Chapter 3:
Events in Dongpi Village (Part 3):
The Moon in the Dream Turned Blood-Red…
At noon, the old craftsman walking the village path was terrified.
The oldest locust tree in the village had withered overnight, its wood black as if swarming with crows. Three bodies hung from its rough trunk, bound with the hemp ropes used for slaughtering pigs during the New Year festival. The craftsman, who had helped with the slaughtering, felt his legs go weak at the sight. He scrambled to the base of a wall, trembling and unable to stand.
The foreheads of the corpses were bruised and dark, shadows cast over their stiff brows, their eyes wide open, mouths agape as if in terror.
The craftsman dared not look again. The corpses seemed to stare back at him, sending chills down his spine.
The dead were Fatty Hu and the two Huang boys. The craftsman immediately called for help, notifying the Hu and Huang families to identify the bodies. The news quickly reached the Chen household. Upon hearing it, Grandpa Chen knew he had to go. Unwilling to leave Chen Henian alone, he took him along.
So many people.
This was the first time Chen Henian had witnessed such a scene. A dense crowd surrounded the village entrance, all unfamiliar faces. His grandfather told him to stay quietly at the back.
Gray cloths covered the bodies. Grandpa Chen touched the tree trunk, brushing off the bark before examining the corpses. As the cloth was lifted, Chen Henian glanced over, his eyes meeting Fatty Hu’s.
Just like in last night’s dream, except there was no fur on his face.
The corpse’s eyes were looking to the right, the flesh swollen, the strangulation marks on the neck black. They had likely died before being hung. The craftsman suddenly screamed, “The dead man’s eyes moved! They moved!” His voice was filled with terror. “This has nothing to do with me! May the vengeful spirit seek its rightful debtor!”
The corpses’ eyes, which had remained open, now moved. Chen Henian watched as Fatty Hu’s eyes suddenly turned towards him. He gasped, and wherever he moved, the eyes followed. The three corpses aligned themselves in an eerie synchronicity.
“The weasels have come for revenge.” Grandpa Chen quickly covered the bodies again. “These children went up the mountain yesterday and were targeted by the weasels. They followed the scent into the village and took their lives during the night. It seems their power has grown, making them harder to deal with.”
Someone panicked. “Why did they go up the mountain and provoke those unclean things?”
Mrs. Hu, sitting on the ground mourning her son, snapped, “Who else could it be?”
Her eyes darted around before settling on Chen Henian. “It’s you! Don’t try to escape!” She stood up furiously, pointing at him. “You killed my son!”
Yesterday, her son had been possessed. Now, his corpse lay before her. Mrs. Hu couldn’t bear it, beating her chest and wailing. “If it weren’t for you, my son wouldn’t have gone up that ominous mountain and lost his life! If it weren’t for you, my son wouldn’t be dead! I’m not afraid of you today, everyone is here, let’s see if you dare use little ghosts to bully people again!”
Crippled Hu also glared. “This won’t end today. He will pay for my son’s life!”
Before the Chens could speak, a couple pushed their way forward.
“That’s right!” It was the parents of the Huang boys. Having cried their hearts out, their grief turned to sharp accusations. Seeing Chen Henian, they became even more certain, their hands trembling with rage. “You jinx! You’re the only one who didn’t die! If it wasn’t you, then who was it?”
One of the Huang family members jabbed a finger towards Chen Henian’s nose. Grandpa Chen pulled him behind him, retorting, “Nonsense! You dare speak of ghosts in front of me!”
Crippled Hu said, “Then why didn’t your family die! Four children, three are dead, and this one, who’s neither human nor ghost, is the only survivor. If it wasn’t him, then who? I think he helped the mountain ghosts harm them!”
The Huang family echoed, “Old man, hand over this jinx, or don’t blame us for being impolite!”
Grandpa Chen spat, pointing at the Huang family member’s nose. “I made your mother’s coffin, Huang! Don’t you interfere! I’m telling you, anyone who lays a hand on my grandson will have to deal with me!”
“My family doesn’t owe you anything!” Crippled Hu picked up a stone and threw it at Chen Henian. His aim was good, but Grandpa Chen shielded him, taking the blow to his own head.
The stone grazed Grandpa Chen’s forehead, drawing blood.
In that instant, Chen Henian darted out from behind his grandfather. Small and quick, he picked up a stone and threw it back.
Lacking strength, the stone didn’t hit Crippled Hu, rolling to his feet. Chen Henian glared at him. He didn’t understand hatred or anger, but his clenched fists trembled, his chest tight with suppressed emotion.
Chen Henian’s eyes were wide, his mouth closed, not wanting to speak, only to see Crippled Hu clearly. His cold stare, though lacking the power to intimidate an adult, somehow frightened Crippled Hu.
Crippled Hu stumbled back, a chill crawling up his neck. His flustered retreat was embarrassing. He shouted, “What do you want to do? There are so many people here, do you want to eat me alive?”
Chen Henian remained silent, picking up another stone. He wanted to throw it again, but Grandpa Chen stopped him. He struggled, then threw the stone regardless. It landed closer this time, but still missed. Disappointed, he rubbed his dusty hand against his leg. His grandfather held him, saying, “Be good, don’t move, listen to Grandpa.”
Chen Henian didn’t like being called “good.” When his grandfather called him that, it meant he had to do things he didn’t want to do.
Grandpa Chen held him tightly, his hand on his cheek. Chen Henian remained silent, still. Grandpa Chen spoke calmly, “Going up the ominous mountain is taboo…”
“If the things on the mountain come down, no one will escape. Have you forgotten how my son died?”
Grandpa Chen’s low voice silenced the Hu and Huang families.
“My Chen family only has this one seedling left. I can’t afford to lose him. Can you afford to lose yours? Do you dare?”
The silence deepened, only Grandpa Chen’s anger audible. His face was stern. He turned his gaze. “Hu, didn’t I tell you to tell Huang to spread black-bellied grass on their beds? Did you do it?”
The question choked Crippled Hu.
“I knew it.” Grandpa Chen sighed regretfully. “If you had done as I said, the Huang boys might not have died.”
“Crippled Hu!” Huang’s face changed as he looked at him.
“It was already dark! Who would dare go to the foot of that mountain!” Crippled Hu turned his head. “What’s the use of talking about it now!”
Huang was furious, pointing at Crippled Hu and cursing, “You heartless bastard, you didn’t even say a word!”
“What’s the use of blaming me?” Crippled Hu retorted, his unreasonable anger fueling his defiance. The two men glared at each other.
The older generation was evenly matched. The village had no leader, the village head having passed away two years ago, his son incompetent. At this moment, they could only rely on Grandpa Chen.
“Old man, what should we do now?” someone asked urgently.
“Losing a child, every family would grieve.” Grandpa Chen sighed. “I’m already half in the grave, what are you afraid of while I’m still alive?”
“Do as I say. The weasels brought yin energy. The locust tree, deprived of yang energy, has become a ghost tree. Today, we must cut down this tree, uproot it completely. Otherwise, this ghost tree will absorb the village’s yang energy, and the living will lose their souls to the underworld in their sleep.”
“And the bodies of these children must be burned immediately. If we wait until they reanimate, it will be too late. No one can cry during the burning. If someone cries, their souls won’t be able to leave.”
“You want to burn my son?” Mrs. Hu cried out.
Grandpa Chen glared at her fiercely. “These corpses will become jiangshi, and you will be their first victims. I’ve said what needs to be said! Do as you see fit!”
“Listen to the old man.” Crippled Hu immediately yielded. “Burn, let’s burn them.”
“Everyone keep a close watch,” Grandpa Chen said. “Don’t let anything go wrong.”
“Old man, aren’t you staying? Where are you going in such a hurry?”
“Of course, I’m going home!” Grandpa Chen snorted, his face grim. “You just scared my grandson!”
“Little Nian, let’s go home.” He took Chen Henian’s hand and turned to leave.
After walking some distance, out of sight of the crowd, Chen Henian suddenly pulled away from his grandfather’s hand. He looked up at him, silent, then quickened his pace, walking ahead without looking back.
Grandpa Chen chased after him, calling, “Little Nian, wait for Grandpa! Wait for Grandpa, Grandpa can’t walk fast.”
Chen Henian didn’t reply. Grandpa Chen asked, “Are you angry? Angry with Grandpa?”
The muddy path was difficult to navigate. Grandpa Chen quickly became breathless. He had to stop, bending over to catch his breath. “I’m old, I can’t keep up with you.”
Chen Henian looked back, seeing he had left his grandfather far behind, and stopped. His still-developing features were scrunched up in a frown.
He waited for Grandpa Chen to approach. Grandpa Chen smiled. “Don’t be angry with Grandpa, alright?”
Chen Henian remained silent for a moment before saying, “I did nothing wrong.”
Grandpa Chen nodded. “Grandpa knows.”
“Then they can’t, they can’t bully us!”
Chen Henian’s eyes reddened, his frown sharpening his features. “I’m angry! I’m angry at them! I should… I should have fought back! You stopped me, and I’m even angrier!”
“Grandpa knows, Grandpa knows Little Nian is worried about Grandpa.” Grandpa Chen smiled, the blood on his forehead dried. “But Little Nian is still small, not tall enough, not strong enough. How can you fight those adults?”
Chen Henian was even more upset.
“In a few years, Little Nian will grow up,” Grandpa Chen said. “Grandpa will cook chicken for you today, freshly slaughtered. We can use the broth to make noodles. Eat your fill, and you’ll grow up quickly, alright?”
“I want to grow up fast.”
“That won’t do.”
“Grandpa needs to watch Little Nian grow up slowly. Otherwise, in the blink of an eye, Grandpa will be too old and have to go into the ground.”
Chen Henian snorted, his lips pursed, his anger half-gone, the other half sinking into his heart. Grandpa Chen took his hand again, and they returned home. After they ate, Chen Henian washed the dishes. When he returned, his grandfather was lighting incense.
Grandpa Chen knelt on the ground, holding three incense sticks and bowing three times. Then, two of the incense sticks snapped, falling to the ground.
Chen Henian saw his grandfather’s expression change.
“Little Nian, come here.”
Chen Henian approached and watched.
“This is called ‘dian xiang.’ The incense faces due north. Three bows to ask the long road, and you can know good fortune or misfortune.” Grandpa Chen said, “Two short and one long is a bad omen. It seems the weasels still have their eyes on us. Your mother killed a few, but there are many more on the mountain.”
“Watch what Grandpa does.”
Grandpa Chen sprinkled incense ash on the door frame, explaining as he worked, “This ash used to commemorate the deceased can mask the living’s qi, so things from the underworld can’t find you. But weasels are not easily fooled.”
He then cut a paper figure out of white paper, tied it with red string dyed with chicken blood, and placed it in a bowl of glutinous rice at the entrance.
“Do you know what I wrote on it?”
Chen Henian naturally didn’t.
“Your birth date and time,” Grandpa Chen said. “The weasels won’t let go of a person, so we use this to substitute you.”
“This is me?” Chen Henian asked.
Grandpa Chen arranged the items, then led him back to the room. “These are methods passed down through generations of our Chen family. Do you want to learn?”
“Grandpa will teach you later, okay? When Grandpa is old and gone, you will leave this place. With some skills to protect yourself, you can live happily ever after.”
The thought made Grandpa Chen happy, but Chen Henian simply rolled over in bed, ignoring him.
“What, are you scared?” Grandpa Chen asked.
“I’m not afraid,” Chen Henian replied dryly. “I don’t want to talk anymore.”
“Okay, then sleep, sleep.” Grandpa Chen smiled, patting his back and fanning him with a grass fan.
Chen Henian, initially angry and wide-eyed, soon fell asleep. He dreamt again. The moon in his dream was blood-red. He saw a large lake, covered in mist, and a dark shadow. Before he could see clearly, the rooster’s crow woke him.
The next morning, the paper figure was torn to shreds.
The following two nights were peaceful. Grandpa Chen was relieved. Happy, he steamed an egg for Chen Henian in the morning.
With chicken and eggs to eat, Chen Henian felt a pang of reluctance. He saved half of the egg for his grandfather, but before he could eat the warm food, his grandfather went out.
It seemed someone outside said the old craftsman was missing.
