Chapter 76 – A Misstep

Eldest Uncle worked swiftly, and the meal was quickly prepared. However, the dining table was enveloped in an awkward silence. Eldest Aunt had gone to look after her daughter-in-law’s child today, and without her presence to ease the atmosphere, coupled with the unwelcome visit from a “relative,” it was impossible to create a pleasant mood.

Chewing his food in silence, Eldest Uncle ate quickly, finishing the contents of his bowl in no time. After putting down his bowl, he sat at the table for a moment, then finally made up his mind: “Ah Yang, you… you won’t be going to your granduncle’s place this afternoon, will you?”

The words took a detour before leaving his lips, and Eldest Uncle didn’t directly mention the “bone-washing burial,” but the implication was crystal clear.

Wei Yang also put down his chopsticks. He hadn’t had much of an appetite today, and now it was even less: “I won’t be going there. No matter what Granduncle thinks, I have no interest in the Jiang Family’s affairs.”

Hearing Wei Yang’s assurance, Eldest Uncle visibly relaxed, his tense shoulders loosening. Looking at his expression, Wei Yang felt a complex emotion stirring in his heart. He sighed inwardly and changed the subject: “However, I do want to visit the old house again this afternoon to check on the condition of the furniture and look for some things.”

At this, Eldest Uncle immediately tensed up again: “Did your aunt say something? Don’t listen to her nonsense! The old house is filled with our family heirlooms. How could we just sell them? And…”

Before he could finish, Wei Yang waved his hand: “Eldest Uncle, you’re overthinking it. This is entirely my idea. Firstly, I happen to know some people at my workplace who are familiar with this kind of thing. Secondly, the antique market is booming right now. I’ve grown up with those pieces of furniture and know their value well. If they’re well-preserved, they could fetch hundreds of thousands. But if they’re left unattended for a few more years, they might not even sell for tens of thousands.”

The stark difference between hundreds of thousands and tens of thousands instantly silenced Eldest Uncle. His family had recently started an orchard and fish farm, and while they were profitable ventures, the initial investment had been substantial. With limited liquidity at home, selling some old furniture could bring in much-needed funds. Besides, Wei Yang had likely been struggling on his own these past years. If they sold the furniture and split the money, he might have a bit more financial breathing room…

After thinking for a long while, Eldest Uncle finally gritted his teeth: “Alright, then. But… but the old house hasn’t been… clean these past years.” He seemed to be struggling to find the right words, and after a long pause, he finally managed to say, “I’m just worried you might run into something… unpleasant.”

Seeing his hesitant expression, Wei Yang felt less stifled than he had when he first returned. His Eldest Uncle had a genuine spirit medium for a mother and had probably witnessed many supernatural events. His current anxiety was likely born of genuine concern for Wei Yang’s safety. With a soft sigh, Wei Yang offered a reassuring smile: “Eldest Uncle, you’re worrying too much. I lived in the old house for over a decade, and nothing ever happened. I’m just going back to take a look, and I’ll definitely return before dark.”

With Wei Yang’s repeated assurances, Eldest Uncle no longer had any reason to stop him. In the end, he went inside and fetched two keys to the old house’s storage room. To deter thieves, the storage room was secured with sturdy new locks. Without the keys, it would take considerable effort just to get inside.

After obtaining the keys, Wei Yang went upstairs to grab an empty travel bag, intending to bring back some letters to read later. Lao Ye seemed to have finished his stroll by then. Seeing Wei Yang about to leave, he immediately bit onto the hem of his pants, stubbornly refusing to let go.

Wei Yang chuckled wryly and scratched the turtle’s shell: “Lao Ye, I really have something important to do today. Please spare me.”

Hearing this plea, the turtle didn’t relent. Instead, it tugged harder, as if trying to pull Wei Yang back. However, no matter how strong a turtle might be, it couldn’t hold back a grown man. Wei Yang sighed helplessly and simply picked up the turtle. Under normal circumstances, he might have played along, but today was not the day for it.

Gently placing the turtle back in the room, Wei Yang closed the door and called out through the wood: “Lao Ye, I’ll be back soon. Stay here and don’t wander off, alright?”

Without waiting for the sound of scratching at the door to stop, Wei Yang headed downstairs. Zhang Xiuqi had been waiting in the yard for a while. Although he hadn’t spoken during the meal, he knew Wei Yang was planning to go out that afternoon.

However, looking at Zhang Xiuqi’s pale face, Wei Yang felt a pang of concern: “Brother Qi, maybe you should stay home today? You don’t look too well. Why don’t you focus on drawing some Soul Stabilizing Talismans? I’m just going to the old house to look for a few things. I’ll be back soon.”

Zhang Xiuqi shook his head firmly: “I’ll go with you.”

His expression was resolute, leaving no room for argument. Wei Yang studied him for a moment, then finally relented: “Fine, let’s make it quick and try to get back before dark.”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t respond, but he followed closely behind without missing a step.

&&&

“Dad, you injured your leg yesterday. Don’t overexert yourself today,” a middle-aged man said as he bent over to address an elderly man seated nearby.

The old man seemed not to hear his son’s words, his gaze fixed on a white cloth canopy not far away. Anyone from the countryside would recognize it as a special canopy used for “relocation burials.” It was smaller than the typical funeral canopy and open on both sides, clearly designed to disperse “grave miasma,” as the most deadly aspect of a burial site was the corpse poison it contained.

However, this canopy was different from the usual relocation burials. Instead of opening the grave at dawn or dusk, or placing the coffin beneath the canopy, they had chosen to open the coffin at noon, exposing the corpse to the sun. This was highly irregular. After all, death was associated with yin energy, and few would choose to open a coffin at midday, fearing that the yang energy would harm the corpse. Many still believed in the existence of lingering spirits after death.

Yet this canopy did the opposite. Not only was the coffin opened and the corpse exposed to sunlight, but a white cloth had also been laid out beside the coffin, along with a two-foot-tall clay jar and several buckets. Scattered on the cloth were some bones, as if they were preparing to remove the bones from the coffin.

This type of burial was uncommon in the north, but those from the south would recognize it as the traditional “secondary burial,” where the bones were removed from the decayed flesh, placed in a golden urn, and re-consecrated. However, secondary burials that involved washing the bones with water were rare, especially in a small village like this, making the scene all the more eerie.

Yet the old man seated in the chair showed no fear. On the contrary, his eyes gleamed with excitement. He waved his hand at his son and croaked, “What do you know? Help me up.”

The man hesitated: “Dad, the grave miasma is too strong. You injured your leg yesterday. You should rest today…”

“That’s not grave miasma!” The old man cut his son off sharply, his eyes burning with intensity. His thin, gnarled hand gripped his son’s arm tightly. “He’s back, do you understand? The one our family has been worshipping is back!”

His voice was low, carrying a manic edge that sent shivers down the spine: “Back then, when Xiao Lan returned the Zhufang, he didn’t come back with her. I could never figure out why, but now I finally understand… it was because the offerings stopped, and he grew angry, refusing to return home. But now, he’s finally willing to come back. We must take good care of him.”

Though he was accustomed to his father’s mystical ramblings, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat. He cleared his throat and said, “Whether or not he’s back, you still need to take care of yourself. That thing is so sinister. If something goes wrong…”

“Sinister my ass!” The old man spat in his son’s face. “That’s the household deity our family has worshipped for generations! You good-for-nothing, don’t talk nonsense!”

Chastised by his father, the man didn’t dare argue. He sighed helplessly and carefully helped the old man to his feet.

Knowing it was time for the bone-washing, the old man struggled to straighten his hunched back. This was no easy task. Aside from the stench of decay and the yin energy emanating from the corpse, the sudden surge of “divine energy” was enough to overwhelm anyone. In just one night, his legs had become too weak to walk, but a fervent emotion kept his spirits high, as if he had returned to his youth.

After trembling for a moment, he finally steadied himself and turned to ask, “Did you bring the Zhufang?”

The man hesitated again: “Dad, can the Zhufang be used in a bone-washing burial?”

Since ancient times, those who dealt with spirits were known as shamans, and those who presided over sacrifices were known as priests. The so-called “Zhufang” was an idol used to house the spirit of a deity. However, the Jiang Family’s traditions had deviated from the norm, and instead of worshipping gods or spirits, they venerated animal immortals. As a result, the appearance of their Zhufang was vastly different from the traditional ones. The one in their family was quite old, and it was said that certain descendants with strong bloodlines could summon the household immortal by holding the Zhufang, making it an indispensable tool in spirit invocation rituals.

However, no matter how miraculous it might be, the Zhufang shouldn’t be used in a bone-washing burial. If it wasn’t the household immortal that was summoned but some wandering ghost from the graveyard, it could lead to disaster.

The old man was clearly aware of this, but there was no hesitation in his expression. Instead, he curled his lips into a smile: “You don’t understand… I always thought something had gone wrong with Xiao Lan back then, but now I finally get it. If the offerings stopped, the immortal wouldn’t return. Look, as soon as that person showed up in the village, there were signs during the bone-washing burial. Now, if we bring the Zhufang here, let the immortal return, and then give the Zhufang to that boy… Heh heh…”

His laughter carried a strange sense of satisfaction, as if he had finally achieved his long-cherished wish. Hearing this dry, hoarse laughter, the man finally shook his head and stopped trying to dissuade his father. He helped the old man kneel before the white cloth.

After helping his father kneel, the man hesitated for a moment, then finally took a small wooden statue from his pocket and placed it reverently in front of the old man. It was a delicate and lifelike fox statue, standing on its hind legs with a bushy tail tucked behind it, though the number of tails wasn’t clear. Seeing the statue, the old man’s face lit up with joy, and he bowed deeply.

In the pale canopy, beside the decaying coffin and the scattered bones, the wooden statue stood silently. Under the midday sun, the fox’s face seemed to curl into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.