I still remember that it was the Midyear Festival, and after dinner, we children would go to the streets with the adults, and the adults would take out the paper money and tributes that had been prepared long ago, put them in copper basins and light them to pay tribute to our ancestors.
As for us, we ran about in groups among the blazing brass basins, and if the flames were caught in the corners of our clothes, we would be scolded, but instead of damaging our moods, we were more excited, and our steps were faster than before, and laughter resounded throughout the town.
But just as everyone was immersed in the festive atmosphere, suddenly a horse whistle was heard from the hillside not far away, and all the adults stopped their movements, and one by one they got up from the copper basin that was still burning, and looked towards the hillside.
In front of the hillside, a dark figure appeared, and the man was on a large horse, and he also looked at the town from a distance, which was red by the firelight.
Suddenly, dozens of black shadows appeared behind the figure, all of them riding horses and holding half-man-high knives in their hands.
I don't remember who made the first scream, but I remember that the shadows came rushing towards us like a tide when they heard the cry, and soon they were in town.
The adults picked up the children and fled home, kicking over many copper basins along the way, sparks flying everywhere, and the sky was full of black ash, which fascinated my eyes and blocked my way home.
When I finally opened my eyes with tears in my eyes, I found that all my playmates were gone, and on the muddy ground in front of me were four horses' hooves with iron palms, and they made a "click" pacing sound, each of which seemed to knock on my heart.
I mustered up the courage to look up, and at last I could see the man on horseback, with a large boxy face, red and purple, and his hair curled and coiled, covering a pair of fierce little eyes inside.
At the sight of this fierce face, I cried out "wow", but as soon as I cried a few times, my neck was choked, and the robber leader grabbed me by the neck, lifted me up, and shouted in a confused voice to the townspeople who were hiding in the house: "Hand over the money and the woman, or else, this child," he put his hand on my neck, and let out a series of fierce laughter.
I was so scared that I couldn't even cry, and my whole body shrunk into a ball, shaking like a little beast that had just left the nest.
At this moment, I saw the door of my house being pushed open with a "bang", and my mother came out of the door with tears on her face and staggered towards me, but she had not taken a few steps before she was stopped by a pair of big hands.
It was my grandfather, who had a stiff face, forcibly ordered my mother to go back, and then shook his sleeves with both hands and walked towards me step by step.
Many years later, I still remember what he looked like, his face was calm, his clothes were lightly swayed, and every step was firm and brisk, without the slightest hesitation, as if there was a book and a harp in front of him, not this thief with a long knife.
When the robber leader saw my grandfather approaching, he pointed the tip of his knife at his throat and let out a muffled laugh, "Old man, your skin is wrinkled, what use do I want you?"
When the robbers in the back heard him say this, they all laughed, and their mouths smelled like the stench of animals.
Grandfather was not annoyed by his words, and even slowly climbed a layer of imperceptible smile on his face, he looked at the robber leader, and said slowly: "My old arms and legs are really useless, but I still have an ability that others don't have, I, ah, can tell fortunes, why don't I help you calculate a hexagram and see how your luck is." ” The robber leader laughed again, but the tip of the knife poked forward a few points closer, piercing the skin of his grandfather's neck, "Old man, do you know what the consequences of lying to me are?
” "I know, so I don't dare to lie at all."
"Okay," shouted the bandit leader, "you don't have to help me do the math, but tell me if this little brute in my hand will die today?"
” My grandfather smiled slightly, "My grandson Fu has a great life, of course he will not die in your hands, but you, your life is over, and you can't live today." ” Frightened and annoyed by what he said, the robber tightened his grip on my neck with a sharp hand, and stabbed me with his other hand with a knife.
Seeing the sharp blade getting closer and closer, I couldn't help but close my eyes and silently said in my heart: It's over, my little life will be explained here today.
However, before the physical pain hit, the body shook suddenly, and the whole person was thrown out, and was firmly caught by a pair of old but strong hands.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in my grandfather's arms, and I couldn't help but feel sad and happy, and I sniffed and was about to cry, but my grandfather covered my mouth and stared straight ahead.
I followed his gaze, and saw that the bandit leader, who had just sat on his horse, was lying upside down on the ground, with a look of astonishment on his face, and his neck was broken, and between his shoulders and chin he became a soft strip, stacked on top of each other.
The robbers behind were stunned, they neither advanced nor retreated, they looked at each other one by one, and whispered.
"What was it just now?
A red flutter?
” "I didn't see it clearly, that thing was so powerful, the king was hit by it and flew off his horse."
"Let's go, I heard that today is the Ghost Festival of the Song people, and the dead ghosts are all coming up from the underworld, don't provoke them."
As soon as these words came out, the robbers did not dare to stay any longer, and they did not even take away the body of the king, but rode into the darkness one by one.
I lay in bed for three days before stepping out of the room, and I wasn't hurt, but the experience of that night really scared me, not because of the bandits, but because I felt the thing in their mouths, and when it hit the bandit leader, it rubbed against my back, it was fluffy and had a big tail.
My grandfather acted as if nothing had happened, he still read and painted every day, lived a quiet life, and did not eat fireworks.
One day, I couldn't help but go to the study to find him, and ask him what happened that night, he looked at me, two long eyebrows drooped, "I am dizzy, and I can't see clearly, I think it is the ancestor apparition, blame this gang of thieves for ruining their annual feast." ” I thought about it for a moment, and felt that it was reasonable, "But, won't the remaining robbers come back for revenge?"
For the sake of their dead kings?
” "They shouldn't be able to come back."
My grandfather touched my head and smiled kindly, "I'll never come back." ”