The harbor was not large at all, barely more than a small fishing village. Yet the residence of Shi Mengzhu’s family occupied nearly half of the street.
After Shi Mengzhu invited Mei Qing and Hou Shen into his home, he excused himself briefly to change into formal attire before returning. This time he was dressed in a long robe and wore a square scarf on his head. Seeing Mei Qing, he smiled and said, “I am no fisherman, yet I pretended to be one. It wasn’t very convincing, and seemed somewhat artificial. Young friends, please sit down and rest a while, and then we can enjoy a drink and chat.”
They sat down to drink tea and discussed historical anecdotes and poetry. Soon, a servant came to report that the banquet was ready. Shi Mengzhu invited the two to move to the eastern hall, where a small table had been set with several seafood dishes.
“Today is quite coincidental,” Shi Mengzhu raised his wine glass cheerfully. “A servant just brought in some fresh mirror fish. Although it’s nothing special, it’s rare to have such freshness. You two distinguished guests in the capital must have tasted all kinds of delicacies. Now that you’re in the countryside, we can only offer some rustic dishes to serve as a humble reception.”
Mei Qing and Hou Shen both expressed their gratitude and raised their glasses in response. As they drank and chatted, Mei Qing said with a smile, “From what I see, you live in this seaside retreat with deep understanding of its essence. Truly, you are a gentleman who maintains his integrity in seclusion.”
Shi Mengzhu smiled, stroking his beard, and said, “You seem to imply something, young friend. From your speech and manner, you don’t seem like an ordinary scholar. If there’s anything you need, please feel free to speak openly.”
Mei Qing hesitated for a moment and said, “I won’t hide anything from you, sir. I came to Yongping on the orders of a senior elder to secretly investigate the Wensiang Sect. Along the way, I noticed that whenever people mention the Wensiang Sect, they are afraid to speak openly, full of anger but dare not express it, which makes me feel quite helpless. Later, hearing of your reputation for integrity, I dared to come here to seek your advice.”
Shi Mengzhu’s expression remained unchanged as he said, “I see. However, I have always lived in this fishing village, rarely interacting with the outside world. Besides, a gentleman does not speak of strange or supernatural things, so I have never paid much attention to these matters.”
“Oh? Then, sir, since you’ve lived here for so long, have you heard of anything or anyone called ‘Qianjin Ye’ (Lord Thousand Gold)?”
“Qianjin Ye?” Shi Mengzhu repeated the name a few times, then shook his head. “I consider myself quite familiar with the local history and culture, but I have never heard of such a name. I’m afraid I’ve disappointed you, young friend.”
Mei Qing noticed that Shi Mengzhu’s words were carefully guarded. He knew that although they felt a mutual affinity at first meeting, it was natural to be cautious at this stage. He didn’t push further, instead raising his wine glass to change the subject. “These mirror fish really are delicious. My experience is limited, and I’ve never truly appreciated them before. Today, being able to taste such a delicacy thanks to your generosity is indeed a fortunate event.”
Shi Mengzhu laughed heartily. “They say ‘flatfish first, mirror fish second, and sole third.’ To us country folk, mirror fish are considered top-grade. People only know about the Songjiang perch and the Yellow River carp, but they don’t realize that the sea has its own delicacies. I even composed a little ditty about mirror fish: ‘The fisherman’s new bride is skilled at cooking, Fresh fish simmered in the pot. When the fish is served, it’s like opening a mirror, But it’s a pity it can’t reflect one’s face.'”
Mei Qing listened in admiration for a long time. They raised their glasses again, chatting about poetry and the beauty of nature, until the moon hung high in the sky and the third watch bell was struck. Finally, they ended the banquet and were shown to their guest rooms by the servants.
The next morning, after Mei Qing and Hou Shen had washed and brushed their teeth, a servant came and said that Shi Mengzhu had been invited early that morning to attend a celebration at the estate because of a local custom. Considering that Mei Qing and Hou Shen were new to the area, he specially arranged for someone to accompany them to visit the seaside.
Mei Qing could only follow the arrangement. After a simple breakfast with Hou Shen, they were accompanied by members of the household and took a small boat, setting off from the village’s small dock and slowly drifting into the waterways.
As they traveled further south, the trees became sparser. Both banks were saline-alkali land, covered with a white expanse of salt crystals that sparkled under the sunlight, like a vast expanse of crystal and ice fields.
Even reeds struggled to grow on this alkaline beach, with only patches of yellow grass along the water ditches adding a bit of vitality.
“Master Mei, after turning this bend ahead, we’ll reach the Qili Sea,” said the family member who was steering the small boat.
Through their earlier conversation, Mei Qing had learned that this man’s nickname was A-San. His father had served the Shi family for generations. Though young, A-San was articulate, quick on his feet, and diligent, which is why Shi Mengzhu often assigned him to accompany guests on sightseeing trips.
“This Qili Sea is the local name; some also call it Qili Beach. It stretches about ten miles across and seven or eight miles in length, hence the name. Our master says this sea is quite famous and is called Minghai (Dark Sea) in ancient books. Although it’s called a sea, it’s actually a shallow beach. At low tide, you can actually wade from one end to the other, with the water no deeper than your waist,” A-San explained while steering the boat.
Mei Qing looked around. Although it was called Qili Sea, the view was boundless, with distant mists and a hazy horizon. Looking at A-San’s bamboo pole, he noticed that it only reached a few feet into the water. They had already traveled quite far from shore, yet the depth remained unchanged.
“Old folks say that this area used to be a big mountain, called La Jieshi Mountain. Later, no one knows exactly when, it sank into the sea overnight, turning into this Qili Sea. The sea extends about seven miles, and beyond that are several sand dunes that separate the Qili Sea from the open sea. At high tide, seawater flows in, but at low tide, this sea becomes a large lagoon. Right now is high tide, so it’s easy for our boat to enter. But at low tide, even larger boats can’t come in,” A-San explained while steering the boat, pointing to the distant sand dunes.
“I see,” Mei Qing nodded. “In ancient times, Jieshi was a famous mountain. Emperor Qin once visited Jieshi in the north and inscribed stone tablets before returning. I never imagined there could be such a transformation of land and sea. There seem to be some temples on those sand dunes over there. Do you know what they are?”
“The largest one is called Xiangyun Island. Every time the sky is clear, there are mirages there—palaces of immortals and spirits. Many locals have seen them. The temple on top is the Lady Temple, also known as the Fish Bone Temple. The temple doesn’t have a main beam; instead, it’s built from the bones of a huge fish from long ago,” A-San explained while pointing.
Mei Qing nodded with an “Oh,” suddenly recalling a line from a poem by Shi Mengzhu that he had heard Sweet Niu sing: “At sunset, the clouds lie low over Xiangyun Island; by the fish bone temple, the tide rises.” He smiled and said, “That sounds like a good place to visit. Brother A-San, would you mind steering the boat over there so we can see the Fish Bone Temple?”
A-San looked hesitant, scratching his head. “To be honest, Master Mei, at other times, even if you didn’t ask, I would have taken you there. But right now, it’s a bit inconvenient.”
“Oh? Why is that?” Mei Qing asked in surprise.
A-San spoke in a hushed, mysterious tone. “Master Mei, you probably don’t know. The Fish Bone Temple enshrines the Sea Goddess, and we fishermen rely entirely on her protection when we go out to sea, so the temple used to have the most incense offerings. But two years ago, strange things began happening there.”
“What kind of strange things? Did the goddess start appearing?”
“If only she had appeared,” A-San said with a bitter smile. “At first, there were just strange sounds and movements. Later, things got worse. People thought it was the goddess showing her power, but it turned out not to be the case. Anyone who entered the temple to burn incense and pray not only failed to receive protection but also encountered misfortunes one after another. Eventually, even getting close to the island became difficult. Boats would have accidents, and people would suffer disasters. Just a few days ago, Tie Qiu and two others were sailing too close to the island and suddenly got caught in something that tore a big hole in their boat. Now, not a single fisherman within dozens of miles dares to approach that area.”
Mei Qing frowned silently after hearing this, while Hou Shen asked, “If it’s the Sea Goddess Temple, then naturally she should protect those who offer incense. How could she possibly bring harm instead?”
A-San looked gloomy. “That’s exactly what everyone thought. When the problem grew worse, we even invited the second leader of the Wensiang Sect to perform rituals. The leader said that the local fishermen weren’t truly devoted to the sect, so the goddess was angry and sent down disasters. He also claimed that he needed to perform rituals for 49 days and that the local people must sincerely worship to move the goddess and stop the calamities.”
When Mei Qing suddenly heard about the Wensiang Sect, he quickly asked, “Is the leader of the Wensiang Sect here locally? Could it be that they worship the Sea Goddess? How do they operate?”
A-San shook his head repeatedly. “No, the leader of the Wensiang Sect has always been a wanderer, never staying in one place. No one knows where he is. Moreover, they don’t worship the Sea Goddess. I’ve heard from those who joined the sect that they worship a Holy Mother, who is said to be the reincarnation of the Buddha Maitreya. They’re not exactly good people, always acting mysteriously. But they do seem to have real magical powers; their abilities are quite formidable.”
Mei Qing shook his head. “Maitreya is originally a Buddha in Buddhism. How could he end up controlling the Sea Goddess? This Wensiang Sect is clearly trying to scare people.”
A-San nodded. “My master also disapproves of them. Last time the Wensiang Sect wanted to hold a ritual here, it was my master who drove them away.”
Upon hearing this, Mei Qing eagerly asked for details. Unfortunately, whenever A-San talked about his master’s affairs, he would change the subject, turning instead to introduce local customs and folkways to Mei Qing, clearly unwilling to elaborate further on that topic.
“There will be a wedding banquet in the village tonight, Master Mei. As honored guests from afar, you’re just in time for the celebration, so you must go to the feast. But you need to be careful—don’t touch the wine cups or bowls with your mouth facing down, and never flip the fish over. When you’ve finished one side, remove the bones and eat the other side without turning the fish over,” A-San kept reminding them.
It turned out that on the sea, the word “flip” was the greatest taboo—it was forbidden even as a homonym, let alone the actual action. Even when A-San gave instructions, he only said not to “turn” the fish, carefully avoiding the word “flip.”
Mei Qing nodded with a smile, but his eyes kept glancing toward the faint silhouette of the Fish Bone Temple on Xiangyun Island in the distant horizon. For some reason, he had an instinctive feeling that there was something mysterious hidden within this small temple of the Sea Goddess.
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