"Yes, Coffinmaker Cao, is there something wrong with that tree? But Ergou and I have never heard of it."
Daniel was also a little confused. He looked back at the other three people and they all nodded.
Lao Cao blew out a smoke ring and spoke slowly.
"Because none of you are locals in Lianghe Town. You have all come to live in the town from the village in the past ten years, right? Many locals don't know about that tree... I also happen to be the coffin bearer. This industry, and the master and senior master have lived here for several generations, so I only heard them talk about it."
So, as Lao Cao told it, we learned a story that was a bit scary and painful.
It turns out that the big tree growing at the intersection of He Street and Liangfeng Street is a yellow horn tree. The scientific name is also called Huangge tree, Big leaf banyan tree, etc.
This kind of tree has a thick trunk, a strange shape, overhanging roots and exposed claws, and is winding and intertwined, just like a horned dragon. Moreover, the yellow horn tree belongs to the relatively long-lived category among plants. There are many trees that are more than a hundred years old, which is very common.
As for this tree, no one can tell exactly how old it is.
Lao Cao also heard his master mention it when he was a child, saying that the tree passed down from generation to generation must be at least three hundred years old...
Originally it was nothing, just an ordinary old tree. It was only at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China that some changes occurred.
At that time, the people were poor and weak, and the people were in dire straits. There were natural and man-made disasters and warlords fighting everywhere. Coupled with the rampant spread of various unscrupulous and profiteers, the lives of ordinary people are extremely miserable!
Many people were forced to live no longer by the world at that time. They were desperate and many committed suicide.
It's strange to say, and I don't know when exactly it started. In the middle of Lianghe Town, where a street along the river intersects with another Liangfeng Street, the big yellowhorn tree has become the place where these desperate people hang themselves!
These people would take the cloth to this tree in the dead of night and hang themselves to death!
It is said that in those years, sometimes more than a dozen people could be hanged from the yellow horn tree in a month! It's really a bit scary.
Over time, this yellow horn tree was called the deadly demon tree by the residents of Lianghe Town.
There is even a legend that this tree has lived too long and has become a spirit and has developed spiritual wisdom. So it deliberately lures these people to hang themselves there, hoping to absorb people's yang energy!
This theory became more and more mysterious as it spread, and finally made the whole town panic.
Lao Cao's master was in his prime at that time and wanted to eliminate harm for the people.
So I made an appointment with a good friend who worked at the Lianghe Pier in the north of the town - a red boat bearded man. The two of them went there to see if it was really a tree that had grown old and become a spirit and turned into an evil spirit!
I was surprised to find that it was just an ordinary old yellowhorn tree, and there was nothing wrong with it.
He has neither become a spirit nor has his spiritual wisdom been enlightened. It is even less possible to use hallucinations to attract people to hang themselves and absorb evil abilities such as Yang Qi and Corpse Qi.
So let it go.
At that time, Lao Cao's master had already become a disciple of his master, and he was about ten years old. He guessed that it was just a coincidence that a large number of people were hanged on the tree. Maybe it was because it was relatively secluded and fit the mentality of many people who wanted to die?
I didn't take it to heart after that.
When Lao Cao's master gradually grew up, the Republic of China also ended. He accepted Lao Cao as his apprentice, and the master and apprentice continued to do the work of carrying coffins.
As a result, thirty years ago, in an era of extreme chaos and turmoil, the town was filled with panic and no one could live in peace.
Some people couldn't stand it and were forced to have no other choice. They even went to hang themselves at the old yellow horn tree!
This thing seems to be contagious. The first person to hang himself there will be followed by others hanging from the tree...
Even sometimes, at dawn, you will find several people hanging on the yellow horn tree at the same time during the night!
These hanging corpses are hidden among the dense branches and leaves, and they sway when the wind blows. It can scare the timid discoverer to the point of peeing on the spot.
Lao Cao's master thought of the past in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, and felt that he was no longer weaker than his master, and even Lao Cao was almost thirty years old.
The master and the disciple go out together and find a Taoist priest, and they can deal with any evil sect!
Unexpectedly, the result was the same as before.
After the three people carefully investigated the "death-killing demon tree", they still found nothing.
After trying various means during the day and night, I confirmed that this was an ordinary old tree...
Lao Cao was deeply impressed by this incident.
However, in the past two decades, the society has been stable, the economy has developed rapidly, and the people have lived and worked in peace and contentment. Population mobility is also far greater than it once was.
Many people from Lianghe Town have moved to the county or even the city. At the same time, some people from the surrounding villages and rural areas have come to settle in the town.
As a result, everyone has almost forgotten about the "death-killing demon tree".
Perhaps only some local old people who were born and raised here will remember that this old yellow horn tree had such strange events seventy and thirty years ago respectively.
Now, it seems that someone is hanging on it again...
After listening to Lao Cao's story, I got goosebumps inexplicably and felt a little shuddering.
I couldn't help but sigh: "Is that tree so evil!?"
Dan Niu frowned and said: "I never thought about that big tree and its evil past. When I went to the shoemaker's house to see the body during the day, I passed by that tree and thought it was very big and lush. The tree crown It's like blocking out the sky and the sun. Cao Coffinmaker, is that tree really an ordinary tree?"
Lao Cao took another puff of cigarette and puffed away the smoke, with a confused and solemn expression on his face.
He said solemnly: "My master, my master, and myself have all checked carefully and confirmed that it is an ordinary old tree. If it is really an old tree that turns into a monster, how powerful will it be to avoid our repeated attacks?" Investigate? But if it is really an ordinary tree, why do people who want to die want to hang themselves there? This is really weird. "
There was silence for a while.
I suggested: "Don't think so much now. Since the shoemaker's son is going to be buried tonight, let's go to his house first to see what's going on. And when we go to his house, don't we have to pass by the deadly yellow horn tree? Then we go. Let’s take a look on the way.”
Lao Cao knocked his dry pipe on the threshold and nodded: "That's fine! Let's do business first and worry about the demonic tree later."
So, he picked up all the tools needed to carry the coffin, and after thinking about it, he stuffed a few paper figures and horses that he had prepared in advance into his pockets.
It was probably the last time the Duan family carried the coffin that made Lao Cao feel that even though it seemed simple, he couldn't take it lightly.
After all, many times, even experienced coffin bearers like Da Niu may not be able to figure out the evil things behind the corpses... Be prepared!
The six of us started from the coffin shop and walked west along the stone road.
After crossing the small bridge in the middle of the town, turn north and reach Liangfeng Street.
Walk along to the end and you will find the huge yellow horn tree that is more than 300 years old!
Is this legendary "death-killing demon tree" a deeply hidden evil thing?
I am full of curiosity!
At the same time, he thought to himself: "Perhaps the coffin bearer, the Red Boat Beard, and the Taoist priest can't find the clues. Can I figure it out using some of the methods taught by my master?"
