The sun rises and the moon sets, and in the blink of an eye, it was the fifth day of the month.

Before dawn, just at the cusp of daybreak, the servant of the Zhou Family used a newly tied bamboo broom to sweep the corners and thresholds of the house, collecting the dust and rubbish into a large cloth bag.

This item is called the "Five Poors Bag."

The so-called "Five Poors" refers to those lacking wisdom, learning, fortune, connections, and ambition, originating from Han Yu's "On Expelling Poverty" from the Tang Dynasty.

This custom is known as "Breaking the Five."

"Breaking the Five" comes with two taboos.

The "Five Poors Bag" has its considerations because "January is taboo for throwing away," so starting from the first day, all garbage is accumulated into the Five Poors Bag.

Before long, the servants of the Zhou Family cleaned up and hung the "Five Poors Bag" on a paperman, lifting it together to the southwest corner of the alley.

This corner corresponds to the Death Gate of the Kun Hexagram.

According to custom, the bag must be burned, and pottery pieces must be thrown, symbolizing "peace from shattered pieces," which breaks the taboo of "January throwing away."

The Zhou Family workers have done this every year and are already used to it.

But this time, they were somewhat apprehensive, frequently turning their heads to look towards the distant street.

At the end of the street is the Great Prince Mansion.

In the battle on the first day of the month, no one from the Great Prince Mansion survived, leaving the entire street filled with corpses, collapsed walls, and residents on both sides fleeing to relatives' homes for refuge, leaving it in complete disarray.

It's not that they didn't want to return home, but on the second day, rumors spread that an old night watchman had seen something unclean at night here and was scared to death.

Some say it was the yin souls of the dead soldiers.

Others claim it was the demons that caused the death of the Great Commandery Prince.

In short, no one dared to risk returning.

Besides, those living nearby were all high officials and nobility; some were already planning to buy houses elsewhere.

Known for his stinginess, Mr. Zhou had his servants getting up before dawn to burn the "Five Poors Bag."

A few were shivering and moved quickly.

Seeing the flames nearly extinguished, they quickly turned and ran back, then slammed the door with a bang.

"Thankfully, nothing happened…"

"Look how scared you were."

"You were no different."

"Let me tell you, it's most likely those demons. They were ruthless, killed so many, even wiped out the Prince Mansion."

"Shh, keep it down, or the master will be angry…"

The voices gradually faded away.

What they didn't notice was that on the roof of the dark, unoccupied mansion opposite, two figures had appeared at some point.

"Hmph, waited a whole night for nothing!"

"Forget it, calm down. That blood shaman was ruthless. If we do things perfunctorily, he'll surely take it out on us."

"Had I known earlier, I shouldn't have come to Chengdu…"

Both were Evil Cultivators recruited by Lu Sheng using the resources of the Shu Prince Mansion over the years. They didn't care about morals, but they had been cursed by the blood shaman, and now couldn't escape even if they wanted to…

They bounded and leaped across the rooftops, encountering many companions along the way, spread out monitoring various places, and secretly exchanging signals with the Black Feather Guards patrolling the streets.

The entire Chengdu had become an inescapable net.

At the corner of the pitch-black streets, the campfires from burning the "Five Poors Bag" flickered, with citizens acting according to customs, completely unaware of the lurking threats hidden in the darkness…

Not long after, daylight came.

It seemed the seasonal changes had taken effect; after the new year, not a single snow had fallen, the cold wind was biting, and the snow piles gradually melted away.

Chengdu Prefecture gradually awakened.

To many merchants, this day was more important than the New Year.

Welcoming the God of Wealth, breaking the five poors, opening business doors, and marking another year of hard work.

In the old water street of the city's east, firecrackers were crackling continuously, smoke filled the air, and every household was busy welcoming the God of Wealth.

"Devoutly bow and make offerings, enthroned at the Magic Platform, with the golden wheel resplendent. When the black tiger roars, all demons in the world tremble, and at the rise of the Golden Whip, all evils in the world hide…"

Inside a clothing shop, at the southeastern wealth spot, an altar was set with tables full of fruits, pastries, incense, and candles.

Amid the swirling smoke, Wang Daoxuan recited the "Wealth God Scripture."

He had deliberately disguised himself, lifting the corners of his eyes and whitening his beard, giving him a more celestial and ethereal appearance.

The opening actions were precise and meticulous.

Of course, he concealed all his aura.

The magic platform had no real function.

But in the eyes of the clothing shop owner beside him, Wang Daoxuan appeared extraordinary, and he praised, "As expected from a high Daoist from Jiangmen. If not for this festival, it would be hard to invite someone of your caliber."

"Manager Liu is too kind."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard with a smile and said lightly, "I act according to fate. If not for being fated to meet Manager Liu, no amount of money would make me act."

"Certainly, you won't be shortchanged, Daoist."

Hearing this, Manager Liu's smile broadened, and he turned to his assistants and said, "Quickly, bring the items."

Two assistants promptly left and soon returned, panting, carrying a basket from the backyard.

It was filled with copper coins, with a layer of "Joyful God Money" on top, and red silk ribbons tied into bows on the basket sides.

Wang Daoxuan frowned slightly, "What does Manager Liu mean by this?"

"Daoist, please don't misunderstand."

The short, fat Manager Liu quickly explained, "This is our trade's tradition. For any business opening, three strikes of the gong are made, the doors are opened, and the first transaction must use copper coins to symbolize 'smooth and profitable dealings with heartfelt relationships.'

Wang Daoxuan shook his head, "I offer blessings and avert disasters for people; naturally, I'm aware of this custom. What I'm referring to is these 'Joyful God Money.'"

"Oh, that."

Manager Liu laughed, "These were issued by the Prince Mansion, crafted so exquisitely that it's rare in my lifetime. I initially wanted to collect some to keep, but unexpectedly, a batch suddenly appeared on the market."

"Daoist shouldn't underestimate it. Though it's merely ornamental money, it's crafted with the finest purple copper, worth at least ten copper coins for its craftsmanship alone..."

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