Organization and proceed to Big Stone Cliff within Lingshou Prefecture...
Even without delays, it would likely take over a month. Given the tumultuous times, who knew what other troubles they might encounter?
A Ghost Walker's experience and keen eye would be perfect for handling such situations.
Moreover, if he truly wished to learn the skills in the Age Suppressing Book, he had to first catch up on the Ghost Walker Path. With a Ghost Walker accompanying them, if he observed carefully and was diligent in asking questions, wouldn't he naturally learn the skills he needed?
The Hu Family were the progenitors of Ghost Walkers. So, surreptitiously learning his own family's skills wouldn't be considered breaking any rules, would it?