So that night, I got myself drunk for no reason. The last scene in my mind is that the sky is getting dark and the moon appears in the middle of the river in the distance. I don’t remember anything about the rest. I woke up the next day with a splitting headache and slept soundly on my little bed. As for when Master went up the mountain to take me home, I have no memory at all. It’s just that after dark, the way down the mountain is more difficult than the way up. I don’t know how Master did it.
From that day on, I knew that although I had the ability to start placing orders alone, I still lacked experience and skills. The only way was to practice more. In addition to memorizing the mantras, I also increased the time I spent practicing the Circle Light Technique and viewing incense. Even the soldiers and horses that were originally released only once a day were released once every morning and evening.
Master also fulfilled his promise. Although the first order given to me was stumbled, it was completed successfully. However, the treatment of ghosts was a bit unsatisfactory, so even though I knew my own weight, Master’s treatment of ghosts was not satisfactory. My first order was quite satisfactory.
In those days, the master took me to visit many strangers in the world, including Master Yang Guangbi who was proficient in Feng Shui and Kanyu, Master He Tianyuan of Duan Gongfa in Sichuan, Master Mo Langzhong who touched bones and died, and Pu'an Master. Mr. Wang Chengqian, the celestial eye master, and others, about ten or so. Most of them are people who fled the war in the early years and went to the south, and then returned to their hometowns after liberation. Some people no longer practice this craft and only help when someone comes to their door. Some people are still active in the world relying on their craft.
Master said that the reason why they are called Jianghu is because these are the inheritors of our traditional skills, and they were very respected in ancient times. But now that the country has changed, many people have gradually begun not to believe in these causal mystical arts. We all know that if we do not continue to pass them on, there may be no successors. The master spoke in an understatement, but he couldn't hide the sadness in his heart. When my master took me to visit Dr. Mo, who knew how to touch bones, he no longer made a living by touching bones. Instead, a small medical clinic was opened near the Chuqi Gate of the old city gate, providing people with traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and massage of meridians, etc. It was considered a respectable profession.
The master said that Dr. Mo’s medical skills were passed down from his ancestors. He can’t even remember which generation he belongs to. He is not a famous doctor, but he can cure most common diseases with medicine. However, before liberation, Langzhong Mo's father was a famous doctor from all over the country, but he himself was not famous for his medical skills, but for his ability to touch bones with his hands.
When Mr. Mo saw me that day, perhaps on a whim, or perhaps to show off in front of a late-born like me, he asked me to come to him, told him his birth date, and then started to hold my head and press it. Pinch it. It is said that he can predict a person's life based on their horoscopes and bones, so after touching my bones that day, he said that I have a very high bone density at the back of my head. That's a lifetime.
The implication is that I am a Taoist. Will I become an awesome Taoist and stand at the top, undefeated throughout my life? I didn't really believe it at the time, because when I first started, I was frustrated by my own immaturity.
Master told me that these seniors are all highly skilled in their craftsmanship. They introduce you to me just to help you make more connections in the future. They are willing to meet you today because they have betrayed your Master’s reputation. You will have to visit more often in the future. If you encounter a problem that you cannot solve yourself, the advice each of them can give you will be valuable.
I nodded and kept Master's words in mind. Facts have proved that these seniors and their disciples did give me great help in the following days.
It’s the end of 1965, and it won’t be long before the New Year. Although the living standards of ordinary people cannot be said to be wealthy, because they have fewer desires, everyone's happiness is relatively high. During those days, many families decorated themselves with lanterns and streamers to prepare for the New Year. The master's house didn't look like the smallest one among the row of old houses, but because it was the closest to the corner, it was used to being poor and didn't take care of much, so it still looked a bit desolate. Fortunately, the neighbors around us are all kind-hearted people. They know that master and I rely on this craft to make a living on weekdays. Many families have sent us rice and oil so that we, master and apprentice, will not live in a deserted way. new year.
Then that day, my master actually bought two lanterns from outside and hung them at the door with me. This little shabby house started to feel a little festive. But the day after the lanterns were hung up, a visitor came to the house, and it was me.
I didn't know this person, but as soon as he saw me, he called out my name, the name I had before I became a disciple. I was looking puzzled, but he told me himself that his surname was Ma, and that he was an old acquaintance of my father's. When we were young, we had sex with Brother Pao, and later we joined the army and fought together. He also said that he had met me when I was a child, but I was too young at that time and I definitely don’t remember it.
Uncle Ma's unexpected visit caught me off guard. In those days, most people were simple and honest. Although there were occasional liars and thieves, they were very few. I thought that there was nothing in my body that could be plotted. Plus Ma The uncle was able to tell a lot about my family's situation when I was a child, as well as my father's affairs, so I never doubted whether he was my father's good friend.
Uncle Ma said that after he and my father joined the army and came out of Sichuan, they were assigned to different units. The next time they met was after returning to their hometown. My father came back a few years earlier than him. Later, he and my father were in the same batch. Captured. It was a period of time that I don’t want to recall, because in my eyes, my father was an honest and good citizen. However, when the country banned some organizations, it regarded my father’s Xiangtang as a Three evils were dealt with in one pot, but my father could not survive. Uncle Ma was only released from prison more than two years after my father passed away.
Later, Uncle Ma wanted to look for some of his former brothers and comrades, but he couldn't find any of them. When he was looking for my father, he learned that my father had a half-brother, so he found my uncle's teahouse. After learning that my father had passed away and that my mother had remarried, I worshiped a Taoist priest as my master.
Uncle Ma told me that it was already two years ago when he knew these things. The reason why I came to see me today was because I had encountered a problem these days. I was looking around for people who could help. Suddenly I remembered that my second uncle said that I was studying Taoism, so I came to see me. After he finished speaking, he scratched his head in embarrassment and smiled, looking very honest.
When Master saw that an old friend from my family had arrived, he quickly greeted him enthusiastically. I briefly introduced my master, and then asked Uncle Ma to tell me the ins and outs of the matter, so that I could weigh whether I had the ability to take care of it.
Uncle Ma said that after he was released, there were no docks in the rivers and lakes, so he had to find another way to make a living. So these years, he has been occupying a small, narrow aisle between two buildings near Wanglongmen. , built a shed above, and worked as a barber, cutting hair for 10 cents. This small business could not make much money, so I had to make do with it.
He had an old customer before. Generally speaking, he would come to his stall to get his hair cut once a month. He was an old man in his sixties, and he always had his hair cut very short. He was a very kind and kind person. , I heard that I was also a soldier before. A shell exploded next to me and I suffered some skin injuries. However, I became deaf in one ear and my hearing in the other was weak. The old man loves to laugh. Every time he comes for a haircut, he always smiles and points at his head. Uncle Ma understands what he means. Because the other party is an old man, every time Uncle Ma cuts his hair, he will give him a free shave and ear picking. But just two months ago, it started to rain heavily that evening. I thought that no one would come out to get a haircut in this weather, so I planned to close the stall early. You must know that he usually closes the stall after dark. When I was about to close the stall, the old man came again.
Because he was a regular customer and he was just about to close the stall, he thought he was helping, so Uncle Ma happily cut the man's hair. When he left, the man gave Uncle Ma the money and turned around to leave. Uncle Ma just put the money in his pocket and planned to tell the uncle, it's raining so heavily, or I'll take you home. I have an umbrella here. But when he was about to say it, he found that the uncle had disappeared in the rain.
Uncle Ma emphasized that his barber stall is at the entrance of the alley. Looking out, there are long stairs up and down. But in just a blink of an eye, the old man disappeared. Logically speaking, a person of this age has no reason to leave. It has to be so fast. And then Uncle Ma remembered that when he was shaving his head just now, his clothes were dry and not wet, but it was raining so heavily and he didn't bring an umbrella. What was going on?
But for a while, Uncle Ma couldn't figure out why, so he stopped thinking about it. When he was planning to count how much money he had made today, he discovered that the money the old man gave him just now was a 5,000 banknote issued by the Republic of China government before liberation. Yuan face value of legal tender.
