Chapter 12: Corpse Transformation

In May of 884 AD, on the official road fifty li southwest of Bianzhou (modern-day Kaifeng)Ye Haosheng went to Ding Yuanwai's place to settle the rent. On the way, he also encountered Zhang Guihou leading a large group of cavalry thundering past. Ordinary people, seeing such a spectacle, naturally dodged far away.

Ye's family had once performed at Zhu Shixiang's mansion, so Ye knew quite a few of the Bian army generals. The leading general today, Ye Hou-sheng, he had seen before. He wasn't very afraid, he just took shelter under the eaves of a roadside house for a moment. 。He watched the cavalry galloping past, silently counting in his heart, estimating that there were about two hundred horsemen. 。

After the cavalry had passed, he continued on his way to Ding Weiwai's home, pondering as he walked. Just now, his wife had said that the scholar who acted as a messenger had gone to the vegetable garden, but she only mentioned that there were only a few dozen horsemen.

Now this general brings over two hundred cavalry. 。It seems Zhu Dalang couldn't find the child in the vegetable garden——wait a moment, why is he digging It appears they've concluded that the child is dead, and are searching for his body. 。He looked at the sunshine on the ground and thought to himself, yesterday there was a huge thunderstorm, and the vegetable garden had become a swamp. 。If children died there, at most their skin and flesh would rot. It wouldn't be hard to find them. 。Now General Zhang must lead troops to reinforce and widen the search area. 。Wener brought her friend, Xiaoxiao, back home in the morning. However, Xiaoxiao didn't have an outer robe, which suggested that she must have experienced something extraordinary during the night. I didn't even ask what happened. What a joy to have such a dear child; I was so happy that my mind went blank. 。However, at that time, if he kept asking questions and probing, if You Xiao felt looked down upon, he might refuse to accept him as his godfather. Wouldn't that be a case of losing the bigger picture because of something small

So, he made up his mind on the spot: first, settle the rent, then leave Bianzhou as soon as possible. 。Although the Xuanwu Army searched everywhere for the child, Youxiao's tall stature did not look like that of a six-year-old. 。However, judging by his accent, he is certainly not a native of Bianzhou. 。And his shoes, which were quite expensive, showed that this child came from a wealthy family. 。Suddenly, I remembered last night's fire at Yuan Yi Station. Could it be that You Xiao's biological parents lived there I slapped my thigh in realization, drawing curious glances from the passersby on the street. 。Ye Hou-sheng didn't mind, still walking and thinking to himself, it must be his family living there. After the flood, only You Xiaocang managed to escape from the inn in a hurry. His biological parents, he presumed, had already perished in the fire. 。Thinking of this, I couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. Although I secretly chided myself for my dark thoughts, the happiness was undeniable. 。Thus, Youxiao has already lost both parents. No wonder he's willing to accept Ye as his godfather!

Suddenly remembering that Xuanwu Army is still hunting down the child, although it's highly likely not Youxiao, I still feel there's a connection between them. My heart feels uneasy, and I suddenly feel like "the cicada awakens before the wind moves," proving that I am indeed quite perceptive. 。Whether the Bian army was truly capturing a friend's son or not, and whether his parents were still alive or not, all that matters is that Ye left without a word. This adopted son will have nowhere to go from now on, and the Ye family's incense finally has an heir. 。

Unconsciously, I arrived at Ding Yuanwai's house. However, I saw him sitting alone, his eyes darting back and forth, in front of a large table that was completely empty.

Ye Housheng couldn't help but be surprised, so he coughed. 。Then Ding Yiwai suddenly woke up, seeing that it was Ye Housheng. Knowing that he had traveled through states and prefectures, with rich experience in the Jianghu (martial arts world), Ding couldn't help but be overjoyed. He hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed Ye Housheng, pulling him to sit on that spring stool... 。Ye Housheng thought to himself that Ding Weiwai must have encountered some trouble, but he didn't bring it up. He just waited patiently for him to speak. 。"Indeed, after Ding Yiwai poured Ye Housheng a glass of water and said a few polite words, he asked:","Ye elder brother, you are well-informed. Have you ever heard of the matter of corpses changing"Ye Housheng was startled in his heart, but his face remained composed: "In this time of constant warfare, if we talk about dead people, there are surely millions..." 。

If one speaks of corpse transformation, even the revered Confucius said to treat it with respect and distance. But where does one begin I wonder why Master Ding asks such a question

Master Ding sighed, then lowered his voice to tell him about the strange occurrences he had witnessed last night.

After finishing his words, he felt uneasy and couldn't help but ask Ye Hou Sheng:"Brother Ye, you see that I am so young, how could I have seen such an unlucky thing Could it be that a natural disaster is imminent" Ye Hou Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly felt a chill rising from his toes to the back of his neck. 。I said this child came abruptly, but it turns out to be a corpse transformation Last night there was a heavy thunderstorm with lightning and thunder, which is perfect for corpse transformations. 。That child, I estimate, would have immediately begun to decay after being killed by the cavalry. 。Of course, otherwise, how could there be such good fortune in the world A handsome young boy would simply appear out of thin air to become my godson!

But he couldn't bear to part with his godson either. The image of You Xiaofei appeared in his mind... 。Suddenly, doubts arose again: the child's complexion was normal, while zombies were said to have three types of colors: green, white, and gray. This showed that his friend Xiao was definitely not a zombie. 。Even zombies are said to choose their victims and attack ferociously. They should also be active at night. But You Xiaocheng came to my house in broad daylight, just like an ordinary child. 。It seems he wasn't a corpse reanimated, but rather what I had thought before. After leaving the Shangyuan Station by water, he escaped the inn and was left with no relatives. He somehow met Wen'er and subsequently joined the Ye family, taking me as his father. 。

Well, that's only right.

But what Ding Yuanwai said was very true and made perfect sense about the dovetail joints. 。Moreover, today they searched the vegetable garden and indeed found no trace of the child's remains! Ding Yiwai also said that the child's body had grown much larger at the time. Wasn't that Yu Xiao's description

But I've never heard of a corpse growing larger!

Ding Yiwai watched Ye Housheng's face, changing between dark and bright, his expression fluctuating, and he himself was also nervous. 。"By the way, brother, do you have any efficacious talismans Sometimes, I'll send them to Ding, and this year's rent will be waived." 。His question, on the contrary, made Ye Housheng make up his mind. He decided to pay off the rent first, then return home and ask his daughter about the details before making a decision. 。I hurried to decline:

"I have been living in Bianliang, where would I go to seek talismans Today I came to settle the rent with you and am going to Caizhou to take refuge with Mr. Xue." 。Ye Hou Sheng said several times that he didn't have talismans, and it was only after much effort that he managed to get rid of Ding Yuanwai's entanglement. After settling the rent, he walked home with a heavy heart. 。On the road, I kept thinking to myself. If my friend's child appeared tomorrow in the sunlight, how could he be a demonic corpse The child's arrival was indeed strange. If he were truly someone from their family, wouldn't I have been overjoyed for nothing I remembered that after the Empress passed away, I left the palace with my wife and daughter to make a living in Bianliang City. Life had been peaceful. But what if this child brought misfortune or got us into troubleHowever, if I abandoned this foster son who came to me willingly, I couldn't bring myself to do it. 。Having no children in my life has always been a heavy burden. The lack of an heir to carry on the family line makes me feel like I've failed my ancestors. 。It's so hard for Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to appear, and they have sent someone to inherit the incense. How could I drive him away

I pondered all the way, feeling trapped between two choices. As I approached my home, I gritted my teeth and thought: Whether it's a blessing or a curse, it can't be avoided! Since heaven has sent this child, it must be that the ancestors of the Ye family have accumulated virtue 。First, he took him to Cai State. If the journey went smoothly, it would be heavenly fortune, and the Ye family's incense shouldn't be extinguished. 。For him, it was like a gamble, to stay in this comfortable life now, or to risk the unknown for the sake of the Ye family lineage. Filial piety has three cardinal sins: not serving one's parents, disrespecting them, and having no descendants. Ye Hou Sheng was a traditional man, so for the continuation of the Ye family line, he decided to take a gamble. 。He felt that his choice was right. 。As a head of household, he has the right to take a chance and place a wager. 。As soon as I stepped inside, I saw Big Ye had already packed all the big and small bundles neatly. She was hiding under the shade of the eaves with Little Ye and her niece and nephew, chatting away. 。Ye Hou Sheng suddenly remembered, he had forgotten to hire a mule cart. 。Busy walked back toward the door and only heard Granny Ye's hoarse voice calling, "Where are you going, sir"Ye Hou Sheng smiled and said, "I was in a hurry just now and forgot to hire a mule cart..." 。Ye Dalian said: "Sir, you needn't be so busy. Earlier I made an agreement with Wang Po, and this time should be arriving soon." 。"

Ye Housheng stopped his feet and asked, “I wonder how much the carriage costs”

Ye's mother hesitated for a moment and said, “It’s a bit expensive, it costs one thousand two hundred wen.”" 。Ye Housheng winced in pain, letting out a sigh and saying: "No matter your status, as long as you can leave the city..." 。Remembering the matter, I beckoned Ye Ma to come over. However, Ye Da Ma stepped forward and asked, "Is Wen'er happy with Youxiao Zheng What did your lord call her for"Ye Youxiao lowered his voice and said, "It's about Youxiao's affair. I want to ask my daughter how she attracted him." Ye Da Ma smiled and led Ye Hou Sheng out the door, pointing at the street and saying, "I have already asked on behalf of your lord..." 。Originally, Wen'er saw several little hooligans snatching Youxiao's clothes in the morning. She couldn't stand it and went out to drive those guys away. 。 。Ye Hou Sheng silently pondered, what Ding Yuanwai had said definitely couldn't be told to his wife. Firstly, he was afraid she, as a woman, would be frightened; secondly, he was afraid that from then on, she would have prejudice against You Xiao, and their household would no longer be harmonious. 。This matter, I can only keep it to myself. 。Judging from her daughter's words, it seems she has convinced herself of the logic of "Upper Source Relay Walk Water - fleeing and having nowhere to go." 。

When it comes to Ding Yiwai's words, it's like there's a lump of phlegm stuck in your throat. You feel the urge to spit it out but you can't, and you dare not either. Of course, there's nowhere to spit it out anyway, which makes things quite uncomfortable.

As the couple were talking, a cart arrived at the door. The driver was a strong man named Han Wu, who also knew Ye Hou Sheng. 。

Seeing that the mule cart had arrived, Ye Hou-sheng put his thoughts aside: let's hit the road first.

All along the way, I secretly observed carefully. If there were any clues, I felt as if I had already made preparations. 。In short, I'm determined to get this child unless absolutely necessary! The couple helped the driver and together they put the luggage on the car. 。The mule cart was loaded to the brim, comfortably accommodating the mother and her two children. Ye Hou-sheng had no choice but to walk alongside. 。Han Wu said the Cao family's battle, fortunately, it was Wei Shi's family who went to Cai State. There was a big battle last night, and it just calmed down this morning. 。Ye Hou-sheng was walking down the road and casually asked, "I heard you're fighting against barbarians"

Han Wu replied, "Though they are barbarians, their loyalty and righteousness are no less than our Han people" 。It is said that in the end, hundreds of people all died in battle at the gates of Wei, and not a single one surrendered to make peace. 。"Well," Ye Housheng replied, his mouth forming the words, "Everyone works for their own master, right" 。But in his heart, he was pondering: Could these countless restless souls be related to what Ding Yiwai had said about "corpse transformation" Just as he was lost in thought, he heard Han Wu exclaim in surprise, "Why is the city gate closed" Ye Hou Sheng hurriedly looked over. Sure enough, there was no one queuing up to leave the city, and the inside of the city gate was pitch black, clearly indicating that the gate was tightly locked. 。Hurry quickly, taking two steps. I cautiously asked the small soldier guarding the city: “General, we would like to go to Caizhou. Could you please do us a favor and open the city gate We will be eternally grateful for your great kindness and will never forget it.” 。“The young captain was over thirty years old. Hearing someone call him general, he felt pleased in his heart, but said, “You wait to go out, first see if your group has a child”Ye Housheng understood that this was about the morning search of the city by the Bian army. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Ye Youxiao get out of the carriage and walk towards the young captain. He hurriedly said to the young captain, “This is my son, who is already ten years old.” 。Xiao Xiao looked at Ye Youxiao, clearly not a child of five or six years old. Immediately, he ordered the gate to be opened. 。But in his mouth, he said: "Father-in-law, I advise you to stay in Bianzhou. Zhu Xiang is here, and although the Shatuo people are fighting, it's estimated that the war won't last long." 。You're going to Cai State, and the road is filled with chaos and danger. If you lose your way, it will be too late to regret it. 。It's clear that Xiao Xiao is a kind person, but Ye Hou Sheng also understands that staying in Bianzhou, his taking in of his adopted son would sooner or later be known to everyone. At that time, coupled with Ding Yuanwai's testimony, not to mention the charge of human trafficking, just Zhu Shi Xiang's word could make You Xiao hard to escape the law. 。The only way to escape was to flee from Xuanwu Town and seek refuge under the protection of Xue Gong in Caizhou. That Xue Nong, you see, was the military governor of Caizhou, just as powerful as Zhu Si. 。Once I arrive at Lord Xue's place, even if this treasure of mine is right, 。As for the risks on the road, they are nothing compared to being sued or facing Zhu Shi's methods. 。Ye Hou Sheng was just about to find an excuse to leave the city, when Han Wu suddenly said, "This kind of risk, Han Wu cannot go." 。Ye Housheng was taken aback: "Han Wu, I've already given you the fare. Why aren't you leaving now" Han Wu shook his head repeatedly: "Otherwise, I'll send you all back right now, and return the fare as well. How about that"Ye Housheng chuckled wryly: "My family isn't going for a joyride in your carriage, is it"Han Wu remained unmoved: "Where your family is going, Han Wu wouldn't dare to ask..." 。But whether Han Wu goes or not, he'll make the decision himself. 。Han Wu's sudden change of heart left Ye Hou Sheng caught off guard. It was Ye Da Niang who spoke up: "Han Wu, if you want to go home, go home, but the cart has to stay." 。"If you're willing to pay, I'll sell it to you." 。After some haggling, they finally bought the cart for nineteen guan. Ye Da's mother drove the cart herself, while Ye Hou and his two children sat in the middle of the luggage, and the family set off for Caizhou. 。

Furthermore, Zhu Youyu led people to dig up the Ding family's vegetable garden almost three feet deep, but there was nothing at all.

Send someone to search for the corpse of last night's barbarian. Although Shi Jingcun, Xue Tieshan, He Huoluo, Chen Jingshi and others personally rode their army's corpses, they couldn't find the child's body no matter what. 。"

There was no other choice but to bring in the landlord, Ding Yuanwai. However, Ding Yuanwai insisted that he had been sleeping all night and knew nothing about the commotion in the vegetable garden.

" 。Zhu Youyu had no choice. Seeing an hour pass, he thought it was best to explain to Saburo and avoid any further accidents. 。Made up his mind, he went straight to the magistrate's office. 。

Zhu Wen heard that Zhu Youyu had challenged a young boy with a gun last night, but today he couldn't find the body, and he was also puzzled.

But the people of Hedong insisted that the child was still in Bianliang. Seeing them make such a big fuss and come to war, it didn't seem like they were lying. 。

Why can't he be found

Hearing that the eldest son was searching for his child, Mrs. Zhang immediately said: "This child must still be alive, but I don't know which commoner family has hidden him.

"That's difficult to find," Zhu Wen shook his head and said. "While Bianzhou is not as grand as Chang'an with its thousands of households, it still has a hundred thousand inhabitants. Where would we even begin looking"Mrs. Zhang couldn't help but chuckle. "Why bother looking My lord, with one move like 'knocking the mountain to startle the tiger,' today you shook up Bianzhou by searching for little boys. Those families are terrified and have already fled." 。 。Zhu Wen immediately ordered people to check at each city gate, and it turned out that a troupe of opera singers had left Bianzhou with a ten-year-old child and headed for Caizhou. 。Zhu Wen only felt strange. Why didn't he send the child back to Li Keku, but instead traveled thousands of miles to Cai State Moreover, their ages didn't match up. 。Although he was dubious, he still ordered someone to bring the gourd containing this matter to Li Ke Use, saying only that his son had been taken away by a troupe of actors to Cai State. 。At the same time, hand over the corpses of the Shatuo soldiers and blame everything on Zhang Guiba and his men. Then hastily end this matter. 。 with himNo, it couldn't be just taking that person... 。That man was nothing more than a shield, and he couldn't just play defense. He had to be one step ahead of his enemy, so he had to strike first...