The Ming Dynasty took an unconventional approach

Chapter 402

Pan Yun stood quietly to one side, listening to Aunt Zhang's angry voice: "Do you think I want to find them? It's because their parents' ghosts are still lingering!"

"The Taoist priest said that they couldn't find their way home, so they kept pestering my family. I have to let them take the wronged souls away and return to their own homes, and have nothing to do with each other."

When the neighbor heard this, he looked at Pan Yun suspiciously and whispered, "Auntie Zhang, have you been cheated?"

"Lie to me? Who dares to lie to me? My son is an official!"

The neighbors started to grumble, "What's wrong with the official? Wasn't the Minister of Works defrauded of his money the other day? His family is about to fall out..."

Pan Jun listened and remained silent.

Aunt Zhang didn't think Pan Yun could deceive her.

She pulled her neighbor aside and whispered, "Don't worry, no matter who she is, she can't cheat me. First, I have no money; second, I can't bear to spend money!"

The neighbor thought so and nodded: "Yes, no matter who he is and how smart he is, there are only two kinds of people in this world who will not be cheated of their money: the poor and the people who are reluctant to spend money."

She looked up and down at Aunt Zhang and said with a smile, "Aunt Zhang, you have both. When it comes to stinginess, no one in this neighborhood can compare to you."

"Go away, I'm just being frugal. Tell me, where did the Yang family move to?"

The neighbor hesitated for a moment, then pulled Aunt Zhang aside and said, "Aunt Zhang, you just got here and you don't know that Madam Yue and Aunt Hao died unjustly. But apart from us neighbors, few people know the truth. People outside heard the rumors and spread them around, thinking that they were really bad people. They moved away because they couldn't make ends meet. You go to their house..."

Aunt Zhang: "I just want to let the wronged souls of their parents go back. I won't make any trouble. Besides, when their family was in trouble, my family hadn't even come to Beijing yet. There is no grudge between the two families."

The neighbor hesitated for a moment before saying, "If anyone else asked, I would definitely not tell them, but Aunt Zhang, you asked... okay, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, I saw them in Maoer Lane in the east of the city and talked to them for a few words. They didn't say where they lived at the time, but they should live in that area. You can go there and look for them."

She said, "Don't tell anyone. Even though no one is bothering them right now, if the news gets to Mao'er Hutong, their lives will be hard again."

Aunt Zhang was very satisfied. She patted her neighbor's hand and said, "Don't worry. They will be grateful to you if they know about this. Although the person is dead, as a child, you always want the soul of your parents to be with you, right?"

"This is considered resting in peace. Otherwise, why would they stay in my house all the time?" Aunt Zhang muttered, "Our lives are not easy, and the wronged souls can't rest in peace either."

The neighbors thought what she said made sense.

Although Aunt Zhang didn't ask for the specific address, she knew it wouldn't be difficult to find it in Mao'er Hutong, so she asked Pan Yun, "Master, I have found their family, so how do I send this wronged soul back?"

Pan Yun has sharp ears, and even though the neighbor lowered his voice just now, she still heard it.

After getting the information she wanted, she stretched out her hand and said, "Auntie Zhang, one penny."

Aunt Zhang looked distressed and said, "You haven't told me how to send the wronged soul away yet."

It was the first time that Pan Yun had seen such a stingy person. He hooked his finger and said, "One penny is for finding the reason."

Aunt Zhang stared at Pan Yun.

Pan Jun looked at her straight in the eyes, standing still.

Aunt Zhang stared at her for a long time with her fierce eyes, and found that her expression did not change at all, and she just kept looking at her with her hand stretched out quietly.

She couldn't help but mutter angrily, "People's hearts are no longer the same as they used to be. Taoist priests now only care about money..."

Aunt Zhang rummaged in her sleeves for a long time and finally took out a penny and put it in Pan Yun's hand.

Pan Yun held the still warm copper plate and said, "The solution is not difficult. I'll teach you for free."

Aunt Zhang's eyes lit up. "There are still many good people, Taoist priest, what do you think?"

"You clean the house inside and outside, sprinkle clean water on the yard, remove the three blue bricks directly under the side room window, re-pave them, and then replace the doors of the toilet and kitchen."

Aunt Zhang was stunned. "Why do you need to pry the bricks and change the door?"

Pan Yun: "Because when I get up at night, I would trip over the raised blue bricks. The door of the toilet and the kitchen are facing the wind vent. There are holes in the door panels of both doors, so the wind sound is even louder, like someone crying."

"The remaining humming sound is the sound of the wind hitting the walls and alleys. You just have to wait until the winter is over."

Aunt Zhang was still a little confused, but what did this have to do with wronged ghosts?
Pan Yun had already turned around and left, carrying the banner.

It took Aunt Zhang a while to react. She jumped up and cursed, "You stinky Taoist priest, you are a liar! This has nothing to do with wronged spirits. Give me back my money—"

Pan Yun ran away carrying the banner and soon disappeared from Aunt Zhang's sight.

Aunt Zhang chased her to the entrance of the alley, and saw her blending into the crowd and disappearing. She was so angry that she cursed, "You stinky Taoist priest, you are trying to cheat me out of my money. Just wait, I won't run into you again..."

The other party cursed so loudly that the neighbor could not help but open the door and come out. After watching for a while, he couldn't help but ask: "Auntie Zhang, how much money did she cheat you out of?"

Aunt Zhang kept a gloomy face and said nothing, which she thought was a bit embarrassing.

The neighbor watched her storm home and slam the door fiercely.

The neighbor followed suit and shuddered, then said to neighbor B who also leaned out to watch the fun, "It seems that people who have no money and are stingy are not safe either, they can be cheated just the same."

Neighbor B immediately asked curiously, "How much was she cheated of?"

"I don't know, but seeing how angry she is, it's probably a lot."

"Oh, her family is going to be in turmoil tonight, right? I think she's usually pretty smart, how come she got fooled?"

"As the saying goes, the higher the virtue, the higher the evil. If someone deliberately comes to deceive you, and he is smart and cunning, who can stop him? No one can stop him at all!"

Pan Yun carried the banner and walked among the crowd. As she ran, she became happier and the depression in her heart gradually disappeared.

She tossed the copper coins in her hand and skipped forward, "Isn't it just about endurance? I can endure it!"

While asking about Maoer Hutong, Pan Yun bought a lot of delicious food.

When she waited for everyone to arrive at Maoer Hutong, she was carrying a banner on her shoulder, holding a sesame oil pancake in one hand and Aiwo Wo in the other, with two paper bags hanging on her fingers, one of which was emitting the aroma of meat.

Pan Jun took a quick look and found a relatively clean corner to sit down. He put down the banner, took a bite of the sesame oil pancake and asked Pan Xiaohei, "What do you want to eat?"

Pan Xiaohei pointed at the Aiwowowo in her hand.

Pan Yun tilted her head to take a look at the snow-white, sweet and soft Aiwowowo. Thinking of the walnut kernels, sesame seeds and melon seeds filled in it, she couldn't bear to give it to it.

So she bit the sesame oil pancake in her hand, put the paper bag aside, and directly broke the Aiwowowo in the middle and gave it half.

Pan Xiaohei squatted on the ground, held the food with his two paws, bit it with his mouth, gave Pan Jun a look of contempt, and then lowered his head to eat seriously.

Pan Yun took two bites of the salty sesame oil pancakes and two bites of the sweet Aiwo Wo and was very happy eating.

After eating, he picked up the paper bag, took out a red-marinated braised pig's trotter, and started eating it in the street.

There were a few gulps and the sound of swallowing saliva.

Pan Jun took a bite of meat before looking up. Not far in front of him were four or five children standing, staring at Pan Jun with their sharp eyes.

Pan Yun was very wicked. He finished eating the pig's trotter in front of them, then picked up another cloth bag, opened it, took out a brown piece of candy, and put it into his mouth in front of them.

The children swallowed more frequently. Pan Yun asked while sliding the candy in his mouth, "Do you want some?"

The children nodded immediately.

Pan Yun waved at them, and several children immediately rushed over and surrounded Pan Yun.

Although the people living in Maoer Hutong are not as wealthy and noble as the residents of Guanfang in the east of the city, their customs are quite good.

Pan Yun was so wicked that she deliberately ate delicious food in front of them to tempt them, but the children did not cry or make a fuss, but just looked at her quietly.

Even when they were called over and tempted with candies, they did not make a fuss, but just waited quietly for her conditions.

Pan Yun said: "Answer me a few questions and I will give each of you a piece of candy."

"You tell me the question first."

"Is there a family who has just moved into this alley a year or two? The surname is Yang."

"I know, it's Brother Yang's house."

"What are you looking for his house for?"

Pan Yun asked: "Where is his home?"

"Are you a thief? Are you here just to scout the place?"

"It could also be that he wants to take Brother Yang's little nephew away."

Seeing that they were talking so much but didn't say where the person lived, Pan Yun interrupted them and asked, "Do you still want to eat candy? Tell me, where does he live?"

"I can't tell you. What if she's a bad person?"

Pan Yun: "I'm not a bad person, I'm an old friend of the Yang family."

She was just thinking of a reason when a child next to her said quickly, "I know. You were Brother Yang's childhood sweetheart, and later became a nun. Now you have escaped. Are you here to seek refuge with Brother Yang?"

Pan Yun touched his head and silently corrected, "I am a Taoist priest, not a nun. But what you said is not wrong. Now you can tell me, right? Where is the Yang family?"

The children immediately pointed their fingers and said, "Right over there!"

Pan Jun distributed the maltose to them, patted his buttocks, stood up, carried the banner, and called Pan Xiaohei, "Let's go."

Even more active than Pan Xiaohei were a group of children, who were holding candies in their hands and rushing forward happily, shouting, "Brother Yang, Brother Yang, your childhood sweetheart is here to see you!"

Seeing that they had already shouted out their words, Pan Jun simply walked forward with the banner in his hand, as if they were really childhood sweethearts.

The gate of the courtyard opened with a swipe, and a young man came out with a frown on his face. He asked the children who gathered around him, "What childhood sweetheart?"

He glanced back and saw Pan Yun, frowning even more tightly, "Master, you got the wrong person, right? I don't know you."

Just as Pan Yun was about to speak, a face as bright as the moon poked its head out from the door, and everyone was stunned.

"Master Sanzhu?" Xue Shao walked to Yang Chenghao's side and looked at Pan Jun's... hair in surprise.

"Master Sanzhu, what's this about your hair?"

Pan Yun waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "It's just starting over. It's not important. What's important is, why is Master Xue here?"

Xue Shao glanced at Yang Chenghao and said, "I came to visit Master Yang on the orders of my family elders. Why did Taoist Sanzhu come?"

Pan Jun's eyes fell on the other young man, and he said slowly: "What a coincidence, I am also here to visit Young Master Yang on the orders of my elders."

Yang Chenghao looked confused and asked, "I don't know who the elder is?"

Pan Jun: "Can we go in and talk?"

Yang Chenghao then realized that they were surrounded by children. He quickly opened the other door and stepped aside to say, "Please."

Pan Jun went in carrying the banner, but Pan Xiaohei was even faster and slipped in from the door in a flash.

This is a courtyard with one entrance, which is not as big as Yin Song’s house.

Yin Song certainly didn't expect that his house would become the standard by which Pan Yun measured other people's houses.

The house is not big, but it is very clean, and both the house and the yard are in good order.

The Yang family had two servants, a mother and daughter, who were busy in the kitchen. When they heard the noise, they poked their heads out to take a look, immediately served tea to Pan Yun, and then retreated to the kitchen.

Pan Jun looked around and asked, "Where is Young Master Yang's sister and her family?"

Yang Chenghao said: "The distinguished guests have arrived, and my sister and aunt have gone out to buy food."

Pan Jun looked at Xue Shao, "Distinguished guest?"

Xue Shao gave Pan Yun a friendly smile.

Yang Chenghao had no intention of introducing Xue Shao, but just said: "Old friend, Taoist priest, I wonder who the elder in your family is?"

Pan Yun lowered his eyes and thought.

Yang Chenghao frowned, becoming more and more unhappy and more and more suspicious of her.

Pan Yun raised his head and looked directly at Xue Shao, "Master Xue, can you please leave first? I want to talk to Master Yang alone."

Xue Shao looked at her and stood up, clasped his fists and was about to leave, but Yang Chenghao quickly stopped him, "Wait a minute, Master Xue."

He turned his head and said unhappily: "Master, there is nothing that needs to be hidden between Master Xue and I. If you want to speak, just speak."

Pan Jun sighed, then stood up carrying the banner, "It's unfortunate today, I'll come back another day."

After that, he left.

"Wait a minute," Xue Shao stopped her and said to Yang Chenghao, "Young Master Yang, Taoist Sanzhu is kind-hearted and chivalrous. Since she said she is an old friend of the Yang family, she must have a history with the Yang family. Young Master Yang might as well listen."

He turned around and smiled at Pan Yun, "It's a rare opportunity for us to come here, we can't go back empty-handed, right?"

He said, "I'm leaving now. I'll come back another day. Maybe by then the three of us can all become friends."

After that, he pressed Yang Chenghao and turned to leave. When he reached the door, he remembered and turned back to say to Pan Yun, "Master Sanzhu, Xue Xuan is my uncle."

Pan Yun: …

After Xue Shao finished speaking, he was about to open the door and go out.

"Wait a minute," Pan Jun called him, turned to look at Yang Chenghao, and asked speechlessly, "Is what he said true?"

"It's true." Yang Chenghao nodded.

Pan Yun took a deep breath and said to Xue Shao, "You stay."

Xue Shao turned around with a smile, his eyes sparkling, "It seems that we have the same goal. If I'm not mistaken, Taoist Sanzhu and my Xue family have a history, right?"

Pan Jun hummed, remained silent for a moment, and then said bluntly: "I am the daughter of Pan Hong."

Xue Shao burst into laughter when he heard this.

(End of this chapter)