The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#303 - Mind Reading

“May I ask who you are, sir?”

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The fishmonger, called Han Erlang, subconsciously responded, then looked up at Lu Jing with a somewhat bewildered expression.

“My name is Gu Jing, and I wish to inquire about something with Brother Han.” Lu Jing didn't use his real name, mainly because he was too famous. He was now a household name, which didn't align with the Sitian Jian's requirement for discretion.

Someone like him, it was said, would have a special identity specifically for investigating cases after officially joining the Sitian Jian and becoming a supervisor, but that was all in the future.

Lu Jing could only borrow his messenger title for now. Speaking of which, he had to thank the Chen Dynasty for not having the internet, cameras, or Kodak, which allowed him to stroll down the street without worrying about being recognized. Otherwise, he would have to use another set of human skin masks.

“You wouldn't be here to ask about my wife, would you?”

Upon hearing this, the fishmonger surnamed Han immediately had a strange look on his face.

Judging from the timeline, Yan Yun should have come here as soon as she finished the sixth question, meaning she also noticed that Han Erlang was the starting point of everything.

So Lu Jing didn't waste any more words and said directly, “That's right, I'm here for this matter too.” As he spoke, he took out a tael of silver from his pocket and handed it over.

“You… who exactly are you people?” Han Erlang didn't take the silver but instead asked warily, “Could you be ghost messengers from the underworld, here to capture my wife? If so, please take the silver back. No matter how much you offer, I won't answer your questions.”

“No, I'm just a writer of strange tales, specializing in collecting such stories, compiling them into books, and selling them for money, so feel free to take this silver.”

As a result, it would have been better if Lu Jing hadn't said that. After he did, Han Erlang's gaze towards him became even more wary. “You still say you're not ghost messengers? That woman named An Zhu said the same thing before, saying she was here to listen and write Zhugongdiao. I was such a fool to believe her nonsense at the time.

“If… if anything happens to my wife, I… I won't let you off!” Han Erlang looked left and right, finally grabbing a small fish-scaling knife and holding it in his hand to embolden himself.

Lu Jing had to remind him, “Friend, your wife has already passed away. There's nothing I can do to her.”

“She's already passed away, and you people still won't let her go?!” Han Erlang's eyes turned red again, and he puffed out his chest, breathing heavily.

Seeing him like this, Lu Jing knew that his feelings for his wife were indeed very deep, and the money-opening trick probably wouldn't work. So he took back the silver he had offered.

And to untie the bell, one must tie it. Afterwards, Lu Jing said gently, “In that case, I won't hide it any longer. I… this poor monk is actually a person from beyond the world, traveling around and specializing in solving ghost matters for people.”

Han Erlang was skeptical, mainly because Lu Jing looked too young and didn't look like a Taoist master at all. Plus, he still had hair. However, the Zen staff he held in his hand was obviously not an ordinary item, which added some persuasiveness. In addition, the large suitcase behind him really gave off the feeling of a strange person wandering the world.

Han Erlang believed it by thirty percent, but still didn't put down the knife. After a pause, he continued, “So, in the end, aren't you still a ghost catcher?”

Lu Jing shook his head, “Wrong. This poor monk solves ghost matters for people. Although I also catch ghosts, I don't just catch ghosts. The key is to see what you want this poor monk to do for you. For example, this poor monk can also try to help you find your wife, but it's just a try. This poor monk doesn't guarantee success.”

Han Erlang was dubious. “Master, do you help people solve ghost matters and even give them silver?”

“…”

“No, I only gave you silver before to test how deep the feelings between you and your wife really are,” Lu Jing said. “If it succeeds later, you'll have to pay me.”

Han Erlang was silent upon hearing this, not because he was reluctant to part with the money. If he could find his wife, he would give all the money he had to Lu Jing without hesitation.

The main thing was that he couldn't rest assured whether Lu Jing was using the excuse of helping him but ultimately doing the work of catching ghosts.

The strangely dressed young man on the opposite side seemed to see through his thoughts and said again, “Don't you want to see your wife again, to find out whether she's dead or alive, and why she's avoiding you?”

Han Erlang's body trembled upon hearing this. “Master, can you really help me find my wife?”

“I don't know. I can only try my best.”

Lu Jing said in a deep voice. He could have agreed first and coaxed the things he wanted to know from Han Erlang. However, facing a passionate man who only wanted to see his beloved again, Lu Jing couldn't and didn't want to deceive him on this matter.

He even added another sentence later, “This poor monk also doesn't guarantee what will happen after finding your wife. To be honest, if her existence will harm others, this poor monk will most likely still have to perform exorcism.”

“Thank you, Master, for telling me the truth.” Han Erlang finally put down the knife in his hand and nodded as if he had made some kind of determination. “I'm willing to tell the Master everything I know, just asking to see Xue Niang one more time.”

This time, Lu Jing felt surprised. “Aren't you afraid that I'll capture your wife?”

“I understand Xue Niang. She has the kindest heart. Whether she's a person or a ghost, she will definitely not harm anyone,” Han Erlang said.

This explanation made sense, but Lu Jing always felt that something was not quite right, but he couldn't put his finger on it for a while. He could only ask questions first.

“Besides you and your wife, does Brother Han have any other family members at home? Also, does he have any good friends on weekdays? Do you know Li Er from Li Village?”

“Xue Niang and I have no children, but there is an old father and an older sister at home. As for friends, there are some, but only three or five are particularly close. I don't know any Li Er, but there is indeed a good friend of mine in Li Village.”

Lu Jing's spirit was shaken upon hearing this. “Who is it? What's his name?”

“He is a painter, quite skilled in traditional Chinese painting. However, because he had a falling out with a Hanlin member of the Painting Academy, he was driven out of the capital and could only settle in Li Village. As for his name, it's Ma Liang.”