roccoschili Chapter 232 Ji Xiaolan encounters strange things in Xinjiang
Chapter 232 Ji Xiaolan encounters strange things in Xinjiang
In October of the 1768th year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty, that is, in October 10 AD, Ji Xiaolan was relegated to Xinjiang because he was implicated in the "Lianghuai Salt Policy Case".
When Ji Xiaolan was in Urumqi, a military official in the garrison brought dozens of documents and asked him for approval.
The military officer polished the ink, filled the brush with ink, held the ink brush in front of Ji Xiaolan, and flatteringly asked him to sign for approval.
Ji Xiaolan didn't know what kind of document it was, so she didn't rush to approve it. Instead, she asked the military official: "What kind of document is this? Why do you need to approve so many documents at once?"
The military officer replied: "For those who died here, their coffins must be transported back to their place of origin. According to custom, an ultimatum must be issued to them, otherwise the souls of the deceased will not be able to enter the pass."
Because this ultimatum was to be burned to the underworld, it was not allowed to be signed with a red pen, and the seal on it was also black.
Ji Xiaolan took a look at the document that the military officer brought over. The words and sentences on it were vulgar and absurd, and the handwriting he copied was also very vulgar and crude.
The ultimatum reads as follows: "For the purpose of taking care of things: To take care of a certain person of a certain age, he died of illness in this place on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year. Now the relatives have moved the coffin back to their hometown, and together we have taken care of it. For the purpose of taking care of the matter." I would like to ask the ghost soldiers to guard the pass along the road, so that the soul can be verified and released without being blackmailed and detained, causing inconvenience." (In today's terms, it probably means this: the reason for issuing this ultimatum: to prove that someone Someone of a certain age died in this place on a certain day of a certain year. Now the relatives are carrying the coffin back to their hometown and issuing passage permission documents as usual. Therefore, I hope that the ghost soldiers guarding the pass along the road will all They must be released after verifying the soul, and cannot make excuses for extortion or detention to make it inconvenient for them.”
Ji Xiaolan knew at a glance that this was not official writing at all.
He said to the military officer: "This is just a small and medium-sized official trying to make money in different ways. I can't sign it."
So he reported the matter to the garrison general and asked him to abolish this rule.
The general was busy with official business and did not reply in time, so the matter was temporarily shelved.
Ten days later, someone reported to Ji Xiaolan: "There are sounds of ghosts crying in the cemetery in the west of the city. Those ghosts are crying because there is no ultimatum and they cannot return to their hometown."
Ji Xiaolan was very angry after hearing this and scolded him for talking nonsense.
Ten days later, someone came again to report that the sound of ghosts crying was approaching the city.
Ji Xiaolan still didn't believe it and scolded him like last time.
After that, another ten days passed, and the sound of "颥饢颥饥" was often heard outside the wall of Ji Xiaolan's residence ("Shuowen Jiezi" explains: "饢饢, ghost sound." It means, "饢饢饢饥". , is the sound made by ghosts.).
Ji Xiaolan didn't take it seriously, thinking that it was the petty officials who were causing trouble.
A few days later, that strange sound began to come outside Ji Xiaolan's window.
At that time, the moonlight was bright and clear, as bright as day. Ji Xiaolan went out to see in person what was the reason for making this strange sound.
As a result, he saw no one.
The next day, Ji Xiaolan's colleague, Yushi Guancheng, advised him: "We all know that your views are correct. Even if the general knows, he can't blame you!
However, this ghost crying sound was indeed heard by everyone. Those ghosts who don't get the ultimatum will definitely resent you.
Sir, why don't you try to give them some ultimatums, so as to silence those who make irresponsible remarks.
If there is still the sound of ghosts crying, then the gentleman will have even more excuses. "
Ji Xiaolan felt that what he said made sense, so she reluctantly followed his suggestion and endorsed the military officer's ultimatum.
That night, it was quiet and there was no sound of ghosts crying.
Another time, Song Jilu, an assistant official in the army, suddenly fainted and fell to the ground while handling case files in Zhangyin's room.
After a long time, he woke up and said he saw his mother coming.
Everyone disagreed and thought he was dreaming.
After a while, the defenders presented an official document.
Ji Xiaolan opened it and saw that the Hami County garrison reported that Song Jilu's mother came to visit her son and died on the way!
This is really, is there anything strange in the world?
It's just that what the Confucian scholars are talking about is common sense in daily life!
When Ji Xiaolan was in Urumqi, he wrote more than [-] miscellaneous poems about events, one of which said:
"The whistling white grass meets the cold clouds,
Who divides the boundaries of Guanshan?
Ghosts come and go following official ultimatums,
The original ghost Changli didn't even hear it. "
The poem describes the above two things.