“…… Hello Dao Chief, thank you Dao Chang for coming over to do things for my father. You were just passing by, and I bothered you. ”

The eldest of the Hu family, that is, the eldest son of the deceased, heard the sound and walked over and greeted Xu Feng and Ah Meng into the courtyard, and his mood was still a little low.

“…… Eh, the Taoist is good...... The Taoist ......"

In the brightly lit courtyard, other villagers saw Xu Feng and Ameng, and they also greeted each other one after another.

However, in this courtyard, most people are a little depressed, and occasionally someone speaks, but they also keep their voices down.

“…… Dao Chief, my father is here. ”

Leading the way, from the courtyard into the hall with the door open,

In the mourning hall, there are wooden shelves, and thick bedding is spread on the shelves, and the deceased are placed.

"The villagers and I found my father, brought him back, washed him well, changed into clean and warm clothes, and then left him here without much movement. Dao Chief, you see what to do now. ”

Next to her, a middle-aged woman walked over, probably the daughter-in-law of the eldest of the Hu family, her face was a little tired, and she held two cups of tea and handed them to Xu Feng and Ah Meng respectively.

"The Taoist chief drinks tea...... This is my daughter-in-law. ”

"Well, thank you."

Xu Feng took the tea and nodded, and Ah Meng took the tea and stood beside Xu Feng.

"I just heard that the old man died in the mountains, and he only came back earlier. He must have eaten lunch and dinner yet, so let's bring him a bowl of rice first. ”

"Yes, yes...... Governor. ”

Xu Feng turned his head and looked at the corpse placed on the wooden shelves of the mourning hall,

The corpse's face was gray and a little hideous, probably for fear of scaring the guests, most of the face was covered with bedding, and the bottom was also, only the soles of the cloth shoes were exposed.

When Xu Feng said this, it can be regarded as a part of the funeral ceremony.

But it's more of a comfort for the living.

Listening to Xu Feng's words, the boss of the Hu family, who had always been a little low, responded, and his eyes turned red.

"Yes, yes...... My dad hadn't eaten when he left...... Daughter-in-law, go and serve a bowl of rice to our father. ”

"Huh."

The daughter-in-law of the eldest of the Hu family answered and turned to leave.

The boss of the Hu family turned his head and looked at his father again, his eyes even redder.

"Dao Chief...... My father's stomach was hollowed out, and I was afraid he wouldn't be able to eat. ”

The boss of the Hu family said again.

"How did your father go?"

“…… He went to the mountains early this morning to pick mushrooms. In the past few days, the mountains and forests have been foggy, and by noon, the fog has not dispersed or left.

When I went out in the morning, I persuaded him not to go, and he got lost for a while.

He said that he would go around the side of the mountain, and not go inside, and said that no one in the village would go up the mountain in the same way.

I couldn't persuade him, so I had to let him go.

When he left, he said that he would come back before noon, and he didn't bring anything to eat or drink.

In the off-season of these two days, there are not many guests in the village, taking advantage of this time, in the morning, I also went out to turn over the land at home, and my daughter-in-law washed the clothes of these days at home.

When I came back from the field, it was noon, and before I saw my father come back, I knew something was wrong.

I can't pick mushrooms at noon, and people say that they haven't come back at noon...... The fog in the mountains and forests was still so strong, so I quickly called the people in the village to help me go up the mountain to find him. ”

"There is a lot of fog in the mountains, and we can't see anything after a short distance, and a group of us don't dare to separate when we go into the mountains, for fear of losing anyone, so we walk together...... In the end, we walked together and walked in little by little. ”

"I searched for an afternoon, and then I found my father in the evening."

"I don't know if I got lost and stepped on the air, or if I was chased by some beast. My dad fell into a ravine...... When you find it, face the sky...... His face was scratched a little, and his stomach was hollowed out by some beasts......"

As he spoke, the Hu family boss's eyes turned even redder, and some tears rolled in his eyes.

"Hoo ......"

Chang exhaled, held back his tears, the boss of the Hu family had red eyes, and asked Xu Feng again,

"Dao Chief...... My father passed away like this, is there anything to pay attention to? ”

"Serve the food to your father first, and let your father eat before leaving. I'll pay attention to the rest. ”

Xu Feng responded again.

Hearing Xu Feng's words again, the eyes of the Hu family boss were a little red.

At this time, the daughter-in-law of the eldest of the Hu family walked out with a bowl of good food.

The boss of the Hu family first took it, then took the food, poofed, and knelt down towards his father's corpse.

“…… Dad, you can eat something. This is what you like to eat...... Don't go hungry. ”

"Burn some more paper for your father."

"Okay."

Funeral rituals are more about comforting the living.

He gave his father food, burned incense, candles, and paper money.

The boss of the Hu family got up again, still with red eyes, but he also eased up.

"Is there a white cloth or a red cloth?"

"Hmm...... Let those who need to worship come in and worship, burn paper, burn incense, and send it to your father......"

Xu Feng re-emerged from the hall that was arranged into a mourning hall,

Just outside the door of the hall, the funeral ceremony was carried out.

The filial sons and grandsons of the deceased old man also wore linen and filial piety, and knelt down with the old man following the ceremony.

In the village, except for Xu Feng and Ameng at this time,

Although there are few guests from outside, there are also two,

Originally, I heard the commotion in the village, and I came out to see the excitement.

At this time, I saw that the funeral was going on, and I left.

There are also those who feel a little unlucky, and they are ready to leave at dawn tomorrow morning.

……

The night was getting darker, and the night sky was probably hazy with thick fog, and there was no moon or stars to be seen.

Xu Feng followed the funeral ceremony and recited the scriptures.

There seems to be some rhythmic recitation of scriptures, like a spring breeze, soothing people's minds.

Till late at night,

Today's funeral service is temporarily over,

The people from the village who had come to the funeral got up one after another and prepared to go back to rest.

“…… The Taoist Dharma is doing a really good job. ”

Xu Feng and Ah Meng lived in that house before, and the old man also got up at this time,

first exaggerated Xu Feng, and then asked,

"Dao Chief, today's ritual has also been completed, do you think you should go back to my room to rest, or ......?"

"Let's go here, and talk to the owner here."

Here, probably directly related to the tiger, it should be the deceased old man who went to the mountains and died in the mountains.

Xu Feng is going to stay here and see the situation.

"I don't know, there's a place to rest here."

"Yes, yes, Dao Chief. Our house also receives guests on weekdays, and there happens to be empty rooms, and the bedding is ready-made. We'll give you another clean duvet cover right away. ”

The master here, the boss of the Hu family, hurriedly responded.

"Well, thank you."

"Thank you, Daoist, for causing you trouble."

After a few more words, the other guests dispersed one after another.

In the courtyard of this house, there are only Xu Feng and Ah Meng, and the daughter and daughter-in-law of this old man.

“…… Governor. You see my father is so dead, is there anything special about it? It is better to bury it directly or to be cremated. ”

"You mean?"

On the edge of the quiet courtyard, the old man's relatives were talking and tearing up the paper money,

Xu Feng drank the tea poured for him and rested on the side.

Ah Meng sat beside Xu Feng, holding Xu Feng with one hand and never letting go, and holding a cup of tea in the other, most of the time it was quiet.

When Xu Feng looked at her, she also looked at Xu Feng.

"We want to give my father a good time...... He died very badly, lost in the mountains, and we were afraid that he would come home. ”

"That'll do fine."

Xu He glanced at Ah Meng, turned his head, and nodded to the children of the deceased old man.

"Thank you, Chief...... We're just afraid of causing trouble to the Taoist. ”

"It's fine."

"Dao Chief, why don't you go and rest first, here our brothers will take turns to guard my father's spirit."

"It's okay, I'll sit down again. I know where the rest room is, but you should go and rest. Tomorrow's funeral, and you're tired. ”

Xu Feng sat in the courtyard drinking tea.

Seeing that Xu Feng was not in a hurry to rest, the boss of the Hu family simply set up a small folding table for Xu Feng and the others, and put some melon and fruit snacks in front of Xu Feng and the others.

“…… Boss, second, let's go to sleep first, and you wake me up in the middle of the night. ”

"Okay, hurry up, don't get up in the middle of the night for a while."

The night is darker, and the time is late.

Gathered in the courtyard to talk, the old man's daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law, who were tearing up the paper money, also got up one after another and went to rest.

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Hu family, no matter how busy she was for a while, she also went to sleep first.

In the yard, there is only the eldest of the Hu family left, and the second eldest of the Hu family guards the spirit of their father, tearing up the paper money by the way.

There are also Xu Feng and A Meng.

Not so many people talk,

The courtyard became even more dead silent.

"This fog ......"

The second child of the Hu family tore up the paper money, raised his head, and said something outside the courtyard, but he couldn't say any more.

Late at night, with the chill that permeated the night, the dense fog in the mountains and forests also spread to the village.

At this moment, in the dead of night, although the incandescent lamps in the yard illuminate the yard brightly,

But not far outside the courtyard, the night was mixed with thick fog, and it was drowned in darkness, and it was impossible to see clearly.

Only wisps of mist could be seen drifting out of the darkness outside the courtyard.

Occasionally, you can hear a few dogs barking in the quiet village.

"Wang ...... Wang ......"

Listening to the voice, the boss of the Hu family also raised his head and looked at the dense fog and night outside the courtyard,

And just silence.

His father must have gotten lost in the fog.

Otherwise, he would not fall into the ravine in the familiar mountain that has not yet entered the old forest.

When he found his father, the basket in which his father had gone out to pick the mushrooms was still on his side, and the mushrooms were scattered all over the ravine.

The second child of the Hu family probably also looked at the thick fog, remembered his father, looked at it, and fell silent.

“……”

At this quiet moment, Xu Feng, who was originally looking at the two Hu family brothers, suddenly turned his head to look at the fog outside the courtyard,

Ah Meng, who was beside Xu Feng, had also turned his head to look over.

"Ameng, did you see that?"

"See. It's the old man of the Hu family. ”

Although the courtyard was filled with dark night and thick fog,

But Xu Feng could still see the scene in the thick fog and night.

At this time, in the thick fog, an extra figure appeared.

The figure did not follow the road in the village, but from the foot of the mountain in the distance,

One foot deep, one foot shallow, along the farmland in the village, the ridges,

Straight across it.

The figure was hunched on his back, but he raised his head and looked straight ahead,

In the crops in the field, the figure looms from time to time.

Step by step, we approached the edge of the yard.

“…… Top dog...... Dick ...... Top dog...... Dick ......"

What followed was a long, gasping call.

“…… Boss, did you hear anything? ”

The Hu family was still holding paper money in the second-hand hand, and first heard some vague voices,

frowned, turned his head and asked the boss,

"Voice, what sound ......"

The boss listened to the sound more with his ears sideways,

I heard the barking of the dogs in the village even more powerfully, and under the barking of the dogs, some sounds gradually became clearer and clearer.

"Wang...... Wang ......"

The dogs in the village were probably pulling the chains, and they were pulling and colliding with the chains.

“…… Top dog...... Second, follow me...... I'm coming to you......"

"Boss...... Dick ......"

The voice is clear.

For the figure was already at the edge of the courtyard.

The eldest and second eldest of the Hu family were shocked, and when they heard this voice at this time, they were a little creepy.

The two of them stood up suddenly, took two steps back, looked at Xu Feng and Ah Meng first, and then moved closer to Xu Feng and Ah Meng.

Then he looked out of the courtyard.

“…… Boss, second...... It's me...... I am back. ”

“…… Come with me, I have something to tell you......"

The vague figure in the eyes of the Hu brothers gradually walked out of the night fog outside the courtyard.

The figure was stunned, looking at the two of them, his somewhat tattered face was blank, and he kept repeating similar words to the two, and then approached the two.

And the two people, who were originally extremely frightened and creepy, at the moment they saw this figure,

As if enchanted, the nervous expression on his face instantly faded, and he became a little calm and calm, standing in place.

“…… Boss, second, let's go, come with me......"

“…… Father...... We'll go with you...... We'll go with you......"

The Hu brothers were also stunned like the old man, repeating these words.

"Let's go...... Come with me. ”

Blankly, the figure of the old man turned around, led the two of them, and was about to walk towards the thick fog outside the courtyard.

"Come with me...... Follow me...... Top dog...... Dick ......"

Stunned, the Hu brothers followed their father's figure expressionlessly and took a step forward.

"Stop!"

This strange figure seems to have ignored Xu Feng and Ah Meng.

Xu Feng looked at it a few more times, and then said something out loud.

The figure of the old man suddenly disappeared when he heard the sound.

When the two Hu brothers heard Xu Feng's voice, they trembled all over,

He was startled, and then came to his senses.

After a look, I found that the two of them didn't know when, and they had already taken several steps out of the courtyard.

Suddenly drenched in cold sweat, he took a few steps back, and retreated closer to Xu Feng and Ah Meng's sides before he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Chief...... Thank you, Mr. Dao...... We didn't know what we were ...... What the hell...... What is ......?"

"My father couldn't have harmed our brother......"

The two brothers of the Hu family looked back at this time, and the figure that looked like their father before, where is it still at this time.

In the courtyard, the lights were bright, but outside the courtyard, it was still pitch black, and the dogs in the village were still barking like crazy.

And in the open door of the hall, their father was still lying there untouched.

Turning around, the two kept saying thank you to Xu Feng and Ah Meng.

"It's fine."

Xu Feng shook his head and looked at the dark night outside the courtyard.

The boss of the Hu family followed Xu Feng's line of sight and looked at it boldly,

Although he didn't see anything, he hurriedly turned his head again.

"Dao Chief, that thing won't be there, will it?"

"Nope."

The figure had already disappeared after Xu Feng spoke.

The figure seemed to be unconscious, and just now he called out to the two Hu brothers.

"Hoo ......"

The Hu brothers breathed a sigh of relief, but followed suit.

"Dao Chief, my daughter-in-law is still resting in the house...... Something can't happen too, right? ”

"It's fine."

Xu Feng responded to the Hu family's brothers' words again.

"Thank you, thank you, ......"

The two breathed a sigh of relief and thanked each other repeatedly.

Some looked out of the courtyard with fear,

But he didn't dare to go into the house just like that. I don't dare to get too close to the edge of the yard,

simply moved the position to Xu Feng and Ah Meng.

Some were apprehensive, looking around from time to time, and then tearing up the paper money.

"Dao Chief...... What's that? ”

The second child of the Hu family couldn't help but ask again.

Xu Feng turned his head and looked at the Hu family brothers, but did not answer.

“…… yes, yes, don't talk about those things at night, don't talk about those things, I shouldn't ask, shouldn't ask......"

As if he understood, the second child of the Hu family hurriedly muttered to himself again.

Xu Feng glanced at the Hu family brother again and turned his head.

Here is a mapping of historical fragments, even if Xu Feng just stopped this Hu family brother,

It doesn't change the real history.

For the figure just now, Xu Feng had already roughly guessed it.

“…… Guy. ”

Xu Feng and Ah Meng glanced at each other and whispered out a name.

"Huh? What do you say, Daoist? ”

"Can you tell me more about the time when you found your father?"

"Good, good ......"

The brothers of the Hu family hurriedly responded, but the boss of the Hu family said again,

"When I found my father at the bottom of the ravine, he was covered in wounds and hollowed out from his stomach to his chest...... It was that long, steep slope, and if you didn't pay attention, you would roll down. Roll down and you're in the ravine. ”

"A lot of my father's internal organs have been taken out, and a lot of them have fallen down the ravine...... Stuff...... But there is nothing missing in the legs and feet......"

"Hmm...... Did you see any animals in the past? ”

"No...... There are so many of us, so much movement, some brute must have run away early. ”

The boss of the Hu family shook his head in response.

"Hmm."

Xu Feng responded again.

“…… Dao Chief, this is ...... tonight Is there anything else that needs to be done? My father doesn't need to overdo it......"

After a while, probably still a little afraid, the Hu family brothers turned their heads one after another and asked Xu Feng.