The group walked from the main road to a small path, circling around the small mountain. They almost took the wrong route along the way, and by the time they reached the village, it was already quite dark.

“

Woof, woof, woof

...”

The unfamiliar visitors caused a flurry of barking.

There was more than one dog in the village, and the barking echoed like a stone thrown into a still pond. The sounds of barking from both the front and back of the village rose and fell, responding to each other in waves.

“We’re just passing through. We’re not bad people, and have no ill intentions. Please remain calm, everyone.”

With that, the dogs in front of them quieted down.

The swordsman, holding his sword, watched and found it quite intriguing. However, while the nearby dogs had stopped barking, the distant barking had not ceased. The sound echoed through the mountain valleys, undisturbed in the dusk.

More dogs kept coming, drawn by the noise. Some, seeing that their village companions had quieted, also stopped barking, while others, more independent, kept barking despite their companions' silence.

“Everyone, please go back.” Song You had to persuade them patiently to calm down.

Someone from the village opened a door to look out.

To avoid scaring the villagers, the swordsman placed his sword in the horse's saddlebag and hurried forward.

“Who are you?”

“Old man, greetings! We are passing through from Changjing, on our way to Hezhou. We miscalculated the distance and couldn't reach the next town, so we were hoping to trade for some food here,” Shu Yifan said politely, cupping his fists in front of the door, speaking with respect.

“No, no...”

“We are not here to cause trouble, nor are we asking for charity. We can trade money for food,” Shu Yifan added, sensing the old man's apprehension. “You don’t even need to open the door. You can just pass the food through the door gap or the window.”

“No, no...”

“...” Shu Yifan's face showed a hint of helplessness.

Even the number one swordsman in the world couldn't do much about this kind of thing.

At that moment, Song You stepped up behind him. He bowed to the old man, and softly said, “Don't be afraid, old sir. I am a Daoist, passing through this area. I only wish to buy some food and perhaps get some water if you have any. If so, I would be very grateful. If not, we will leave without causing any trouble.”

The old man eyed him.

In the fading light, he saw Song You was wearing a Daoist robe, looking somewhat familiar. He glanced at Shu Yifan, still not entirely reassured, but spoke truthfully, “We've already eaten tonight, there’s no food left. The jar has been empty for a while, and we don't know what we’ll eat tomorrow either. We have nothing to sell to you, young sir...”

“Is it really that poor here?”

“Everywhere is like this.”

“So what do you usually eat, old sir?”

“Whatever we can find, we eat.”

“I see.” Song You nodded, indicating he understood.

Ordinary people didn’t always have food to eat. There were times when they simply couldn’t afford a meal, and at such times, they could only eat whatever was available in the season.

That was why people knew so many ways to prepare things like elm seeds and locust flowers, or what wild vegetables tasted like, and how to tell which roots were sweet, which stems could stave off hunger, and which tender shoots were inedible.

After a bow to thank him, they were about to leave when the old man spoke again, “Young sir.”

“What else do you need, old sir?”

“If you really want to get some food, you could try asking over at Sir Ding’s house at the east end of the village.”

“East end of the village?”

“The first house at the east end,” the old man said, pausing for a moment before lowering his voice. “Sir Ding is holding a wedding. If you go, say something nice, and you might be able to get some food.”

“Thank you, old sir.”

“...” The old man waved his hand, and the door creaked shut.

“I thought I could save you some trouble, but it seems I've only caused you more,” the swordsman said, lowering his gaze with a hint of guilt.

“You’ve already saved me a lot of trouble,” Song You smiled. “If there's anything to blame, it's only that you possess such an extraordinary and heroic presence, exuding a chivalrous aura. Now that it's already dark, it's natural for you to draw attention and make people cautious, so there's no need to blame yourself.”

“...” The swordsman finally let out a sigh of relief and looked into the distance. “This village seems quite large.”

“It’s not small.”

“East end of the village...” Shu Yifan looked up at the sky.

Stars were already visible. He lowered his head and pointed in a direction. “This way.”

The group continued on in the dark.

The night fell quickly, as if with every step, the light dimmed more. Luckily, the stars above were multiplying. Though dim, the starlight was enough to keep them from stumbling in complete darkness.

“Strange...” Shu Yifan frowned, speaking as they walked. “Wasn't it said that the village head’s family was holding a wedding? Why is there no sound of drums or celebration, and it’s so quiet?”

“Perhaps it’s a special wedding.”

“Special wedding...”

Weddings were usually held at dusk. Though it was getting late, it was still just past evening, so even if the drums had stopped, there should still have been wedding festivities or guests being entertained. Yet, as they walked, not only was the village eerily quiet with only the sound of barking dogs, but it seemed no one had even gone to Sir Ding’s house to visit.

“This should be the place, right?” Shu Yifan looked around and confirmed that this was indeed the first house at the east end of the village, the only wealthy household, and not just any wealthy one. He approached and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock

...

As Shu Yifan knocked on the door, he pressed his ear against it. Soon, footsteps could be heard from inside.

Shu Yifan quickly pulled his head back.

Creaaak

...

The door opened.

“Who’s there?” A servant holding a white lantern stood at the doorway, with a few others behind him. Their attire was decent, and they were all looking outside.

The servant raised the lantern to illuminate the people outside.

“You are...?”

“Greetings.” This time, it was Song You who spoke. “My name is Song You, from Yizhou, traveling from Changjing. We’re passing through your village. Since it's getting dark, we were hoping to ask for some water and, if convenient, buy some food.”

“You’re not a guest?” The servant turned to look at the master behind him. Behind him, an elderly man in splendid robes leaned forward, his face illuminated by the lantern.

He looked at Song You, asking, “A Daoist priest?”

“I am a wandering Daoist, traveling through this place.”

“Are you a real Daoist priest or a fake one?”

“I have my certificate as proof.”

“May I see it?”

“Of course.”

Song You then took out his certificate and handed it to them.

The elderly man examined the lantern carefully, scrutinizing it before he was somewhat convinced, though still hesitant. “Where are you headed?”

“To Hezhou,” Song You answered politely. “We originally planned to go to Huaichang County, but we were delayed on the road and couldn’t make it in time.”

After speaking, Song You turned his gaze toward the elder. The elder also examined them from head to toe.

“If I may ask...”

“Where will you be staying tonight?”

“If we can stay in the village, that would be best. If not, we’ll make do and find a place to rest for the night.”

“Not continuing your journey?”

“It’s getting dark, and Huaichang is still far away. We won’t be traveling anymore.”

“We’re receiving guests at our house...” The elder’s gaze flickered, as if weighing something. After a pause, he said, “Never mind, guests are guests, and fate brought us together. Please, come in. Just tie your horses at the gate.”

This elder, along with the others behind him, had originally come out to welcome the guests. Upon seeing that the newcomers were not here as formal guests, they still welcomed Song You and his party inside.

“Thank you, old sir.”

“Hong Er, take the guests to the back courtyard. Go to the kitchen and bring a few dishes to fill their stomachs.”

“Understood.”

“No need for that,” Song You said. “We only need some portable food and a couple of pots of water.”

“We have no shortage of food. Since you've made it this far, I consider it my fate with you, sir,” the elder replied.

“Then, many thanks, old sir.”

“Please follow me.” The servant, named Hong Er, led the way.

“Thank you.” Song You followed him.

Shu Yifan took his sword, glanced back at the horses belonging to him and his master. Confident in his skills and bravery, he had no reason to worry and quickly caught up.

“Oh...” The servant finally noticed the sword Shu Yifan was carrying.

“Don't worry,” Song You said. “This is my friend. He’s only carrying a weapon for protection, as there are many unsavory people in the world.”

“This way, please...”

The household was indeed quite large, with courtyards stacked one after the other, all connected. The servant led them to a rear courtyard, not allowing them into the house but treating them with respect.

Soon, he returned with a table and two stools. When he saw the calico cat that Song You had brought with him, he was momentarily startled, but quickly reminded him to keep the cat under control. After Song You assured him, the servant left to bring oil lamps and food.

The light was dim and yellow, not bright enough to fully illuminate the courtyard, but enough to reveal the dishes on the table.

These were special dishes meant for a banquet, still warm.

“Please, enjoy.”

“Thank you.”

“I'll go back to my duties.”

“Thank you.”

The servant took his lantern and left.

“Sir...”

“Eat up.”

Song You took a small bowl reserved for Lady Calico from his pouch, and the three of them—himself, Shu Yifan, and the cat—began to eat.

Since leaving Changjing, they had only entered a city once, and even then, it was just to eat a bowl of hat-shaped dumplings and buy some meat. Most of the time, they had been eating dry rations or cooking something for themselves outdoors. The dishes before them today were the best they had had since setting out on their journey, and certainly much better than the meals ordinary people could have.

For a moment, they were thoroughly enjoying the meal. As they ate, the host came again.

This time, it wasn’t the elderly man, but another middle-aged man, who was also dressed neatly. He brought some steamed buns and local fried meat, glancing at them cautiously. “I hope the two of you are enjoying the meal?”

“Very well, thank you for your hospitality.”

“These are for you to take with you. If you need to fill your water, just call for the servant,” the middle-aged man said politely.

“Originally, as guests, and with the master being a respected Daoist master, we should have offered you a place to stay. However, it's not convenient for us to invite you to stay over tonight, so we can only ask you to continue your journey after you finish eating. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Not at all.” Song You immediately put down his chopsticks, raised his head, and met his gaze. As he spoke, he kept looking at the man, “We only sought some water and food, and yet you’ve treated us with such fine food and wine. We are already deeply grateful. If you continue to apologize like this, you will be offending us.”

“Sir, you’re truly an elegant man.” The middle-aged man paused for a moment, then added, “By the way, if you don't mind, the Ding family has a few houses on the west side of the village. They are uninhabited and don't have beds, but they can shelter you from the wind and rain.”

“Thank you.”

“After you finish eating, I will have Hong Er take you there.” After saying a few words, the middle-aged man hurriedly left again.

Song You soon understood.

There were no signs of a wedding in this village or in this household. It was already dark; there was no sound of gongs or drums, nor were there any grand banquets, yet they had prepared feast-like dishes and were welcoming guests. He had caught a fleeting glimpse of the hall earlier, noticing some decorations—indicating that a wedding was indeed taking place.

There was only one possibility—a ghost marriage.

Ghost marriages had existed since ancient times. They were once prohibited by the government due to the waste of human and material resources, but most dynasties did not forbid them.

The Great Yan Dynasty did not forbid them either. On the contrary, such marriages were quite popular, mainly because people believed in geomancy, spirits, and other forms of metaphysics. Typically, when unmarried children of wealthy families passed away, a ghost marriage would be arranged.

Usually, they would find a recently deceased person of the opposite sex of appropriate age, calculate their horoscopes, hold a wedding, and then bury the two together.

According to Great Yan customs, ghost marriages were not held at dusk but at midnight, and there would be no grand feast for guests. Instead, only a few close witnesses would attend the ceremony, followed by a simple meal, after which everyone would go their separate ways.

However, this was Song You’s first time encountering one.