Chapter Forty-Five: Commencing the Ritual

Lü Ergou’s face flushed and paled by turns, his head throbbing.
“Dad, you’re confused again. Huihui took Xiaojuan back to her mother’s house.”
Li Jianguo frowned to himself, thinking the old man truly couldn’t tell left from right anymore—even calling his daughter-in-law ‘the imperial concubine.’ People say that after a good meal and enough drink, one’s mind turns to pleasure; perhaps even now he’s thinking about the matter of sleeping companions.
The atmosphere was awkward.
Lü Datong lifted his eyelids and lazily pointed a finger toward Cui Yue, who stood by the door.
“Eunuch Liu, I’m feeling weary. Summon the musicians and dancers for a performance, to amuse me.”
Cui Yue saw Lü Datong pointing at him and calling him ‘Eunuch Liu,’ instantly enraged, cursing inwardly: You’re the eunuch, not me! You want to watch a dance for entertainment? You’d be better off dancing yourself. Seeing Lü Ergou apologizing to him with a discreet bow, Cui Yue decided not to make a scene. He turned toward the doorway and spat into the corner.
Cui Yue glanced at Li Jianguo, his eyes urging him: You’re enjoying a peaceful moment, but shouldn’t you get started? What are you waiting for? Can’t you see how outlandish this white-haired old man has become?
Lü Ergou took advantage of his father’s satiated state to slip over to Li Jianguo and whispered,
“Master Li, ever since my dad came back that day, he’s lost his mind. Sometimes he declares himself emperor, sometimes he turns into an ancient scholar, reciting poems and couplets nonstop. I can’t make sense of what he says. He never knew a single character before—not even able to write his own name properly.”
Li Jianguo nodded quietly, calm and unhurried.
“All right. It seems old Lü encountered something unclean in the hills, resulting in ghostly energy clouding his mind and tainting him with filth. Naturally, he would act irrationally.”
Lü Ergou nodded anxiously.
“Master Li, is there any way to save my father?”
“No need to worry. With my intervention, the solution will come swiftly.”
Cui Yue, already uneasy, felt his nerves twitch even harder at Li Jianguo’s words.
Li Jianguo looked around, took out a length of red string, and signaled Cui Yue to tie it to the door frame. Then he attached several small bells to the string.
“What’s this?”
“These are soul bells. Any change in ghostly energy will set them ringing.”
“Oh, I see.”
Cui Yue examined the tiny bells in his hand, surprised that such trinkets could have this effect.

Li Jianguo instructed Lü Ergou to tidy up the items on the central table; he was about to set up a ritual.
On the square table, he placed a bowl of glutinous rice, two red candles, three sticks of incense, and four talisman papers, all arranged neatly.
At that moment, Lü Datong was squinting, humming a tune that abruptly stopped. He pointed inside the room and spoke,
“Where is the crown prince? Who dares make such noise here?”
Lü Ergou quickly turned and replied,
“Dad, this is a magician from the south, here to entertain you.”
“Very well. For your filial piety, I’ll allow them to perform. Let’s see what tricks they can show me,” Lü Datong said, propping his head up, uninterested.
Li Jianguo sneered coldly. Well, then, watch closely—I’ll give you a performance worth seeing.
He ordered Cui Yue to light the candles and incense, then burned a stack of yellow paper.
“Spirit Treasure Lord above, your disciple prepares to open the altar today, to cleanse filth, protect the recitation, return to the right path, clear within and without, dispel the world’s pollution, safeguard righteousness among men.”
Li Jianguo knelt by the table, chanting continuously, and from behind his back drew a peachwood sword. He circled the sword tip, twirling a sword flower, then danced several moves with the wind.
Lü Datong watched in amazement, shouting,
“Excellent, excellent! I will reward you handsomely.”
Li Jianguo snorted, then suddenly swept the sword horizontally across the table, skewering the four talisman papers with one stroke.
Turning, he changed his move, pointing the sword tip skyward, palm downward, chanting even faster.
At this moment, Lü Datong seemed frozen. His eyes were fixed, staring blankly from the bed.
Cui Yue was impressed by Li Jianguo’s smooth technique, and seeing Lü Datong’s reaction, thought it seemed to be working.
Li Jianguo swept the sword toward the brazier; the talisman papers caught fire, burning slowly at the sword tip.
He hurriedly stabbed the sword several times through the air around Lü Datong, scattering ashes onto him. Wherever the ashes landed, Lü Datong reacted as if burned, his face terrified, slapping at himself as though something dreadful had stuck to him.
Lü Ergou watched Li Jianguo with reverence—this master’s skills were extraordinary.

Li Jianguo, using the sword as his focus, traced an arc to enclose Lü Datong, then swiftly pulled another talisman from his robes and pressed it to Lü Datong’s forehead.
As the talisman touched him, Lü Datong’s expression froze, his eyes vacant.
Li Jianguo barked sharply, then took a bowl of rice wine, drank deeply, and sprayed it all over Lü Datong.
Lü Datong remained motionless, but strangely, the rice wine turned into shimmering droplets on his body, rising as swirling mist. He looked as if in pain, his face contorted, mouth agape, yet no sound was heard.
Lü Ergou grew anxious at the sight, but dared not speak, his eyes questioning Cui Yue.
Cui Yue saw Lü Ergou’s look and thought, Don't ask me—I’m seeing this for the first time myself. I don’t know more than you do.
Li Jianguo reversed the sword onto his back, grabbed the coarse bowl on the table, and flung all the glutinous rice over Lü Datong, his hand moving like lightning.
The rice scattered everywhere—on Lü Datong, the bedding, the edge of the kang, covering everything.
A scream erupted.
Lü Datong suddenly let out a shriek like a butchered pig, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed on the bed, unconscious and motionless.
Lü Ergou panicked, threw himself onto the bed, nearly howling.
Li Jianguo, confident, took a steady breath.
“No need to worry. Old Lü’s hysteria has been resolved.”
Just as he spoke, Lü Datong slowly opened his eyes, weakly asking,
“Ergou, what happened to me? Why am I so exhausted, my throat so dry? Quickly, bring me a bowl of water.”
Seeing his father awake and clear-minded, Lü Ergou was overjoyed, hurriedly agreed, and brought him water.
Cui Yue clicked his tongue in wonder, amazed it had worked. Li Jianguo’s tricks truly had effect. The old man seemed restored to his senses; it appeared the emperor’s dream was finally over. Though Li Jianguo’s skills might not rival the deepest Daoist arts, his knowledge was sufficient for the task.