Chapter 190, the ghost city of Xudu

There are three magical places in the human world, Penglai, Jimo and Xudu, among these three places, Penglai symbolizes the divine world, Jimo symbolizes the human world, and Xudu symbolizes the ghost world.

The city is the only way for ghosts in the human world to go to the reincarnation of the underworld, so the city is also called a ghost city. The place where everyone is going this time is the ghost world. If you want to enter, you can only enter through this ghost town.

A group of four people came to this capital city, and the city wall at the gate of the city was written with two big characters of Xudu. The brushwork is vigorous and powerful. It's completely different from those city gate plaques in the Western Regions. Everyone thought that the distance between this capital city and Yizhou City was not too far, and it should be regarded as a prosperous place anyway.

But as soon as I entered the city gate, I was amazed, how could there be any big city in this city. Everyone's eyes were filled with green smoke, and the smell of choking incense and candles was thick in the nose. The four of them walked down the street, only to see that a thick layer of paper money had been laid under their feet. A lot of paper money is still flying in the air, yellow and white, everywhere. Walking down this street, from time to time, the faint cry of a woman will be heard, like a soul-inducing tune, which goes straight to the bones of people.

It's almost impossible to see street vendors, but there are quite a few people selling incense and candles. The most common is the coffin shop, one after the other. There will be a coffin at the door of each house, which is considered a store sign. But looking at it, the coffins all over the street, coupled with the gloomy weather, the breeze blowing, and the scattering all over the ground already give people an eerie and terrible atmosphere.

Ghost town, worthy of its name.

Walking here, I'm afraid there is only one feeling, that is, fear, if ordinary people walk here, not only is they scared, but they are simply afraid.

There are not too many people on this street, it is like a street that has been abandoned for a long time, but there is no other clutter on the street except paper money, and it looks very clean. Occasionally, a person walks in front of him, but he hurriedly walks by with his head down and an iron face, as if he has touched some taboo. Everyone was wondering, and suddenly they heard a tinkling voice.

When they saw it, it turned out to be a carriage, and the carriage was open-topped. A large coffin of golden silk nanmu was pulled on it. Sitting in front of the coffin was a guy wearing a hideous mask. With a flick of the reins in his hand, the horses in front of him slowly walked forward.

Shi Yunyang arched and said, "This little brother, is there an inn near here?"

When the man saw the four, he hurriedly reined in his horse. Despite wearing the mask, he could still feel his surprise. He said, "How many of you are outsiders?"

Shi Yunyang said: "Exactly." ”

The man said: "Outsiders must wear masks when they come to the city, otherwise the anger of the living will attract evil spirits, and they will be unlucky." ”

Shi Yunyang said: "The first time I came here, I didn't know that there were still such customs in the capital. ”

The man said: "Today I came to buy a coffin for my lord, thinking that his old man is gone, I will do good deeds and accumulate virtue for him." Here are four masks, so I'll give them to you. The inn you are looking for is at the corner in front of you, turn right to the second room. ”

Shi Yunyang said: "Thank you, please mourn the little brother, the lord of the mansion will definitely be rewarded in the next life." Leave. The man made an arch, and then drove the carriage slowly into the green smoke of the city, and disappeared.

Shi Yunyang distributed the masks to the other three, and the four of them wore masks, and when they turned the corner, they could already see the only shop sign on the street. The shop sign has four words written on it, Ghost Rejection Inn.

When everyone walked into the inn, they found that the inn seemed to be very small. There are three or four tables in the lobby. There was already a thin layer of ash on it, and it was clear that there were no guests for some days. Everyone walked to the counter, and Han Lun shouted, "Little Er!"

After a long time when no one answered, Han Lun called out again. But the inn seemed to be empty. Just as he was about to shout, a cold voice suddenly came from behind several people.

"Don't call it, the small shop is not big, there are no customers, and there are no shopkeepers. ”

Everyone turned around and saw that it was a hunchbacked old woman, and everyone couldn't help but be startled when they saw her. This woman was born extremely ugly, her hair was gray, but almost all of it had fallen out, and her head was almost bare. The few remaining hairs are like weeds piled up haphazardly. The man's face was wrinkled, her features were shrunk together, and her left eye was gone, leaving only a black hollow. It looks extremely scary, and the most important thing is that the four of them are all people with special skills, but this old woman can appear behind them without warning, just like a ghost, coming and going.

Shi Yunyang said: "You are the proprietress here?"

The old woman said, "Exactly, how many guest officers are going to eat or stay?"

Shi Yunyang said: "Accommodation, open four upper rooms for us." ”

The old woman said, "There are only about a dozen houses in the shop, and there are no rooms. If you want to stay, I'll show you. ”

Shi Yunyang said: "Then there is labor." ”

The old woman walked step by step on crutches, using her cane to sort out the cobwebs on the stairs. Said: "This way, please." ”

The old woman went upstairs, led them to the door of the four rooms, stretched out her hand and pushed the door open, and suddenly a choking dust came to her face. Everyone immediately covered their mouths and turned away, except for the old woman, who walked into the room alone without even blinking her eyes.

Han Lun frowned and said, "It seems that no one has come to this place for a long time, can anyone live there?"

Although the old woman's eyes were not good, her ears were very smart, and Han Lun's whispered speech was completely heard by her, and she said: "There are not many living people in the capital city, except for those who buy coffins, who wants to come to this place." Don't be anxious, I'll cook for you later, and after you finish eating, the old woman will clean up. ”

Shi Yunyang said: "Then there is labor." ”

Luo Xiaocheng said: "Auntie, is there any wine for sale?"

The old woman said, "Yes, I'll get it for you in a moment." There is no menu in the shop, and you can eat whatever I fry. ”

Shi Yunyang said: "That's fine, save a la carte." ”

The old woman said, "Take off your masks, why do you want to make such a ghostly appearance?" This girl is as beautiful as a fairy, and it would be a pity to wear a mask on this face. ”

Ran Tianluo said strangely: "You haven't seen my face, how do you know if I'm beautiful or ugly?"

The old woman wiped the dirt on the door frame with her sleeve and said, "Looking at the girl's figure and dress, she will definitely not be the same as the old woman." Those who are beautiful will dress themselves up, while those who are ugly will only cover themselves. ”

Ran Tianluo nodded, feeling that what she said made sense. It seems that this is indeed the case with people in this world. People's self-esteem is a strange thing, and ugliness is the greatest damage to self-esteem.

Shi Yunyang said: "Isn't it necessary for outsiders to wear masks when entering the Xudu?"

The old woman shook her head and said, "It's just a rumor, although the capital is a ghost town, ghosts are also governed by laws like people. What's more, ghosts want to eat people, and they will also pick people who can't afford to be seriously ill, or who have ghosts in their hearts. The heart is clear, why not fear ghosts and gods. ”

Luo Xiaocheng laughed and said: "What a clear heart, why not be afraid of ghosts and gods." Luo Mousheng sat upright in his life, how could he have ever seen anything unsightly, even if he didn't wear this mask. He ripped the mask off his face and squeezed it in his hand.

Everyone took off their masks, and the old woman murmured, "In fact, every man's face is a mask, and who can see his heart through the face of this man." ”

Everyone was stunned, and the old woman's words seemed to have reached their hearts. There is a thing called camouflage in this world, and people often say that the human heart is separated from the belly. The human heart naturally cannot be expressed on the face. If a person wants to disguise, there is nothing that cannot be disguised.

When they looked at the room, they thought it would be okay, so they went downstairs with the old woman, who cleaned a table for them. The four of them sat around a square table.

The four of them chatted without saying a word, and in a short time, the food was already served, although the little shop was dilapidated and dirty, but the old woman's craftsmanship was not bad. In a short time, seven or eight side dishes were already served, both meat and vegetarian.

The old woman also brought two jars of wine. Han Lun opened the lid and smelled it, and said in surprise: "It turned out to be October White." ”

Luo Xiaocheng smiled and said, "Can't you see it, Young Master Han also understands wine?"

Han Lun said: "This October white is a famous wine in Suzhou, it is a kind of winter wine, and it is ready to be drunk on the night of the winter solstice. Osmanthus is added to the white in October, which is fragrant, the taste is sweet and mellow, slightly sweet, and it is very refreshing. This wine is my father's favorite wine, and there are probably five or six hundred jars of October White in our family's wine cellar that are more than 100 years old.

Luo Xiaocheng said: "Listening to you blowing so amazingly, I want to taste it." ”

As he spoke, he poured a bowl into his bowl. didn't wait for everyone, he raised his head and drank a bowl of wine, Luo Xiaocheng was so addicted that he wanted to pour wine again. Han Lun shook his head, opened another altar by himself, and poured it on Shi Yunyang and Ran Tianluo. I slowly poured half a bowl.

Ran Tianluo said: "Let's drink less, we still have something to do tonight." ”

Shi Yunyang said: "This is a problem, we don't know how to enter the ghost realm yet. ”

Luo Xiaocheng said: "The proprietress has lived here for so long, she must know how to get in, just ask if you don't want to do it in a while." Come, we really don't have much time to get together to drink like this, a hundred years of life, passing in a hurry, endless years of life, fate to get together, when the floating white. Haha"

Everyone raised their wine and drank bitterly, and Luo Xiaocheng did say what everyone wanted. For a while, my heart was surging, and I suddenly felt a sense of pride.

Just as a few people were drinking, a person suddenly walked in outside the door, this person was wearing a gray cloth shirt and holding a wooden box in his hand. Strode up to a table, blew suddenly, and sat down. There was already a lot of dust on the left, and when he blew it, the entire lobby was suddenly covered with flying dust.

The four of Han Lun were eating, and this time the dust in the sky, how could they eat? Several people suddenly felt angry.

Han Lun said angrily, "What are you going to do? Don't you see anyone eating?"

The man didn't say a word, but slammed a heavy sword behind him on the table.