Die Schönheiten des kalten Palastes Eine subtile und verführerische Frau

Kapitel 16

"Why are you so sure? There's no well in the footage at all!"

"My hypothesis is that if the figure behind is a vengeful spirit, and the faceless woman behind it is either Luo Yi or one of the princesses, and they both died because of the well, then there must be a well where they appear. If we find the well, we might be able to find the real 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' painting."

"Yuling, I really don't understand, could the painting in the Palace Museum's collection be a fake?"

"We can't say that yet. The mysteries within it are perhaps beyond what we can explain in a few words. Are you familiar with 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival'?"

I stared at the screen, half talking to myself and half asking Tang Yuqing a question.

"I know a little about it, and I really like that painting."

"Can you tell me how many sedan chairs are in the painting?"

"A sedan chair? That's strange. Why did you think of that? But I've never counted them."

"In my memory, the eerie 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' that Luo Yi showed me should have at least six sedan chairs. Remember the passage I mentioned that Luo Yi added to the diary of a palace maid during the Republic of China era? Actually, my deduction about the sedan chairs was to deceive Ji Yunsheng. In reality, the precise meaning of that magical passage should be: the woman 'covering her face' in that passage should be an allusion to the bride, and a sedan chair implies that a vengeful spirit is hiding in one of the sedan chairs in the painting. That is to say, the vengeful spirit is a faceless ghost sitting in a sedan chair covered with a red veil, and Luo Yi, as a ghost, has never seen the true face of the vengeful spirit. She also deduced this from the faceless corpses that often appear and the ghost marriage custom that has been passed down for many years, because people who are engaged in ghost marriages will be skinned by the vengeful spirit on their 'wedding night' and then killed."

"Didn't you say that Ji Yunsheng and his group were responsible for taking the ghost marriage photos? Does this horrific phenomenon of death have been going on for a long time?"

"At least before the palace maid fell off her clothes and died, the news had already spread throughout the Forbidden City. People in the deep palace who were filled with resentment regarded the ominous image of a bridal sedan chair and a red veil in the dark as a sign that death was coming."

"Oh, that's terrifying. But you can't see inside the sedan chair in 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival,' so how can we prove that the vengeful spirit is attached to that painting?"

"It is precisely because people cannot see him that he is so mysterious. I once saw Luo Yi's collection of 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival.' The painting looked strange, and I don't know if it was the real thing. I'm not sure. She told me that everyone killed by the vengeful spirit sisters could find traces on the faces of the figures in the real painting. At the time, it was too dark for me to judge whether the painting was really as eerie as she described, but I did notice a mysterious sedan chair on the far right of the painting that looked like it was returning from a tomb sweeping trip in the suburbs, and the face of the figure riding a horse behind it. That face was blank, which couldn't have been an oversight by the painter, so Luo Yi said that the story of the vengeful spirits was absolutely true. She said that when the vengeful spirits killed someone, that white face would turn red."

"That's terrifying! Even if we find the original painting, what good will it do if it's a murderous work? We can't anger the vengeful spirit; it will go on a killing spree."

"But we must also stop him from continuing to harm innocent lives. We found the well, and it's a dry well; the vengeful spirit must be inside."

"But there are many wells in the Forbidden City. We can't possibly dig them all one by one, can we?"

"No need to dig. Wait until midnight tonight. Whichever well suddenly has water and a woman's face appears on the surface of the water, that will be the well."

“I agree with your analysis, Yu Ling. Let’s look at this video again, the one from later. I think it’s Luo Yi asking you to find the vengeful spirit, and it’s not just that the tape recorded that unproven murder case.”

“I admit she had a helpless side. She was hiding from vengeful spirits, probably largely to protect the nine ghost babies from being killed by them. I’ve seen her like a brave mother, protecting several poor children born of humans and ghosts. She must have obtained that painting as a talisman, so the vengeful spirits couldn’t get rid of them.”

“That makes sense. Luo Yi is a kind-hearted ghost.”

I stared at the occasional red spots appearing on the screen, and suddenly, an equally eerie thought arose in my mind. My mind gradually cleared; it turned out that this video contained at least some special meaning. So I continued:

"Yuqing, there are some things I haven't been able to tell you. This video is 16 minutes and 44 seconds long. It's this number that keeps appearing around me. Before Pang Zhen disappeared, she said a car with license plate number 1644 was coming to pick her up, and... there's also the 1644 coffin filing cabinet! You must have also noticed that in the video, there's a man wearing a vest with the number 16. When I was trapped in the haunted building, the number of those surveillance cameras was 16, and there were 44 photos of ghost marriages inside. This mysterious number contains the curse of vengeful spirits. According to Luoyi, it has been circulating in the palace as an ominous number for a long time. Emperor Chongzhen died in 1644. I think that Emperor Huizong of Song was so fond of this painting that he must have considered himself as one of the 1643 figures in 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' who was not depicted. He was the 1644th person."

"No wonder the video is 16 minutes and 44 seconds long."

Where are the ghost tourists in Tang Yu's painting?

“I don’t know either. Could there be someone else in the painting? Yu Ling, I’ve never seen the person in the number 16 shirt you mentioned earlier. I’ve examined it multiple times. Besides the surrounding scenery and the person who came out of a wall to greet the filmmakers, I haven’t seen anyone else.”

"That's impossible. I've seen many people on the computer terminal in the Palace Museum's archives. Some of them are tourists, but some are zombies without pupils. I'm sure of that."

"But I have tried it many times and there was nothing wrong."

"Strange... Why does the content of the same CD change when it's uploaded online?"

I gazed out the window at the hazy dawn, lost in thought, recalling everything that had happened that night in the terrifying archive building. Suddenly, a thought surged into my mind, and an uncontrollable chill ran through me.

Qing held her breath and sped up the videotape even further. Soon, the familiar scene reappeared, and I began to follow the unfolding image intently. But this time, I was utterly shocked; the ghostly tourists who had appeared in the original image were nowhere to be seen. The strange disbelief made me furrow my brows into a tight knot.

Chapter Forty-Eight: An Unsolvable Knot

"Is there a ghostly tourist in the picture?"

"A ghost tourist? Could there be someone else in the video? I really haven't seen him."

"Never seen it before? That's strange."

"Not only that, apart from the cameraman's own legs, the surrounding scenery, and the woman who later came out of a wall to greet the cameraman, I didn't see anyone at all."

“That’s highly unlikely. I’ve seen many people on the computer terminal in the haunted building’s archives. Some of them are tourists, but others are strange people without pupils. I’m sure of that.”

"But I have indeed analyzed the entire footage multiple times, and the situation you described did not occur."

"Strange... Why does the content of the same CD change when it's uploaded online?"

I gazed out the window at the hazy dawn, lost in thought, recalling everything that had happened that night in the terrifying archives building. Suddenly, a strange thought flooded my mind, and an uncontrollable chill ran through me.

"Yuling, what's wrong? You seem to be having some ominous thoughts that are puzzling you?"

"Maybe that's one line of thinking, maybe not."

"Tell me what you think! I'll help you analyze it!"

"Yuqing, so far, we seem to have basically grasped the situation regarding the vengeful spirit's murder. He was born alongside the 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' scroll. Ji Yunsheng and his gang were indeed plotting against the 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' scroll, and even colluded with foreign criminals in an attempt to steal the national treasure. He spent ten years in the Palace Museum, and there are many things he must know very well. It's a pity that this guy is dead."

The ruthless devil often strikes unexpectedly where you least expect it. I don't know why the vengeful spirit's curse didn't send Ji Yunsheng and the others to hell sooner. The reason the vengeful spirit didn't kill these gravediggers of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival," but instead objectively cooperated with them in their crime, must have had a more insidious purpose, one that defies logical deduction!

“I’ve been thinking the same thing. They must have made a deal. Otherwise, Ji Yunsheng wouldn’t be so arrogant. But vengeful spirits are invisible; he can’t show himself. He must be doing it through someone who carries the vengeful spirit.” Tang Yuqing helped me sort out my thoughts.

"The curse of the vengeful spirit is 1644, which means it is very likely that it wants to kill 1644 people, or couples who meet these conditions. Most likely, once the people on the death list come into contact with some kind of vessel, the vengeful spirit's resentment attaches to them and then spreads in some way."

"What did you mean when you said 'meets the requirements'?" Tang Yuqing opened her eyes wide with tenderness, her gaze no longer so sharp and alert.

"The conditions should be a boundary. Not everyone is hated by vengeful spirits. The Forbidden City has millions of visitors every year, so why are there no reports of mysterious disappearances or deaths? Obviously, his death list contains special elements. It's not indiscriminate killing, but those who carry resentment and pent-up emotions. Vengeful spirits make their hatred like a virus, spreading across the boundaries of their hatred. The people he is looking for are included in the vast sea of people, and finding so many people is by no means an easy task."

"So the vengeful spirit used Ji Yunsheng and his gang as a medium for murder, is that right?"

"That's possible. Starting with the fact that the men who were killed were all handsome young men, the twin princesses are indeed vessels of vengeful spirits. Perhaps they killed those happy lovers because they could no longer realize their beautiful dreams of youth. Luo Yi once told me that the two sisters were one good and one evil, like the Yin and Yang beauties. Could it be... that vengeful spirit's twin dragon seal... Yu Qing, can you superimpose the two digital signals into a composite image?"

"This is not simple; it falls under the category of computer graphics. However, I can use a particle system software to simulate the generation of graphics by superimposing irregular, blurry objects."

“Okay, let’s overlay those two video clips, then rearrange them into a digital signal to create a video of equal length. Maybe we’ll find some clues.”

"Extraordinary imagination! It's a bit challenging, but feasible."

Tang Yuqing processed the image data, and I watched her nimble hands, my eyes fixed on the screen in a daze.

"Yuqing, have you seen the cover photo of the 15th issue of National Geographic magazine in 2002?"

"I think I've heard of it before, it's a very eerie and strange photo."

"They upload photos of the deceased lovers' ghost marriages to the internet, send out invitations, make a promise, and then play some tricks to find those interested in ghost marriages and remotely control them."

"Through what?"

"A vengeful spirit."

"A vengeful spirit? You mean Ji Yunsheng's network is a conduit for vengeful spirits and curses?"

"It's possible that one of them was tricked into being killed, and then the vengeful spirit's curse was placed on the victim. Then, the victim was made to deceive a couple in love. They would be photographed in a ghost wedding at the moment of life and death, and then the curse would take effect, ultimately causing one of the lovers to kill the other. That's why, in the video that Luo Yi gave me, the lovers heard a gunshot after their intimate moment. The one who killed the man was his ghostly fiancée."

"This sounds like it fits the logic of mysterious deaths. These people are the lovers that vengeful spirits are looking for. They have a background that fits the conditions for death."

Tang Yuqing was very interested in my topic, and her eyes suddenly lit up:

"Oh! I remember now, there was a website that posted some ridiculous things, saying that anyone who could figure out what was behind the dead bride's face in that National Geographic cover photo would receive a gift by chance."

Tang Yuqing was very excited, and she started looking at me with her big, bright eyes.

"Yu Ling, how did you know they use the internet?"

"Ji Yunsheng has already given the answer. He admitted to using a computer network system to monitor the haunted building. If that's the case, then they must have a data processing center. I believe they provided convenient conditions for vengeful spirits to kill. Perhaps those who replied to emails on the mysterious website received an email that, upon opening, contained a photo of their soon-to-be-married ghost couple. Seeing themselves with their eyes rolled back, their bodies propped up on a sling, legsless, wearing paper shrouds and a wedding photo with their lovers, they would be terrified. Their fluctuating emotions would create a unique fear signal in the vast crowd, which the vengeful spirit would capture and possess, making the curse effective! Just as they were trembling with fear, danger would suddenly descend, and they would receive an even more unusual gift."

"Something unusual? Does that mean the final gift contains a cursed connection?"

"I guess so. The gift they received might be a bit strange. Oh... I'm sure it's neither expensive nor vulgar, but has a creepy and mysterious feel to it. Based on past occurrences, it can only be one thing."

What is it?

"I've heard that the souls of the dead can never untie a knot, but it's not a rope. That thing isn't mysterious. So, the gift is likely the only thing that kept the vengeful spirit company during his miserable days in his well-dwelling youth, and the only thing he was interested in after death—the knot that he's never been able to untie."

Chapter Forty-Nine: The Bride in Black Veils

—Nine-linked rings!

"Nine-linked rings? Can they carry the curse of vengeful spirits?"

Tang Yuqing looked surprised, her expression filled with bewildered doubt, clearly unable to understand my speculation. I further explained:

"This is the strangest thing I've ever experienced. You can always find horrifying iron rings on corpses that have had their faces peeled off."

"It seems so. After Ning Yu was pulled out of the well, she was wearing shackles! That's what the autopsy report said. Actually, the police didn't understand; it was an ancient nine-linked ring!"

"It's the Nine-Linked Rings... You know, the Nine-Linked Rings is one of the most mysterious inventions in ancient China. The rings are interlocked and difficult to unravel. Solving it required considerable wisdom and patience from the ancients. Ordinary people could play with it, but the most common players were two types of people: those in the palace and prisoners. So it's perfectly logical that Emperor Huizong of Song played with it while trapped in a well after his capture. Later, it became a vessel for vengeful spirits trying to break free of their soul's prison and climb the well of life. Imagine someone trapped in a well for years, unable to survive, their fingers mangled and their face scalded by boiling oil, on the verge of death—what kind of curse would they utter? What would the vengeful spirit use as a tool to punish the person they hate? It would be the rings in their hand, like a noose. They would want the cursed person hanged on the well platform, then have the Nine-Linked Rings, which they themselves had played with, placed around their limbs, cut off their fingers, and peel off their skin..."

My description was too terrifying; Tang Yuqing was terrified, staring at me blankly. I didn't continue along that line of thought, so I changed the subject.

"However, just half an hour ago, something strange happened. When I was put into Ji Yunsheng's car, my eyes were blindfolded, but I heard a slight clanging sound of metal rings inside the car. I kept thinking about where that familiar sound of nine rings colliding came from, but at that time there were only two policemen, Ji Yunsheng and Lu Ying, in the car. This surprised me because it was a sign that a vengeful spirit was about to appear."

I could understand her bewilderment. At this moment, Tang Yuqing's eyes became deep and unfocused. She mechanically nodded in approval at my incomprehensible words. I could tell that she seemed to be terrified. To save me, she could kill Ji Yunsheng without hesitation, but her frightened gaze at the approaching vengeful spirit told me that she was truly afraid.

On the computer screen, the image data was being processed and superimposed very quickly. We waited anxiously for the results until the reset was finally completed, and then we breathed a sigh of relief. Tang Yuqing skillfully and quickly manipulated the keyboard to perform a full-screen demonstration. Gradually, an absurd superimposed new video data appeared in front of us.

The Forbidden City presents two scenes, an illogical overlap of day and night, and distorted streets, all appearing chaotic and disorderly, like a dream. The entire scene is gloomy, with a faint red shadow occasionally appearing in the shot.

"Nothing special, Yuling. It seems we need to change our approach."

Tang Yuqing was disappointed; her image processing skills were not bad.

"Don't rush. It's wishful thinking to think you can figure out the secrets hidden in the mysterious video in just a few minutes."

I stared intently at the screen, still paying attention to the red shadows. As I stared at them, my eyes scanned the time that appeared in the lower right corner of the screen.

"Look, aren't the intermittent red dark spots on the image strange?"

I pointed it out to Tang Yuqing, and she replayed the image, gradually discerning the shapes of the red spots that appeared in different segments of the image.

"It's very strange. What does it look like? I can't figure it out. It's like an accidental exposure of film. I can't see anything special."

"This is the special thing we're looking for, and it's also the crucial item carried in these two videos. I'm telling you this in the hopes that you won't be afraid."

"I understand now, it is...!"

Tang Yuqing looked around the car in alarm, and I realized that she had already stopped the car.

"The shadow of a vengeful spirit!"

I spoke frankly: several brushes with death have made me even braver.

"That's terrifying! How did you know?"

Yuqing's face was almost deathly pale. She got up from the driver's seat and nervously moved close to me. I put my arm around her soft shoulders, trying to calm her down. Then I said:

“I noticed the red spots in the image a while ago. At first, I thought it was caused by the camera, but even after you overlaid it, it's still there, and it's even more blurry when it appears. Look at this one…”