391: Riverbed mud workers

Fifteen minutes later, a small figure appeared by the Wangchuan River.

Princess Shang Wugou stood on the riverbank, her pupils reflecting the grudging souls floating in the water. An icy, bone-chilling wind swept past, stirring the flower of the other shore along the bank, but the dark ink-colored jacket she wore remained still.

“Wugou, this is your workstation.”

“The ten-thousand-year-old Underworld Mud at the bottom of the river is yours to clean starting today. Don't return to Jiaotai Palace until you're finished.”

Ling Qi held a Dark Jade Basket carved with runes in both hands, her body slightly bowed, and the look in her eyes behind her silver-rimmed glasses showed respect: “Little Highness, this basket was specially made to fit your size. The runes on the basket walls can lock down the grudging souls inside the Underworld Mud, preventing them from escaping and harming people.”

Princess Shang Wugou looked up at her, taking the basket with her small hands; the rim nearly reached her chest.

She shook the basket, and the crisp sound of vibrating runes rang out: “Auntie Ling, besides holding Underworld Mud, can this hold anything else?”

“Like little ghosts running around?”

“According to the rules of the Underworld, it can only hold Underworld Mud.” Ling Qi answered seriously, tapping the side of the basket, causing a faint golden regulation text to surface.

“The rules are all here. Just scan it with your divine sense, and you'll understand everything. If there's anything you don't understand, ask me anytime; I'll be on duty by the riverbank.”

Princess Shang Wugou scanned the regulations with her divine sense.

No secretly swallowing grudging souls, clocking in at the Hour of Mao and clocking out at the Hour of You, deducting incense points for failing to meet the standard, giving rewards for exceeding the quota... After reading, she looked up and smiled sweetly: “Fei Fei understands everything, Auntie Ling. Don't worry, I will definitely clean thoroughly.”

Shang Wan Ning spoke then, her phoenix eyes resting on Princess Shang Wugou's face as she scrutinized her: “No playing tricks during work hours.”

“Fei Fei wouldn't dare!”

Princess Shang Wugou stood up straight, holding the basket rope with her small hands, looking very obedient. “Fei Fei listens to everything Mama says.”

Shang Wan Ning hummed softly and turned to leave slowly.

The hem of her phoenix robe brushed against the gravel on the ground, making a crisp ringing sound.

Ling Qi watched Shang Wan Ning walk away, then instructed Princess Shang Wugou: “Little Highness, some of the grudging souls in the Underworld Mud are ancient and fierce. If you can't handle them, call Auntie Ling. Don't try to force it.”

“Got it.” Princess Shang Wugou waved her hand, turned, and leaped into the Wangchuan River.

“Splash!”

As the sound of the splash faded, the viscous river water automatically parted to both sides, forming a passage just wide enough for her to pass through.

Countless grudging souls smelled the living aura and shrieked as they floated over, but as soon as they touched the faint black energy emanating from the Little Evil God, they instantly turned into ash and were inhaled into her nostrils.

Princess Shang Wugou smacked her lips, a gleam flashing in her eyes: “Tsk, the taste isn't bad. It's almost as good as the snacks at Jiaotai Palace.”

At the bottom of the riverbed, the Underworld Mud was thick enough to cover her shins, dark and glossy. Deep within, solitary ghosts seemed to reach out faintly, gripping her trouser leg tightly.

Princess Shang Wugou bent down and plunged her fair, tender hand directly into the Underworld Mud.

“Squish.”

A large clump of Underworld Mud was dug out by her and casually tossed into the Dark Jade Basket. The runes on the basket walls lit up with golden light, firmly locking down the grudging souls struggling inside the mud, preventing them from making any noise.

She moved quickly, digging mud with her left hand and tossing it into the basket with her right, clearing a bald patch of the riverbed in no time.

Suddenly, a fierce ghost with a blue face and fangs sprang out of the Underworld Mud, lunging straight for Princess Shang Wugou's neck.

She neither dodged nor flinched, opening her mouth to bite.

“Crunch!”

The fierce ghost's scream stopped abruptly, transforming into a ball of Yin energy that went straight into her belly. Princess Shang Wugou rubbed her stomach, the corners of her lips slightly curved: “This one is older; it tastes better than the last one.”

[Hehe, since they're delivering themselves for free, eating them shouldn't count as a violation, right?]

She thought this to herself, not stopping her hands, and the speed of cleaning the mud increased even further.

For five consecutive days, the Ghost Officers by the Wangchuan River had grown accustomed to this sight.

At six in the morning, Princess Shang Wugou would jump into the river precisely on time; at five in the afternoon, she would carry the basket full of Underworld Mud ashore. The basket was heavy enough to bend her small frame, yet she wasn't flushed or breathless.

“What exactly is the Little Highness's background? In just five days, the resentment on the river surface has faded by half.” A Ghost Officer leaned against the dockside, looking at the busy little figure at the bottom of the river, and asked timidly.

His colleague, chewing on the Underworld's specialty dried grass, shook his head: “I don't know. The night before last, when I was on duty, I heard chewing sounds coming from the river bottom. It was genuinely creepy.”

“You heard it too? I thought I was imagining things.” The Female Ghost Officer leaned in and whispered, “And in the areas the Little Highness has cleaned, not a single living grudging soul remains. It's truly uncanny.”

While they were discussing, Princess Shang Wugou at the bottom of the river suddenly stopped moving.

She stared at the Underworld Mud she had just dug out. This clump was darker in color, heavier in resentment, and unusually soft when held.

[Why don't I mold a small statue for Mama? If she likes it, maybe she'll give me more pocket money.]

Princess Shang Wugou squatted in the middle of the riverbed, placed the Underworld Mud on the ground, and began kneading it with her small hands. Shang Wan Ning's appearance flashed in her mind: slightly raised phoenix eyebrows, tightly pursed lips, and the posture of standing on the steps of Jiaotai Palace with her hands behind her back.

Unfortunately, her technique was clumsy. After kneading for a long time, only a few long strips took shape. The top was a messy lump, bearing no resemblance to Shang Wan Ning's features, looking instead like a few pieces of charred, rotten wood.

Princess Shang Wugou stared at the “rotten wood” and grinned.

The smile was completely inconsistent with her innocent face, revealing a trace of wickedness.

“What are you doing?”

A cold, clear voice came from the bank. Princess Shang Wugou stiffened all over, quickly raising the “rotten wood” and turning around.

Shang Wan Ning stood by the dock, her divine sense focused on the Underworld Mud in Princess Shang Wugou's hand.

“Mama, I'm molding a small statue for you.” Princess Shang Wugou's voice was sickeningly sweet as she shook the “rotten wood” in her hand. “Look, this is Mama's body, and this is Mama's head...”

Shang Wan Ning scrutinized the twisted clump of Underworld Mud, her cultivation of composure almost failing. “Heh, my appearance, molded by you into this?”

“I... I already tried my best.” Princess Shang Wugou lowered her head, pouting her small mouth, her face full of grievance. “Fei Fei wanted to mold Mama to look prettier, but my hands wouldn't listen.”

Ling Qi took a large step forward and bowed to Princess Shang Wugou: “Little Highness, according to the Underworld's 'Job Management Regulations,' engaging in non-cleaning activities during work hours requires a deduction of five percent of this month's pocket money.”

“It's not that I intend to make things difficult; it's simply that the rules cannot be broken.”

“Deduct pocket money?”

Princess Shang Wugou suddenly raised her head, her eyes instantly reddening, and large tears rolled down her cheeks. “I just wanted to mold a small statue for Mama. Why do I have to be fined? I know I was wrong, I won't mold anything again. Can you please not deduct the money?”

She tightly hugged the “rotten wood,” crying until her shoulders trembled, looking utterly pitiful.

Shang Wan Ning: “First, clean up the remaining Underworld Mud, and then we'll talk.”

“Mhm!”

Princess Shang Wugou wiped away her tears, threw the “rotten wood” into the basket, turned, and walked toward the deeper part of the riverbed. “I'll clean it right now; I can finish everything immediately.”

Shang Wan Ning watched her back, then turned and walked onto the dock.

Ling Qi followed behind her and whispered, “A Ning, the Department of Judges has tallied the amount. The Little Highness's cleaning volume over these five days exceeded expectations by seventy percent. According to the rules, an additional reward should be given.”

“How much is the reward?” Shang Wan Ning asked.

“According to the standard, ten points of pocket money can be added.”