At the foot of Paoma Ridge, the Luoshui River is clear.
The two long boats were trapped among the reeds, and the foul smell spread everywhere, attracting many crows and flies to visit them.
A hoarse groan suddenly came from a cabin, and the crows on the boat fled away with a "coaxing" sound. Only an inhuman "corpse" was seen crawling out of the cabin.
His eyes were dull, his lips were chapped, and his hands were black and purple. He numbly climbed over the corpses and gradually climbed to the bow of the boat. The river bank was only a few feet away. Normally, it would only take one leap. But at this time, his mind was dizzy.
I felt disgusted in my chest, and even if I tried to stand up, I found it extremely difficult.
The river breeze was warm and soft, carrying a strong fishy odor, blowing towards my face. The waves were turbulent, and the clouds were hanging down. I looked around blankly, but I saw the reeds were distant, the Luo River was desolate, and the weeds and distant mountains were stuck together, making it difficult to see clearly. Everywhere.
All covered with a layer of blood.
"Plop!" He had just exhausted all his strength and stood up tremblingly. Unexpectedly, the bow of the boat was lowered, and his body was suddenly unstable, and he fell straight into the water. The cold river water poured into his mouth and nose, choked into his throat, and was immediately stimulated.
The desire to survive arose. He flopped around in a hurry before sitting up from the water.
The river was not deep, and the waves only swayed on his shoulders. He wiped the blood on his face with the same smelly river water, and then his consciousness became clear: I, Luo Changqing, am still alive! Qiuniang, God will not destroy me!
The ecstasy dilutes the breath of death, and the fishy stench makes this world extremely real.
Luo Changqing looked at his forehead, which was still a little hot. It was obvious that the wound on his body had caused "golden wound spasm." This disease can be big or small, and can be life-threatening in severe cases. If it is mild, just get over it and it will be fine.
Luo Changqing was now alone in the wilderness, with no medical treatment or medicine. He had no choice but to take advantage of the coolness of Luo water to temporarily suppress the symptoms of fever and soreness all over his body. After feeling a little better, he slowly got up and moved to the shore step by step.
After crossing the official road, he pushed himself up again and followed the gentle slope into the forest.
After all, my body was still weak. After walking for a while, I had to rest for a while. After a long time, I found a shallow cave. The cave faced the sun, with a mountain behind it and no wind. There was a flint on the ground that had been discarded by a hunter.
Luo Changqing almost collapsed and leaned outside the cave to breathe for a long time. Then he steeled himself again, found dry grass and dead branches, and lit a fire with flints. Then he took off his clothes one after another and stood by the fire to bake.
The bronze flute he carried with him had been lost somewhere, so he had to pull out a thick piece of dry firewood, place it on the rock wall, and kick it open. The broken spot was as sharp as a spear, and he held it in his hand.
It is also enough to deal with ordinary mountain beasts.
When the sun turned to the west, Luo Changqing's clothes and hair were dry, and his energy regained a little, he hunted back two mountain rabbits in the deep grass and dense forest. They skinned them randomly and roasted them half-cooked, and he couldn't help but be greedy.
He salivated and began to gnaw. After eating two mountain rabbits until they were left with a pile of bones, he realized that the "golden wound spasm" had healed itself without medicine. He finally realized it in hindsight and felt a strong sense of surviving a disaster.
.
Looking at the fire in front of me, thinking of the past with Lu Qiuniang, I feel melancholy, like the sunset over the mountains, and there is sadness in the magnificence...
Two miles outside Dingding Gate, beggars gathered in small groups, squatting in the shade of trees on both sides of the official road to enjoy the cool air.
Occasionally, a rumbling carriage would pass by, kicking up a few wisps of smoke and dust, causing the group of beggars to commotion. They would all spit at the dusty carriage's back.
A beggar with scabies cursed and said: "What are you doing? What are you doing? It's easy to not beg for food today. Let's do some errands together to earn some money. This makes the ancestral graves smoke, and the fortunes turn! They all look so human!"
When a group of beggars heard this, they immediately stopped and squatted back under the tree.
Several other groups of beggars were not under his control, and some actually retorted: "Ox Palm Bowl! We just can't stand these people riding horses and carriages. Isn't it amazing how much bad money they have? Who's ancestors haven't been rich...
"
Halfway through his words, a big hand from behind slapped him on the back of the head, causing the group of beggars to laugh: "You are the only one who talks a lot! How can you talk to Niu Zhang Bo? It's great to be rich! If my old horse can
If you have money, why would I bring you out to do this job of 'carrying the dead'!"
The rogue Niu Zhang Bo was also a man of no stinginess, so he hurriedly smoothed things over and said, "Okay! Okay! Horse Sho Bo, we are all our brothers, don't break your head, or you won't be able to ask for money tomorrow!"
The group of beggars roared with laughter again. Ma Zhanbo was waiting to chat for a few more words, but he heard a few horses hooting from Dingding Gate. Five or six people dressed in silk clothes and wrapped with horns and futons dressed as merchants gathered their reins.
, and flew to the middle of the group of beggars.
The leader had a high nose and deep eyes. Although he was a Hu merchant, he was very polite. As soon as he stopped the horse, he turned over and took out a yellow jade bowl that Long Zaitian left for the Tan family. He handed it back to the cow palm bowl, horse palm bowl, etc.
Several leaders of the Beggar Gang raised their hands and said:
"My shopkeeper Qin has reached an agreement with the leader of the Dragon Gang. I will help you all with the matter of finding the corpses of the believers! It's just that my religious rituals are recorded. 'The remains of believers can easily attract evil spirits. Do not touch water or fire, and do not touch earth or wood. Donkeys
Horses carry it, iron and stones hold it, holy dogs drive away evil spirits, and it returns to silence. Therefore, you must first go to Xianglu Village and change into the 'righteous shirt' before you can become a 'corpse-broker'."
Although Niuzhangbo and others did not understand what they heard, they also knew that Zoroastrian burial customs have always been strange, so they returned the greeting and said: "So, the good man Qin has already made all the arrangements for the application?"
The leader Hu Shang nodded and said: "People in the city are panicked and it is difficult to make preparations. Shopkeeper Qin had to send someone to arrange some things in Xianglu Village. When you arrive at Xianglu Village, someone will arrange meals, water bags, dry food and other supplies. Bai
If the search cannot be completed in one day, you will have to search again all night long. If you cannot search everything today, you will have to work harder tomorrow. Fees are calculated on a daily basis. One day is counted during the day, and one day is counted after nightfall."
After listening to the horseshoe bowl, he hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "This great good man made it clear and the fee is fair. We who hold the alms bowl and beg for food have nothing to say, just do it!"
After seeing the token, the two parties lost their wariness, exchanged a few words with each other, and then headed towards Xianglu Village along the official road.
Hu Shang, the leader, had other errands to do, so he whipped his horse, led the people who were accompanying him, and left first.
There was a huge group of beggars, and countless people were crowded on the official road. At a quick glance, there were four to five hundred people. They were all led by Niu Zhangbo, Horse Palm Bo and others, and they walked westward noisily. On the way, they found the corpse of a believer who had been killed.
Thrown on the roadside, or on the chest, or on the back, or on the head and neck, there are shocking wounds, and there is no doubt that they will bleed to death.
The group of beggars looked at it with horror. Some of them with compassion wanted to put the body aside temporarily, but they were stopped by the cow palm bowl: "Zoroastrian burial customs, the body is unclean, and non-'cadavers' are not allowed to touch it. Rules
Remember, don’t violate taboos again!”
When they arrived at Xianglu Village, everything went as promised. The two parties met in a reserved restaurant. After the group of beggars had a full meal, they put on the "righteous shirts" sent by the Hu merchants and tied their waists with holy belts.
, the hands are also covered with two sleeve-shaped thin bags.
The "righteous shirt" is actually made of white linen sewn together, and the needlework is quite rough. It was obviously made in a hurry; the small bag is sewn from leftover materials, and the bottom is sealed so that the hands cannot reach it. When grasping the item, it is slightly awkward.
Appearing funny and clumsy.
The group of beggars found it quite strange and wanted to comment, but they were stopped by each other. They bowed their heads in silence for a while, no one dared to make a fuss, and there was only the sound of rustling clothes outside the restaurant.
By the time the group of beggars were ready, the day was approaching. The Hu merchant who had been the leader came from nowhere. He cupped his hands with several bowls and said, "We have hired boats and trackers, and we will bring in the temporary goods."
The stone slabs are laid in the cabin and are being transported to Paomaling. At that time, you will carefully carry the found bodies into the boats and place them on the stone slabs. The boats will first transport them by water."
The horseshoe bowl arched his bagged hands, saluted and asked: "Great good man, where should the found bodies be transported?"
The Hu Shang thought for a while and then said: "The purpose of taking the corpses by water is to save time and effort. When they get close to the ruins of Shangyang Palace, they have to abandon the boat and go ashore. They will be picked up by rickshaws and horses, and the corpses and the stone slabs will be transported to
The corpses will be parked at the Fox Temple in the north of the city. Three days later, early in the morning, these corpses will start from the Fox Temple and be sent to the 'Tower of Silence' in the East Hill."
Ma Zhangbo immediately understood what Hu Shang meant: "Don't worry, good hearted man! We will start the search from Paoma Ridge and go down the river without missing a single one. After searching for the bodies, we will all go to the Fox Temple to help."
Hu Shang took a deep look at Ma Zhangbo and the others, suddenly raised his hands to make a flame, took the lead and knelt down on one knee and said: "I am actually Mi Liangbi, the envoy of Anren of Zoroastrianism. Among those killed in the battle, there are children of the Mi family. I rely on you righteous people for this trip."
! In addition, these few people are all double guards in the teaching, and they can clear the grass and lead the way for you righteous people."
The group of beggars wore righteous robes and received the sacred fire ceremony from Anren envoy Mi Liangbi and others. They felt a noble feeling in their hearts. Suddenly they felt that this mission of "carrying the dead" was not as lowly as they first thought, but instead seemed to be for the dead.
A mission to be fulfilled.
Easier said than done!
When the beggars arrived at Paoma Ridge and searched along the river, they found that many corpses had been mutilated. Some of the corpses lying on the roadside had empty stomachs, showing that they had been eaten by mountain beasts; there were also many corpses in the middle of the battle.
, the arms, legs and feet of the believers were cut off, and their stumps had long gone. What is even more bizarre is that many corpses had their heads cut off with sharp weapons, leaving only a filthy lotus robe that could identify the believers.
In addition, they also picked up many curled blades and broken weapons, including iron ropes, scissors, scale beams, short swords, crescent shovels, etc., and also loaded them into the boats prepared by the Zoroastrian. Every time a boat was filled, the boat
The boat then went down the river and carried away the found body...
It was actually two days later when the corpses of believers scattered along the Luoshui River were searched out by a group of beggars and all were carted away.
Niu Zhang Bo, Ma Zhang Bo and others led the tired group of beggars back to the joint restaurant in Xianglu Village. They took out the bowls, bowls and other things they usually used for begging, and filled the big wok with mutton soup cakes.
Everyone found their way to the corner of the wall and squatted down to chew. No one stepped into the restaurant, and they sat there talking, eating and drinking like ordinary drinkers and diners. The merchants and ordinary people in the village were amazed at the sight.
A well-informed drinker opened his chat room and told everyone: This is a rule of the Beggar Gang, "Be humble and humble, beg for yourself, be more respectful than others, and I will be happy at the bottom", so
These beggars behave in a unique style and are by no means the same as ordinary people. They eat and drink only scraps of soup, they like to wear rags and linen clothes, they bend down to beg for mercy when they go out, and they sleep contentedly...
The man was talking enthusiastically when he was unexpectedly pressed by a big dirty hand on his shoulder. He turned around and looked, and his heart skipped a beat! It was a tall, unkempt beggar who said: "This good man! If you drink and eat, you can't stop me."
Shut up, how about some more hot biscuits?"
After that, he was slapped twice.
How could that drinker, who has read poetry and books, be willing to be humiliated like this? Huo Di stood up and wanted to argue with the dirty beggar. However, he saw dozens of beggars surrounding him. They silently put down their bowls and picked up sticks at their feet.
, looked at him expressionlessly. The drinker's heart suddenly sank, he hurriedly clapped his hands, and said with a smile: "I talk too much, I talk too much! Grandpa Beggar, please forgive me! This roasted pheasant has not been touched yet, so I asked Grandpa Beggar
Try it..."
The tall beggar was not polite. He picked up the roasted pheasant with one hand and put it into the pottery bowl. He held the edge of the pot with the other hand, nodded and bowed to the drinker and said, "Thank you, the good man, for the food."
At this moment, a rough voice from the cow paw bowl sounded outside the restaurant: "Brothers, eat quickly! Let's set off after a cup of tea."
After hearing this, the beggar who "begged" for the roasted pheasant didn't dare to make a mistake. He quickly tore off a piece of linen from his tattered robe, wrapped the pheasant and hid it. Then he squatted back among the beggars and quickly poured the soup into the bowl.
Cake, pop it into your mouth...
Two hours later, the group of beggars, holding sticks and panting, finally found the northern suburbs of Luoyang.
At that time, the spring grass was like a blanket, the setting sun was like blood, and a few miscellaneous trees were scattered among them, showing a rare loneliness.
A lonely temple stands among the spring grass and trees. From a distance, you can see the flying eaves, black tiles and white walls, and the faded red pillars are faintly visible. When you get closer, you can see clearly that it is a single-eave hilltop-style house with door grilles and window lattice.
The glued roving has long since peeled off, and it's dark inside. I don't know what kind of deity is molded there.
Come to think of it, this is the "Fox Temple" mentioned by Ambassador An Ren!