The ghost's face was twisted as it grinned hideously. "I had just saved enough money to treat my sick mother, but that old hag insisted I stole it!"
"I explained myself, knocking my head until it bled, saying it was the monthly allowance I'd saved by skimping on food and expenses. But no one believed me. They stripped me of my clothes, slandered me for having an affair, and dragged me naked in front of everyone! Just like that, my innocence was gone!" With each word, the ghost's resentment grew stronger. "Who would care about the innocence and life of a maid? I had no choice but to hang myself from this tree! My mother died not long after hearing of my death. It's all your fault! You masters drove me to this!"
"Now you talk about justice? It's too late!"
After seeing this, Jiang Zhao took two steps back and said to Qiniang out of the corner of her eye, "It's up to you."
All her things were in the room. She was too lazy to get them. Besides, with Qiniang around, there was no point not using her.
Qiniang snorted and stepped in front of Jiang Zhao. "Such petty tricks."
The ghost wasn't afraid. It opened its mouth wide and charged straight at Qiniang.
Qiniang didn't even move. The powerful evil aura emanating from her was enough to send the ghost bouncing back to the locust tree.
Trapped on the locust tree and unable to move, the ghost could only let out shrill howls.
Qiniang clicked her tongue twice. "See, this is what happens when you're pent - up for too long. It doesn't make any sense at all."
"The locust tree accumulates yin energy and also nurtures resentment. Her grievances have been magnified by this tree over the years, and she's long since lost her mind."
Jiang Zhao walked out from behind Qiniang. "The wrongdoer has gone unpunished, yet you lash out at those who want to help you. Did your brains rot when you died?"
The ghost knew it was no match for Jiang Zhao and this female ghost in front of her, so it fell silent.
After the ghost had calmed down a bit, Jiang Zhao asked, "What's your name?"
The ghost replied hoarsely, "Lvyun."
Seeing this, Qiniang joked, "You can bend and stretch. You're quite honest."
Lvyun's rolling white eyes showed a hint of confusion. Honest? Who's honest? Me?
Then Qiniang lay back on Jiang Zhao's back, letting Jiang Zhao carry her. "You're planning to help it?"
Jiang Zhao moved her somewhat heavy neck. "It's right here. Not helping would be a waste. Consider it doing good deeds."
Qiniang snorted. If she didn't know Jiang Zhao was a money - grubber, she would really think Jiang Zhao was a merciful Bodhisattva who couldn't bear to see human suffering.
"Look, you've been occupying this yard, which seriously affects my daily life. Besides, although you died unjustly, you committed suicide. Those who commit suicide cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation and can only be trapped here." Jiang Zhao ignored Qiniang and said to Lvyun, "I specialize in dealing with such things. I can help you get rid of your resentment and send you to reincarnation after dealing with the ghost guards."
"Seeing as you were a filial child in your previous life, I'll only charge you one tael of silver. If you really don't have any, you can exchange it with other valuable items."
Those who commit suicide are not accepted by either heaven or earth, so Lvyun was also forced to be trapped on this locust tree. But Jiang Zhao could help Lvyun get rid of her resentment and send her to reincarnation after bribing the ghost guards.
Lvyun never expected Jiang Zhao to ask for money. "I'm already dead!"
"You even want to make money off the dead! Aren't you the eldest daughter of the Jiang family? Are you crazy for money?"
Jiang Zhao shrugged, looking helpless. "I'm not doted on by my father or mother. My situation is not much better than yours."
"Besides, you can't take your money with you when you die. You might as well give it all to me."
Qiniang wondered if she was hallucinating. It seemed that the ghost was angered into laughing by Jiang Zhao.
Jiang Zhao yawned sleepily. "Think carefully about what I said. Let me know when you've made up your mind."
With that, regardless of Lvyun's reaction, she walked into the house on her own.
Having suffered losses at the hands of the human and the ghost, Lvyun didn't dare to make any more noise.
Jiang Zhao waved her hand towards her back. "Aren't you leaving yet?"
Qiniang sighed faintly. "Hearing that girl's story just now, I started to miss my mother. I don't know how she's doing now, if that old brute still beats her. Does her leg still hurt? Have she shed any tears for me over the years?"
Jiang Zhao was silent. Qiniang was indeed a poor soul.
In the past, although Qiniang's family was poor, she was the only child of her parents, who doted on her. Her life could be considered happy.
Until the son of a wealthy family in a neighboring county died of a serious illness. They were looking for a girl with a compatible birth date to be a ghost bride for their son, so that their beloved son wouldn't be lonely on the way to the underworld.
The wealthy family gave Qiniang's father a generous amount of silver, which was enough for their family to live on for a lifetime.
Qiniang never expected that her father, who had always doted on her, would actually agree. And her mother never said a single word in her defense.
Just like that, she was stuffed alive into a coffin and buried.
When Jiang Zhao dug her out of the grave, her hands were all scratched. Later, she didn't want to enter the cycle of reincarnation and had nowhere to go, so she had been following Jiang Zhao.
Qiniang didn't continue. She rubbed against Jiang Zhao's cheek and disappeared in a flash.
Jiang Zhao sighed. She didn't tell Qiniang that her mother gave birth to a son the year after Qiniang's death.
With the money from the ghost marriage, her mother lived a life of luxury and raised Qiniang's younger brother.
She naturally couldn't tell Qiniang this. Qiniang already had a deep resentment because of being a ghost bride and buried alive, and still had a strong evil aura.
If Qiniang found out and caused harm to someone, she would also be involved in the cause - and - effect karma.
But if Qiniang found out about this on her own in the future, it would have nothing to do with her what fate awaited her younger brother.
...
Without Lvyun's disruptions, Jiang Zhao had a good night's sleep.
The next day.
Jiang Zhao was dragged out of bed early by Xiaoman and Peilan.
Xiaoman fetched water while Peilan helped her get dressed. It was much more convenient.
Jiang Zhao sat in front of the bronze mirror blank - eyed, letting Peilan serve her from behind.
There were no elders in her courtyard, and Peilan only knew a few simple rules. "Miss, there's a rule in the Marquis Mansion that we need to pay respects to the elders morning and evening. From now on, you need to go and pay your respects to the old lady every day."
Jiang Zhao nodded. This was also the reason why she didn't want to return home. Although being from a noble family was good, there were too many rules.
She was used to living a free and unrestrained life, so she would naturally feel annoyed.
Jiang Zhao didn't have many clothes, and since Mrs. He didn't give any instructions, she still wore the clothes she had brought.
There was only a wooden hairpin on her head. It was simple and plain.
When Jiang Zhao arrived at the Pine and Crane Hall, she ran into Jiang Yuzhu, who had also come to pay respects.
"Elder sister!" Jiang Yuzhu took light steps and curtsied slightly towards Jiang Zhao. "Yuzhu pays respects to elder sister."
Jiang Yuzhu saw Jiang Zhao's clothes and opened her mouth slightly. "Elder sister, your clothes..."
"When paying respects to grandmother, elder sister should dress more appropriately. Grandmother will surely feel heart - ache seeing you dressed like this."
Jiang Zhao frowned slightly. This sounded rather uncomfortable.
"Are you really my younger sister?" Jiang Zhao suddenly said out of the blue.