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墨書 Inktalez
Regardless, this incident had a significant impact on me, and for a long time, I was unwilling to engage in similar transactions.
At this point, everyone should understand why I said that the backlash Mr. Liu experienced was relatively mild. These two examples are simply meant to illustrate some of the taboos associated with raising spirits.
The more one gets involved, the more apprehensions arise. To be honest, if I could turn back time, I would prefer not to have entered this lucrative industry because it is too easy to become tainted by misfortune. The two examples above are still considered relatively good outcomes since they did not implicate me.
Some may wonder at this point if I was unaware of the dangers involved. If I knew, then why did I choose this line of work? The reason I got involved in this industry is because of my grandfather.
Before the end of the Anti-Japanese War, Japan occupied Myanmar and invaded cities like Tengchong and Longling in Yunnan. From a national strategic perspective, China and Britain decided to launch a joint counterattack. At that time, my grandfather was serving as the Deputy Company Commander in the newly formed 28th Division of the Chinese Expeditionary Force's 66th Army.
When talking about this battle, my grandfather always wore a look of helplessness. He said they originally intended to bring glory to the country, but the Japanese invaders were incredibly formidable; their tactical coordination was far superior to ours. Moreover, since it was a joint operation, there were often discrepancies in deployment and command, leading to being outflanked by their large encirclement tactics, which naturally resulted in failure.
His 28th Division was crushed while en route to reinforce friendly troops; some fled back to the homeland from Lashio, some were taken in by allied forces, and others, like my grandfather, became separated from the main force and had to escape on their own through the mountains and forests.
Fortunately, he managed to break out of the encirclement one night but dared not return home or hope for rescue from allied forces. He fled southward into Thailand.
At that time, Sino-Thai relations were quite poor because Thailand aligned itself with Uncle Sam. My grandfather did not dare to reveal his identity as Chinese and lived under an assumed name for many years. It wasn't until late 1986, the year I was born, that he finally returned from Thailand.
I heard that my grandmother cried so much that she almost went blind that day. Not only was it a reunion after a long separation, but it was also because my grandfather told her he had started another family in Thailand. He felt guilty, believing he was a deserter both to his military comrades and his family. Therefore, after our entire family refused to live with him in Thailand, he left behind a substantial sum of money and departed with tears.
Along with him came my Second Uncle. He was my grandfather's child from Thailand and often came to China for business; his Mandarin was very fluent. Over the years, he has treated our family very well, claiming it was to repay his father's long-standing debts.
That year, he brought back a white wooden plaque engraved with a Buddha on one side and some kind of runes on the other side. He said it was a White Olive Amulet made by the Dragon Wave Technique Master before his passing and could ensure safety. He paid a considerable price to acquire it from a merchant specifically as a gift for me.
In our community, who understood what an amulet was? We thought it was something used for chanting; my grandmother at that time believed in Christianity and didn't take it seriously.
As for me, a newborn baby, I had no other thoughts besides licking this Amulet as if it were something delicious.
With the money from my grandfather, we moved away from the mountain village and became city dwellers whom everyone envied. To commemorate this special family history, my grandmother decided to name me Shen Yi.
Second Uncle often came to visit me, always bringing along some novel toys that children my age had never even heard of. Because of this, I developed a good relationship with him. Out of curiosity, I asked him many times about the White Olive Amulet that I had carried since childhood, but Second Uncle was initially reluctant to share, seemingly having some reservations. As I grew older and kept asking, he finally told me that the Dragon Wave Technique Master was a revered High Monk from Thailand.
There had been attempts on his life; however, when bullets were fired at him, they only left two holes in his robe while the master remained unharmed. Since then, he has been referred to as the Holy Monk.
In the Buddhist year 2502, which corresponds to 1959 in the Gregorian calendar, the master passed away. Yet even after many years, his physical body remained intact, his eyes open and gazing forward, and even his hair and nails continued to grow.
If this had happened in my home country, there would have been two possible outcomes: either it would be dismissed as feudal superstition and cremated, or he would be treated as a zombie and we would have to call Uncle Ying for help.
But in Thailand, this is considered a miracle; even the King of Thailand personally cuts the master's hair and nails every year.
I won't elaborate much on this Amulet master to avoid disrespect. However, I remember that a few years ago, the master's body was exhibited in Xiamen, causing quite a stir; it's just unclear whether it was truly the body of the Holy Monk. Those interested might look for information from that time.
The White Olive Amulet was made by the master in three batches. Due to the difficulty in preserving the materials and their susceptibility to damage, very few exist today, and they are quite effective. When Second Uncle gave it to me back then, he spent at least three thousand yuan to acquire this treasure.
What does three thousand yuan in 1986 mean? Many post-00s or even post-90s might find it hard to imagine. At that time, a whole pig's tail cost about ten or twenty cents. Nowadays, in some places, a pound might cost thirty or forty yuan. So when converted into today's value, this Amulet is worth over one hundred thousand yuan.
Since then, I became curious about what business my grandfather and others were involved in Thailand that allowed them to earn so much money.
Regarding this matter, Second Uncle absolutely refused to say anything. His reason was that my grandfather had ordered him not to speak about it; otherwise, he would be buried alive.
People are like that; the more they want to know something, the more their curiosity grows. I kept pestering Second Uncle, almost rolling on the ground and throwing tantrums. Eventually, he had no choice but to say: "If you really want to know, fine. Come with me to Thailand and ask your grandfather directly. Otherwise, even if you put a knife to my throat, I can't tell you."
Naturally, I was willing to go to Thailand. However, too much time had passed for me to remember exactly which day it was; I only recalled that when our plane landed at Bangkok airport, it was dark outside.
Grandpa had known I was coming to Thailand for a long time, and he was more excited than anyone else, standing at the door to greet me late at night. As soon as I walked in, he quickly came over, hugged me tightly, and kissed me twice, calling me his big grandson with each kiss. His clumsy Mandarin made me feel quite awkward.
At that moment, I felt very restrained, as if I were a poor relative coming to seek some benefits, even feeling a bit inferior. However, Grandpa didn't see it that way; he just kept looking at me, and before long, he started to cry.
When the tears streamed down his face, I didn't know what to do. I had so much to say on the way here, but now those words were easily scattered by his tears.
Later, my Second Uncle told me that knowing I was coming, Grandpa had been standing at the door waiting since we boarded the plane. For five or six hours, he wouldn't even leave to eat.
What could I say about such treatment from a man in his sixties?
So that day, I respectfully knelt on the ground and bowed three times to Grandpa, representing my family and thanking him for his care over the years.
Grandpa trembled as he helped me up, tears flowing from his eyes into mine. I had never thought that human emotions could be so profound; especially during our gaze into each other's eyes, it felt like a mix of joy and sorrow. The familial bond might sometimes become distant due to time and space, but it always exists and quietly waits for the day it surges forth.
After dinner, Grandpa held my hand and talked to me. He asked many questions about things back home, especially about Grandma. I told him, "Grandma misses you very much, but she doesn't want to burden you. If you have time, I hope you can go see her."
Grandpa sighed and said, "I am sorry for her; she has waited for so many years in vain. Now, I just hope to make up for the debts of the past through you all."
Then Grandpa asked about my plans in Thailand and where I wanted to go. After thinking for a moment, I mentioned one of my main purposes for this trip. As soon as I brought it up, my Second Uncle directly slipped away.
When I finally asked about it, Grandpa immediately understood what was going on when he saw no one else around. He was both amused and exasperated; in the end, he shook his head and said, "It's not a big deal; it's just to find out what's available. This kid really is getting bolder by the day."
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