Chapter 621

Huang Fan immediately received the order and left.

I sat among a pile of paper effigies, thinking it over, and felt sure this matter definitely had to do with Yu Nian.

After all, those people's lives from yesterday were, in the end, saved by Yu Nian and Wang Fanchen working together, so it's normal for them to feel grateful.

So if Yu Nian, while escorting their souls back to their bodies, asked them to write a memorial praising Wang Fanchen, nobody would object.

No, Yu Nian may have that intention, but she might not think of it so thoroughly.

Someone is helping her devise a plan.

This person…… is A Cheng!

I said as much: yesterday Yu Nian hadn't even woken up yet, and A Cheng had already slipped away, everyone busy as bees, it turned out they were busy with this.

They didn't tell me, probably because they thought I had a mess to clean up here and didn't want to burden me further.

But how could I not worry?

We're all grasshoppers tied on the same string; if anyone has trouble, I can't just stand by.

Without a doubt, Yu Nian is making a spirit boat to ferry souls, intending to take advantage of the Shangsi Festival to escort Wang Fanchen back.

And burning the memorials of praise from thousands of commoners is also to protect Wang Fanchen's life.

Yu Nian and A Cheng intend this way to help Wang Fanchen clear his name and accumulate merit for him.

As long as Wang Fanchen is still alive, they will dig three feet deep to find him as soon as possible and keep him safe.

As I expected, not long after, Huang Fan called back to tell me that a true expert had indeed come to preside over the rites.

It was no one else but A Cheng.

I instructed Huang Fan to dispatch another team over, making absolutely sure everyone's safety.

A Cheng is skilled in shamanic rites and forming arrays; Yu Nian excels at making paper effigies and ferrying souls.

They jointly planned this great undertaking, but overlooked how great an impact their action would have.

If it succeeds, everyone will be happy.

If it fails, they will be guilty of inciting the populace to petition, disturbing the order of the Nether Realm, and attempting to manipulate the Nether Realm's judgment system.

Now who knows how many eyes are secretly watching their every move; they are literally handing a knife to others, and anyone with ulterior motives would surely take advantage.

Let alone others—take Gu Yuan, for example; could he pass up such a good opportunity?

So Huang Fan's worry about a second collapse and his keeping everyone away from Mount Junzhu is correct.

But carrying out the escort must still be done, so we can only protect from the side, just in case.

Fortunately, we have plenty of people, each capable.

Huang Fan is guarding Mount Junzhu, and Hui Moqiong has recently been keeping an eye on Gu Yuan; if Gu Yuan makes any move, we'll notice right away.

The whole day was busy.

After lunch, Hui Moqiong's side sent word back saying he saw Yu Nian launch a spirit ferry into the Wangchuan River, she herself aboard, with her thousand-soul banner planted at the stern, heading upstream.

Going upstream on the Wangchuan River becomes the Blackwater River, but the middle stretch passes through the junction of the Gui Shi market and the Nether Realm, very close to the Chenghuang Temple.

When I received that news, a sheen of sweat instantly appeared on my palms.

Senior Sister is truly brave.

She deserves Wang Fanchen's wholehearted love.

Sighing aside, I'm still extremely worried, so I can only contact my aunt to ask her to help out a bit.

As it turned out, Tang Xun said, the moment A Cheng moves she knows something's up and keeps watching.

She also said that Liu Junyan and the Seven Halls Yama were both at Mount Hu today, talking for most of the day, probably also discussing the rescue of Wang Fanchen, which put my mind at ease.

Only then did I let out a long breath.

It feels great when something comes up and everyone pitches in together.

Wang Fanchen, you really need to show some spirit!

On the third day of the third month, the wind was calm and the waves still.

Mount Junzhu stayed lively until night, with no incidents; everything that needed burning was burned, and those who should leave after midnight did so.

I and Li Qingying guarded the shop until midnight, then at the zi hour we went to the Zhu Pan River bank to burn the paper effigies, and also set out several flower lanterns and small flower boats.

That night I had another dream.

I actually dreamed that the little flower boats I had set afloat floated back upstream, and on one of them sat a chubby little doll, tiny and tiny, always smiling at me.

The sound of its giggling filled my entire dream once again.

After waking, I lay with eyes open staring at the canopy, my mood unsettled for a long time.

Why am I having this strange dream again?

Maybe I'm missing Xingchen?

Having returned from the Zang region so long ago, how could I not miss him?

From his birth to now, I've hardly ever held him.

How is his eating? Has he grown taller? Every day he listens to sutras in the Buddha hall—can he understand them?

Although I know he's not like an ordinary child, I shouldn't apply ordinary child-rearing thinking to care for Xingchen.

But in my heart he's just my child.

The more I thought, the less I could sleep, so I simply took out my phone and started passionately placing orders.

People can't go there for now, but express delivery can.

Food, supplies, clothing, toys—if I saw something suitable, I bought it.

Incidentally, I also bought some toys for the mystic cat.

By the time I finished buying, it was already broad daylight.

After breakfast I thought of that marriage stone again, took a photo and sent it to Jin Wuya, telling him what it is, what its efficacy is, and asking if he wants it.

If you want it, you have to come get it yourself; sending it by courier isn't safe.

After sending the message, I waited a while.

Usually Jin Wuya isn't busy, so he replies quickly.

If he doesn't reply within ten or so minutes, he's probably just busy and didn't see it.

This matter isn't urgent either, so I just set it aside.

In the evening, Liu Junyan came back; as soon as she entered the door she shouted at me: "Xiao Jiu, Wang Fanchen might have news—I have to make a trip to the Nether Realm. Will you come with me?"

I had told him before not to go wandering in the Nether Realm for now, for fear of causing unnecessary trouble.

So whenever he meets the Seven Halls Yama, it's always at Hu Shan.

Now it looks like we really have no choice but to go.

I hurriedly replied: "Go! We definitely have to go!"

Then I asked again: "Has Wang Fanchen been found?"

"It's not exactly that we've found him," Liu Junyan said while walking. "Yu Nian's ferry boat is stuck in the middle of the river where the Gui Shi and the Nether Realm meet, just spinning in place. A Cheng guesses Yu Nian must have sensed Wang Fanchen."

If A Cheng says that, it's pretty much certain.

We immediately rushed over.

By the time we got there, the ferry boat was still spinning nonstop on the river surface, turning so fast that the streamer of a thousand souls at the stern had become a blur.

I panicked at the sight: "Why is the ferry boat's draft so deep? Was it like that from the start?"

A Cheng shook his head: "No, the hull's draft is half again deeper than before, but we can't intervene—sister, we're not ferrymen."

Yeah, we're not ferrymen.

Whether it's a ferryboat or the underworld ferry, only Yu Nian herself can handle it.

At this moment, my mood was especially terrible.

Because I suddenly realized what determination Yu Nian must have had when she decided to steer the underworld ferry upstream.

If she finds Wang Fanchen, she will guide him back.

If she doesn't find him, she will die for love…