Chapter 61: False Way
February 15th, the beginning of the dog day
Shen Kuo and the monk chatted awkwardly for a while, neither of them dared to touch the topic of why there were so many suspicious points in Kunning Palace where the queen lived, so Shen Kuo opened the lotus leaf package and took out the beef to eat. He wanted to avoid the embarrassment, but was stopped by the monk.
"You don't have to rush to buy this cooked meat. I have prepared some snacks to go with the wine."
"Pig ears again?"
"Do you think that my shop can only have pig ears?" The monk laughed, "Xiao Yi, bring the fat chicken I bought this afternoon."
"Okay." Xiao Yi arrived with a plate in his hand, which contained a plump and tender hen that looked well-cooked. "This is Master Huailiang, who ordered it to be bought this afternoon, specially for Master Shen to drink with."
"Master, why are you so polite? Isn't that insulting your students?"
"It's not a polite remark. It's just that this morning in the palace, you asked me how birds have fingers. So I bought a chicken and boiled a bucket of juice. You and I tore it open and ate while we looked at each other."
"But flying birds don't have fingers?" Shen Kuo said confidently.
"Haha, don't rush to say no, why not take a look."
The monk did not use chopsticks, but tore the fat chicken apart with his bare hands, and then tore off the chicken wings. The chicken had probably been cooked for an entire afternoon, and was already well-cooked. The monk did not care if his hands were clean, and only tore them clean with both hands. He saw that there were indeed finger-like things on the tip of the chicken wing, but there were not five fingers but three, with a longer one in the middle and two shorter ones on each side.
Shen Kuo was dumbfounded for a moment. He had eaten a lot of chickens and quails in his life, but he thought that their wings were completely different from human hands. He never thought that these flying birds actually had fingers. Now looking carefully, the chicken wing bones are somewhat similar to the bones of the little skeleton he saw this morning. The size is also roughly the same.
"But it's not five fingers."
"I also said that the skeleton was pieced together. It looked like a human from a distance, but there were many inconsistencies when you looked closely. If it was pieced together from bird bones, the extra two fingers must have been pieced together from other bird bones, so there must be traces of adhesion."
"But the skull..."
"I think the skull belongs to a premature baby. If Bao Longtu visits all the midwives in the city to look for premature babies buried around the New Year, he might find something."
Shen Kuo pondered for a moment and felt that the monk's hypothesis made some sense. Suddenly, he had another strange idea.
"Master, I suddenly had a thought that has nothing to do with the current case. It is as described in the "Da Dai Li Ji". The creatures in the world are divided into five categories: hairy, feathered, scaly, insect, and naked. Each has its own tribe. Humans belong to the category of naked insects, and birds belong to the category of feathered insects. Their appearances are very different, and their habits are absolutely not similar. However, their skeletons are so similar ?"
"What Cun Zhong said makes sense, but there is a vague connection in it. Humans and various animals have similar appearances and similar bones, just like the veins of leaves. However, although everything in the world must have its reasons, it is not something that can be understood in this world. Although this question is very good, I'm afraid the time is not right now and I can't understand it. Hahaha. Maybe seven or eight hundred years later, when all the opportunities are there, we can fully understand the reason." The monk did not pretend, he said frankly that he did not know about this matter, and he predicted that it would take about a few hundred years for future generations to figure it out.
The two men tore the chicken to pieces and ate it. Shen Kuo did not forget to tell the monk that Yang Weide had calculated that there were still evil spirits in the city tonight. Although Old Yang's calculations once again covered half of Bianliang City and four hours, it was almost useless. However, Shen Kuo, Xu Chong and the old Taoist were convinced that if those evil spirits were to appear, they would most likely appear near the Imperial Street because of some unreasonable fate. He wanted to ask the monk if he had any advice, and at the same time, he also made a rather tactful invitation, hoping that the monk could investigate the matter with him at night. However, Huailiang refused the invitation. Although he still maintained his curiosity and reminded Shen Kuo to get closer to see more clearly if he saw it, he did not mean to participate in person. When he heard that Xu Chong had obtained a lot of whistling arrows with gunpowder wicks and was ready to send signals when encountering evil spirits, he only said that if he was not asleep and saw sparks rising, he might come to see. If he slept, he would not come.
Huailiang's reaction always disappoints people. Last time, he was very interested in the vibration caused by the invisible fire dog at the altar in the suburbs, but he refused to go because it was too far. In short, he has a strong desire to explore the unknown, but his enthusiasm for the case fluctuates, which is difficult to guess.
After they finished the bottle of wine, Shen Kuo saw that it was getting late, so he said goodbye and went back. Now that the road was close and there were horses, it was not too much trouble to run back and forth.
Shen Kuo was slightly tipsy sitting on the horse, so he simply let go of the reins and let the horse go back by itself, waiting for the cold wind to blow for a while to sober him up. There were almost no people on the street now, and most of the shops were closed, so he was not afraid of hitting the roadside poles and stalls. This good horse from Longyou that Xu Chong specially selected had a good memory, and it would go back along the original route if you didn't drive it.
The horse passed through the Imperial Street again, but the soldiers guarding the gate of Baifan Tower disappeared, leaving only the cart and the seal on the door. It seems that the cart was left behind to block the door and prevent people from entering on their own. But why did the Privy Council withdraw the guards again?
Back at Lao Ya Lane, about thirty spies were preparing. Xu Chong had already dressed neatly. He had the "Western Qiang hook" tied around his waist and a bag on his shoulder, which contained seven or eight bamboo tubes. He really regarded these insignificant fireworks as "extremely masculine and masculine" treasures that could restrain the netherworld monsters. At least psychologically, he really needed such things.
Li Cheng'an had also arrived and was preparing on the side. Before today, he had never shown his skills. He had two swords on his back, one was a common three-foot-long sword made of fine steel, and the other was a sword cut from peach wood. In addition, there was a stack of talismans stuffed in his waist. There was a child following him, also dressed in Taoist clothes, looking white and clean, probably his apprentice.
At night, at 11:00 p.m., each team went out in batches to their respective patrol areas. Only Shen Kuo's team remained in Lao Ya Lane. Firstly, if all the teams went out together, it would go against Lao Bao's original intention of hiding their tracks. Secondly, this place was not far from the Imperial Street, so there was no need to rush. After waiting for a long time, no fireworks were seen rising from other places.
Shen Kuo had nothing to prepare. He didn't need a sword or a spell, so he just walked around the yard and admired the moon. He looked up at the bright moon in the sky. Tonight was February 16, and it was almost a full moon. According to the previous reasoning, the hat monster probably wouldn't appear, but who could say for sure?
"When the hour of Hai comes, the Yin energy will rise and those evil creatures will come out. You two don't have to take action then. Just watch my master."
Taoist Li's young disciple said. This disciple looked no more than ten years old, but spoke in an old-fashioned way.
"Disciple, I heard from your uncle Yang that the streets of Tokyo are not straight, and I am afraid that the directions of the four evil spirits may be wrong. You should go and take a look."
"Yes, sir!" The young Taoist took out a plate-like water compass, took the order and left.
"Master Li, was that young Taoist priest your disciple?" Xu Chong asked politely.
"He is not a disciple of my Zhengyi Sect. In fact, he is a registered disciple of mine, named Huang Shang. He is an extremely smart child, born with a passion for cultivating Taoism, but his family wants him to become an official. Two years ago, this kid vowed to first gain fame and then cultivate the path to immortality. Because of this vow, he has not yet received the talisman. Haha, in the future, he will definitely cultivate both Confucianism and Taoism, and his future is limitless."
Shen Kuo was shocked, as the child's thoughts and ideas were almost the same as his own when he was a child. However, when he was ten years old, he met Master Huai Bing, and his life changed dramatically from then on.
After waiting for a while, the child came back and said, "Master, the road is indeed not straight. It is not straight in any direction, and the Imperial Street is four points to the east."
"Well, we must be careful tonight. We cannot judge the evil spirit position by the north and south of the road. We must also use the compass as the standard."
"Okay, okay!" Xu Chong nodded repeatedly. At this moment, he had the utmost respect for the old Taoist.
"Master..." The kid suddenly seemed to have something to say. "When we were at the ancestral temple, we clearly saw that the magnetic needles of Xuantian Ziwei and the water compass were only two points to the east. In Yunnan and Guizhou, they were one point to the west. I wonder why the magnetic needles in each place are different?"
Young people are always keen to ask questions. It seems that this eleven-year-old boy also realized that there is a deviation between the magnetic needle floating in the water in different places and the North Star marking the true north.
"This matter... has existed since ancient times. It is the great way of freedom, but the way is not the ordinary way. The great way of the universe cannot be asked, named, investigated, or known. However, the deviation of the magnetic needle is not large, and it does not hinder cultivation."
Obviously the old Taoist didn't want to admit that he didn't know the whole story and just wanted to make up something or other to get away with it.
"Perhaps, the north of Ziwei in the sky is not the same as the north of the earth." Shen Kuo said slowly.
"What do you mean, sir?" The young Taoist looked at Shen Kuo in confusion.
"I don't fully understand the truth, but I once heard someone say: There is no chaos in the universe, all things follow their own way. The so-called Tao, whether it is tangible or intangible, can be followed and its principle can be verified. If it cannot be verified, it is a false Tao."
Shen Kuo really wanted to give this clever child some enlightenment, just as Monk Huai Bing had enlightened him with his words in the past, and tell him that the truths in the world must be provable. However, the old Taoist was here, so he had to give him some face, so he could only speak vaguely like this.
"If we can't follow its principles... then it's a false path?" the child muttered, seemingly thinking about something.
"Why don't you thank Uncle Shen for this profound discussion?" Li Cheng'an said. He thought Shen Kuo had said so much in this speech, and it must be to save face for himself.
"Thank you, Uncle Master."
The four of them packed up and went out together.
February 16th, midnight.
The four of them went to the Imperial Street together. In fact, from the time they left home until now, they had not met a single person on the streets of Bianjing City.
The old Taoist really walked in front, holding his Seven Star Sword in his hand, and the peach wood sword was just on his back. It can be seen that deep down in his heart, he still believes that sharp weapons are nothing more than wooden magic tools.
Shen Kuo saw Xu Chong looking around nervously, holding a stick of incense in his hand and carrying seven or eight gunpowder tubes on his body. He couldn't help but worry that the ghost would not come out, but would set himself on fire instead.
"Xu Jieji, you'd better put out the incense. Be careful not to light the gunpowder fuse and turn yourself into a firework."
"Yes, yes, I was indeed careless." He rubbed the incense stick against the wall and extinguished it. "I was just afraid that I wouldn't have enough time to light it with the flint."
"Look, there's a lantern hanging at the door of the Baifan Building across the street. Let's take one and light it up. It will be easy to get fire if something happens."
Shen Kuo's words woke Xu Chong up, and the two of them went straight to the east gate of Baifan Building. The big cart was still blocking the gate.
“Why is there a car stuck here?”
Xu Chong asked.
"Isn't this the imperial guards' car sent by the Privy Council? It's used to block the gate? When I came here in the afternoon, I saw two imperial guards standing at the gate, but they disappeared later."
"It does look very similar, but it's not. The carriages dispatched by the Privy Council and the Palace Front Department in the capital all have thirty-six spokes to one hub. I don't know how many spokes this carriage has, but it looks like it has fewer."
Shen Kuo bent down to take a closer look and saw that there were indeed only about twenty spokes, which indeed looked more like an ordinary car.
"If it's not the Privy Council or the Palace Front Department, who dares to block the door here?"
"Yeah, who blocked the door?" Xu Chong was also puzzled. "Why don't I go to the Military Headquarters tomorrow and ask Mr. Bao."
Someone coughed across the street, it was clearly the Taoist priest. Clouds gradually rose, covering the full moon, and it was no longer possible to see across the street.
Xu Chong jumped into the car and took a lantern from under the eaves above. He lit the candle inside with a flint. Under the dim light, he could see that the old Taoist priest and the young Taoist priest were still there, and the old Taoist priest was even showing a little bit of impatience.
A green light rose quietly behind them. It soon became blurred and was obscured by the rising clouds.
After many days, I finally saw the hat monster again, and it chose a dark moment again.
Xu Chong sat down on the ground in shock, while Shen Kuo rushed over with a lantern in hand. He completely ignored his own safety and only wanted to see what it was. He happened to have a lantern in his hand, and if he could rush closer, he might be able to see the details with the candlelight inside.
The two Taoists on the opposite side were also startled when they saw Shen Kuo rushing towards them. The hat monster was indeed a silent creature, and it was not easy to detect its movement.
"Behind!" Shen Kuo shouted while Xu Chong was still anxiously using a flint to make fire. Who would have thought that Shen Kuo had just snatched the lantern away, and now he was in a hurry to light a fire.
The two Taoists turned around and saw the hat monster rising from the eaves behind them. The old Taoist drew his sword, while the young Taoist was at a loss for what to do.
The old Taoist held the sword in his hand and chanted: "When facing a battle, all should march forward in formation, and always pray in secret, and nothing can be destroyed." Then he pointed the sword at the monster. The hat monster actually moved westward in the direction of his sword. It moved so fast that Shen Kuo, holding a lantern, could not catch up. He chased for only a hundred steps and was already out of breath, watching the hat monster flying close to the eaves, getting farther and farther away.
"Use the whistling arrows to summon reinforcements."
Xu Chong shouted from far behind him.
Shen Kuo realized that he still had the only source of fire here and had forgotten the most important thing. So he took out the bamboo tube from his body, found the fuse, tore open the lantern, lit the fuse with the candle inside, and then raised the bamboo tube into the air, waiting for the fireworks to be launched.
