The Legend of Diaoyutai No. 42 and Forty-two Righteous Rat Mounds

Here is a folk custom of ancient mountain people who rushed to walk at night. The mountain roads are rugged, and it is more difficult to walk at night, so torches must be lit. In addition to using moonlight for lighting, ancient people needed to use local materials and choose materials that are easy to burn, bright and long-burning. One of them is the selection of "chaiming", that is, the part of pine wood rich in pine resin, which is split into small strips, burned in a refractory container, and carried on the hand for lighting.

The other is to use "bamboo". The so-called bamboo is a kind of bamboo as thick as a reed, long and straight, buried in the paddy field in a bundle, and then dug out after a period of time, and dried coolly. Take it at any time when you are on the wild road, and hold it in your hand like a torch. The wind does not blow out, and it is quite easy to use.

Water princess, water chestnut, Zhao Yun, and Zhou An held bamboo torches in their hands, walking on the rugged mountain road in the darkness before dawn.

Because they were holding torches, Niu You could see them from a distance.

They came to the place where the rats were carrying gold, and looked at the remains of the rats all over the ground, and they stood in silence to mourn.

The water princess covered the body of a mouse with a piece of white silk, and the water chestnut gently picked up the mouse covered with white silk with a bamboo clamp and placed it in a basket.

The water princess covered the mouse with white silk piece by piece.

The water chestnut picks up the rats one by one and puts them in the basket.

Zhao Yun and Zhou An were picking up gold ingots and putting them in sacks.

In a temporary grass squatt.

The water chestnut reported to the water princess: "Princess, we have gathered a total of one hundred and twenty-nine bodies (body, which is the local respectful term for respectable things in Taiwan, such as: one, only, branch, head, etc.) righteous rat. ”

Zhou An reported to the water princess: "We have picked up a total of forty-four gold ingots. ”

The water princess asked in surprise, "The gold ingots are forty-four ingots?" ”

Zhao Yun said: "Yes, forty-four ingots. Thirty-eight of the ingots were found in the Righteous Rat team. Six other ingots were found on the edge of a cliff at a considerable distance from the rats. “”

The water princess nodded and said, "Got it." We'll come back to that later. ”

At this time, Jin Xiangyu came out of the inner room, holding a gold ingot in her hand, and whispered in the water princess's ear: "I have another piece here." The other six have been transported to the designated underground. ”

The water princess smiled and nodded, "That's exactly fifty-one." ”

Zhao Yun said: "Princess, the other six pieces were lost on the edge of the cliff, it should be done by someone else." ”

Water chestnut said: "Yes, there must be someone else." This man actually came to the scene before us. Strangely, why did he take only six pieces of gold? And why did he go a long way and give up all the gold ingots automatically? ”

The water princess nodded silently and said, "With such a mountain and such a dark night, there should be no passers-by." This person must have been waiting here for a long time. Seeing that there was a large amount of gold to be desired, he was forced to take six ingots under a pressure that he could not resist, and finally gave up the gold under strong pressure. Please note that they all gave up, and they didn't dare to take a single piece away. ”

Water chestnut was surprised: "Could it be that someone is protecting the gold?" ”

The water princess nodded, "Yes!" There are indeed gold guards guarding the gold. But they are not living people, but dead ghosts. ”

Zhao Yun was surprised: "Dead ghost protection gold? Who are they? ”

The water princess said, "It's the dead ghost protector." We want to recognize and commend them for their great understanding on their deathbeds and for their loyalty to them. ”

The water chestnut asked, "Who are they?" ”

The water princess said: "They are Xin Fu, Cheng Si, Du Ming, and Arhat Bai Zhong. ”

Water chestnut and Zhao Yun nodded and said, "It turned out to be them." ”

The water chestnut asked, "How are we going to honor them?" ”

The water princess said: "Next to Jiang Gan's tomb, we will make a righteous rat mound, and at the same time, we will set up a golden guard monument there and engrave their names. This makes it easier to pay tribute. ”

Everyone nodded.

The water princess said: "Water chestnut, you are responsible for this matter." ”

The water princess turned around and said to Zhou An with a smile: "Uncle Zhou, do you remember the ceremony of our previous sacrifice to the mountain god and digging gold?" ”

Zhou An said with a smile: "Remember, of course I remember." Princess, do we still want to dig gold? ”

The water princess said: "Then please ask Uncle Zhou to prepare another divine gift, I will sacrifice to the mountain god with you, and then dig gold." ”

Zhou An said happily: "Wow, wow." Where are we going to worship the mountain gods? ”

The water princess said, "When you are ready for the divine salute, follow me." I pick a good place and we can get started. ”

Zhou An smiled: "It's fun, it's fun." I'll go get ready right away. ”

The water princess said to Zhou An solemnly: "Uncle Zhou, you are an old-timer in Yizhou, you should know what you can say and what you can't say." For example, as you see today, everything you do is something that no one else can say. ”

Zhou An said: "Princess, the first time you saw me, I told you that I, Zhou An, am a trustworthy person. The princess is relieved. ”

The water princess asked, "Jin Xiangyu, why didn't Lu Kangni come?" ”

Jin Xiangyu said: "Lu Kangni, he has already followed." He's waiting outside the hayhouse. He is a soldier and knows the rules, but his aunt didn't call him, he didn't dare to be casual. ”

The water princess nodded and said, "Okay, you call Lu Kangni in, and let's go to the mountain god to dig gold together." ”