Folk tale Yuan Tiangang exterminated the Ding monster
Yuan Tiangang, a metaphysician and astronomer in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, was known for his physiognomy. His collaboration with Li Chunfeng on "Pushing Back Pictures" has been passed down through the ages. It is rumored that Yuan Tiangang once met the young Wu Zetian and said that he "can be the master of the world".
In the eighth year of Zhenguan, after hearing about Yuan Tiangang's deeds, Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, recruited him to Jiucheng Palace and asked: "In ancient times, there was Yan Junping, and I have you today, how?"Yuan Tiangang replied without hesitation: "Yan Jun's life was not at the right time, and the minister defeated him. ”
When he was young, Yuan Tiangang's family was poor and unable to make ends meet. In order to prevent him from starving to death, his father sent him to a Taoist temple and followed the fire workers to make a living. Yuan Tiangang developed a strong interest in Taoism, and soon became proficient in it. Seeing his intelligence, the Taoist introduced him to a Taoist master, his uncle.
After ten years of hard work, Yuan Tiangang finally learned a skill, was well versed in the essence of physiognomy, and was eloquent. He was invited by dignitaries and nobles to come to ask for advice, and Yuan Tiangang was overwhelmed and interpreted the fate of official fortune for people, which was accurate.
However, Yuan Tiangang realized that this kind of behavior was against the way of heaven and could be detrimental to himself. After pondering for a long time, he came up with a way to complete his merits and not attract reproach from heaven.
One day, Yuan Tiangang found the Taishou of Xishu County, who had asked him for divination, and asked him to help him fight for an official position. Taishou felt strange about this, because Yuan Tiangang was already worth a lot of money with his face, why did he still have to work hard in the public door?
Yuan Tiangang explained with a smile: "Although it is hard to enter the public gate, it is a good opportunity to accumulate merit. I divinate people's faces, and I go against the heavens, lest God condemn me. If you have merit to protect yourself, you may be able to avoid the fate of being dead on the streets in the future. ”
After hearing this, Taishou felt that something was unusual, so he took out the map of Shu and asked Yuan Tiangang where he liked his official position. Yuan Tiangang pointed to the southwest and said, "Taishou doesn't have to bother, just look for a position for me in the southwest!."”
Taishou carefully examined the map and found that there was a senior official county in the southwest, and the prefectural commander had left his post and had not yet been appointed. So, he decided to help Yuan Tiangang repair the book and win the position of county magistrate in Ziguan County.
Although the scale of the county is not large, it is a complete county after all, and the position of county magistrate is not easy to obtain. However, due to the influence of the Taishou family and the establishment of the new county of senior officials, the place is not very wide, and the position of senior official has been vacant, and no one is willing to take on it.
A month later, the imperial court issued an approval decree appointing Yuan Tiangang as a senior official, which took effect immediately and without delay.
In a short period of time, Yuan Tiangang went from a high-profile physiognomy master to a county magistrate appointed by the imperial court in a blink of an eye, holding the power of life and death for the people of a county.
However, Yuan Tiangang found that the people of Ziguan County were simple and harmonious, and there were not too many cases to be tried. This is not in line with the great merit he had calculated earlier.
Puzzled by this, Yuan Tiangang found that there were not many things he needed to manage here, and there were not even a few cases that had been accumulated.
After more than half a year in office, Yuan Tiangang gradually noticed something strange and began to wonder if his calculations were wrong. If that's the case, he urgently needs to consider a different place.
One day, Yuan Tiangang sat in the county office as usual, seemingly looking through the file, but in fact he was studying Taoism.
Suddenly, a report came: "The county order, there is a report from the chief, the villagers are vomiting and diarrhea, unconscious, and there seem to be signs of plague!."”
Plague?Yuan Tiangang was shocked, could this be the great merit he had calculated before?
However, he didn't know anything about the ** plague.
Thinking of this, Yuan Tiangang could only say with a smile: "Come on, take me to see!."”
Hearing that Yuan Tiangang was going to check the epidemic in person, the officials were nervous, and they expressed their reluctance to go one after another.
Yuan Tiangang's eyes widened: "Isn't my life worth more than yours?"I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of?”
In the face of Yuan Tiangang's angry shouting, the officials were speechless, and immediately prepared carriages and horses to accompany him to the place where the epidemic occurred.
The destination is a village called Tiejiawan.
Yuan Tiangang looked up and saw that the village was majestic, with mountains cascading and a small river meandering through. The main road leading to the county seat is the intersection of several surrounding villages, and there are crowds of people gathering every five days, which can be described as a thriving, prosperous and prosperous place.
The village doesn't look like a place where the plague would happen. Yuan Tiangang was puzzled.
The chief and the patriarch of the village had already greeted Yuan Tiangang's arrival in front of the ancestral hall, and the people of the village were standing around.
Lord Prefectural, the patients are all in the ancestral hall, you can just take a look at it from a distance!"The lieutenant didn't expect Yuan Tiangang to come in person.
Yuan Tiangang frowned and stood at the door of the ancestral hall and looked in, the ground of the ancestral hall was full of beds, and there were many sick people lying on it, there were hundreds of people, their faces were pale, and some people kept coughing and making a terrible sound.
Has Lang Zhong been here yet?Yuan Tiangang turned his head and asked.
I have already come, and Lang Zhong said that this is a strange disease, which is not recorded in ancient books, and there is no antidote yet!The lieutenant replied.
Yuan Tiangang had learned some medical skills from the Huogong Daoist, and he looked at these patients and found that in addition to their faces, their bodies seemed to be extremely cold, and they were as cold as ice to the touch, which was indeed a strange disease that had never been seen before.
Yuan Tiangang looked up at the door of the ancestral hall and felt a faint cool air emanating from it.
Patriarch!Yuan Tiangang stood in front of the ancestral hall and asked, "Are there any similarities between these patients?"”
Similar?The patriarch frowned and thought for a moment, and then whispered: "My lord, there is a situation, I don't know if it is related to my lord!."”
What's the situation?Yuan Tiangang asked.
These patients live by the well!The patriarch replied.
Wellside?Yuan Tiangang immediately followed the direction of the patriarch's instructions.
In the village**, there is an octagonal pavilion, and there is an ancient well in the pavilion, which is surrounded by exquisite patterns, which is very quaint.
Yuan Tiangang came to the ancient well and looked around: "Are these sick people from the surrounding families?"”
Yes!We are all from the surrounding families, and we usually drink the water from this ancient well, and there is no problem with it!The patriarch replied.
Yuan Tiangang stood in front of the ancient well, observed carefully, and then stretched out his hand to put it on the ancient well, and felt a cold air surging up from the bottom of the well, almost exactly the same as the patients in the ancestral hall.
However, he walked around the ancient well and did not notice anything unusual.
Servants!Hit a bucket of water!Yuan Tiangang commanded.
A servant immediately stepped forward, threw the wooden barrel on the side of the well into the ancient well, and then forcefully lifted a bucket of clean water.
The water in the well is clear, and there is nothing abnormal after trying the silver needle, and I can't see any problems, but the water temperature is unusually cold, and there is a cool breath.
Patriarch, was the water in this ancient well so cold before?Yuan Tiangang asked.
No, although this well is warm in winter and cool in summer, it was not so cold before, and this situation happened recently!The patriarch replied.
Only recently?When Yuan Tiangang heard this, he seemed to realize that the patients in the village were related to this ancient well.
Yuan Tiangang returned to the ancient well, which was only five or six feet from the edge of the well, but the bottom could not be seen.
My lord, this well has been around since we built the village, and it is impossible to verify how long it has been!The patriarch introduced to Yuan Tiangang.
Yuan Tiangang nodded slightly, "You guys step back first, I'll check what is wrong!."”
In the puzzled eyes of everyone, Yuan Tiangang took out a compass from his arms, lightly placed it on the side of the ancient well, and then began to step on the foot.
A series of actions stunned everyone, the senior official order actually knew the Tao, and it was a joke when the news came out.
Although everyone thought that Yuan Tiangang's serious appearance was very strange, in front of him, everyone didn't dare to say much, just watched him wear an official robe and cast a spell by the ancient well.
After completing the Dao Fa, Yuan Tiangang seemed to have found the problem, and he immediately said to the lieutenant chief and the officials who were waiting on the side: "You are waiting outside the village, and you are not allowed to enter the village without my order!"”
Although the lieutenant and the official did not understand it, they obeyed the order and retreated to the river outside the village.
Then, Yuan Tiangang said to the patriarch: "You ask the young man to build a hut next to the well, and it must be done before evening!"”
The patriarch immediately went to arrange: "This is easy, I will immediately order someone to do it!."”
Yuan Tiangang nodded: "Go, after the thatched hut is finished, find me a bed and futon, and an oil lamp, and don't need to prepare anything else!."”
The patriarch quickly busied himself with the preparation of these items.
Soon, more than a dozen young people carried wood, straw and other materials to the ancient well, and soon built a thatched hut, according to Yuan Tiangang's wishes, the thatched hut had no windows, only a curtain door.
Inside the hut was a simple bed covered with straw, a futon and an oil lamp on the floor.
When night fell, Yuan Tiangang instructed everyone in the village to go home, close the door tightly, and not come out if they heard any sound, and only show up after dawn.
Later, Yuan Tiangang hung a yellow paper talisman on the doorway and waited on the bed.
The first half of the night was quiet and silent, and there was not even a dog barking in the whole village. Yuan Tiangang lay there and seemed drowsy, and in the second half of the night, with the mournful chirping of the night owl, heavy footsteps sounded in the village.
Soon the footsteps came to the hut, and after a short pause, they entered the hut.
Yuan Tiangang opened his eyes slightly, only to see a strange creature with three legs and a big eye in the middle, standing in front of his bed, opening his mouth and sticking out his long tongue ready to lick Yuan Tiangang's cheek.
Suddenly, Yuan Tiangang opened his eyes suddenly, and grabbed the monster's front paws with both hands. The monster let out a piercing cry, which shook Yuan Tiangang's ears and couldn't help but let go of his hand.
The monster took a few steps back and shouted angrily at Yuan Tiangang, Yuan Tiangang did not show weakness, and quickly pulled out the seven-star sword, ready to deal with it.
What kind of wicked are you, you actually endanger the people again!Yuan Tiangang asked loudly.
However, the monster spat out a cloud of blue light. Yuan Tiangang swung his sword urgently, only to hear a click, and there seemed to be a metallic texture in the blue light. Yuan Tiangang hesitated for a moment, and the monster actually fled towards the outside of the hut.
Yuan Tiangang laughed: "Want to escape?."It's not that easy!”
With that, the yellow paper sigil above the doorway lit up, and the flames enveloped the monster. The monster howled, turned around and glared at Yuan Tiangang fiercely, then broke through the thatched roof and disappeared into the night.
Yuan Tiangang rushed out of the thatched house, only to see the monster pounce into the ancient well, and he was immediately relieved. The daytime calculation was not wrong, and the problem was indeed in the ancient well.
He pasted a few yellow paper talismans around the ancient well, and then waited for the dawn.
At dawn, the officials at the entrance of the village saw Yuan Tiangang sitting next to the ancient well, looking thoughtful, and asked in a loud voice: "My lord, can we go in?"”
Come in!Yuan Tiangang immediately agreed.
So, the people in the village cautiously opened the door and watched curiously as Yuan Tiangang circled around the ancient well.
My lord, I think there was a strange sound last night!The patriarch hurriedly walked up to Yuan Tiangang, "Are you okay?"”
No problem!Yuan Tiangang looked at the metal block under his feet and frowned, "Patriarch, tell the young people in the village to come out and drain the well water!"”
Drain the well water?The water in this well has never dried up since ancient times!The patriarch was puzzled.
It is precisely because it never dries up that foreign objects are formed. I cut it down last night!Yuan Tiangang pointed to the metal block and said.
My lord, may I ask what this is?The patriarch and the villagers looked confused.
I don't know, I've never seen it before, but the foreign object jumped into the ancient well and disappeared!Yuan Tiangang said.
The patriarch and the villagers listened to this, and their hearts sank, if the foreign object was hidden in the ancient well, what would they do in the future?
Your Excellency, you must call the shots for us!The patriarch and the villagers hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.
Since I'm here, I can't sit idly by!Yuan Tiangang stood beside the ancient well with the seven-star sword in his hand.
The villagers immediately brought buckets of water, set up wheels at the mouth of the well, and began to carry water out without stopping.
After a few days, the deep bottom of the ancient well was finally revealed, and Yuan Tiangang ordered several torches to be tied together and carefully placed at the bottom of the well. The bottom of the dark well was as bright as day.
On the side wall at the bottom of the well, a small hole two feet high was exposed, and it was faintly visible that the hole was shiny and shining, and there seemed to be movement, mixed with gusts of dark wind.
Come on, bring the oil, the more the merrier!Yuan Tiangang ordered people to bring a large amount of fire oil and poured it into the ancient well without hesitation. The oil poured into the small hole, and then it was ignited, and the flames rushed into the small hole, and there was a crackling sound.
Suddenly, a villager shouted, "Look over there!"”
Everyone looked and saw bursts of green smoke rising in the mountains, Yuan Tiangang immediately ordered someone to guard the ancient well, and personally led the team to the place where the green smoke was.
Turning a road through the dense grass and trees, I found a vague hole, paved with green bricks, which looked like it had gone through the vicissitudes of time, as if it had been washed away by the torrential rain some time ago.
Yuan Tiangang asked people to widen the entrance of the cave, revealing a straight passage leading to the mountain.
After the green smoke cleared, Yuan Tiangang stepped into the passage with the seven-star sword, and after walking hundreds of steps, he found a spacious cave with a gap in the corner, shining with bright firelight, where it should lead to a small hole in the ancient well.
The cave was filled with a large number of bronze vessels, most of which were in tatters, except for one bronze tripod that was shiny, and one of which seemed to be somewhat damaged.
Yuan Tiangang suddenly realized that the strange beast that attacked him at night turned out to be the transformation of this bronze tripod.
Obviously, this is an ancient burial pit, and these bronzes have been precipitated for thousands of years, bathed in the essence of the sun and the moon, and actually gave birth to spirituality. At night, they sneak into the homes of villagers to absorb the essence, but unfortunately these bronze vessels have already accumulated toxins, causing the villagers to be poisoned.
Fortunately, Yuan Tiangang had been prepared, and quickly flew out more than a dozen yellow paper talismans to cover the bronze tripod, and then waved the seven-star sword and pointed directly at the bronze tripod. The bronze tripod changed several times, but it was suppressed by the yellow paper talisman, and was finally pierced by the seven-star sword, leaving blood stains on the gap.
Yuan Tiangang swung his sword to smash the bronze tripod, and faintly heard a scream, but he showed no mercy.
Take firewood and set the whole cave on fire!Yuan Tiangang was determined to completely eliminate the potential threat, and the flames instantly engulfed the entire cave.
In the flames, all the utensils in the cave were burned, and only a pile of residue remained.
After diagnosing the villagers' symptoms, Yuan Tiangang found several prescriptions to help the villagers detoxify. A few days later, the ancient well was revitalized, and the water was no longer cold and biting, and returned to its normal state.
The gratitude of the people in the village is overflowing, and this ancient well is renamed "Tiangang Well", one is to protect the village and suppress evil in the name of Tiangang, and the other is to thank Yuan Tiangang for saving his life.
After this incident, Yuan Tiangang suddenly realized that merit can not only be accumulated through official positions, but also through cultivation. So, he resigned from the imperial court, traveled all over the world to practice, solved problems for the people, and eventually became a generation of metaphysical masters.