Wrong Bride, Right Groom 1
Outside, there was a great commotion of gongs and drums. I sat in a sedan chair, dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe.
Today is my wedding day.
...I am a man.
Not long ago, the "Skinner," who had disappeared for nearly three years, suddenly reappeared in Kaifeng. Rumors about him spread like wildfire throughout the city, causing widespread panic. Some even claimed that he was a ghost, causing trouble and threatening to perform some kind of sacrificial ritual.
However, the information gathered by the lowly gatekeepers who traveled throughout Kaifeng and possessed a wealth of intelligence revealed that this was merely a smokescreen.
The hot-tempered senior slammed his fist on the table, laughing and cursing, "Ghosts and gods? If ghosts really existed, how could the world be in such a state! It's clearly just people with guilty consciences making this up to distract us!"
"Something's strange." After reading all the information, the senior sister's eyes darkened, and she looked puzzled. "This guy's methods are different from three years ago."
Senior: "I've found something out. The murderer is definitely connected to 'Dawn' in the southern suburbs. Someone recognized him in the city, and his movements largely overlap with 'The Skinner'."
The so-called "Dawn" was a young doctor who was famous throughout the capital at a young age. He always put on an air of being more noble than anyone else, and his chin was always tilted upwards.
No one knew his real name, so he gave himself the nickname "Dawn." Perhaps to increase his mystique, Dawn announced his retirement to the southern suburbs just after turning twenty.
However, just when the world was about to forget about "Dawn," this oddball caused another incident—
"Getting married?" Upon hearing this, the junior disciples, who had been keen to inquire about all sorts of gossip about this mysterious young man, instantly became interested. They stopped practicing their martial arts and all clung to the wall, craning their necks to listen.
"There's actually someone who'd be interested in that guy?"
"Which sister has an eye ailment? I'll go fetch Doctor Qingxi!"
"Don't be so kind, you little brat. Go away, don't cause trouble." Senior Sister laughed and patted their heads, then looked at us "old folks," "So do you understand what I mean?"
After hearing this, I felt that I understood what my senior sister meant. "Senior sister wants to take this opportunity to infiltrate the Dawn family in order to monitor and investigate whether he is the real Skinner?"
"Smart! As expected of Xiao Yue." Senior Sister snapped her fingers in satisfaction. "I've already sent disciples to keep an eye on the others who are suspected, and we only need to keep an eye on him. Given that Fu Xiao doesn't like being served by outsiders, it's not easy for us to sneak in. But it's not entirely impossible. If we impersonate the bride—it might be a bit unethical, but I believe she'll understand after we explain."
The eldest brother, however, did not approve of this approach.
"Not to mention that all our disciples have been transferred to the east, north, and west, and some have gone to the Ghost Market. Currently, there are no female disciples with profound skills in the sect who can carry out this mission. In addition, we have never seen that woman before, so how can we disguise ourselves?"
The senior sister waved her hand and said, "I already found out. Fuxiao and his fiancée met through letters, and they never met in person until they were discussing marriage. As for the 'woman'..."
A sudden chill ran down my spine, and when I looked up, I saw my senior sister's malicious gaze fixed on me.
"Although we don't have any female disciples available, if Xiao Yue dresses up and adjusts her voice, who can tell if she's a boy or a girl?"
Are you kidding me!
I suddenly opened my eyes wide and opened my mouth to retort when I heard a soft voice from the side say, "I think it's a good plan."
"..." Senior Brother, why did you change your mind?
...Those three days were simply unbearable to recall. I was forced to stand in front of the bronze mirror by these two men, who changed my makeup again and again, and memorized the contents of the letters between Dawn and his fiancée over and over again.
"...I am deeply grateful for your kindness. After marrying you, I do not seek to grow old with you, but only wish to repay your kindness."
Huh? What humph?
This matter remained unresolved until I was dressed in my phoenix coronet and embroidered robes and sat in the sedan chair, because my senior sister received a portion of the letters.
During this time, something unbelievable happened—after we intercepted the bridal sedan chair heading towards the southern suburbs, we found it empty. While investigating the route the sedan chair had taken, we discovered drag marks in some bushes. My senior brother sent two disciples to give chase, while the rest continued on their way.
And so, I ended up sitting in the bridal sedan chair, having usurped the place.
The bright moon hung high, illuminating a desolate wilderness. It was late autumn, and fallen leaves covered the ground, making a creaking sound with every step the senior students took.
Because I was wearing a veil and it was getting darker, my vision became increasingly blurry, and I could only rely on my hearing and sense of direction to determine where I was.
After an unknown amount of time, the bridal sedan chair finally stopped shaking.
"arrive."
The moment the sedan curtain was lifted, the night wind, carrying the scent of decaying leaves, rushed in. I instinctively gripped the cuffs of my wedding dress, and heard my senior brother whisper, "Be careful," followed by warm fingers gripping my wrist.
Like a piece of warm jade in the cold winter.
It was so warm that I was momentarily dazed.
Once inside the gate, the lively noise subsided considerably, becoming rather quiet and deserted. The "wedding" seemed to be ignored by everyone, like a grand joke.
Thinking about it this way, it's fortunate that the girl didn't actually marry into the family. But then again, it was just a fleeting romance based on letters.
After stepping over the crackling brazier and bowing to heaven and earth, the hand that had led me through the door lifted me up once more.
Warm, powerful, and covered in calluses.
The hands don't look like those of someone who first became a doctor and then lived in seclusion; they look more like those of a martial artist.
Could it be that this Young Master of Dawn truly harbors a secret?
As the bride's family member, the senior apprentice adhered to the principle of playing the part completely, and even said to the "brother-in-law's family" next to him in a pretentious manner, "What a perfect match!"
"!"
"Wife!" the man supporting me exclaimed in my ear.
That was close! I almost made a fool of myself on my wedding day.
The man beside me caught me firmly as I stumbled. His palm rested on my waist, the pressure just right to keep me steady, yet with a sense of control that I couldn't break free from.
"Be careful." He chuckled softly, his voice as sweet as honey. "Is my wife nervous?"
I gritted my teeth inwardly, but on the surface I had to pretend to be shy, lowered my head slightly, and rolled my eyes under the cover of the veil.
—Who is your wife?
...
In the past, if someone had told me that one day I would be sitting in my bridal chamber, dressed in a phoenix coronet and wedding gown, quietly waiting for a strange man to lift my veil... I would have cut off their head before they could even finish saying that.
However, at this moment, this extremely slim possibility has actually come true.
The noise outside gradually subsided. Before leaving, my senior brother asked his mouse to leave me a note: "Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu sent word that the original bride has not yet been found."
...This is really bad news.
A soft click came from the door, and a faint aroma of wine, mingled with the sweetness of pastries, wafted into my nostrils. I knew, "he" was approaching.
The red veil was lifted, revealing a handsome face. His gentle features trembled slightly the moment the veil was fully removed, but he quickly regained his composure.
His lips curved upwards, a smile that seemed more like a smile than a genuine one. His face was clean and gentle, like a handful of water in a clear pool. Judging from his appearance, he certainly didn't seem like the kind of person who would do such a heinous thing.
"We correspond by letter, without asking each other's names. But today is different. Could you tell me your name, my lady?" So, neither Dawn nor his wife knew each other's names?
...It's true that one oddball will be surrounded by another oddball.
"Xiaoyue." I covered my lips with my fan, raised my eyes and smiled lightly. In his eyes I saw a bright and beautiful woman, but in reality, I was grinding my teeth to powder behind the fan.
This shouldn't be considered lying, right? "樾" and "月" are homophones.
The simpleton's face immediately turned red. His ears weren't red, his neck wasn't red, and his face wasn't completely red; only the middle part of his face, including the tip of his nose, was tinged with pink.
He stammered, "I, my name is Song Yao."
I smiled and nodded slightly, then drank the nuptial wine with him. What was the next step after that...? Sleeping together?
Although my senior brother said there was no need to sacrifice to this extent, and that I could just make up some excuse.
It's easy for you to talk when you're not the one suffering; let him try it.
I stared intently at Song Yao's mouth, afraid that he would say something about "sharing a room" next.
But it seems to be different from what I expected?
"You must be hungry after waiting so long. Here." He pulled out a plate of pastries from behind his back: osmanthus cakes, fresh flower cakes... They were arranged beautifully and smelled delicious, making my stomach rumble after not eating all night.
I awkwardly turned my head away, but he chuckled softly.
The plate of pastries was placed on a table that was waist-high.
"It's not leftovers, I just made it in the kitchen. You..." His face started to turn red again, "Go take a bath after you finish eating, the water's already boiled. Um, it's getting late, you should get some rest!"
As he spoke, he walked out.
I grabbed his loosely open shirt. "Husband, where are you going so late?"
"I...I'll sleep next door." His face turned even redder, and he hurriedly snatched the clothes from my hands. "You're not well. I'm afraid of disturbing you at night."
It turns out the girl was in poor health... and Dawn was an expert in pharmacology, could this be the "blessing" she mentioned in her letter?
After saying goodnight, he left the bridal chamber.
As the door closed, the smile on my face faded.
As the autumn wind sweeps away fallen leaves, martial arts practitioners always keep their steps low until the sound of footsteps fades into the distance before I send my observations to my senior brother through a letter.
Song Yao definitely has a problem.
A healer who had been retired for many years had so many slash scars on his body. Moreover, judging from the fullness of his muscles, he was no less than a disciple of any major martial arts sect.
Not only him, but the house itself exuded an inexplicable eeriness. It wasn't until I accidentally dropped some crumbs of the flower cake onto the clean table that I realized where this strange eeriness came from—it was too new. The house was too new, including the interior decoration. It didn't look like the house of someone who had been living in seclusion for several years. It looked like it had just been renovated.
The wolf-hair brush was soaked in ink, and the ink flowed freely, filling the entire sheet of paper.
It was late at night when I returned to my room after the pigeons had flown away.
I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the bronze mirror, closed my eyes, and resignedly began removing my makeup.
After quickly taking a shower with cold water and going to bed, all that could be surfacing in my mind before I fell asleep was Song Yao's panic and helplessness before she left.
...
snort.
You may be serious about relationships, but to disregard human life is to be a damned hypocrite!
If this charade goes on long enough, there will come a day when you can't keep up the act anymore. I have plenty of time to waste with you!
＊
The next day, I got up early to do my makeup and looked at the "woman" in the mirror. I was actually a little proud of myself. If it weren't for my superb makeup skills, who would have thought that under the plain clothes was a seven-foot man?
Today, I will "try" as I had previously discussed with my senior brothers and sisters.
"Cough! Cough cough!"
The heart-wrenching cough was particularly jarring in the quiet morning. I deliberately let the cough drag on, then slowly unfolded my palm, which was loosely covering my lips—and there was a smear of "blood" on it.
In reality, it was a special rouge water made by the senior sister.
Footsteps approached from afar, hurried and disordered. The door was pushed open abruptly, and Song Yao rushed in, her coat not even properly put on, her hair disheveled.
"Xiaoyue!"
He rushed to his knees in front of the bed, his fingers landing directly on my wrist. I resisted the urge to pull my hand away—although fellow disciples in the Nine Schools practiced martial arts to strengthen their bodies, we had never had such physical contact before.
Song Yao's fingertips were slightly cool, yet surprisingly reassuring. His brows were furrowed, and his focused demeanor was a stark contrast to his shyness yesterday.
"His pulse is weak and floating, indicating a deficiency of both qi and blood," he muttered to himself. "This shouldn't be... Following the prescription I gave him, it shouldn't have deteriorated to this extent..."
I chuckled inwardly. If a country bumpkin could see through the disguise of the Nine Schools, my senior brother would probably be so angry he'd fall off the roof.
Song Yao suddenly leaned closer, gently stroking my back with one hand and lifting my chin with the other: "Wife, open your mouth."
He was so close I could count his eyelashes.
I instinctively leaned back, but he caught me steadily. His eyes were clear and bright, filled with worry, which made me forget to breathe for a moment.
"The color of your tongue... is strange." He frowned even more. "Has my wife caught a chill recently? Or eaten something unclean?"
I shook my head weakly, then coughed twice on purpose: "It's an old ailment... Husband, there's no need..."
Before I could finish speaking, Song Yao had already scooped me up in his arms. I almost cried out in surprise and hurriedly wrapped my arms around his neck to keep my balance. This man looked frail, but his strength was astonishing.
“I’ll take you to the pharmacy,” he said firmly. “We need to get a new prescription.”
The pharmacy! My heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to investigate?
Song Yao carried me through the corridor, the morning light casting a hazy glow over everything. I took the opportunity to look around the mansion—it was so quiet, except for a few servants walking around with their heads down, it seemed as if no one lived there.
The pharmacy was located in a corner of the backyard, with a large brass padlock hanging on the door. Song Yao held me with one arm and took the key out of her pocket with the other. The moment the lock opened, a rich aroma of medicine wafted out.
The interior was impeccably clean. Hundreds of small drawers were embedded in the wall, each with a neatly labeled label. In the center was a large mahogany table, on which lay half-ground medicinal herbs.
Song Yao placed me on the wicker chair by the window and then began to move among the medicine cabinets. His movements as he retrieved the medicines were fluid and effortless, as if the location of each herb was etched into his very being.
"Three qian of astragalus, angelica..." he muttered, his slender fingers dancing among the various medicine drawers.
I quietly observed the room. Besides the medicinal herbs, there were several stacks of books piled up in the corner.
"Xiaoyue, drink this."
A bowl of dark, viscous medicine was placed in front of me, its aroma a bittersweet fragrance. I hesitated for a moment, but under Song Yao's expectant gaze, I held my breath and gulped it down.
"Ugh! It's so bitter!" It should be fine after drinking it, right...?
Song Yao laughed and, as if by magic, pulled a small paper packet from his sleeve: "Eat a candied fruit to ease the bitterness."
"Are you feeling better?" Song Yao knelt in front of me, her eyes focused.
I nodded, about to say something, when I suddenly noticed the scar visible beneath his rolled-up sleeve—a gruesome knife scar that, though healed long ago, was still clearly visible.
How could a doctor have such an injury on his hand?
Following my gaze, Song Yao hurriedly pulled down her sleeve: "I accidentally cut myself when I was studying medicine in my early years."
Keep pretending. Those were clearly sword wounds, and in such a tricky location, obviously from a fight.
Just as I was about to probe further, I saw a pair of tiny hands peeking through the doorway—my mouse was peering inside, a piece of paper in its mouth.
My senior brother replied.
Song Yao turned to fetch the medicinal herbs, and I quickly scooped up the mouse and hid it in my sleeve.
"My lord, I want to rest," I said, feigning weakness.
Back in my room, I unfolded the note; it was written in my senior brother's sloppy handwriting:
"Another murder occurred in the city last night, with the same method as three years ago. According to witnesses, it was committed around 7 PM. Also: the original bride is still missing."
戌时?
Strangely enough, Song Yao was in my room at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM).
I frowned. The timing didn't match?
Previously, I had asked my senior brother to investigate the matter of this house in the letter. The only thing that can be confirmed now is that the house was indeed recently purchased, but the buyer was a man named "Yao Yunye".
...
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