Vender ropa y traer vino para beber contigo

Capítulo 30

"How did you come to suspect Zhong Hang—just because of that piece of jade?" Pan Xijin asked with a smile, neither confirming nor denying.

“That jade confirmed my suspicions,” Ye Changsheng said with a slight smile. “The Ninth Young Master is not a sentimental person—Grand Tutor Pan treated him like a precious gem, a treasure in his palm. Yet the Ninth Young Master was not close to the Pan family, and he used ‘weak and sickly’ as an excuse to stay indoors all year round; the Ninth Young Master is also not a curious person—to the doctor, and to the princess, so—I don’t understand why the Ninth Young Master accompanied me to investigate Pan Nanshuang’s body that night, that’s one reason. Secondly, I had met that Miss Pan once—as far as I know, she doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would commit suicide out of guilt for mistakenly killing her half-brother, and there was neither water nor mud in the lungs of the body, which means that Pan Nanshuang did not fall into the pond by accident… If it was not an accident, then it was murder—however, Miss Pan was stabbed to death by a sword with a Tianzhu acupoint by a person with extremely high martial arts skills…”

Chang Sheng paused, then continued, "Does Ninth Young Master still remember the two streams of thick fluid that suddenly flowed from under the corpse's nose that day? It was because the murderer's sword was drawn so quickly that the amount of bleeding was small, and the wound was on the top of the head, making it difficult to detect. It wasn't until then that the brain matter flowed down the nose..."

Jia Ling pouted, his mind filled with nothing but scum, scum, scum... He fanned himself and asked, "This is the Grand Tutor's mansion, not the martial world. Who has such amazing agility? Could there be assassins in the Grand Tutor's mansion?"

“You forgot…” Changsheng shrank back, pointing at Zhong Hang beside him, “He just now was carrying a big knife, trying to kill us…”

"You!" Zhong Hang shouted, raising his right hand that held the knife. "Since Pan Nanshuang was stabbed through the head—make sure you see clearly, I used a knife! Not a sword!"

Chang Sheng touched his nose and smiled slightly: "The renowned Ghost Dao of Shu... I have heard of them. Their left-handed swordsmanship is superb, dazzling to the eye—when did they switch to using a saber..."

"Hahahaha... More than ten years have passed, and I didn't expect that some friends in the martial arts world would still remember my Shu Zhong Gui Dao..." Zhong Hang's eyes narrowed slightly, and killing intent suddenly arose. He gripped the chain knife in his hand tightly, as if he would kill the person in front of him at any moment.

"The doctor is not only skilled in medicine, but also very thoughtful." Pan Xijin didn't even frown, smiling as she looked at Ye Changsheng, then straightened her robe and stood up to walk in front of her. "Does the doctor know why Zhong Hang killed Nan Shuang?"

"I think..." Changsheng looked into the pair of dark eyes before him and sighed softly, "Miss Pan has probably been wronged and is suffering in someone else's place..."

Pan Xijin looked at her, his handsome face showing no sign of guilt at being exposed. A slight smile bloomed on his face, like ten miles of peach blossoms spreading. His eyes gradually became misty: "Anyone in the court who fought alongside Emperor Taizu knows that during the Chenqiao Mutiny, Taizu stormed into the Later Zhou palace and arrived at Tianqing Temple, where Emperor Gong of Zhou had been deposed and was living. There, he saw the palace servants carrying a baby prince who was not yet a month old. Upon questioning, he learned that the child was the youngest son of Emperor Shizong of Chai. He immediately wanted to kill him, but was stopped by Pan Zhongxun. For some reason, Taizu did not kill the child but instead gave him to Pan Zhongxun as his adopted son." He placed his hand on Changsheng's shoulder and said softly, "—I am the seventh son of Emperor Shizong of Chai… Chai Xijin…"

Ye Changsheng felt a sense of absurdity and involuntarily frowned, looking at Jia Ling and Zhong Hang. Jia Ling's big, dark eyes widened, her mouth agape as if she could fit three eggs in it. Zhong Hang, on the other hand, kept his head slightly lowered and remained silent.

After a moment, Ye Changsheng nodded slightly and sighed softly, "So you are a prince..."

"I am grateful for my father's kindness. As a remnant of the previous dynasty, I will be fine as long as I behave myself. But if I catch the Emperor's eye and remind him of some things he should have forgotten, then my life will be in trouble... The princess is in love with me. Putting aside the fact that the Emperor would not bestow his daughter upon a prince of the previous dynasty, what's worse—wouldn't he think I deliberately seduced the princess, plotting something against the Emperor or the Song Dynasty... In other words, if the princess still insists on requesting the decree... tell me... wouldn't the most direct and effective method be to... kill me..." Pan Xijin's eyes were full of smiles, his handsome face without a trace of worry. He slowly began to speak, "...If I don't want to marry the princess... similarly, the best method is also to make her... disappear forever..."

"So you want Zhong Hang to kill her?" Chang Sheng asked.

“No… I don’t want anyone to die…” Pan Xijin slowly released his arms and smiled warmly, “That’s why I wanted you to help me leave Bianliang openly and honestly, without arousing suspicion…”

"So... you want me to say you don't have more than three months to live?" Changsheng nodded, somewhat understanding. "So, Zhong Hang took it upon himself to kill the princess?"

Pan Xijin slowly closed his eyes: "He was originally the General of the Guards of the Great Zhou Dynasty, loyal to me, and always thinking of me first. But... he didn't know that I didn't need that kind of loyalty..."

With a thud, Zhong Hang behind him knelt down, his face flushed, and bowed, saying, "Young Master... this subordinate... this subordinate is unwilling... Young Master is a dragon among men... how can he be confined to this small Grand Tutor's mansion... that throne was originally yours..."

"You should leave..." Pan Xijin frowned slightly, his tone calm, "You killed the eldest daughter of the Tai family... Now that the truth has been revealed, staying means death..."

Zhong Hang propped himself up with his knife, pondered for a long time, and nodded, saying, "This subordinate is foolish and has dragged you down, young master. Farewell for now. As long as you need me, I will appear by your side immediately! If anyone tries to harm you, young master!" He then glared fiercely at Ye Changsheng, "I will make her wish she were dead!" With that, he vanished in a flash.

Ye Changsheng, who had been distracted by Pan Xijin's background, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing his words. A thought flashed through her mind, and she felt a deep regret—even if Zhong Hang managed to leave the Pan residence alive, she didn't know if he could leave Bianliang alive. She had discovered Pan Nanshuang's cause of death early on and had instructed Pan Zhongxun to keep an eye on Zhong Hang. Now that he saw his scheme had been exposed and was trying to escape, wouldn't he be caught red-handed… Ye Changsheng shook her head; Zhong Hang was probably already in custody. She glanced at the yellowish sky and couldn't help but ask, "What are your plans, Ninth Young Master?"

Pan Xijin looked at Ye Changsheng indifferently, "You clearly don't know anything about medicine... yet you came to take my pulse and treat my illness. You are very knowledgeable about the affairs of the martial world, and your meticulous mind even allowed you to recognize Zhong Hang, who has been missing for ten years. Perhaps I should ask the doctor... what exactly is your purpose in coming to the Pan residence..."

Go north of the county by the current

In the desolate courtyard, a censer of sandalwood incense curls gently.

Changsheng raised her head, her smile clear and bright, as if she were always a kind and gentle doctor dedicated to saving lives. "Ninth Young Master, you are overthinking it. I am indeed a doctor. I just happened to see the notice from the Grand Tutor's mansion seeking medical help, so I took it down. I had absolutely no ulterior motives..."

Pan Xijin's eyes remained calm as he looked at Ye Changsheng, his refined and elegant face still bearing a faint smile: "Just now, I heard Mudan say... there was a handsome man with bright eyes and white teeth sitting outside the hall, whose beauty was unparalleled—his face was as red as a blooming lotus, and his skin as smooth as jade... I rarely receive guests, but now that there is such an elegant person in my manor, I am very curious and would like to meet him..."

Ye Changsheng's eyebrows twitched, and he said very sincerely, "Ninth Young Master is truly graceful and elegant, with the bearing of an immortal. His refined and noble character is incomparable. There's no need to be modest, no need to be modest..."

“Oh,” Pan Xijin smiled, then immediately understood, “In that case, I should meet that guest to confirm that what the doctor said is true…”

Ye Changsheng smiled slightly, "I'm afraid that what the Ninth Young Master sees will contradict his expectations, and he'll inevitably regret it for eternity..." "Is that so?" Pan Xijin's eyes sparkled, and a smile played on her lips: "It seems that the doctor and that guest are quite familiar with each other..."

Ignored by the two for a long time, Jia Ling stood aside with a gloomy face. He felt that Ye Changsheng and Pan Xijin, who were talking back and forth, were both two-faced, two-faced, sweet-talking but bitter-hearted, and their smiles were full of daggers. Pan Xijin seemed to believe them and told them the secret of his own background. But in fact, he also mentioned that the Taizu Emperor did not keep quiet at that time. All the military officers, maids, guards and eunuchs who were present that day knew that Grand Tutor Pan had adopted the young son of Emperor Shizong. According to this, they did not gain much advantage by knowing this not-so-secret secret. On the contrary, it gave Zhong Hang, the murderer, a gimmick to leave openly in front of them. As for Ye Changsheng, not to mention that Jia Ling still doubted the identity of the man in the side hall with wide sleeves and long hem, and gold-plated white clothes, he did not even know what she was going to do. Ye Changsheng was a mystery. He always believed this.

“Actually…” Changsheng coughed lightly, “Since the Ninth Young Master has been so honest with me, I shouldn’t have hidden anything from him…” She looked up and said very sincerely, “I was born into a prestigious family, but unfortunately, my family lost both my parents when I was young, and I became an orphan. I was truly a wanderer, helpless and lonely—until one day, the Grand Tutor passed by and saw that I was as pitiful as a starving corpse, so he gave me a silver ingot. I used that silver ingot to find a shop and became an apprentice… After many years, I have achieved what I have today… I must repay this kindness tenfold, so when I returned to Bianliang and saw the notice at the Pan residence, I took down the notice and visited the residence without stopping.”

Ye Changsheng spoke fluently and persuasively, his eyes glancing at Jia Ling as he spoke, as if to say that he could testify for her.

Pan Xijin did not move, still holding a calm and elegant smile, nodding from time to time, as if he deeply believed in Ye Changsheng's poignant and tragic life story. "I did not expect the divine physician to be such a sentimental person. Since that is the case... he must be very willing to lend me a hand. Bianliang is not a place to stay for long. Since the doctor has already repaid his kindness, it would be better to leave as soon as possible... Let's set off tomorrow... what do you think?"

“Indeed…” Changsheng smiled. “If the princess returns feeling depressed and requests an audience with the Emperor to ask for some kind of decree… then the Ninth Prince will be in trouble… The Grand Tutor always considers the young master’s best interests. If the young master insists, he will not stop him. However… after leaving the court, does the young master intend to go into the martial world?”

Pan Xijin stood up, adjusting his loose robe, and slowly walked to the window—"My life..." He tapped his long fingers on the railing, looked up at the vast sky outside the green gauze window, and chuckled softly, "I've always been under this same sky... I want to travel... Famous mountains and great rivers, the scenery is the same, but the landscapes are different... A small boat, adrift on the rivers and lakes..." He suddenly turned to look at Ye Changsheng, a strange light flashing in his eyes, "Leaving here—this is what I've always wanted..."

Sages of the past are often lonely. In that fleeting moment when he turned back and smiled, it was as if the gentle breeze had been shattered, and the harshness of the sun had been washed away. Ye Changsheng felt that he always seemed to have that same faint smile, carrying an endless tenderness, a touch of indifference, a touch of estrangement, clean and timeless… Such a person could drive women mad. His gentleness, his indifference, his refined elegance ingrained in his very being—between transcendence and solitude, he viewed the world… and himself… with compassionate eyes…

The two exchanged a smile, already understanding each other's thoughts.

It was already evening when they left the West Courtyard. A chilly breeze blew against their faces, and Jia Ling felt a pang of melancholy and a kind of inexplicable disappointment... He turned around, pulled up Ye Changsheng who was slowly falling behind him, and brought her in front of him. His expression was somewhat serious: "Do you really want to help him?"

Ye Changsheng was taken aback, then exclaimed "Ah!" with a blank expression, clearly not listening to him.

Jia Ling remained calm and ignored her indifference, continuing to ask, "Aren't you afraid that if the emperor investigates, he will exterminate your entire family? This is clearly far more dangerous than your actions of killing the imperial merchant, letting the murderer go, or having illicit dealings with someone. That person is a former prince and the son of a grand tutor, and a princess has secretly fallen for him under the moon and flowers—what are you, a quack who knows absolutely nothing about medicine, doing in this place called Tiger Tail Spring Ice!"

Ye Changsheng was immediately filled with respect, never expecting that Young Master Jia was so exceptionally talented and learned, effortlessly spouting profound phrases like "secretly communicating" and "tiger's tail and spring ice." She cleared her throat and solemnly replied, "To be honest, when I was young, Grand Tutor Pan gave me a meal, and at that time I secretly became his relative, regarding him as my grandfather… So, in a sense, I am the nephew and uncle of the Ninth Young Master… Since my uncle is in trouble, it's only natural that I help him…"

Jia Ling stared at Ye Changsheng for a long while, then patted her forehead, her expression extremely mournful. "I must be crazy, listening to your nonsense here..." She then turned and strode away without looking back. There's a saying, "If you tell one lie, you need a hundred more to cover it up," but this seems to apply to Ye Changsheng as well. When she lies, she always speaks with conviction and conviction—she's almost believable. Over time, perhaps even she herself can't distinguish which statements are true and which are false.

Ye Changsheng's memory has never been very good. When she finally arrived at Pan Zhongxun's study after taking many detours and asking many maids, she was startled by the person in front of her. Li Huangyin was sitting upright in a grand chair, chatting intimately with Pan Zhongxun. Her every move exuded a strong scholarly air. With such appearance and such unparalleled elegance, she was simply a top scholar.

Hearing the sound, Pan Zhongxun looked up, nodded to Ye Changsheng at the door, and gestured for her to come over. Pan Zhongxun stroked his beard and laughed, "Miss Ye's master is truly an extraordinary person, proficient in both literature and martial arts, with lofty aspirations and extraordinary ambitions. I am very pleased, hahaha..." Ye Changsheng wiped a cold sweat from his brow. If Grand Tutor Pan knew that the "talented and ambitious" young man he spoke of was none other than Li Huangyin, the legendary killer in the martial arts world, who was said to be ruthless and deserving of divine punishment, what would he think?

Just then, Li Huangyin smiled broadly at her and said kindly, "Disciple, come here. Your master is discussing the Ninth Prince's illness with the Grand Tutor." Ye Changsheng's lips twitched, and she quickly bowed, saying, "Disciple was just about to report to the Grand Tutor." "Oh?" Pan Zhongxun hurriedly asked, "What is it? Has Xijin improved?" Ye Changsheng looked apologetic and shook her head regretfully, "If the Ninth Prince continues to stay in this northern region of the capital... I'm afraid he won't survive the winter... Grand Tutor, please reconsider, it would be better to let the Ninth Prince go south as soon as possible..."

“This…” Pan Zhongxun’s face paled slightly, and he said in a deep voice, “Is he truly beyond saving? Xi Jin has never left Bianliang before, and now he’s going south alone… How can I be at ease…”

Ye Changsheng looked at the dejected Pan Zhongxun and sighed almost inaudibly. Then he smiled and said, "Grand Tutor, rest assured, I will definitely protect the Ninth Young Master. However, winter is approaching and time is running out. I hope the Grand Tutor will make a decision soon."

Pan Zhongxun closed his eyes and slowly leaned back in his chair. After pondering for a while, he finally nodded and said wearily, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Divine Physician. Xi Jin is not well and doesn't have many friends. I won't be able to see him for a while after this trip south. So, I hope you will grant me one request..."

"Grand Tutor, please speak." Ye Changsheng nodded. Pan Zhongxun suddenly opened his eyes, stared straight at her, and said word by word, "Besides me, do not let anyone know where you are going, and do not tell anyone that he is Young Master Pan Jiu. Until Xi Jin is fully recovered and returns to Bianliang, remember not to make a fuss."

"Grand Tutor, you can rest assured," Ye Changsheng replied. She knew the meaning behind Pan Zhongxun's words and understood that with Pan Xijin's background, leaving his protection might cause him a lot of trouble. Furthermore, the Ninth Young Master Pan didn't know martial arts, and the only expert by his side was… Thinking of this, Changsheng's heart stirred, and she casually asked, "Grand Tutor, have you seen Zhong Hang?" Pan Zhongxun stroked his beard and said calmly, "He has been apprehended and taken to Yingtian Prefecture… He has confessed to killing Nan Shuang… Alas… I never imagined that my thirst for talent would lead me astray, resulting in the recruitment of such a vicious person…" He paused slightly, then looked up and asked, "Miss only said that Nan Shuang's wounds were most likely caused by Zhong Hang's techniques. Then, does Miss know… why he killed her?"

"I don't know..." Ye Changsheng said honestly.

Pan Zhongxun was taken aback, then waved his hand after a long while: "Never mind... Since he's already caught, let him be..."

Ye Changsheng chuckled awkwardly and nodded repeatedly in agreement—Li Huangyin had been watching her the whole time, and then he inexplicably smiled at her. Changsheng watched as he slowly opened his lips and uttered two words that sent a chill down her spine—Grandpa…

Li Huangyin suddenly stood up, smiling broadly. With a flick of his long, gilded silk sleeves, his eyes held a captivating, misty beauty, like a peony still blooming in this ancient capital of seven dynasties.

Ye Changsheng's heart skipped a beat. Without saying a word, he grabbed Li Huangyin's gold-embroidered sleeve and said solemnly, "Reporting to the Grand Tutor, since the matter has been settled, there's no better time than today. We'll set off tomorrow. There are many matters to attend to before departure, so we must make sure to have all the necessary preparations. My master and I will take our leave now..."

Pan Zhongxun waved his hand in acknowledgment. He leaned wearily against the desk, gazing absently in the direction Ye Changsheng had left. The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow on Ye Changsheng's back, a glow that suddenly reminded him of Pan Yuerong… The sunset more than twenty years ago had been just as beautiful, and Yuerong had departed in that same sunset—never to return. He suddenly felt a strange urgency, abruptly stood up, and called towards the door, “Miss—” Ye Changsheng paused, turned around, and asked with a smile, “Does Grand Tutor have anything else to say?” Pan Zhongxun hesitated, then shook his head; he couldn't recall what he wanted to say either.

“Grandpa…” Suddenly, he seemed to hear Ye Changsheng’s slightly amused voice, and he looked up in surprise, “You…”

Ye Changsheng smiled faintly and said very seriously, "Grand Tutor looks a lot like my maternal grandfather..." He added at the end, "They're practically identical!" Pan Zhongxun was clearly taken aback for a moment, exclaiming "Ah!" and nodding. Confused, he blurted out, "You can call me Grandpa, young lady..."

Ye Changsheng's eyes brightened, and he still smiled slightly. He turned around and took Li Huangyin's hand, leaving. After a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and said softly, "Grandpa, I'm leaving—"

The paulownia leaves turn yellow in autumn, and the yellow flowers bloom freely. A ray of slanting sunlight shines through the curtains. I wonder when we will meet again...

In the third year of the Yongxi reign (1704), the Song army launched a three-pronged northern expedition against the Liao Dynasty. Pan Zhongxun was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the expeditionary forces in Yun, Ying, and Shuo prefectures, with Yang Ye as his deputy. They led the western route army out of Yanmen Pass, successively capturing Huan, Shuo, and Yun and Ying prefectures. In July, the main force of the Khitan army counterattacked. Due to the major defeat of Cao Bin's eastern route army at Qigou Pass, Grand Tutor Pan and others were ordered to withdraw their troops. During the withdrawal, a new edict ordered them to cover the relocation of the people of Yun, Ying, and Shuo prefectures inland. During the withdrawal, the supervising officer Wang Shen and others disregarded Yang Ye's advice and forced him to engage in battle, placing him in a position of certain defeat. Unaware of Yang Ye's victory or defeat, Wang Shen, fearing Yang Ye had already won, chose to lead troops to claim credit. Pan Zhongxun's intervention was not firm enough. Later, upon hearing of Yang Ye's defeat, he broke his promise and refused to provide support, resulting in the annihilation of Yang Ye's entire army and his capture and death. For this, Pan Zhongxun was demoted three ranks and reduced to Grand Protector. The following year, he was reinstated as Grand Tutor. He was appointed Prefect of Zhending Prefecture, and shortly thereafter, reassigned as Commander-in-Chief and Prefect of Bingzhou. He was appointed Chancellor, but died a few months later at the age of sixty-seven. He was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Chancellor and given the posthumous name Wuhui. In the second year of the Xianping era, he was enshrined in the ancestral temple of Emperor Taizong.

He never saw Pan Yuerong again, nor did he know that Ye Changsheng was his granddaughter. Until his death, he still believed that his youngest daughter had left Bianliang in the twilight of the Song Dynasty, living the life she had always longed for with the man she deeply loved…

Lotus blossoms and ink-like beauty leave guests intoxicated.

On the road to Xiangshan in October, by the Han River, three stars shine. The search for a mate should not be far off; only the whip remains on the departing horse.

Passing cups and inviting lamps across the banquet, red candles and red couches envy the beauty's face. If you wish to know how difficult it is to find a suitable lover, then you'll find that even the finest wine and delicacies can make you an immortal.

The hall was brightly lit, bustling with guests. Ten tables were set up, with toasts and drinks flowing freely, and laughter and congratulations echoing throughout. Inside the bridal chamber, red candles flickered, and the bride's delicate eyebrows framed the red couch, her hair cascading over her snow-white cheeks. Such a beautiful scene perfectly complemented the bride's shy and radiant face.

"Today is a good day," the nanny said with a smile.

Su Xiao'e was doing her makeup in front of the mirror. The woman in the bronze mirror had willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, looking serene and beautiful. She chuckled sweetly, her eyes alluring, and picked up the bridal phoenix crown from the table, giving it a slightly embarrassed nod to her wet nurse. The wet nurse understood and carefully took it and put it on her head. After finishing her makeup, she put on the veil.

"Where is the groom?" Suddenly, Su Xiao'e lifted her red veil and asked somewhat hastily. The wet nurse kindly took her hand, patting the back of her hand as she said gently, "Miss, don't be afraid, the groom is waiting for you in the bridal chamber."

Su Xiao'e nodded, a blush quickly spreading across her cheeks. She lowered her veil again and let her wet nurse lead her out the door. Her elder brother, Su Xing, was already waiting in the hall. She was going out to receive the blessings of her fellow villagers and let the world witness her joy.

Gutuo Town is located at the border of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, surrounded by mountains on its east, west, and south sides, and bordered by the Tuoshan Mountain on the west side of the Wujiang River to the north. It is extremely remote and sparsely populated. Beyond the Lingyang Jiuhua Mountain to the south lies the Hongshuitan (Red Water Pool) of the Miao and Dong ethnic groups, nestled amidst precipitous cliffs and below a red-walled stone walkway, resembling a pool of blood winding between the green peaks and steep cliffs. Although remote, it is a shortcut into Jiangxi, so even every three to five months, one might encounter a few travelers and merchants passing through. The people of the town live a secluded, idyllic life year-round.

Today, the situation seemed different. Several large red lanterns were hung outside the Su family mansion, and the town seemed to have become lively overnight. People came one after another, densely packed, to the gates of the Su family mansion, wandering inside in twos and threes. Under the dim, crimson light, they huddled together, drinking cup after cup—they had all come to offer their congratulations to the Su family. Since moving to the town three years ago, Master Su had rarely left his home, and because the Su family mansion was located at the foot of Lonely Mountain, the Su family members were even less familiar with the townspeople. But recently, news suddenly spread that Master Su's only daughter, Su Xiao'e, was getting married, and the townspeople had been invited to attend the ceremony.

The courtyard was bustling with activity, with dozens of tables set up for the banquet. As the wine flowed freely—suddenly, a sharp, teeth-grinding sound rang out, startling everyone. Just then, the jarring, unpleasant voice announced: "The bride has arrived—"

Looking over at the sound, everyone saw a gaunt, emaciated yaksha. The speaker was dressed in a bright red wedding robe, with a flower pinned to his chest. He was short in stature, with cloudy, yellowish eyes. Most terrifyingly, he had no nose—where a nose should have been, there was only a mass of bloody, rotting flesh and two dark, gaping holes…

"Is he the groom?" Everyone's expression changed slightly. For a moment, even the wine they were drinking tasted different. The villagers looked at each other in bewilderment. A few of the bolder ones stepped forward and offered their congratulations, while the timid ones had already retreated outside the hall.

As the bride, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, approached step by step, the ugly man shuddered, a meaningful smile spreading across his face—except that he had no nose, making the smile appear somewhat broken and eerie on his pained and distorted face.

Although the bride was wearing a veil, every move she made was extremely charming and elegant. Her slender waist and the exposed section of her fair wrist were enough to make everyone's imagination run wild, and they just wanted to step forward and lift the eye-catching red cloth to see the beauty's face.

By the time Su Xiao'e reached the man, his expression had calmed down, and his high-pitched voice, accompanied by the gurgling sound of air escaping his throat, slowly rang out: "Sister, today is your joyous day..."

The man with the face of a demon was none other than Su Xiao'e's elder brother, Su Xing. At this moment, he was admiring his sister's blood-red wedding dress, a slight smile flashing across his pale face: "Let's get married..."

In a secluded corner near the door, a fat man in plain clothes nudged the person next to him, looking puzzled. He glanced at the newlyweds and asked in a low voice, "Is that strange-faced man the bride's brother? Where's the groom? How can siblings be getting married?" The woman beside him nodded, smiling at him but remaining silent. Seeing that he was a blabbermouth, and knowing he wouldn't get any information from him, the fat man scoffed and continued eating.

With a whoosh, the door was suddenly blown open by the wind, and the biting cold air made everyone shiver. A sliver of pale moonlight shone through the crack in the door, and a chilling coldness seeped in with it, illuminating the room—all the candlelight had been blown out. Instantly, the hall erupted in noise: someone yelled that someone had stepped on their foot, someone had accidentally bumped into someone's waist, and a woman was even taken advantage of.

A moment later, the candlelight was lit—and the hall gradually returned to calm. Su Xiao'e remained standing in place, while her brother stood guard with his arms outstretched like a mother hen, his expression wary. Su Xing was short and thin, with cloudy yellow eyes that darted from side to side from time to time, making him look somewhat comical.

"Hahahaha... Folks, you've been frightened... It's just that the night wind is a bit strong, everyone continue... continue..." Master Su, sitting in the high hall, shook his sleeves and shouted, "Let's begin the wedding ceremony..."

The wet nurse said kindly, "The groom is seriously ill... so the young master will perform the wedding ceremony on his behalf..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd started discussing again, wondering what kind of sickly man the groom was that he couldn't even show his face on his own wedding day. He was truly a pitiful person.

With the hall full of guests, Su Xing finally relaxed, keeping a close eye on Su Xiao'e. He led her by the hand across the wedding banquet and into the wedding hall. Suddenly, everyone noticed a dozen or so children in the hall, all around six or seven years old. Though somewhat thin, they were fair-skinned and adorable. They stood in a row, bowing to the newlyweds from afar, then pulled out small knives from their waists and slashed their palms! Blood flowed down their small wrists, winding its way to the ground—everyone was stunned, wondering what this was all about. The sight of the blood was horrifying; they couldn't imagine the pain it caused! The timid dared not look any longer and quickly turned their heads away—strangely, none of the children cried or screamed. After they finished, they all stood up and walked towards the back hall.

—They didn't see that from the children's lacerated wounds, plump white worms were crawling out, scrambling to emerge from the pool of blood.

In the ensuing silence, Master Su, still smiling, said gently, "This is a custom in my hometown. It's customary to see blood on a joyous occasion. Please don't be alarmed, please don't be alarmed..."

Although everyone had some doubts, they were also reassured. Customs varied from place to place, so there was no need to investigate further. The white-faced old man in the hall raised his voice and said, "First bow to Heaven and Earth—" The two of them held hands and bowed to Heaven and Earth together in front of the door. The old man then called out, "Second bow to the parents—" The two of them turned around and slowly bowed to the old man. "Husband and wife bow to each other—" The two of them turned around, bowed to each other, and stood up hand in hand.

As the officiant announced, "The ceremony is complete—", congratulations erupted in a cacophony of voices. Guests at the banquet shouted, "Congratulations! Congratulations, Mr. Su, may you soon have a grandson! Haha—" "Congratulations, Miss Su, on marrying a good man!" "A blessed union!" "May you have a son soon—" This immediately drew laughter from the guests. Su Xing, holding his sister's hand, slowly walked towards the bridal chamber. Suddenly, Mr. Su slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter, his face, as round as a steamed bun, turning bright red. He picked up a cup, his eyes narrowed, "Come, everyone, raise your glasses! I'll toast my fellow villagers..."

Just as the people at the banquet raised their glasses and drank, a commotion suddenly arose in a corner near the door. Everyone turned to see a middle-aged man in a coarse brown robe wiping the hem of his shirt with his sleeve while cursing in a thick, incomprehensible dialect. Beside him was a pretty young woman in a pale white dress, holding a wine cup and apologizing profusely with an embarrassed smile. Everyone understood that the young woman had probably spilled her wine accidentally, and they felt that the man was making a fuss over nothing and lacking manners. These little incidents quickly passed, and as various dishes, whose names they didn't know, were served by one bright and charming maid, the people of Gutuo Town, who had never seen such exquisite food before, swallowed hard and began to eat in silence.

Red candles in the bridal chamber, red gauze curtains.

The man on the bed, dressed in a red robe with dark hair, bloomed indifferently like a crimson lotus. His face was somewhat pale, and his eyes were lightly closed, as if everything around him was irrelevant to him, and today was not his day of great joy.

Su Xiao'e lifted her veil herself, then removed her outer robes one by one, until she was left only in a thin gauze undergarment, revealing her graceful figure. She walked slowly to the bedside and softly recited, "I envy the mandarin ducks entwined, and the intertwined flowers in bloom. A gentleman seeks a virtuous lady, and a beautiful woman is captivated by talent..." She touched her cheek and giggled, "After tonight, I will be yours..."

The person on the bed remained motionless.