Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 352 - 335: The Art of Codes

Chapter 352: Chapter 335: The Art of Codes

Zhang San took the other three to a nearby tavern for a drink.

After drinking for a while, Zhang San said, "Watch, I’ll show you a trick."

With that, Zhang San performed the Ghost Summoning Method, and instantly seven or eight people appeared.

The small private room, originally seating only four, immediately became bustling.

Shang Bufa and Shen Bao both felt the room getting colder and colder, though.

Shen Zhongdian asked, "Brother San, is this the reason you went to the Ministry of Punishment’s prison?"

Zhang San nodded, saying, "This is the Ghost Summoning Method. It can summon nearby Evil Ghosts, and then judge their sins. Of course, it can also use their sins to command them."

"Gentlemen, please help me check the big courtyard next door, to see if there’s anything amiss. Thanks."

The seven or eight Ghosts and Monsters that Zhang San had secretly taken from the Ministry of Punishment’s prison disappeared in an instant.

Shang Bufa asked curiously, "Zhang San, with this Technique, isn’t it like having a Divine Artifact for solving cases? To others, a corpse is just a corpse, but to you, a corpse can speak."

Zhang San shook his head, explaining, "This Technique can only command Evil Ghosts with sins. If they are simply ordinary Revenants, I cannot command them."

Shang Bufa sighed, feeling it was a pity.

A short while later, not only did the seven or eight Ghosts and Monsters return, but they also brought back another seven or eight Ghosts and Monsters.

The small room where they were drinking became even livelier.

Shang Bufa, very curious, joined Shen Zhongdian in watching the Techniques Zhang San was using.

Only Shen Bao, hiding behind Zhang San, was shivering, with his belly’s flesh trembling uncontrollably.

"Their entire Ghost family was trapped in the estate’s back garden and has just been rescued by us."

At this moment, among the newly arrived Ghosts, an old Ghost with white hair and beard knelt down in front of Zhang San.

"Thank you, benefactor, for saving my entire family’s..." The old Ghost stopped mid-sentence, feeling that "saving lives" didn’t quite fit, as they no longer had lives to save.

"Thank you, benefactor, for allowing my entire family to see the sky again..."

The elder paused again, sensing that their current state wasn’t quite suited to going out into the sun.

Zhang San awkwardly touched his nose and said, "Please stand up, Old Master. I understand what you mean, no need to elaborate. I’m just curious to know what exactly happened to your family."

The Old Master sighed deeply, then recounted their past ordeal.

It turned out that this Old Master Feng was originally an innkeeper in the Capital, with very good business thanks to the accumulation of ancestors and his own hard work, which made it possible to buy such a large estate.

Living well over the years, even the brushes they used were 79 coins apiece.

But during a trip to restock on alcohol, he encountered a man badly injured. Out of kindness, Old Master Feng took the man home and took good care of him.

Later, he found out that the man was a businessman who had been cheated on a trip to the Capital Region Road. Old Master Feng healed the man’s wounds and then gave him some travel expenses to send him on his way back home.

But to his surprise, the man he had rescued was not a businessman but a bandit who had been pursued by the government office.

After returning, the bandit gathered his brothers and went to the Feng estate, intending to take over the property. They gathered the entire Feng family and promised to spare them if Old Master Feng agreed to sell the estate and the inn at a very low price.

Left with no choice, the Old Master signed the contract, but the bandit surnamed Jin did not keep his promise. After Old Master Feng signed, Jin killed the Fengs and hired people to bury their bones in the backyard, suppressing them with a Rune Array.

Upon hearing all this, Shang Bufa and his companions were taken aback.

They knew that evildoers existed in the world, but they had never imagined that someone could be so vile.

Zhang San said to Old Master Feng and the other revenants from the Feng Family, "Don’t worry, you all go back to the courtyard and find a place to rest well. Tonight, I’m going to arrange a spectacular show for you at your old residence!"

Zhang San had the Evil Ghost escort the spirits of the Feng Family back to their home.

At this moment, both Shang Bufa and Shen Zhongdian felt their mood was somewhat heavy, and they lost their desire to continue drinking.

Although Shen Bao hadn’t had his fill of drink, he was still dragged out of the tavern by the other two.

After Zhang San sent the three of them home, while walking along the road, he suddenly noticed a beggar by his side stretching out a hand, tremblingly saying, "Kind-hearted people will be rewarded."

Zhang San initially wanted to hurry past, but upon hearing these words, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and glanced at the beggar.

"What kind of reward?"

"Here I have a small piece of Stone Mo, just for 79 wen, I’ll sell it to you."

As he spoke, the beggar extracted a small black pebble from under his fingernail and placed it in his begging bowl.

"79 wen for such a small piece of Stone Mo, gold must not be as expensive as this."

"Where’s the expense? Are you poor? Can you not afford it? Are you not working hard enough to make money?"

"You’re a beggar, and you’re calling me poor? A beggar yet so full of attitude?"

"If I could beg food off everyone’s hands, then... who would truly be the beggar?"

Zhang San walked over, helped the other party up.

"I say, can’t you use a less complicated code next time? This code is too artistic, what if I forget it halfway through!"

The other party let out a wry smile, brushed his disheveled hair back, and said, "Only with such a code will others find it hard to crack."

Seeing the other person’s face, Zhang San was taken aback and asked, "How come it’s you?"

This beggar, who was exchanging code words with Zhang San, turned out to be an old acquaintance, Han Baiwen—from the Heavenly Punishment Sect and the next person in charge of the Capital.

Han Baiwen grimaced and unhappily said, "I was originally from the Capital. I left home because I didn’t share the same views with my family. And now, I’ve been assigned to come back here."

"Come, let me take you to change into a new set of clothes and treat you to a meal. If anyone asks, just say you’re an old acquaintance of mine from Chuan-Yu Road who has fallen on hard times and can only beg now."

Han Baiwen pursed his lips and muttered a thank you, albeit with a look of displeasure.

Zhang San took Han Baiwen to a clothing shop to buy a clean set of clothes and arranged for Han Baiwen to wash up in the shop.

One had to admit that although Han Baiwen was dressed as a beggar, his act was quite convincing.

Even after changing into new clothes, Zhang San noticed that he looked a lot thinner and darker than the first time they met.

"You seem to have lost a lot of weight recently. You haven’t actually been begging all the way here, have you?"

Zhang San remembered that even though Han Baiwen had been mediocre in strength, he had always cared about his image.

With a bitter smile, Han Baiwen said, "I’m now under the tutelage of Xia Chenglong."

Zhang San couldn’t help but think of that old actor who had performed with him on several occasions in a dramatically effective manner, and he burst out laughing.