Ji Yuan, with the civil and military officials in front and the military judges behind, led everyone on the road to the underworld. It was dark all around. After leaving the underworld office area, the shapes of mountains and trees could be vaguely seen, and the outline of a city appeared in the distance.
As soon as they arrived at the ghost town, a small bulge appeared on the clothes in Ji Yuan's arms, and then a small paper crane flew out, flew around Ji Yuan several times, and then flew directly into the ghost town.
"Don't run around. If you get lost, you'll have to trouble others to find you."
The paper crane paused in the air, flew up and down a few times, and then continued to fly into the city.
Ji Yuan's words were of course a joke. The paper crane might get lost, but it would never lose him. When it arrived at a place like a city, the paper crane would often fly out and observe others. Perhaps in its eyes, a ghost town was also an ordinary city.
Although the paper crane briefly attracted everyone's attention, their footsteps never stopped. Ji Yuan and Wen Pan talked about some things in the underworld from time to time. Wu Pan at the back was mainly looking after Zhang Rui and Wang Li.
The environment of the underworld was completely different from what Wang Li had imagined, because it was much more orderly than he had imagined, but it was also exactly the same as what Wang Li had imagined, because the eerie and terrifying feeling was lingering, and there were many ferocious ghosts among the underworld officials around, which made Wang Li dare not leave more than three feet away from Ji Yuan. At this time, as a mortal, he instinctively shrank to Ji Yuan's side to find a sense of security.
Although Zhang Rui was a little nervous, after all, she had been to the underworld of Changyang Prefecture, so she did not feel uncomfortable with the environment, and she was not worried at all about safety.
Seeing that Wang Li was obviously frightened and both he and Zhang Rui didn't dare to speak, Wu Pan took the initiative to speak.
"You two don't have to be so reserved. Just communicate normally. Although the underworld is the realm of the dead, it also has order."
Wang Li forced a smile and his eyes fell on the two teams of ghost messengers accompanying him. Some of them had chains around their waists, some carried swords, and some held guns. Most of them looked extremely terrifying, and the sense of oppression was really too strong.
Wu Pan looked at Wang Li, followed his gaze to look at Yin Cha, and said thoughtfully.
"The most common situations faced by the underworld's Yin Messengers are living souls and evil spirits. Each Yin Messenger has his own evil aura to intimidate the villains. That's why there are many evil creatures and evil spirits. When they see the Yin Messenger, they either run away directly or dare not resist. However, this does not mean that they are hideous and evil. On the contrary, only those who are kind-hearted and have extraordinary abilities can be Yin Messengers."
"Oh, I see. My apologies!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Li walked and bowed slightly to the underworld officials around him. As the judge of the underworld, there was no need for him to lie to a mortal like him. Even if he didn't believe it, Wang Li didn't dare to refute it.
Seeing Wang Li like this, the ghost officials around him nodded and smiled at him. However, except for a few of them, the smiles of most of the ghost officials were more terrifying than normal.
Ji Yuan in front looked back at Wang Li, shook his head and smiled, and seeing that the people in the underworld seemed to be interested in Wang Li and Zhang Rui, he spoke.
"This person is Wang Li, the storyteller who wrote "The Fate of the White Deer". Zhang Rui over there once received the favor of my white deer. Now she is a person of the Shinto sect. Well, she has neglected her cultivation."
Hearing Mr. Ji say this about her, even Zhang Rui, who was a person of such personality, couldn't help but feel embarrassed. It felt like she was being criticized by an elder for not doing her job properly.
The story of Bai Lu Yuan has spread throughout the country for more than 20 years, and it is well-known to everyone in Gyeonggi Province. It is also possible that the underworld has heard of it, so the surrounding ghosts and gods look at Wang Li differently.
After the group entered the ghost town, the ghost messengers dispersed, leaving only two judges accompanying them, and everyone's pace slowed down.
Wang Li looked at the people around him who seemed to be living a normal life in the city. He knew in his heart that they must be ghosts, but he was still curious. However, if any "person" looked at him, he did not dare to look them in the eye and would immediately look away.
Walking along the main road, through the alleys, across the streets, and across the small bridges, after walking for a long time in this ghost town that was gloomy yet somewhat beautiful, Ji Yuan saw a rather imposing mansion, and Wen Pan pointed to the front and said.
"Mr. Ji, that is the Zhou family tomb. Mr. Zhou is only half full of Yin energy left. Should we go in or..."
Ji Yuan shook his head.
"It's better to wait outside and not disturb the couple's last moment."
While speaking, Ji Yuan's Dharma Eyes were fully opened and the aura of the entire underworld ghost town was visible to him. Whether in front of his eyes or in his peripheral vision, those grand and tidy tombs and streets vaguely revealed the shadow of a tomb.
Bai Ruo's husband is named Zhou Niansheng, which is just one surname different from the old beggar's name, so Ji Yuan has a relatively better impression of him. Compared with the nominal fairy beast white deer, Ji Yuan is actually more concerned about this Master Zhou Niansheng.
"As I expected, the entanglement must be one of the main reasons for 'that incident'!"
Ji Yuan was thinking in his mind, so his Dharma eyes were already fully open. He was gazing at the tomb from afar, watching the two main auras rising from it.
At this moment, Yu Guangzhong saw a few paper people carrying baskets slowly walking towards him.
"Make way, everyone, make way..."
The voice of the paper figures was very dull, and their walking posture was strange. The exaggerated makeup on their faces was particularly creepy. Wang Li and Zhang Rui both made way. Ji Yuan and the two judges also made way and let the paper figures walk towards Zhou Mansion.
When several paper figures arrived in front of the mansion, the gate of Zhou's mansion opened, and several paper figures who looked like servants came out and hung new white lanterns in front of the gate. The word "囍" was written on the left and right lanterns.
"Mr. Ji, Sister Bai and the others?"
Zhang Rui couldn't help but ask Ji Yuan a question. She couldn't understand the scene in front of her.
Ji Yuan glanced at the two judges who seemed to be deep in thought. When it came to relationships between men and women, he wasn't an expert, but he also felt a little emotional.
"What is love in this world? It makes people pledge to be together through life and death..."
Wang Li, who was originally frightened, suddenly had his eyes brightened up and wanted to take a pen to write it down immediately, but the situation did not allow him to do so. He could only memorize it in his heart and hope that he would not forget it.
Zhang Rui's eyes became dazed after hearing this. She also heard the two judges slightly bowing to Ji Yuan. The wise man's words expressed all the feelings of the world.
…
In Zhou's tomb, at this moment, there are about thirty or forty paper figures of all sizes, men and women, busy at work. There is no sound of conversation, and no one is slacking off. Although clumsy, they complete their work meticulously. Some are hanging lanterns, some are holding white silk, and some are tidying up the courtyard. If ordinary people saw this piece of white, they would think that a funeral is being held, but in fact, all the paper figures posted are "囍" characters.
If all the white in the Zhou Mansion were painted red, it would definitely be a grand wedding, but this wedding did not seem to have the intention of entertaining guests.
At this moment, Zhou Niansheng was lying on the bed powerlessly, looking no longer like an old man. Instead, he looked very young, and was looking at Bai Ruo in the room with a smile on his face.
He saw his wife wearing a white shirt and a white silk skirt, sitting at the dressing table dressing herself up. Although he couldn't see his wife's face, Zhou Niansheng knew that she must be feeling very uncomfortable.
"Ruo'er, don't be sad. At least I can give you a wedding before I leave."
In the world of the living, when common people get married, in addition to the usual rules of formal marriage, they also need to report to heaven and earth and respect their parents, and various sacrificial activities are indispensable. In order to save trouble, Zhou Niansheng never really married Bai Ruo in his entire life in the world of the living. That regret may never be fully made up, but at least it can be made up in part.
"It's a pity that there is no matchmaker, no parents, and..."
"Stop talking... Husband, stop talking..."
Bai Ruo didn't look back. She held the pearl flower in front of the dressing table and stared blankly at herself in the mirror. After looking down at the stage, she finally turned around and forced a smile at Zhou Niansheng.
"Husband, let me go see if you've bought the rouge and powder."
"Um."
Listening to her husband's weak voice, Bai Ruo walked out of the house, closed the door, and stood against the door for a long time before she walked away. She thought she had already prepared herself for the twenty-six years of companionship in the underworld, but when the moment really came, how could she let go calmly
Paper figures are sometimes very convenient, but sometimes very stupid. Bai Ruo walked to the front yard and saw several paper figures who had gone out to buy things circling back and forth in front of the front hall. It was because the basket of the paper figure in front had spilled the round buns inside and they rolled out. It picked up a few, and the basket would tip over and a few more would fall out. This cycle would never be complete, and the paper figures behind would follow closely.
However, everything inside and outside the Zhou Mansion was almost ready. Bai Ruo walked to the living room absentmindedly, took the basket of the paper man in front, and the other paper men stopped.
After taking rouge and powder from one of the baskets, Bai Ruo was about to go back to her room. When she turned around, she suddenly saw a paper bird perched on the lintel of the door in the mansion.
There are many paper products in the underworld, so it is not impossible that there are paper birds, but this paper bird gave Bai Ruo a very spiritual feeling, as if it was really looking at her, or even thinking about something.
Just as Bai Ruo smiled and was about to stop looking, the paper bird over there suddenly flapped its wings at her, then turned an angle and flapped its wings towards the outside.
'Outside?'
Bai Ruo was stunned for a moment, thought about it, and walked towards the gate.
"Crunch, squeak, squeak..."
The gate of the courtyard opened with the sound of wooden hinges. In Bai Ruo's sight, Mr. Ji, the civil and military judges, and another man and woman were standing outside the courtyard, which made her stunned again.
Since the door was open, the people outside couldn't pretend not to see it, so Ji Yuan nodded towards Bai Ruo.
"It's been 26 years since we last met. It has a beginning and an end."
Ji Yuan's words had two meanings, but only Bai Ruo who was present could understand the second meaning. The latter finally reacted after hearing Ji Yuan's words. She immediately walked a few steps out, put down her rouge and powder, and bowed deeply to Ji Yuan. She wanted to call herself a disciple and then respectfully call Ji Yuan Master, but she knew she was not qualified. Just calling him Mr. also did not express her gratitude, so she thought of a saying just before she opened her mouth.
"Bai Ruo pays respect to the master!"
After saying this, Bai Ruo raised his head and looked at Ji Yuan. When an impulse arose in his heart, he had already knelt down and the words came out of his mouth.
"Master, please be merciful. You are my and Zhou Lang's second parents. I beg you to witness my last fight!"
Ji Yuan looked up at the festive decorations in the Zhou Mansion. He knew what Bai Ruo was asking for. It was not too much, and he, Ji Yuan, also felt that he was qualified.
"Well, today you and your wife are getting married, and we are the guests. Everyone, follow me in."
"Yes!" "Obedience is worse than respect!"
Zhang Rui picked up the rouge and powder on the ground, walked to Bai Ruo and helped her up.
"Sister Bai, let me help you with your makeup."
"You are... um!"
Bai Ruo didn't recognize Zhang Rui at first, but the grateful look in her eyes vaguely reminded her of the past.