Finding the right direction was key; after all, a meal is eaten one bite at a time, and a path is walked one step at a time.
In the eyes of others, Hu Ma had suddenly become more low-key. After returning from Anzhou, he had only been to the town once.
He first went to the Grass Heart Hall to settle accounts, had a drink with the Five Ghosts Shopkeeper, and talked about the Dongzi Li Family. Then he went to Incense Master Xu's place. Together, they paid respects to the Red Lantern Lady, respectfully burned incense, and thanked her for her rescue on the road.
The Red Lantern Lady didn't react at all, nor did she state any conditions.
The Lady is wonderful, a truly sincere person, Hu Ma couldn't help but marvel.
In the evening, Yang Gong naturally hosted a gathering, inviting Incense Master Xu and some old acquaintances to Chunhe Building for a banquet. After everyone was merry with wine, Manager Xu again brought up the earlier matter of arranging for Hu Ma to go to the blood food mine.
Everyone understood, and the matter concluded to everyone's satisfaction.
After resting at Manager Xu's place for a night, Hu Ma returned to the Manor the next day. Before returning, he first made a trip to the Carriage Shop to see the three drivers and two assistants who had accompanied him to Anzhou.
He not only settled their wages but also gave them extra reward money. This moved the three so much that they patted their chests and loudly promised, "Next time you have such long-distance work, Little Shopkeeper, just come straight to us..."
"...we'll definitely recommend someone even braver."
Looks like they were really scared... Hu Ma thought.
Hu Ma just laughed and thanked them, assuring them that the next trip to Old Yin Mountain definitely wouldn't be so dangerous.
The driver and the two assistants agreed repeatedly, then refused the job offer.
After leaving the Mule and Horse Market, Hu Ma took a detour before driving the carriage back to the Manor. He first visited the old Ghost Walker who raised cattle. Then, led by him, they visited Aunt Zhang in another village.
Aunt Zhang lived outside the village, in a few thatched huts on the mountainside. When she saw Hu Ma returning, she was quite pleased and asked if his journey afterward had been smooth.
"It's all thanks to your abilities, Aunt, that Miss Xiangyu was safely escorted home..."
Hu Ma thanked Aunt Zhang, stayed for a meal, and before leaving, afraid she wouldn't accept them, secretly left thirty taels of Silver and two Blood Food Pills in her bedding.
Unexpectedly, after walking less than two miles, a headless little ghost blocked his way, its arm outstretched.
Soon after, Aunt Zhang caught up, her face flushed. She said, "Accepting those thirty taels of Silver was already too much. You must take these two Blood Food Pills back." Seeing her earnestness, Hu Ma had no choice but to accept. He smiled and asked her,
"Do you remember what I mentioned before, Aunt?"
"I've returned from this trip. I'll rest for a bit, and then I'll make some inquiries to help you with your matter."
"Little Shopkeeper, please don't trouble yourself with it..." Aunt Zhang blushed and said only, "There are many pitiful people in this world; why should I be an exception?"
Perhaps she thought Hu Ma was young and impulsive, making promises offhandedly, and did not take it to heart.
Hu Ma didn't explain further. He only left the thirty taels of Silver before driving the carriage back to the Manor.
After handling these matters, he felt a sense of relief. He silently cultivated and pondered, watching the days pass until the New Year was approaching.
Hu Ma had previously made a promise to these laborers, so naturally, he couldn't let them down. He took out twenty taels of Silver and sent Zhou Datong to the town to buy a good supply of New Year's goods, which were then distributed among the laborers upon his return.
Then, half a month before the New Year, he arranged for two laborers to guard the Manor, promising them they could take more New Year's goods home and have a longer rest after the New Year. Then, he, Zhou Datong, and the others loaded a carriage with New Year's goods and joyfully returned to Dayang Village for the New Year's celebration.
This time, he simply didn't hire a driver. After all, this carriage horse was so remarkably well-behaved.
The only thing was, whenever an important task arose, Hu Ma would use this horse to pull the carriage, thus sparing the donkey brought back from Wutong Town.
Whenever the horse was chosen to pull the carriage, leaving the donkey to merely eat grass in the stable and bask in the sun, the donkey felt life was delightful. Occasionally, when no one was looking, it would even chuckle to itself.
There was nothing much to say after returning to the village.
Second Master was still hale and hearty, and the Old Clan Chief seemed to grow more robust with age. Because Hu Ma and the others had returned the previous year, the villagers knew they would definitely come this year too. For several days in advance, they had people waiting at the village entrance to welcome them.
Upon their return, seeing that these promising youngsters had brought back even more New Year's goods than the previous year, everyone's hearts were immediately put at ease.
"I was worried before that you, as a young manager, wouldn't do well and would be demoted in less than a year..."
Second Master sighed, patting Hu Ma's shoulder. "Now it seems you're doing quite well. To have held such a high position for this long, it must be stable now."
Actually, it's not that stable... After all, I'm not the manager anymore... Hu Ma could only smile wryly, thinking to himself.
Of course, because he had given instructions beforehand, the few who returned with him dared not speak of Hu Ma having become the Shopkeeper.
It was only unfair to Zhou Datong; although he was now a manager, he still had to claim he was just a laborer.
In the days that followed, there was feasting, house cleaning, paying respects to the old fire pit, and inviting Granny back for the New Year. After the New Year, as was customary, they went to pay respects in the forest... no, that is, to pay respects to his foster mother. If I clearly said we were going to pay respects in the forest, that explanation wouldn't hold up.
After a year's absence, his foster mother seemed thinner...
Standing alone by the river, a few slender willow branches drooped weakly...
Underneath the tree roots, there were many traces of burnt paper offerings, probably from the villagers who came regularly to burn sacrifices.
The first year they went to pay respects to his foster mother, Old Yangpi from Python Village had brought people to cause trouble. This year, Old Yangpi's group came even earlier, but this time, they joined in paying respects to the foster mother. Everyone cheerfully presented offerings and then kowtowed to the foster mother.
As before, their actions unknowingly attracted many strange entities from the forest to observe the ceremony. The foster mother had already resigned herself to her fate, woodenly allowing so many people to kowtow to her without moving an inch.
However, unlike the previous year, after paying respects to his foster mother this time, Hu Ma immediately found a secluded spot.
He bowed respectfully and said in a low voice, "Senior, I have officially begun to learn the abilities from the Age Suppressing Book."
"I have tried my best to prepare, but I still know too little."
"I don't know if learning it will have any consequences..."
"Consequences are natural. Whether the Hu Family has capable individuals or not—that itself is the most significant consequence."
The Old Tree Stump Senior indeed hadn't rushed off. He quietly appeared behind Hu Ma and answered softly, "But you needn't concern yourself too much. All of the Ten Surnames have descendants to carry on their lineage. Only the descendants of the Hu Family have no one to guide them, which is already a pitiable state."
"If merely wishing to learn your family's skills means you'd be ensnared by some unseen machination, then your Granny's initial plea to me would have been in vain."
This... Is the Old Tree Stump Senior agreeing to shield me from some of those unseen forces? Hu Ma was surprised.
His heart stirred, and he hurriedly asked another question, "Also, I've heard there's something in the hall called the Five Evil Gods?"
"I have a friend who was targeted by it, and I want to..."
The Old Tree Stump said, "...You want to eliminate it?"
Hu Ma immediately closed his mouth. Indeed, I do have that thought, but if we can negotiate, we should!
"If you want to eliminate it, then just do so."
The Old Tree Stump Senior seemed to sense the flicker of hesitation in Hu Ma's heart and said bluntly, "For a descendant of the Hu Family to rise, the path will inherently not be smooth. If you don't harbor the thought of eliminating it, it might well come looking for you."
"Now that your Granny resides in the ancestral hall, those who fear you stepping forward are not the Meng family, nor anyone from the Ten Surnames. It is precisely certain... entities within the hall."
"Certain entities in the hall?"
When Hu Ma asked this, he had originally intended only to subtly probe the Old Tree Stump Senior's views on the Five Evil Gods. He hadn't expected it to lead to such a lengthy explanation. Are there really entities in the hall worried about the return of the Hu Family's descendants?
"On this trip back, you've also paid respects at the old fire pit and replaced the old pond ash with new."
The Old Tree Stump Senior continued slowly, "The hundreds of living souls in Dayang Village all depend on that one old fire pit to survive in Old Yin Mountain. Even some evil spirits from outside the village are awed by the old fire pit's power and thus offer protection to the villagers."
"But if these evil spirits develop their own ideas, no longer protect Dayang Village, and instead wish to claim the old fire pit for themselves, who do you think they would want to eliminate first?"
These words immediately startled Hu Ma. So it's not just the Reincarnators who are coveting the Hu Family's possessions?
"That's how things are. The Hu Family's possessions are right there. Even if you don't covet them, sooner or later, other people—or other things—will."
But the Old Tree Stump Senior simply smiled and said, "It seems they can't covet them for now. But don't forget, humans are the most cunning. Just because they can't do it now doesn't mean they won't be able to in the future..."
"Heh heh, let's leave it at that for today. I won't say more. It's only out of consideration for you Hu Family descendants that I came to your side first at this most important time. But do you have any idea how many people in Old Yin Mountain are making offerings to me today?"
"I'm still in a hurry to get to the tables..."
Hu Ma felt a bit helpless. We're discussing the most critical matters, and you, Senior, are still thinking about attending feasts...
Since he had discovered early on that the Old Tree Stump Senior did not accept kowtows from him, he merely offered a deep bow to send him off.
Because of this reminder, before returning to the Manor, he first went to Juehu Village. This time, he didn't enter but carefully observed and memorized the village's topography, local conditions, and the position and appearance of the Four-sided Town Gate Stone before departing.
He was already making mental preparations to resolve the matter of Juehu Village and obtain his suppression object.
"Yes..." he murmured to himself.
「A few days later」
After changing into new clothes and having renewed the pond ash, Hu Ma returned to the Manor. He silently sighed to himself, This year, things are bound to get lively...
The ingots under the bed... if I don't take them myself, they'll sooner or later be coveted by thieves, whether they're domestic or outsiders...