Chapter 6: The Stinking Corpse

  On the way back to Lushan Temple, my mood has been very bad. This damn 3,000 yuan, at that time a national civil servant's monthly salary was only one or two hundred yuan. These 3,000 yuan were donated just like that. I'm really damn cheap, relying on this little bit of incense money to get into college, it's impossible.

  Not yet arrived at Lushan Temple, I heard the noise, throngs of people crowded the gate of my Taoist temple.

  "Huh? Why hasn't Niu Daozhang come back yet?"

  "Is that right? I heard you were coming back today, why haven't you come back yet?"

  "I said with a huff, 'Hey, hey, what's going on? Can't we play anymore?'"

  "Oh dear mother, Niu Daozhang is back."

  A swarm of people crowded over, if they couldn't stand firm, they would be squeezed down from the mountain.

  "Niu Daozhang, my family's old master has just passed away and needs you to perform the ritual of treading on the ground." I muttered to myself, having just taken on a new business deal and now being called Master Niu. These people didn't used to treat me with much respect before.

  "Niu Dao Chang, my family is building a new house, can you go and give us some guidance?"

  "Cows, cows, cows all the way home...". A woman interrupted this stuttering, "Let me say it instead, or you'll scare Master Niu to death."

  "It's like this, Master Niu. Our Xiaohong went out and got into a fight last night, and we'd like to ask you to help mediate."

  "Stop, stop, stop. There's only one Niu Daochang here. Ah, spit it out, Niu Yunshan. With so many of you, how can I handle it? If you're sincere, just go in and burn some paper."

  I just opened the door, and everyone rushed in to worship and grab the first prize, it was chaotic. It's never been so lively before, just a small crowd, but they quickly grabbed everything, and in just one afternoon, I collected nearly 100 yuan in incense money. Oh my god, if this continues, I'll become a rich man soon!

  When the time comes, I'll renovate the Taoist temple, hire a few more helpers, lie down on my master's chair, hold a small teapot in my hand, bask in the sun, and spend a leisurely day. The money will come, this is really comfortable.

  "Niu Dao Chang, can you take charge for me?" "What's wrong again."

  An old lady walked in with a cane, "Niu Daozhang, my dead husband is not going to make it, you have to take charge for me." "What's going on?" My mind was suddenly confused, what kind of place is this? What's going on here? Oh my god!

  Every village has weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies for babies, housewarmings, and even when someone has diarrhea, I have to go take a look. I didn't even get a break, and after three days of running around, this person became famous overnight.

  The income from the past three days was pretty good, with over 700 yuan in red envelopes collected. Apart from the gifts, there were still 600 yuan left over. And yet, people say that I'm generous and not greedy for money.

  It turned out that Heiwa's brother-in-law in Xikou Village was a teacher in the county town, and after he spread the word with some added flavor, I became a big shot.

  Oh dear, I can finally take a break.

  Just when I was about to take a good rest, something came up.

  At the entrance of Wuyue Mountain, a thin and dark young man was sitting there, looking listless. He said he had been here for three days already. Before he could finish his words, he fainted.

  I cursed in my heart, don't be another scammer who just eats and drinks.

  With a kind heart that would save someone from drowning in water and fire, I fed him food, gave him water to drink, and he gradually recovered.

  "Niu Dao Chang, save me!" "Looking at the situation, it doesn't seem like a scam, you must promise me, otherwise I'll kneel to death here."

  "I swear in the name of Chairman Mao and Premier Deng that as long as I can, I will definitely help you."

  This guy slowly told me, and I was so scared that I broke out in a cold sweat.

  What's all this about? Niu Shan Yun will tell you everything, from beginning to end.

  The Qinling Mountains at the junction of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces can be said to be one of China's major dragon veins, where many marshals, generals, emperors and kings have emerged. A group of tomb robbers appeared in this place. The leader is the thin and dark young man in front of me.

  As soon as I heard that it was a tomb raider, I panicked, and these people might end up killing me.

  "Niu Dao Chang, don't be afraid. Although we are tomb robbers, once we reach the ground, we follow traffic rules and human ethics. You can rest assured." I finally put my mind at ease a little.

  There were only three of them, honest farmers who had never stolen any decent tombs before, and they went to Qinling to see if they could accidentally stumble upon a dead mouse, but instead of a dead mouse, they stumbled upon something big. They almost lost their lives.

  They walked into Qinling and dared to walk inside, just strolling around the edge, finally confirming a grave, and set up their tent there, preparing to start work.

  The next morning, the three of them were woken up by a foul smell.

  Three people turned the place upside down, searched high and low, but couldn't find the source of the stench. In the end, they finally confirmed it was under the bed.

  This thin and dark young man is called Jiucheng. It's said that his father gave him this name, meaning he only needs to be 90% of a good person, being too honest will make it easy for him to suffer losses.

  Jiucheng and two others dug down because he heard that the soil smelled of treasure, as copper smells pungent.

  The guy dug all the way and dug out a big trunk.

  Three people were in high spirits, thinking they had made it, but misfortune had just begun.

  Jiucheng tapped his hand and was about to push the box out when dark clouds gathered, birds and beasts in the mountains were frightened, strong winds rose, and Jiucheng's mind was confused by a ghost, he opened the lid with one move.

  His shrill cry of despair shocked the entire mountain forest, and all the birds and beasts within a hundred miles seemed to be frightened as well. The birds flapped their wings and let out mournful cries. The forest rustled with sound, and for a time, all the flying creatures and animals were in an uproar.

  A corpse, with the exception of its face, had all its skin stripped off. Its head was cut off and its legs were sawed off. The corpse was sitting in a box, holding its head with its right hand and pinching its legs with its left hand.

  The box emits a foul odor, which is indescribable. This situation is unbearable for anyone.

  After the three returned one after another, they fell ill. One of them was called Xiaoman, who had a festering boil on his body that could not be cured no matter what. Every night he would talk nonsense, saying things like "The Qing dynasty's fate should not have been cut off". Another one was called Liu Jin, because when he was born he only weighed six jin. After returning, he became crazy and delirious, always in a daze and never coming to his senses.

  "Hey big brother, aren't you doing well?"

  Jiucheng sneered and lifted his pant leg, revealing a large area of festering rot, with white bones almost exposed, which nearly scared me.

  "You're still not going to the hospital, what are you looking for me, a Taoist priest, for?"

  "The road to the cow is long, it's useless, the doctor can't cure this disease, but this disease is not contagious. Alas, I don't know how many doctors I've sought out, how many medicines I've asked for, how many gods I've begged to, how many Buddhas I've worshiped, all to no avail. I know that this is a case of 'you reap what you sow' and can't be saved."

  This kid just said that, and instantly awakened the conscience deep in my heart. "In these years of struggle, although I haven't overturned anything big, but at least I don't have to worry about food and drink. Now it's good, I can earn a living with my life, and spend it without worrying." It seems like 90% is quite tragic.

  "Niu Daochang, you must help me out, brother. I can die, but my two brothers cannot. Their families will not forgive me, it was I who brought them out."

  I grasped nine out of ten hands, "Big brother, listen to me, I'm that kind of person who absolutely won't abandon someone in need, but you this......"

  "I know this matter is very tricky, but Master Dao, my brother is really in a desperate situation. Please just treat him as you would a dying horse, okay?"

  Nine out of ten people would say that if you don't go now, are you still human? I took on this task, but it's been a real hassle for me.

  Ninety percent of families live in villages on the edge of the county town. I packed up my luggage and rushed to get on the road, laboring all the way, and finally arrived.

  The first one to arrive was at Xiaoman's home.

  Xiao Man's mother had been crying all day, a pretty wife was guarding a sick husband, and the child was just over a month old. "Jiu, you're here, who is this?"

  "This is Niu Yunniu Daochang from Niushan in Yangcun Village, who has come especially to see Xiao Man."

  "Oh, it's actually Daozhang Niu. Xiang'er, quickly pour tea for Daozhang." One of you says "Daozhang", and I say "Daozhang". After listening for a long time, I'm getting used to it.

  "Director, have some tea." This little wife of Xiao Man is really beautiful.

  I was distracted for a moment and lost my train of thought. This scene caught the attention of Xiaoman's mother, who called out to Jiu Cheng alone and had a conversation with him.

  "Niu Dao Chang, you've come, I have something to tell you." "Jiu Ge, what's up?"

  "The old mother said, as long as you can cure Xiaoman's illness, this lady... you can..."

  As soon as these words came out, I felt a surge of anger in my heart and immediately became furious. "What kind of people are you? I just think the young lady is indeed beautiful, but you...you...you bunch of capitalist running dogs, traitors to the Party and the people, how dare you...how dare you..." A torrent of abuse was hurled at him.

  The old mother saw the awkward situation and said, "This Daozhang is not infatuated with beauty. It's my fault, I was confused for a moment, forgive me. I really can't bear to see our Xiaoman suffering like this." The old lady cried, and I softened too, let alone the young mistress inside who was also sobbing.

  "Niu Dao Chang, Xiao Man's illness is serious." I was invited by my mother to bring me to the side room. As soon as I entered, a wave of inexplicable nausea hit me. Xiang Er lifted up Xiao Man's quilt, and since the last time I encountered that black snake, in short, I hadn't eaten anything and didn't throw up.

  His body has rotted to the point where it's like a toad's back, looking all moldy and scary. The quilt is stained with yellow liquid, turned into a yellowish armor. I really can't bear to look at it anymore.

  "Xiao Man, this is Niu Daozhang from Yang Village, a highly skilled doctor who has come to diagnose your illness."

  "Our great Qing dynasty has a history of 280 years, with roots that run deep. How can it be destroyed? Think back to the days when I, Dorgon, Zhou Peigong, Shi Lang and many other generals and ministers fought to make our great Qing known throughout the land. Who didn't know of our greatness? And yet, how could we have been destroyed?" As he spoke, his emotions stirred up again, causing the freshly healed wounds on his body to split open once more, with yellow pus flowing out.

  The old mother cried when she saw her son like this, and Xiang'er told me that Xiaoman had at least three episodes of illness a day, constantly muttering that the Qing dynasty could not be destroyed, asking him who he was, but he wouldn't say.