Zhao Fusheng heard him and asked, "What reason?"
Liu Yizhen explained, "I'm not clear on the specific process of the Headless Ghost's killing, but I heard my grandfather say that the higher the Malevolent Ghost's tier a Ghost Tamer commands, the easier it is to lose control and die. That General was already on the verge of losing control at the time. The Headless Ghost's appearance inadvertently caused the Malevolent Ghost he commanded to lose control prematurely, killing him."
He paused, then added casually, "Furthermore, the tier classification of Malevolent Ghosts, besides being estimated based on their Ghost Domain and power, also involves other considerations by the court. For example, the reason the ghost commanded by this Gold-tier General was rated as Disaster-tier is because, in addition to its own strength, it also possessed an unparalleled Sinister Object."
In other words: a ghost commanding a Sinister Object.
"Ghosts have possessions too?" Zhao Fusheng asked.
Her phrasing was a bit odd. Liu Yizhen's mouth twitched twice. He wanted to refute but then realized she wasn't wrong, so he simply nodded:
"Yes."
"What kind of Sinister Object was it?" Zhao Fusheng pressed.
Liu Yizhen honestly replied, "My grandfather said it seemed to be a boat, or perhaps a carriage, I'm not entirely clear. All I know is that once caught by this Malevolent Ghost, neither human nor ghost can escape, and all other ghosts avoid it."
Zhao Fusheng was somewhat curious about the ghost commanded by that former Gold-tier General. Hearing this, she asked, "Then after that General died, the Malevolent Ghost must have revived. How was it resolved in the end?"
"The imperial court has many talents, and the incident happened in the Capital City, so naturally someone resolved it. The Malevolent Ghost that revived after that General's death was probably also sealed by someone, and the Sinister Object is perhaps hidden in the Demon Suppression Division Headquarters in the Capital City, with special personnel guarding it."
Liu Yizhen's answer was essentially no answer at all.
However, he was not very old, at most in his early twenties, so it was understandable that he wasn't clear about events from decades ago.
But what caught Zhao Fusheng's attention was that when he spoke of this past, he repeatedly mentioned one piece of information: My grandfather said.
She had already formed a plan in her mind, and smiled, pursing her lips:
"Your grandfather knows quite a lot."
Liu Yizhen's expression remained unchanged, but he took a deep breath.
Zhao Fusheng then asked with a smile:
"You know many secrets, and your grandfather knows even more. You two, grandfather and grandson, have successively taken over the charity work and know the past of the Fuzi Temple ghost disaster. Who exactly is your grandfather?"
She refocused her attention on Liu Yizhen and his grandfather, saying:
"The charity work at Fuzi Temple has been going on for forty years, from the beginning of the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, to later, daily offerings—"
Zhao Fusheng paused here.
A feeling of disgust welled up in her heart.
The act of 'charity' was inherently good. She first heard about the ghost disaster in Beggar's Alley from the Fan brothers, and later Paper Man Zhang also mentioned it, including Liu Wu who drove her carriage—everyone who spoke of the Liu family back then praised their righteous deeds.
But who would have thought that behind this 'charity' lay bloody human lives?
The Liu family donated money for charity, but those who drank the porridge from Fuzi Temple were destined to die at the hands of the Malevolent Ghost sooner or later. This act of kindness transformed into invisible malice, yet people were kept in the dark, completely unaware.
From the initial first and fifteenth of the lunar month to the later daily charity, it all indicated the frequent killings by the ghost.
If the Malevolent Ghost of Beggar's Alley was not eliminated, who knew how many lives it would claim once the Charity Ghost advanced in tier?
In the Great Han Dynasty, Malevolent Ghosts ran rampant, and human lives were like weeds.
When she first heard Fan Bisi say this, she was dismissive, but now she finally understood the weight of that statement.
Zhao Fusheng suppressed the revulsion in her heart and continued:
"To sustain such a long-term 'benevolent act' indicates that the funds required behind it were substantial—"
"It was half of the Liu family's fortune," Liu Yizhen replied, raising an eyebrow at her sarcastic tone, quite surprised.
Zhao Fusheng was stunned for a moment.
Although she had mentally prepared herself, Liu Yizhen's words still astonished her:
"Liu Huacheng asking Su Long and Zhang Xiongwu to join forces already came at the cost of half of the Liu family's wealth. If he used the other half of the Liu family's fortune as funds for Fuzi Temple's charity, then the Liu family back then..."
"The Liu family splintered after the ghost disaster, and the remaining clan members scattered," Liu Yizhen calmly replied.
At this point, he seemed to no longer conceal the truth, deciding to reveal everything:
"Before leaving, the family head distributed his accumulated private savings to his relatives, and the remaining assets of the Liu family were all sold off. Beggar's Alley, which originally belonged to the Liu clan's ancestral land, was also donated by him to build Fuzi Temple."
Given this, Zhao Fusheng's thoughts shifted, and she continued:
"Then, the one who took over the position of temple caretaker back then, could it be one of Liu Huacheng's children?" Thinking this, she then felt it didn't quite fit.
At the time of the ghost disaster, Liu Huacheng was already sixty. People married early in ancient times, so Liu Huacheng's eldest son might have already had grandchildren.
She quickly added:
"—Or a grandson?"
"No."
Liu Yizhen finally turned his head, giving her a meaningful look.
Zhao Fusheng's gaze instantly changed. She thought of a possibility. Liu Yizhen tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, "The one who stayed behind was precisely the head of the Liu family at the time, Liu Huacheng himself."
The young man watched Zhao Fusheng's face show a complex expression.
It was as if she wasn't particularly surprised, as if everything had been guessed by her long ago. She was truly brilliant.
Liu Huacheng back then was a part of Su Long's plan.
The Headless Ghost's corpse appeared in Wan'an County because of him; he bore the imperial decree and could not escape.
And half of the Liu family's fortune was an enormous sum. Coupled with the grave responsibility of Fuzi Temple, he was uneasy entrusting it to others. Therefore, he ultimately stayed behind himself, personally managing this wealth.
—After all, it was impossible for anyone in this world to see such a vast amount of wealth and not be tempted. To perfectly execute such a plan, only Liu Huacheng himself could do it.
From then on, there was no longer the former Imperial Censor of the Ministry of Justice nor the head of the esteemed Liu clan in the world, only an old temple caretaker in Fuzi Temple in Beggar's Alley who watched over the temple and performed charity.
"At that time, my father was still young, and all my uncles were busy fleeing for their lives, with no time to care for him."
In fact, the situation was very chaotic at the time. When the younger generation of the Liu clan learned that the ghost disaster was caused by Liu Huacheng, resentment grew in their hearts. But Liu Huacheng's authority was too great; everyone dared not speak their anger.
They were unaware of Su Long's plan, only thinking that Liu Huacheng had squandered all their family wealth to quell the ghost disaster, and they resented their father immensely. When it came time to flee, everyone blamed and accused each other, unwilling to take away the son Liu Huacheng had late in life.
"My grandfather was forced to take my father with him in the end."
Liu Yizhen didn't intend to say much about his father's past, only briefly touching upon it:
"However, my father was not in good health. He passed away before the age of thirty, leaving only my grandfather and me to depend on each other."
All the truth was revealed.
But despite Liu Yizhen's extensive explanation, Zhao Fusheng felt as if many more doubts remained in her heart.
In the 206th year of the Great Han Dynasty, Liu Huacheng was already sixty years old. According to Liu Yizhen, his grandfather had only passed away last month, meaning Liu Huacheng had actually lived to be a hundred years old!
This age was highly unusual.
If Liu Huacheng could live to a hundred, he should have longevity genes. Why did his son die before the age of thirty?
Moreover, even if he lived long, surviving to ninety-seven or ninety-eight was one thing, and one hundred and one was not rare. But why exactly at the age of one hundred?
Could it be that in Su Long's plan back then, he set up some mystical mechanism within Fuzi Temple that altered Liu Huacheng's fate against the natural order?
Thinking this, she moved past Liu Yizhen and prepared to step into Fuzi Temple.
"What are you doing?"
Liu Yizhen's expression changed slightly, and he quickly reached out to stop her.
His action made Zhao Fusheng laugh out loud.
She slowly pushed Liu Yizhen's arm away, smiling, "Your grandfather didn't have a funeral after he died, did he? And now there are three ghosts hidden in the temple, right?"
"..." Liu Yizhen looked speechless, as if thinking, Since you know, how dare you still go in?
"I'm going in to take a look," Zhao Fusheng said.
"Absolutely not!"
Liu Yizhen, who had been quite cooperative until now, was unexpectedly forceful. His expression was severe:
"At this point, I won't hide it from you. My grandfather's body was indeed kept in the temple after he passed away." He looked at Zhao Fusheng, his tone brooking no argument:
"If you go in, you will disturb the old man and invite disaster."
"What disaster? Why so serious?"
Zhao Fusheng had a good idea what he meant.
The Headless Ghost, newly revived back then, could kill a Gold-tier General in the Capital City. Although its ghost body was later decomposed and demoted in tier, Liu Huacheng's post-death revival as a Malevolent Ghost could actually restrain it, indicating that Liu Huacheng also became an exceptionally terrifying great ghost after his death.
She suddenly recalled the records about Liu Huacheng's life mentioned in the Demon Suppression Division's dossiers.
At the time, she hadn't understood, wondering: regarding the South City Ghost Case, why did Su Long, when recording the case, not mention the Malevolent Ghost's killing rules, nor the process of him sealing the Malevolent Ghost, but instead painstakingly detailed Liu Huacheng's past, even recording events from before his birth?
Now, re-examining it with the current context, Zhao Fusheng finally understood the former Commander of the Demon Suppression Division's painstaking effort to leave a warning for future generations.
The dossier for the South City Ghost Case mentioned: Liu Huacheng was born extraordinary. When his mother was pregnant with him, she frequently dreamed, often seeing him holding a strange red book, wandering the long streets, which was highly mysterious.
When Liu Huacheng was born, heavenly phenomena appeared, with red energy lingering, which was widely praised by the people of Wan'an County at the time.
If it were Zhao Fusheng on her first reading of the dossier, she might have dismissed this record.
Throughout history, whenever figures who left a trace in the torrent of time were written about by later generations, authors inevitably added their own biases and perspectives, praising or slandering, which determined the individual's historical standing.
Facing such legends, Zhao Fusheng was long used to them.
The impression these past figures left on posterity in written works depended on the status of the author and the pen in their hand.
When Su Long wrote the dossier and mentioned Liu Huacheng's past, Zhao Fusheng initially speculated cynically whether it was because Liu Huacheng had paid money.
Although Su Long, as a Ghost Tamer and Commander of the Demon Suppression Division, had a unique status, Liu Huacheng had given too much, perhaps enough to make Su Long praise him a few times.
But now, combining the current clues and re-examining this record, Zhao Fusheng realized Su Long's true intention.
But she deliberately played dumb:
"I don't believe it. I want to confirm it myself—"
"No!"
Liu Yizhen's face changed dramatically, and his eyes revealed killing intent, as if he was ready to fight her.
This person kept company with ghosts but was not a Ghost Tamer.
The fact that he dared to confront her, knowing she commanded ghosts, implied that Liu Yizhen might have a way—or ability—to suppress Ghost Tamers.
But what did he rely on?
Could it be...
"The Red Book—"
She murmured, using a double entendre:
"Your grandfather's book of charity... the Book of Fates?"
Liu Yizhen didn't know that her thoughts had already raced through countless possibilities in that short time. She was clever and quick-witted, some things couldn't be hidden from her. Hearing her, he had no choice but to nod:
"Yes."
He softened his expression, and his tone became gentler:
"Ghosts can also command Sinister Objects. The Book of Fates you mentioned has become an unparalleled Sinister Object—" He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "And—it also possesses the potential for growth. My grandfather absolutely must not be disturbed."
Since everything had already been revealed, he decided not to hide anything from Zhao Fusheng:
"Fusheng, if you step into Fuzi Temple, you might disturb the Malevolent Ghost. Once my grandfather revives, he will search for the Book of Fates—"
Here, he finally couldn't help but show a look of distress:
"If it gets its hands on the Book of Fates, the entire Wan'an County might be enveloped in a Ghost Domain!"
The Ghost Domain formed by the revived Malevolent-tier Charity Ghost enveloped Beggar's Alley.
In fact, Beggar's Alley was already quite large, but in the entire Wan'an County, it was just a corner of the south city.
And Liu Yizhen mentioned that if Liu Huacheng were to revive as a Malevolent Ghost, his Ghost Domain could envelop the entire Wan'an County—Zhao Fusheng's face changed dramatically, and she immediately shrank back:
"Can't afford to provoke! Can't afford to provoke!"
She was meticulous in thought but audacious and impulsive in action, yet at this moment, faced with Liu Yizhen's words, she knew she temporarily couldn't directly contend with such a formidable great ghost.
"..."
Liu Yizhen looked speechless, seeing her cower.
He had initially genuinely feared Zhao Fusheng's boldness and recklessness.
After all, the young girl before him had a certain rogueishness, as if she didn't care about death, and a knack for courting disaster.
When she first entered Beggar's Alley, she caused quite a commotion. When everyone else, fearing Malevolent Ghosts, cowered in their rooms during the day, she darted about, looking for opportunities;
After the Malevolent Ghost killed, everyone hid, trembling, terrified of being seen by it, yet she was audacious enough to track the Malevolent Ghost.
Her various behaviors were simply beyond words. When she wanted to rush into Fuzi Temple, Liu Yizhen truly feared that she, unaware of her own limitations, would stubbornly insist and cause a disaster—after all, her name was recorded in the Book of Fates, so he could somewhat understand her desire to stir up trouble.
However, seeing that she still retained her rationality, the heavy stone in Liu Yizhen's heart instantly dropped.
But he quickly realized that he had been letting Zhao Fusheng control his emotions, which immediately gave him another headache.
"Don't you just want to see the Charity Ghost? How about, how about you stand at the entrance and take a look—"
He was deeply afraid that Zhao Fusheng would act unpredictably, so he conceded first:
"Without the influence of the Ghost Lantern, you can see the shrine from the entrance. It's enshrined within the shrine."
Liu Yizhen's attitude was also a tacit act of goodwill towards Zhao Fusheng. She nodded with a smile:
"Yizhen, your approach is very good."
She continued, "I can't provoke those two great ghosts right now, but I still have to find a way to resolve the ghost disaster in Beggar's Alley. Whether it's hidden in Fuzi Temple or using this place as an entrance, I need to confirm it with my own eyes, don't you agree—"
"..." She was taking advantage and still gloating. Liu Yizhen couldn't take it anymore and finally rolled his eyes.
"Hahahahaha." Zhao Fusheng burst into laughter.
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