Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The familiar scent of agarwood enveloped me, providing an instant anchor for my panicked and wandering heart.

My nose prickled, and my eyes welled with tears.

I turned around and buried my head in the man’s chest. It felt melodramatic, but at this moment, I truly couldn’t hold it together. “Seventh Master, did I do something wrong?”

“I think… I caused the death of an innocent person.”

“Xiao Jiu, you did nothing wrong.” Liu Junyan tightened his grip slightly, pulling me closer into his embrace. “In Wufu Town, no one with the surname Dou is innocent.”

I looked up at him, confused. “Why?”

Liu Junyan said, “These matters cannot be explained in a few words. You will understand everything in time. For now, just remember to handle things according to the Pawnshop’s rules.”

I nodded. Regarding Fu Wan’s case, I had indeed followed the rules.

“Xiao Jiu, you did very well for the first business transaction since the reopening of the Pawnshop,” Liu Junyan praised. “You are even cleverer than I imagined. The offering of that Coffin Nail saved me several years’ worth of Merit, giving me enough energy to come out and meet you briefly.”

I immediately grew tense. “Are you going back into the Black Coffin?”

Liu Junyan gave a soft hum of affirmation, looking reluctant to leave. He opened his mouth to offer some comfort, but I quickly spoke up: “I know you’ve consumed too much Merit to help me survive the ordeal of my eighteenth birthday, and then you had to suppress those Dirty Things in the Main Hall. It’s hard work. I will guard the Pawnshop well and wait for you.”

“Xiao Jiu, you’re so good.”

Liu Junyan leaned down and kissed my forehead. My face instantly flushed red.

Even though I already belonged to him, my heart felt more gratitude toward him than anything else.

I wasn’t quite used to such intimate words and gestures yet.

Liu Junyan, however, was clearly at ease. He pinched my earlobe, which was so red it looked ready to bleed, and chuckled softly.

The more he laughed, the redder my face became, until I was almost stamping my feet in embarrassment.

However, this playful interaction completely dispelled the gloom in my heart, and I felt myself relax.

We didn’t have much time alone, yet I had so many questions for him.

I pointed toward the Antique Shelf behind us and asked, “When I was taking inventory of these Pawned Items earlier, I noticed some of them are past their redemption period. Can I offer them to you?”

“You can, but they aren’t meant as offerings for me,” Liu Junyan explained. “The vast majority of these Pawned Items are Yin Objects.”

I had a sudden realization. “Pure Yin objects are meant as offerings for those Dirty Things, while you need Pure Yang objects as offerings, right?”

“Pure Yang objects are rare,” Liu Junyan said. “But if you manage the Pawnshop well and earn Merit, that will be the best offering for me.”

Speaking of Merit, I had owed Liu Junyan far too much over these past twelve years.

Since managing the Pawnshop well could return Merit to him, I was more than happy to do it.

Only if he was well and strong enough could I survive.

I looked around the Pawnshop and made a decision. No matter how many difficulties lay ahead, I would take up the burden of this Pawnshop!

Then, I remembered the Hexagonal Palace Lantern under the eaves and told Liu Junyan about Fu Wan’s Soul Sacrifice again. “According to the rules, since Fu Wan performed a Soul Sacrifice, I have to find the cause of her death and grant Salvation to her resentful soul. But I really don’t know where to start looking.”

“Fu Wan’s resentment began with that letter, so the breakthrough should be within it,” Liu Junyan said. “Xiao Jiu, don’t rush. Fu Wan’s matter can be investigated slowly, but there are two things you must do immediately.”

I asked curiously, “What are they?”

“First,” Liu Junyan said seriously, “the Pawnshop’s supplies, such as Pawn Tickets, must be purchased from a place called the Ghost Market. The Ghost Market only opens its gates to the mortal realm on the fifteenth of every month, and only for three hours.”

Liu Junyan’s words reminded me that there were originally only three Pawn Tickets left in the drawer. Fu Wan had used one tonight, leaving only two.

That was clearly not enough.

I asked, “What time does the Ghost Market open? Where is the gate? Is the currency the same?”

“That brings me to the second thing I need to tell you.”

Liu Junyan placed a long, bar-shaped Token into my hand.
The Token was black, with the character ‘Yan’ engraved on the front in small seal script, and a Dragon Head Totem on the back. It looked quite majestic.

“Once you’ve settled the matters at hand, take this Token and help me find someone.”

Liu Junyan said solemnly, “Follow this river to the west all the way downstream. At the point where it meets the sea, there is a large aquatic market. I want you to find a girl there with a red mole on the tip of her nose. Do not make a scene. When you ask around, simply say you want to buy a broken-horned red carp.”

I was puzzled. “Do carp have horns?”

“That’s not important, Xiao Jiu,” Liu Junyan said. “So many years have passed that I’m not sure if she can still be found. She has a bit of a temper, but she’s very capable. If you find her, you can trust her as much as you trust me.”

My eyes lit up. “This is a helper you’ve found for me, right?”

Liu Junyan smiled and lightly scraped my nose. “Xiao Jiu is the smartest.”

My face turned red again.

“Alright, it’s time for me to go back.” Liu Junyan ruffled my hair. “Don’t be afraid, Xiao Jiu. Follow your heart. I believe in your abilities.”

I nodded vigorously.

Although I was lost regarding the future and had no confidence in myself, I didn’t want to distract Liu Junyan.

Granny had said that I needed to cling tightly to Seventh Master’s thigh, but I also had to work hard to grow up myself.

Since I had taken over the Pawnshop, I had no reason to retreat.

Liu Junyan returned, and dawn broke.

Someone had called the police. They surveyed the scene and handled Dou Feng’s body.

I thought I would receive a summons from the police to cooperate with the investigation, but I didn’t.

It seemed that everyone in Wufu Town was used to such things, except for me.

However, there were many rumors among the neighbors regarding Dou Feng’s death.

Some said the police had reviewed the surveillance footage from the streets of Wufu Town, which showed Dou Feng rushing out of the Dou Family Coffin Shop last night holding a Coffin Nail.

He had been running down the street like a madman. The road was slippery from the rain, and he tripped. That brand-new Coffin Nail happened to drive straight into the center of his brow, causing his instantaneous death.

Others said the Dou family had done too many wicked things and provoked something unclean, leading to divine retribution. This morning, neighbors saw a large number of Grey Rats dead inside the Dou Family Coffin Shop. Each one was as massive as a house cat, and their deaths were gruesome and bizarre.

Still others said that these events at the Dou house were because of a letter.

Several generations of his ancestors had died mysteriously and tragically, and each had received a letter before their death. Later, they had found a master to suppress it, which brought peace for all these years.

Who would have thought that a heavy rain this year would bring that letter back to light?

Now that Dou Feng was dead, his only son, Dou Jinsuo, probably wouldn’t live much longer either…

I overheard these snippets while looking for someone to repair the door. I thought to myself that since Fu Wan had already performed a Soul Sacrifice to the Hexagonal Palace Lantern, the resentment on that letter should have vanished along with her. Dou Jinsuo might not necessarily die.

But just as I was thinking this, a trembling voice suddenly sounded behind me. “Xiao Jiu… no, it’s… it’s Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu. I… I want to pawn something.”

I turned around and saw that the newcomer was actually Dou Jinsuo.

He was wrapped in a long black trench coat, his entire face tucked inside the hood. His face was covered in black scratch marks, and his eyes were darting around shiftily, as if he were a thief.

I frowned and asked, “What do you want to pawn?”

Dou Jinsuo glanced toward the counter and whispered, “Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu, let’s go inside to talk.”

I felt some repulsion toward him, but thinking that I might be able to find out more about Fu Wan through him, I let him in.

I stood behind the counter and asked again, “What do you want to pawn?”

Dou Jinsuo pulled a folded piece of paper from his coat and respectfully placed it on the counter.

I recognized it at a glance-it was Fu Wan’s letter!

Dou Jinsuo’s tone was humble to the extreme as he looked at me pleadingly, his voice full of desperation. “I… I want to pawn this letter. A Dead Pawn! For one cent.”