The chief of the Dao Bingzhen came to the village the next evening, and after dinner, the ritual of transcending the dead began.

The mourning hall has already been properly arranged by the elders in the village, the fish, flesh and fruits offered are neatly placed on the offering table, the candlelight is flickering and the cigarette smoke is swirling, and the family members of the deceased are wearing linen and filial piety, kneeling on the side in a vegetarian body, and the scene is sad and sad.

After the sound of drums, the flags were erected, and the Bingzhen Dao people, who had changed into Ming Huang robes and purple gold road crowns, made a grand appearance surrounded by the elderly, and the crying around them stopped, and a few villagers of all ages solemnly gathered in a large circle.

In the sound of instrumental music, the Bingzhen Taoist put the Dharma bell and the simple peach wood sword in his hand on the Dharma table, and seemed to inadvertently glance at Chengzong and Wu Ming, who were wearing neat Taoist robes on the left, and showed satisfaction in their eyes.

Chengzong beat the cowhide drum and a row of small bells by himself, and coped with it calmly and calmly; Wu Ming, who had never participated in the rituals, was also in charge of the two musical instruments, the gong and the cymbal, although the level of percussion was not satisfactory, but it could keep up with the drum beat of Chengzong, there were no obvious mistakes, and the sense of rhythm was quite good.

This unexpected discovery surprised Daoist Bingzhen quite a bit, guessing that it was taught to Wu Ming by Chengzong, and he couldn't help but smile a little.

Wu Ming happened to look at Daoist Bingzhen, and when he saw the rare smile of Daoist Chang, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, and the copper cymbals in his hand followed the sound, making an abrupt sound, which made Daoist Bingzhen depressed, and simply turned around and stopped looking at Wu Ming.

Chengzong saw that his uncle's depression and Wu Ming's distraction were funny, and he couldn't help but bow his head and laugh secretly, but the work in his hands was not slow.

Wu Ming's eyes were opened to Wu Ming for half an hour, the peach wood sword and the magic bell dancing of the true Taoist were dazzling, and the figure in his fifties was still flowing and free, and the scriptures chanted in a long breath were subdued and frustrated, and under the background of different rhythms of the Dharma music, it was like a sound outside the sky, which made the audience admire and revere in every way.

When the ritual came to an end, someone offered fragrant tea and handed over a towel. Bingzhen Taoist politely sat on the chair of the first master, calmly sipping fragrant tea, and whispered with the village elders who surrounded him. Chengzong and Wu Ming were still sitting on the straw futon, drinking fragrant tea and whispering.

In fact, Bingzhen Daoist does not need to be surprised, Wu Ming has lived in the Prayer Truth Temple for a long time, before and after more than half a year, under the hearing and witnessing, the Taoist Temple is held three or four times a month sacrifices, blessings and other ceremonies of percussion has been more familiar, although this is Wu Ming's first time on the field, it is purely indiscriminate, but Chengzong temporarily taught Wu Ming for more than two hours, and Wu Ming's extraordinary comprehension ability is naturally not bad.

Moreover, the Qizhen Temple is a small Taoist temple, and there are only three masters and apprentices combined, so naturally there is no band of more than 300 people in the ancestral court of Longhu Mountain who teaches the Longhu Mountain Ancestral Court to be so pompous and exquisite, and there is no need to use dozens of musical instruments such as bamboo silk and orchestras to play dozens of traditional repertoire. The household belongings of ordinary Taoist temples or traveling Taoist priests are very simple, and only a few simple ritual instruments such as swords, gongs, drums, and bells are needed to meet the needs of ordinary rituals.

After only a quarter of an hour's rest, the ritual continued, and Wu Ming's freshness and sense of accomplishment soon slowly disappeared, making his sweaty back and his arms tight.

After the three rounds of the puja, it was almost twelve o'clock in the evening, and the puja was over, and the meal began after two quarters of an hour. Chengzong pulled Wu Ming and said to go eat something together, otherwise he wouldn't be able to stay up in the second half of the night, and Wu Ming suddenly felt a little dumbfounded. Chengzong explained that this is still a simple ritual for ordinary people, and if it is a wealthy family, it will have to be tossed for at least three days and three nights.

It turned out that Taoist priests were not so easy to be, Wu Ming couldn't help but secretly rejoice in his heart: Thank God, I'm just a pseudo-Taoist!

On the morning of the third day, the funeral began after a ritual was over, and the firecrackers sounded after the tedious ceremony, and sixteen big men lifted two coffins in a bitter cry, and the whole village villagers lined up in a long line to lift paper people, paper horses, etc., and walked to the grave mountain in the west of the village.

Daoist Bingzhen walked in front of the team, chanting words in his mouth with a hand-cranked law bell, and Chengzong and Wu Ming followed behind Daoist Bingzhen. Chengzong threw paper money all the way, reciting scriptures and echoing the edict of his uncle, Wu Ming held the flagpole with the thickness of his arm and held the flag high, and constantly comforted himself in the sound of crying and firecrackers: It is also a long insight.

It was already afternoon after the funeral, and the only street in the village was put on the flowing water mat, and the three of Bingzhen Daochang, Chengzong and Wu Ming naturally became the targets of everyone's thanks.

After the chief of the true path raised his glass and saluted the heavens, earth, ghosts and gods, the banquet began immediately. After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere gradually relaxed, and the four village men came to Wu Ming's side with wine bowls and thanked Wu Ming with gratitude, because their seriously injured brother finally woke up this morning, and he was able to drink half a bowl of gruel with a groan, and the villagers generally believed that they could save their lives.

Wu Ming responded very humbly and put the credit on Chengzong, causing Chengzong to be poured three bowls of wine. The men repeatedly thanked Chengzong, who was not smiling, and returned to Wu Ming's side, they had to drink another bowl with Wu Ming, and a mouthful of "Wu Daochang" made Wu Ming's face feverish, red as a boiled crab shell, fortunately, you can use wine to cover up the embarrassment.

The head of the Bingzhen Dao, who shared a table with the patriarchs and elders in the village, saw it in his eyes, and quietly asked Chengzong to call him over, and asked Chengzong in a low voice What was going on? Chengzong then truthfully reported the experience of saving people on the night three days ago.

Daoist Bingzhen was secretly surprised, and asked Chengzong in a low voice: "So, it seems to be a surgical technique of Western medicine, where did he learn it?" ”

"I don't know what to do, when I asked about it the night before yesterday, Brother Wu's answer was very simple, what did you say 'subconsciously', I felt that I should do it. Judging from the treatment process, Brother Wu's methods are very rusty, not like he has learned, maybe it is really like what he said, rather than letting people die, it is better to have the courage to gamble. Chengzong didn't hide anything for Wu Ming, because Wu Ming didn't say anything, anyway, people are lucky not to die until now, but even if they survive, one leg will be useless.

Daoist Bingzhen waved his hand helplessly: "You go." ”

"Yes."

Chengzong promised and didn't leave: "Uncle Shi, there is something to report to Uncle Shi, Brother Wu wants to take this opportunity to go into the city to buy some books." ”

Bingzhen hesitated: "Then let him go and come back quickly, you stay, there is still the last ritual after the meal, we have to rush back when it's over." By the way, does he have any money on him? ”

"Yes, I guess it's enough to buy a few books."

After lunch, the table and chairs were removed, and God suddenly changed his face, and after a cold wind, a steady drizzle began to fall quietly.

Chengzong borrowed a hat from the village chief's house and handed it to Wu Ming, telling him that if he didn't have enough time, he didn't have to take a detour to Tianjia Village, just take a shortcut back, Wu Ming nodded and said that it was more than thirty miles back and forth, so it could only be like this.

Tianjia Village is about fifteen miles away from the county seat, and Wu Ming walked for nearly two hours on the winding dirt road, arriving in the city at nearly four o'clock in the afternoon.

I don't know if it's because of the drizzle, or the regular Kuomintang army has successively evacuated Shangrao to go to southern Gannan to suppress the Communists, the streets of the city are deserted and there are few pedestrians, two garrison patrol soldiers wearing cotton hats and carrying Hanyang-made rifles on their backs are coming, and they can see Wu Ming's robe under his coat clearly, and there is a little respect on his cold face, and when they pass by, one of the soldiers also nodded to Wu Ming kindly.

Wu Ming came to the shop "Wenxuan Pavilion" opposite the county middle school, which specializes in selling paper, pen, inkstone and books and newspapers, took off the hat and took off the coat and put it on the wooden shelf next to the door. ”

"Thank you!"

Wu Ming browsed in front of the neat book counter for a while, the shopkeeper had already brought a cup of steaming tea, Wu Ming thanked him in a low voice, took the teacup and held it in his hand, and continued to look for the books he needed while drinking.

There were no other customers in the shop, so the shopkeeper followed Wu Ming and politely introduced to Wu Ming: "At the beginning of the month, after the army of bandits who were resting in the local area left, we only bought a batch of new goods from Zhejiang, and there were a few new books, which were placed on the top shelf on the right side of the Taoist, and the Taoist would see if it was agreeable. ”

"No wonder the city is much quieter than the last time, it turns out that the army has left." Wu Ming said.

"Yes! Those foreign officers and soldiers are annoying, during the stationing period, the whole city is full of complaints, the people dare to be angry but dare not speak, fortunately, our shop sells Sven goods, uneducated people can't eat and don't need it, but they didn't suffer any losses, other shops are sad, as long as those officers and soldiers like something, they immediately sell it and force it, and beat people if they don't agree with each other, which makes the merchants all over the city tremble, and several taverns and pawnshops dare not open their doors. Now it's better, only the officers and soldiers of the first company of the army from Nanchang stayed to assist the county security regiment in recruiting and training, and they were busy supervising the surrounding towns all day long, saying that they would be promoted after receiving the new soldiers, so the city is now much quieter, and all shops are opening for business one after another. "Maybe there are not many customers today, but the shopkeeper is very enthusiastic.

Wu Ming picked up a copy of the eighteen provincial atlas published by the Central Bureau of Surveying and Mapping during the Yuan Shikai period, and a copy of "Twenty Years of the National Revolution" newly published by the Shanghai Commercial Press.

After paying the money and carefully putting the book into the robe, Wu Ming nodded and said goodbye. The shopkeeper trotted ahead in a few steps, diligently put on a coat for Wu Ming, and handed the hat to Wu Ming with both hands. Wu Ming took the hat, glanced at the misty sky and strode away.

It was still drizzling outside the city, and there were not many people on the gray ground, and the sky was gradually darkening. After walking out of four or five miles, Wu Ming, who was wearing a hat and a robe, still walked steadily, barely feeling tired, knowing that this physique benefited from the hard training in the mountains for half a year, and benefited from the careful teaching of Chengzong.

A tall mule-drawn canopy carriage came from behind, quickly overtook Wu Ming on foot, rolled out two ruts and continued forward. Wu Ming looked up, and the two women on the semi-enclosed mule cart turned out to be the ones who broke into his territory on the day of the Double Ninth Festival.

The woman in the car also saw Wu Ming standing on the side of the road to avoid it, but because Wu Ming was wearing a hat on his head, neither woman recognized him.

The mule cart gradually moved away, Wu Ming continued to move forward, walked out of a mile of road, two healthy horses rushed towards him, Wu Ming was shocked and panicked, and before he could think about how to deal with possible interrogation, he saw two horses stop more than 20 meters in front, and immediately two officers and soldiers wearing gray military uniforms and big caps stopped the horses and turned in circles.

Immediately, the Nanchang voice of the officers and soldiers came clearly: "Have you read carefully? ”

"That's right! Fourth brother, the little lady on the mule cart is really fucking beautiful, like the daughter of a big family, even the little girl is smart, our brother has been holding back for so long, what are you tired of all day long? How can you miss this great opportunity? ”

"Ha Lu Ha! Okay, let's go back and catch up, there is a broken temple two miles ahead, cool and say, anyway, I will leave this small place in a few days, ha, ha! Drive! ”

The two horses chased the mule cart like flying, Wu Ming weighed it for a long time, and finally raised his legs and strode to catch up.