In the fifty-sixth year of Kangxi's reign, there was a watchtower inside the Qiantang Gate of Hangzhou City. As a rule, nearby residents jointly paid for a watchman to patrol every night to prevent fire and theft. The watchman hired this year is named Ren San. He is around thirty, with a strong body and a rough face. He likes to play bravely and fight fiercely. Although he is usually a bit of a rogue, he is also somewhat courageous. It was midsummer. One night, he was patrolling around to watch the watch as usual. Every second watch, he would pass by a small temple, so he struck the watchman near the temple to report the watch. But something strange happened that night. As soon as Watchman's voice was about to fall, the temple door opened slightly, and then a figure flashed out of the temple. Although the figure staggered a little, he walked very fast, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Gone in the darkness. Ren San didn't take it seriously when he saw this situation, thinking that the monk in the temple was out on business. When it was almost the fourth watch, he patrolled outside the temple gate again, and saw a figure staggering into the temple from a distance. This time, Ren San couldn't help but wonder, thinking how could there be someone in the temple in the middle of the night? Monks come and go? When he walked to the temple full of suspicion, he saw that the temple was completely dark without any lights. He looked around for a long time but couldn't find any clues, so he continued to patrol elsewhere. .
When it was almost the second watch on the second night, Ren San walked outside the temple gate again (the route the watchman took during the watch was always the same, and where and when he arrived was basically fixed every night). The result was still the same this time. As soon as the watchman sounded, he saw a figure coming out of the temple again. Within a moment, he disappeared into the night. When it was almost four o'clock, he saw the figure pushing open the door and entering again, exactly like the night before. . Seeing this, Ren Sangeng was surprised and felt that this was very unusual. If we say that this person is a thief, but it is unreasonable to say that he comes back again and again; if we say that he is a monk in the temple, why does he go out late at night every day? Thinking of this, Ren San's heart suddenly lit up. Could it be that the monk inside had some shady activities, so he would secretly go out every night and return quietly, lest others find out? These monks seemed to be devoted to the Buddha during the day, and they might have gone out to meet their sweethearts at night. He was a rogue, so he naturally had the habit of being a rogue , and judging others by himself made him feel that this was definitely the case. Frightened and angry, I suddenly thought about it, and suddenly a plan came to my mind: Why don't I stay in front of the temple earlier tomorrow night, and quietly see if it is the bald thief who has gone out to have a good time, and then wait until daytime to blackmail him after recognizing his appearance? Money, wouldn't it mean that we would have money for food and wine in the next few days? He couldn't help but feel elated when he thought of this. He immediately stepped in front of the temple and made full preparations, just waiting to come and take a peek tomorrow night.
That night, Ren San arrived in front of the temple a moment early, hid behind a big tree, and stared at the temple door intently. At the second watch, he still struck the watch as usual. Just after the sound of the watch, he heard the temple door creaking, and the figure from the night before came out again. At this time, the moon and stars were sparse, and the light could shine on people. Ren San looked quietly from behind the tree and saw that this man was thin and skinny, his face was as black as wax, his eyes were sunken deeply, and his clothes were shabby and hairy. It was black and he couldn't tell what color it was. What made him even more frightened was that there were a bunch of silver ingots made of paper hanging on the two shoulders of this man. He was swaying as he walked and seemed to have difficulty standing on his feet. Seeing this, Ren San couldn't help but feel his scalp numb and his legs trembling. He was extremely horrified for a moment. This was not a monk, it was clearly a zombie. Seeing the zombies staggering away as usual, I don't know where they went. No matter how brave he was, Ren San didn't dare to follow. Seeing the zombies walking away, he didn't even dare to call the watch. He hurried back to the watch building, hid in the bed and slept under the quilt.
When he woke up at dawn the next day, he quickly found a few friends who usually ate, drank, whored and gambled together, and told them what happened last night. After hearing this, these people were all greatly surprised. Their faces were full of surprise and they were speechless for a long time. After a while, a scoundrel named Guo Xiaoyang said: "I know that there is a coffin that has been parked at the mountain gate of that temple for more than 20 years. It's just that it's so old that I don't know who it belongs to yet. Could it be that this zombie Is it because the corpse in the coffin cannot be changed?" Another person continued: "I guess so, but I don't know if there is anything valuable in the coffin." At this time, Guo Xiaoyang encouraged Ren Sandao: "Don't you often Are you bragging about how brave you are? I heard that zombies are most afraid of red beans, iron filings and glutinous rice. You might as well wait for it to go out tonight and sprinkle these three things around the coffin first and wait for it to come back. You can't get into the coffin. You can take a look at the good things in the coffin, and maybe you can make a fortune. Wouldn't this kill two birds with one stone? I just don't know if you have the courage?" Ren Sanyi was very angry when he heard this, and immediately He said to Guo Xiaoyang: "Then what's there to be afraid of? I'll go tonight, and tomorrow you will know that what I said is not false." After hearing this, several people started to cheer, thinking that he was bragging, so they drank for a while. Just dispersed. As soon as they left, Ren San went to the street and bought three liters each of red beans, iron filings, and glutinous rice. He was ready. When it was almost the second watch in the evening, he went to the temple and hid behind a tree, waiting. Zombies come out.
At the second watch, the zombie opened the door again from the temple. Seeing it disappearing away, Ren Sanfang walked out from behind the tree and entered the mountain gate on tiptoe. As expected, he found a coffin placed in the corridor, with a dark color. It was falling and covered with dust, and it looked like it was some years old. When he took a closer look, he saw that the coffin's lid was placed on the ground. It must have been closed every time the zombies came back. Ren San carefully walked to the coffin and looked inside, only to see that it was empty and there was no gold or silver treasure inside. Seeing this situation, Ren San couldn't help but feel disappointed, and even more frustrated. He originally came with high hopes, but ended up leaving disappointed. He thought that his trip would not be in vain, so he carefully scattered the three things he brought around the coffin. , then went back to the watch building to go to sleep.
At five o'clock in the morning, Ren San suddenly heard someone shouting from downstairs in his sleep: "Mr. Ren! Sanye Ren!" The voice was so shrill and shrill that it made people's hair stand on end in the silent night. Ren San was awakened immediately, and asked bravely: "Who is calling me?" He only heard the person downstairs reply: "I am the one who sleeps inside the mountain gate. Because I have no descendants, I have no descendants." I haven't eaten blood for a long time, so I look for it every night. Now I am haunted by you for no reason, so that I can't enter the coffin. I will die without a burial place. I have no choice but to come here. I want you to get up and sprinkle the blood. Get rid of everything so that I can have a place to live." After hearing this, Ren San realized that it was a zombie chasing him. He couldn't help being frightened for a moment, his face turned pale with fear, and he hid on the bed without saying a word. After a while, he heard another voice from downstairs: "I have no enmity with Mr. Ren, so why should the third master push me so hard?" After hearing this, Ren San wanted to follow what he said, but suddenly he thought of it. , if I help him clean up everything, if he feels resentful and kills me first to vent his anger before lying down, wouldn't my death be in vain? So I made up my mind, no matter what the people downstairs say, I just won't agree or say anything. At this time, the rooster crows, and the zombie downstairs continues to beg the coffin ghost . First, Xiaozhi tries to move him emotionally, but when the rooster crows for the second time, seeing that there is no hope of entering the coffin, he starts to curse and curse incessantly. Ren San Block your ears and pretend you can't hear it. It's not until the rooster crows three times that there is silence downstairs. Ren San didn't dare to go down until someone passed by the watchtower in the morning and found a dried body lying underneath. In panic, he shouted loudly, which alerted the neighbors. Then everyone rushed over and informed the government. Carry the body back into the coffin and burn it on fire, so as to ensure peace for everyone.