Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Ghost Screaming in the Cemetery

The conversation was divided into two parts, but it was said that after Xiao Jinping left the Yudai Bridge Inn, Shu Xianglin became a little worried, and asked Xiong Jie, "Is this Xiao Jinping reliable?" Xiong Jie shook his head: "It's also my first contact, so I don't know much about it. It seems that I am quite simple and honest, not like a cunning person." Shu Xianglin said: "Jiang Yilang and Zhu Zixiang are both in Xiao's house, he should know a lot of inside stories, but when I asked him, he didn't know anything about it. Based on this, I suspect that he is a person who is honest on the outside but very ghostly on the inside. "

Xiong Jie said: "Xiao Ziyu is very careful in handling things, maybe it's possible to keep the servants from knowing, but at least he promised to introduce Jiang Yilang to us. For us, these are enough." Shu Xianglin said: "What I'm worried about is that he's playing tricks and won't invite Jiang Yilang out to meet us." Xiong Jie's veins bulged: "If he dares, I will kill him!" Shu Xianglin: "I hope so. We can only wait patiently. If there is no movement in the afternoon, then we have to come to clean him up." The two of them went back to their room to rest after eating at the inn. After a while, they heard Huang Yuanfu greeting someone downstairs.Xiong Jie thought it was Xiao Jinping who came, opened the door and poked his head, then shrank back, Shu Xianglin asked, "Who is here?"

Xiong Jie said, "Zhang Xianfan." Shu Xianglin said displeased: "What is this guy doing here?" Xiong Jie said: "I don't know either. Those who should come will not come, and those who should not come will be chased away like blowflies." The two were talking, Zhang Xianfan had already come in, and asked with a playful smile: "Second brothers, have you eaten yet?" Xiong Jie said angrily: "Nonsense, can you still eat at this time? What are you doing here? We are waiting for Xiao Jinping." Seeing that there were no extra chairs in the room, Zhang Xianfan sat down on the edge of the bed: "Xiao Jinping can't come anymore, I'm here to pass the message to the two elder brothers on his behalf."

Xiong Jie and Shu Xianglin said in unison: "Why can't he come?" Zhang Xianfan said: "Xiao Ziyu's family went out to burn incense this afternoon, Xiao Ziyu left him to watch the house." Xiong Jie said: "Isn't he more free at home alone? If he doesn't want to come to see me, he can just tell me, let's go and settle the score with him!" Zhang Xianfan said: "Two brothers, listen to me again—Xiao Jinping just wants me to invite you to Xiao's house for an interview on his behalf." Xiong Jie and Shu Xianglin gasped for breath and followed Zhang Xianfan to the Xiao Mansion on Liushan Road. The strange thing was that Zhang Xianfan left the gate open and led them a long way across a vegetable field to the backyard.The backyard was surrounded by a wall. Zhang Xianfan picked up a few broken bricks and threw them over. After a while, Xiao Jinping appeared on the top of the wall and put down a ladder: "The two elder brothers have been wronged. It is really unreasonable to do this." Already, I will explain when I get to the house."

When Xiong Jie and Shu Xianglin heard that most of the anger in their stomachs had subsided, they agreed to climb up the ladder. After they passed the wall, Xiao Jinping quickly pulled the ladder away. I know you today!" Xiao Jinping ignored it, packed the ladder and led Xiong Jie and Shu Xianglin into a side room in the back hall. "Two elder brothers, wait a moment. My younger brother will go and bring the person you want to see." Xiong Jie raised his eyebrows and said, "Wait a minute, when you took my horse away, you promised to bring me to the Yudai Bridge Inn in the afternoon, but now you have tricked me into this bird place, first explain why, if you can't justify it Don't blame me for not recognizing people!"

Xiao Jinping blushed and said, "Brother, little brother almost won't see you today." Xiong Jie said gruffly: "Aren't you fine? If you speak so seriously, who will kill you?" Xiao Jinping hastily explained: "The master went out to burn incense today, and the old butler insisted that I go. I wanted to have an appointment with my brother, but I refused to do so. Fortunately, the master has another important task - to watch over Jiang Yilang. , I stayed." Only then did Xiong Jie calm down a little, and said: "I thought you were going to die, but it turned out to be such a trivial matter, he asked you to watch over Jiang Yilang, you just took this opportunity to bring him to see me!"

Xiao Jinping said: "It's absolutely impossible. There are so many servants wandering around in the Xiao family compound. If I take Jiang Yilang out, it will be even more fatal if it is heard in the ears of the master and questioned." Xiong Jie said: "This Xiao Ziyu is really not a thing. Now that Zhu Zixiang thinks that Jiang Yilang is useless, he will kill the donkey. It seems that people in the officialdom are worse than us. There is no way to gain a foothold in the rivers and lakes if you talk about credibility." Xiao Jinping said: "I have told my two elder brothers everything I know, and I hope that my elder brother will keep it a secret for me. Once the master finds out, I will lose my life."

Xiong Jie said contemptuously, "Any big deal is worth repeating countless times." Xiao Jinping said: "To the two elder brothers, this is of course a small matter. But to me, it is a matter of life." Shu Xianglin interrupted: "Brother Xiong promised you a long time ago, don't get entangled in this trivial matter anymore, and bring him here soon." Only then did Xiao Jinping turn around and slip out of the side room, and after a while, a middle-aged man was brought with him: "Two brothers, this is Mr. Jiang Yilang, you talk, I will help you look out."

As soon as Xiao Jinping went out, Jiang Yilang knelt down: "I have admired the names of the two elder brothers for a long time, and I am honored to meet you today. Please be respected by the younger brother." Xiong Jie was not too polite, and when Jiang Yilang got up, he said: "Mr. Jiang's story is really wonderful - of course, the more exciting thing is Mr. Jiang's life experience. We all know your situation, and we are very grateful to you. A descendant of 'Zhu Chengsheng' is very interested. Sit down, it's hard to talk while standing." Only then did Jiang Yilang dare to sit on the chair: "The younger brother also knows about the situation of the two elder brothers, especially Brother Xiong's reputation in Duliang can be described as thunderous."

Shu Xianglin said: "Although we are robbers, we have always said that 'thieves have their own way'. It is almost impossible to do anything in our business without loyalty and credibility." Jiang Yilang nodded: "I know, and I have a deep understanding. Robbers are more moral than people in the officialdom. I can see through that Xiao Ziyu. First, he was kind and coercive to me. Once I lost the value of use, I would cross the river and demolish the bridge. I'll take care of it, this number of people can't even tolerate it, and arrange for the two elder brothers to give me such a bad breath."

Xiong Jie said: "Don't get too far ahead, I like to go straight to the point - we are here for "Four Seasons of Joy", now you have something to say, and you will have a share after it is done." Jiang Yilang said: "I can trust my brother, this "Four Seasons of Joy" will definitely be ours, the most urgent thing is to get Xia Concubine first." Shu Xianglin and Xiong Jie looked at each other, "What concubine Xia?" Jiang Yilang looked at the two in surprise: "Didn't Xiao Jinping tell you? Just before the two elder brothers came here, it happened that Zhu Zixiang led them to the cemetery of Concubine Xia!" Then he told the story of Concubine Xia and King Xian Paraphrase. After hearing this, Xiong Jie scolded: "Damn it, how dare you hide such an important clue from me, and you will have to settle accounts with him later! Mr. Jiang, do you know where this tomb is?" Jiang Yilang shook his head: "Xiao Ziyu didn't let me know. After they left, I originally wanted to follow behind. I didn't expect him to be on guard and arranged for Xiao Jinping to keep an eye on me. He even lost the freedom to go out the door." Shu Xianglin said: "Perhaps Xiao Jinping knows." Jiang Yilang said: "He probably didn't know, I was there when they set off, and Zhu Zixiang was leading the way. I'm afraid even Xiao Ziyu didn't know exactly where to go." Xiong Jie became anxious when he heard that, he stood up and paced back and forth: "What should we do, if they do something tonight, wouldn't it be our part..." Seeing Xiong Jie and Shu Xianglin's anxious looks, Jiang Yilang suddenly slapped his thigh: "There is a way, they brought a lot of incense candles and paper money when they went out, and there are so many people, someone will definitely see them along the way, you might as well ask along the way, and prepare I can ask for a result." Xiong Jie nodded: "This method should work." Shu Xianglin stared at Jiang Yilang and asked, "What do you mean by 'you might as well inquire all the way'? Doesn't it include you?" Jiang Yilang smiled wryly and said: "I also wish to go with my two elder brothers, who doesn't yearn for freedom? But you can ask Xiao Jinping if I can go." Xiong Jie said angrily: "The foot was born on your body, so you can let others decide whether you want to go or not? Commander Shu, call Xiao Jinping here!" Shu Xianglin then opened the door and shouted loudly, after a while Xiao Jinping rushed to Shu Xianglin in a hurry and bowed again and again: "Brother, please, don't be so loud, I can't bear it if the servants know it and the master hears it." Xiong Jie scolded: "Master Bird, I don't care about him! Xiao Jinping, you are not mean, you have concealed such a big matter from me, fortunately Mr. Jiang told you in time, otherwise that concubine Xia would have been swallowed up by Xiao Ziyu!" Xiao Jinping said with a sad face: "I have no choice but to reveal so many secrets to you. I have made a big mistake. Please forgive me for my difficulties. Besides, I introduced Jiang Yilang to you , it is equivalent to telling this matter, just through his mouth." Xiong Jie said: "Seeing that you are honest on the surface, and you are still so talkative, let's ignore this matter. I will take Mr. Jiang away today. I hope you don't interfere!" "No way!" Xiao Jinping knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, "Brother, if you take away Mr. Jiang, I will really die when the master comes back. If you can't accommodate, please take my little brother's life first." "You think I don't dare?!" Xiong Jie stared angrily, spread his five fingers across his chest and slapped his chest, Xiao Jinping rolled his eyes and fell to the ground, then said calmly, "Let's go, time waits for no one." Xiong Jie, Shu Xianglin, and Jiang Yilang still went out from the back wall and out of Liushan Road. Jiang Yilang suggested asking the elderly people. When I was old, I was keen on burning incense and worshiping Buddha, so I paid special attention to this aspect.After inquiring, the old people really remembered that there was an incense team that brought a lot of sacrificial items to the northeast not long ago, and they also enthusiastically pointed out: if you take this road so late, you may go to the Immortal Temple in Tongbao Mountain. Xiong Jie and his party successfully asked about the route Xiao Ziyu traveled.Outside the city, the rural people regarded the three of Xiong Jie as pilgrims who had fallen behind, and enthusiastically told them: "The incense team in front has already gone to Tongbao Mountain..." Xiong Jie and Shu Xianglin finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing in their hearts that Concubine Xia's tomb must be near Tongbao Mountain... The three of them hurried, and it was already evening when they arrived at Tanjia Village at the foot of Tongbao Mountain.At this time, the whole world was dyed orange red by the sunset, the tired birds returned to the forest, the livestock returned to the shed, and the farmers were eager to return home. The three of them rushed to climb the mountain without going to the village to beg for saliva. The road is paved with ancient bluestone slabs, winding and steep. It was only halfway up the mountain, and it was completely dark. The ancient trees all over the mountain were dark and ghostly, mixed with the strange calls of night birds and the neighing of unknown insects from time to time. . The Immortal Temple under the moonlight finally appeared in front of my eyes. There was the sound of wooden fish slowly coming, a faint scent of sandalwood came to my nostrils, the light of butter shot out the panes, and there were faintly visible young monks walking in the hall. The three stopped to discuss in front of the incense burner outside the temple, and decided that Shu Xianglin would pretend to be a pilgrim who had missed his journey and go in first to find out the truth. Xiong Jie and Jiang Yilang squatted in the dark and waited for nearly two sticks of incense before Shu Xianglin finally came back.Shu Xianglin revealed that Xiao Ziyu was indeed in the temple, and it is estimated that there will be no action tonight, so he suggested that he stay here, and Xiong Jie took Jiang Yilang back to Fengmuling overnight to move troops. Besides, Zhu Zixiang led Xiao's father and son out the back door, only Tan Xiaoku and four or five guests of Xiao's manor were left in the guest house.It was getting late, and there were many mosquitoes on the mountain. After a while, the young monk took a candle made of mugwort and lit it, and the mosquitoes in the guest house immediately decreased a lot. Vacuum walked to the door and turned back to the people in the guesthouse with clasped hands: "Amitabha, I forgot to tell you something. There is a ghost on the mountain behind this temple. Because of the deep injustice, the ghost has been lingering for hundreds of years. If the benefactor hears the voice of a woman crying, don’t panic, just ignore it, if you want to go to the mountains to enjoy the scenery during the day, you must not go around the tomb of the unjust ghost.” "Little monk, what will happen if we go to the cemetery of the ghost?" It was a farmer who asked. Vacuum said: "Amitabha, if you bump into it unintentionally, you will suffer from headaches and brain fever or be frightened without reason." Zhuang Ke asked again: "What if you want to go to the cemetery?" Vacuum said: "Don't go, benefactor, a grave is nothing to look at! If you go there on purpose, you will be troubled and have accidents. If you go there, you will lose your hand, or you will lose your life in vain. Don't go there. It's so good! " After Vacuum left, the farmer sneered and said, "This monk is good at playing tricks on people. From my point of view, he also knows the secret of the tomb to some extent, and wants to scare others not to touch it." It was getting dark soon, and there were ready-made tung oil lamps in the guest house. Tan Xiaoku saw that the farmers just didn't move, so he took the lamps and went to the Daxiong Hall to light the lamps in front of the Avalokitesvara statue.Back at the inn, I suddenly heard the cry of a woman from the back mountain—where did the woman come from in this barren mountain, a place of tranquility in Buddhism?Could it be that she is really a female ghost?The dealers who had just heard what the little monk said just now were too frightened to vent their anger. The dealer who asked the question laughed when he saw this: "You cowards, the second master still expects you to work, just like a bear. Dare to dig a grave?" The woman's weeping continued for a while, and just after everyone got used to it, suddenly someone knocked on the back door, and someone yelled, "Ghost knocks on the door!" Wearing hair - this is the method of exorcising ghosts spread among the people of Duliang. "Xiaoku, open the door, it's us!" Tan Xiaoku heard the voice of his master Zhu Zixiang, and hurriedly opened the back door. Sure enough, it was Xiao Ziyu and his son and Zhu Zixiang who came back.At this time, Xiao Peng's face was pale and he was in extreme panic, but the dealers didn't pay attention to the expression of the young master, and rushed to repeat what the vacuum said just now. Passed out...Xiao Ziyu was in a hurry, and hurriedly sent someone to call the abbot.After a while, Abbot Kong came over. He touched Xiao Peng's acupuncture points slowly, and Xiao Peng miraculously woke up. Xiao Ziyu was still worried, and asked, "Master Liao Kong, is my son still in danger?" With a long beard fluttering in the sky, he closed his eyes slightly and said: "People in the world practice evil ways and cannot see the Tathagata. Your son has caused disasters because of greed, and he was frightened by the disasters, and suffered convulsions. The old monk will send people over in a while. After taking it, it will definitely be effective. It’s just that there is no cure for the heart disease. It’s good to get rid of greed and all poisons.” Xiao Ziyu seemed to understand, but got up and left without explaining.Xiao Ziyu waited patiently for a while, but still no one brought the decoction, so he ordered Xiao Zhong to go over and ask, and after a while Xiao Zhong came back empty-handed.Xiao Ziyu said in displeasure, "Monks don't tell lies, so this old monk is trying to deceive people?" Xiao Zhongdao: "The medicine soup will be delivered in a while, just now a pilgrim from afar who missed the journey came, the old monk sent someone to resettle him, so the time was delayed." Xiao Ziyu no longer lost his temper.Later, the vacuum sent a decoction for Xiao Peng to take, and his complexion changed a lot.After Vacuum left, Xiao Ziyu recalled Kong's words that he half-understood, and felt that they were aimed at him. In addition, when he came to Tongbao Mountain, he had a bad start, so he wanted to go to Kong to ask him to understand. The door of the abbot's room was not closed, and a dim butter lamp illuminated the monk Liaokong who was meditating on the Zen bed, which made Xiao Ziyu feel as if he had entered another world.There is also a couplet on the top of the Zen room, which reads: "Through the cold soaking of the window in the middle of the night, the Zen room is dimly lit at midnight." Xiao Ziyu felt that the old monk seemed to be waiting for someone, and if he guessed correctly, the person waiting was Xiao Ziyu.He coughed dryly and said, "Master, I'm sorry." Liao Kong opened his eyes, and kept counting the rosary beads with both hands: "Amitabha, Lord Almighty." Xiao Ziyu was not polite either, and sat across from Kong Kong, and said straightforwardly: "I am an ordinary person, I don't understand Buddhism and Buddhist words, what the master said just now seems to be talking about me." Liao Kong said: "The Buddha has thousands of hands, the Buddha has thousands of eyes, the Buddha is born from the heart, and the Buddha's teachings are boundless. Donor, you are too thoughtful." Xiao Ziyu said impatiently: "I said that I am an ordinary person and don't understand Buddhism. It is useless for you to say the Buddha's words to be polite, but to be straightforward is to play the piano to the cow. At the same time, I also remind you that I am not mentally retarded. I understand that you have already understood The purpose of my trip is to send disciple Vacuum to the inn to spread rumors——I don’t believe in ghosts, so I won’t be frightened by you, and if you have any requests, I hope you can speak up.” Liao Kong stopped twisting the rosary, Xiao Ziyu's blatant confession was beyond his expectation: "Almsgiver, your father is a layman with immeasurable merits in the Immortal Temple, I hope to cherish the virtues of our ancestors." Xiao Ziyu looked straight at Kong: "I understand this sentence - persuade me to give up the idea of ​​digging robbers. But if you have a reason to convince me, that's another matter." Liao Kong thought for a while and said, "I have no reason, I only know an intriguing little story." Xiao Ziyu asked: "Is it the story about Concubine Xia and King Xian?" Liao Kong said: "Since the benefactor already knows the first half of the story, I won't repeat it. You are the first person in the secular world who has the opportunity to hear the second half of the story." Xiao Ziyu said: "I would like to hear the details." Liao Kong asked, "What did the benefactor see in the back mountain just now?" Xiao Ziyu said nonchalantly, "A grave, a poisonous snake, and a few ghost screams." Liao Kong slightly raised his white eyebrows: "Didn't you see that there is a pagoda not far from the grave?" Xiao Ziyu shook his head: "It was too late, I didn't pay attention, what happened to the pagoda?" Liaokong said: "The pagoda is the shelter of Master Sekong, the abbot of this temple during the Tianqi period." Xiao Ziyu said: "It's not surprising that an eminent monk passed away in a peaceful place." Liao Kong did not argue, and continued, "Sekong's common name is Liu Xueming, and he was originally a son of a rich family from Niushiqiao outside the East Gate—" "There is no place called Bullshit Bridge outside the east gate." Xiao Ziyu interrupted. "That place is three miles east of the East Gate. Chongzhen called it Niushi Bridge eight years ago. Zhu Qifeng changed its name to Duantou Bridge after the incident of "Third Soul Broken Bridge" happened." After Liao Kong explained, he turned to the topic, "This Liu Xueming Young Fang Ruoguan, childhood sweetheart with distant cousin Xia Yan. The two adults saw that this pair of golden boys and girls were very close, and they made it a good thing. They were married since childhood. The sixth day of the third lunar month in the third year of Tianqi is the happy day for the two to consummate their marriage. It just so happened that the old Xianwang, who was nearly eighty years old, went out for an outing in the city. It was also the fate of the hard-fated couple. It was a strong wind that day, and the wind lifted the curtain of the sedan chair. The old Xianwang saw the bride in the sedan chair. , suddenly lost her soul, and even ordered her followers to take Xia Yan back to the palace. In order to save her family and husband from accidents, Xia Yan had no choice but to commit herself to the constitutional king, and sent word to Liu Xueming to choose another spouse. A year later, Xia Yan thought that Liu Xueming had died. Forget about her. At that time, King Xian was doting on her in every possible way, and assigned several maids and eunuchs to her. Among them, there was a eunuch named Wang An who was quite familiar. After many interrogations, he found out that he was the husband Liu Xueming! Ever since losing Xia Yan, he was in pain, and was rescued by his family several times when he wanted to die. Seeing that death would not work, he simply left the palace, and then sneaked into the palace, in order to be able to stay with his sweetheart forever. Xia Yan was very moved. Although there is no physical union in the palace, there is a heart-to-heart union. Even so, the good days are not long. The old and cunning King Xian finally noticed the two, and said to Xia Yan: "Lonely old, my beloved concubine is so young after her lonely death." Beautiful, there must be many young men who like it." Concubine Xia is a smart person, knowing that she will die, she bids her final farewell to Liu Xueming. A pair of fateful mandarin ducks hug each other and cry. Afterwards, he will become a monk and practice. Concubine Xia immediately made a will to be buried in the mountain behind Xianren Temple after death. After Xia Yan committed suicide, King Xian praised Xia Concubine falsely and buried her in the mountain behind Xianren Temple according to his last wish. Not long after, Liu Xueming also took the opportunity to escape from the palace, dissipated all his family wealth, and took the name of Sekong to become a monk at Xianren Temple. Sekong has a high level of comprehension, coupled with diligent practice, and finally became a generation of eminent monks. Funerals will eventually lead to accidents, so we use exercises to turn gold and jade into broken stones, and seal spells on the tombs, and anyone who intends to break the ground will cause accidents and disasters." After hearing this, Xiao Ziyu sneered and said: "When my father was alive, he said how great you are, and I was a little in awe of you under the influence of it. Listening to what you said today, this awe is gone! What kind of eminent monk are you? He is clearly a charlatan hiding in a temple! What kind of kung fu method is used to turn gold and jade into gravel, and what kind of spells are used to bring disasters-I, a dignified police chief, will also eat your tricks?! Bah! " A mouthful of phlegm was spat on Liao Kong's face, but he was still lukewarm: "Those who believe will have it, and those who don't believe it will not, Amitabha, so good!" Xiao Ziyu ignored Kong anymore, got up and walked out of the abbot's room, suddenly a black shadow flashed in front of his eyes, he couldn't help but let out a disdainful voice from his nose: "What kind of monks are also a bunch of thieves!" Xiao Ziyu didn't say much when he returned to the inn, he only told him to go to bed early, and to dig the grave tomorrow morning, Xiao Zhong couldn't help asking: "Aren't you afraid that someone will see you digging the grave during the day?" Xiao Ziyu scolded: "Crow's mouth, barren mountains and wild mountains, who would come here!" Early the next morning, the meal was delivered by vacuum. Xiao Ziyu packed up his tools and went up the mountain after eating it. Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers outside kept ringing. When Xiao Ziyu opened the window to look, it turned out that pilgrims were setting fire in front of the incense burner outside the temple. firecracker.Xiao Peng slept all night and recovered to his original state. He asked his father, "Is it still up?" Xiao Ziyu nodded: "Of course I have to go up, there is nothing to be afraid of if there are a few pilgrims here." Xiao Ziyu had just calmed down the crowd, but unexpectedly there was another burst of firecrackers, and many pilgrims came outside one after another. Xiao Zhong said, "It's not the first or fifteenth day of the lunar new year. How can there be so many pilgrims in normal days? It's really strange!" Xiao Ziyu seemed to have realized something, recalled what happened last night, and said: "The old monk must be playing tricks, and he wants to hinder my good deeds with such petty tricks, don't worry about him!" Xiao Ziyu and his party had just made up their minds when they suddenly saw Xiao Huoyang, the farmer who stayed at Liushan Road, rushing over tired and sweating profusely. When he saw Xiao Ziyu, he reported incoherently: "Master, master, big, big things are not good. ..." Xiao Ziyu was startled, and realized that something might have happened at home, so she said, "Don't worry, speak slowly and clearly." Xiao Huoyang finally caught his breath and said, "Jiang Yilang was snatched away..." Xiao Ziyu was taken aback: "Who was Jiang Yilang snatched away? Where is Xiao Jinping?" Xiao Huoyang said: "I don't know who took Jiang Yilang away. Xiao Jinping wanted to stop him, but the Ya acupuncture point was hit by that group of people, and he is still speechless." Xiao Ziyu asked, "How do you know I'm here?" Xiao Huoyang said: "The master brought joss sticks when he went out, and I asked all the way here. The person who snatched Jiang Yilang may also be here." Xiao Zhong turned pale and said: "Second young master, so many pilgrims came early this morning, could it be related to that group of people?"