Chapter 5 Chapter 5: The Misfortune of the Immortals
The woman felt that the man's hand was covered with a layer of slippery mucus, slipping away from her hand like a loach, and she even heard a "chiliu".When the man fled, she still felt the residual warmth of the man's hand on her waist.
Four hundred years ago, when the servant of the Ministry of Industry in Wanqiao Village was executed in the Pichang Temple, the judge at that time pointed at his nose and cursed: "Thief, do you still remember that fairy beauty ten years ago?"
How can the minister of the Ministry of Industry not remember?
Ten years ago, it was far and far, and it was not far and not far.Speaking far, it is because ten years ago he was still a frail scholar with no ambitions.Not far away, because the celestial beauty that the judge said was standing in front of him at this moment, this scene was similar to the two of them meeting ten years ago - she was still standing so proudly, and he was still kneeling so humbly.
Ten years ago, when that fairy-like woman committed herself to him, many people around couldn't believe it.There are many beautiful legends about Cowherd and Weaver Girl and Tianluo Girl among the folks, but once such things happen to ordinary people, people will look at them with more suspicion than envy.
But when the straw-clad human skin of the minister of the Ministry of Industry was displayed in the Pichang Temple, people who had been confused for ten years finally found a reasonable answer.
But ten years ago, these people would never have imagined that a decadent scholar who had fallen into poverty would be loved by a fairy sister.Not to mention others, even this scholar himself can't figure it out.For a long time, he regarded himself as an idler trapped in a shabby room, and regarded this woman who appeared suddenly as a fox fairy.Of course, those neighbors, relatives and friends who couldn't figure it out at that time all regarded her as a vixen.
The scholar's father used to be an official in Beijing and did a great job.But when he became famous, the scholar's father suddenly returned to his hometown with his seal, and told his son not to think about his official career any more, and told him to be honest and be alone.When the scholar's father was an official, he had nothing to do. Naturally, he didn't accumulate much silver taels when he returned to his hometown.
The scholar's father passed away, and then his mother passed away. After the two funerals, the scholar was alone, and all the family members who could pawn were pawned.But fortunately, the scholar is diligent and diligent, and he doesn't drink or smoke, so he can barely support his mouth.Although he didn't understand why his father told him not to take up an official career, he kept himself safe and free from greed, and spent his days chatting with the few broken books left by his father.
On a hot summer day, when the scholar was holding a book and shaking his head and meditating in silence at his home with only four walls, suddenly a gust of cool breeze picked up and passed over the tattered window paper, the bed with a dim mosquito net, and the The tea with a few rotten tea leaves brushed his sleepy face like soft silk.
He looked sideways, just in time to see a woman who was as weak as a sick willow pushed open the door and walked in with catwalks.
When the executioner tore off the skin on his back in the Pichang Temple ten years later and hung him up like a bat, the woman was still walking towards him like a weak willow.At this moment, he felt that ten years was really too short, as short as yesterday.
He remembered that the shoes were wet when the woman came to his house for the first time.Because he saw watermarks of a string of shoes left behind the woman.After the woman and him had a lot of ups and downs, those watermarks were still there.Due to the hot weather, the watermark was smaller than before, and it looked like a fox's footprint in the snow.
Therefore, when others said that the woman was a vixen, he did not refute it.But in his heart there is no vixen, only a fox fairy, and he is a kind fox fairy.
When he felt that the executioner's sharp knife pierced the skin of the back of the neck, and the cold blade stretched down the sharp pain, he was still wondering why there were a string of watermarks on the woman's shoes when she came.The long and short sunlight pierced his eyes, and the executioner's knife had already reached the end of the spine, and the severe pain made his teeth chatter.He raised his head and looked at the woman opposite, and suddenly found that the woman's face was sharper and thinner than before, her eyes were narrower and longer, she really looked like a fox.
The executioner said behind his back, my lord, if the pain is really unbearable, you can scream out and don't bear it.This skinning is not as quick as beheading, it is a slow and meticulous job.
After speaking, the executioner sprinkled some lime powder on the cut skin.The blood flowed a lot, and it was difficult for him to separate the flesh.
The servant of the Ministry of Industry still didn't call out, his eyes were fixed on the fox-faced woman in front of him like a nail, and he grinned and hissed inhaling.
The executioner said: "My lord, hold on and move as little as possible, I'm going to peel off my skin." Then the executioner peeled off the scratched skin like opening a gift bag.
The servant of the Ministry of Industry finally couldn't bear it anymore, a fishy smell came up in his throat, and he spit out blood in a "push", splashing red on the skirt of the woman opposite.
The woman's complexion changed immediately, and she yelled "Yeah", blaming her husband for soiling her newly made skirt.She quickly grabbed a handful of straw that was about to get into her husband's skin, and desperately wiped the blood on the skirt.
The minister of the Ministry of Industry still remembers that ten years ago, his body was very weak and he often had nosebleeds in the hot season.It was the same woman who pinched his middle finger and patted cold water on him in a panic to stop the bleeding.The woman's hand was red, as if her hand was bleeding.He looked embarrassed.The woman persuaded: "It's nothing, your blood is the blood of Wenquxing in the sky, and it will bring me blessings if you get it on."
Women have long recognized that he is Wenquxing.She said that she fell in love with him because she fell in love with a legend. It was the kind of legend that a beautiful and noble woman fell in love with a down-and-out scholar, and then the down-and-out scholar returned to his hometown to marry the woman he loved at the beginning.
Encouraged by the woman, he worked hard to study, and as expected, he won the Jinshi and returned to his hometown.He fulfilled his original promise, married the woman into a new luxurious mansion, and vowed to let this woman enjoy the wealth and glory.
From then on, the mothers-in-law and uncles in Wanqiao Village all praised that woman for her vision, courage, and blessing, although their own daughters still wanted to choose Long Kuai as their son-in-law.
"There are no dogs in Humen".Although the people around him didn't think of this common saying when he was at his worst, but when he was promoted to the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, the people around praised him like this, and also praised his dead father.He and the woman raised eyebrows in the same case, and it became a good story in Wanqiao Village for a time.
For countless nights, he hugged the woman and wept bitterly, thanking her for her love and encouragement.
Ma Jinlong said that he knew the story of Wanqiao Village 400 years ago better than "Baling County Chronicles".Because this story was adapted into a drama, he sang it thousands of times on the stage when he was young and in the farmland when he was old.
In fact, Ma Jinlong told Ma Zhongchu about a marriage before, but it didn't work out.The other party was a mute with a seven-year-old child with two strings of snot hanging from it.
Everyone laughed at Ma Jinlong, saying that even a dumb man with a child would look down on his godson. It seemed that he could only be a bachelor for the rest of his life.
Ma Jinlong blushed and argued thickly, saying that Ma Zhongchu disagreed.He called Ma Zhongchu who was working in the city.At the beginning, Ma Zhongchu was very interested in the marriage proposed by his godfather, and wanted to ask for leave to come back.But after Ma Jinlong said that the other party was a mute with a child, Ma Zhongchu dropped the phone without saying a word.Ma Jinlong also imitated Ma Zhongchu's action of throwing the phone, swung his arm vigorously, and snorted.
People would laugh at him for his obsession with saving face and make up lies to cover it up.Since you are on the phone with your godson, where can you see him throwing the phone?
Ma Jinlong said angrily, you don't believe that you called my godson to ask, I have raised him for so many years, how can I not know how he dropped the phone?
Of course, it is impossible for people to call Ma Zhongchu to ask Ma Zhongchu about this matter, but when they see Ma Jinlong, they still have to ridicule him, laughing at him for telling lies rather than jokes.
When the alcoholic and I left the doctor's house to find the alcoholic's son, Ma Jinlong was not idle either.He kept talking about Ma Zhongchu's bride, saying that it was useless for a woman to be beautiful.For example, the mute, although he can't speak, but the two proud peaks on his chest dangle like two cowhide water bags. In the future, he will definitely have enough milk to raise a child; his buttocks are swollen and tight, and he will definitely help him with a lot of physical work in the farmland. ; If the palms are closed together, it must be a good wife and mother who knows how to be diligent and thrifty.
And that Luo Lili, whose fingers are as tender as onions, will definitely not be able to pinch a needle or thread a thread; her legs are as white as radishes that have just been pulled out, and she will definitely not be able to get into the paddy fields and plant seedlings.It can only be enshrined like a Bodhisattva.But what Ma Zhongchu needs is a wife who can go up to the hall and down to the kitchen, not a pampered Bodhisattva.
After we came, he repeated the comparison between the dumb and the Bodhisattva, and when he talked about the cowhide water bag, he sucked his saliva, as if he had just drank from the cowhide water bag.
After Ma Jinlong sucked his saliva, he said again: "Ma Zhongchu, I didn't mean you. Anyone with a brain knows why she is so beautiful and so coquettish. Why did she have to marry you, an idiot? Don't you look in the mirror? There is no mirror. Why don't you take a picture of the well water?"
Grandpa felt that what Ma Jinlong said was a bit unpleasant, so he quickly persuaded Ma Zhongchu: "As the saying goes, a son does not think his mother is ugly, and a father does not think his son is ugly. Your godfather said this just to persuade you to think carefully. Don't be angry."
The room suddenly lit up, the sky was torn apart, and then a clap of thunder was heard.Stirring and frightening.
In the instant of light, the bloody drunkard's brother suddenly groaned.
The drunkard glanced at his younger brother, then closed his eyes, and cried bitterly: "What crime did my younger brother commit? What's the difference between this and Ling Chi! Why did that skinner treat my younger brother like this!" He fell to the ground, Kowtowing to known and unknown gods in all directions, praying for his brother.
Maybe it was because he was too sad just now, and he was too tired when carrying his son, the drunkard's lips gradually turned purple, and his face gradually turned pale, as if he himself was a ferocious evil spirit.
The fat man looked out anxiously, and complained: "This doctor is real, why hasn't he come back after so long? Did he fall on the road or something else happened?"
The doctor's daughter-in-law hiding in the back room spat and cursed: "Can you be a little bit virtuous? It rained continuously, and the road was muddy and difficult to walk. That's why he came back later than usual."
The fat man felt that he had made a slip of the tongue and quickly apologized.
Say Cao Cao, and Cao Cao will arrive.It may be that the thunder explosion just obliterated the sound of his footsteps, or it may be that the big fat man's chaotic eyeballs are not working well, and he seems to have appeared out of thin air.
"Why are there so many people in the room?" A fat, slightly bald man shook the umbrella in his hand and asked carelessly, "Oh, the road is really difficult to walk, and there are several catties of mud stuck to the feet."
The drunkard who was prostrate on the ground raised his head, was startled suddenly, and howled happily: "Thank you gods, thank you gods, you finally sent me the doctor!" kowtow.
Needless to say, this man is the country doctor we are looking for.It was the first time I saw this doctor in Wanqiao Village, so I nodded to him.
He smiled at me and said, "Is this a rare guest, a relative of which family?"
Ma Jinlong quickly introduced: "He is the grandson of Ma Yueyun from our family."
Only then did the village doctor discover that grandpa was also standing among them, and hurriedly put down the umbrella to shake hands with grandpa, and asked, "Are you in poor health recently? So you came to see a doctor? But you don't look like a patient. It's raining, Your palms are warmer than mine, and you are in good health."
Grandpa smiled and said: "You are really good at medicine! I am still in good health. It is the younger brother and son of the wine shop who need your help to take a look and treat it. I have been waiting for you for a long time, so go and have a look." After finishing speaking, Grandpa hurriedly pulled the doctor into the house.
When the doctor heard that there was a patient in the room, he quickly hung the umbrella and medical kit on Ma Zhongchu and walked into the room.
Seeing the alcoholic brother, the doctor was stunned.
The others did not dare to move, quietly waiting for the doctor's response.The air in the room suddenly condensed into ice.
"What's wrong with him?" It wasn't the drunkard who was the most anxious, nor Ma Jinlong who was looking forward to it the most, nor Ma Zhongchu who was the most flustered, but the village doctor!
The doctor looked at each of us once, then pointed to the man who didn't have a piece of intact skin all over his body, and asked again: "What's wrong with him?"
Originally, we hoped to see some answers from his face, but his face was as blank as a blank sheet of paper, waiting for us to give him an answer.
Seeing that none of us answered, he slowly shook his head and said, "I don't think he's sick, but some cruel guy peeled off his skin. I...I've never seen such a...sickness."
The muscles on the alcoholic's face twitched, and the corners of his mouth moved for a long time before he could say a word: "You said... isn't this a disease?"
"This is not a disease, or at least I have never seen such a weird disease." The doctor said, "How can there be a disease where the skin falls off piece by piece? Don't say I haven't seen it. I have been practicing medicine for so many years, and I have never heard of it." heard."
"What about my son's hand?" The alcoholic carried his unconscious son to the barefoot doctor.
The barefoot doctor reached out his hand to the forehead of the alcoholic's son, yelled "Oh!", and hurriedly called the woman in the back room to get the IV kit and the saline bottle.
There was a "dong dong" sound in the inner room, and a tender white hand stretched out from the door, holding a hanging bottle and an unopened needle tube in it.The doctor's daughter-in-law still dare not come out.
Ma Zhongchu hurriedly ran to the door of the back room and took the things over.
Just as Ma Zhongchu was about to leave, the woman stretched out the clothes hanger again, and said in a shrill voice: "Ma Zhongchu, there is no place to hang hanging bottles in the main room, you can use the clothes hanger."
The doctor took the bottle and needle from Ma Zhongchu and gave the alcoholic's son an infusion.
After adjusting the speed of the infusion, the doctor raised the alcoholic son's hand and looked at it carefully.Everyone calmed down again.
"I've seen this kind of hand before." The doctor looked at it for a long time, and finally said something.
After hearing what the doctor said, everyone had different expressions.Ma Zhongchu let out a heavy breath and patted his chest lightly.Ma Jinlong frowned, pinching his chin with one hand and rubbing his pants with the other.The big fat man was obviously very disappointed and shook his head again and again.The alcoholic was stunned for a moment, then he smiled again, and asked, "Doctor, since you have encountered such a situation before, can my son be saved?"
The doctor looked straight into the alcoholic's eyes, shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, the person I saw last time accidentally rolled his hand into the clay vat when he was working in a brick factory, and his hand was beaten off by a gear."
"You mean...he wasn't sick, but just caused by a work-related injury?" The joy on the alcoholic's face hadn't receded yet, and a new sorrow appeared again, extremely distorted.The wrinkles on his face were carved out by a sculptor who is not skilled enough.Although he was still trying to restrain himself and keep calm, his hands were already shaking like an electric shock, which made people feel sad.
The doctor looked at the alcoholic apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, I've only seen that kind of injury, not such a disease."
"Let me just say, how can this be a disease?" Ma Jinlong was nagging beside him.Grandpa tugged at his hand secretly, and he muffled his voice in his throat like a cat thinking in secret.
At this time, the alcoholic let out a sigh of relief unexpectedly, and all the expressions of pain, surprise, confusion, and panic disappeared from his face, just like a special eraser wiped off all the expressions on his face.
Ma Zhongchu was the first to be surprised.
Sure enough, the drunkard aimed his eyes, which were as empty as a bottomless pit, at the panicked Ma Zhongchu, and said coldly, "Ma Zhongchu, you should hand over that human skin too!"
Ma Zhongchu seemed to have expected that the drunkard would say this, but he still trembled all over and said incoherently, "Human skin...wine chant...how do you..."
Ma Jinlong came out to play the role of a good person. He slowly walked up to his godson, put on an awe-inspiring look, patted his godson's sturdy shoulders, and said, "Zhongchu, we all know that you are an honest person. I won’t hide any wicked things.” Then, Ma Jinlong pointed to himself, his godson, and the alcoholic, and said, “Everyone present was here, except your bride. When I went to Huamei Village, it was just the three of you. In the house. When I come back, you and your bride are gone, and the human skin is gone too. I won’t talk about the rest.” Ma Jinlong shrugged and looked around at the crowd.
The drunkard snorted, and said, "Zhongchu, I know it's not easy for you to marry such a beautiful woman, but look, the two closest to me have become like this, I need to take that piece of human skin to the doctor Take a look to determine if my brother and my son are sick or have been hurt."
The doctor asked blankly, "Human skin? What human skin?"
Ma Jinlong spent a lot of time talking about the drunkard's human skin and the chicken noodle soup sent by Ma Zhongchu and his wife.
The doctor blinked vigorously, and said, "Is that piece of human skin square? Does it have a nose and eyes?"
Ma Jinlong corrected: "There are not noses and eyes, but eye holes, nose holes, and eyebrows."
The doctor immediately turned to look at the alcoholic's brother.It's a pity that his face was bloody and bloody, and he couldn't tell where there was skin and where there was no skin.The barefoot doctor pointed to the alcoholic's younger brother and asked, "You mean, that piece of human skin was peeled off his face?"
Ma Jinlong choked for a moment, and secretly glanced at the drunkard.
The drunkard was also peeking at Ma Jinlong. Seeing Ma Jinlong cast his eyes on him, he was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I... I'm not sure... I just found out that my brother's skin is rotten like that, and I happened to see A piece of human skin was next to him, so I thought it was my younger brother’s skin. Who knew that when I woke up at Ma Jinlong’s house, the human skin was gone. We went to Ma Zhongchu’s house, but we couldn’t find the human skin, but we happened to find my brother .”
The doctor was confused: "How did you find Jiuhaozi's younger brother in Mazhong Chu's house? Didn't Jiuhaozi find his younger brother somewhere else before?"
Ma Jinlong muttered, "Maybe he smelled his own skin."
The fat man frowned and said, "He's not a dog..." He glanced at the drunkard, then lowered his voice to nothing.
The doctor waved his hand and said, "Bring me that human skin, and I'll take a look."
The fat man pinched the gold ring on his finger and said: "If I could find it, I would have found it long ago." Finally, he said: "She is such a beautiful woman, she would definitely not do such a cruel thing."
The doctor said in a serious tone: "If you can't find it, you have to look for it! You can't let the younger brother and son of the wine shop just ignore it like this! She is a foreign woman, how dare she play wild with us?"
The drunkard's eyes turned red immediately, and he shouted loudly: "My brother was found at her house, and my son became like this after she went to my house! What else can she deny? The human skin must have been destroyed by her." Proof!" When the alcoholic said "her family", it seemed that "her family" was not Ma Zhongchu's family.
Ma Zhongchu was like a bored gourd, seeing the righteous indignation of the crowd, he couldn't say a word.
"Why did you marry me?" Under the light of the red candle, Ma Zhongchu held the bride's face like a snowflake.His bride's face was cold and cold, and it felt like it was going to melt in the next moment, disappearing from his eyes for no reason.
Ma Zhongchu recalled that on the night of the wedding, he could still feel the coolness in his hands.When the godfather and the alcoholic pointed at the mangled man and questioned him, it wasn't that he didn't think about the same question - why did such a beautiful woman choose to marry him?
In fact, he had already asked about it the first night he consummated the room with the woman.
"Because you are honest." A satisfied smile appeared on the woman's face, and an innocent expression appeared in her eyes.
"Then why do you insist on getting married tonight?" he asked again, and at the same time he thought of his godfather's angry face.
"Because you're stupid." The woman scratched his nose with her finger.
"You follow me because I'm honest and stupid?" Ma Zhongchu didn't know whether he should be happy or sad, and he didn't know whether the woman's answer was sincere or hidden.
The woman nodded and said, "It's because you're honest that I like you, isn't it okay?"
Ma Zhongchu pressed her face with his thumb, and said, "No. You have many choices, you don't have to choose me." Ma Zhongchu thought of the contractor, the person who drank to drink away his worries after being rejected by Luo Lili.Not to mention other people who pursue women, even the contractor, is thousands of times better than himself. "I have heard my godfather sing many dramas, and I have read some fairy tales when I was a child. The man in the story that a good woman falls in love with is either a prince who is temporarily downcast but has a noble background, or a scholar with a low status but a great talent. Cowherd, at least he has a handsome face. But look at me, I really have nothing."
"You mean, I'm not a good woman?" the woman said angrily.
Ma Zhongchu quickly argued: "No, no. What I mean is, I don't even believe that you will like me and come to this place to marry me."
The woman looked directly at him and asked, "Then what kind of answer do you need before you believe it?"
Ma Zhongchu was speechless.
The woman smiled lightly, not knowing whether it was a wry smile or a sneer, and she continued: "Do you want me to tell you that your godfather's guess is right, that I am a goblin? I am a skinner? I came here to harm you? "
Ma Zhongchu hastily let go of her face, waved his hands and said, "No. I don't believe that you are a goblin, a ghost who harms people! But..."
The woman sighed, tilted her head and asked her groom, "But what?"
Ma Zhongchu murmured, not daring to speak.
The woman lowered her head and said softly, "I know what you mean, and I'll understand even if you don't tell me."
Ma Zhongchu also lowered his head, clasped his hands together, and rubbed his two thumbs boredly.
The woman raised her eyelids and glanced at her stupid groom, and said slowly: "I know what your godfather said. Before he went to the Thrushcross Village, he told others that I am a fairy with a tail. Since you If you don't believe that I'm a goblin or a ghost that harms people, then... you just believe that I have a tail?"
Ma Zhongchu peeked at the woman's expression, and the woman's gaze just happened to meet him.
"I understand what you mean. The reason why I don't marry a man who is a hundred times better than you is because I have a tail. I am afraid that other men will find out after marrying me and be abandoned by those men. Right? The woman looked at her groom sharply, her lips trembling slightly.
Her groom didn't say anything, didn't admit it, didn't deny it.The lights of the red candles danced, and the shadows on her groom's face changed levels, making it even uglier.
Although Ma Zhongchu's narration of this memory was a few days later.But I believe that when the drunkard and the doctor decided to go to his house to find the woman to beg for a human skin, Ma Zhongchu was recalling the scene of that night in his mind.
Seeing that his godson was silent like a gourd, Ma Jinlong thought that his godson had acquiesced in their going to beg for human skins, so he shouted loudly: "Then what are we waiting for! Go find that goblin now!"
A higher voice overwhelmed Ma Jinlong's: "She is not a fairy! She is a poor person!"
Everyone followed the sound and found that it was none other than Ma Zhongchu who was still like a gourd just now.This yell seemed to exhaust all his strength, he was out of breath, his eyes were reddish, and his eyeballs were like an electric fan turning his head, looking from left to right, and then from right to left.
"What do you mean? You still want to defend her?" Ma Jinlong was indignant, and went up to slap his godson.
The big fat man didn't have time to stop him, but was startled by the "bang" slap.The doctor hurriedly stepped forward to accuse Ma Jinlong: "Why did you beat him? It's not his fault!"
Ma Jinlong jumped up and down like a wild horse with its nose strangled, and scolded with a thick neck: "You unfilial son! How dare you yell at me because of that goblin! If I don't beat you, you won't wake up! What the hell are you doing?" There is no news yet, you have to wait until your brother-in-law dies, and when I become a five-guarantee household in the future, you will be willing, right?"
Ma Zhongchu covered his face and looked at his godfather angrily.His godfather was looking around to see if such a lesson to his godson was enough to restore some of his father's dignity in front of everyone.
The doctor sang both red face and bad face. After accusing Ma Jinlong, he naturally wanted to say something about Ma Zhongchu.He was well aware of the old man's face-saving temperament.The barefoot doctor turned around and said to Ma Zhongchu: "You are really too. Didn't you have consummation with your new wife last night? Then at least you should know if she is normal or not? You didn't ask her why she married you?"
Ma Zhongchu caressed his face, gritted his teeth and said, "She's not a goblin, nor a skinned ghost! She just has a tail!"
The doctor turned pale with shock, and said, "Tail...?"
Ma Zhongchu's godfather also immediately quieted down, unable to close his mouth for a long time.The drunkard, the fat man, and the grandfather were all taken aback.I was even more startled, and suddenly remembered the woman who showed me the white skin around her waist in the rain before I came to Wanqiao Village the day before.Could it be that her next move is to show me her tail?Or was it an illusory hallucination that I had after listening to Ma Jinlong's narration to my grandfather?
According to Ma Zhongchu himself, under the light of the red candle, the woman finally confessed to him.She said that her godfather guessed right, she just had an unknown tail.That tail had been there since she was born, and it was as ugly as a pig's tail.The reason why she chose to marry Ma Zhongchu, who is simple, honest, poor and ugly, is because she was afraid that others would abandon her after they knew the truth.She chose someone who was too far from her because she believed that Ma Zhongchu, who was unable to marry a wife, would not abandon her.
She even forcibly grabbed Ma Zhongchu's hand, leaned towards her white and smooth waist, and pressed Ma Zhongchu's rough hand on a cold, curly tail.
Ma Zhongchu convulsed.
The woman smiled bitterly and said, "Now you know why I married you. Yes, they all guessed right. It is impossible for a woman like me to fall in love with someone like you for no reason. Well, you want Everyone who knows knows." She looked at her groom with dark eyes, and said with a little sarcasm and a little self-deprecating: "You won't abandon me, will you?"
Ma Zhongchu's Adam's apple rolled, he stared blankly at his bride, at the face carved by the magic artist.But who knew that the woman with this beautiful face actually had an ugly and blunt tail?
There was something sinister, deceitful, and mischievous in the woman's eyes.
Ma Zhongchu licked his lips and asked, "So...you like me?" His thumb and index finger were twisted together, and the thing between his fingers was soft but hard, and the touch felt real and dreamy.
The woman snorted, pulled the corner of her mouth with a stiff smile, and said, "Even if you don't believe that I like you, how can others believe it?"
Ma Zhongchu broke free from the woman's hand and rubbed his cold knees, his eyes were flustered and he didn't dare to look at the woman.He looked at the mess of pots and pans on the ground. The rain had subsided a bit, but it was still dripping from the holes in the roof.The surface of the water in the broken bowl is like a smiling face, which appears when the water drops fall, then disappears, and then appears again.There are many such smiling faces in his shabby house.But he was not at all happy, although many doubts in his mind had evaporated.
"I said earlier that there must be other reasons for such a woman to marry you." After hearing what his godson said, Ma Jinlong said rather disappointedly.It can be seen from the expression that he is not happy at all like Ma Zhongchu, although his doubts have also been resolved.He even walked up to the alcoholic's side and patted the alcoholic's shoulder lightly, as if comforting a fellow soldier on the same front.
"How can a human grow an animal's tail?" The drunkard asked puzzledly, "If she has no problem, then what happened to my brother and son? What happened to Ma Chuanxiang's disappearance? What happened to the square human skin I picked up?" What's going on? Didn't she become a vixen?"
The doctor shook his head and said, "This is an atavistic phenomenon."
"Atavism? What do you mean?" asked the alcoholic.
The doctor explained that atavism refers to the genetic phenomenon in which some organisms accidentally appear certain traits of their ancestors.For example, the hind wings of Diptera insects have generally degenerated into balance sticks, but individuals with two pairs of wings occasionally appear.In humans, we occasionally see children with short tails, people with long hair, women with multiple nipples, etc.These phenomena indicate that the ancestors of humans may have tailed, long-haired, and multi-mammary animals.So atavism is also a kind of evidence of biological evolution.Modern genetics has two explanations for the atavism phenomenon: one is that two or more genes that have been separated during the formation of speciation and are necessary to determine a certain trait are recombined through hybridization or other reasons. The ancestral traits can be expressed again; the second is that the genes that determine the ancestral traits have been blocked by histone-based repressor proteins in the evolution process, but for some reason, specific non-histone proteins are produced, which can interact with histones. The repressor protein is combined to make the repressor protein fall off, and as a result, the closed gene resumes its activity, and re-transcribes and translates, showing the ancestral traits.
"A newspaper once reported the extremely rare phenomenon of atavism, and I learned something about it out of curiosity," said the doctor.
"But Jiuhaozi, I really haven't seen this kind of situation with your brother and son." The doctor said again in embarrassment.
Ma Jinlong said anxiously: "Then why hasn't my son Chuanxiang come back?"
Later, I thought that if Ma Chuanxiang had been with the country doctor at that time, he must have been the first person to oppose him.Although he was taken aback when he peeked at Luo Lili taking a bath, he would definitely refute this doctor, more precisely, his godbrother Ma Zhongchu.
The fat man glanced at Ma Jinlong and said, "Your old man is really confused. Doctors can only explain medical phenomena. How can you know where your son is?"
"Then my son is gone, who do I go to?" Ma Jinlong was confused, he glanced at his godson Ma Zhongchu intentionally or unintentionally, seemingly casually like a dragonfly gliding across the water, but in fact he had ulterior motives.
The doctor shaved his eyebrows with his nails, took a hissing breath, and said, "Since she is not a skinner, why did she take the human skin?"
Grandpa asked, "Maybe someone else took it?"
Ma Zhongchu's eyes lit up, and he asked the fat man, "You didn't come when we left, but later... later..." Ma Zhongchu pointed at the fat man, shaking his fingers non-stop.
The fat man stared and said, "Do you mean that I took it? Hearing what you said about human skin, I was so scared that I got goosebumps all over my body. How dare I hide the human skin? Not to mention, I What do you want that human skin for?"
Ma Jinlong gesticulated and said, "Even if that woman is not a skinner, she may not have taken the human skin."
"Why?" asked the drunk.
Looking at the rain outside, Ma Jinlong said in a deep voice: "I don't know the reason, but there must be a reason. Think about it, why is your brother afraid of that demon... woman for the first time? My family Chuanxiang also found her There is a person hiding in the house, but she is the only one who walks in. Why is that?"
"Did my brother ever see her? And what happened?" the drunk wondered.Naturally, the drunkard turned his attention to Ma Zhongchu in search of the answer.
More than 400 years ago, the judge pointed at the flayed Minister of the Ministry of Industry and said viciously: "I think I was treated so poorly by your father back then, and I got severe rheumatism in the water prison. Thanks to your father who knows that the officialdom is dangerous. , I told you not to step into the official career. But you are not an official, how can I recover the debt your father owed me? So I sent this beauty to stimulate your ambition and inspire you to show your strengths in the official career. It is to catch your mistakes and repay ten times the tricks your father used to punish me!"
The minister of the Ministry of Industry lowered his head and saw that the blood on the ground was blooming like azalea. He moved his lips vigorously and asked his wife, "You came to my shabby thatched hut back then to make me an official and then planted money on me. Let me suffer the pain of peeling?"
The beautiful woman replied: "Yes, the current emperor was born as a monk, and his parents starved to death because of the corruption of corrupt officials. The emperor hates corrupt officials the most, so the punishment for corrupt officials is tortured by skinning." .”
The executioner behind the Minister of the Ministry of Industry was using a planer to separate the flesh. The Minister of the Ministry of Industry's teeth were gritting, and it was not known whether it was because of pain or hatred.
The judge laughed loudly and said, "But if you are not an official, how can you get the opportunity to be skinned?"
The minister of the Ministry of Industry finally understood that the judge was his father's former enemy and political enemy, and the woman was the "undercover agent" sent by the judge.
“所以一个漂亮的女人突然对你表示好感，那一定不是桃花运，而是桃花劫！”马晋龙在带领我们赶往马中楚家时，给我们说了许多历史上关于剥皮的故事，最后总结出这么一句话来。
马中楚默默地跟着我们，不吭声。
马晋龙指着干儿子的脸道：“你也不照镜子看看自己，一双眯眼、眼黑多于眼白、眼尾鱼纹多且上扬。天生就是脸带桃花。我早就提醒过你，在外要小心漂亮女人。”
大胖子听了马晋龙的这番话，忍不住笑出声来。
马晋龙对大胖子的笑声不满，斜眼问道：“你笑什么？”
大胖子道：“您老人家说的话倒让我想起了一句话。”
“什么话？”马晋龙没好气地问道。
“一句歌词，山下的女人是老虎。”
听者都忍不住跟着笑起来。
但是笑声立即戛然而止。因为让马中楚命犯桃花的女人突然出现在我们眼前。那个女人显然比我们更惊讶。她似乎刚刚办完一件很费体力的事，胸口起伏不停，由于雨水的浸润，身上的衣服几近透明，桃红色的内衣若隐若现。
马中楚呆了一下，忙问道：“你这是要干什么去？雨伞也不拿一把？”
马晋龙冷笑道：“我看她不像是要干什么去，而是刚刚办完事情急着回去吧？”我们是在一个“丫”字形路口相遇的。我们，那个女人，马中楚的家分别在三个不同的方向。在去酒鬼的家里时遇到她，就让我十分惊讶了，如今在这个岔路遇到她，我更是惊讶不已。她为什么要在雨里慌里慌张地跑来跑去？她遗失了什么东西吗？还是真像马晋龙说的那样刚刚办完什么事情？我想不透。
女人不回答马中楚，反而问道：“你们这么多人在一起，又是要到哪里去呢？”
酒鬼毫不客气地说道：“我们就是来找你的，找你要……”
爷爷打断酒鬼的话，挥手道：“你看看她，浑身淋得湿透。我们还是到屋里说话吧。”
几双贪婪的眼睛在女人的身上搜索了一阵，然后缓缓地点了点头。
这明明分为两派的人，极不融洽地合在一起，向马中楚家行进。酒鬼时不时用刀子一般锋利的目光看看女人，而马晋龙的目光中充满了不屑和高傲，马中楚的表情则像被雨水洗刷干净了一样。大胖子和赤脚医生的目光没有那么锋利或驽钝，他们每走几步都要偷瞄一眼那个女人的桃红色部位。
顺着山坡走了一段，马晋龙突然兴致大发，指着湾桥村的双乳峰，向大胖子介绍道：“我们湾桥村的风水好着呢。你到那山顶上往下看湾桥村，整个就像一尊仰卧的裸体女像。”
大胖子立即从女人身上收回目光，咂了咂嘴，心不在焉道：“哦？”
马晋龙并没有因为大胖子的冷淡反应而降低热情，他滔滔不绝道：“还有更玄奇的呢。这个女像的下身部位有一个岩洞，这个岩洞深不可测，通十里八乡。”
大胖子忙踮起脚来往山后看，急不可耐地问道：“洞在哪里？我在这里能看到吗？这还真是玄奇呢！”
马晋龙见大胖子果然上钩，得意扬扬道：“你站在这里当然看不到的。就算它真是个女人，也不会轻易让你看到嘛。”说完，他用一向颇有意味的眼神看了看马中楚和那个女人。
马中楚的脸顿时变得通红，女人则咬住了嘴唇。
大胖子的脚步变得轻快细碎，涎着脸问马晋龙道：“有人进去过那洞里没有？”
马晋龙点头道：“村里有好事的人进去过，发现这地下洞里有多处钟乳石之类的美景，只是幽径艰难，大约走了五六里就因此返回了。所以谁也不知道再到里面会有什么。这洞口呈河蚌微开形状。从这洞口流出的地下水终年不断，浇灌着湾桥村的千亩良田。”
大胖子兴奋道：“呈河蚌微开形状，还终年流水？哈哈，真是绝了啊！太像了，太像了！”可是像什么他又不说出来。
爷爷感兴趣道：“我只听说这里的风水地形像个女人，但是没有听说过还有地下洞。”
马晋龙笑道：“由于那里的草长势很好，将洞口掩盖起来，所以外村的人很少知道。本村有些没有进去过的人也不相信呢。”
大胖子搓着巴掌道：“洞口还有草呢？哈哈，我真该过去摸一摸那草，应该跟其他草有不一样的感觉吧！”他那一只黑白分明、一只混混沌沌的眼睛又不自觉地瞟向咬着嘴唇的女人。
大胖子说的话，其实马传香也说过，并且说过无数遍。
马传香对酒鬼买来的媳妇说起湾桥村的风水时，那个买来的女人无论如何也不相信。
“哪有这样巧的事！像一个女人的身体也就罢了，哪里还能在那个部位长出一个仙人洞来？打死我也不相信。”买来的女人脸色羞红道。
马传香并不善罢甘休，涎着脸道：“嫂子，我说的是真话呢。我还特意去摸过那洞口的草，跟其他地方的野草长得都不一样。”
买来的女人听不下去了，慌忙弯腰去提那个有着一个凹痕的水壶。那个凹痕是马传香上次不小心留下的。
马传香左看右看，见酒鬼家前没有行人，便大了胆子挑逗女人道：“是真的呢。那些草呀，柔顺得很，没有倒刺。”
买来的女人也害怕似的看了看屋外，脸如红炭一般又红又烫：“传香哥，你就不怕别人听了笑话你？”
马传香假正经道：“看嫂子说的什么话！我说的可是真真实实的东西，看得见，摸得着。哪里怕人家笑话罗？”他一脚跨进门来，看着女人做事，十足像了一只找主人讨吃的小狗。
买来的女人提着水壶去水缸旁边勺水，发出哗啦啦的水声。
马传香趁机发挥，脸露邪笑道：“嫂子，我不说那洞口的草了。”
女人停顿了一下，道：“你别说最好。”
马传香舔了舔干裂的嘴唇，道：“那我说说那洞里的水吧。那水也跟其他池塘里的水、石井里的水大不一样哦。我就在洞口喝过那水呢。那水的滋味可不一般！甜滋滋的，似乎还带着人的温度呢。”说完，他管不着的双眼在买来的女人身上肆意游走，跟大胖子看马中楚的新娘时的样子别无二致。
女人一慌，将勺里的水浇在了水壶盖上。刺啦一声，水溅湿了女人的裤脚，粗布衣服立即上了胶水一般粘在女人的小腿上，显现出曲线来。
马传香立即谄笑道：“嫂子的腿细呢，像萝卜一样。”
女人心慌意乱道：“快别乱说话，萝卜腿可不好看。”
马传香却还斗嘴道：“但是萝卜甜着哪。”
“也不知道老弟什么时候回来。”女人别有用心道，还假装拗起脖子朝外面看，似乎盼着丈夫的弟弟一副傻愣愣的样子大摇大摆地走来。
马传香配合着买来的女人，假心假意跟着看看远处，然后话中有话道：“嫂子是担心被人看见呢，还是担心怕人看见啊？”
女人不再答话，将添满了水的水壶挂在火灶上，点燃了干柴。干柴噼噼啪啪地燃烧起来，火苗上蹿下跳。女人的嘴巴闭得紧紧地，双眼失神地看着火苗。
马传香又说了几句话，女人置若罔闻。
马传香讨了没趣，只好往门外走，一边走一边狠狠道：“嫂子，你给我听着。我迟早是要扒开那些草，进那个洞看一看的。”他走到了外面的烈阳下，混合着知了的聒噪声的阳光打在他的脸上，又焦躁又灼热。
马传香回到家里，却被父亲教训了一顿，说他游手好闲，无所事事。还不如他的干儿子马中楚，至少老老实实在城里面挣钱；还不如酒号子（之前他并不嗜酒，也不叫酒号子，但是我一直不知道他的真名实姓），至少花钱买了媳妇来过日子。
说到最后，马晋龙免不了要用“三娘教子”的戏文来规劝儿子：“小奴才不读书把娘气坏，有几个年幼人儿且听来。秦甘罗十二岁身为太宰，石敬瑭十三岁拜帅登台。三国中周公瑾名扬四海，七岁上学道法人称将才。十三岁在东吴挂印为帅，烧曹兵八十三无处葬埋。那都是父母养非神下降，难道说小奴才禽兽投胎？”
马传香既不知道秦甘罗是谁，更不知道石敬瑭为何人物，自然听不下父亲唠唠叨叨的话，兀自倒水擦了一把脸，愤愤地睡觉去了。
即使到了睡梦里，他仍然免不了要飘飘忽忽地走到酒鬼家里去，跟那个买来的女人讨论湾桥村的风水问题，仍要将草与水的事情跟那个女人讲说半天。不过，在他的梦里，那个女人不但不躲躲闪闪，反而投合他的心意，他想怎样就怎样。直到第二天洗裤子的时候，他还要开心地吹着口哨。而马晋龙偷偷瞄见，又要伤感地抱怨一番。可是他哪里知道儿子心里想着的却是那个从外地买来的女人。
自从马传香跟买来的女人讨论过湾桥村的风水后，那个女人见了他便如老鼠见了猫，总是怯怯地躲在一旁，马传香走过去之后她才敢迈开步子。
马传香百思不得其解，心想我给她看手相、算她手上有几个箩，甚至捏了她的手，她都没有这样害怕过我。可是我跟她讨论了湾桥村的风水，她为何就变得故意疏远我了呢？
后来，他这样问过大胖子。大胖子解释说，如果你给女人看手相，人家非得乐意让你占便宜，还觉得你这个人有学识有智慧；但是如果你单刀直入地跟人家谈湾桥村的女像和流水的洞，人家就会觉得你这个人跟酒鬼的弟弟差不多。
大胖子在对马传香解释的时候，说得头头是道。但是轮到他自己时，他却管不着那张肥嘴，也管不住那双黑白不分明的眼珠子，甚至比马传香有过之而无不及。
马传香至少还背着酒鬼跟买来的女人搭讪，可是大胖子在马中楚面前就按捺不住了。
大胖子明知他的话使马中楚有些不高兴了，却还要捅一捅他的后背，窃窃道：“你不是说你的新娘身后长了一截尾巴吗？可我怎么看不出来？”
马中楚不搭他的话，闷闷地朝前走。大胖子就兀自嘿嘿地笑个不停。
走到马中楚的家里，各人收雨伞的收雨伞，脱雨衣的脱雨衣，然后在叮当作响的锅碗瓢盆中选个放脚的地方。
“你把人皮交出来吧。”酒鬼开门见山道，然后用警觉的眼神将整个屋子扫描一周。
“你是说今天早上你拿到干爹家里去的那张人皮吗？”女人问道。
酒鬼皮笑肉不笑，冷冷道：“你说除了那张人皮还有另外的人皮吗？”
“我没有拿。”女人用同样冷冷的声音回答道。
马晋龙出来做好人了，他踱着步子道：“哎，我们都知道你嫁给我干儿子是因为长着一条尾巴，我们不会冤枉是你害了酒号子的弟弟和儿子的。你就把人皮拿出来吧。”他边说边挥了挥手，做出一副既往不咎的姿态来。
女人冷笑一声，看了她的新婚丈夫一眼，嘲讽道：“我们昨晚的快活儿事，你这么快就讲给别人听了吗？”
马中楚低了头不说话，只用脚轻轻地碰了碰脚跟下的塑料脸盆。脸盆里已经积了半盆屋檐水，颜色如酱油一般。
酒鬼不耐烦道：“你快点儿把人皮交出来吧。医生等着那块人皮来作鉴定，然后好给我弟弟和儿子做治疗呢。一个漂亮的女人家……怎么连人皮都不怕呢……真是奇怪……”他斜睨了眼睛去瞟女人。
女人皱了皱眉头，摊开双手道：“你们真是瞎折腾。你们不知道我长了尾巴的时候，就说我是要吸马中楚的精气。好了，现在我跟他过了一个夜晚了，你们问问他，他有没有被我吸去什么东西？”女人拍着手，又道：“好了，现在你们知道我长了尾巴，怎么又想着法子来找我麻烦，找我讨要人皮呢？我要怎么做才能不让你们怀疑？”
酒鬼被女人问住了。
马晋龙又踱起了步子，一副戏台上的包公相，几乎是带着唱腔道：“你不要高兴过早。即使马中楚说你有尾巴才嫁给他，但是为什么酒号子的弟弟见了你就害怕？为什么酒号子的弟弟不在别的地方却刚好在你家出现？为什么你去了一趟酒号子家，酒号子的儿子的双手就扒了……脱了一层皮？”
女人显出几分慌张来，但是很快就恢复淡定，挨着一把椅子坐了下来，喃喃道：“无论你怎么说，我就是没有拿人皮。要不，你们在这里搜吧。”
马晋龙跺脚道：“谁知道你把人皮藏什么地方了？你刚才在岔路上慌里慌张的，说不定就是藏人皮去了。现在要我们在这里搜？你以为我们是傻子吗？”
爷爷插嘴道：“我看你们先别问了。她身上的衣服都湿了，让她换一件衣服再问吧。”
马中楚仿佛这一刻才发现他的新娘子浑身湿漉漉的，连忙去衣柜里找衣服：“骆丽丽，你先去换件衣服，别感冒了。”可是他在衣柜了翻了三下两下之后，发现没有可供替换的衣服。他只好将自己打工时穿的破旧衣服拿了出来，脸色羞赧地递给骆丽丽。
我不知道他的羞赧是因为我们在旁边看见了他的贫穷，还是因为觉得对不起面前这个女人。
女人去另外的房间里换衣服，我们都坐在马中楚的“新房”里等待。
大胖子猛地将全身的肉搁在了腐朽的木床上，木床发出咯吱咯吱的声音。大胖子低头看了看垫在床脚的红砖，笑道：“这红砖比我家里的瓷砖还要隔潮吧。”
马中楚嘴唇一阵抽搐，不说话。
马中楚越是不说话，大胖子越是有意要逗他说话。大胖子笑嘻嘻问道：“我说中楚，你知道采阴补阳的秘诀吧？”
“采阴补阳？”马中楚被大胖子突如其来的话问得摸不着后脑勺，终于开口问道。
大胖子邪笑道：“采阴补阳或采阳补阴是一种道教修炼方法，指男女通过性交达到体内的阴阳平衡，属于中国古代道家房中术的概念，有练太极之人也试过。道家的采阴补阳，本义是男性交而不泄，数易女而莫数泻精。由于女性的高潮可以加强男性的生命力，所以男性的那个过程要尽量延长，以达到采阴补阳的目的。”
未等马中楚作出反应，医生抢先道：“你这个胖子从哪里学来的这些歪门邪道？”
大胖子用力按了按床沿，笑道：“我收藏了一本采阴补阳的古书，是从几百年前流传下来的，正经的道教修炼书呢，可不是歪门邪道。”
医生感兴趣道：“哦？你这书从哪里弄来的？有没有多余的书，借给我参考参考？”
大胖子摆摆手，道：“这种书在现代可是稀缺本。你就是盗了十座百座古墓，也未必见得能碰上一两本这样的好书。这样珍贵的东西，哪能你说借就借？”
“盗古墓？”医生惊讶道。不只是医生，酒鬼他们的注意力也被大胖子吸引了过来。
刚好骆丽丽换好了衣服，从门口进来。她听到了大胖子的话，也愣了一愣，一只脚刚跨进门槛便站在门口不动了。
大胖子急忙从床边站了起来，窘迫地摆手道：“你们干吗都这么紧张？我只是随便说说而已，哪里真能去盗墓呢？盗墓可是缺德的事！我可从来不盗墓的，要这样的东西也只能从盗墓者手里买，自己……”他用力地咳了一声，后面的话就断了。
众人见女人进来，便也不再追问大胖子，纷纷将矛头转向这个穿着一身不伦不类的服装的女人。马中楚的衣服套在她的身上，简直如乌龟壳一般，既生硬又难看。
大胖子绕到女人身后看了许久，似乎想找到马中楚说的那条尾巴来。可是宽大的衣服将她的身体罩住，如线条粗硬的简笔画。
酒鬼却无暇顾及这个女人的尾巴，直接道：“我再问你一次，你到底拿了那张人皮没有。拿了的话早些交出来。如果我弟弟或者儿子以前有什么冒犯你的地方，我在这里代他们向你道歉。”看来，酒鬼还是倾向于他弟弟跟这个女人之间有过节儿的说法。当一个人对另一个人产生了偏见时，所有鸡毛蒜皮都可以成为偏见的理由。
“我确实没有拿，你就算逼死我，我也拿不出来呀。”女人皱眉道，不过她丝毫没有生气的意思，轻松地斜倚在门框上，甚至悠闲地晃着脚。“除非你剥了我的皮去充当你要的人皮。”她朱唇轻启，像跟一个朋友商量一件无关轻重的事情一般。
是这些人逼得她没有办法了，还是她掩饰得太完美了？我心中的天平摇摆不定。
酒鬼急得满面通红，怒道：“你，你这是什么意思？”
女人鼻子里哼出一声，道：“我没什么意思。拿了就是拿了，没拿就是没拿。你难道要我变出一张人皮来不成？”
酒鬼着急道：“你们大家看看，她这是什么态度？我弟弟和儿子还在医生家里受折磨呢。”他又抖着手指着女人的鼻子，狠狠道：“你还有点儿同情心没有？”
女人道：“我是看见你拿了人皮到干爹家里去，我们也是在干爹离开之后才离开的。可是我告诉你，我从头到尾没有碰那个人皮一下，连手指头都没有沾一下。你听清楚了吗？我没有碰那个脏兮兮的恶心的东西！”
“那它到哪里去了？”酒鬼大声问道。
“你问我，我问谁去？”女人耸了耸肩。
四百多年前，工部侍郎的亲人跟那个剥皮的行刑人说了同样的话。
“那它到哪里去了？”工部侍郎的亲人代表提着一小布袋的碎银子，找行刑人讨要工部侍郎的人皮。那块人皮可谓剥得非常顺手，揎上草在皮场庙示众好些天之后，那块人皮还保持着完整无损。可是等工部侍郎的亲人代表找到行刑人，要赎回那块人皮的时候，行刑人却说那块人皮不见了。
“你问我，我问谁去？”行刑人正在一块月形的磨石上磨刀。那年头，剥皮的刑罚比较常见，行刑人要保持他的小刀足够锋利，这样就不至于临阵磨枪。
“求您了，大爷，您就别耍我啦。那是一块人皮呀，又不是什么珍珠宝贝，有谁会偷一块人皮呢？偷了人皮能有什么用？又不能当吃的当喝的。”工部侍郎的亲人代表将布袋里的碎银子摇得哗哗响。
行刑人偷觑了布袋一眼，心痒痒道：“您别叫我大爷，我叫您大爷吧。大爷，我就算剥去十个二十个人的皮，也挣不到大爷您手里那点儿碎银子。”他抹了抹嘴巴溅出的口沫，继续道：“我何尝不想得点儿外快？可是我真的不清楚工部侍郎大人的人皮去了哪里。”
工部侍郎的亲人代表仍然不放弃，央求行刑人道：“真求您帮帮忙了。如果您嫌银子少，我还可以加一些。人死了嘛，就求个全尸。不把他的皮子和骨头埋在一起，我怕他无法超生呢。”工部侍郎的亲人代表又是鞠躬又是作揖。
行刑人不为所动。他用手轻轻地摸了摸剥皮的刀刃，觉得磨得差不多了，将剥皮的刀收进了小皮囊里，站起身来道：“说句实在话，大爷您有精力跟我耗着，还不如把这些银两悬赏，叫偷走人皮的人送回来。”
工部侍郎的亲人代表垂下头，深深地叹了一口气，只好怏怏地走开了。
行刑人见来者走了，摇头叹息道：“我何尝不知道人皮去了哪里？可是你工部侍郎都斗不过那些人，我哪里敢说真话？可惜了那些碎银子不能到我手里来！”
而就在同时，皮场庙的审判官正和一个皮匠师傅在一起。他们俩绕着一个揎了草的人皮转来转去。
审判官像欣赏一件珍贵的艺术品一般欣赏着工部侍郎的人皮。皮匠啧啧称赞：“看来这个行刑人是下了一番真工夫的。不但皮子没有剥坏，揎草也扎扎实实，除了眼眶和鼻孔里没有东西之外，其他地方看起来跟活人几乎没有什么差别！好工夫！好工夫！”
审判官听了皮匠的话，连连点头，催促道：“叫你来不是请你欣赏刀工的。”
皮匠弹了弹鼓起的人皮，道：“刀工虽好，可是工部侍郎大人的皮肤不怎么好。可能是他未发迹之前缺少保养。”
审判官哈哈大笑道：“难怪我派去的女人说跟他亲热的时候不舒服的，说他的手搓揉她的背时像砂布一样。”末了，审判官抹嘴骂道：“那个小骚货，这样的话也能说出来。原来见她有功，还想纳她做妾的，听了这话就恶心，看来只能随便找个下人把她嫁了算了。”
皮匠摸着下巴问道：“大人，这么大一块皮子干什么不好，为什么非得只选一小块来做书的