Chapter 265: Infinite Flow: Saving the Crazy Beautiful 24

After entering the courtyard, Nanyu suddenly understood what was meant by 'midday twilight'.

Clearly, when they arrived, the sun was still blazing high, but the moment they stepped into the courtyard, the light faded and heaven and earth changed color.

The sky inside the courtyard was dim and heavy, everything before them seemed frozen, a gloomy wind blew through, yet the hanging red-and-white lanterns remained completely still.

It was as if they had stepped into another time and space.

Jin Chen instinctively tightened his grip on Nanyu's hand, looking toward everything in the courtyard.

In the courtyard stood two large coffins, one red and one black; the black coffin lid bore the symbol for double happiness and had a red silk ribbon draped over it, while the red coffin was engraved with the character for sorrow and had a white silk ribbon.

In the exact center between the two coffins stood a red sedan chair.

Seeing this, Nanyu found it novel, glanced left and right, while Baiyi drew a deep breath and his face turned pale.

The villagers sat scattered about, their expressions solemn—even quieter than at Awa Lao Si's funeral.

It seemed they were not attending a wedding but some ceremony they held in great esteem.

"The Clan Elder is here!" someone called out.

Jin Chen, Nanyu, and Baiyi immediately followed the crowd, casually finding a seat to avoid drawing attention.

The Clan Elder walked in from outside, followed by several sturdy men.

"The Clan Elder looks much more spirited!"

"Yeah, yeah, he doesn't need a cane anymore—has his illness healed?"

Villagers chatted among themselves, obviously pleased with the Clan Elder's change.

Jin Chen and Nanyu exchanged a glance, becoming even more certain that the current Clan Elder was Hexian.

The Clan Elder smiled at the villagers and walked into the center of the main hall.

"Folks, today is a great joy for our Qing Shan Stronghold—this child Awa Gu, whom I've watched grow up, has now married! It also coincides with the reburial day of Awa Lao Si, a double blessing……"

"Yeah, with such a happy occasion, how could this old woman not join in?"

The wine‑shop old woman came from outside the courtyard gate carrying a wine jar, her indigo‑blue attire neat and clean, with silver‑threaded hair coiled inside her headscarf.

Her face was lined with even more wrinkles, yet her eyes shone brightly; she directly interrupted the Clan Elder's words, her tone sarcastic.

The villagers fell silent, clicking their tongues inwardly.

"The Clan Elder and the old woman have always been at odds—how could they both be here?"

"Today is Awa Gu's wedding; it's only natural for everyone to come."

"The old woman is our stronghold's sole goddess, yet why has no new goddess appeared till now, and when was the last oracle?"

Listening to the villagers' words, Jin Chen sat quietly, connecting the clues he'd gathered over the past few days into a line, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Who would have expected the Clan Elder, contrary to his usual demeanor, not to glare at her angrily but to snap a few remarks, then let her sit down and not disturb Awa Gu's great joy.

The wine‑shop old woman regarded him suspiciously, after a long while snorted coldly, and sat down directly.

"The auspicious time has come! Lift the sedan! Welcome the bride—"

The Clan Elder bellowed.

Several men surged from the surroundings, lifted the red sedan, and moved it toward the side gate of the outer courtyard.

The two empty coffins—one red entering the main gate, one black placed straight ahead—seemed to be waiting for something.

A fierce wind rose suddenly, and the courtyard grew ever darker.

Suddenly, the courtyard gate flung open.

Where the main gate had just been empty, suddenly over ten men and women appeared—some carrying the sedan, others standing at the front of the procession blowing suona horns and beating drums.

The women formed two lines, scattering red paper as they walked beside the sedan, holding huge red lanterns, dancing and chanting an obscure, hard‑to‑understand ballad.

They all wore festive red‑and‑green garments, matching square caps, rosy rouge on both cheeks, and a dab of bright red lip color at the center of their lips.

They all wore festive red‑and‑green clothing, square hats of the same color scheme, two bright‑red rouge blobs on each cheek, and a dot of bright‑red lip color at the center of the lips.

The sedan door swung open, so everyone could clearly see the bride seated inside, dressed in bright red bridal attire, without a red veil.

Her complexion was deathly pale with a bluish tint, her eyes lifeless; though her face was covered in red makeup, the cold stiffness beneath was plainly visible, and the hand resting on her knee was as white as paper.

And that bride was precisely the Zhaoling whom Baiyi had said yesterday had been swept away by black qi.

Baiyi was utterly astonished: "It really is her!"

"Yesterday, we should have… come earlier to save her……"

His voice sank, as if hinting at something.

Nanyu gave him a sidelong glance, her eyes deep and quiet, and asked, "Are you blaming Jin Chen?"

"…No, no! It's me—I'm blaming myself."

Baiyi shook his head vigorously, saying nothing.

The suona began to wail.

The team carrying the sedan joyfully ran into the main gate, while the team bearing the black coffin departed; the two groups passed each other head‑on, red and white intertwining, men and women alike laughing and crying, great joy and great sorrow.

Red and white clashing—an extremely ominous portent.

This thought arose in Jin Chen's mind, and he silently heightened his vigilance.

The two teams stopped in the middle of the courtyard road, then suddenly froze.

All those sending off the joy and carrying the coffin turned their heads to look at the guests.

The villagers, as if accustomed to this, although their faces hinted at fear, nonetheless rose in unison, raised their wine bowls, and shouted loudly——

"Red‑white‑red, send forth the joy, red sedan enters, black coffin exits, may blessings protect descendants for myriad generations!"

Among the guests, the only ones not standing were three players who hadn't reacted yet, and the wine‑shop old woman who gave a cold snort.

Seeing everyone's gaze turn toward her, Nanyu felt a bit embarrassed, covered her face, and said, "Oh dear, so shy."

He buried his head in Jin Chen's embrace.

He buried his head in Jin Chen's embrace.

Everyone: "……"

Suddenly, Jin Chen felt a gaze full of malice.

He lifted his gaze and saw that it was the clan elder standing in the foremost position.

Their gazes met in midair; Jin Chen curled his lips, his eyes mocking, as if saying he had already seen through his tricks.

"Why don't you give blessings!"

The clan elder shouted in rebuke.

Nanyu sighed, rose lazily, and mimicked raising his wine cup, saying, "Red-white-red… I forgot the middle, I forgot the end."

He again pulled Jin Chen up, saying, "You also hold it up, you must know the rules."

He stressed the three words "know the rules" heavily, even looking provocatively at the clan elder.

Baiyi also rose shakily.

"This wine must also be drunk!" someone else said.

Jin Chen smelled the wine liquid, just realized it was poisonous, and met the gaze of the wine shop old woman looking over.

In just a moment, he recalled the eyeball-containing wine liquid in the wine shop on the first day.

Could this be the antidote to this poison?

As if seeing through Jin Chen's guess, the wine shop old woman nodded slightly, then averted her gaze.

After a brief thought, Jin Chen still tilted his head back and drank it, then signaled Nanyu with his eyes.

After the guests had all drunk the wine and finished their blessings, the clamor rose again.

This time, the two groups did not weep or laugh loudly; instead, with icy expressions, they carried the sedan into the main gate and the coffin out to the outer courtyard.

Nanyu yawned boredly, leaned against Jin Chen and played with his hand; the latter also indulged, shifting to a posture that lets the person in his embrace be more comfortable while sitting.