Huai'an Temple

For several days, Shen and Xue both wandered around the medicine market, picking some herbs and ores for refining and healing.Shen Tuan's eyes are sharp and never open.

There are also retail stalls outside the main street, and the two of them just pick up the small roads, looking for some new and strange things.In the corner of the dark alley, there was a busy kid with his head bowed, about eleven or twelve years old, holding a mortar in his hand, and was pounding half of it into a big red water to make a paste.It seems that the pounding is almost done consciously, scoop up half a ladle of water from the bucket at the foot, carefully add it to the mortar, and mix it evenly.Then he quickly transferred the bowl of red juice into a rough porcelain white bowl.

A little dregs remained in the mortar, and he threw it out with a flick of his hand.Xu Shi didn't look up, just splashing Shen Tuan on his shoe.The splashes made spots on the lower skirts of the two of them.

Xue Zhu who was beside him was also unprepared, he let out a soft hey, which startled the child.Seeing that he was in trouble, the child rolled and fell to the ground, anxiously said: "Master Dao, I am me, I am lost, Master Dao, don't blame me!" He just kowtowed.Shen Tuan glared at Xue Zhu, stretched out his hand to help the child up, and said softly: "It's okay, get up quickly." Xue Zhu knelt down and patted the sand on his body: "I'm also shocked, don't be afraid ,It's fine."

Shen Tuan turned his head and caught a glimpse of the rough porcelain white bowl on the small case, and saw that the juice in the bowl gradually cleared up, leaving half a bowl of bright red sediment.Surprised, Shen Tuan stretched out his hand to squeeze out a little bit, and twisted it on his fingertips.Cinnabar!Really cinnabar like rouge paste!

Xue Zhu still squatted on the ground to coax the child: "What's your name? Little Wood, then we are destined! My name is Little Zhuzi!" He said and took out two pieces of caramel wrapped in paper, which made him just laugh.

Shen Tuan bent down and asked: "Xiao Mumu, your cinnabar grinder is very powerful! Did you come to the medicine store to sell it?"

Xiaomu nodded: "The Taoist priest is right. My father taught me this. I can also grind borax and realgar. My father said that the medicine powder he made can be used in the eyes!"

Shen Tuan was surprised that the cinnabar could be so finely broken after passing through the water.Wouldn't it be twice as effective to draw an array and draw amulets?

Shen Tuan looked at the small pockets beside the desk and asked, "How much cinnabar do you have?"

Seeing that Shen Tuan probably wanted to buy it, Little Wood hurriedly said, "Look, Taoist priest, I have half a bag of about six or seven catties, how much do you want?"

Xue Zhu smiled: "Xiao Mumu, do you still have any at home? How many?"

Little Wood said in surprise: "You, Daoist, do you want a lot? I still have several bags of cinnabar at home! There must be one or two hundred catties!"

Shen Tuan took out a piece of silver from his pocket: "Here, little shopkeeper, take us back to pick up the goods!"

Xue Zhu helped Xiaomu carry the bag and bucket, and Shen Tuan carried several half bags of cinnabar realgar.Little Wood led the way with brisk footsteps, it was the first time someone called him the shopkeeper, and he felt very proud.

Xiaomu lived in the dark alley outside Yaoshi Street, and there was a sweet water well at the end of the alley.The neighbors in the neighborhood are all small households that rely on the medicine store for food. Xiaomu's father is a master processor in the medicine store, and his mother takes Xiaomu to grind some fine medicine at home, and sells it to the nearby doctor to supplement the family.This time when the medicine store opened, Xiaomu clamored to sell the medicine powder he made himself, and his mother let him go.

Xiaomu pushed the door open and brought the two of them in. When the curtain of the inner room was raised, a young woman came out to meet them.When Shen and Xue saw that there was no one else in the house, they both saluted and retreated to the small courtyard outside the house.

Shen Tuan turned sideways and spoke through the door: "Excuse me, Ma'am, the poor and the Taoist want to buy small wood cinnabar. He said there are quite a few at home."

It was also inconvenient for the woman to have a face-to-face conversation, so she just lowered her head and told her son a few words.Xiao Mumu ran out, took out two small sticks, handed back the piece of broken silver to Shen Tuan and said, "Wait a minute, Taoist chief, I'll call Daddy right away, we'll be right back."

Shen Tuan nodded.Little Wood ran away as if flying.

Shen Tuan sat down on the small tree, Xue Zhu was still standing looking around, although the yard was small, it was tidy, with guillotines, crucibles, and medicine pots piled up at the base of the wall.

Xue Zhu looked back at Shen Tuan, and said, "Master, this is like the small courtyard where I lived when I was young. At that time, my mother would wash and mend for me, and I would help deliver it. , eat some snacks."

Shen Tuan's thin lips curved.

Xue Zhu also sat beside Shen Tuan, and said: "Later, my mother's health deteriorated, she took medicine and sold the yard, and finally... she had to sell herself."

Shen Tuan saw some clothes drying by the window, and said: "This little wood is better than us. My parents are here, and I have enough food and clothing."

Suddenly, in the narrow dark alley, there was the sound of swift footsteps, Little Wood stumbled and cried loudly: "Mom!His mother hurriedly greeted him out of the house, Shen Xue and Xue looked at each other and followed.

Behind Xiaomu, there were two teenagers between sixteen and seventeen, with sad faces and panting.Mu Mu Niang listened to them scrambling to say a few words, her legs gave way and she fell to the ground.

Xue Zhu rushed to rescue him, and Shen Tuan asked why.

Just talking about Xiaomu, he went to his father's artillery workshop, but saw his father's two apprentices crossing hands inside the house.He said he was waiting for his father to go to the line to get the medicine early in the morning, but it was already noon and he still hadn't returned.

Xiaomu hurriedly said that there was something urgent, so the two wanted to follow him along the road to search.But he didn't want to see a few drops of blood running down the tiles of the eaves as soon as he went out of the house, just touching Xiao Mu's face.The two apprentices climbed to the roof to have a look.Frightened.

While talking, everyone rushed over.

Shen Tuan's mind was running, and his expression was completely restrained. He turned a kite over and landed lightly on the tiles of the eaves. His face was calm and his eyes were cold.Xue Zhu knew he was not good by looking at his face, he stretched his hands to grab the eaves of the house, and was about to twist himself up.Shen Tuan slightly raised his voice: "Get down!"

Xue Zhu let go as he said.

On the roof along the direction of the tiles, there is a dead body, hands, feet, limbs, head and torso, neatly placed side by side.The wound was downward, the blood gradually congealed, and it was difficult to swallow, winding downward.

At noon, under the sun!

Xue Zhu accompanied Xiao Mumu and his mother to report to the official, but Shen Tuan asked the two apprentices for details. Xiao Mumu's father left at the beginning of Sishi and was discovered at the end of noon.Seeing that the body has been dead for an hour and three quarters, the face is peaceful, and the flesh and blood of the limbs and wounds have retracted, it should be... drugged first, and then chopped off alive.

Shen Tuan's expression remained calm: "The two of you have been in the house all the time, so you didn't hear any noise from the house?"

Both of them said that there was no sound at all, and there was nothing unusual about the master today.

Shen Tuan asked again: "Is there any enmity?"

It is absolutely impossible for two people to behave together. The master is generous, cheerful and kind to others.The teacher's wife seldom goes out.The family is just fed and clothed, and there is no money to spend.

Although it was noon, Shen Tuan still tried to summon the soul, but after successfully transforming into a talisman, there was no response.That is to say, either reincarnation, or... the soul is gone...

Xue Zhu came back with Xiao Mumu, mother and son and the guards, inspected and collected the corpse, asked and visited.The mother and son fell down and cried, unable to control themselves.Xue Zhu hugged Xiaomu, and kept comforting him.They were sent back to the Yamen for filing.Make trouble until evening before returning.

Xue Zhu boiled two cups of tea, and Shen Tuan briefly told him about the appearance of the corpse.

Xue Zhu sighed: "Wait until it's time, I'll collect his cinnabar again! This mother and son will have a hard time in the future."

Shen Tuan nodded: "Just ask him to specialize in making cinnabar. We'll accept them all."

Xue Zhu let go of his Taoist crown and straightened his hair: "The servant also called it unlucky, saying that six or seven days ago, someone died on the city wall just now! I don't have a clue yet!"

Shen Tuan narrowed his eyes, and said hesitantly: "I always feel that people die strangely. Even if there is a grudge, it takes death without a whole body to resolve the grudge. Then...then why throw it on the room?"

Xue Zhu said: "The one a few days ago was even weirder. Standing on the city wall, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he took off his chin, and then pulled out his tongue. Even with his throat, spleen and stomach... I dare not think about that miserable situation! "

Shen Tuanhuo stood up and asked: "What?! Died by pulling out his tongue? And... five horses dismembered his body... This..." His face was gloomy, and he remained silent for a while.

Xue Zhu hurriedly asked: "What's the matter, Master? Is there something evil going on here?"

Shen Tuan took a deep breath and said, "You wait, I'll look for it."

Xue Zhu stopped him: "Master, what did you say?"

Shen Tuan said: "If it is not a coincidence, this is a magic trick for longevity. Seven kills continue life. One death is skinned, the second death is painful, and the third death is divided into horses... So there may be one person who died fourteen days ago. Skinned, but still undiscovered!"

Xue Zhu opened his eyes wide and his face turned pale.

Shen Tuan stroked Xue Zhu's back and said, "Don't be afraid, wait for me."

Xue Zhu grabbed Shen Tuan with his backhand, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, his face was calm and his voice was calm: "Master, I am also the disciple of Huai'an Guanyi Hengdao."

Shen Tuan looked at Xue Zhu, and said briefly: "Tie up your hair, let's go!"