Chapter 26: You should be happy as well
After He Lou informed the vigers, the usually tranquil and celebratory atmosphere of the vige immediately erupted like boiling water. How could a bride dare to escape? This was an utterly scandalous event in Red River Vige, where rules held greater importance than the sky.
He Lou stood before the vige chief, consumed by shame and ming himself. "I did not educate them well enough for this to ur," he confessed. Had He Lou been sober, he would never have uttered such words. In Red River Vige, admitting mistakes typically resulted in punishment.
Hearing these words, the vige chief''s expression immediately transformed. The corners of his mouth lifted high as if he had heard the most delightful news. Yet, his eyes were filled with frigidity and resentment as he fixed his gaze on He Lou. Gradually, his face ttened like a paper doll, and his bright, red lips opened and closed. "This is what you stated," he said. "You have made a mistake and will...will be punished."
The vige chief''s metamorphosis was enough to send shivers down their spines, but presently, they felt no unease. Instead, they gathered around him, hoping to sway his decision. Another man named Zhao Chuan immediately interjected. "Vige chief, He Lou did not intend for this to happen. This matter is not his fault."
Zhao Chuan had been the one to question Shen Na initially, but he could not recollect that now. He merely remembered that he had lived with the team for many years, and their rtionship had grown stronger with time, much like biological siblings.
At this moment, though he recognized that there was no justification for breaking the vige rules, he believed that Ding Cong Lu''s offense was hers alone. What did it have to do with He Lou? Observing this, several other individuals spoke up. "Vige chief, if you seek to punish, you should only punish Ding Cong Lu. She was the one who sought to flee."
"Yes," another interjected. "Brother Lou arrived to report the incident to the vige as soon as he became aware. It is not his fault."
The group united in pleading for mercy, except for Lu Yan, who remained still. This agitated the others, but the vige rules dictated that they must be kind to their peers. Otherwise, they would have forced Lu Yan to speak up.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yan remained quiet for a moment before speaking up. "Vige chief, I have arranged a marriage for He Lou, and a wedding banquet will be held in a few days."
<!--
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
-->
Upon hearing this, the vige chief ceased muttering, and his empty gaze fixed upon Lu Yan. "I have found a bride for him after much difficulty," Lu Yan said tly.
Initially, Lu Yan had chosen Shen Na. Still, now that Lu Xiu Xiu had passed away, he could readily rece her with someone else. There was thirteen total, and four had broken the rules and transformed into scarecrows. The wedding banquet could be postponed for three or four days, but theter the ghosts arrived, the more frequently they transformed, and he had to ensure he could survive the month.
Whom should Ding Cong Lu, Chen Zheng Hao, He Lou, Lu Xiu Xiu, and Shen Na be paired with? Liu Xia was missing...no. In a few days, he would return. But Shen Na and Liu Xia, with whom else?
As Lu Yan surveyed the other individuals present, his gaze moved over them with a lifeless quality. Thankfully, the rest of the group was dazed in an illusion, or else they would have noticed the disturbing way he was studying them. But it was precisely because of his detached demeanor that Lu Yan could assess them so thoroughly.
He Lou''s miraculous survival of the Daoist priest''s attack elevated him in Lu Yan''s eyes. The sword had been perilously close to piercing his throat, but the timing was perfect. If Lu Yan had been even a fraction of a second slower in rescuing He Lou, both would have been killed. And yet, he couldn''t decide whether he felt guilty about this fact. After all, death in this realm was transitory, and they would eventually be reborn. But somewhere deep within, a voice warned him that he absolutely could not die. The consequences would be too terrible to bear.
As a result, He Lou had to be disposed of. Despite the man''s current loyalty, who could say that he wouldn''t reveal Lu Yan''s secret to others? Moreover, in the many years he had spent in this world, Lu Yan had never witnessed anyone from another realm reappearing in such a short period. It could happen in the future, but not now.
And once the ghost marriage was performed, He Lou would be condemned to die.
Only when Lu Yan reminded him did He Lou suddenly recall the impending nuptials. "Yes," he said with gratitude shining in his eyes. "He helped me find a bride, and we''re getting married in just a few days."
In Red River Vige, vige rules held greater significance than anything else, including marriage, which was considered above the vige rules. Thus, any viger who managed to find a match for a ghost marriage was exempt from punishment, even if they hadmitted a grave offense. However, Ding Cong Lu had dared to run away from the marriage, and as a result, the vige chief''s ghastly white face contorted with rage.
Gradually, his features rxed, and after a while, he smiled and congratted He Lou as if he had forgotten what he had just said. Shen Na, An Xing Yu, Zhao Chuan, and the others breathed a sigh of relief and looked at He Lou with envy. In their eyes, being able to perform a ghost marriage was a great honor.
He Lou beamed with happiness as he received the vige chief''s blessing. At the same time, his fellow vigers mentally vowed to punish Ding Cong Lu properly. They bound her with twine and brought her before the vige chief. Ding Cong Lu was gagged, tears streaming down her face, and terror was written all over her features. She looked at her familiarpanion with a look of abhorrence, repeatedly whimpering, her eyes begging for mercy.
Conversely, the children found the situation amusing and began to p their hands and circle around her, singing nursery rhymes.
"Bride, disobey, be punished, be punished ......"
Ding Cong Lu shook her head in terror. She knew all too well that the so-called punishment was far worse than death. Her lover, Chen Zheng Hao, had broken the rules, so he was forced to makenterns after the wedding banquet. She had witnessed Uncle Wu peel his skin off, piece by piece, starting from the head. It was a gruesome sight, like watching the process of making a crocodile skin bag. Human skin was glued onto thentern skeleton bit by bit until a newntern was made.
Despite witnessing her boyfriend''s excruciating pain and agony as he was bewitched by the ghost, Ding Cong Lu remained under the ghost''s spell and watched him die without remorse. The memory of that traumatic event flooded her mind as she gazed upon her current teammates, who were still blinded by the ghost''s power, desperately struggling to reach out to her. The grief of losing her lover overwhelmed her, but Ding knew she had to escape it and find a way out of their current predicament.
''Come to your senses quickly!'' she urged herpanions. ''Don''t be deceived by this vige. We must find a way out of this.''
The vige headman approached Ding Cong Lu and scolded her. "You didn''t follow the rules," he said sternly, his mouth gaping wide open.
<!--
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
-->
The vigers echoed his words in unison, and the atmosphere turned icy cold, causing Ding Cong Lu to shiver. But this sudden chill somehow cleared her mind.
Determined to find a way out, Ding Cong Lu remembered the clue they had found earlier. ording to the vige rules, breaking them would lead to grave consequences. But thest rule stipted that everyone must consummate a ghost marriage. And that included Ding Cong Lu, who was to be married to the ghost on the following day the day she was destined to die.
Panic threatened to consume her, but Ding Cong Lu knew she had to stay calm and think of a solution. She turned to herpanions with tears in her eyes, unsure of what to do next.
Showing some empathy, Shen Na suggested they hear Ding Cong Lu out. "What if she knows she''s made a mistake?" she said.
An Xing Yu chimed in, "And if Brother Chen Zheng Hao likes her so much, maybe she could still go through with the wedding."
Ding Cong Lu was grateful for their support, but deep down, she knew that going through with the wedding was not an option. She had to find a way to break the ghost''s spell and escape the vige before it was toote.
He Lou''s suggestion made sense, and Ding Cong Lu turned her head to look at him, her mind in turmoil. "Let me ask you," He Lou said, turning to face Ding Cong Lu. "Are you still willing to marry Chen Zheng Hao now? If you don''t run away from the wedding, just nod."
Ding Cong Lu was stunned. Of course, she was willing to marry Chen Zheng Hao. Every young woman in love yearned to be with her beloved forever. But now that Ahao was... her thoughts trailed off as she recalled the way Chen Zheng Hao had shaken his head, urging her to keep quiet when he learned of his own certain death and how they had agreed to live together before leaving. Ding Cong Lu''s heart felt like it had been cut with a knife, and tears flowed once more.
She wanted very much to live, but she knew there was a good chance she wouldn''t survive. If that was the case, what did a ghost marriage matter? At least she could still be with Chen Zheng Hao. She nodded her head.
The child at her side reached out and removed the cloth from her mouth. Ding Cong Lu took a few deep breaths and said, "I''m not running away from the marriage. I want to marry Chen Zheng Hao."
All the vigers around her cheered, and several children gathered around her, singing happily. He Lou and the others were also pleased, and even Lu Yan, who was always distant, showed a smile.
"The wedding banquet will be held tomorrow, so let''s send the bride down today," the vige chief said with a smile. A few middle-aged women, looking like vigers, brought in arge tray carrying red wedding clothes adorned with white silk ribbons, smiling and saying, "We will make the bride look beautiful, without a doubt."
The vige chief''s eyes swept over the vigers. "Who will send the bride on her way?" he asked, then reached out and took the white silk ribbon. After much thought, he handed it to Shen Na, who had just spoken up for Ding Cong Lu.
"You."
Shen Na took the silk ribbon and walked towards Ding Cong Lu.
Though prepared to die, Ding Cong Lu found herself begging for her life when the two vigers holding her tightened their grip. She struggled, trying to break free of their confinement, but to no avail.
"Think fast, you guys! We''re here on a mission, not from Red River Vige!"
As the silk belt tightened around her neck, Ding Cong Lu''s breath became shallower and shallower. Her mind racing, she gasped for air and tried to plead with Shen Na and the others.
"He Lou, remember the eight missions we''ve carried out? Shen Na, you too..." she managed to say before her voice was cut off by the tightening of the silk belt. Her lungs burned, and she felt herself losing consciousness.
Ding Cong Lu''s vision began to blur, and her hands iled unconsciously. Her nails scratched at the back of Shen Na''s hand, drawing blood. An Xing Yu and He Lou quickly intervened, holding Ding Cong Lu''s hands to prevent her from harming Shen Na.
Through her hazy vision, Ding Cong Lu could see Shen Na''s pleasant smile as she tightened the silk belt. As she felt herself slipping away, she tried to urge them to remember.
But it was toote.
"Good, oh! The bride is on her way!" The vigers cheered.
<!--
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
-->
The vigers cheered, celebrating the "bride''s" arrival. Shen Na and the others joined in, happy with their aplishment.
Noticing the joy on He Lou''s face, Lu Yan asked: "Do you like Lu Xiu Xiu?"
He Lou was taken aback. "What?" he said.
Lu Yan replied, "The bride I mentioned earlier is her. When your timees to get married, you''ll be just as thrilled as you are now."
Lu Yan watched as the vigers took Ding Cong Lu''s lifeless body away to prepare her for the wedding, his voice barely above a whisper.