In the early morning, Chen Shi woke up early. His grandfather was cooking in the kitchen. His back was turned to Chen Shi, but his sleeves were bloody, and he didn't know what kind of meat was chopped on the chopping board.
Chen Shi looked around and thought, "As long as it's not human flesh, I can eat anything."
There was a noise outside. It was the villagers of Huangpo Village who came to offer incense in front of the ancient tree.
When Chen Shi went out, he saw people holding incense, candles, fruits, chickens and ducks, coming to the ancient trees in the village.
The ancient tree has gone through many vicissitudes. It has lived for an unknown number of years. Its roots protrude from the ground, coiling like a dragon, and its branches are strange, like twisted pythons. There are not many branches and leaves, so it is not lush.
But the trees were hung with red ropes, and wooden signs were tied to them. The wishes of the villagers were written on the wooden signs.
This ancient tree in Huangpo Village has an unknown age and is the godmother of most of the villagers. Villagers come here to worship and pray every first day of the Lunar New Year, which is called a moon festival.
There are three days in the Moon Festival. The first day is to worship the godmother, and the second and third days are to hold the market.
Ancient trees have psychic powers, especially the ancient tree worshiped in Huangpo Village, which is even more efficacious. This tree can drive away evil spirits and protect the people after nightfall, so the houses in Huangpo Village are all centered around the ancient tree.
put up.
If you offer an offering, you can also make a wish to the ancient tree, for marriage, for children, for wealth, for things for peace, and all of them will come true.
Sitting on the trunk of the ancient tree is a girl, twenty-eight years old, beautiful and dignified, wearing a light green moonlight skirt, a black dress embroidered with red money on her upper body, and a gold lotus hairpin on her head.
This girl is very quiet and never makes a sound.
No one in the village can see this girl, but Chen Shi can see her every time he goes out.
No matter it's windy or raining, the girl always sits on the tree.
The girl on the tree once gave Chen Shi a red fruit, but his grandfather discovered it. Grandpa asked Chen Shi to throw it away, saying it was poisonous.
"She is not your godmother, she is someone else's godmother. To her, you are an outsider in this village. If you poison you, everyone in the village will be her godson." Grandpa said.
"Xiao Shi, it's time to eat." Grandpa's voice came from the courtyard.
Chen Shi responded, went home and came to the dining table. The porridge on the dining table contained rice and meat, was green in color, and had a strange smell.
There were also three dishes, unknown meat stir-fried with medicinal herbs, and some things like worms as thick as a finger. The smell was not very friendly, and some of the worms were even alive and squirming.
Chen Shi asked cautiously: "Grandpa, is this rice or medicine?"
Grandpa didn't even look back: "It's food and medicine. You're sick, so you have to finish it."
Chen Shi considered his words and said, "Grandpa, my illness has been cured."
"No, you're not fine."
Grandpa turned his back to him, and his voice was a little indifferent: "You were sick again last night, right? You need to continue taking medicine."
Chen Shi had a sudden thought: "Grandpa obviously went out last night, how did he know that I was sick again?"
He didn't care what the food tasted like, he just stuffed it into his mouth.
Although grandpa's back was turned to him, an eye appeared on his shoulder at some point. The nerve plexus was like a slender leg and foot, peeking at him and supervising his meals.
Chen Shi finished his meal and felt that his stomach was burning, getting hotter and hotter, as if there was a fire inside his body that was burning his heart.
It was like this every time he ate, but this time the medicine seemed to be too strong, and he felt as if the blood in his heart was about to boil!
He quietly activated the Sanguang Zhengqi Jue and tried to introduce the power of the medicine into his limbs and bones, and then he felt better.
Chen Shi's heart moved slightly: "The Three Lights Righteous Qi Jue is said to induce the three lights' righteousness to refine the holy body of the Dharma Body. I don't have the divine body, so I can't gather the magic power, but can I refine my body into the holy body without refining the magic body?"
Thinking of this, he removed the part of the Sanguang Zhengqi Art that tempered the true energy, leaving only the body-refining method. When practiced, it works without any hindrance, and it improves the body faster.
After the meal, Chen Shi helped his grandfather bundle up the cart, put all kinds of daily utensils and dry food on the cart, and tied them firmly with ropes.
The car has wooden wheels, and many talismans and seals are carved on the wheel hubs. The ones painted are armor and horse talismans, which can make the car run faster.
Grandpa wore a bamboo hat, which made it difficult to see his face clearly. He also took cinnabar and carefully traced the talismans on the wheel to make them clearer.
The cinnabar was not ground with water, but with black dog's blood, giving it a fishy smell. Chen Shi glanced at the black pot and saw that the black dog was wilted, and his grandfather must have taken the blood.
While helping to trace the talisman and seal, Chen Shi said to himself: "The black dog's blood on the front of the neck has the best effect, where the yang energy is the strongest, and the color will not fade easily when applied. The neck should be stabbed one after another."
He is petty and still resents the dog for adding firewood.
Black Pot shuddered and raised his head to glance at him resentfully.
The grandfather and grandson were well prepared and boarded the wooden cart. The armor and horse talismans on the four wheels of the wooden cart gradually lit up. The wheels were unmanned and drove them towards the outside of the village.
Black Pot stepped forward and followed behind the wooden cart.
Grandpa held a bronze compass in his hand. The pointer on the compass shook slightly. Every time the pointer changed direction, the wooden cart also changed direction.
When the car drove to the outside of the village, Chen Shi jumped out of the car, took some paper money for incense candles, and ran uphill to the foot of an old tree outside the village.
Grandpa did not stop him or stop the car.
Chen Shi burned incense on paper to Stone Godmother, offered fruits, kowtowed a few times, and then offered a few sticks of incense to the scholar ghost hanging on the tree, then ran back and caught up with the wooden cart.
On the first day of every month, my grandfather and grandson always go out.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, every village holds a moon festival. In addition to worshiping the godmother, it is also a lively market where you can buy a variety of goods.
He, Chen Shi, sat on the wooden cart and continued to practice the Three Lights Righteousness Technique. Starlight fell down one after another and merged into his body.
Grandpa looked him over and said, "You can take more medicine."
When Chen Shi heard this, he almost lost his temper. He quickly gave up his mind and concentrated on practicing.
Strange to say, after eating the "meal" cooked by his grandfather, he felt that the speed of practicing the Sanguang Zhengqi Jue was inexplicably faster, his body became stronger and stronger, and his limbs were full of strength!
"Even if I don't take things like preserved souls, I can still enter the true king's tomb again and walk such a long distance!" He thought to himself.
However, this is not enough.
His goal is to obtain the complete Three Lights Righteousness Technique!
The wooden cart traveled more than ten miles and arrived at Shanyang Village next door.
This village is built around an ancient pagoda, which has thirteen floors and is seven or eight feet high. The bricks and stones are old and clumsy, and they are engraved with patterns from an unknown age.
Chen Shi looked up and saw a handsome monk sitting on the second floor of the ancient pagoda. While receiving the incense, he slowly turned his head and watched the wooden cart of his grandfather and grandson passing in front of the pagoda.
This young monk is the godmother of Shanyang Village.
The godmother does not have to be a tree, but anyone with extraordinary power can accept the worship of the world, protect one side, and be worshiped as the godmother.
The real godmother of Shanyang Village is actually the ancient pagoda, and the young monk is just the image formed by the extraordinary power of the villagers' sacrifices.
"This monk is not a good person either." Chen Shi said sincerely.
When he first came here, he entered the tower rashly and was almost eaten as a sacrifice by the young monk.
He still remembers the moment when the little monk changed from a kind-hearted man to a ferocious giant Buddha, and he still shudders to this day.
When the wooden cart stopped, Chen Shi got out of the car and helped his grandfather set up the stall and put on all kinds of talismans.
The grandfather and grandson mainly make a living by selling talismans. There are talismans for communicating with relatives in other places, peach talismans to ward off evil spirits, armor and horse talismans for traveling, water-bending talismans for boating, and rain master talismans for praying for rain.
Those who can draw talismans must cultivate themselves into divine bodies and possess divine power. However, such people are often promoted to civil servants and hold official positions in the city. Where can they come out to sell talismans?
"Old Chen, are you out selling talismans again?" Someone recognized the grandfather and grandson and greeted them.
"Um."
"How did I hear that you were dead? I heard from people in your village that when you go to bed at night, you sleep in your own coffin!"
"It's nothing, don't talk nonsense."
Grandpa chatted with regular customers. The business of the talisman stall was good, and soon the grandfather and grandson sold a lot of talismans.
At this time, two young girls came over playfully. They were both dressed in clothes that they were reluctant to wear on weekdays, but they revealed their slender pink-white legs and arms like chopsticks. Their faces were lightly painted with pink and white, and they were bright and sunny.
"Two peach blossom charms." One of the girls was more courageous and handed over two broken pieces of silver and said with a smile.
Her palm touched Chen Shi's palm, which was soft and smooth, making the young man's heart flutter.
Chen Shi quickly fetched the peach blossom charm and gave it to them. The two girls walked away laughing, and the bolder girl glanced back at Chen Shi twice and smiled twice.
Chen Shi's heart was beating rapidly, he pinched a peach blossom charm and quietly stuffed it into his sleeve.
"Take it out." Grandpa said without raising his head.
"What did you bring out?" Chen Shi pretended to be stupid.
"Peach Blossom Talisman."
Chen Shi muttered in annoyance, reluctantly took out the Peach Blossom Talisman, and exclaimed: "Grandpa, I'm not young anymore, I can use the Peach Blossom Talisman!"
Grandpa shook his head: "You are still young. I saw you when you were taking a medicinal bath. You will grow for another two years."
Chen Shi's face turned red.
"And you are still sick." Grandpa added.
Chen Shi practiced Sanguang Zhengqi honestly and strived to recover from the disease as soon as possible, but he still had a question: "Grandpa, what disease do I have?"
Grandpa didn't answer.
By noon, the grandfather and grandson had sold out all the talismans, packed up the stall, got on the wooden cart, and drove out of Shanyang Village.
The wooden cart drove smoothly. Chen Shi ate some dry food on the cart. Grandpa didn't eat anything. Instead, he took out a few sticks of incense and lit them, holding them in his hands to inhale the aroma.
When Chen Shi saw this scene, he was silent for a long time and said, "Grandpa, will you become the godmother of the village after your death? Then I can see you every day."
Grandpa was silent for a moment. I wonder if he was a little sentimental. He shook his head and said: "No. After I die, I will probably be pulled away by the power of the netherworld and fall into the underworld."
There was another moment of silence.
"Grandpa, can you not die?"
Chen Shi lowered his head and looked at the road in front of the car, which was gradually blurring, "I don't want grandpa to die."
After a long time, grandpa stretched out his rough hand and touched his head.
"Silly boy, how can one survive death?" Grandpa said with a smile.
In the past ten days, Chen Shi felt the tenderness of his elders and relatives for the first time.
The wooden cart trudged forward, and there was a huge tree standing in front of it. Unfortunately, it was a dead tree, and its branches were like sharp claws of a monster, piercing the sky.
There are hundreds of houses surrounding the giant tree, also in a ring, but no one is living in this village.
The godmother of this village is dead.
The day the giant tree died, the village lost its protection and was invaded by external evil spirits, killing many people.
As the wooden cart passed by, Chen Shi saw people moving in the village, about a hundred or so people, smiling and dressed in costumes, and children playing.
They are also celebrating the Moon Festival.
It's just that they have been dead for a long time.
"Why didn't the power of the netherworld pull them into the underworld?" Chen Shi asked doubtfully.
Grandpa couldn't answer either.
The wooden cart arrived at the next village. This village was called Fangdian Village. The Yudai River made a bend here like a rope loop. Fangdian Village was built on the bend of the river. There were luxuriant grasses everywhere.
Yingfei is very beautiful.
The godmother of Fangdian Village is an ancient tree, probably an elm tree. The tree is extremely strong and has many red ropes and wishing cards tied to it. Chen Shi looked towards the tree, but did not see the tree god born with extraordinary power.
I couldn't help but be startled.
When he came under the tree, he discovered that there was a small temple under the tree. In front of the shrine in the temple, incense was curling up. There was a girl about his own age sitting there, wearing a pink dress and two long ponytails.
While eating the sacrifices, I checked the villagers' prayers.
"So it's here." Chen Shi said heartily.
The grandfather and grandson had just left the talisman stall when they heard the noise coming from the market. The market, which was bustling just now, suddenly lost many people.
The woman held the child in her arms and hurried home. The man hurriedly picked up something he could find, such as an ax and a kitchen knife, and stuck it to his waist. Those who were eating just now ran away with a roar, leaving only
The shopkeeper wanted to cry but had no tears.
"Six doors are coming!" someone shouted.
The so-called six doors refer to the government office. The main entrance of a county government office generally has six door panels, so people who work in the county government office are jokingly called six doors.
Chen Shi looked up and saw dozens of government officials filing in, smashing and destroying stalls and shops along the way.
"Under the law of the Ming Dynasty, those who fail to pay their taxes will be punished with a hundred rods! You are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty, don't make things difficult for us errands!"
The first yamen leader looked around, opened the account book, and said loudly, "Liu Zexi, Liu Zexi! Your land tax has been paid, but there is still household tax and commercial tax unpaid! Come out!"
A man from Fangdian Village boldly said: "Shangguan, Liu Zexi is dead."
The head of the government office pulled up a stool, sat down with a golden sword, and said in surprise: "Dead? When did he die?"
"The last time the Shangguan came to collect taxes, he didn't receive them and died the next day."
The man said cautiously, "It was hung on my godmother's tree. It was already hard when I found it."
The head of the government office said nothing, his eyes were like lightning, he looked at the ancient tree in the center of Fangdian Village, and sneered: "You mean he treated himself as a sacrifice to the godmother of your village? Liu Zexi, you think
As a sacrifice, I make a wish to your godmother, so... what exactly is your wish?"
————Dear book friends, have a healthy Dragon Boat Festival~
Thank you Duan Tianzun zhu for the silver reward, thank you boss for your love! Thank you to Piao Yao Xiaowei, Yu_Du_chen, Shenchao_Qing'er, Shenchao_Junxun for the reward. And Mr. Xueliu for your support.
Chapter completed!