Outside Nan Yue City, the midday sun blazed.
The summer heat was intense, wilting even the cicadas on the branches. The willows drooped, their vitality waning. Occasionally, a breeze would stir, carrying with it the listless cries of vendors, adding to the feeling of unease.
A young waiter sat resting on a chair, his chest bare. Perhaps due to the heat, there were few tourists or merchants passing by. The young man enjoyed a rare moment of leisure, taking off his cloth shoes and lying on a bench, a palm-leaf fan swaying gently.
A warm breeze swept over him, instantly alleviating the heat, and he drifted into a comfortable daze, vaguely hearing someone calling him.
"Hey, wake up."
The young man opened his heavy eyelids and saw a pair of Taoists standing in the awning. The leader had delicate features, and his Taoist robe was covered in dust. Yet, there was a serenity in his eyes, and he held a horsetail whisk in one hand, smiling as he looked at him.
The two claimed to be master and disciple, but the young boy beside the Taoist was exceptionally handsome. His fair skin and delicate features surpassed those of most girls. The young man had seen many young masters and knew that such children were often sent by wealthy families to temples to prolong their lives, and he immediately sobered up.
He hurriedly got up, wiped the sweat from the bench, and greeted them with a smile on his dark face, clasping his hands together, "Ah, so it's two Taoist priests. Would you like something to eat at the shop?"
"What do you have to eat?" the Taoist asked with a smile, pointing to the cured meat hanging in the shop. "Bring us some of your specialties, some chilled fruit, and some drinks."
"Alright, I've got it. Please wait a moment, and I'll prepare it for you two." The young man hurried off to work. It wasn't easy to get customers under this scorching sun. Taoists with disciples like these were usually not short of money. If he served them well, his income for the day would be secured.
The tables and chairs in the shop were stained with grease, and the young boy following the Taoist frowned slightly, showing a hint of disgust. The Taoist, however, sat down with ease, unconcerned about the stains. He looked up at the young boy, pointed to the bench beside him, and said with a smile, "Sit down, don't be so picky. You must be tired after walking all this way."
"Yes." The young boy reluctantly wiped the bench with a cloth and sat down. He looked at the crude awning and the large flies buzzing everywhere, landing on the table in swarms, only to suddenly scatter in panic. It made him frown.
It wasn't that he was unhappy with the environment, but having been accustomed to clean restaurants, sitting in a small place full of flies was indeed a bit unsettling.
He could only comfort himself by accepting the place for what it was.
The young boy was none other than Mo Xiang. After leaving Malaysia with Jiang Wen, they had come to Nan Yue. The Chen family patriarch had offered to escort them back, but Jiang Wen refused, saying he wanted to see the scenery of Southeast Asia and let Mo Xiang broaden his horizons.
After this bumpy journey, Mo Xiang realized that traveling was not easy. Some places in Southeast Asia were even more remote and difficult to traverse than Da Gan.
He knew that traveling would be difficult, but he had not expected it to be so challenging.
After hesitating for a moment, he plopped down on the bench, wiping the table with his finger and picking up old grease. He thought that the patina on the table could be used as a sauce to serve to people.
The owner asked Jiang Wen where he was going, and Jiang Wen simply replied that he was going to the city in Nan Yue.
He then asked where the Taoist came from, and Jiang Wen replied that he was a true man from the Jingxu Temple.
The owner immediately became respectful, and his words were filled with more deference.
In Southeast Asia, Taoists were still a respected profession, as most of the people in Southeast Asia had migrated from China during times of war and still maintained their former customs. In some places, customs and habits had been passed down to this day without change.
Most families would seek out Taoists and monks for rituals. In turbulent times, fortunes were unpredictable, and everyone had thoughts of preparing for the afterlife.
To survive, to live like a stray dog, was a common saying among those who lived in Southeast Asia.
The food was brought out, and the beef was steamed until it was red. The aroma was enticing, making one's mouth water.
Perhaps out of respect for Jiang Wen's identity as a Taoist, the owner waived the cost of the fruit. He also told the young waiter to bring a few more side dishes and treated Jiang Wen like a brother. Mo Xiang took a bite of the meat and chuckled, seeing this. His Brother Jiang was only thirty years old this year, yet he was taking advantage.
Jiang Wen listened carefully, knowing that the owner wanted something from him.
It turned out that the owner had been having nightmares lately, always dreaming of a child riding on his head. He had difficulty breathing in his sleep, and when he woke up, all seven of his orifices were blocked. Even on these hot summer nights, he was drenched in a cold sweat, feeling terrified.
"Last time, I hired a shaman who said I had encountered a drowned ghost and told me to burn more paper money by the river. But I burned a lot of paper money, even sending several houses and cars. Not only did the nightmares not lessen, but they became even worse. I always wake up in the middle of the night unable to breathe, feeling pain all over my body. My wife and children were so scared by my strange appearance that they moved back to her parents' house and refused to return. Some people are secretly saying that this is a sign that my life is coming to an end, hoping that I will die soon." The owner wiped his sleeves and shed tears, looking at Jiang Wen with a sad expression. "Taoist priest, how many days do you think I have left to live?"
Jiang Wen smiled and asked him to hold out his hand. The owner naturally complied, extending his hand and sticking out his tongue. After examining his eyelids, Jiang Wen nodded and asked, "Did you see a drowned woman the day before yesterday?"
"Wha, what woman?"
"A drowned woman, someone who drowned." Jiang Wen found it difficult to communicate with this uneducated person.
The owner quickly said, "I saw her, I saw her. Some time ago, the second young master of the Wang family's wife died. I went to offer condolences and saw her. She looked very scary."
"Having seen a drowned woman before the seventh day after her death means that yin energy has entered your body and startled your soul."
"Please save me, Taoist priest!" The owner's doubts disappeared, replaced by sincerity. After placing a few red bills on the table, he sat up straight.
Jiang Wen glanced at the red bills and slowly asked Mo Xiang to take out a few yellow talismans.
After applying cinnabar, he used his hand as a brush to draw incantations on the paper, mystical writings to exorcise evil spirits and clear the mind.
After drawing them, he asked the owner to bring some ginger, squeezed a few drops of ginger juice onto the talismans, and handed the ginger and talismans to the owner.
"Boil the ginger in clean water for half an hour, then dissolve the talismans in it and drink it for half a day."
The owner happily took the items upon hearing this and asked the young man to bring another roast duck. He looked at Jiang Wen and said, "Thank you, Taoist priest, for saving my life. This is a small token of my appreciation."
"You're welcome, you're welcome." Jiang Wen casually put the red bills into his sleeve.
"Speaking of which, which family are you going to perform a ritual for, Taoist priest?"
"It's fate, it's the Wang family in the city," Jiang Wen said with a smile.
Mo Xiang looked at the owner's astonished face, unable to tell if he was scared or happy.
When they left, the man hadn't recovered. Only after they paid the bill and left did they hear his hurried voice, "Quick, buy some more paper money and burn it for the Wang family's first wife."
Mo Xiang grimaced, looked up at Jiang Wen, and asked, "Brother Jiang, was he really possessed by an evil spirit?"
"Yes and no," Jiang Wen said with a smile.
As they talked, the city came into view.
