Chapter 186: Chapter 186 Deception

Translator: 549690339

“This little ghost is quite powerful. The needle can’t hold him back. It seems the only way to bring peace to everyone is to eliminate him.”

Zhuang Qingning murmured softly to herself, then abruptly lifted her hand. The peach wood sword in her hand fiercely slashed down onto the doll.

The doll was silent almost instantly. Where Zhuang Qingning’s sword had struck, the original pale hue gradually deepened, turning visibly red before everyone’s eyes.

A red that resembled blood.

A deadly silence fell across the crowd, their eyes wide and mouths agape, unable to regain their composure for a long time.

“The doll… it’s bleeding…”

It was not until someone broke the silence with a cry of alarm that they seemed to come back to their senses.

“What do you mean the doll’s bleeding? That’s ghost blood! The little ghost must have been killed, that’s why it’s bleeding!”

“Right, the little ghost must have been killed. Otherwise, why would there be blood?”

Amidst the shock, the crowd looked towards Zhuang Qingning with either disbelief or deep admiration.

“Everyone, the little ghost has been slain by me. You no longer need to fear or discuss this matter. After all, it was an unclean creature. Further talk is pointless.”

Zhuang Qingning slipped her peach wood sword behind her back, announcing loudly, “This matter ends here. Everyone, please disperse.”

Having said that, Zhuang Qingning headed towards her shop, while Mrs. Cao, Zhang Qiuying, and Zhuang Qingsui went to move the tables.

The tofu shop’s entrance returned to its previous state as if the ghost-catching and ghost-killing had never happened. The hustle and bustle from the street far away brought the awestruck crowd back to reality.

“My goodness, today surely was an eye-opener. I had only heard stories about formidable individuals able to perform such magic, always assuming it was just storytellers tricking folks with their tales of ghosts. I never imagined it to be true, much less witness it with my own eyes!”

“Looking at this slender young lady, I initially thought she was fragile, only to find out she possesses such miraculous powers. She’s really an adept practitioner!”

“That’s what they mean when they say ‘Calm water runs deep’. Many of those skilled in the ways often remain incognito, never flaunting their abilities. Maybe this young lady descends from some skilled expert!”

“You might be right. Nevertheless, the matter of the little ghost has been resolved. Isn’t it a relief for all of us?”

“Indeed, we can now buy tofu with peace of mind…”

“More than just peace of mind, such a skilled individual must have good fortune. That’s why she can suppress such filthy things. If we frequent her shop more, wouldn’t we also benefit from her good fortune, shielding ourselves from these vile creatures?”

“Ah, that makes sense. No wonder her tofu and bean sprouts taste better than anywhere else. It might be exactly as you said. From now on, we should buy more tofu and bean sprouts from her shop.”

“They always say people skilled in the Tao are keen on the way of longevity. Maybe the tofu she makes has these effects. Going forward, we need to eat more.”

“Yes, we should eat more…”

The crowd exchanged thoughts, making the area more lively than when they had first gathered around to watch the ghost in the tofu shop.

The crowd swarmed with excitement towards the tofu shop, ready to stock up on the food they hadn’t been able to eat these past few days.

“This… this is impossible! You must be deceiving everyone with your tricks!”

A loud rebuke suddenly rose from the crowd.

The crowd was dumbfounded, looking around to find a fuming Feng Ershu, his face as black as a cooking pot.

“Oh?”

Zhuang Qingning, who had just stepped into her shop, turned back at the words. She looked at the furious Feng Ershu, raising her eyebrows in amusement. “That little ghost was slain by my sword just now. Everyone saw it. Yet, Manager Feng accuses me of deceiving others. Why is that?”

“Could Manager Feng have any better ideas? Or perhaps you’re unwilling to accept the truth? Do you wish the little ghost was still alive, living above our shop?”

“If that’s the case, I’m quite curious. The little ghost would inevitably harm people sooner or later. Slaying it earlier restores peace to the people. Yet you seem enraged and unhappy about this.”

“Could it be… that you were the one who brought the little ghost here in the first place? You were protecting it, hence your anger at its death?”

Zhuang Qingning, already good with words, poured them out like beans from a bamboo tube, leaving no room for others to refute. Feng Ershu’s face turned paler and paler as she spoke.

“Nonsense! Why would I do such a thing? My only concern is you fooling people.”

“I don’t follow what you’re saying, Manager Feng.”

Zhang Yongchang, who had been relishing the spectacle, narrowed his eyes at Feng Ershu, “Since Manager Feng insists that Miss Zhuang is deceiving others, you must have proof. Why don’t you present it so everyone can hear?”

“I…” Feng Ershu stammered, his face pale as a sheet.

What proof did he have?

He was simply looking forward to Mrs. Bai and Xiao Liuzi stirring up more trouble in the tofu shop and hoping for Zhuang Qingning’s business to fail miserably. He waited for Mrs. Deng to come to him distressed, hoping to sell the shop at a low price.

But while waiting in his shop, he heard no news about Zhuang Qingning’s business failing, only that she was performing some miracle to capture the little ghost.

When Feng Ershu first heard this, he was startled. The tofu shop’s situation had become the talk of the town, with many people there to see the fuss. If Zhuang Qingning intended to capture the ghost, and succeeded, wouldn’t all the troubles stirred by Mrs. Bai and Xiao Liuzi just serve as a publicity stunt for Zhuang Qingning?

The moment this thought occurred to Feng Ershu, he couldn’t sit still in his shop any longer. Leaving his business in the hands of a shop assistant, he rushed over to see what was happening.

At first, he didn’t care much for Zhuang Qingning’s dramatic gestures, but when her peach wood sword took down the ghost turned doll, and people around started saying they would shop more from her tofu shop, anger sprang up inside him.

In his impulsive rage, he carelessly pointed out Zhuang Qingning’s deception, hoping to prevent her plans from succeeding.

However, his accusations did not have the desired effect. Instead, they gave others ammunition to accuse him of ulterior motives.

Feng Ershu’s complexion turned from pale to the colour of pork liver under the incredulous and questioning gazes of the crowd..