Knife splashing

Chapter 109 Winter Clothes Festival

Call ~
In the cave, torches were burning.

"right here."

Lu San pointed forward and said in a muffled voice.

Li Yan looked in the direction he pointed and saw two earthen graves, one large and one small, buried in the middle of the cave. There were no tombstones and they looked very simple.

This is a cave on the cliff of Dongshan Mountain. It is located in a secret place. Without Lu San's guidance, they would never be able to find it.

Li Yan nodded, walked forward, clasped his fists and bowed respectfully, lit incense and burned some paper money, then turned around and walked to the corner of the cave with a torch.

When the torch was shone, traces of artificial excavation were seen on the top.

"It's a cliff tomb!"

Wang Daoxuan's eyes lit up, and he stroked his beard and said, "I was just wondering, after entering this cave, there is a flow of vitality, and there is no decaying or gloomy air."

"It was probably half-built by a wealthy family, but something unexpected happened and it was abandoned. I didn't expect Brother Lu to be good at Feng Shui as well."

Lu San shook his head and said, "I don't understand Feng Shui. I came here because I heard a bird say there was such a place."

"That's right."

Wang Daoxuan smiled and said, "This is where the earth's energy gathers nearby. After it is opened, there is no earth covering it. The earth's energy and life energy are connected, so it is naturally a good place."

As he spoke, he looked around and nodded, "Yes, this is the auspicious spot. I don't think I can find a better one nearby."

Li Yan also agreed, "Just follow what the Taoist said."

Wu Laosi's family is all gone. The reason why he traveled thousands of miles to deliver the coffin was to fulfill his promise.

Only wealthy families can afford to build cliff tombs. Whether it is hiring someone to point out the acupoint or having craftsmen carve the tomb, it costs a lot of money.

It wouldn't be unfair to Wu Laosi to be buried here.

Just as the two were about to leave, the silent Lu San suddenly spoke up: "Master, I want to ask, can we bury more people here?"

Wang Daoxuan was slightly stunned, then he understood what he meant. He shook his head and sighed, "Of course, this hole is not small, it can be used as a family cemetery."

"But please forgive me for being frank. The ancestral tombs in Wujiagou have been destroyed and the remains of our ancestors have been exposed to the sun. I'm afraid it's hard to save them if they are buried here."

Lu San didn't seem to care at all. He nodded and said in a low voice, "That's fine. I'll go collect the remains."

After saying that, he walked out of the cave, climbed up the mountain along the rope, and left alone quickly without speaking to the two of them.

Looking at the other person's leaving figure, Li Yan was somewhat speechless, "This kid's brain is probably a little bit wrong."

Wang Daoxuan sighed, "He's a bit like a dog."

Li Yan was amused. "Master, this guy may be difficult to deal with, but there's no need to scold him."

"To seek revenge alone is called courage, and to remember a favor is called righteousness. I actually admire that."

"How can I curse people?"

Wang Daoxuan shook his head and said, "When I was traveling in Qi and Lu, I saw a mountain village destroyed by an earth dragon. All the people moved away, but an old dog stayed there. Later, it was bitten to death by other wild dogs while guarding its master's body."

"The locals called it the loyal dog and built a temple in its memory."

"He looks exactly like this boy..."

…………

At night, in the abandoned ancestral hall of Wujiagou.

"Everyone, this may take some time."

Wang Daoxuan said in a deep voice: "This is what happened. Originally, I was thinking of spending some money to hire someone in Fengyang County, but now it seems that this matter cannot be handled in a big way."

"Let's listen to the Taoist priest!"

The porter leader Yue Ba'e cursed: "They forced the entire village to leave their homes and even dug up the graves of their ancestors. I have never seen anyone so despicable and immoral."

"Master, please decide how to arrange it. We don't have much skills, but we can still use our strength."

Wang Daoxuan nodded and clasped his fists, saying, "Everyone is kind and righteous!"

"Senior Wu saved my life. Although I have to make an emergency decision and cannot have a grand funeral, I still have to go through the necessary procedures. This is my humble opinion."

"Tomorrow is October 1st, the Cold Clothes Festival, a ghost day, so it's better to offer sacrifices than to bury the dead. And every family has to go up the mountain to burn cold clothes, which is bound to cause trouble. So the burial date is set on October 2nd, which is just the right time to break the ground and bury the dead."

"Brother Sha."

"Ugh."

"Please go to Fengyang County tomorrow to buy some bamboo sticks, white paper, paper figurines, and soul-calling banners. I will make them myself to avoid arousing suspicion. I will also need incense, candles, and gold ingots. I'm afraid you will have to make a few more trips."

"Okay, leave it to me."

"Brother Yue, you will go up the mountain with Brother Yan tomorrow. The ropes for lowering the coffin and the mud and stones for sealing the earth must be prepared in advance, so as not to miss the time..."

Wang Daoxuan often helped people with funerals and was very proficient in this matter. He quickly arranged everything in an orderly manner.

As they had a busy day tomorrow, everyone went to bed early. Li Yan hadn't slept for two days. He fell asleep after a brief moment of concentration.

On the southwest mountain, is the ancestral tomb of Wujiagou.

Under the moonlight, the sound of digging the earth continued.

Lu San bent down and picked up the bones one by one, sweat dripping from his forehead, and he kept muttering to himself:

"Uncle Wu, you were kind-hearted and wanted to take me in as your grandson. Although Brother Wu didn't allow me to do so, I still remember your kindness..."

"Grandma Liu, you may say harsh words, but the winter cotton-padded clothes you gave me were very warm. That was the first time I wore new clothes..."

"Brother Wu San, you died early, but I heard that the hooligans in the village bullied me and my master, and it was you who helped to take the lead..."

"Uncle Wu Liu, you are such a jerk, you lie to me all day long..."

"They are all gone, my home is gone, and I am the only one left..."

…………

The Cold Clothes Festival, also known as the "Mingyin Festival" and "Autumn Festival", is known as one of the three major ghost festivals along with Qingming Festival and Zhongyuan Festival.

This day is the first day of October, the first day of winter.

In ancient times, on this day, women would prepare warm clothes in advance and send them to their relatives who were guarding the border or doing labor service in distant places. These were called "winter clothes".

Later on, a copy would also be sent to ancestors and the deceased.

Of course, what they gave were not real cotton-padded clothes, but colorful clothes cut out of paper and burned for their deceased relatives to express their grief.

Early in the morning, Fengyang County was crowded with people.

The people, young and old, carried offerings and paper winter clothes, and left the city to the nearby mountains to burn paper and offer sacrifices to their ancestors.

The great events of the country are in the army and in the sacrifice.

No one dares to be careless when it comes to ancestor worship.

Those who had no money had to collect some paper money, fold it into clothes and burn it to prevent their deceased relatives from freezing in the underworld.

For those who are rich, it’s even more grand.

For example, Qiao Sanhu, the county lieutenant known as the "Tiger of Fengyang", had ten large horse-drawn carriages just for his various paper figures, not to mention the various offerings, even roasted pigs and whole lambs.

At the front of the team, there were Taoist priests and monks chanting scriptures.

In the center were a large number of sturdy men, all of them big and strong, with dragons and phoenixes painted on their bodies. Even though they were wearing mourning clothes, they were blowing their noses and glaring, shouting at passers-by on the street to get out of the way.

At the back, there were several horse-drawn carriages carrying Qiao Sanhu's wives, concubines, and children. As for servants, there were naturally even more of them.

When such a large team passed by, the whole street became quiet, people all avoided them, and even gangsters didn't dare to say a word.

To be honest, Qiao Sanhu's backing is much stronger than that of Yuan Qu and Zheng Heibei.

Although his cousin Yue Fachong was afraid that he would cause trouble for him in Chang'an City, where many talented people were hiding, he forbade him to go there and settle down.

But in this small Fengyang County, no one dares to mess with him. He is like a local emperor.

After this huge team left, the people breathed a sigh of relief, and the originally stagnant streets became lively again.

In the crowd, Sharifei, who was wearing a bamboo hat, spat and turned to enter the incense and candle shop next to him.

"Boss, bring some white paper, colored paper, and bamboo sticks."

"Oh, sir, you want to make it now? It's too late. It's better to buy ready-made ones. The craftsmanship of this shop is..."

"Stop talking nonsense and just take it."

"Oh, by the way, bring some incense and candles, just follow this list..."

The funeral procession will need soul-guiding banners and the like. Who knows if there are people like Qiao Sanhu in these stores? If I buy them directly, I might be discovered.

……

"Zhao Kui!"

Outside the city, the huge sacrificial team had not gone far when a deep voice came from the luxurious carriage behind them.

"Sir, I'm here."

Next to him, a bearded man immediately ran to the front of the car.

His name is Zhao Kui, and he is the chief constable of Fengyang County.

Qiao Sanhu was powerful and influential. Almost all the key positions in Fengyang County were replaced by his people, and all the previous county magistrates were almost sidelined.

Zhao Kui was originally a ruffian, but because he had good swordsmanship, he was noticed by Qiao Sanhu and taken in as his lackey.

He is also conscientious and willing to do any dirty work.

The people of Fengyang privately called him "the devil".

The curtain of the carriage was slowly lifted, revealing a broad face with a wide forehead, prominent features, long and thin eyebrows, a wide mouth and thick lips. Although one eye was big and the other was small, he was quite imposing.

The physiognomy book says that this is called the White Tiger sign. The person is born with great ambition, dares to fight, and is ruthless.

This person is Qiao Sanhu.

He gently stroked his mustache and said calmly, "Find a few people and go to Wujiagou to take a look at the ancestral tomb."

The "evil" Zhao Kui was stunned, and said flatteringly: "Don't worry, sir, we are very efficient. The ancestral graves of those mud legs have been overturned long ago."

"fool!"

Qiao Sanhu glanced at him and scolded, "What's the point of digging a few broken graves? What I want is for Gou Lusan to show up."

"This kid has awakened his magical powers and is good at controlling beasts. Even the Cao Gang has to treat him with courtesy. Although he can't do anything to me now, he will be a disaster sooner or later if he is kept."

"Today is the Cold Clothes Festival. He might come back to pay homage. Take someone to check. If you find any trace of him, come back and tell me immediately."

"Yes, my lord."

"and many more!"

Just as Zhao Kui was about to leave, Qiao Sanhu suddenly stopped him and said in a deep voice, "Go, invite Mr. Lu as well. After all, Lu San knows some magic, so you may not be able to capture him."

"Yes, my lord."

Zhao Kui clasped his fists and left, then came to the end of the team and bowed respectfully in front of the carriage, saying, "Mr. Lu, please come with us and help us."

“What a hassle…”

A hoarse voice sounded, and a man in black opened the curtain, jumped off the carriage, and picked up a long black cloth bag.

He had messy hair and an untidy beard, but his face was frighteningly pale, even gray, like the skin color of a dead person.

Zhao Kui shrank his head and didn't dare to say anything more.

This man joined Qiao Sanhu's team a few years ago. He seldom goes out and stays at home all day, tinkering with nothing.

Especially its body, which exudes the stench of a rotting corpse.

Zhao Kui always felt that

This is not a person!
…………

Wow!
Lu San's face turned pale. He carried the last large bag of bones on his back, took one last look at the ancestral tomb in Wujiagou, and then turned around and went down the mountain.

After going down the mountain, he went directly to the Dongshan Cliff Tomb.

After a night of collecting, he had collected all the corpses that were exposed outside or severely damaged in the ancestral tombs of Wujiagou.

Some of them were very old and had already decayed, and even the graves had disappeared, so they had escaped the clutches of the enemy, and Lu San did not move them.

He didn't understand funeral customs, but he knew that these corpses could not be placed directly into the cliff tomb, and had to be moved in together with Wu Laosi's burial.

There is a process for this.

Of course, he was a loner by nature and would never ask for help.

No matter what I do, I am used to doing it alone.

……

"Your Excellency is so wise!"

An hour after Lu San left, Zhao Kui led his men up the mountain from the other end. When they saw the disappeared bones and the obviously leveled grave, they were overjoyed.

But then, his face was filled with annoyance, and he lamented, "It seems that the person has already left. If I had known earlier, I would have waited here for the past two days and I would have definitely caught that guy!"

As he spoke, he looked cautiously at the black-clothed man with a dead face next to him and said respectfully, "Mr. Lu, do you have any ideas..."

Mr. Lu glanced at him and said, "I only know how to kill people, but I am not familiar with tracking."

Zhao Kui had no choice but to search everywhere.

But he is uneducated and has no skills in tracking down criminals or investigating cases in the government, and his subordinates are even worse.

Not finding anyone, they had to go down the mountain to report.

"Captain Zhao, look!"

When we reached halfway up the mountain, a man suddenly pointed forward.

From here, you can see the deserted Wujiagou from afar.

When they came, they did not enter the village, but took a detour and went directly to the mountain. After all, an abandoned village could not attract anyone's interest.

However, at this moment, there was a wisp of smoke in the center of the deserted village.

Although there is only one strand, it is extremely obvious from here.

When Zhao Kui saw it, his eyes were immediately filled with excitement.

"Hurry, get down the mountain!"

"No hurries!"

Mr. Lu next to him suddenly scolded: "Although I have never fought with Lu San, I know that he can understand the language of birds and animals. I am afraid that he will find you and flee before you get close to him."

"Yeah, this kid is very slippery."

Zhao Kui suddenly realized and quickly bowed and said, "In your opinion, sir, what should we do?"

"Mr. Lu" said in a deep voice: "Go back and find more people to guard the exits of the village. When night comes, I will use magic to get rid of him!"

"Mr. is very wise!"

Zhao Kui was somewhat reluctant, after all, that would share a lot of the credit, but he knew that Qiao Sanhu thought very highly of this "Mr. Lu" and he couldn't afford to offend him.

A man nearby scratched his head and said, "Captain, why don't we send someone to check it out first? Maybe it's a passerby looking for a place to camp."

Snapped!
Zhao Kui slapped him directly and glared at him, saying, "You have no right to speak here. If they are just passing by, blame them for their bad luck and take them to the county government office as bandits."

As for "Mr. Lu", he did not speak, but walked behind the crowd, touching the rotten scar on his chest, with a flash of excitement in his eyes, and muttered: "It's a Gou Die, it's a Gou Die."

"Junior Brother Wu, I finally got you..."

(End of this chapter)