Chapter 39: Ghost Wealth and the River Dredger

"Ziyu, Qian Dong, are you going to Fisherman's Wharf tonight to watch the river lanterns?" Zhao Xing asked his two younger companions as they finished their duties for the day.

"Not me," Qian Dong shook his head. "The River Lantern Festival is truly dull. Aside from the lack of young maidens, it’s actually quite eerie—what’s there to see? It’s nowhere near as good as the Herb-Picking Festival or the Spring Shrine Festival."

"You only ever think about girls," Zhao Xing laughed, patting him on the shoulder, then turned to Chen Ziyu. "What about you?"

"I’ll be going, but I probably won't be able to join you," Chen Ziyu replied. "I have to help my father sell lotus lanterns."

The lanterns for the River Lantern Festival, also known as lotus lanterns, are crafted from lotus leaves, clay, gouache, cloth, and drawing paper, stitched together. Once assembled, the names of deceased relatives are inscribed on the surface, and a candle is placed in the center. Of course, some lanterns are also lit to pray for the living; it is not solely for memorializing the departed.

Although the festival draws a crowd, the atmosphere is solemn and serious. There is little in the way of entertainment—at most, one can grab a bite to eat or enjoy the scenery.

Seeing that neither of them would be joining him, Zhao Xing did not press the matter. After all, he wasn't there for entertainment himself. He was looking to see if he could make some "ghost wealth."

In this dynastic system of destiny, the theory of the Five Elements and Fortune is prevalent, with professions such as sorcerers, diviners, and geomancers. However, after the Great Zhou Dynasty's founding emperor "collected the destiny of the realm" to strengthen the rule of the state's fortune, he dealt a heavy blow to these three professions, folding them entirely into the "Temples" as tools, with minor deities acting as conduits for luck and prosperity.

In his previous life, Zhao Xing viewed these professions as mere "secondary jobs" because the founding emperor’s decree had struck at their very heart. In this version of the dynasty, these three professions were relegated to the gutters, becoming little more than "itinerant swindlers" struggling to survive until the eventual collapse of the dynasty, which would see their resurgence.

But that didn't stop Zhao Xing from making a little profit.

"The Heavenly Stems indicate the Seven Killings, but the Na-Yin indicates wealth."

"For instance, if the Ding-Mao year has a Na-Yin of Fire, while the Heavenly Stem's true element is Wood, and one encounters Yi and Geng among the four stems, that is the Metal Ghost of the stems. Since Ding-Mao's fire can control the Yi-Geng metal, it is called 'ghost wealth.'"

"Pursuing ghost wealth doesn't yield massive gains, but there is no loss either. Since the Zhou Dynasty is currently prosperous, no wandering spirits or ghosts can stir up trouble." Zhao Xing glanced at his almanac for auspicious and ominous signs, then strolled leisurely toward Fisherman's Wharf.

He first stopped outside an inn near the wharf, where numerous stalls were already set up, and many vendors were busy selling lotus lanterns and incense candles.

Zhao Xing casually bought one, a common, low-grade item, and then walked toward a group of men resting nearby. These men, gathered in small groups with their shirts off, were drinking tea with hooks and shears lying beside them. They were "river salvagers."

What is a river salvager? They are men with exceptional swimming skills who specialize in diving to recover treasures from the water, usually former fishermen. Pinghu’s thirteen canals connect to the Canglan River, and the Eastern Lake has accumulated vital energy over the years; through the scouring of the riverbeds, many aquatic treasures are brought to light.

First or second-tier treasures are not uncommon, and finding one is enough to live on for half a year. If one were to find a third-tier treasure? They could retire, buy a house, and live off the rent! Furthermore, with the constant flow of merchant ships and travelers, valuables are often lost overboard, leading to requests for retrieval, which gave rise to this group of "river salvagers."

Don't let their dirty, unrefined appearance fool you; they earn far more than low-level agricultural officials like Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing walked up to the stall and cupped his hands. "Gentlemen, are you taking on work?"

A middle-aged, sturdy man who appeared to be the foreman nodded. "We don't take on 'white' jobs—only treasure hunting and retrieval. If you wish to try your luck, we have long-haul, short-haul, and one-off deals."

Elite salvagers avoid the bad luck of retrieving corpses or remains; they have no interest in that kind of money.

Zhao Xing nodded and stated his requirements: "I need to hire a skilled diver for a short-haul job. Starting at the end of the You hour and ending before the Zi hour—about three hours in total. No limit on the number of dives. I offer two taels and five mace of silver, covering tea and late-night snacks. Anything recovered belongs to me; no profit sharing."

Three hours was sufficient. Once those hours passed, the fortune of the ghost wealth would fade, making it difficult to find anything. In truth, the only time a treasure could realistically be found was during the "Ding-Mao" moment within those three hours.

Seeing that Zhao Xing knew the ropes and offered a fair price, the foreman nodded and called out toward the back, "Xu Lao Ba!"

"Coming!" Not far away, a lean, muscular man was flirting with a young woman at a nearby stall, flexing his muscles and making her giggle. Hearing the foreman's voice, he gave her a quick touch and came jogging over.

"Boss."

"This young master wants to try his luck. Short-haul, three hours, two taels and five mace, including his provisions. Any issues?" the foreman asked.

"No problem." Xu Lao Ba grinned and patted his chest. "You can tell by looking at me, young master—I, Xu Lao Ba, will definitely bring you good luck!"

Zhao Xing used his Five Elements vision to observe the man. His lung energy was robust, two or three times that of an average person; he was indeed a good hand. Zhao Xing nodded. "He'll do."

The foreman produced a piece of engraved bamboo. "Payment must be made in advance, along with an additional tael as a deposit. If he returns safely, the deposit is returned upon presentation of this item. If he meets with an accident, you are not held responsible, and the deposit will be treated as a charitable donation."

"Reasonable," Zhao Xing agreed. Money and man were exchanged.

With the token in hand, Xu Lao Ba grabbed his gear and followed behind Zhao Xing.

"Young master, do you need to rent a pleasure boat? I have a contact who can give you a ten percent discount. If you have friends, a group of five gets a twenty percent discount."

Zhao Xing replied, "I'm alone; a small skiff will do. No need for a boat."

Xu Lao Ba wasn't disappointed; he could still get a small commission for a skiff. "Then which lake area do you want to head to? Or maybe one of the thirteen bays? A night-luminescent pearl was found in the West Lake area yesterday; I think we could try our luck there."

Zhao Xing smiled. "No rush. Let's wander for a bit."

Seeing this, Xu Lao Ba said no more. It seemed this employer had his own plans. He was actually quite happy to wander; the less time spent diving, the easier his shift would be.

On this day of "End of Heat," the sun set late, and it was only at the end of the You hour that it became truly dark. Standing at the high point of Fisherman's Wharf, one could see lotus lanterns drifting along the water, flickering like stars, stretching out into a sea of light.

The commercial street was somewhat lively, though mostly filled with vendors selling food or lanterns; other forms of entertainment were sparse compared to other festivals.

"Hm?" Zhao Xing's gaze suddenly fell upon a familiar back. "The ceremonial officer of the Cao Xi Temple? There are quite a few people with him; it seems they are officials from the temple. I wonder what their assessment entails?"

It was still early for his scheduled time, and since he was here to watch the sights anyway, he moved closer and pricked up his ears.

Infusing his ears with vital energy, the noise of the bustling street faded, leaving only the voices of the ceremonial officer and his group.