A Prophet - Chapter 3 (Part 3)

Chapter 3 - The Opium Trade Inside Corpses

The Second Boss was the faction's master of "flying paper" tricks, and Grandfather trusted him to handle this setup. Grandfather rarely trusted anyone completely, and the Second Boss had only won his trust after going through a rigorous crucible of trials. In particular, the "corpse-driving" scam they pulled off together was heart-pounding and fraught with peril at every turn; it was precisely that operation that completely subdued the Second Boss.

In 1932, the Japanese Imperial Navy Marines attacked Shanghai, and the Nineteenth Route Army rose up in fierce resistance. The fighting was intensely bloody, leaving countless dead in its wake. Grandfather never imagined this conflict would present him with a lucrative moneymaking opportunity. Not long after the Nineteenth Route Army retreated, a "special merchant" came looking for Grandfather. "Special merchant" was underworld jargon for an opium trafficker. Even though the provisional government in Nanjing had issued a ban on opium upon its establishment, the narcotics trade remained rampant because the business was simply too profitable. Later on, as the Nationalist government's currency depreciated, high-ranking officials and wealthy magnates even hoarded opium to combat hyperinflation. The special merchant was surnamed Jia, commonly known as Fourth Master Jia, who had long-standing ties with warlords and criminal gangs, and was also an old friend of Grandfather of many years. Fourth Master Jia told Grandfather mysteriously about a massive business venture, asking if he was willing to take it on. When Grandfather asked what kind of business it was, Fourth Master Jia replied, "Herding the dead!" Grandfather was momentarily stunned. "Herding the dead" was an old custom in certain regions of the Central Plains, whereby people who died away from home—especially those who perished on the battlefield—were summoned back to their native towns through soul-calling rituals to prevent them from turning into wandering ghosts and lonely spirits; in western Hunan, this was known as "corpse driving."

Grandfather was well aware of the trickery behind "herding the dead"—in reality, it was entirely the work of living men. First, the corpse was washed clean, its belly sliced open with a knife to hollow out the internal organs, and then soaked in medicinal potions to prevent decomposition. Next, one man would strap the corpse onto his back, put on a large burial robe that draped over both the corpse and himself, wear a straw hat, and paste paper talismans onto his face to play the part of the corpse. Another man would walk in front, ringing a soul-reaping bell while scattering paper money. The two would sing and respond to each other, carrying the corpse on their backs all the way home. If there were multiple corpses, iron wire would be pierced right through the collarbones of the bodies and tied to long poles, stringing them together. Since the internal organs had been hollowed out, leaving only an empty shell, they weren't overly heavy. Two strong men would rest the ends of the poles on their shoulders and carry the bodies forward, navigating the road while propping them up. Corpse driving was backbreaking work that required immense nerve; ordinary people couldn't handle it. Especially when walking mountain paths at night—under the moonlight, bouncing along narrow mountain trails with a corpse strapped to your back, as sudden mountain gales whipped up, ravens shrieked, and scattered paper money fluttered everywhere—even knowing full well that a dead body was strapped to your back, you constantly felt as though a pair of eyes was staring straight at the back of your head. Grandfather spoke up, "This work is exhausting and doesn't pay well. What made Fourth Master think of taking this on?" Fourth Master Jia whispered a few words into Grandfather's ear, and as Grandfather listened, his expression slowly relaxed.

Fourth Master Jia continued, "Only through this method will the officials not interfere, the common folk not ask questions, and even cats and dogs scurry out of the way. You have plenty of men under you who play at 'flying paper' tricks; they can pose as soul-calling masters. It's a match made in heaven!" Looking at Fourth Master Jia's confident demeanor, Grandfather asked, "Are the people in the military reliable?" Fourth Master Jia replied, "Deputy Yao—you've met him. We share many years of friendship." Grandfather pondered for a moment before saying, "All right." Grandfather drew up a meticulous plan and handed it over to the Second Boss to execute. Before departure, Grandfather admonished, "You must be extremely careful. Make sure not to slip up!" The Second Boss patted his chest and vowed, "Don't you worry! When it comes to dealing with dead bodies, I know what I'm doing!" As it turned out, Fourth Master Jia needed to smuggle a batch of opium to the south. At the time, the security crackdown was too severe and the times were too chaotic with war, so they didn't dare transport it openly out of fear that complications would arise. He had therefore consulted with a confidential secretary of the Kuomintang to use the "corpse-driving" method as a cover to deceive everyone. Nominally, it was to escort the souls of soldiers who died heroically in the defense of Shanghai back to their hometowns, but in reality, those corpses were being used to smuggle opium.

For money, people could cast away all conscience; indeed, living men are far more terrifying than ghosts. Taking his orders, the Second Boss set off with five errand boys. After rendezvoused with their contact, they first hollowed out five corpses of military rank, wrapped the opium in oiled paper, added an extra layer of small cowhide, and stuffed the packages into the empty bellies of the corpses. Once packed full, they sewed the skin of the bellies back together with thread. Human flesh has distinct layers, so it had to be stitched layer by layer, otherwise the contents would leak out. When everything was ready, the errand boys strapped the corpses onto their backs and set off. The Second Boss played the role of the soul-calling master at the front, holding a bronze bell in his left hand and scattering paper money with his right. Wherever they passed, people avoided them like the plague. Barely a day into the journey, the errand boys began complaining of exhaustion. Carrying a dead body—and a dead body stuffed to the brim with opium at that, weighing some seventy or eighty catties up and down—became unbearable over time. The foul stench of the corpses, the chemical smell of the potion, and the fresh sweat pouring from the living men mingled together, turning people's stomachs with nausea.

Eager to win merit, the Second Boss shouted, "Keep moving! Move faster!" Timidly, the errand boys pleaded, "Second Boss, this is too heavy. We honestly can't walk another step." Smoke practically billowed from the Second Boss's nose in anger. "A bunch of good-for-nothings!" Despite the Second Boss's continuous scolding, the procession grew slower and slower. He began racking his brain for a solution. "I have a method that can lighten your load..." Exchanging glances, the errand boys asked, "Second Boss... what kind of method?" The Second Boss smiled faintly and laid out his plan. After hearing it out, the errand boys looked at one another and said, "The idea is sound, but if something goes wrong and Grandfather asks about it..." The Second Boss roared, "If anything goes wrong, I'll take the blame!" Thus, the errand boys all followed his instructions, and two days later, they reached their destination with ease. After handing the opium over to the contact, the Second Boss went to the inn, where Grandfather and Fourth Master Jia were already waiting for them. "Did any accidents happen?" Grandfather asked.

The Second Boss answered, "Everything went smoothly!" Grandfather glanced at Fourth Master Jia, who smiled with satisfaction. Grandfather smiled as well. The following day came the coffin inspection; the relatives of the deceased and Deputy Yao were all present. Dressed in full Daoist robes, the Second Boss brought his errand boys to circle the coffins several times, scattering paper money and chanting incantations, before finally stuffing copper coins into the mouths of the deceased—a practice said to help the departed bribe minor ghosts along the Yellow Springs road. Once everything was arranged, the Second Boss announced, "The coffins may now be opened for inspection." Bearing immense grief, the family members gathered around the coffins, gazing longingly at their loved ones. Yet none of them could have anticipated that their relatives were now left with nothing more than a single head! After the coffin inspection and the identification of the kin came the burial itself. At that moment, a sudden mishap occurred! Unable to contain the anguish of losing her son, an elderly woman lunged toward the coffin to touch her son's body. After grabbing at it a few times, she nearly tore away the entire set of burial garments. The Second Boss hurriedly pulled her back, crying, "Madam! You mustn't!" But it was already too late; the "leg" of the corpse had been exposed—and it was nothing more than a tree branch. In sheer shock, the old woman shrieked, "Where are my son's legs?" This cry startled everyone present! These were corpses personally designated by Deputy Yao, men who had sustained gunshot wounds while remaining intact bodies! Deputy Yao strode forward quickly, intending to inspect the corpse. With lightning reflexes, Grandfather reached out and grabbed him, staring straight into his eyes! Reading the warning in Grandfather's gaze, Deputy Yao froze in his tracks. The air at the site congealed. At that instant, Grandfather's booming voice rang out, "Battling on the field of war amidst a hail of bullets, these officers gave their lives for the country. Some had their legs blown off by artillery shells, while others had their bellies torn open by explosions. Before placing them in the coffins, my disciples here tidied them up precisely so that the families would not be overwhelmed by excessive grief!" Deputy Yao shot Grandfather a vicious glare and sneered, "Hmph!" Yet he dared not kick up a fuss, because he was implicated in the scheme as well. Grandfather continued, "Everyone knows the rules of soul-calling. If you all keep weeping and wailing, the souls of the deceased will become unsettled, break free from their bodies, and turn into wandering ghosts—and then all your painstaking efforts will have been in vain!"

Hearing those words, the old woman gradually quieted down and stopped crying. The Second Boss hurriedly instructed the errand boys, "Lower the coffins." Once the coffins were lowered into the earth, the Second Boss drew a circle in front of the graveyard, placed stack after stack of prepared paper money inside it, and set them ablaze while chanting: "Stripped bare you came, stripped bare you go; past lives are unknown to the present, raised by parents to muddle through the days. May grievances and karmic debtors be severed here, leaving no enemies in the netherworld of the Yellow Springs. Lower—the—caskets—now!" The suona players struck up a piercing tune, and the relatives burst into uncontrollable sobs. Deputy Yao could not help shedding tears either; after all, these were anti-Japanese brothers-in-arms stained with the blood of the battlefield. No matter how deeply human eyes are blinded by material greed, that tiny thread of kindness deep within the heart will always surface of its own accord. After the funeral concluded, Grandfather, Deputy Yao, and Fourth Master Jia returned to the inn. "Second Boss!" Grandfather called him into the room. "What is the meaning of this?" Casting a look at Deputy Yao and Fourth Master Jia, the Second Boss lowered his head. A long moment passed before a low grunt escaped his lips. "Speak!"

Grandfather's single roar made the room hum with vibrations. The Second Boss hurriedly poured out the whole truth. There were strict rules to "herding the dead": when dead bodies were summoned back home, the families were forbidden from looking at them first. Only after the corpse-driving master finished the rites, tidied up the corpses, and placed them in coffins could the family inspect them. Moreover, they were strictly forbidden from crying, let alone touching the bodies, lest the aggrieved spirits become unsettled and escape their vessels before the burial was completed and the earth sealed over. Seizing upon this exact rule, the Second Boss had brazenly ordered everyone to chop off the heads of the corpses, discard the bodies, pack the opium into carrying baskets, place the heads right on top of the opium, and drape the large burial robes over them just like real zombies to walk along the road. This drastically lightened the errand boys' burden, allowing the procession to move at a much faster pace. Upon reaching their destination, the Second Boss had worked overnight to have the errand boys fashion five wooden posts, dress each post in brand-new burial robes, stuff them with plenty of cotton to create a human shape, prop up the sleeves and pantlegs with tree branches, and finally mount the heads onto the wooden posts using thick iron wire. The joint areas were wrapped in cloth and blended seamlessly with the burial garments. In any case, as long as the family members saw the face of the deceased, nobody would inspect the body—that was the ironclad rule of "corpse driving." After listening to the whole account, Grandfather said coldly, "Will you do it yourself, or shall I?"

The Second Boss looked at Grandfather, then glanced at the impassive Deputy Yao and Fourth Master Jia, and whispered, "I'll do it myself!" With that, he placed the pinky finger of his left hand flat against the edge of the table, raised his right hand with a blade, and—crunch! Without an ounce of hesitation, he hacked off his own finger! Fresh blood instantly spurted across the floor. Pain caused sweat to drench the Second Boss's forehead, but he didn't let out a single groan. From that day onward, the Second Boss was left with only nine fingers. Grandfather had no alternative but to take this course of action: first, to provide an acceptable explanation to Fourth Master Jia and Deputy Yao; and second, to break the Second Boss's arrogance, lest he become too difficult to manage in the future. Years later, whenever Grandfather recounted this incident, a lingering sense of terror still gripped his heart. If that trap had been exposed back then, the Kuomintang high command would have been thrown into a fury, and Grandfather, Deputy Yao, Fourth Master Jia, the Second Boss, and all those errand boys would have paid with their lives!