Perhaps Heaven really was watching over Xing Yan: he had indeed found himself a good job. Ever since becoming the flute player at the Flower Moon House, the boy's life had grown much easier. What pleased him most was that he no longer had to hurry back and forth over a dozen li every day! And Qinghe, the old Daoist he had not seen in some time, had plainly grown much friendlier toward him. Though Xing Yan no longer pestered him to take him as a disciple, the old Daoist now often brought him along on odd jobs that earned some money.
The work at this so-called Good Karma Office was leisurely and dull beyond measure. How could someone as lively as Qinghe endure it? Thus, the old Daoist often took on outside jobs, surveying people's feng shui or preparing talismans and the like. Besides spreading Daoist teachings, he could earn a little money for wine. Thanks to his title as a Daoist of Shangqing Palace, this sideline of his did quite well.
But as the saying went, "a lone palm cannot clap." The old Daoist could not manage all these jobs himself; he needed an assistant. Unfortunately, the two ready-made candidates at the Good Karma Office, the young Daoists Mingjing and Mingchen, refused to "wallow in the same mire" with him.
Mingchen and Mingjing were full of complaints about their sect sending them to Raozhou City to perform such menial duties, and so they guarded their reputations all the more jealously. How could they bear to follow Qinghe through streets and alleys, doing the disgraceful work of wandering Daoists? They also deeply resented his behavior for diminishing Shangqing Palace's prestige. Though his seniority prevented them from saying so openly, they often grumbled together in private, complaining that the head of their Good Karma Office showed no regard for Shangqing's spotless reputation as the foremost Daoist sect under heaven.
Qinghe knew this perfectly well and never dared hope that these two young Daoists would "dim their radiance and mingle with the dust" alongside him.
That made Zhang Xingyan, the boy he knew inside out, just the right choice. Whenever Xing Yan had no work with the musicians during the day, Qinghe would fetch him to serve as his attendant, carrying a basket or handing him talismans during rituals. One old, one young-the Daoist seasoned and shrewd, the boy quick-witted-they worked together with remarkable ease. Every outing earned Xing Yan a little money, so he never tired of it and followed Qinghe with a spring in his step whenever summoned.
That morning, another job came Qinghe's way. Master Zhu, proprietor of the Zhu Family Rice Shop in the city, had sent someone to invite this renowned senior Daoist of Shangqing in Raozhou City to conduct a small House-Cleansing ritual at the Zhu Residence.
Master Zhu, the owner of the rice shop, was quite a figure in Raozhou City. His business flourished, and his household possessed immense wealth.
The payment for this job ought to be substantial, shouldn't it?
Hearing that the rice shop's owner had invited him, the old Daoist's heart immediately blossomed with delight. Not daring to delay, he hurried to the Flower Moon House to fetch Xing Yan, gathered all the necessary supplies, and packed them into two loads for the boy to carry on a shoulder pole behind him. Soon the old man and the boy were trotting along after the Zhu family's servant toward the Zhu Residence.
Once there, the old Daoist prepared to don his ritual robes and, as usual, instructed Xing Yan to lay out the supplies so he could begin invoking talisman water to purify the courtyard. While he was bustling about and issuing orders, Master Zhu asked him not to hurry. The plump, big-eared rice merchant said:
"Ahem, well, Immortal Master Qinghe, you must be tired from your journey. Why not have something to eat first? The House-Cleansing needn't be done this very moment."
Hearing there was food, Qinghe naturally did not refuse. Master Zhu ordered a banquet prepared, invited the old Daoist and Xing Yan to dine, and sat beside them to keep them company.
Truly a wealthy household-how very hospitable!
With such an attentive host and such fine food and wine, the old Daoist was beside himself with delight. Xing Yan was secretly pleased too, thinking how lucky he was today: not only would he earn some extra cash, but he would also get a splendid meal out of it.
Yet amid his enjoyment, Xing Yan could not help finding something odd. Master Zhu, seated beside them, never mentioned the House-Cleansing, merely urging them warmly to eat and drink. That hardly matched the frantic manner of the servant who had come for them that morning. But with wine warming his ears and grease coating his lips, he could not be bothered to worry about it. Better to eat and drink his fill first.
After four or five cups of wine, Qinghe's face and ears turned red, and he began to feel rather buoyant. Under the wine's influence, his mouth became a sluice with its gates torn away, and he started boasting about his formidable Daoist arts. The tipsy old Daoist declared:
"Benefactor Zhu, before coming to Raozhou City, this humble Daoist studied the arts for many years on Mount Luofu. Not that I'm boasting, but invoking talisman water and purifying an ordinary residence are mere trifles."
As the old Daoist began to boast, Master Zhu kept praising him and agreeing.
Another two cups down, Qinghe's face grew even redder, and his words became increasingly unrestrained. Amid his rambling, extravagant chatter, he unwittingly turned to his own sect, Shangqing Palace, and bragged:
"The Daoist arts of our humble Shangqing Palace are truly profound beyond fathoming! Though I am slow-witted, after years of study I have gained some slight understanding. Never mind such minor matters as astrology, spirit writing, invoking talismans, and House-Cleansing—even capturing demons and subduing monsters is nothing to speak of!"
Unexpectedly, the moment these words left his mouth, Master Zhu, who had been joking and playing along beside him, sprang to his feet. Moving his stout body swiftly away from the table, he bowed respectfully to Qinghe and pleaded in earnest:
"To tell you the truth, Immortal Master, I invited you here today precisely because I need your help. Everyone under heaven knows that Shangqing Palace's profound arts can subdue dragons and tame tigers. Misfortune has befallen our household: something uncanny has appeared in this residence. Today I beg you to show mercy and use Shangqing Palace's divine arts to subdue that fiend!"
At Master Zhu's words, Qinghe, still basking in his own importance, froze with his wine cup halfway to his mouth. The merchant's appeal was like a ladle of snow water poured straight through the crown of his skull on a blazing summer day. The old Daoist, already half drunk, sobered up at once!
Alarm clamored in his heart. A sixty-year-old mother, outwitted by a child! Today I've actually sat down at a Hongmen banquet! I thought I'd landed a lovely job, only to be handed a scalding hot potato! Annoyed, he glanced at Master Zhu and found the merchant's fat face full of pious sincerity. What a sly fellow this seasoned rice merchant is! First he plies me with fine food and wine, then heaps sweet words and flattery on me until my head's in the clouds and I've boasted to the skies. Only when I can no longer back down does he make his plea. He really has made it hard to refuse...
But though Master Zhu was seasoned, Qinghe was no greenhorn either. While inwardly cursing the old merchant for inviting him to this Hongmen banquet, he showed neither embarrassment nor agitation. Composing his expression, he addressed Master Zhu with perfect gravity:
"Master Zhu, you are mistaken! As I see it, Raozhou City enjoys a pure and peaceful atmosphere. How could anything uncanny exist here? All demonic manifestations arise from the heart. An elder of the Shangqing Order once taught us: 'Does this demon exist? Your heart has summoned it. Does this demon not exist? Your heart has conjured it.' Master Zhu, these supposed hauntings are all empty illusions. Empty your heart, and everything will vanish!"
One look at Qinghe's pompous mystification told Xing Yan that the old fellow had lost his nerve and merely wanted to bluff his way out. The boy laughed inwardly. Whenever the old Daoist invoked talismans or surveyed homes, he put on such an impeccable performance, looking every inch the solemn master of profound arts. Yet a few words had frightened him into begging off before he had even seen the monster! Still, amusing though it was, the two of them were now grasshoppers tied to the same string. After considering it, Xing Yan was about to offer a few words to cover for him when Master Zhu answered Qinghe:
"There is something you do not know, Daoist Master. Though strange phenomena may arise from the heart, the demon in my humble residence really does exist!"
At those words, both the old Daoist's and Xing Yan's hearts jolted. Master Zhu continued:
"Our residence began suffering disturbances a little over half a month ago. In broad daylight, tiles and stones are often flung out of empty air. At night, ghostly wailing goes on without end. Sometimes fires suddenly break out where no one is... All manner of uncanny things have left even the chickens and dogs without peace! Please show us your great compassion, Immortal Master, and save everyone in the Zhu Residence, young and old!"
This account sent chills through Master Zhu and the boy, who had originally come merely to earn a little extra money.
"That's right! That monster's so frightening..."
The interruption came from Master Zhu's rather dull-witted son, Zhu Wencai, but before he could finish, his father silenced him with a glare. At the word "frightening," the old Daoist's face turned ashen.
After a brief pause, Xing Yan noticed the awkward silence and interjected:
"This... this haunting has been going on for over half a month. Haven't you invited any Daoists or ritual masters?"
Qinghe took his work seriously: every time he brought Xing Yan along, he made the boy change into an old Daoist robe. But although Xing Yan dressed like a Daoist, he had never considered himself one. Master Zhu noticed nothing amiss in his question and simply answered:
"Of course I have! I even invited Daoist Master Wang Pan from Mount Sanqing in Poyang County-"
"What happened?"
Though they knew the answer would be grim, the old man and the boy still hoped for a miracle and blurted out the question in unison.
"Alas! He failed."
"All the strange disturbances in the residence continued as before. For some reason, after Master Wang came here to subdue the demon that day, he fell ill upon returning home and has been bedridden ever since. His disciples spent days making a scene outside my rice shop. Only after I paid a good deal toward his medical expenses did peace return to my doorstep!"
Though he said nothing further about the monster itself, these words made Qinghe's and Xing Yan's hair stand on end. Daoist Master Wang Pan of Mount Sanqing was the most outstanding practitioner in their trade anywhere nearby. The old Daoist's face instantly went deathly pale, and he began stammering evasively:
"Ahem... well, this business of subduing demons and capturing monsters... yes, subduing demons and capturing monsters is ordinarily no trouble at all. But when your servant came today, he mentioned only invoking talismans and House-Cleansing. I left in such haste that I forgot the magical treasures I normally use to subdue demons—"
"Why don't I return first, gather all the necessary demon-subduing implements, and come back tomorrow?"
Hearing this, Xing Yan could not help praising him inwardly:
Brilliant! Old ginger really is the hottest!
Having worked closely with him so often, Xing Yan knew Qinghe's possessions inside out. When had he ever seen any useful magical treasures or implements? This was plainly a feint: he meant to copy Liu Bang, the Han ruler at the Hongmen banquet, grease his soles, and flee! All that talk of "coming back tomorrow" was nonsense! Xing Yan would wager that the moment the old Daoist stepped outside, he would quietly set off on his travels-perhaps buying fresh goods at Poyang Lake, perhaps visiting his sick fellow Daoist on Mount Sanqing. Whatever he did, no one would find hide nor hair of him in Raozhou City for days!
But as the saying went, "the Dao rises a foot, the demon rises ten." Master Zhu, who had contrived this Hongmen banquet, had finally lured a ritual master into his trap. How could he repeat the mistake of the Hegemon King of Chu? Seeing the old Daoist's feet begin edging toward the door, he seized his sleeve and cried:
"Immortal Master, you must save us! My whole family is trapped in deep water and raging fire. We cannot endure another day! Please show compassion, Daoist Master, and rescue us from hanging upside down in torment. As for the treasures you forgot, there is no need to worry. Just list whatever implements you need, and I will send servants to fetch them at once. I would never trouble your honored feet with another journey!"
Judging by Master Zhu's desperation, the monster truly had made life in the Zhu Residence unbearable. Ever since Daoist Master Wang Pan of Mount Sanqing had met with disaster, visitors had become so scarce that sparrows could gather at his gate. Having finally caught a ritual master at his door today, he naturally would not let him leave so easily.
Faced with Master Zhu's insistence, Qinghe began to lose his bearings. Just then, his attendant Xing Yan spoke up to help him out:
"Forgive this youngster for speaking out of turn, Master Zhu, but there is something I genuinely don't understand. From the strange occurrences you described, the monster is clearly causing fierce disturbances, even throwing bricks and tiles during the day. Yet why has everything in your residence been perfectly normal since we arrived, without the slightest commotion?"
"Eh?... That's true!"
Only after hearing the boy's words did Master Zhu recall that the monster had still been making trouble that morning. Yet ever since the old man and the boy arrived, the atmosphere of the residence had become clear and peaceful. The monster had truly behaved itself, making not so much as a sound. Thinking of this, Master Zhu marveled inwardly:
How strange! Could this old Daoist Qinghe really possess some skill? It's certainly possible. Shangqing Palace is renowned throughout the world; its ranks must harbor hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Even if Master Qinghe is-merely a menial Daoist who handles purchasing, he must still be extraordinary!
These thoughts plainly showed that Master Zhu had invited Qinghe in the desperation of a sick man who would seek any physician, treating a dead horse as though it might yet live. He had never expected the monster to behave so unusually today and stop causing trouble. But this was no good thing for Qinghe and Xing Yan: in Master Zhu's eyes, the Daoist whose reputation had previously been unremarkable had unwittingly become a most promising straw to clutch at for survival.
Just as joy rose in Master Zhu's heart, Daoist Master Qinghe said:
"Hmm! What my disciple just said makes excellent sense! You can see that nothing strange has happened in your residence all this time. Master Zhu, you must not make sport of this humble Daoist! As I said earlier, heaven and earth are bright and clear in Raozhou City. How could there be a demon? Demons arise from the heart, from the heart! I shall take my leave now!"
Qinghe now thought of nothing but slipping away. Using Xing Yan's remark as his excuse, he immediately rose to leave.
"Ah! Immortal Master, please stay!"
Seeing his life-saving straw about to drift away, Master Zhu hurriedly blocked him. By now, the old Daoist no longer cared about maintaining his virtuous appearance. Displeased at being stopped, he said:
"I say, Master Zhu! What do you mean by obstructing me like this? Must your residence conjure up a monster today just for me to capture?"
At the old Daoist's harsh words, Master Zhu became like an ant on a hot pan, inwardly lamenting his plight and blaming the monster for being so cunning. It even knew which way the wind blew: with an expert present, it stayed quiet and would not come out to stir up a little trouble. Now, watching this master who could deliver him from suffering prepare to leave, Master Zhu groaned inwardly without cease. Caught in this dilemma, he weighed his options and decided he could no longer afford to worry about the consequences. Hardening his heart, he cried loudly:
"Now that it's come to this, there's no other way! I'll have to use that move!"
Before you continue