Chapter 16 - Even Ghosts Have to Eat (1/2)

Proofread by Fu Tianying

“Teacher, have you got something?” Ma Tian’en was quite observant. He knew it immediately as soon as he took a glance at Wu Zhong.

“I’ll tell you outside,” Wu Zhong said as he walked out. Ma Tian’en was curious about what Wu had found, but Wu Zhong refused to tell, so he stopped asking. Everyone went out together.

Some people still scattered outside around the granary. Seeing them coming out, they all came and asked questions. Before their cascading questions, Wu Zhong said: “We don’t have to worry; we just went in and didn’t see any ghosts. Maybe someone was so tired that he was hallucinated.”

“You are just a scholar. How could you understand those supernatural beings? I was not the only man who saw the ghost here. Could it be possible that we were all hallunicated at that time?” Someone questioned him right away.

“People just followed what others said. You know, when highly tense, people will be affected by others.”

“Why not stay in the granary for one night? Maybe ghosts would like to come out at night.” Someone in the crowd jeered.

“Well, it’s okay. It sounds I am afraid to stay in the granary.” Ma Tian’en thought his teacher was strange today. What he said even failed to convince himself. How could it fool everyone here? What he said today was too naive, unlike a shrewd and sophisticated teacher.

“Since everybody thought there were ghosts, I will go back to prepare a rite to drive them away three days later.You could just keep an eye on the granary. Do not go in until I come.” Wu Zhong behaved like a transcendent being who did know some magic arts.

“Teacher Wu, do you really know how to catch a ghost?” Ma Tian’en lowered his voice and asked in doubt.

“Not very much. Only a little.” After he finished, Wu Zhong went his own way, leaving the crowd discussing.

“The scholar was probably a liar. Where did he come from?”

“At the very start, he said there are no ghosts at all, and soon he decided to prepare a rite. As I see, he gonna run away with money.”

“He seems to be the teacher of Childe Ma. I have ever seen him once in Ma family. I did not expect him to catch ghosts.”

“Catch ghosts? Brag and bounce! If he could catch ghosts, I would conjure up gods!”

Ma Tian’en followed Wu Zhong to get on the carriage in confusion while Wu sat in repose with his eyes closed.

Wu Zhong suddenly opened his eyes after the carriage drove for a while.

“Stop,” Wu Zhong said.

“Ah. Stop. Stop.” Somehow Ma Tian’en was obedient to Wu.

Wu Zhong got off the carriage, and Ma Tian’en followed. Wu Zhong let Ma Tian’en and several guards stay with him, but asked the coachman to drive the carriage back to Ma family.

Wu Zhong took them quickly into a roadside store. Having ordered something to eat and drink, Wu Zhong started to talk slowly.

“There were no ghosts in the granary. Indeed, it is a human being and I know exactly where she is.”

“Ah!” The others were all shocked.

“Where does she hide?” Ma asked in haste.

“Hide on the beam.” Wu Zhong pointed to the beam. “Did you notice the beam in the granary? It was wide enough for one person to hide. The man is supposed to be sliding along the wall with a rope and a grip so there were no footprints on the ground. When you went in, she hid behind it and that’s why you all thought she disappeared.”

“But why is there crying outside? She can’t go outside from the beam.” Ma Tianen flattered Wu Zhong by filling water cup for Wu.