The ultimate master in the city

Chapter 65 Fengqiu Hall

"Grandpa! He's just a crazy, silly old man who can sing opera."

Wang Min, unwilling to give up, asked again.

The shop owner, an elderly man with a unkempt beard, kept pounding garlic without looking up. "No, there's never been anyone like that in town. Why don't you go ask someone else?"

Wang Min was somewhat discouraged. Turning around, he saw Zhou Fengchen frowning and staring blankly at a pottery jar. He couldn't help but ask loudly, "Zhou Fengchen, what are you doing?"

Zhou Fengchen shook his head, threw down the pottery jar, and pulled her outside.

Once outside, Wang Min slapped Zhou Fengchen's hand away and said angrily, "Why didn't you say a word?"

Zhou Fengchen asked curiously, "What did I say?"

Wang Min said, "All three deceased men had encountered an old madman in front of this door before their deaths, but the shop owner says there's never been such a person in town. Don't you find that strange?"

"That's not strange at all. There's something even stranger," Zhou Fengchen said in a low voice. "Try asking around. There isn't even a Fengqiu Hall in this town."

"Nonsense."

Wang Min glared at him fiercely, turned around and left. She asked several passersby for directions, then ran back, her face pale and her lips trembling.

Zhou Fengchen smiled and said, "How was it?"

Wang Min swallowed hard, glanced cautiously at the general store behind Zhou Fengchen, and said, "What's going on here? There really isn't any old madman in town, and nobody even knows about this Fengqiu Hall, yet this store is right here, isn't it?"

Zhou Fengchen gave him a wink, "Take a look around you."

This place is located in the most remote part of the town, surrounded by weeds, and the nearest house is more than ten meters away. It was already dark, and a light drizzle was falling. At first glance, it looked a bit eerie.

Wang Min shuddered. "What happened here?"

Zhou Fengchen patted her on the shoulder, "I'll tell you later, let's find a small restaurant to eat something first."

……

The two arrived at a noodle shop in the town center and ordered two large bowls of meat noodles plus a dish of pickles. While eating, Wang Min asked worriedly, "Mr. Zhou, could you please stop making things complicated? What just happened?"

Zhou Fengchen took a bite of noodles and mumbled, "Do you know what was in that pottery jar I was just looking at?"

Wang Min asked curiously, "What?"

"Grey." Zhou Fengchen, who had learned a lot from Monk Yuanzhi, wiped his mouth and said, "Fengqiu Hall is not a general store, but a mortuary. In ancient times, it was a place to store the remains of people who died far from home. Now it stores some unclaimed grey."

Wang Min curled his lip: "I don't believe it, unless that old man has gone mad and is turning the mortuary into a shop."

"You don't believe me, do you?" Zhou Fengchen beckoned, "Boss lady!"

"What's up?" The landlady poked half her head out from the kitchen.

Zhou Fengchen asked directly, "What is the purpose of that mortuary on the east side of your town?"

The proprietress was a chatterbox, and with a "heh," she spilled the beans: "It's where the ashes are kept. Back in the old days, a group of opera singers came from Kunshan, but they angered the local bandits. They were captured, beaten, and paraded around. The actors couldn't take it, and all thirty or so members of the troupe hanged themselves. Later, the people in our town felt sorry for them and secretly burned the bodies. The ashes were hidden there, and they've been there ever since. They're like antiques now, and the county even requires the town to protect them."

Upon hearing this, Wang Min felt a chill run down his spine and exclaimed, "How is this possible? What does that old man in there do?"

The proprietress spat, "What old man? Have you seen a ghost? Bad luck!"

"That old man is the crazy old man you're looking for!" Zhou Fengchen chuckled and whispered to Wang Min, then loudly asked the proprietress, "Do you know the name of that opera troupe?"

The proprietress thought for a moment, but couldn't remember. She turned to ask the shop owner, then turned back and said, "I heard from the old folks in town that it's called something like Feng something-or-other Hall!"

"This..." Wang Min's face turned pale, and he was speechless with astonishment.

……

As they left the small restaurant, Wang Min grabbed Zhou Fengchen's arm and asked in a trembling voice, "This doesn't make sense. Why is it that even though it clearly exists, the people in town all say there's no such place? Then why can we see it?"

Zhou Fengchen said, "It's simple. The people in the town are all descendants of their benefactors, so they don't want the townspeople to see them, but it's not okay for us outsiders to do that."

Wang Min asked in surprise, "Who...are they?"

Zhou Fengchen paused for a moment, then said, "Wang Min, I advise you to stop. This is not a good situation. Anyway, those three dead people committed suicide. Just explain it to the higher-ups."

"No!" Wang Min said stubbornly, "Even if it really is a devil, I have to find out the truth. If you won't help me, I'll do it myself. You can leave!"

Zhou Fengchen said dejectedly, "Where am I supposed to go? You're going to come all by yourself? What are you doing here? Are you just here to deliver yourself to the enemy?"

Wang Min remained silent with a cold expression, took out his gun, and checked the safety.

"Do you really think guns are effective against them?"

Zhou Fengchen tapped the table dismissively, feeling annoyed by the woman's stubbornness. He said, "Alright, since you're already here, I can't just watch you die. If you really want to see what's going on, I can help you, but let's get this straight: you'll have to listen to me. No talking nonsense, no acting recklessly, or you'll bear all the consequences!"

Wang Min smiled broadly, "No problem! Master, what do we do next?"

"Let's find a place to rest for a bit, and then come out again at 11 p.m.

……

The two found the only hotel in town, and coincidentally, there was only one room left. Although Laogeng Town was remote, the highway in front of it was a major road connecting Donghai City to northern Jiangsu. It was difficult to travel on a rainy night, and many travelers would stop to stay overnight.

Now that only one room remains, it's a bit awkward.

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Min gritted his teeth and said, "One room it is."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Fengchen immediately said, "How can that be? I won't share a room with you!"

Wang Min blushed and glared at him, saying, "Are you out of your mind? I'm a girl and I haven't said anything, but you, a grown man, are upset!"

"No..." Zhou Fengchen was about to argue when the shop owner yawned and said, "What's with the pretentiousness? You're not even as direct as a young girl. Want some? If not, there are other people behind you."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Wang Min blushed again and quickly paid the money.

The two took the doorplate, went up to the second floor, opened the room, and found that the hygiene conditions were very poor, and there was a musty smell. It was barely habitable.

After closing the door, Wang Min looked around. When he saw Zhou Fengchen approaching, he quickly backed away, pointing at him and saying, "Hey! Don't touch me, I'm telling you."

Zhou Fengchen was annoyed. "What did I do wrong?"

Wang Min sneered, "You know what you're doing."

Zhou Fengchen looked her over disdainfully. "Wang Min, if I were to have any wild thoughts, I'm not bragging, but I could take you down in less than ten seconds."

"You..." Wang Min blushed all the way to her neck.

"Forget it, have some self-awareness. You sit in the chair." Zhou Fengchen sprawled out on the bed. "Remember to wake me up at eleven."

"Uh..." Wang Min stared blankly for a moment, then, seeing Zhou Fengchen close his eyes, asked, "Hey, are you asleep?"

"What are you doing?" Zhou Fengchen rolled over.

Wang Min said apologetically, "I was overthinking it, I'm sorry! Um... Mr. Zhou, what are you going to show me later, and how will we see it?"

Zhou Fengchen looked at the ceiling and said, "It's simple. Those three dead people must have been passing through here, stayed overnight, couldn't sleep at night, went out for a stroll, and ended up running into Fengqiu Hall. Let's go check it out later. Do you know how to sing karaoke?"

Wang Min was taken aback for a moment, "I know a little bit. My mom's a Kunqu opera fan, why?"

"Alright then, let's go sing opera later."