La tumba de Qin Shi Huang

Capítulo 5

Luo Yi stopped in her tracks, a look of delight on her face, and asked me, "You don't know? You've never heard of it? So there are poems you don't know about?"

I glared at him and said, "There's a sequence to learning, and everyone has their own area of expertise. What's so special about that?"

"It's rare to see someone so confident even if they don't know it," Luo Yi teased me, then told me the source, saying, "You're young, so it's not surprising that you don't know it. Nobody memorizes his poems anymore."

I didn't care about that; I was just troubled by a thought. I murmured, "Ten thousand years is too long, seize the day. A ten-thousand-year-old ghost, a nine-thousand-year-old worm." I shouted, "Big brother, big brother!" No wonder I thought of something when I heard him say that last time, but I couldn't quite grasp it. Now I suddenly remembered and hurriedly said, "Big brother, have you seen Pu Songling here before?"

He looked at me as if I were a monster.

I said hurriedly, "The character '聻' is so uncommon. Where do you usually come across it? Did you see it in a book? Does that mean you know how to write it? Do you even know how to write it?"

He shook his head, not angry, knowing I had something to say and wasn't about to tease him again.

I said, “It’s clear you heard it from someone else. Who would say this? Who has this knowledge? I’ve read so many books, and I’ve only seen this character in one book. I didn’t recognize it, so I looked it up in the dictionary. It wasn’t in the Xinhua Dictionary or the Modern Chinese Dictionary. I only found it in the Kangxi Dictionary. Where did you hear it from? There are more than four hundred stories in this book, and only one story mentions this character. Even if someone else reads it, they might not remember it.”

Hearing how excited I was, he asked, "Which one?"

“From *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, Chapter 1: Zhang Aduan. Brother, you met Pu Songling, why didn't you tell me?”

Luo Yi was a little unhappy. "I've been here for so long and seen many ghosts. I don't necessarily have to tell you about them all."

I felt wronged and angry at the same time, and said, "Why? What good will it do you to keep this a secret? Is he going to help you leave? Or is there some other reason? To be honest, I'm not surprised at all that he's here. It's perfectly normal for him to be so curious about the world and want to stay and see what it's like. I'm just afraid that he finds the world too boring and not as exciting as he imagined."

Luo Yi remained silent for a long time before saying, "I underestimated you again. You are indeed different from others. Perhaps it is this difference that makes you capable of enlightening wronged souls. Obtaining this identity is very rare. Even he does not have this ability."

That's why you've been sticking to me so closely. I nodded and asked, "Then..."

Luo Yi said, "What do you mean, 'so'?"

I looked him straight in the eye. "Aren't you going to take me to meet the senior? I even know which chapter the character '聻' comes from. Doesn't that make me a die-hard fan? What's your purpose in keeping this from me?"

Luo Yi was truly enraged by me and shouted, "What purpose could I possibly have? What kind of purpose can be achieved here? Don't judge me by your own petty standards. I do want to leave with your help, but that's already been made clear. What's there to hide? What's so great about Pu Songling? Aren't there plenty of other remarkable ghosts here? Do you want to pay your respects to them all?"

I didn't expect him to get so angry. He's terrifying when he's angry. I took a step back and said, "But he's different. He must know this place very well. He must know something that others don't. Wouldn't it be better if we went to ask him? It would save us from going down the wrong path."

Luo Yi sneered, "If he had that ability, why would he still be here? Didn't I point out the straight path to you? I told you to go and enlighten the wronged souls, and once a certain number were reached, you could leave. But I don't know the exact number, so I guess it's a secret of heaven that cannot be revealed."

I remained silent for a while before saying, "Let's just say we've met some literary masters. If we can't meet Cao Xueqin, why not meet Liuquan Jushi or Mr. Liaozhai? We have nothing else to do anyway, and I've scared away all the ghosts. Maybe I can enlighten him and help him fulfill any unfulfilled wishes he may have."

Luo Yi sighed and led me in one direction. The fog was thick, there was no path, no directional markers, yet he showed no hesitation. Everyone has their strengths. Luo Yi might not be good at guiding people, but he has a sense of direction. If it were me, I would have been completely lost long ago. Perhaps our partnership was destined from the start; otherwise, how long would I have taken to figure it out on my own?

"Let me warn you first, don't be surprised when you see him," Luo Yi said.

Of course I know that Mr. Liaozhai's situation is probably very bad. With his brilliant writing, he depicted so many characters in the afterlife with such deep emotions, yet he found himself in such a desolate place. How devastated must he be? Perhaps he's about to become a vengeful spirit. When Luo Yi wandered east and west and encountered him, perhaps he heard this word from his lips, which is why he was so terrified and determined to leave no matter what, not wanting to stay for ten thousand years and become an evil vengeful spirit.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Luo Yi said, "We've arrived."

I looked around, and this place was exactly the same as the Mizuhara I had seen since I arrived. How did he know we were here? Does he have a hound's keen sense of smell?

Luo Yi said, "Master Liaozhai, a child wants to see you." He called three times, and a tall figure appeared in the fog. I stared wide-eyed at the figure, wondering what kind of person this Master Liaozhai was.

Semi-transparent film

Liu Quan Jushi died in his seventies, but this old gentleman before me, if he were alive, could easily be ninety. He was the epitome of "approaching death," the "coffin stuffing" of old age—that's him. He was as old as could be, as decayed as could be. His shadow was faint, as if a gust of wind could carry him away at any moment. The mist seemed to be a part of him; his entire ghostly form was ethereal and indistinct. Light and swaying, like a photographic negative.

Luo Yi was right, and he himself was right too. Ghosts are not the most terrifying thing; the venomous creatures are the real bottomless abyss.

I recall my earlier remarks about immortals and ghosts, and find them utterly shallow and laughable. What is life? A hundred years is a long time, but seventy is rare. From the moment we are born, we walk this path. Along the way, there is wind and rain, sunshine and flowers. Every day we open our eyes is a new day; we might win the lottery, or we might meet our soulmate around a bend in the road. The unknown fills us with anticipation for each new beginning. Even if one day is bad, tomorrow is another. As the days pass, we recall past joys; each past day, accumulated, creates a vibrant life. Time flows, and life becomes precious. Without time, it is nothing. Air moves, forming wind. Water vapor evaporates, becoming clouds. Wind blows, clouds disperse, clouds roll and unroll, morning clouds and evening rain—ever-changing. The sun and moon never cease, and spring and autumn follow one another.

Life was too wonderful, only in death did one realize the unbearable desolation. This desolation has remained unchanged since time immemorial, and so much more lies ahead. When will it end? There is no end. Even reincarnation is just a beginning, except for the ghost. What is the ghost? The ghost is despair. Ghosts with hope and aspirations do not become ghosts; they run, they search, they live on even in death. Only ghosts in utter despair become a thin wisp of ghost. Even as a shadow, it does not dissipate; even as mist, it does not vanish. It turns out that the mist all around is once a part of the ghosts' ghosts.

A chill ran through me. I crouched down, hugging my legs and wrapping my white robe tightly around myself. It was terrifying; my teeth chattered with fear. I thought I was prepared to meet a madman, but I didn't realize that the madman himself wasn't scary; what was terrifying was becoming such a madman, and being destined to be one.

As I pondered this, the first thing that came to mind was, "I didn't do anything wrong in my life, so why am I suffering like this? Why can't I be reincarnated?" Then I realized that I must have an unfulfilled wish, a wish so important that I was willing to forgo going to Meng Po's Tea House or visiting the Wangxiang Terrace just to achieve it.

I looked up at the translucent negative and asked him, "Do I have a wish?"

He nodded at me.

I asked again, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

He said, "What do you have that I can see?"

I shook my head. I didn't know what I had. I came here naked, without even underwear, except for a hollow robe. Luo Yi had leather shoes and a handkerchief, and the wealthy Fan had jade, but I had nothing.

He said in a hoarse voice, "I just had a dream in which a young woman was coming and bringing with her rare treasures. I can be reborn in the Pure Land as soon as I see her."

I looked at him sadly. He was very tall, about the same height as Luo Yi beside him. His gray long robe was hung by his shadow, like a garment being dried in the sun. He was extremely thin, skin and bones, his head like a skull, his hands like bird claws.

“Sir,” I called softly, “take these words as they come, for they are mere idle talk; the rain falls like silk on the melon trellis and bean vines. You must be tired of human speech and prefer to hear ghosts chanting poems in autumn graves. Sir, have you regretted your words?”

He replied, "I spend my days searching the underworld, and countless ghosts have lingered in my dreams. I often laugh at the Ruan family's theory that there are no ghosts, but sorrowful clouds rise and a mournful wind blows."

I had no answer. Luo Yi said seeing him wouldn't help, and it seemed true. I stood up and stood before him. It would be incredibly impolite to remain squatting before someone like him. Although the omnipresent fog was truly annoying, and although even the ghosts here and now didn't care about such things.

My robe was made of silk-cotton with Lycra, soft and smooth against my body, without a single wrinkle. He seemed to be drawn to my robe, looking me up and down several times before asking me a strange question: "How old are you, young lady?"

I smiled and said, "I don't quite remember, but I'm in my twenties. Brother, do I look like I'm in my twenties?"

Luo Yi looked at my face carefully and said, "Twenty-two or twenty-three, you won't get any older. Your face is small, you could even look twenty."

Luo Yi looked at my face, but he still kept an eye on my robe, and asked me again, "How long have you been here?"

I thought this old man was really strange; his questions were all baffling. Would my age or how long I'd been here help us when we left? But I still tried my best to answer him, "It's been a long time, I feel like a month or two, what do you think, brother?"

Luo Yi replied, "I've lost my sense of time. What difference does it make to me how long it takes?"

We looked at each other, sighed, and looked away.

Mr. Pu suddenly said to Luo Yi, "Look at this woman's body, how is it different from when you first saw her?"

Luo Yi had only said half a sentence, "I didn't feel anything," when he suddenly stammered, unable to speak. His sentence seemed to have been cut in half with scissors, leaving it unfinished.

Their eyes were fixed on my chest. I was both ashamed and angry, and I said angrily, "How can you look at a woman's body like that? I may have a flat chest, but I'm still a woman, let alone a girl."

They seemed not to hear me, and their gaze traveled from my chest to my waist and abdomen. I was furious and covered my stomach with my hands to stop them from looking. But what they did next surprised even myself.

I've always said I have a flat face and a flat chest; I'm just an ordinary girl. I know my body very well. Because I'm not beautiful, I'm not narcissistic, and I rarely stroke it several times a day. My body is like a washboard, so there's not much to care about, especially now that I'm a ghost. A ghost is just a wisp of soul, borrowing the form of its former self, wearing the clothes of its former life. The body is just a shell, an empty hut; whether it exists or not is no longer important. I've ignored this unimportant thing for a long time, but now this ghostly shadow has some differences.

In front of them, I couldn't stroke her from head to toe, so I just pinched my robe from behind my waist to tighten it. This tightening startled me. Her body had defined breasts, a defined waist, and a slightly protruding abdomen, soft and undulating—very feminine.

Oh my god. Ever since I became a ghost, I haven't eaten or drunk anything, living on air and dew, wandering the misty wilderness. My exercise level is several times higher than before, yet I've gained weight. And I'm so cutely chubby, only gaining weight in the right places. My current measurements must be almost perfect. If I wore a bra, I could at least buy a B cup. I've always dreamed of having a figure like this, but I never thought I'd have to wait until I became a ghost to achieve it.

I suddenly felt a little embarrassed, let go of her hand, pulled my robe forward, and said, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?"

This made Luo Yi, a big star who was used to being surrounded by women, feel embarrassed. She quickly looked away, but couldn't help but steal another glance. Then she said calmly, "You're so strange."

I knew even without him saying it. I rolled my eyes at him and looked at the ghost storyteller, waiting to see what he would say. He was the one who noticed my body first, the one who asked me how old I was and how long I had been here. He must know something to ask that. With his rich life experience and knowledge of the ghost world, he must be able to tell me what's going on.

The gentleman's appearance was truly perplexing. He sobbed a few times, as if he were crying, then clasped his hands together and bowed to me several times. I was startled and quickly returned the bow, asking, "What advice do you have for me, sir?"

He looked up to the sky and let out a long howl, saying loudly, "Thank you, Dream God, for pointing out my mistake. I understand now. This woman truly possesses a rare treasure; the gods have not deceived me. I, Pu, with my half-ghost, half-monster soul, have witnessed this wonder today, proving the great talent of heaven and earth, hearing thunder in silence. How could I not be ashamed and weep with gratitude to the gods?" After saying this, he bowed deeply to me and said, "Thank you, young lady, for your kindness." Then he turned to leave.

Having seen the previous three examples, I knew he had escaped a great calamity. I quickly grabbed his sleeve and asked, "Sir, please tell me, what magic do I possess? How can I leave?"

He laughed heartily, as if he had suddenly become thirty years younger. His voice was full of energy and his figure seemed taller and his shadow thicker. He said, "Young lady, your identity is extraordinary, truly unprecedented. I have written countless stories of ghosts and foxes, but this is the first time I have encountered something like this. I wonder how much has changed in the human world now, it is truly enviable. Young lady, please stay here for a while, and you will soon be reborn. Haha, haha." He pulled his sleeves inside, turned and left, but as soon as he took a step, he turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared into the mist.

I grabbed Luo Yi's sleeve and said happily, "Big brother, big brother, did you hear that?"

Luo Yi said, "I heard it, I heard it. They said you're the first one in history, and you'll be leaving soon, little sister. Remember to take me with you then." He was extremely excited and didn't try to hide his excitement.

I said, "Of course, of course, we're partners. If you hadn't told me so much and brought me to see him, how could things have gone so smoothly?" I paused and then asked, "Brother, what's wrong with my body? Why has it changed so much? You've been by my side the whole time, didn't you notice anything?"

Luo Yi said irritably, "What do you take me for? Staring at girls' bodies all the time? You're my sister, why would I look at you?" But she couldn't help but be curious and glanced at me again, saying, "It's really strange, you've changed a lot since you first came."

I felt embarrassed by his gaze, so I crossed my arms and glared at him, saying, "Big brother."

He chuckled, turned his head away, and suddenly said loudly, "Hey, all of you stand still, line up one by one, don't swarm over at once and make everyone dizzy and confused, not knowing who to listen to. One at a time, the rest of you stay in the back, don't let me see you."

Ghostly figures moved back and forth in the fog, causing the fog to drift and sway. Whispering sounds, like poplar leaves rustling in the wind, suggested the ghosts were indeed skilled messengers. It had only been a blink of an eye since Mr. Liaozhai left, yet the ghosts already knew, surging in like a tide, completely forgetting their previous suspicions. Perhaps they had been following me all along, observing my true nature. Once they heard Mr. Pu's words about someone unprecedented, possessing extraordinary treasures, they no longer cared about my past outrageous remarks; as long as I was an anomaly, as long as I could save them, that was enough.

As someone who's seen many agents get by, Luo Yi really has a knack for organization. He organized the agents into groups and had them wait, keeping them hidden in the fog so they wouldn't show themselves and disturb my peace of mind. Since receiving guidance from Mr. Pu, I've become even more perceptive and quick-witted. I can understand the gist of what they say and dismiss several of them with just a few words.

When we got tired of asking questions, Luo Yi and I would sit back to back and rest for a bit, then take a nap before waking up and continuing to work on cases. I said, "Brother, don't I look like the Phoenix Chick from the Three Kingdoms? Cases that had been piling up for years were resolved by me in no time. How many cases do you think I need to handle to reach my quota?"

Luo Yi said, "I don't know, but it'll be soon, right?" Thinking that I'd be leaving soon, I was practically smiling in my sleep. I was full of energy, truly playing the five-stringed instrument while watching the wild geese fly by. I never imagined I'd find so fulfilling and successful as a ghost. It turns out, for some people, being a ghost is better than being a human.

In the gaps between my important tasks, I would occasionally steal glances at my body. My breasts were becoming increasingly full, and the white robe, which had been loose and baggy like a nightgown, now resembled an evening gown. Although I had become a ghost, my soul was still that of a girl who loved beauty, and I was secretly very happy. However, the changes in my body were so drastic that I was completely baffled. One day, I met a client, an elderly woman with a gentle and kind face. I softly asked her, "Grandma, what's wrong with me?" I swept my hand across my robe, revealing my full breasts and soft belly to her.

She glanced at my body, her eyes nearly popping out of her head, and exclaimed, "My God, this girl is pregnant!"

Waiting for her husband, the river flows gently.

A bolt from the blue! Thunder roared!

May the heavens strike you with lightning!

The Jade Emperor's wife, oh my god!

I screamed, pointed at my mother-in-law, and stammered, "What did you say? Say it again."

The mother-in-law covered her face with both hands, stared wide-eyed and opened her mouth, making the signature gesture from the movie "Home Alone" poster, and repeated, "My God, this is a blessing from heaven, this girl is pregnant."

Good heavens, that's not scary at all. Macaulay C. King's expression is adorable, but your old lady's gesture seems a bit like trying to look young. Besides, what does "auspicious omens from heaven" mean? What does "a girl is pregnant" mean? Am I the Virgin Mary? This kind of story can only fool people the first time; subsequent "virgins" can forget about it. The West only produces one Virgin Mary every two thousand years, but we Eastern stories are plentiful, auspicious omens appear again and again—we have qilin, phoenixes, and dragons! Am I really the only one with a pregnant ghost woman? Damn it, according to popular belief: the first person to think of it is a genius, the second to do it is a fool. I'm not a fool, I'm just a little confused.

Look how terrified I was, I even swore out some vulgarities. I steadied myself, remembering my current situation, and knew I absolutely couldn't say anything wrong again, repeating the mistake of Zhu Maichen's wife, which had dragged my great-aunt Xiangrui into this mess. I shuddered and said, "Grandma, you can't talk nonsense! How could such a thing be?" But then I wondered to myself, could it be... could it be that I'm no longer a girl?

My mother-in-law was clearly terrified by me. She covered her mouth and stopped talking, but her screams had already alerted the ghosts around. They had all been obediently waiting in the fog for Luo Yi to call their numbers before appearing, but now they swarmed around me, surrounding me like I was watching a peep show. Even a circus lion jumping through a fire hoop couldn't compare, and a monkey performing tricks on a pedestrian bridge couldn't compare. Damn it, what do they take me for? Do they think miracles are free? Don't cover it up with a cloth; it's a dollar to see it?

The auspicious cabbage shouted, "Big brother, get rid of them all! This grandma isn't working today, it's Sunday, it's Golden Week! Holidays, holidays! Spring Festival, winter vacation, plus summer vacation! Anyone who dares to nag me, I'll make sure they never get away!"

I nipped the ghosts' gossip and curiosity in the bud. Luo Yi squeezed through the ghost crowd to my side, took off his Armani suit and draped it over my shoulders, and said loudly, "Everyone, line up properly. Don't make a mess, or all those of you will have waited in vain. I don't care who's first or last. If you don't understand, go and figure it out yourselves. Don't bother the young lady."

With a whoosh, the ghosts disappeared back into the fog like the receding tide, but the rustling sound was louder than ever before, and the poplar leaves trembled as if they were caught in a category 12 typhoon.

I pulled Luo Yi's suit jacket tighter, and Luo Yi protected me and took a few steps away. We were silent for a while, and I spoke first, "Big Brother..." I could only call him "Big Brother" before I choked up and couldn't continue.

Luo Yi hesitated for a moment before putting his arm around my shoulder. I leaned against his chest and burst into tears.

Why didn't I leave? Why did I stay here? Now I understand. What could be more precious than a child? Especially one that's just a tiny embryo? Even if I face the greatest difficulties, I will not abandon his survival. I cannot reincarnate; if I were, he would die. I remain here solely so that he can live.

So I was pregnant. Poor, innocent child, a child with such a strong will to live! I'm already a ghost, yet it's still quietly growing. I touch my abdomen—why is the pregnancy continuing even though I'm dead?

After crying, I thought about this question and asked Luo Yi, "Brother, what do you think happened?"

This was beyond Luo Yi's knowledge, but he still tried his best to analyze the matter for me. He said, "You must have known you were pregnant before you died, so you couldn't let go even in death, refusing to drink tea and gaze at your hometown. You were only thinking about this child; that was your greatest wish. You didn't want him to die, so you couldn't be reborn. You're such a foolish sister. What's the use of doing this? Our souls are just shadows, without a physical body, and cannot truly conceive a child. What's the use of you not being able to let go of him?"

My heart is breaking, my liver and intestines are torn apart. This poor child, who will never have the chance to grow into a lively little person, what have I done to harm myself and him like this? I thought for a moment and asked, "I am just a soul, without flesh and blood, so why is the child still growing? Otherwise, my body wouldn't have changed so much. Is there some reason I don't know about?"

Luo Yi was also puzzled and said, "Maybe your subconscious is telling you something, and then your body changes?"

I was completely baffled, then something else occurred to me, and I shuddered. I asked, "Brother, is that child still...?"

Luo Yi seemed quite sad as well, and said, "What do you think?"

I don't know. If I'm a ghost, then I'm dead. If I'm dead, what about my body? If it's already burned to ashes, then this child is long gone too. Could it be, as my older brother said, that I can't let go of him, so he continues to grow in my soul? Or are the changes in my body just an illusion, like a woman experiencing a false pregnancy showing pregnancy symptoms, or a cat experiencing a false pregnancy building a nest?

I was dejected. I let go of my older brother, sat down casually, and suddenly cried out, "How could I be so careless? How could I die? If I were still alive, I would be waiting with hope for this child to be born. When he can talk, I can teach him to recite three hundred Tang poems, instead of sending my wronged soul to its final resting place here." Luo Yi sighed with me, sometimes offering a few words of comfort, but he didn't know what to do.