Ancient North Platform.
"The sun sets behind the western hills, the sky darkens, and every household closes its door..."
A soldier on watchtower duty sang at the top of his lungs.
"What are you wailing like wolves and ghosts for?"
Zhang San, disturbed and annoyed, wrapped himself tighter in his cotton coat and turned to sleep on his side.
"Nonsense, wailing like ghosts! I'm practicing the incantations for exorcising spirits. The Tatars are experts in nurturing malevolent spirits. If you don't keep a good relationship with the immortals, who will help you when the real trouble comes?"
Zhang San was intrigued, and with a wry smile, he said, "Then can you have a word with the deities for me, so if a real fight breaks out, they'll look out for me?"
"Hey, no problem!"
