Take the bus back from Goose City.
It was already past eleven when we arrived at Dagou Town.
Looking out through the car window, Xu Zhenren and Zhang Dadan were performing rituals at the town gate to save the souls of the dead.
"My master, I feel like a cucumber in my heart. We are both master and disciple. Uncle Jiu is worried about his disciple."
"That's good of me. I'm so worried about Master that my legs are almost broken because of him. It really doesn't let me worry."
Zhang Heng was speechless and said, "Stop the car."
The car is parked on the roadside.
Zhang Heng got off the car and ordered: "You go back first."
"Yes, patriarch."
The convoy drove away quickly.
Zhang Heng sighed and walked towards Master Xu.
As I got closer, I heard Master Xu giving a lecture to Zhang DaDa: "The seventh month of the lunar calendar is the Ghost Month, and the first half of the seventh month is the Ghost Festival, a day when the gates of ghosts are wide open."
"At this time every year, the underworld will open the gates of hell and let the underworld escort the lonely souls back to the earth to accept the charity from the earth."
At this point, Xu Zhenren noticed that Zhang Heng had arrived and said happily: "Are you done?" He then said: "Come and burn some paper money when you are done. Now the prices are rising seriously down there, and some lonely ghosts who have no one to worship them,
It’s not a good life down there.”
"good."
Zhang Heng picked up the copper coin he wore around his waist and wiped his eyes.
As soon as I saw it, there was a long queue in front of Xu Zhenren's altar. Many lonely ghosts looked at them expectantly, just like refugees waiting to receive relief food.
"There is no improvement in being a human being, and being a ghost is so hard. It's really difficult!"
Zhang Heng walked up to Xu Zhenren and pushed Zhang Dadan aside: "Go and burn some paper clothes. Those people behind are fighting with who knows who. Their clothes are all torn. How can you go out to meet people?"
"Yes, senior brother."
Zhang boldly set up a brazier and began to burn clothes for the lonely soul.
"Master, are you going back to Maoshan soon?"
Zhang Heng burned the paper money and asked insinuatingly.
"I'm planning to go back and have a look next month. At that time, I will ask you, Uncle Qian, to come with me."
Xu Zhenren replied, and then asked: "How do you know?"
"Just ask."
Zhang Heng didn't say anything about his visit to Zhenren Qian, but just said: "Uncle Qian is very busy recently in Maoshan, so he may not have time to go back."
"Yeah?"
Xu Zhenren was doubtful.
"Um?"
Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows and found an old man waiting in line who seemed to have received money once.
"You damn old man, do you want to act like a fool?"
"As a human being, you are greedy. If you are a ghost, you are still so greedy. Get out of here."
Hearing Zhang Heng's words, the old man grinned and walked away with the big banknote he received from Tiandi Bank.
Change to the next person.
This is a girl in her twenties, with a pale face, holding a little baby, and she looks like she died in childbirth.
Zhang Heng couldn't bear it, so he burned a bunch of extra paper money for her without saying anything. He boldly told Zhang: "Burn a carriage. There is a lady here with children. Life is not easy."
When the woman heard this, she smiled flatteringly at Zhang Heng.
After a while, a carriage stopped next to the woman, and there was a coachman sitting in the carriage.
"Senior brother, I burned an extra paper figurine for her. Now that someone will take care of her, their life will be easier."
Zhang Heng said from the side.
"Well, you did a good job."
After saying that, Zhang Heng waved to the woman: "Go, go."
The woman took the child in her arms and drove away in a carriage.
"Master, do you know that all the ghosts and ghosts from Yangjiang are coming to you when you are doing this ceremony?"
Zhang Heng looked back and saw that there was no end to the long queue: "There must be at least several thousand people here, right?"
Xu Zhenren replied: "It's not just that. From seven o'clock to now, many brothers and sisters have left with alms. Now these are all new arrivals."
"They are all miserable people!"
Zhang Heng looked towards the town.
In Dagou Town, many families are burning paper money to worship their ancestors.
Compared with these brothers and sisters who received alms from the Dharma Assembly, those people were well-dressed, riding horses and sedans, and some were accompanied by servants.
From here, it is not difficult to see that there are two different concepts between offering incense at home and not offering it.
And in the world where incense is offered, those who have money and those who have no money are not the same.
Some wealthy families burned carriages and maids. There were many beauties in the carriages, and gold, silver and ingots were packed in baskets.
After the ancestors got these things and took care of all the misfortune during the trip, they would naturally not have a hard time going back.
"Ah Heng, go to the ancestral hall in the north of Zhen."
"The clan elders opened a troupe at the entrance of the ancestral hall. In addition to the ancestors of the residents of the town, there were also many lonely souls and ghosts who went to listen to the opera to avoid causing trouble."
Xu Zhenren warned Zhang Heng.
"Okay Master."
Zhang Heng clapped his hands and told Zhang Bingdao: "Don't be lazy, keep an eye on this side."
"Yes, senior brother."
Zhang DaDa nodded repeatedly.
Zhenbei.
Zhang's Ancestral Hall.
"Not to mention, it's quite lively."
Zhang Heng went to the entrance of the ancestral hall and took a look.
A stage was set up outside the ancestral hall, and "The Peony Pavilion" was being sung on it.
There are hundreds of benches in the open space facing the outside, and many ancestors of the Zhang family are sitting here to listen to the opera.
Seeing Zhang Heng coming, everyone whispered to each other and praised him one after another.
He praised him for making Dagou Town rich and his descendants lived a good life.
Er boasted that this year’s Ghost Festival was so grand. Not only did they invite a theater troupe and burn more than a dozen cartloads of paper money, but they also put pork, rice, and fruit snacks on the benches so that they could eat while watching the show. It was really thoughtful.
thoughtful.
"Everyone, please watch and don't cause trouble."
"After watching the show, go back with the Yin Chaos obediently. No one should wander around. The Yin Chai side has already taken care of things. After everyone goes back, if you need anything, go to Brother Ma. He is my master's trusted brother. Everyone.
My family."
Zhang Heng warned everyone.
"Thank you, patriarch."
All the tricksters gave up their hands one after another.
...
the next day.
"Ah Heng, come with me to Rongcheng. Something happened with your uncle."
When I got up in the morning, Zhang Heng was having breakfast, and Xu Zhenren came over anxiously.
"What happened?"
Zhang Heng had a question mark on his face.
Xu Zhenren sighed: "It's not the Ghost Festival. Wen Cai went to see a ghost show last night and was deceived by the ghosts. He let thousands of ghosts run away. Now the Yin Division is furious and wants your uncle to resolve this matter within seven days, otherwise
We need to use our talents to punish him. Your uncle has no choice but to call us over to help."
After saying that, he added: "Not only us, Gu Gu, your uncle, but also people from Maoshan in Guangdong and Guangxi. He has contacted them all. After all, thousands of ghosts are not so easy to catch."
Zhang Heng slapped his head.
He had been a little confused yesterday, feeling that he had forgotten something, and he didn't remember it until he went to bed.
Now he knows that he has forgotten about the Ghost Festival.
noon.
Rongcheng, City God Temple.
"That's what it is."
"Those wandering souls are running around now. I'm worried that they will come out to cause trouble at night. I must catch them in the shortest possible time."
On Uncle Jiu's left stood Awei, and on his right stood a listless literary talent, saying with a sad look on his face.
"Thousands, not a few."
"Fortunately, there is no particularly powerful one among these ghosts. Otherwise, hundreds of ghosts would roam at night, and the whole city would be devastated."
Xu Zhenren also looked serious.
"Brother Heng."
While everyone was talking, Wen Cai came close to Zhang Heng and whispered: "I really didn't mean it. That ghost is so powerful. I accidentally fell into her trap."
Zhang Heng glanced at Wen Cai and sighed: "It's useless to say anything now. You have caused a big disaster. Uncle Jiu will definitely punish you after this incident is over. If I don't punish you, I can't explain it to the underworld."
After thinking about it, Zhang Heng added: "In my opinion, when this matter is resolved, you can go back to Wuhua. After you go back, you can renovate the Yi Zhuang and open a funeral supplies store. You can sell things and buy goods on weekdays.
"It's better to ask for a wife later than to mess around all day long."
What Zhang Heng said was true.
Because he felt that literary talent was hopeless, and returning to the world of ordinary people would be good for him, Uncle Jiu, and Maoshan.
On the contrary, if you stay with Uncle Jiu, what else can you do besides causing trouble.
No one can keep rubbing his butt for him, and some things just can't be done through force.
Three days later.
Zhang Heng, Xu Zhenren, Qian Zhenren, Zhue Gu, Jiu Shu.
The exorcist Taoist priest who came from Jiuquan Town, Mamadi who came from Shanfo, Yimei Taoist who came from Meizhou, Mao Xiaofang who came from Ganquan Town, and No. 1 Mao who came from Lin Gui, really gathered together.
"With people like us here, not to mention thousands of lonely souls, even thousands of evil ghosts are nothing. It's no problem."
No. 1 Mao was wearing a suit and tie, and looked out of place with the others wearing monastic robes.
But he is a capable person, known as the number one person in Maoshan who combines Chinese and Western things. He plays an important role in the Xiguang area, and he likes gambling and fighting with others very much.
"By the way, why didn't Senior Brother Zhaixing come?"
The one who spoke was Taoist Yimei.
This person's two eyebrows are connected together, making him look like he has only one eyebrow. He is not angry and confident.
"Senior Brother Zhaixing has gone to Qinghai, and I can't contact him now."
Uncle Jiu replied, and then added: "But senior brother Shi Jian said he would come, so the days are almost here."
"Who's talking about me?"
It’s not easy for living people to talk about it.
Just as he was talking, footsteps came from outside the door.
Everyone looked up and saw that the person who came was wearing a black and white robe and a miter. It could be someone other than Shi Jian.
And beside him, there was a young man in his twenties with a wretched face.
Zhang Heng recognized him. He was nominally the disciple of Uncle Shi Jian, but actually he was the son of Uncle Shi Jian, but his identity had not been disclosed.
"Big brother."
Among the 69 generations of disciples of Maoshan, Shi Jian was the earliest to join the profession.
Therefore, he is not only the senior brother of the Fulu Sect, but others also want to call him senior brother when they see him.
"Master uncle."
Zhang Heng also stood up and saluted.
Hearing his greeting, Shi Jian turned around slightly and said, "You should be Ah Heng. I've heard a lot about you, and now I see you are indeed a talented person."
"It's all the uncles who love me."
Zhang Heng responded, then smiled at Shi Shaojian and said, "Senior brother."
"Um."
Shi Shaojian looked at Zhang Heng, and then at the Wencai on the side: "That silly-looking fool next to you is the Wencai who did this, right?"
After saying that, he made a strange sound: "You are really bad!"
Literary talents dare to be angry but dare not speak out.
Even Uncle Jiu on the side didn't have a very good expression when he heard this. It was just because Shi Jian was embarrassed.
"Brother Heng, I hate him so much."
Wencai muttered beside Zhang Heng.
"Do you think he is going after you?"
Zhang Heng glanced at Shi Jian and then at Uncle Jiu: "The drunkard doesn't care about drinking."
The elders have grown old, and the election of a new six-hall master is imperative.
Chapter completed!