Zhou Zishu gave her a gold ingot. “Take this and go; you’ve been showing your utmost loyalty by following the Zhang’s young master here. Don’t let yourself suffer further at your old age.”

She took the money, biting it by instinct, then smiling in embarrassment once she realized what she did. The tears had stopped, and she told him softly, “Yes, this one is too old now, just gonna a burden for Young Master.”

Practically, staying at a place where a dead body was buried and grass grew everywhere was not really a good idea either, so she left immediately. Zhou Zishu thought that she was just a servant, so it was unlikely that she would be chased after. She showed her gratitude and walked away while he watched her expressionlessly.

It was midnight, so Zhou Zishu knew the prickling pain in his chest right now was the Nails acting up. It was not the kind of pain that mangle your body, or the slow, simmering kind as seen with internal injuries, but one that felt like someone was cutting his meridians apart one by one.

Fortunately, after more than a year of suffering he had well adapted to the pain; nothing showed on his face. He also was still wearing a mask, making it harder for Gu Xiang to see his real expressions.

Zhou Zishu tried to divert his attention by thinking about the girl’s ignorance while discussing Zhang Yusen, asking her, “Is the one with you at the tavern not here today?”

Gu Xiang startled, “How do you know he’s with me?” Then nodded, “Right, you heard us talking, didn’t you — that’s why back when I asked you the question, you answered exactly like my master.”

She pursed her lips, showing disdain at his cheating act.

Zhou Zishu smiled, “Yes, is your master here right now?”

Gu Xiang sat on the incense table1 with her legs swinging, not touching the ground. She tilted her head, eyes casting downwards, appearing completely innocent. Then she shrugged, “He went to see his old lover.”

Zhou Zishu stared at her doubtfully. She was very pretty, so he had though she was one of the man’s concubines.

Gu Xiang wrinkled her nose, glaring at him, “Why do you look at me like that? Do you want me to guard outside his window and hear him doing it with another man?”

Zhou Zishu coughed in faint embarrassment, rubbing his nose, “Young miss…”

Gu Xiang looked like a small animal baring its sharp teeth at him. She then turned her head away in thoughts, poking the still asleep Zhang Chengling with the tip of her toes, “Do you believe him? That the man in black was the Hanged Ghost?”

Zhou Zishu hesitated. “…he must have meant the Hanged Ghost from the Ghosts of Qingzhu Ridge…”