Handfuls of white paper money were sprinkled into the sky, and the wind carried them to the top of the tree, and some of them hung on the leafless branches, fluttering with the wind.
Qu Wanqiu's cry also came, high and low, miserable, more desperate than the sky at the end of autumn.
His only son Yonghua was killed by a sudden strange illness a few days ago, Qu Wanqiu has been numb to deal with the aftermath in the past few days, until today's funeral, the moment the coffin was closed, he seemed to finally realize that his son was really gone, and he would never see his vivid face again.
This sudden awakening made him feel painful, and he could only rely on one dry howl after another to relieve it, but after crying, Qu Wanqiu was a little confused, obviously the cheeks of the person lying in the coffin were rosy, as if he was asleep, how could he never wake up again.
Thinking of this, he suddenly felt a little dizzy, and the impact of not getting in for a few days was finally reflected in his thin body at this moment, but fortunately, his nephew Qu Chong next to him immediately reached out to help him, so that he did not fall on the muddy path.
The sound of suona floating at the front of the team suddenly stopped, and the crowd of funeral mourners also stopped one by one, Qu Wanqiu looked forward with wide and misty teary eyes, and found that an old man came directly opposite, his back was folded like a bow, his hair and beard were all white, and he looked older than himself.
He held a black jujube stick in his hand, and the stick leaned behind him, leading four or five people, and slowly walked towards them.
The two teams were about to collide, Qu Chong hurriedly walked to the front and saluted the old man, "Please make it convenient for you to make it easier for you to let go a little, we are going to fall into the coffin, we can't miss the hour." ” The old man didn't raise his head, his eyes glanced at Qu Chong from the messy hair on his forehead, he didn't speak, he just smiled, and then walked to the edge of the sheep intestine path with a stick, waiting for them to pass.
Qu Zhong saluted again, and returned to the group, and the group continued to move forward, but the road was so narrow that everyone who passed by the old man's group inevitably rubbed against them.
Qu Wanqiu was no exception, his sleeves swept onto the clothes of one of the people, he was afraid of being taboo, so he quickly apologized, but when he raised his head, he found that the person did not look at him, his head was tilted upward, and his expression seemed to be frozen.
Qu Wanqiu didn't have the heart to think about anything else now, and continued to walk forward step by step, but at this moment, the old man suddenly spoke, "People who are not dead, what are you doing in a coffin." ” The unhurried sentence made Qu Wanqiu stop abruptly, and he couldn't take a step again.
Qu Chong also stopped, turned back to the old man and said, "Old man, you can't talk nonsense, my cousin has no pulse, and his body has been cold for a few days, how can you say that he doesn't?"
The old man sneered, "I said that if he is not dead, he is not dead, he is still alive, all pressed in the dantian, I am the only one in the world who can save him, if you believe it, come to me, the mountain in front of you turns seven bends, cross five bridges, I will live there." ” After speaking, he continued on the road, several people lined up, dragging the jujube stick in their right hand, and walked slowly along the muddy path.
Qu Chong felt that the old man was crazy, and he had no head to speak, so he shook his head, and ordered the funeral team to move forward, walking a few steps, but found that Qu Wanqiu did not follow, and a person fell at the back of the line, staring blankly at the direction where the old man left.
"Uncle, it's time to go, it's not good after a while."
Qu Zhong reminded in a whisper on the side.
Qu Wanqiu shook his head, as if he had woken up from a dream, raised his feet and walked forward with Qu Chong, but he didn't take a few steps, but he stopped again, his eyes were still stunned, but the words he said were like thunder, so that Qu Chong almost didn't stand firm, "Let them carry the coffin back." ” "Uncle, that old man is either crazy or a liar, do you really believe his words?"
"Let them carry the coffin back, and it won't fall into the ground today."
"Uncle" "No one is allowed to fall into the coffin today, and even if it does, I will dig it up."
Qu Wanqiu stared at Qu Chong, his eyes were firm and a little crazy.
After saying that, he ran towards the other end of the path, and his body, which was still like a remnant leaf just a moment ago, seemed to be suddenly filled with strength, and in a moment he disappeared at the end of the road.
A thatched house looms in the afterglow of the setting sun, and the smoke curls out of the chimney, and in the green mountains and green waters, it really looks like a hidden place where the gods live.
Qu Wanqiu wiped his sweat: It should be here, he turned seven corners, crossed five bridges, and his tired bones were about to fall apart before he found here.
After walking a few steps further, he saw several men standing in the courtyard surrounded by the fence, some carrying buckets of water by the well, some carrying axes to chop wood, as if they were the same people who had just followed the old man.
Qu Wanqiu sighed, hurriedly walked towards the courtyard, came to the door, and saluted a few people, "Excuse me" Speaking of this, he remembered that he didn't know what the old man's name was, so he simply said bluntly: "I want my son to come back to life, who can help me?"
” Several people didn't look at him, and they didn't answer a word, but they still did the work in their hands, one after another, and their movements were stiff and dull.
Qu Wanqiu was a little annoyed, "I want my son to live, I want him to come back to life" The wooden door was pushed open, and the figure of the old man finally appeared, he stood against the door, his gray eyes staring at Qu Wanqiu's angry face, "What's so difficult about this, which of these people didn't come back from the dead and was saved by me, the key depends on whether you are willing to pay the price." ” "The price?
You say, "I'll give you anything."
Qu Wanqiu rushed into the courtyard, his body trembling.
The old man played with his nails, "Your family has three tiled houses, ten acres of fertile land, two oxen, plus some bits and pieces of furniture and jewelry, I will calculate," he nodded with his fingers, and then raised his head, "Twenty ingots of silver, that's all, if you want, come over the day after tomorrow with silver taels and coffins, give me the silver, and you can bring back the living." ” "Twenty ingots," Qu Wanqiu muttered.
"What, reluctantly?
If the money is gone, you can make it again, and if your son is gone, it is really gone.
The old man smiled whimfully.
"No, I'm willing, I'm willing, I'll go back and become a seller, you have to talk all the time, you must help me save Yonghua."
The old man touched his beard and nodded at him, Qu Wanqiu got the order, and walked outside the courtyard without looking back, halfway through, and turned around, "Don't you know the name of the master yet?"
” "I can hope for Yan Ke."