Chapter 71

There are no filial sons by a long-term sickbed.

At funerals, those who cry the loudest and put on the most exaggerated displays of grief are often not the children who served at the side of the deceased year-round.

On the contrary, those who took care of and served the old man day after day find it very difficult to cry at the funeral.

Anything that can be “valued” has limits, for example, emotion.

If it’s consumed for a long time, it will naturally be consumed empty.

Just like Yin Meng at this time, she was smiling, not a forced smile, but a kind of relief and good fortune.

Her grandfather was trapped inside the coffin, and she was trapped inside the coffin shop.

Grandfather and granddaughter, each in torment.

Now, both sides finally found relief.

She felt fortunate because she held on to the end. She didn’t show impatience, didn’t show indifference. She always maintained a positive, sunny attitude, changing her grandfather’s diapers and wiping his body every day, and lying by the coffin to talk to him.

She knew this was what she should do. After all, her grandfather raised her. She would feel a sudden numbness and disgust in her heart at times, and then she would self-criticize and educate herself.

She was very afraid that she wouldn’t hold on. She didn’t want to show any aspect that didn’t conform to the image of a “good granddaughter” in front of her grandfather, not even a little bit. Absolutely not.

Now, she won.

She won a lifetime of peace of mind without guilt.

Tan Wenbin stepped forward first and also smiled, saying, “The old man walked peacefully, it’s a joyous funeral.”

Runsheng: “Let’s handle the funeral.”

The funeral was very simple, because there were really no outside guests. Yin Meng didn’t need to wear a black veil, tie white rope, or kneel to invite people.

On both sides of the shop sign, two white lanterns were hung.

A wreath was placed at the doorway, with the names of the three of them. The mourning couplet was written by Li Zhuoyuan, because among the four of them, he was the only one with good calligraphy.

There was an old sound system inside the shop, which was now placed outside, playing funeral music.

But this was Fengdu, and it was Ghost Street. The shop was still a coffin shop. Even with all these arrangements, passersby wouldn’t think it was a funeral. They would subconsciously think this was an activity to add atmosphere.

For a while, there were more guests entering the shop to look around than usual.

After changing the old man’s longevity clothes, Yin Meng put on mourning clothes and sat cross-legged in front of the mourning hall.

Tan Wenbin and Runsheng sat opposite, burning paper money.

Paper ashes floated around, making the house a little stuffy.

Just as it was raining outside, Li Zhuoyuan simply closed the family genealogy, moved a small stool, and sat down at the shop doorway.

The rainwater brought fresh air and also drove away pedestrians on the street.

Runsheng asked, “How do you plan to arrange the funeral here? How long do you want to keep the spirit?”

Yin Meng: “I want to bury grandfather tonight.”

Runsheng reminded, “This doesn’t conform to the rules.”

Unless the world was in chaos and things were urgent and authorized, he had never heard of any place that would bury someone the same day they died.

Yin Meng: “Whether it conforms to the rules or not doesn’t matter.”

Tan Wenbin immediately echoed, “Only those who have been filial while alive can be confident. There’s no need to put on a show either.”

Runsheng asked, “Then I’ll push it for you. Where is your family’s ancestral grave?”

Yin Meng shook her head: “My family doesn’t have an ancestral grave. Our family tradition is water burial.”

Runsheng: “Which water area?”

Yin Meng shook her head again: “I don’t know. Grandfather didn’t tell me these things in detail.”

Li Zhuoyuan, sitting at the shop doorway with his back to the crowd and listening to the rain, opened his mouth: “Nine Turns River.”

Yin Meng curiously: “Xiao Yuan, how do you know?”

“It’s written in your family genealogy.”

“It’s written? I’ve seen the family genealogy. I don’t remember this.”

“It’s in the back notes. A Ming Dynasty ancestor of your family recorded the process of burying his father, and it’s written in great detail.”

“Oh, no wonder. I didn’t read those notes. There were too many and too dense, and the words were also very difficult to understand.”

Li Zhuoyuan: “Your grandfather was indeed too careless.”

He was clearly old, but he didn’t inform his granddaughter in advance about these matters.

Of course, it was also possible that the old man didn’t value these rules early on. After all, he could even borrow the family genealogy if he wanted to.

His son was “missing without a trace,” and his only blood relative was his granddaughter. He himself was also not in good health. He should have prepared early for the discontinuation of the family inheritance. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even failed to teach Yin Meng the method of walking the yin.

“Then, will you help me arrange for grandfather’s burial, Xiao Yuan?”

Runsheng: “Call him brother.”

Tan Wenbin set an example: “Xiao Yuan brother, what do you want to eat for lunch? I’ll go buy it.”

Yin Meng got up from her cushion, walked to Li Zhuoyuan’s side, and half-squatted down:

“Xiao Yuan brother, help me.”

Li Zhuoyuan nodded.

Yin Meng breathed a sigh of relief and turned to shout at Tan Wenbin: “Go to that Wang Niangniang’s braised vegetable shop over there. I want to eat pig trotters.”

Tan Wenbin opened his umbrella and walked into the rain curtain.

Not long after, he came back carrying a large bag of food.

There was no wine, but there was good meat and good vegetables.

The four of them sat in a circle, and the plastic bags were opened and placed directly on the ground.

The rice was homemade, cooked personally by Runsheng, who didn’t dare let Yin Meng intervene.

A large pot of rice was served. Li Zhuoyuan and Yin Meng each had half a bowl. The remaining portion in the pot was almost undiminished, and it was all given to Runsheng and Tan Wenbin.

While eating, Tan Wenbin asked, “What do you plan to do next, continue to open this coffin shop?”

Yin Meng stopped gnawing on the pig trotter, secretly glanced at Li Zhuoyuan, and softly said, “I’ve already called him brother.”

“What does that mean?” Tan Wenbin didn’t understand for a moment.

Runsheng: “Rely on him.”

Yin Meng stretched out her leg and kicked Runsheng below.

Tan Wenbin was a little surprised: “What are you thinking, do you want to follow us? It might be quite far from here to Nantong.”

Yin Meng didn’t care: “Anyway, I have no relatives now, and one person can feed the whole family without being hungry. I can go anywhere, and I have no friends, just you three.”

Tan Wenbin was a little hesitant: “But, Li big brother’s home already has me, a freeloader.”

Yin Meng: “I can work, ah, help with meals and stuff.”

Runsheng: “……”

Tan Wenbin: “……”

Li Zhuoyuan also had to speak up: “After following us home, you can do anything you want, but absolutely don’t get the urge to cook.”

Even Tan Wenbin’s iron stomach couldn’t stand it. He was afraid that if Yin Meng cooked one meal at home, she could directly send herself and her great-grandfather away.

“You agree, la?” Yin Meng asked happily, “Then I’ll just follow you to Nantong.”

“Um, okay.”

Old man, this granddaughter of yours is actually much smarter than you thought.

After the meal, the sound system outside continued to play funeral music, and everyone sat in front of the mourning hall and played cards.

Initially, they played four-person Fight the Landlord. After playing for a while, the three of them tacitly excluded Li Zhuoyuan and played three-person Fight the Landlord.

In the afternoon, the three of them dispersed.

The things in the shop needed to be dealt with. Those handmade products were originally not worth much money, and could be given away. What was truly valuable in the shop was the coffins. The old man used one, and there were still four left.

Fortunately, coffins were hard currency at present.

Every family with old people, and where the old people had prepared longevity materials for themselves before they died, would need a coffin.

In order to sell them as soon as possible, Yin Meng directly offered a 50% discount. The four coffins were quickly sold off, and she received cash.

Runsheng and Tan Wenbin pushed carts and delivered the four coffins to people’s shops respectively. Yes, they didn’t go out of Ghost Street. They were bought by other merchants.

They weren’t afraid that temporarily placing coffins outside the shop would affect business. Here, it was as ordinary as placing a beckoning cat.

Yin Meng sat there counting the money: “It’s still good. The rent for next month hasn’t been paid yet. By then, the remaining things in the house will all be left to the landlord.”

Runsheng threw away all the remaining cooked vegetables from noon and cooked a large pot of mixed porridge.

After eating and drinking to their fill, the sky outside was also completely dark.

Yin Fuhai’s coffin was placed on a cart. Runsheng pushed the cart in front, Tan Wenbin pushed from behind, Yin Meng followed the cart, and Li Zhuoyuan sat on the coffin lid, holding an umbrella.

It wasn’t that the boy was being lazy and spoiled, but the burial road was originally not easy to walk. He needed to sit high and see far to plan.

Burial at night, and on Ghost Street, if they blindly stumbled around, heaven knew what they would encounter.

They would return tomorrow, and Li Zhuoyuan probably didn’t want to encounter any sudden surprises tonight.

Out of the street, leaving the county, crossing the village, the coffin was transported to that river beach. The whole journey was safe and smooth.

The front was the Nine Turns Head, which local people also called Nine Dragon Turns. As the name suggests, the river section here was winding and tortuous, with many extreme bends.

After crossing this Nine Dragon Turns, the rest of the river was a straight path that could directly enter the Yangtze River.

From a feng shui perspective, this place accumulated momentum and built a fort, rushing silt and waiting for release.

Water burial here implied that the deceased washed away the dust of a lifetime and washed away all karma.

After seeing the real scene, Li Zhuoyuan felt a little strange. Because according to reason, this was actually not a good position for water burial.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the deceased should find rest, but here, it was about traveling light and far.

If this place were chosen as a place for newborn babies to be baptized and blessed, or for adult ceremonies to be held, it would be more suitable.

On the shore beach, Tan Wenbin set up the offering table.

Li Zhuoyuan looked at Yin Meng: “Will you recite an elegy for me?”

Yin Meng spread her hands. She was already used to this response today: “No, I don’t understand.”

Li Zhuoyuan suddenly felt a little lost, because he was basically keeping vigil for the old man.

But this particular matter was not within the scope of buying and selling.

Li Zhuoyuan walked to the front of the offering table, pointed to his side, and said to Yin Meng: “Hold the incense and kneel here, ba.”

“Ai, okay.”

Yin Meng was very obedient. After lighting the incense, she knelt down, holding the incense with both hands, higher than the top of her head.

Li Zhuoyuan gestured to Runsheng, and Runsheng pushed the coffin from the shore edge into the water.

But the coffin was not carried away by the current, but continued to lag at the shore edge.

Li Zhuoyuan used a candle to light yellow paper, waved it, and scattered the burning yellow paper in batches into the air, on the ground, and into the river.

Borrowing the not yet extinguished light of the fire, Li Zhuoyuan supported the offering table with both hands, his pupils slightly drooped, his body slightly shook, and he began to recite the elegy.

The first half of the elegy was all about praising Yin Changsheng, the so-called Fengdu Great Emperor.

These were completely recited by Li Zhuoyuan from the notes recording that incident, and there was nothing that needed to be modified.

The second half, then, needed to narrate his life, which could not be copied. It had to be according to the specific situation of the “deceased person.”

However, the old man really had nothing good to boast about. Not only did he not develop the family inheritance strongly, but he almost cut it off in his hands.

If that one-eyed woman hadn’t poisoned people first, the old man would still have had to bear the karma of implicating and exterminating his family. As for what hardships you had, the heavenly way doesn’t care.

Since there were no achievements or highlights in his life, what Li Zhuoyuan could boast about was just “diligence.”

In order to make up for the content of the elegy, Li Zhuoyuan repeatedly described this point from multiple aspects and multiple angles.

When he felt it was almost enough, Li Zhuoyuan began to end, which was also the most crucial step.

Only to see the boy take a deep breath, immediately lean forward, enter a half-walked yin state;

His voice no longer only existed in reality, but also transmitted to another invisible and untouchable “world.”

“Li Zhuoyuan, on behalf of filial daughter Yin Meng,

Knock and invite the Fengdu Great Emperor, fix the Yellow Spring,鎮 the Yin Division, open the Yin Gate.

Receive,

Yin family descendant Yin Fuhai,

Return to Fengdu, step towards rebirth, enter Ultimate Bliss.”

Li Zhuoyuan straightened his neck, ended the walk of yin, and then turned to Yin Meng beside him: “Kowtow.”

Yin Meng immediately kowtowed to the river surface.

The ceremony was complete.

Wind rose from the river beach. Even ordinary people could detect the cold and strange air in this wind.

The next moment, the coffin, which originally seemed to still have attachment to the yang world, finally left the shore edge and drifted towards the deep river.

Tan Wenbin watched very carefully, as if he had discovered something. With one hand covering his mouth to prevent himself from screaming, he used the other hand to vigorously beat Runsheng’s arm.

Runsheng understood Binbin’s meaning. He also saw that in the water below the coffin, four shadows appeared.

The shadows became more and more solid. The coffin gradually left the water surface, and the shadows below turned into four substantial entities with heavy ghost energy. They carried the coffin and continued to advance in the river.

Runsheng sniffed his nose. There was a strong stench of water corpses.

These four who lifted the coffin seemed to have died by drowning.

Li Zhuoyuan also saw this scene. He saw more than Runsheng did. For example, these four people who lifted the coffin should have been corpses that drowned in this river domain at some unknown year. They were not carried away by the current, but were deeply buried under the mud and sand at the bottom of the river.

At this moment, they were all “revived,” as if they had been temporarily conscripted for corvee labor, acting as coffin bearers.

This again proved Li Zhuoyuan’s previous guess that this ghost city of Fengdu indeed had its unique characteristics.

At the same time, it also indirectly verified another guess: Yin Changsheng swallowing the corpse pill and “becoming immortal” should be the opposite of its literal meaning.

And what Yin Changsheng said, that after becoming immortal he only saw those several dozen Taoist friends who didn’t like to go out and practiced asceticism in seclusion, was probably not some existence with an immortal demeanor, but strong and terrifying drowned people.

He just didn’t know if they had exchanged ideas privately… and whether he would have the opportunity to contact them later.

“Giggle!~~~”

It was clearly still early before dawn, but from somewhere nearby came a high-pitched rooster crow.

The sun was not called out, but a strange red appeared on the cloud layer above, reflecting the river beach and the river surface extremely gloomy and oppressive.

This phenomenon flashed by, so fast that you could mistake it for a momentary hallucination.

Then, the coffin, which was originally still “drifting far” but still within sight, also disappeared.

Tan Wenbin supported Runsheng’s shoulder and jumped down a few times vigorously:

“Eh, why did it suddenly disappear? Did it sink?”

Runsheng: “It was received.”

Li Zhuoyuan grabbed the offering table with his hand. His forehead was covered in sweat, and he kept taking deep breaths.

Yin Meng climbed up from the ground and asked concernedly: “Xiao Yuan… brother, are you okay?”

She felt quite guilty, thinking that the boy was overexerting himself while helping her with the funeral.

But in fact, after learning the Yin family’s twelve methods to supplement the most basic short board, Li Zhuoyuan would probably not be as prone to nosebleeds as before.

His current situation was the result of extreme fear.

Because just now, even if the time was short, he had come and instantly walked the yin, going forward to “look around.”

As soon as this thought arose, he detected a huge sense of crisis.

It seemed that as long as he did so, he would see true terror.

So many years had passed, and when the Yin family died, they could still be received by “four ghosts lifting the coffin,” proving that its operating logic had not collapsed.

Did this also mean that Yin Changsheng, the Fengdu Great Emperor… was still there?

Closing his eyes, he swallowed hard, and when he opened his eyes again, Li Zhuoyuan’s breathing calmed down.

He turned around and faced the direction of Fengdu Ghost Street. The horror in his eyes was replaced by a hint of excitement:

Really good, you’re still here.

This world is really getting more and more interesting.

The boy was reassured, because he was sure that even after he grew up, he wouldn’t feel bored.

Packing up their things, the four of them returned to the coffin shop on Ghost Street.

After clearing out and selling off the things, the shop was very empty. Everyone could only sleep on the floor for one night, making do. After not having a coffin, they actually missed it a lot.

The next morning, the four of them took their luggage and boarded a ship at the Ghost Street dock.

There was no need to go to Wanzhou again. The next step was to go straight to Mountain City.

Yin Meng stood at the bow of the ship, watching the river surface below being constantly cut open.

Standing at the stern of the ship, looking a bit reluctant, was Li Zhuoyuan.

Like a dish, it was shallowly tasted and stopped, with endless aftertaste, while still retaining huge expectations.

Although he knew this was a kind of seeking death, he believed that after he grew up and the time was right, he would return to this ghost city and try to dig out the secret of its core.

The dock gradually moved away, the street gradually moved away, and the mountain was also gradually moving away, but the future was approaching step by step.

After returning to Mountain City, Li Zhuoyuan made a phone call to Xue Liangliang.

Xue Liangliang informed the boy that the restoration of the bamboo slips would take quite a long time. By the time he finished this project and returned to Jinling, he would bring the restored bamboo slips back and personally hand them over to the boy in Nantong.

Without too much delay in Mountain City, the four of them went to the train station and bought tickets back.

Only this time, there was no contact with Xue Liangliang’s channel, and the four of them could only buy hard sleeper tickets. There were six people in one compartment, and none of them were in the lower berth.

Even though Li Zhuoyuan was still small, he still felt cramped lying on the hard sleeper bunk.

The other three were even more miserable. This bunk could only be used for lying down, not sitting, making it very uncomfortable.

Therefore, except for sleeping at night, the remaining time, the three of them were active in the outside aisle.

Tan Wenbin specially instructed Yin Meng several times not to hand out food or drinks on the train, and not to have too much contact with any strangers.

Really, the red-clothed little girl from last time left everyone with too deep a shadow. They really didn’t want to be thankless again.

It was late at night when they arrived at Nantong Station. There were not many taxis and black cars outside the station, and they all chose to refuse after hearing that they wanted to go to the countryside.

Later, there was really no other way, so Tan Wenbin went to a telephone booth and called Tan Yunlong.

The four of them sat by the roadside and waited for a while. A pickup truck with a strong smell of seafood stopped in front of them.

Tan Yunlong threw the cigarette butt out of the car window and urged: “Get in the car quickly. I need to rush back with the car. People need to use this car in the morning for stocking.”

By the time the pickup truck drove to Siyuan Village, the sky was already bright.

When the car stopped, Tan Yunlong looked at his son and asked: “Go home with me. Your mom misses you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll go back tomorrow. Let my mom enjoy one more day of the happiness of expecting her son to return.”

After saying that, without waiting for his old man to scold him, Tan Wenbin got off first.

While the others were still taking their luggage, he waved his arms excitedly and ran towards home, shouting as he ran:

“Li big brother, Li big brother!”

From the dam came Li Sanjiang’s knowing laugh and scolding voice:

“I say, this early morning, who is it, ah?”

“It’s Zhuangzhuang, Zhuangzhuang is back!”

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