Chapter 72: Red Flag Child

How could there be so many coincidences in this world!

When coincidences pile up, it can only mean one thing: my guess is correct.

I hurriedly checked the signature at the end again.

That glance made me feel uneasy all over.

The signature at the end turned out to be Zhao Zixun!

How could it be Zhao Zixun?

In other words, this Red Flag was pawned by Zhao Zixun himself a hundred years ago.

If tonight Zhao Zixun and that child ghost come together to redeem the pawn, according to the rules I can only hand this Red Flag over to Zhao Zixun.

What is the relationship between Zhao Zixun and that child ghost?

Whose Red Flag is this, Zhao Zixun's or the child ghost's?

After experiencing the Cao Yu Clan's commendation document incident, I once reflected: is the existence of Wufu Town Pawnshop good or evil?

Later, Li Qingying and Jin Wuya seemed to have given me an answer.

According to Jin Wuya, Wufu Town Pawnshop is a place that absorbs yin evil and lethal qi, gathering all wickedness, a gathering place of evil.

And Li Qingying also said that what we are doing now is to resolve all the evil that Wufu Town Pawnshop has accumulated.

Therefore, the predecessor of Wufu Town Pawnshop was evil.

So the likelihood that this Red Flag belongs to Zhao Zixun is small; it is most likely the child ghost's.

But Zhao Zixun still exists; we have crossed hands, and from today onward, for the next five days, only Zhao Zixun himself can come to redeem the pawn.

If Zhao Zixun does not appear within these five days, starting from the sixth day, even if overdue and unredeemed, the pawned item will belong to the pawnshop.

Only then will I have the right to conduct various transactions with the child ghost.

This is the pawnshop's rule.

Of course, there is also another situation: for every transaction at the pawnshop, the pawn ticket is made in duplicate, one copy for the pawnshop and one for the pawner.

If the child ghost comes to redeem with a pawn ticket, I will certainly recognize only the pawn ticket.

I called out from behind: "Elder Sister Qingying!"

Li Qingying quickly came over and asked: "Xiao Jiu, do you need me?"

I greeted her to come over and asked: "Elder Sister Qingying, do you know about the Red Flag?"

"Red Flag? Where is it?"

Li Qingying obviously knew; I took out the Red Flag again and handed it to her.

The Red Flag felt cold to the touch and had considerable weight.

Li Qingying unfolded it and examined it carefully, her face grave: "It is indeed a Red Flag!"

Then she explained: "In ancient times, the Red Flag symbolized the calamity of weapons and warfare; it usually appears at the junction of two armies' battlefields. Legend says that one who holds the Red Flag is called a Red Flag Child, dressed in red, with piercing eyes; whoever sees him will at least fall seriously ill for three days..."

Saying this, Li Qingying suddenly widened her eyes, as if she had thought of something.

I knew she was also thinking of that child ghost we encountered that day.

But I wondered: "Recently many people in Wufu Town have seen that child ghost, yet I haven't heard anyone falling seriously ill for three days."

"Because that child ghost isn't holding a Red Flag." Li Qingying said, looking at the Red Flag in her hand, also looking worried: "Could this one... be his?"

I handed the pawn ticket to her, pointing at the endorsement for her to see.

Li Qingying saw the three vigorous and powerful characters "Zhao Zixun" in the signature, her brows knitting tighter: "How could it be him?"

Yeah, how does he show up everywhere!

I put away the Red Flag and pawn ticket, sat behind the counter, watching the outside sky gradually darken, and said: "If things go badly tonight, there may be a tough battle. Elder Sister Qingying, I don't want to drink porridge tonight; I want something sweet."

Li Qingying turned and left: "Alright, I'll go buy you some small cakes."

At night, as usual, I guarded the counter together with Li Qingying.

During the day someone ordered two paper horses; I was busy making them while Li Qingying polished the long whip on the side.

The bottle of oil Jin Wuya gave her is almost half used up.

However, that long whip has indeed been made glossy by the oil.

Thus we stayed busy until past eleven; the two paper horses were finished, Li Qingying helped me carry them to the Funeral Shop, and when we came out I rubbed my shoulders and neck, lifted my foot, stepped out of Nan Shu Fang's door, and glanced westward.

To the west it was pitch black and so quiet it made one's heart feel uneasy.

There was less than a quarter of an hour left before midnight.

Zhao Zixun did not appear.

The Red Flag Child also did not appear.

Could it be that tonight will just pass peacefully?

I waited a while longer; when the time was fast approaching midnight, Li Qingying and I decisively prepared to close the shop and go to sleep.

It would be better if Zhao Zixun didn't come.

Best if he doesn't show up for the next five days either.

But just as we latched the door, hurried footsteps came from the west, heading straight for the pawnshop.

Li Qingying and I stared at each other in shock.

Not long after, the small street-facing door of Nan Shu Fang was knocked; I took a deep breath and resignedly went to open the door.

Outside the door stood a Red Flag Child with a pale face.

He came in great haste, holding a light green sachet embroidered with a plum blossom.

The Red Flag Child handed the sachet to me, saying: "Older sister, I've come to redeem the pawn."

I did not take the sachet, feigning ignorance: "May I ask what you wish to redeem?"

"To redeem my Red Flag."

Indeed.

To redeem a pawn, you need the pawn ticket issued by this pawn shop back then and enough redemption money—do you have both?

The Red Flag Child nodded vigorously, then pushed the money pouch forward and said, "Sister, this is the redemption money, but I can't produce the pawn ticket myself—I need you to come with me."

I hadn't anticipated this situation.

He can't get the pawn ticket; do I need to go get it for him?

It couldn't be a trap, could it?

He couldn't be wanting me to fight Zhao Zixun to help him retrieve the pawn ticket, could he?

The more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

I pondered a moment, then asked, "Red Flag Child, I know this red flag is yours, but the person who pawned it back then wasn't you—it was Zhao Zixun. Do you know him?"

As soon as I mentioned Zhao Zixun, the Red Flag Child's whole body began to tremble, as if he were terrified.

My heart sank with it.

But I never expected the Red Flag Child to say, "The pawn ticket was given to me by the Zhao Military Officer."

Ah?

I didn't mishear, did I?

The pawn ticket was given to the Red Flag Child by Zhao Zixun?

Isn't that a paradox?

The red flag belongs to the Red Flag Child, yet Zhao Zixun pawned it at the pawn shop; then Zhao Zixun handed the pawn ticket over to the Red Flag Child?

Li Qingying also grew impatient: "Child Ghost, are you just messing with people? Make up a story that at least makes sense!"

The Red Flag Child protested: "I didn't make up a story!"

I said, "But you're clearly afraid of Zhao Zixun, aren't you?"

"I..." the Red Flag Child's body still trembled slightly, "I'm afraid of him because he killed me back then. It took me over seventy years to recondense my child form, and nearly another thirty to recall the pawn ticket matter—fortunately, it's not too late."

Li Qingying grabbed his hair in frustration: "Child Ghost, what are you saying? Do you even understand yourself?"

"Everything I say is true." The Red Flag Child struggled to find his words: "Over a hundred years ago, I met the Zhao Military Officer on the battlefield; he was ordered to take my red flag. Later the Zhao Military Officer met with misfortune, and before he lost his sanity completely, he pawned the red flag at the pawn shop and had his confidant secretly deliver the pawn ticket to me."

Unfortunately, his confidant never got the chance to deliver the pawn ticket before I was killed by the zombified Zhao Military Officer.