There was also the matter of the SEIU (The Spiritual Energy Investigation Units) sending ghost instructors to sell paper-crafted items at extremely low prices. The complaint stated that the SEIU might be trying to monopolize paper-crafted goods in the underworld and command the spirits.
Although the wording was full of speculation and stopped short of direct accusations, it was enough to make readers instinctively sense how serious the matter could be.
It couldn't quite be called slander, more like a small strategic move.
Song Miaozhu took out her store owner certificate and stamped it with her personal seal. The ghost attendants continued delivering the complaint to other shopkeepers downstream, who each added their own seals in turn.
The more ghost shopkeepers who united behind the complaint, the heavier its weight and the higher its priority would become.
All of them had been running their shops in Fengdu City for many years. The store owner certificate was proof of their identity and status. So, once this document had the seals of all the long-established paper-crafting shop owners, its significance was beyond question.
"Everyone, I'll head out first and submit the complaint to the magistrates office. Once we get a result, I'll share it in the Ghost Business Chat group. Just sit tight and wait for good news," Shen Yiqiu said as he left with the signed complaint.
At the Fengdu magistrates office, all they had to do was check the Book of Life and Death. Whatever was recorded there was the truest and most impartial evidence. There was no need for witnesses or testimonies. Song Miaozhu and the others really just had to wait.
"With the prefectural office handling this, I'm sure the issue will be resolved soon. Everyone, relax and enjoy the banquet," said Liang Fuyi.
The ghost shopkeepers collectively let out a sigh of relief and finally turned their attention to the fine wine and incense provided by the stream.
"No wonder this is the famous Flowing Wine Courtyard of Yunlai Pavilion. Beautiful scenery, great wine, and even more beautiful ghosts! Liang Shopkeeper, you've really gone all out!"
"But drinking and sniffing incense alone is boring. How about some of our classic games?"
"We're here at the Flowing Wine Courtyard. Isn't it tradition to sit by the stream, compose poetry, and play the zither?"
"Oh, come on. Who are we kidding? We all know each other too well. We're not the artsy type, so why pretend to be refined?"
"Exactly! We're all familiar faces here. Only Shopkeeper Song is new to the fold. We ought to help her blend in with the Paper Crafting Merchant Guild of Yinshui Alley."
"That's right! The best way to bond is at the card table. Nothing beats playing games by the stream."
...
The ghost shopkeepers clamored excitedly.
Song Miaozhu nearly thought she misheard. Cards?
Seeing her confusion, Liang Fuyi nodded to the ghost attendant nearby. At that signal, each ghost attendant beside a shopkeeper sprang into action. Male ghost attendants moved their small tables, while female ones helped the shopkeepers to their feet.
Four tables were pushed together to form a perfect square. They laid down a cloth, brought out a mahjong set, and transformed the setup into a proper gaming table.
"Shopkeeper Song, come join our table! This is where your great-grandmother used to sit!" Liang Fuyi called.
Jing Hong led her over to sit with Liang Fuyi, the shopkeeper who specialized in aged yellow hell coins, and another who sold paper flowers. The ghost attendants busied themselves serving wine, passing incense, peeling melon seeds, and shuffling tiles. All the shopkeepers had to do was enjoy the game and chat.
The entire Flowing Wine Courtyard had turned into a live mahjong parlor. Each table had four ghosts playing, but nearly ten ghost attendants waiting on them. At first, Song Miaozhu felt a little awkward. But she soon found herself having a great time.
The main reason was that Shopkeeper Liang, Shopkeeper Huang, and Shopkeeper Hua were the oldest of the old in the Yinshui Alley paper-crafting trade. Not only had they known her great-grandmother, they also knew her great-great-grandmother, her great-great-great-grandmother, and even the one before that.
They'd played leaf cards and Ma Diao together back in the day.
Mahjong only became popular in the underworld in the past hundred years.
"Your great-grandmother, once she heard about the Spiritual Revival, couldn't sit still. She insisted on heading to the mortal realm to try her luck! I wonder how she's doing now."
"She's probably a milk-drinking baby by now!"
"I heard Old Deng went with her. I wonder if he ever caught up to her."
"Oh? You're asking about Old Deng's relationship with your great-grandmother? Ha! Unrequited love, of course!"
"The women in your family, all of them had ambition! Your great-grandmother was like that, so was your great-great-grandmother, and the one before that too. None of them ever wanted to just lie flat in the underworld. As soon as they had a successor, they'd rush off to reincarnate!"
"Hey hey, sorry everyone, but I just won again! Pay up, pay up!"
"Ugh, how's your luck so good? We let you win this round, but next one's ours!"
"By the way, did you hear? Shopkeeper Lu and Shopkeeper Bai from Chunyi Alley broke up again."
"What, how many times is that now?"
"I've kept count! That's breakup number 158!"
...
This was completely different from what Song Miaozhu had imagined. She had expected polite smiles and hidden rivalry. But after spending time with them, she realized the old shops in Yinshui Alley had long settled into their rhythms.
Every shop had its own niche and loyal customers, which was why they had survived so long. There wasn't really any competition between them. Their profits came purely from personal skill and craftsmanship.
There might have been some friction when the shops first opened, but after all these years, they had learned each other's strengths and market segments. Now, they ran their businesses in peaceful coexistence.
They were all ghosts. They couldn't improve their skills anymore, so envying others was pointless. Over time, those who had the means to continue living in the underworld naturally became close. They'd host gatherings like this just to pass the time.
It was the SEIU's sudden involvement that had stirred up this long-stilled pond. But everyone trusted the Fengdu authorities, so they had already relaxed again and returned to their games.
This left Song Miaozhu, who had come prepared to build connections and stay alert for hostile ghosts, looking almost too guarded and out of place.
Luckily, once she understood the situation, she adjusted quickly.
Now, while listening to the elders gossip about her ancestors and the old ghosts of Fengdu, and playing mahjong, Song Miaozhu felt even more festive than she had during New Year in the mortal world.
The best part was, her luck was incredibly good. She won most of the rounds, got to hear juicy gossip, and made money at the same time. It was pure bliss. Unfortunately, she could only stay in the underworld for three hours a day. Any longer and it would shorten her lifespan. In the end, she had to excuse herself.
"Seriously? We just got started and you're leaving already? What are you going back for? Boring!" grumbled Shopkeeper Huang.
"Yeah! I was just getting lucky, and you're quitting already?" Shopkeeper Hua added, clearly unhappy.
"Anshou Hall isn't like the rest of us," said Liang Fuyi, leaning on the table. "Shopkeeper Song, we won't keep you. Let's play again when you have time. Now that we've got you, we finally have a complete table. If you don't show up, one table's going to have to switch to fighting over landlord cards!"
"Count me in next time!" Song Miaozhu replied cheerfully.
When it came to digging up information in the underworld, nothing worked better than the mahjong table.