The Republic of China: From Storyteller to God

"Did your hometown also experience an oyster infestation?"

Uncle Nine was taken aback upon hearing this.

"That's right."

Liu Che said seriously, "My hometown is in southern Shandong, but I later made a living in Tianjin. There are also oyster farms along the northern coast where oysters are farmed."

Two years ago, oyster disasters also occurred in oyster fields east of Tianjin. It was later found that a different species of oyster had entered the oyster fields and released oyster toxins, which led to the reduction in oyster production.

If I'm not mistaken, this oyster infestation is probably due to the same reason.

"..."

Uncle Nine shook his head with some disappointment: "I'm afraid not."

"Oh? Why do you make such a assertion, Uncle Nine?"

Liu Che remained calm despite being refuted.

You may not know this.

Uncle Nine sighed: "This oyster plague is unprecedented."

Not only is the oyster harvest reduced, but some oyster farmers have also been cursed while harvesting oysters at night and are still not awake.

I went to the oyster farm at night and saw that it was filled with a strong yin energy, which must be caused by evil spirits.

That's why I came to the Dragon King Temple today to perform a ritual, praying that the Dragon King would bestow his power and drive away evil spirits.

Unfortunately, the ritual did not work, and the reason is unknown.

After hearing his explanation, Liu Che understood the situation.

Instead of immediately refuting, Liu Che asked, "Are you absolutely certain that it's the work of an evil spirit?"

Uncle Nine hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Before this, the villagers here had also invited the temple keeper of the Beidi Temple and a Taoist priest from the Lushan Sect to come and see for themselves. Those seniors all said that it was the work of an evil spirit."

Liu Che laughed: "Then why hasn't the oyster plague been resolved yet?"

"..."

Uncle Nine fell silent.

The local oyster farmers have spent a lot of money hiring many experts to solve the oyster problem.

They raised money to invite the Xuanwu Treasure Coin from the Beidi Temple, and also spent a sum of money to invite Master Lushan.

A few days ago, they even invited Master Wong Fei-hung, the former instructor of the Black Flag Army, to lead the militia in a lion dance to ward off evil spirits and to send off the Great Heat Boat.

After several attempts and a considerable amount of money spent, the oyster infestation persisted.

The oyster farmers had no other choice but to seek out this unorthodox folk healer to perform rituals.

Because his fees are cheap.

Liu Che's question also revealed his own doubts.

In his view, the oyster fields here were filled with an overwhelming yin energy at night, and the oyster farmers were also causing trouble, which must be the work of evil spirits.

Those predecessors must have made the same judgment.

But why hasn't the evil spirit been eliminated?

He also recognized the temple keeper of the Beidi Temple; he was indeed a high-ranking Taoist priest.

The Xuanwu Coin he consecrated is absolutely effective in warding off aquatic evil spirits from afar.

But why didn't it work?

The Taoist methods of the Lushan Sect are primarily focused on killing and warfare.

Once the altar is set up and five battalions of soldiers are summoned, even the Ghost King would flee at the mere sight of it.

What kind of evil spirit is it that even these highly skilled senior practitioners are helpless against?

After pondering for a while, Uncle Nine looked at Liu Che again with a serious expression: "You mean to say that this oyster disaster wasn't caused by evil spirits, but by poisoning?"

"If I'm not mistaken, that should be the case."

Liu Che didn't give a definitive answer: "But I need to check on the oyster fields first."

Uncle Nine frowned and muttered, "A few days ago, Master Wong Fei-hung from Po Chi Lam also came to the oyster farm, but he didn't realize it was poisoning..."

"I recognize Master Huang; we were drinking together yesterday."

Liu Che smiled and said, "I came to see this place because Master Huang told me about it."

Before dinner yesterday, Wong Fei-hung mentioned...

He went to see Wong Fei-hung the day before yesterday. Wong Fei-hung was out on business and came to the oyster fields here.

"I see."

Uncle Nine nodded in realization, feeling much more at ease.

Since he recognizes Wong Fei-hung, he shouldn't be a bad person.

Master Wong of Po Chi Lam has a well-known reputation, and Uncle Nine trusts him completely.

"Then come with me to the oyster farms again tonight!"

Uncle Nine offered, "If this can really solve the oyster problem, I won't take a single penny of the money the oyster farmers have contributed; I'll give it all to you."

He saw the oyster farmers suffering from the disaster and struggling to make a living, and he felt anxious for them.

If Liu Che can really solve the oyster disaster, it will truly save many lives.

"Uncle Jiu, you're too kind. I'm not short of money."

Liu Che waved his hand and made a request: "I want to go and see that oyster farmer who caused the disturbance first."

"Okay, this way please."

Uncle Jiu immediately led the way, taking Liu Che and the others down the mountain towards the village.

As they walked, Uncle Jiu explained the situation to Liu Che: "That oyster farmer was haunted seventeen days ago."

That day, taking advantage of the low tide at night, he took his wife and children to the oyster farm to harvest oysters.

But when the tide was about to come in, he was nowhere to be found.

His son rowed his fancy boat around looking for him, but couldn't find him, and thought he had drowned.

As a result, when dawn broke, he was washed back to shore.

His neighbor found him and asked his son to take him home.

After sleeping for half a day, he woke up, but he had gone mad, talking nonsense and wandering around aimlessly.

I went to see him and tried to call back his soul and calm his fright, but it didn't work.

After Master Huang arrived, he prescribed some medicine for him, but it didn't work.

His family depends on his work for income; if he can't cure her, his family will go bankrupt.

As they walked and talked, the group soon returned to the village and arrived at the home of an oyster farmer.

It was called a home, but it was actually just a low shed made of wooden planks, with drafts coming from all sides.

The culprit was a man in his forties who had been exposed to the sun and wind for a long time, resulting in his dark skin.

When Liu Che and the others arrived, he was lying on a wooden bed, bound by several ropes.

Although he was tied up, his hands and feet were still moving.

His feet seemed to be walking, and his hands were making various hand gestures, moving constantly.

He opened his eyes, but couldn't see his wife and children beside him. He just stared blankly ahead, a foolish smile on his face, muttering to himself, "Wife, your bottom has gotten a little rounder. Let me touch it..."

As he spoke, he made a kneading motion with his hands, chuckling as he did so.

Beside the bed, a woman with similarly dark skin was brewing medicine in a clay pot.

Seeing Liu Che and his group arrive, she stood up, wiped her hands, and said hesitantly, "Ninth Uncle."

Uncle Jiu came forward, checked on the oyster farmers, and asked the woman, "Did they all take their medicine at noon?"

"I've already fed him, but it didn't help."

The woman nodded and offered the stool she had just been sitting on to someone in front of her: "Uncle Jiu, please sit down."

"I'm not sitting here."

Uncle Nine turned around and gestured to Liu Che, "Why don't you come and take a look?"

Liu Che only needed one glance to know what was going on with these oyster farmers.

He wasn't actually exorcising a demon; he had inhaled mirage energy and lost his mind.

However, he still went forward to check it out.

Then, he confidently said, "Just as I thought, easy to solve."

As he spoke, he went outside the shed and pointed to a pond behind the village, indicating, "There should be frogs in that pond. Let's go catch some."

Upon hearing this, Uncle Nine immediately called over his apprentices behind him: "Wencai, Qiusheng, go to the pond and catch some frogs."

"Huh? Us?"

Wencai and Qiusheng looked at each other in bewilderment.

But since their master had spoken, they dared not disobey and could only reluctantly agree.

"How many do you want to catch?"

Uncle Jiu asked Liu Che.

"The more the better."

"Did you hear that? Why aren't you going?"

Urged on by Uncle Jiu, Wencai and Qiusheng reluctantly went to the pond and didn't return until evening, covered in mud.

They bundled their clothes into a bundle, and when they returned and unwrapped it, dozens of plump frogs fell out.