Volume 1: The magnificent Qixia Mountain, the young sparrows faded their spots, the phoenixes jumped on the branches and cried Chapter 17: The Eight Vajra of Lujia Village in Qixia Mountain
The news that Mr. Chen had posted a notice to recruit talents had spread that afternoon, causing a sensation throughout Fushui County. It also directly confirmed the strange stories about the Chen Mansion that were circulating in the streets.
It was hearsay before. The people living in the streets near Fulefang said it with details, but for people living in other places in the city, it was just a rumor. After all, these days, if a wild boar comes down the mountain to look for a sow in the pen, it may be rumored that it has become a wild boar spirit.
Now that the news has been confirmed, many people have come to watch the fun and flocked to the place where the list was posted. About 30% of the people inside and 30% outside the list gathered around, standing on tiptoe and stretching their necks to look at the list. There were also literate people standing by and reading the list aloud to everyone.
"… I know that the folks in Fushui County have heard and heard that Chen has always been kind and generous. He has helped the county government and the people, built bridges and paved roads, and has been kind and generous. Recently, my family has suddenly encountered misfortune. Servants and maids have died one after another. It seems that ghosts are haunting my family and disturbing the peace of my family. Today, I have posted a notice to recruit talents. If anyone can help eliminate the disaster in my family, I will reward him with 500 taels of silver."
When that person's voice fell, there was an uproar all around.
Five hundred taels is not an ordinary amount for ordinary people. The annual expenditure of an ordinary family is only three or four taels. The amount of five hundred is enough for an ordinary family to use for more than a hundred years.
“Get out of the way—”
Lu Pan pushed through the crowd, came back from the front after listening to the announcement, and wiped the sweat off his face: "Tsk tsk... Five hundred taels, enough for more than 30 households in our village to have several good years."
Lu Qing nodded in agreement.
"Yes, if we had these five hundred taels, we wouldn't have to sue the people in Beicun. We could just give the crops from the fields to them."
Among the other five people, some were concerned and said carefully, "But I heard that several people died. People from the government office also went there before, and we saw it. It seems that they went back in disgrace. If it is really a ghost who wants to kill us, we are just giving hundreds of pounds of meat to the ghost for nothing."
"But it would be a shame not to take this reward..."
Who wouldn't be tempted by a reward of five hundred taels of silver?
Even Lu Liangsheng was quite tempted. He was not a saint, so naturally he also wanted to have this money to improve his family and to provide his parents and sister with good food and clothing.
The young man glanced at the package, but Toad Taoist didn't seem to want to say anything. This time he had to make the decision himself.
Well... I don't know how fierce the ghosts in Mr. Chen's house are. Even if I can't get rid of them with my skills, I should still be able to escape... But if I have these five hundred taels, it doesn't matter whether the village takes me to court or not. Even if I can't get the five hundred taels, I have helped Mr. Chen, and when I stand in the county government office, the other party might do me a favor and lend me a hand. Then I won't have to worry about the support of the head of Beicun.
The eight people over there were still sighing.
Suddenly, Lu Liangsheng slammed his palm and turned around and said, "Let's go to Mr. Chen's house."
"Hey, Liangsheng, we really have to go..."
Lu Qing was so excited before that he was a little scared when he heard about the evil spirit. Before he could finish his words, Lu Pan pulled him aside and whispered, "Have you forgotten about the centipede monster that day?"
After this reminder, not only Lu Qing was stunned, but also the other six men with the surname Lu were stunned. They remembered that in the firelight that night, they vaguely saw the monster saluting their nephew. If they were mistaken, why didn't the monster eat their nephew and them?
Thinking of this, the eight people's hearts suddenly jumped: Judging from the expression and tone of the eldest nephew just now, maybe this thing can really work!!!
The eight people looked at each other, their arms shaking with excitement. They quickly took out weapons from their backs and lined up behind Lu Liangsheng with ferocious looks, which scared the people who had originally squeezed in to see the list and made them hide to the sides.
"Liangsheng!"
On the way, the voice of Toad Taoist suddenly came from the package slung over the boy's shoulder.
Lu Liangsheng turned his head slightly, looked around, and then lowered his voice: "Master, what's the matter? There are many people here, let's talk later."
The package moved, revealing a gap, and Taoist Zixing poked out his mouth.
"You look...at your age, no one will let you in. You might be kicked out as soon as you open your mouth."
"yes……"
Lu Liangsheng was reminded by this and suddenly stopped. The strong men following him also stopped. Lu Pan came up and said, "Liangsheng, why don't you leave?"
The young man frowned and thought for a while, then approached the burly man and pointed at his patched clothes and his childish face.
"Uncle Pan, can you find a large piece of cloth? I want to cover my whole body."
Probably thinking that his nephew would display his skills in a way that no one could easily see him, Lu Pan nodded, left two of them behind, and took the others to the streets.
Fushui County is just a remote small county with no more than 30 to 40,000 people in the city. Counting those who go to work, open shops, and watch the excitement, the rest of the streets are much quieter. The women who stayed at home pushed open the attic window and stretched out a clothesline. The gray sheets that were originally hung on the rope to dry in the air, only a few pieces of clothes were still hanging there dangling.
He was so angry that he leaned half of his body out and yelled at several figures who were running at the end of the alley holding bed sheets.
"Stealing bed sheets is nothing, come and steal me if you can—"
A few people hurriedly returned to the crowd holding the bed sheets, attracting many eyes. But when they saw the group of shirtless men, they quickly turned away.
Lu Liangsheng sniffed it and smelled the scent of soapberry, which was quite strong and eye-catching on his body.
"Forget it, that's it, Uncle Pan, we'll go over now."
Go west along Dongmen Caishikou for two long streets towards Beimen, and you will find Fulefang, which is very famous. If you ask anyone on the road, everyone will know it.
"so many people……"
Lu Liangsheng came over and stood under the memorial archway. A human-shaped dragon stretched straight to the front. In front of the red-painted gate and the stone steps with two stone lions, there were at least forty people dressed in various styles, some with bald heads, some with beards, some wearing orange robes, and even ragged beggars mixed in, who were then thrown out.
"Get out of here! You're begging outside our house all day long, and you're trying to get in."
The two servants of the Chen Mansion dusted their hands, walked back to the two sides of the gate and stood still, with their arms folded, examining the "strange people" who came up for the list.
And in the long queue below, many people also met familiar faces.
"Wang Banxia, you are a fortune teller, why are you here?"
"Fortune-telling is my livelihood, and exorcising demons is my duty. Moreover, I am only half blind and yet I am so good at it. What if I were completely blind?! Hey... aren't you the peddler who walks the streets? Why are you here too?"
"...I walk the streets, that is... that is to experience the warmth and coldness of the world. Look, even Zhang the Butcher is here, so why can't I come?"
The two chattering people looked behind them and saw a fat figure standing in the middle of the team like a mountain of meat. He was wearing an apron and a butcher knife was stuck on his waist. He glared at them with his narrow eyes.
"What are you looking at? I usually kill pigs and sheep, and I have a murderous aura. What ghosts and monsters can get close to me? If I can't get the five hundred taels, I can at least get five taels, right? Even so, I can still prepare enough food, wine and drinks..."
Lu Liangsheng understood all these fragmented words. Those who came to take the reward of 500 taels were basically ordinary people. They pretended to be nice and probably came here to get the upper hand.
When he was almost there, he turned around and said to Lu Pan and the other eight people, "Uncle Pan, you guys should wait outside. If something really happens, we can't all die in here."
Before Lu Pan could reply, the servant of the Chen Mansion who was guarding the gate had already called Lu Liangsheng in.
He was wrapped in a gray bed sheet, his entire face could not be seen, only a little bit of his chin was exposed, and he looked like a strange man in a cloak. The two people guarding the door had seen many strange men today, so they didn't care. They took a look at him and waved to let him in.
"Since we can't get rid of the sneaky ghost, then you guys come and seek death on your own. I wish you could come more and feed the ghost so that he wouldn't have to harm us, haha."
Outside, seeing that Lu Liangsheng had already gone in, Lu Pan clenched his fists and pounded his palms.
"I'm a little worried about Liangsheng going in alone..."
The seven people nodded.
Lu Pan took a few steps, looked at the gate, and said, "He is our eldest nephew. Although he has some skills, he is weak. If something happens, how can we explain it to Lao Shi when we go back?"
The seven people squatted on the ground and nodded again.
The footsteps then stopped, Lu Pan gritted his teeth, and looked back at them: "Let's go together, one more person means more strength, if Liang Sheng is not convinced, we might be able to get a bargain, we can't give the five hundred taels to others for nothing."
The seven people seemed to understand something.
Then I heard a loud bang from over there.
"Besides... with so many people, there must be food to provide. I haven't had a good meal in a few days."
The seven people stood up and nodded in unison, and followed Lu Pan up the stone steps. Two servants stopped them and asked, "What are you doing? A bunch of farmers are here?"
"A farmer?"
Lu Pan raised his hand and reached back, pulling out the hunting knife tied behind his back. He swung the cold blade, scaring the two people opposite him and making them retreat in panic. The blade passed through their sight, and with a bang, the tip of the knife was nailed to the ground.
"Two fools who have no vision..."
The blade was still shaking as it stuck in the ground, and in everyone's sight, Lu Pan grabbed his short jacket with both hands, and the seven people behind him also grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled it left and right violently.
Hiss——
"Look carefully, peasant, are we eight strong?"
One by one, the short jackets were torn open and flew in the air, floating down and brushing against the bronze or dark skin. In the sunlight, the slightly seeping sweat covered the sturdy arms and emitted a shiny luster. Lu Pan pressed his arms down, veins bulging, and clenched his hands into fists.
He continued with the previous words, his voice was fierce!
"...The eight of us can catch tigers in the mountains and kill dragons in the rivers. Are we qualified to go in now?"
The clenched fists made a slight crackling sound.
Behind him, seven people let out a loud "Ha!", their muscular and sweaty chests bulged high like two hard iron plates.
Then, it shook violently towards the two servants at the door.
"Yes... yes... eight people, please come in!!"
The servants, who had never seen such a scene, were so frightened that they hurriedly made way. Lu Pan picked up the clothes on the ground, casually put them on his shoulders, and pulled out the hunting knife on the ground.
" The eight of masculine energy that is enough to kill ghosts. If it's a female ghost, wouldn't that be perfect?!"
The heroic voice came from the main door.
