Chen Jiu walked in the forest for half a decade, deliberately avoiding places with dense trees and walking towards open and flat places.
Even so, he still encountered a strange thing.
In the deep mountains and old forests, in the dark night, Chen Jiu actually saw a mansion, and there was an old woman guarding the gate with a lamp.
There were three people who came to visit. They were dressed like scholars.
At any rate, Chen Jiu had read Strange Tales from a Liaozhai Studio. In such a situation, one could see that ghosts were demanding their lives and recruiting people to go on the road. Chen Jiu was so frightened that he turned around and ran away, even throwing a hammer.
Just halfway through the run, Chen Jiu suddenly thought of those three scholars. They looked rather shabby, otherwise they wouldn't be walking the mountain road in the middle of the night, probably because they wanted to go to the city to get a job.
It's just that these three scholars are too careless, how dare they run directly into this mansion, there is such a mansion in the deep mountains, it doesn't look right no matter what.
Poor these three scholars, it is estimated that they will have to wait for the next life to take the exam for fame.
Thinking about it, Chen Jiu's heart was full. Anyway, he couldn't die, and he was afraid of being an egg. Besides, he could even beat that black tiger away. This mere ghost is nothing.
Let's save these three unlucky scholars.
He made up his mind, tied the sharp knife he picked up with a vine behind his back, thinking about dying early and being reborn, and walked quickly towards the mansion.
As soon as he approached the mansion, he felt a little cold, and it was really colder than far away.
The mansion is still very new, with a few red lanterns hanging on it, and a calligraphy and painting seems to be pasted on the gate rail, which is not very clear, which is quite weird.
The more this happened, the more frightened Chen Jiu felt.
Grandma has a bad leg, she probably won't be able to get better tonight.
He bit the bullet and walked in quickly.
The old woman at the door held a lantern and laughed, but the smile was very stiff, like a puppet.
"Young master is here, but you want to stay overnight?"
The voice was extremely hoarse, grinding like gravel.
Chen Yi bit the bullet and nodded.
The old woman said again: "My lord, you have to think about it. We don't force people to stay in our mansion."
Chen Jiu was full of helplessness, and asked tentatively: "Then can you release the three scholars just now?"
The old woman's gloomy face smiled, which was even more frightening, "Your Master and those three Young Masters are acquaintances?"
Chen Jiu nodded, "We know each other, let them out, and we two brothers can chat for a while."
"In this case, why don't you go into the house and hold the lamp to chat?" The old woman said, without giving Chen Jiu a chance to reply, she turned around, carried the lantern, and walked straight into the house.
Chen Jiu took a look, the room was dark, with the night wind blowing, it was very gloomy and cold.
He swallowed, and comforted himself in his heart, he wouldn't die anyway, so he raised his heels and stepped up without fear.
Before entering the room, Chen Jiu raised his head and glanced at the calligraphy and painting on the door rail. Just this one glance made his whole body horrified, like falling into an ice cave.
What kind of calligraphy and painting is that, it is clearly a broken yellow paper talisman!
The old woman led the way without turning her head or speaking.
Chen Jiu was chilled by the night wind, and boldly looked around.
There are several houses around, but there is no light in them, and it is quite dark.
He looked at the stooped back of the old woman in front of him, and tentatively asked: "Old woman, can I still go out?"
The old woman didn't answer, but just led the way.
It seems that it is only allowed in and not out.
The two walked for a while, and they came to a house. The house was bright, obviously with lights.
The old woman stepped forward to open the door, and there was a creaking sound. Three scholars in the room were sitting together, not knowing what to talk about. When they heard the movement, they turned their heads and looked at the two of them blankly.
The old woman spoke again in a hoarse voice, "This young master said he knew the three of you, so he came here to meet you."
The three scholars were speechless, but looked strange.
Chen Jiu also wanted to cry but had no tears.
After the old woman finished speaking, she carried the lamp and walked out. When she stepped out of the threshold, she suddenly turned her head and said quietly: "It's dark outside the house and the road is slippery. Don't move around, gentlemen, be careful of bumps."
From then on, the old woman walked away with the lamp, her hunched back was hidden in the darkness, and there was no more sound.
Chen Jiu walked into the room, closed the door, looked at the three scholars, beckoned, and said with an awkward smile, "Hello, everyone."
The faces of the three scholars were strange, and one of the oldest ones asked: "Little friend, look at your attire, but you are the defender of Liyang City? Why did you come to guard this deep mountain and old forest?"
Chen Jiu grinned dryly, "Isn't this lost? Come and stay overnight, and go back to defend the city another day."
Another scholar with a cold face said suddenly: "Hmph, it's just a deserter. If you enter this mansion, you're out of your mind and your luck is bad. But when you meet us three brothers and sisters, you're lucky. Wait a minute You deserter, just hide yourself, and watch me subdue the demon!"
When Chen Jiu was told by the scholar, he was a little confused.
Subduing the demon?
What do you mean, aren't you poor scholars who died?
Could it be Lao Tzu who came to save you?
The older scholar laughed twice and explained: "Little friend, the three of us are Taoist priests of Liuyun Taoist Temple. This time we went down the mountain just to subdue the demon, so we pretended to be so that the ghost can relax. ."
Chen Jiu felt even more uncomfortable now.
Damn it, he ran in boldly, what was he trying to do, and he had to be treated as a fool by others.
The older scholar came over, took out something from his pocket, and handed it to Chen Jiu, "Little friend, you hold this thing first, and when you hide later, it can ward off evil spirits."
Chen Jiu looked down and saw that it was an amulet wrapped in yellow paper with some runes outlined on it. He quickly took it and replied, "Thank you, Taoist priest!"
The scholar with a cold face was not very happy again, and snorted coldly.
The elder Taoist frowned, feeling a little helpless, his junior brother had a good heart, but he was a bit mean to others, and he didn't have the realm of compassion for heaven and man, but fortunately, it didn't hurt too much.
He said to Chen Jiu again: "Little friend, let's not startle the snake, just sit and watch the changes."
Chen Jiu nodded, moved his body, and several people sat around together, staring at each other.
Seeing Chen Jiu was sleepy, and he was not a person who could sit idle, so he moved slowly to the door, and under the puzzled eyes of the three of them, smashed the paper on the window, and opened his eyes to look out.
The old Taoist didn't know what to say, so he let him go.
Among them, the youngest Taoist priest also slowly moved to Chen Jiu's side, and asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"
Chen Jiu replied: "See if the moon is round tonight."
The young Taoist asked curiously, "Is it round or not?"
Chen Jiu shook his head, "There is no moon at all."
The young Taoist was dumbfounded for a while, and then asked doubtfully, "Then you are still so enthusiastic about it?"
Chen Jiu turned his head, stared at the young Taoist priest, and said angrily: "Otherwise, I can still look at you?"
Seeing Chen Jiu approaching, the young Taoist quickly stepped back and turned his head slightly.
The cold man looked up.
The young Taoist asked curiously after a while.
"Senior Brother Zhang and Senior Brother Yang and I came here to cast down demons. We came here to wait for demons to appear, so what are you waiting for when you enter this mansion?"
When Chen Jiu heard this, his face darkened, and he felt even more uncomfortable. He said angrily, "I'm waiting to die."