Auspicious Place for Yin Houses
It is not advisable to leave a corpse in the middle of summer.
The spirit should be hung in the coffin as soon as possible and then buried.
The Zhao family of Tingnan is a prominent family in the local area.
The patriarch, Zhao Bingcheng, is a blessed man. He was orphaned at a young age and suffered hardships in his early years. In his youth, he traveled all over the country and worked hard to build up a family business, which was not too big or too small, but enough to ensure that eight generations of his descendants would have no worries about food and drink.
People often have a few idle words to say when they have free time. Naturally, there are a few words to say about the rare good fortune of Old Master Zhao, who had a difficult early life but a smooth life for the rest of his life.
Some say that he saved a fox spirit when he was young and received its blessing, which brought him a lifetime of wealth, prosperity, and peace.
Guided by a fox spirit, they found a precious plot of land suitable for burial. After being buried in this land, their descendants will enjoy endless blessings and wealth.
Some say he obtained this method of attracting wealth by raising some kind of demon or evil spirit, or by offering some kind of sacrifice.
Some say he was a celestial being who descended to earth after undergoing tribulation, while others say he was a celestial being who didn't want to perform his duties and was taking a break on earth.
When something is difficult to explain and is associated with mystery, it is very easy for others to believe it.
Besides, we are all suffering in the world, and we must find some way to explain the confusion about what we have and what we have in order to comfort ourselves.
Therefore, each storyteller spoke as if they had witnessed it firsthand, their words resounding and unquestionable.
The causes and consequences, details and textures are more and more meticulous than the last piece.
Whenever someone asks Mr. Zhao, his answer is always the same: "First is fate, second is luck, and third is feng shui. It's all about timing and destiny. I've suffered a lot, but I, this old man, admit that luck is sometimes very important."
In fact, among the rumors about Mr. Zhao, the one with the highest level of acceptance is indeed the matter of "luck".
Legend has it that many years ago, he helped a down-on-his-luck master, and thus obtained the method to change his fate. Therefore, he often helps the poor and needy in order to accumulate good deeds and blessings, and many people benefit from his help.
Now, seven days have passed since Old Master Zhao passed away, but he is still being prevented from being laid to rest by the people of the Heavenly Patrol Office and various sects.
Once this matter was spread, it immediately aroused resentment among the people of Tingnan.
Now, many places in Tingnan are under the jurisdiction of the clan and the magistrate, and even the most basic funeral matters must be presided over by them. Many of the originally selected burial sites must also be inspected by them before burial can take place.
Their methods of tomb inspection often took several days, and they made no promises of blessings for future generations.
Some families are even prohibited from burying people in the burial sites they have chosen. Some families have even had their ancestral graves surrounded by formations, and people are not allowed to step into them to burn incense or paper money. The locals already had deep resentment about this.
For seven days, Zhao Bingcheng's body remained suspended in the ground, and the Zhao family carried the coffin to the Xuntianliao, a temporary gathering place for the Zong and Si officials.
The streets were filled with people dressed in white mourning clothes, white banners and paper money, like surging but lifeless snowmelt, carrying the high-pitched sounds of suona horns and drums and resentment.
The person in charge of affairs in the palace now is Emperor Mingde, Ji Linsong. He knew what was going on outside the gate today, so when everyone arrived at the gate, he led a few people out to greet them.
Seeing this scene, he did not first engage in verbal disputes or litigation with the crowd.
Instead, he lifted his robe and descended the steps, straightened his clothes, and strode quickly to the coffin. He then respectfully bowed three times, saying, "I, Ji, have been impolite and have failed to properly greet Lord Zhao. I hope you will forgive me."
After the ceremony, he turned to the middle-aged man who was weeping profusely in front of the coffin and asked, "What is the meaning of this, Young Master Zhao?"
Zhao Da's eyes were swollen from crying. Looking at Ji Linsong, he suddenly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably and unable to speak.
Several brothers and sisters were so crying they couldn't speak.
However, his younger brother Zhao Er, with bloodshot eyes, pointed at Ji Linsong and cursed, "Ji Linsong, what do you mean by this! You won't let my father be buried, but now you're pretending nothing happened!"
Ji Linsong said, "I remember that six days ago, the cemetery sent a skilled geomancer to select a burial site for your father. Does the household have any other considerations? Why has the burial not yet taken place?"
Zhao Er angrily swung the white mourning stick in his hand and said, "We brothers can't decide where my father is buried, so why should you people decide? Who knows what you're after? You probably want to use my family's auspicious burial site for your religious rites!"
Ji Linsong glanced at Lu Shenchu and the others who were solemnly paying their respects before Zhao Bingcheng's coffin, then said to Zhao Er:
“We have no intention of encroaching on the cemetery. We have important business to attend to here. In the past, we did not dare to tell you the truth for fear of causing panic. Since there is such a large commotion today, I have no choice but to tell you the truth in order to dispel your doubts.”
“There are now heretical sects that use the idea of returning to life and prolonging life to deceive the families of the deceased. They take advantage of the grief of their loved ones to defile the graves of the dead with evil methods and to raise corpses and ghosts in order to bring chaos to the world.”
“Once such a monster awakens, it will surely devour its own flesh and blood. At that time, there’s no point in talking about restoring life or prolonging life; the whole family will be buried with it.”
"If chaos breaks out within our human race, the demon race, which is blocked by the natural barrier, will surely take advantage of the situation and come. At that time, not only will Tingnan's ancestral graves and tombs be destroyed, but the demon race's entrails will also become our human race's mass grave!"
"Now we are hereby ordered by the Director of the Heavenly Patrol Bureau to lead the various sects to eliminate the heretical sects in Tingnan. If anyone gathers a crowd to obstruct our affairs again, do not blame us for showing no mercy."
Ji Linsong was always solemn. After he finished speaking, the chattering musicians fell silent and looked at each other in bewilderment.
The paper money fluttered down, and the street in front of the Xuntianliao Temple, though full of people, was as silent as a suburban cemetery.
Zhao Er suddenly shouted, "Who believes your nonsense! I know you're from the Mingde Sect. Let me tell you, if you don't let my father be buried today, I'll carry his coffin right up to your sect's gate!"
Ji Linsong said earnestly, "I know your grief, but the soil and water of your father's burial site are heavily contaminated by evil magic. If you do not bury him, a relative of the Zhao family will surely die a violent death within two days."
Zhao Da, who had been crying bitterly, wiped away his tears and choked out, "That's our family's business."
Ji Linsong frowned and said, "But it will harm countless people afterward. You can afford to lose your lives, but I cannot bear this responsibility!"
With that, he simply raised his hand, and the black coffin soared into the air, flying straight towards the Zhao family.
Upon seeing this, Zhao's relatives were thrown into chaos, all frantically chasing after the coffin.
The people who had come to the street with great momentum to demand an explanation dispersed. Some went to help the Zhao family chase after the coffin, while others discussed what they had just heard with pale faces.
It's perfectly normal for minor disputes to arise, but on such a significant matter, the Sky Patrol Division would not engage in frivolous jokes.
Some people were worried and wanted to flee with their families, but the Xuntianliao had sealed Tingnan away for the past few months, so there was no way they could escape.
Some people don't care. They eat and drink as usual. If the Sky Patrol Division really can't handle this, what's the use of running to them? Anyway, if we're going to die, we all die together. That's fair.
Some people had their own agendas and began to observe the situation of the Zhao family.
That night, some people saw the Zhao family pulling two carriages that were larger than ordinary carriages towards the direction of Old Master Zhao's old burial site.
Rumor has it that the Zhao family's burial site is a blessed land that will bring longevity and prosperity to their descendants. It was even said that the fox spirit who was saved helped Zhao Bingcheng choose it. Naturally, the Zhao brothers would not easily give up this burial site.
People whispered among themselves that the Zhao brothers must have hired a master to bypass the Heavenly Patrol Bureau's magic array and buried Zhao Bingcheng in the blessed land of longevity.
Of the two vehicles that headed towards the burial site that night, one must have been carrying a coffin and the other carrying offerings.
This story has been passed around, and both believers and non-believers are unsure, since no one would risk the lives of their living relatives, but few can resist the temptation of such blessings for future generations.
After all, some people, hoping to receive the blessings of their ancestors' blessed land, will even bury their living grandparents or parents in the land they find.
Even close siblings can fight tooth and nail over half an acre of land and never speak to each other again, let alone such a great blessing in the future.
If one or two people die, but not themselves, the Sky Patrol Division will always intervene.
But if nothing happens, then the gamble paid off, the whole family benefits, and the Sky Patrol Division will not be allowed to obstruct it.
The next day, the Zhao family secretly moved to a residence near Xuntianliao.
At this time, rumors spread in private, but since everyone in the Xuntianliao was an outsider, no one had told them about this.
Moreover, a new tomb was erected at the burial site chosen by Xuntianliao for Zhao Bingcheng.
Therefore, this deception seemed to make the patrol officers truly believe that the Zhao family had buried Zhao Bingcheng in the new grave, and they did not react to it, but were busy patrolling other places.
Upon hearing this, most people worried that something bad would happen, and a few secretly reported the Zhao family's affairs to the Xuntianliao, hoping that the Xuntianliao could send someone to investigate.
However, the patrol was busy and was quite surprised to hear this. He said that the seal on the Zhao family's ancestral grave was not easily touched by anyone, so there was no need to worry. It should be that Old Master Zhao had indeed been buried in a new place.
However, the Sky Patrol agreed and would soon send someone to investigate.
Some people were watching and waiting to see if the Zhao family would suffer a great calamity as Ji Linsong had predicted.
On the night of Old Master Zhao Bingcheng's burial, several people were even more eager than the Zhao family's nephews and nieces who were guarding the tomb. They brought peach branches and climbed up the locust tree outside the tomb's seal to watch.
On a summer night, the crescent moon is like a bow.
A solitary, thin moon hangs forlornly in the night sky, and a cold wind, like twisting silk, grips the skin and flesh, inexplicably sending chills down one's spine and making the hairs on one's back stand on end.
They didn't know whether they wanted to see Old Master Zhao emerge from the ground or watch the burial site remain silent forever.
As the group hung precariously in the tree, a sudden cacophony of crows flapping their wings echoed through the forest, sending chills down their spines.
A middle-aged man stared intently at the flat ground not far away, then suddenly opened his eyes wide and let out a muffled shout. In an instant, he slid down the tree without a care in the world, swung his legs, and fled desperately without looking back.
The woman, who was perched in the same tree as him, was startled by the noise. She turned to look at the short, stout man disappearing into the darkness, and, unusually frightened, muttered a curse under her breath:
"Coward! You useless piece of trash who can't be relied on for anything! Why wasn't it you, you piece of trash, who died!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a cold wind blew through the forest and leaves, rustling and eery.
A strange sound came from the direction of Zhao Bingcheng's tomb.
She couldn't help but feel uneasy, her breathing became tense, and she secretly clutched the thing in her sleeve. Clinging to a sliver of hope, she looked fearfully toward the direction of the yin house she had been observing all night.
Perhaps because the Zhao family dared not erect a grave mound, the area remained flat, showing no signs of anything amiss.
But there were intermittent, eerie noises coming from there.
She clutched the thing in her sleeve tightly, guessing that the person squatting in the tree next to her was probably just as nervous as she was.
The master said that the Sky Patrol Bureau only set up such a large-scale operation to obtain the cultivation method of the "Path of Life and Death".
Even if Zhao Bingcheng was buried in the old Yin house, there would be no killing of relatives within a few days. That was purely a lie fabricated by the people of the Heavenly Patrol Bureau to force out the person who possessed the cultivation method of the "Path of Life and Death".
What he teaches is the Way of Life and Death, not some method of refining corpses. Aren't we all fine now, without any inexplicable deaths?
She didn't know whether the master or the Sky Patrol Division was telling the truth; she only wanted to believe what she wanted to believe.
Therefore, she could even doubt the Sky Patrol Division and trust someone who appeared out of nowhere.
What if the master is right? Or is he a good person maliciously framed by the Sky Patrol Bureau?
But what is making that noise in the Zhao family's cemetery right now?
She was so nervous that her fingernails almost dug into the bark as she stroked the tree. The sweet fragrance of grass and trees wafted in the night breeze, creating a strange sense of desolation.
Suddenly, the earth on the flat graveyard bulged up, and in the desolate moonlight, a pale hand abruptly reached out from the soil.
She only heard someone scream in terror, followed by the sound of people running away in a panic.
She was so frightened that her legs went weak and her hands lost their strength. If she hadn't been clinging tightly to the thick tree branch, she probably would have fallen off the tree.
The more afraid you are, the more you can't help but look into the source of your fear.
She couldn't help but open her eyes wide as she watched the hand dig a few times into the soil, brace itself against the ground, and suddenly sit up from the ground.
The wind grew colder and colder, like a bone-scraping comb, drawing out cold sweat like a dense swarm of lice, instantly seeping from the very depths of flesh, blood, and soul.
That "person" was so pale that his black clothes only made him look even more terrifyingly pale.
She squinted and looked closer, only to be horrified to discover that it wasn't a person at all, but a paper figure used as a funerary offering.
The Zhao family did indeed bury the person here, and to prevent them from being discovered, they even buried the paper figures that were usually placed on the grave mound.
The paper figure sat in the wind, bathed in moonlight, and remained motionless for a long time.
In the shadowy place, ghostly crows would sometimes flap their wings and cry out in alarm, the wind would howl, and the paper clothes of the paper figures would rustle.
"That's a paper figure. It was probably buried too shallowly, and the bamboo frame inside couldn't be held down, so it was dug up and sat up."
To bolster their courage, some people loudly explained to their "comrades" who were still holding out.
She used this to gradually calm her wildly beating heart, but in the blink of an eye, the paper figure that should have been sitting there had disappeared.
Her mind went blank for a moment, and she could almost hear the sound of her blood rushing to her head.
The screams rose and fell, accompanied by the sounds of heavy falls and limbs crawling haphazardly.
She knew everyone had run away, but she didn't know why; something must have happened...
As if sensing something, she lowered her head and immediately saw the paper figure's pair of dark, hollow eye sockets.
The paper figure stood beneath the locust tree where she was, its pale, paper-made head tilted back, silently gazing at her...
.
It will take about half a day to reach Tingnan.
However, it was already late. Yan Huanyue had been flying on her sword for two days and two nights and urgently needed to meditate and rest. So, as night fell, she put down her flying sword and landed next to a village.
This village is located on the outskirts of the town. Yan Huanyue made a hand seal with one hand and slowly walked on the grass with the Xun step.
When they reached the city gate, they slowed down and went inside.
This place was originally just a small town a little over a hundred miles from Tingnan, but unexpectedly, all five of its inns were fully booked.
When she asked at the last house, she was told that there was a dark room next to the woodshed that was empty. Yan Huanyue didn't care about anything at this point, so she paid for the room and went out to eat something.
When I returned, I went to the dark room where the waiter pointed, only to find that the small dark room had a dormitory bed that took up most of the room.
When she entered, in the dim light of the oil lamp, a couple who looked to be in their forties or fifties were with two children who were seven or eight years old, telling the children to go to bed early and not to run around or make noise.
Beside the family, a thin old man was sleeping fully clothed. On the ground in front of him were a carrying pole and two baskets covered with old cloth.
Beside the old man was a pregnant woman in her forties or fifties, talking to two other women about how to divide the order of rest and duty for the night.
One of the young women had her hair tied up; she looked to be in her early twenties and appeared to be pregnant.
The other girl looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, and her hair was styled in two thin buns.
When the women saw her come in, they pointed to the seat at the very edge and said in a low voice, "Miss, there's a seat here."
Yan Huanyue said, "Thank you."
They walked through the narrow passage and climbed up to the very edge.
She had just sat down when the girl next to her, who looked about fifteen or sixteen, leaned over, sniffed her, and looked at her curiously.
"What kind of face powder is the young lady using? It smells so nice, I really like it. Could you tell me where I bought it? I'll buy it for my mom and sister-in-law after they have their babies."
Although the woman was dressed in coarse, old clothes, she had a charming and innocent appearance, and looked very adorable.
The other two women with her smiled at Yan Huanyue, apologizing for their children bothering others.
Yan Huanyue glanced at the two women unintentionally. They were both pregnant. She had thought they were just traveling companions, but it turned out they were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Yan Huanyue didn't use any perfume or face powder. Seeing the little girl staring at her with bright eyes, she took out a small brocade pouch and gave it to her, saying, "Here, hang it on your body. It will keep mosquitoes away and you'll sleep peacefully. I just don't know if you like the scent."
The brocade pouch contained moonflower and soul-soothing grass, their delicate fragrance spreading outwards.
The girl's mother quickly tried to dissuade her.
The little girl took the brocade pouch with a look of surprise and delight, buried it in her hands and took a deep sniff, thanked her repeatedly with joy, and held it up to her body, not knowing where to put it.
Yan Huanyue took the brocade pouch, took out a thin rope woven from blood vine grass, and hung the pouch around her neck.
The little girl's mother thanked her repeatedly, took out an oil paper package from the bundle tightly folded beside her, pushed the pastries inside to Yan Huanyue, and said with a smile, "Girl, these pastries are very good, you should try some too."
Yan Huanyue said, "Thank you very much. I just went out to eat something and I can't eat anymore."
Two children who were playing on the bed near the entrance saw this and clamored to have the pretty little flower bag around the girl's neck.
Their mother pinned down the restless children, muttering under her breath, "What good can someone with such a beautiful face and filthy clothes be! Go to sleep! You want all sorts of filthy things, aren't you disgusted? Aren't you afraid of having your guts ripped out by those vile creatures, so you won't even be able to be a pig or a dog in your next life!"
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