Chapter 8: A Wedding to Ward Off Misfortune, Two Lives Lost
The character for "marriage" in a wedding originates from the "dusk" character. This is because dusk symbolizes the auspicious time of yin and yang intertwining, the union of heaven and earth. In ancient times, weddings were often held at dusk.
At this moment, the crimson clouds on the horizon have completely faded to blue and quietly vanished. In an instant, a sky full of stars comes into view—truly a propitious hour.
Liu Yuancai was the largest landlord for miles around. Naturally, the wedding for his only son was a grand affair. Outside the Liu estate, lanterns and torches illuminated the vast procession escorting the bride, stretching for miles. Inside the courtyard, the guests at the banquet gathered to watch the wedding party arrive, with joyous coins scattered on the ground, their metallic clinks filling the air.
The crowd was so dense that Ji Yun couldn’t get close to the commotion. Instead, he sat in place with the elderly Taoist, eating and waiting. Soon, he watched as the throng opened to admit the wedding procession into the estate.
In any wedding, the bride is undoubtedly the centerpiece. Ji Yun was curious to see the beautiful bride everyone spoke of, rumored to be stunning beyond measure. Yet the moment he laid eyes on the eight-man sedan chair entering the estate, he was struck as if by lightning, frozen on the spot.
A man tied with a red sash blew a three-foot-long brass suona ahead, followed by a brightly made-up matchmaker, and then the eight sedan bearers carrying a vermilion lacquered and gold-painted floral sedan chair.
“Scatter the grains, welcome fortune and prosperity!” The clear, resonant voice echoed throughout the estate. Millet and coins rained onto the sedan’s roof, the crackling mixed with children's laughter as they scrambled for the treats—a scene of pure joy.
But as everyone admired the sedan chair, only Ji Yun’s eyes were filled with disbelief.
He muttered to himself, “How is this sedan chair here?!”
It was no wonder he was shocked. The vermilion floral sedan chair being carried into the estate was identical to the one in a post he had seen online titled “Supernatural Awakening: ‘Ghost Bride’ Spotted in the City.” Not just the chair’s style, but even the attire of the maids, matchmaker, and bearers matched the photo perfectly.
How could a scene from the real world appear in this desolate realm?
As Ji Yun stared at the bright red sedan chair parked in the estate, a chilling sense of dread he hadn’t felt before suddenly gripped him.
No wonder eyewitnesses on that forum claimed they had seen this bridal procession for several consecutive days. This was not merely a wedding in reality but rather the wedding of the Liu estate in this desolate realm.
Ji Yun was utterly baffled, but amid his shock, he instinctively sensed that the evil spirit haunting the estate was undoubtedly connected to this bride.
...
In no time, the sedan chair came to a halt in the courtyard. The bride was helped down, stepping over a fire basin and entering the main house. Though her face was concealed beneath a red veil, her exposed hands were white and delicate, allowing one to immediately guess she must be very beautiful.
Moments later, the bride had entered the main hall, and the crowd pressed close to watch. At this moment, the elderly Taoist at Ji Yun’s table, who had been silent, quietly muttered, “This bride’s fate is ill-fated.”
Ji Yun tilted his head, unsure what to make of the remark.
At that moment, his phone vibrated again. It was another message from Shang Xiaoyu: “That bride might be the source of the grudges in this desolate realm. Don’t get near her!”
---
Ji Yun felt a shiver of unease but wisely heeded the warning and stayed back from the crowd.
The cat-faced old woman nearby seemed to sense something too and remained where she was.
Behind them, the dowry procession continued to enter the small courtyard: furniture, jewelry, clothes, daily necessities—the variety of dowry items was vast.
Leading the way was the red bridal bed, and at the very end, a large red coffin was carried as a final statement.
In modern times, seeing a coffin at a wedding would be taboo, but Ji Yun was not surprised. His family had commissioned red coffins several times before.
The red coffin signified longevity and a natural death, symbolizing a harmonious marriage lasting a lifetime.
This dowry also carried a deeper meaning: even if the bride did not rely on her husband’s family, from birth to death, all her needs were supported by her natal family. This was the backing of her family—the true “ten-mile red wedding.”
Yet, for some reason, when that red coffin was carried past him, an odd feeling flickered within Ji Yun’s heart. But with the entire estate steeped in strangeness tonight, he did not dwell on it.
...
The bride had arrived at her husband’s home.
The groom, pale and ghostlike, was then supported by two servants, trembling as he stepped out to begin the wedding rites.
Seeing the groom’s bloodless, sickly face, Ji Yun understood why they needed to perform a “ceremony to bring joy.”
The wedding banquet proceeded uneventfully. From a distance, Ji Yun spotted the “Great Benefactor Liu” in his long robe and mandarin jacket. Ji Yun knew nothing of physiognomy and couldn’t glean anything from him.
The elderly Taoist glanced several times, seeming to perceive something but said nothing, focusing instead on his meal.
The inner courtyard buzzed with the wedding ceremony. Ji Yun dared not join the feast or wander, so he sat idly.
Soon, he saw the zombie-like man who had slipped away to the backyard earlier return. The two conferred furtively.
“I just checked around the estate. The northern main house is guarded by a militia security team—likely the treasury. If there’s any evil entity, it’s probably there. And such a wealthy landlord surely has gold. Even if there’s no evil, we can probably find some ‘nether gold.’ A few armed militiamen should be easy to handle. Old lady, what’s your situation?”
“Nothing special. This is a replay of the evil spirit’s last moments in life. Until it expresses all its grievances, it won’t act. But it should be soon.”
“What about the two teammates?”
“No sign of them. Their concealment is extraordinary. This mission might be impossible now. Best not to provoke those two.”
“Right. And the kid next door?”
“He’s checked his phone several times; probably that ‘White Dumpling’ is sending secret warnings. No need to stir up trouble.”
“...”
Ji Yun also observed the two at the neighboring table. He knew his own glances had been noticed but they didn’t care. Since entering this desolate realm, those two had behaved themselves completely and were here only for “that letter.” Now that the letter was taken by the witch, Ji Yun felt he had lost his value. They had no intention of causing trouble.
Instead, Ji Yun grew curious. After leaving briefly, the zombie man seemed to have recovered from his injuries. He wondered: could it be from feeding on blood?
This man’s supernatural power was to transform into a zombie, and now it seemed he also had the ability to heal rapidly through bloodsucking.
The banquet continued; some feasted, some celebrated, some entered the bridal chamber. Time passed slowly.
Ji Yun still didn’t understand why Shang Xiaoyu called the bride an “evil spirit.”
The wedding was complete. After the banquet, the guests were supposed to disperse.
---
But then, the unexpected happened suddenly.
Without warning, crows screeched as they took flight from the branches, and an old woman’s piercing scream shattered the joyful atmosphere of the Liu estate.
“Oh no! Something terrible!”
“Help! Someone!”
“A death!”
The scream instantly dissolved the festive mood.
Ji Yun glanced sideways; the cat-faced old woman’s expression had turned grave.
The Liu estate was vast, covering over ten thousand square meters. Its layout was irregular, formed by several courtyards and even included watchtowers to fend off bandits.
The young master’s new room was in the east wing, surrounded by high walls, obscuring the view of what was happening inside.
But seeing the Liu family members rushing in and out in a panic, Ji Yun knew it was serious.
Curious guests had already started sneaking over to the commotion.
News quickly spread back.
“Oh no, such misfortune! The bride just entered, and the young master of the Liu family has kicked the bucket!”
“I told you, the young master was frail and sickly. He couldn’t withstand the bride’s strain... What are we going to do now?”
“...”
The gossip spread like wildfire among the guests.
Ji Yun understood now—it was when they entered the bridal chamber that the young master of the Liu family died.
Given the sickly state he had seen earlier, unable even to stand, it was no surprise he collapsed after forced consummation.
Yet the situation was far more complicated.
Soon, Lady Shao, the second concubine He, and several clan elders hurried to the east wing.
In moments, wails and venomous curses echoed from within.
Though unseen, the curses were piercingly clear—like village women cursing in the street, harsh and vulgar.
“Wretched woman, jinx on the husband, unchaste, broom star, cursed pig cage...”
It seemed as if all the family’s misfortunes were being blamed on the bride.
At first, Ji Yun found it unreasonable.
It was the Liu family’s insistence on “bringing joy” by forcing the sickly young master into the bridal chamber that caused the tragedy.
Why blame the bride?
But as he listened more closely, something felt off.
“Oh, how unlucky is our Liu family, marrying such a bringer of bad luck...”
“My lord, why did you leave me...”
“...”
Wait.
Those crying were mourning the “lord”?
Soon, two bodies covered in white cloth were carried out from the east wing.
Watching the two corpses, Ji Yun finally understood.
Not only had the young master died—the old master of the Liu family, the so-called Great Benefactor Liu Yuancai, had also passed away.
At first, Ji Yun hadn’t known why the old master died in the bridal chamber and thought it was a supernatural event.
But after hearing the gossip from aunts and cousins, he pieced together the sordid truth in simple terms—“caught in adultery.”
The old master Liu, lusting after the bride’s beauty, died in the east wing.
The story was as scandalous as it was tragic.