Chapter 278

Chapter 278

The name Song Qingshan felt familiar because of Song Xiaotian’s father.

One was named Song Qingshan, the other Song Qing.

Could the two be related?

Anning said, “Probably a coincidence. Plenty of people have exactly the same name, and these two differ by one character.”

I nodded. Perhaps it truly was a coincidence.

I had encountered so many things lately that my nerves had become overly sensitive.

I would ask Song Xiaotian later whether he knew Daoist Song.

There was nothing else in the box, only miscellaneous items.

We had come up empty again.

It seemed my only option was to attempt Soul Summoning for the Ninth Concubine that night. If it worked, we would probably learn something.

If it failed, the trip would have been for nothing.

When we returned downstairs, the elderly man had finished feeding the pigs. He led us to the second floor and prepared three rooms.

“The countryside can’t compare to the city.”

He smiled simply. “If you don’t mind, these rooms will do for one night.”

The conditions were indeed poor, but we were already imposing on him. How could we complain?

I took out another three hundred yuan and handed it over. “We don’t mind. We’re the ones troubling you. We’ll only stay tonight and leave tomorrow.”

The man took three bamboo mats from a wardrobe, then brought us three thin blankets.

“Dinner is at six, at the same place as before. Get some rest. I have work to do.”

With that, he left.

Assistant He seemed uncomfortable staying there. I asked whether he wanted to spend the night at the tourist site’s hotel, or simply go back and return for us the next day.

He smiled. “It’s fine. I actually like the countryside. My own family lives in a village, so spending one night here doesn’t bother me. Besides, I need to record what we learn and report it to Boss Lin.”

His words could not have been less sincere.

He clearly did not like it here.

By the time we made the beds, it was only a little after two in the afternoon.

Soul Summoning had to wait until eleven that night, leaving eight or nine hours.

Assistant He looked bored, so I suggested walking around the village.

The village was large, backed by two mountain peaks, with a river nearby. From a Feng Shui perspective, the place was undoubtedly blessed.

The authorities had probably consulted a Feng Shui master before developing a tourist attraction here.

The more powerful and wealthy people became, the more they believed in such things.

Seeing me look around constantly, Assistant He could not resist asking, “Mr. Chen, what are you looking at?”

I smiled. “Nothing in particular. The Feng Shui here is good.”

Assistant He looked surprised. “You understand Feng Shui too? I thought only people around Master Zhao’s age knew it. What does the Feng Shui here signify?”

I said I had only read a few books and knew very little.

“The ancients believed a place with mountains and water had good Feng Shui if the terrain was suitable. Mountains represented support.”

I pointed toward the two peaks. “One is tall and the other short, one round and the other square. They complement each other without competing for prominence. They’re like two well-matched sources of support, like a father and mother. A child raised by both parents is naturally treasured.”

“In practical terms, the authorities developed this place into a tourist attraction. The villagers gained stable, long-term employment, their homes were renovated, and they can sell things at stalls within the attraction. Those are all forms of benefit.”
Things sold inside the tourist site cost several times more than the same products outside, so the villagers naturally made a fortune.

They might not become rich, but their quality of life was certainly far better than that of people in other villages.

Assistant He marveled repeatedly. “Now that you’ve explained it, it really does seem true. That’s incredible. I always thought Feng Shui was a fraud.”

I smiled. “There is reason behind Feng Shui. Ancient Chinese study of it became extremely sophisticated. Even architecture students today have to learn at least some of its principles.”

Assistant He was talkative. He chatted with me about many things, including how he came from the countryside and how much he supposedly loved rural life.

If he had discussed anything else, I would not have minded. But he clearly disliked the countryside and still insisted he loved it.

I found him hypocritical.

Perhaps after spending so much time with straightforward people such as Seventh Master and Song Xiaotian, I had grown increasingly disgusted by insincerity.

That evening, we ate dinner and returned early to the elderly man’s home to rest.

At Zi Hour, I rose on time and left my room to wake Anning and Assistant He.

When I reached Assistant He’s door, it was closed, but a faint light shone through the gap beneath it. He was clearly awake and using his phone.

After I knocked, the light went out. A moment later, Assistant He opened the door and looked at me through drowsy eyes.

“Mr. Chen, what are we doing now?”

“Soul Summoning for the Ninth Concubine.”

I spoke directly. “Ordinary people shouldn’t be present for something like this. I think you should stay here. I’m afraid it may frighten you.”

Assistant He hurriedly said, “It’s all right. I have a duty to perform. Whatever we learn will definitely be important, so I’ll need to record it. I am a little afraid, but with you there, Mr. Chen, I believe nothing will happen.”

I nodded with a smile. “Assistant He, did you just wake up? Are you tired?”

He laughed awkwardly. “I’m fine. I don’t need much sleep. I started sleeping right after dinner and have already rested enough. I’ll get my notebook and come right out.”

With that, he went back inside.

I walked to the next room and knocked on Anning’s door.

When it opened, I pushed my way in and shut it behind me.

My actions seemed to startle her. She stared at me in confusion.

I took a folding knife from my pocket and handed it to her. “Keep an eye on Assistant He. Something is wrong with him.”

“What?” Anning’s expression shifted. “What did he do?”

I shook my head. “I can’t put my finger on it, but he’s acting strangely. I clearly saw light in his room just now. He was using his phone, but he claimed he had been asleep.”

“He also insists on recording this supposedly important information. But if we learn anything important, we can repeat it to him afterward. I never pointed that out, and neither did he.”

More importantly, he was terrified of ghosts, yet still insisted on joining us.

Not one word from his mouth was truthful.

After hearing me out, Anning looked worried. “What if he sabotages the Soul Summoning?”

I considered it, then said darkly, “If he tries anything, stab him first.”