At the Yellow Springs Post Station, Yang Fan sat by the door. As the clock struck exactly eleven, the courtyard's main gate transformed into a solemn and eerie heavy iron door, which slowly creaked open.
Eight little ghosts carried a sedan chair out from the gate and came to a halt in front of Yang Fan.
A man's magnetic and pleasant voice drifted from inside the sedan, "I presume you are the new station master of this post station."
As the man spoke, the sedan curtains slowly rose, revealing an extraordinarily handsome face and a pair of peach blossom eyes looking at Yang Fan with tenderness.
Yang Fan looked at the man, but instead of an expression of awe, her face showed a hint of disdain.
"You're blocking the way. Move to the side."
The eight men carrying the sedan were blocking the entire doorway so tightly that Yang Fan couldn't even see the ghosts behind them.
Heiming's expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He waved his hand, and the lead ghost stepped forward to present an ID to Yang Fan.
"Delivering a package for our Prince!"
The little ghost's voice was forceful and commanding.
"I said you're blocking the way," Yang Fan clicked her tongue. "Can't you understand human speech? Move aside! My employees are being blocked behind you and can't get in!"
Heiming and his little ghosts: "...???"
"Station Master... we're here..."
At the edge of the sedan, Jian Xiangdi and Liang Zishu were leaning sideways, struggling to squeeze themselves out from the side.
The two ghosts had to exert every ounce of their strength to squeeze out from the crowd of ghosts; even Liang Zishu's meticulously styled hair had been messed up in the process.
As the two ghosts walked into the room, the computer immediately emitted a notification sound.
"Courier Jian Xiangdi, Courier Liang Zishu, on duty."
Sitting in the sedan, Heiming's eyes showed a hint of surprise. The Yellow Springs Post Station had actually hired couriers, and they were two ghosts with almost no strength.
He signaled to his little ghost, who received the signal and repeated while holding Heiming's ID, "Picking up a package for our Prince."
"Alright."
Liang Zishu picked up the scanning gun to start working, but she was stopped by Yang Fan.
Not understanding why, she looked at her with a face full of confusion.
At that moment, the crowd of ghosts blocked behind the sedan suddenly began to stir.
"Wait, why can't I get out?!"
"I can't get out either! This wall is so hard!"
"Why can't we leave?!"
Those ghosts—who hadn't come to pick up packages but had merely used the delivery as an excuse to sneak out and steal vegetables and fruits from the village—suddenly realized they could no longer leave this courtyard.
They could clearly go out before.
The other ghosts who actually came to pick up packages tried as well, only to find they couldn't leave either.
They couldn't even retreat back to the Underworld; they could only watch as more ghosts continued to emerge from the Underworld gate, while they themselves were unable to walk back.
What on earth was going on?!
Soon, more and more ghosts filled the courtyard until it was packed tight.
However, Yang Fan couldn't see the situation outside. Her line of sight was completely blocked by Heiming's sedan.
"Could you please put your sedan away for a moment," Yang Fan said. "You're blocking my view."
Heiming gave a wicked, charming smile. "And what if I say no?"
The expressions of the eight little ghosts, who had been expressionless until now, slowly turned terrifying and frightening.
Liang Zishu and Jian Xiangdi instinctively hid behind Yang Fan.
Heiming was a ghost who had been dead for three hundred years; it was said he had once torn a high-level ghost official to shreds with his bare hands.
When big shots fought, they had to stay far away. It wouldn't be good if they got caught in the crossfire.
Yang Fan raised her hand and drew a Heavenly Thunder Talisman in the air, saying very calmly, "Then I'll strike you, your sedan, and your little ghosts into dust along with it."
A mere three-hundred-year-old ghost—she could easily turn him into ash.
Heiming: "..."
*If you had said you were this powerful earlier, why would I be acting so tough here? Look at the mess this has caused.*
After a brief silence of less than two seconds, Heiming nimbly stepped down from the sedan. With a wave of his hand, he put his sedan away and stood to the side with his eight little ghosts, obedient and quiet.
His movements were as smooth as flowing water, as quick and composed as if he had practiced them ten thousand times.
Liang Zishu: "...???"
Jian Xiangdi: "...???"
The two ghosts looked at the well-behaved Heiming standing to the side with expressions of utter disbelief.
Wasn't Heiming supposed to be a fierce ghost with a violent temper who would tear ghosts apart at the slightest disagreement?
Why did he back down so quickly, without even a single attempt to struggle?
Heiming: *Even though my rank is a Fierce Ghost, I'm still a ghost who bullies the weak and fears the strong, okay?*
Now, Yang Fan could finally see the scene outside. There were about dozens of ghosts in the courtyard. These ghosts would be enough; they could plow the two plots of land around her house to plant vegetables, and they could handle the weeds on the back mountain.
Yang Fan cleared her throat and said to the ghosts in the courtyard, "If you want to go back, and if you want to pick up your packages, you have to listen to me obediently."
Although some ghosts were very indignant and wanted to question why they had to listen to her, seeing even Heiming standing obediently to the side made them even more afraid to speak.
Yang Fan continued, "Because you stole the vegetables planted by the villagers, leaving them with nothing to eat, and you stole the fruit planted by my uncle, causing my family to suffer losses every year."
"Now, you need to work to pay off your debt."
Work to pay off a debt? Why should they have to work to pay off a debt?
Finally, a ghost mustered the courage to speak. "It's not like we're the only ones eating those things."
They weren't evil ghosts and hadn't done anything truly wicked, so they naturally spoke with a bit more confidence.
"Yeah, yeah! So many ghosts are eating them, why should we be the ones to work!"
Every ghost that came out to pick up a package had stolen some of the village's fruits and vegetables; why should they be the ones to work?
"Protest! You have no right to demand that we farm!"
"We won't work! Hurry up and give us our packages and let us go!"
Jian Xiangdi and Liang Zishu stole a glance at Yang Fan, not daring to speak.
Aside from the two of them, the ghosts that had come out today were all strangers to her ferocity.
Heiming cleared his throat and stepped forward to speak. "Station Master, let's have a proper talk."
"Although stealing food was our mistake, there are no explicit regulations in the Underworld forbidding us from eating these things."
"Besides, if it weren't for the post station..."
"Shut up!" Yang Fan shot him a cold glare.
"No..." Heiming showed a somewhat aggrieved expression. "Station Master, I am trying to reason with you."
Reason?
She was staying up late instead of sleeping to reason with them?
Yang Fan let out a cold snort. She raised her hand and drew a Heavenly Thunder Talisman in the air, with lightning and thunder flashing within the talisman paper.
The "crackle-pop" sound agitated Heiming's nerves, and he immediately changed his tune.
"But then again, since we ate people's crops, we have an obligation to work for them!"
Heiming said firmly, "Station Master, we will go to work right this instant! We cannot waste any more time!"
Liang Zishu and Jian Xiangdi gave him two thumbs up.
The other ghosts: "Right! We'll go to work right now!"
Yang Fan nodded with satisfaction. She liked efficiency like this.
(End of Chapter)