Chapter 4, Ghost Clapping

It is said that many years ago, in an unknown dynasty, before the flood season arrived, local officials began to prepare in advance by reinforcing the levees to prevent flooding

The big fool saw that we each took one and generously said, "There are only two beads, each of you can have one, and I won't get any! Forget it, next time when we roast wild rabbits, both rabbit legs will be mine to eat"

The elder served us a pot of tea, instructed to see us off, and arranged for the young man in white to escort us back.

That triangular pit has been given a peculiar name by the people: Old Turtle Nest

Within a month, news of the Japanese invaders' full-scale invasion of China arrived! At that moment, we finally understood that the so-called "the golden energy of the northern frontier surges to the sky, there will surely be military disasters and great calamities" was a veiled reference to the Japanese invasion of China.

As everyone was watching the gushing spring water and discussing the strange occurrence of live fish being dug out from the ground, someone suddenly shouted, "This is serious, there has been an earthquake!"

One day, a villager who was digging at the bottom of a pit suddenly shouted out, for he had unearthed many skeletons of both humans and animals, white and eerie, which was quite frightening

Although the moon is bright and the stars are sparse, resembling daylight, the three of us still had our hair standing on end and felt cold all over, rushing back home as if we were fleeing

The conditions at that time naturally cannot be compared to those of today. There were no large excavators, no blasting equipment for mountain excavation, and certainly no powerful transportation capabilities. Therefore, the sand, stone, and earth used for river management and dam construction could not be sourced from distant mountains and ridges; they were mostly obtained locally for convenience in transportation. Our village, located just a few kilometers from the Yellow River, naturally became one of the material extraction points.

About two zhang above the ground, there is a hole the size of a basin. For many years, it is unknown how many times it has been struck by lightning, and the trunk has been charred black, yet it remains alive. For many years, the spirit residing in the white-haired poplar has never harmed anyone, and the elderly firmly believe that a celestial being resides in the tree

Now everyone can see clearly

Dog Egg, Big Fool, and I, in a daze, followed the young man in white as he ascended the ladder, completely unaware of how steep it was

"The three young men need not be afraid, for I am a resident here and have lived for many years. We have always maintained a harmonious relationship with our neighbors, without disturbing one another," the elder said with both authority and kindness. "Recently, the golden energy from the north has surged, indicating impending military disasters and great calamities. Our family will be moving soon. We have borrowed this large tree for many years, and the villagers have not disturbed us. I kindly ask you to convey our gratitude to the villagers. I express my deep thanks, and after we leave, this tree may be dealt with as you see fit..."

We frequently nod in agreement

In the haze, I saw a boy in white, of similar age, descending from a tree. As I was curious about how he was able to walk down instead of climbing, the boy in white had already approached me.

Dog Egg and I each picked up a bead, wiped off the surface dirt, and discovered that the bead resembled jade but was not jade, and it was very smooth

The cries from the old turtle's nest sent chills down one's spine, as if someone was struggling in the water, splashing with their hands while crying. Even the dogs guarding the village, upon hearing those cries, dared not come out, scurrying under the bed in a frightened manner, as if they had seen something extremely terrifying. However, upon inspection during the day, there was nothing there; no one had fallen into the water or surfaced.

The triangular pit next to that white-haired poplar is not an ordinary place; it spans several dozen acres and has a peculiar and resounding name, called "Old Turtle Nest"

The old turtle pit can be said to have drowned countless people, and it is collected every year. Every summer, it claims the life of at least one person. According to the elders, although the pit is not large, no one knows how deep it truly is. The villagers regard it with a mix of respect and fear, feeling utterly helpless. They are well aware that no one dares to enter the water at night, yet many people report hearing cries from within the pit during the night

Without any consideration, Dog Egg, Da Luo, and I immediately got up and followed the young man

Speaking of those two beads that resemble jade yet are not jade, there is indeed an incredible experience associated with them, which took place half a month before encountering the pig spirit

There is also a nearly mythical legend regarding the formation of this triangular pit

To this day, no one knows what kind of spirit or fairy resides in that white-haired poplar tree

Not long after digging, a round clod of earth appeared, completely different from the others. The big fool dropped the shovel and slowly broke the clod apart. Once it cracked open, two beads, each the size of a pigeon egg, were astonishingly revealed in the center

Strangely enough, the air beside us felt as hot as the steam rising from a steaming bun pot, while it was chilly under the tree. After a long day of labor, we chatted for a while, but soon our eyelids grew heavy, and we became drowsy and dazed

Later, the collapsed area formed a deep and unfathomable pit, roughly triangular in shape. According to those present at the time, the head, which was about the size of a room, resembled the head of an old turtle, with eyes as large as washbasins

However, repairing the Yellow River dike requires countless laborers from the villagers, which is one aspect; another point is that it necessitates an enormous amount of sand, stone, and earth.

Dog Dan and I laughed heartily in agreement

Since the celestial spirit from the white-haired poplar departed, that towering white-haired poplar has gradually withered away. Not to mention approaching the tree, even sitting under it for an hour no longer brings any sense of coolness

Suddenly, the three of us awoke, realizing it was all a dream! Yet, the lingering fragrance of tea in my mouth left us uncertain whether it was a dream or an illusion, or if we had truly been guests in that recluse's home

Strangely enough, after a short while, several fish several feet long were dug up, not dead fish, but lively, wriggling fish. At that moment, water began to gush out from the spot where the live fish were unearthed, and the villagers quickly rushed over.

The white-haired poplar is not an ordinary poplar tree. As the saying goes, "Do not plant locusts in the front, nor willows in the back, and do not plant ghost clappers in the courtyard." The term "ghost clapper" refers to the white-haired poplar, as it grows quickly, has a thick trunk, and dense leaves, making it easy to attract malevolent entities to reside in it

Everyone looked around, but there were no signs of any disturbance. Then the person shouted, "How strange, the ground down there is shaking violently, look!"

At that time, although the class-ridden Qing Dynasty had already fallen, the emperor had abdicated, and people no longer knelt before others, we, coming from a poor background, naturally felt quite nervous upon encountering prominent figures resembling officials or wealthy individuals, and we hardly dared to raise our heads

This pit, covering several dozen acres and over two zhang deep, is indeed in motion; to be precise, the entire bottom of the pit is being raised, and a large crack has already formed in the middle

Upon reaching the end of the ladder, I discovered a magnificent black gate wide open, adorned with a bronze lion holding a ring. Inside, several bright candles were burning, and attendants stood around with their hands at their sides. In the center, seated in a large grand master's chair, was an elderly man exuding an air of authority.

As everyone stood in stunned silence, a clod of earth suddenly rose several feet above the surrounding ground. Then, a head the size of a room emerged from the crack, its eyes gleaming darkly. It let out a roar towards the sky, and with a thunderous sound, the entire ground collapsed beneath it

Upon arriving at the tree, we discovered a beautifully crafted wooden ladder leading directly to the treetop—how did we not notice it when we came? Perhaps we were too engrossed in conversation and failed to observe carefully

It is not strange to unearth bones, but what is peculiar is that in this waterless place, several feet long live fish can actually be dug up, leaving even the supervisor standing by the shore in astonishment.

"Please rise, everyone. My esteemed master Bai invites you all. Please follow me!" The young man in white greeted and invited them.

On the afternoon of the second day, driven by curiosity, we brought shovels and arrived beneath the white poplar tree, thinking that since it was arranged by the elder, he would not take offense at our presence. Thus, we began to dig into the soil.

That year was exceptionally hot, and moreover, we were at an age when we were blissfully unaware of the world around us. To put it in contemporary terms, it was a case of "ignorance is bliss!" The three of us discussed it and decided to each take a straw mat and lie down under the white poplar tree in the evening

What we did not expect was that these two so-called precious beads later brought us many thrilling and near-fatal encounters This is a story for another time and shall not be elaborated on for now

That summer, the weather was strangely hot. During the day, it was still bearable to soak in the water, but at night it became unbearable, unlike now with air conditioning and fans. In the end, I discussed with my friends, Dog Egg and Big Fool, and we decided not to let the adults know. At night, we would secretly sleep under the white-haired poplar tree by the triangular pit at the edge of the village

The spirit residing on the white-haired poplar has lived there for an unknown number of years, yet it has not brought any calamities to the village. However, after its departure, the village was thrown into chaos, with people in a state of panic, nearly causing the entire village to abandon their homes and migrate elsewhere

Because my hometown is located on the banks of the Yellow River in northern Henan, it is very close to the river, merely a few miles away. Throughout history, every dynasty's efforts to manage the Yellow River and repair its levees have required labor from the villagers.

Then the old man changed his tone and said: "After we leave, there may be a great disaster in the village. To express our gratitude, we are specially gifting you two pearls, which are our family's treasures. They can be of great help when needed. The pearls are located under this tree, and you may dig them up with a shovel tomorrow. Remember to keep them safe and do not show them to others lightly"

The white poplar tree stands beside the triangular pit. Its age is unknown, but we three cannot even encircle it by holding hands. The leaves are dark green, densely packed, blocking out the sun, making it impossible to see what lies above the leaves. On a scorching midday during the hottest days of summer, while the sun blazes nearby, walking under the tree feels extremely cool, causing goosebumps to rise on the skin if one lingers for too long

At the soil extraction site in our village, it is unknown how much earth has been removed; all that is known is that the large pit for soil extraction is roughly triangular in shape, covering dozens of acres. Inside, dozens of villagers are sweating profusely at the bottom of the pit, continuously digging.

Here, I will explain why one must secretly take a nap under that large poplar tree without letting the adults know

Upon our arrival, the elder in the armchair gestured for us to sit down and instructed the maid to serve tea