A Gallop on the Embankment with Spring Breeze

Chapter 15: The Teacher Who Can’t Catch the Ghost Isn’t a Qualified Teacher

Translator: Liu Yanyan

Proofread by Fu Tianying

What surprised Wu Zhong was that Ma Tian’en was so unreliable to ask him to catch a ghost. As a saying goes, when a man has too much idle time, he will have a lot of gossips. It seems that Ma Tian’en needs more homework.

Thinking of this, he pointed at the door and said, “leave the roasted duck and you go. Remember to close the door. When you are back, write ten times what I have taught in class.”

Of course, Ma Tian’en was unwilling to go. When one has something in trouble, he naturally turns to his teacher. She will not give it up easily. Ma Tian’en held the hands of the teacher and said: “Teacher, it is not a prank. Our warehouse is haunted by the ghost. You have taught me that filial piety comes first. I also want to share my father’s burdens, so I shoulder this thing.”

“Now that you shoulder it, go and catch the ghost. I am only a scholar, not Zhongkui (who can catch the ghost in folklore). Why do you turn to me?” Wu Zhong shook off his hands from Ma Tian’en and didn’t leave but sat back.

“I have gone. I originally thought that someone had played tricks. It was easy to go and catch it. You know, although my learning is not good, it is an easy task for me to catch thieves. Indeed, I caught a male ghost who was disguised by a ventriloquist. But surprisingly, there was another female ghost. And the female ghost was very frightening. I saw her enter a warehouse, but couldn’t find her trace. Then outside the warehouse came a strange cry of the female ghost. When we ran out of the warehouse, she disappeared, too. It is so weird that I ask you for help.”

Wu Zhong thought for a while and said, “Do you think the ghost is true or disguised by someone?”

“I think it should be disguised by someone. Actually I don’t believe there is ghost. Think of it, if a man who is incompetent when alive becomes powerful after being a ghost, the real world has already been occupied by ghosts. And if she was killed by someone, she should find the foe. What does she do in the warehouse? Her foe would not stay in the warehouse for her revenge. Teacher, do you think there is any ghost?”

Wu Zhong kept silent for a while and thought of the woman who had saved his life–the woman called herself the daughter of the Dragon King. But he was drunk and didn’t see her clearly. Thinking of this, a ray of warmth appeared on his face, “If there is a ghost in the real world, there should be a fairy, too！”

“Fairy? Teacher, are you longing for love?” Ma Tian’en asked solemnly.

“Bad words. It is not longing for love. Little child, you need a lesson. Let’s continue to talk about the ghost. If someone plays a ghost, you should notify the local government. If it is a real ghost, you should find a Taoist priest. Do you want me to teach the ghost a lesson?”

“My teacher, I don’t know whether it is true or not, so I ask for your help. You always say that the the book has its own gold house, and the book has everything. You have read many books, you can definitely tell it.” Ma Tian’en looked as if he was going to depend on Wu Zhong anyway.

Wu Zhong ate the roasted duck calmly and ignored Ma Tian’en. Looking at Wu Zhong, Ma Tian’en thought, “A scholar looks elegant even when eating the duck.” After a while, Ma Tian’en saw Wu Zhong put down the chopsticks and immediately handed the wet towel for him to wipe his hands.

Looking at his ingratiation and her determination of “you don’t promise, I will stay here forever”, Wu Zhong thought his disciple rarely behaved obediently like this time, he might as well accompany him to have a look.

“Let’s go. It is not easy to be your teacher.”

“I will achieve the first place in the imperial civil examination later, so you can ask for more money when teaching other students.”

“Forget about it, I might as well do it myself.”

It was hilarious as the master and apprentice talked all the way.

As Shun had already prepared for the carriage at the door. The uncle felt worried so he also came with them. On the way, Wu Zhong inquired about the thing that happened at the dock.

“Uncle the Fifth, is there anyone who is unscrupulous among these workers and behaved actively in this thing?

“The dock is large and there are many unscrupulous rogue men. But among these workers, Ma Lian behaves actively these days. Not long ago, I scorned him because he stole the rice.”

“Stealing the rice? In the warehouse?” Wu Zhong asked. If he stole the rice in the warehouse, it couldn’t just be a few curses.

“You don’t know, Ma Lian was originally a little charger at the dock. We treat him well. But it is surprising that he thinks highly of the little profits and is very cunning. He sewed another layer in his sleeve and equipped a piece of iron pipe with a sharp point on top of it. When others do not pay attention, he pierced the bag of rice, so rice can follow the silver pipe into his sleeve. He stole a lot during the day, but one day was caught by me. I wanted to dismiss him, but he cried and begged. He has an old mother who was blind and needed to be taken care of. I let off him in a moment of mercy, but I don’t expect him to be active this time. What a conscienceless man! I will dismiss him as soon as the matter is over.” Speaking of Ma Lian, the uncle became angry.

“The ghost can’t come in without the domestic thief. If the ghost is disguised by the man, he must hide in boxes or sacks that were carried by workers.”

Only talking half, Wu Zhong was interrupted by Ma Tian’en: “Teacher is indeed smart. Mr. Jia, the ghost I caught, said someone gave him money to hide in a box, and then was transported into the warehouse. I go to catch Ma Lian now and give him a beating, and then he will tell everything.”

“But we are not sure whether it is done by Ma Lian. It is better to let sleeping dogs lie, and there is the news of the ghost. The most important is to catch the ghost.” Actually, Wu Zhong knew who planned it. It might be Hu Chunqiu and Tian Ronghua who could organize these things for Ma Family. It was because of himself that Ma Tian’en offended Hu Chunqiu. So he must help Ma Tian’en to catch the ghost.

Arriving at the warehouse, some bystanders gathered around, but kept a certain distance and didn’t dare to stand close, as if they were afraid that the ghost could come out of the door.

Two workers opened the door and shunned aside swiftly, afraid of being called to come in together with them. However, workers were surprised at the coming of Wu Zhong. The workers didn’t know him. But he was more like a scholar than a Taoist priest, so they didn’t understand why Ma Tia’en invited him.

Wu Zhong, Ma Tian’en, Ashun and Uncle stepped into the warehouse. They felt a chill only approaching to the door. The uncle felt very scared. He brought many helpers lest anything should happen to these two men. Although he was afraid, he still walked in front of them for withstanding something unexpected.

“No need for panic, I guess the ghost would not come out now. Tian’en, take me to the storeroom where the ghost disappeared.” Wu Zhong was calm. The ghost must appear when everyone is tired or nervous. They just entered, so the atmosphere was not due, and the ghost would not come out.

“OK.” Ma Tian’en replied without ado. Although the warehouse has many storerooms, Ma Tian’en had a good memory, so she soon found the storeroom with Wu Zhong.

“Teacher, that’s it, the female ghost flew from the door of this storeroom. We were in this room at that time and watched her flying past.” After saying these, Ma Tian’en felt chilly. Others became nervous, especially Ashun who was trembling.

Wu Zhong stood at the door of the storeroom. According to the location where the ghost appeared, he carefully observed. According to what Ma Tian’en said, the female ghost should float for a while at the door and flew away when they ran after it. If it was Qing Kung in Jianghu, she should not float for such a long time. So she must use other ways. In light of this, Wu Zhong touched along the outer wall of the warehouse. Indeed, on the outer wall, two meters away from the storeroom, there is a small hole, which looks like the scratch.

“Look, what can cause this scratch? If it is true, there should be this kind of scratch on the same spot of the other side of the storeroom.” Wu Zhong asked the men of Datong faction.

“It really has!” Ma Tian’en immediately ran to the wall of the other side of the storeroom and checked, she indeed found a hole of the same size.

“It might be grab lines. I have heard from the grand master before that there are master hands in Jianghu who can use grab lines and ropes to walk on the wall, as if waking on the ground. If there are grab lines on both side of the wall, she can float in the air for a while. If the rope is very thin, it is not easy to be noticed.” One man of Datong faction said.

“Yes. She wore the red clothes. People will pay more attention to her clothes,” Ma Tian’en added.

“Bring me to the room where she disappeared,” Wu Zhong was relieved.

Ma Tian’en hurriedly led Wu Zhong to the storeroom where the female disappeared. It was not far. While walking, Wu Zhong observed whether there is the same kind of hole on the outer wall of the passed storeroom.

“That’s it. The female came in and then disappeared. After a while, we heard her crying outside. When chasing out, we saw a shadow and it disappeared again.” By this, Ma Tian’en felt depressed. She disguised herself as a ghost every year, but this year, she was tricked by a ghost.

Wu Zhong walked in. The storeroom was not large. Inside were sacks of grain, and boxes. Some of them had been opened which were ordered by Ma Tian’en. There was no place where a person could hide.

Wu Zhong turned around, looking up, staring for a while, and then he understood.