When the news of Xiao Yuan topping the list ca, Anning was still a bit stunned.
At this ti, she wondered if the County Magistrate was also blindly optimistic, just like Xu Pengju?
Compared to the joy and excitent of Mrs. Xiao and Xiao Yuan, Anning was much more rational.
Although she also praised Xiao Yuan, she did not allow him to slack off, but urged him to study even harder.
Xiao Yuan was preparing for the upcoming Prefecture Exam and college examination, while Mr. Xiao, who was doing business outside, really encountered sothing.
When Mr. Xiao had just left the house, he still rembered the words Anning had told him.
Anning had told him not to hurry on the road, to find a place to stay as soon as the sun set, and not to travel at night.
He was very cautious, following these instructions every day.
His business partner, Old Master Cao, even teased him for being timid.
Later, when Mr. Xiao saw that everything was safe and sound every day, he beca bolder.
To hasten their journey, they still traveled a bit at night, sotis missing an inn and just making do in the carriage for the night.
This particular day, because they were rushing, they missed a small town. By evening, there were no villages around, Mr. Xiao and Old Master Cao had the house servants prepare food and start a fire for cooking; the two of them sat in the carriage talking.
This ti Mr. Xiao wanted to fetch so rare goods from the south to sell in the north.
He and Old Master Cao heard that several coastal cities in the south were visited by Western fleets, bringing many fine goods.
These included clocks, glass mirrors, perfus, so Western fabrics and jewelry, and most importantly, so spices and jade jewelry from the South Ocean.
These items sold especially well in the north, and the profits were astonishing.
Feeling unsure about sending soone else, they thought of making the trip themselves to properly check these goods; if they were really good, both n were thinking of setting up their own fleet for sea trade.
The two of them sat in the carriage discussing what fine goods to bring back this ti.
Mr. Xiao said he wanted to bring back so jade jewelry for the won at ho, and also a pocket watch for Xiao Yuan.
Old Master Cao’s ho was not as orderly as the Xiao Family’s backyard; he had several concubines, and he said he wanted to bring so Western fabric for his concubines.
As they were engrossed in conversation, Mr. Xiao didn’t notice that their carriage had stopped by a small lake.
Mainly because the servants, for the convenience of fetching water, had set up camp by the lakeside.
They cooked in an open area by the lakeshore, and as the sky turned darker, they hastened their movents.
When it had beco dark, the food was ready, and a house servant brought the als to Mr. Xiao and Old Master Cao in the carriage.
When traveling away from ho, the als were not much to fuss over - just sliced marinated at, a few at buns, and so soup. Mr. Xiao picked up his bowl, thought of the fresh greens grown at ho, and found it hard to eat.
Old Master Cao, on the other hand, had a good appetite and took his bowl to eat.
He had just eaten a few bites when he heard the sound of the wind whistling.
"Is the wind coming up?"
Mr. Xiao paused for a mont.
They were traveling southward, and it was already getting warm in the south at that ti; such a wind didn’t seem right.
"I’ll go have a look."
Old Master Cao wanted to get out of the carriage to check.
Before he could move, they heard a series of terrified voices from outside: "Go away, go away, get back..."
Mr. Xiao and Old Master Cao were both greatly startled.
They hurriedly jumped down from the carriage to see what was happening, and what they saw really frightened them.
Sohow, dark shadows had appeared in the water, and so of these shadows had already climbed ashore, grabbing their servants and dragging them towards the water.
"Is this, a water ghost?"
Old Master Cao turned pale with fear, wanting to hide but not knowing where to go.
Mr. Xiao, looking at this waterfront area, rembered the words Anning had advised him.
Anning had told him not to miss an inn and to find a place to stay before it got dark; she had also told him to stay away from water, but he had ignored her advice, and now such an incident had occurred.
He was also very afraid, but he was a bit calr than Old Master Cao.
"Quick, urinate into the water."
Mr. Xiao recalled soone saying that evil spirits were afraid of a child’s urine: "Who among you is still a virgin, quickly urinate into the lake."
He started yelling, and Old Master Cao also cald down.
"Right, right, do we have any black chicken blood or black dog blood? Hurry and scatter it into the lake."
It turns out, among the people they brought, there really were so who were child-like, and they quickly did as Mr. Xiao had instructed.
But those water ghosts weren’t scared at all; in a blink of an eye, they all climbed ashore.
So of the water ghosts started reaching for Mr. Xiao.
Mr. Xiao, terrified, was about to run.
At that mont, suddenly a burst of laughter sounded.
Following that, a water ghost, whose face could clearly be seen, floated over while laughing.
He sized up Mr. Xiao, "This old man isn’t bad, this body is still alright, I’ll take it..."
As he spoke, he began to drill into Mr. Xiao’s body.
Another water ghost was trying to possess Old Master Cao.
By now, Old Master Cao had already collapsed in fright.
"Go away, don’t..."
Mr. Xiao was also terrified, he couldn’t imagine what would happen if possessed by a water ghost?
Who knows, the water ghost could wear his skin and go back ho to harm his wife and son.
He waved his hands, trying to drive away the water ghost.
The water ghost laughed loudly, turning into a dark mist about to penetrate his body.
Suddenly, a golden light emitted from Mr. Xiao’s body, the water ghost gave a sharp, wretched scream, "What is that? rit Golden Light?"
He kept far from Mr. Xiao, warily looking at him, "What do I have on ?"
What indeed?
Mr. Xiao frowned, he shouldn’t have anything on him; he hadn’t visited any temples, nor did he have any magically consecrated artifacts.
After left and right thinking, he finally rembered that Anning had given him a peace jade pendant.
He steadied his mind and quickly grabbed the jade pendant worn on his body, "All of you get lost, get lost."
Mr. Xiao was still worried about Old Master Cao, quickly grabbed his hand, hoping to use the power of the jade pendant to drive the other water ghost away.
But Mr. Xiao’s actions were a bit too late; Old Master Cao had already weakly fallen.
Following that, from Old Master Cao’s body erged waves of terrible screaming, likely the sound of the water ghost, but, the ghost wasn’t expelled.
Mr. Xiao, both worried and scared, had all the house servants surround them, then placed Old Master Cao into the carriage.
The water ghosts were all looking for a good body, or trying to drag people into the water, but due to the jade pendant on Mr. Xiao, they were unable to get close.
Not just Mr. Xiao, even around an area more than a ter around him, they couldn’t approach.
The water ghosts could only watch helplessly as these people hurried away in the carriage, and they couldn’t catch up, confined near the small lake.
Only after a long stressful journey did Mr. Xiao stop when dawn broke.
After the rooster crowed, Mr. Xiao found a village and sought people to call a doctor.
But after several doctors looked at Old Master Cao, they all shook their heads indicating nothing could be done.
Mr. Xiao thought to seek soone with genuine spiritual ability, but such people were not to be found in this small village.
He traveled further, found a temple, hoping to ask the monks inside to save Old Master Cao.
However, even after much effort by the monks, Old Master Cao still did not awaken.
Mr. Xiao, frantic and frustrated, didn’t know what to do.
The servant accompanying Old Master Cao then said to Mr. Xiao, "Where did that jade pendant of yours co from? The person who gave you the jade must have spiritual powers; maybe we should invite them to save the old master."
Then Mr. Xiao recalled Anning.
Before he left, Anning had foreseen his trouble and had specially given him the jade pendant; it was apparent that Anning must be soone profoundly spiritual.
He and Old Master Cao were also longti good friends; he couldn’t just ignore his friend for the sake of business dealings.
Having no other option, Mr. Xiao had to take Old Master Cao and head back.
On the way back, Mr. Xiao lanted that had he known it would turn out like this, he would never have made the trip – not only did he not conclude any business, but also almost lost everything.
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