This Venerable One Gets Married....
Chu Wanning could still see with the thin red veil hanging before his eyes, but the view was somewhat hazy. Face thus obscured, his expression was composed as he let the ghost attendant lead him to the reception pavilion.
When he looked up at the person standing there through the haze of red though, the temperature around Chu Wanning instantly dropped by several degrees.
Mo Ran was also stunned.
No but…shouldn't it have been Shi Mei?
A veil covered the face of the "bride", standing before him and attired in splendid red. He couldn't see the face behind the veil too clearly, but no matter how he looked at it, it was definitely Chu Wanning's handsome but icy face, currently glaring at him with an air of displeasure and full killing intent.
Mo Ran: "..."
He was stupefied at first, and then his expression began to grow increasingly complicated. All kinds of emotions flashed across his face before finally settling into a strange kind of silence as he stood face to face with Chu Wanning, both of them staring uneasily at each other.
It was then that the golden boy and jade maiden behind them giggled and clapped, and then started to sing.
"Water of the White Emperor, waves sparkling and luminous;
Spirit amant birds greet, bearing blossoms between their beaks.
Within this coffin, two shall join;
Within this sanctuary, two shall lie.
Intent in life, revealed in death.
Henceforth two shall pass beneath the heavens;
Henceforth in death lone souls shall never part."
But, beneath the ghastly verse was an undercurrent of sadness and regret.
If only he could speak, Mo Ran just wanted to say one thing.
——"Ugh."
But he couldn't speak.
There was a pair of paper dolls before the altar, one male, one female. They had no faces, but were lavishly and luxuriously dressed, probably to represent the parents of the ghost couples.
The ceremony official began to chant in a sonorous bellow, "The amorous new bride shies from words, glances tender from beneath lowered lashes, red silk shrouds a delicate smile, may the husband please lift the veil."
"..." Mo Ran had originally been completely unwilling, but hearing these words, he nearly lost his mind trying to hold back his laughter.
Hahahaha, the amorous new bride shies from words, ahahahaha!
Chu Wanning's face was ashen as he tried to suppress his anger, closing his eyes as if that could shut off his hearing too.
The ghost attendant giggled and handed Mo Ran a folding fan; the words for "fan" and "virtuous" were pronounced the same[9], to indicate that this marriage was predestined by fate.
"Groom, please lift the veil."
Mo Ran stifled his laughter and went along with it, using the fan to lift the silken veil hanging before Chu Wanning's eyes. Even his eyelashes quivered with suppressed laughter as he peeked at the stirring expression on Chu Wanning's face.
Seeming to have sensed his mocking gaze, Chu Wanning tried to endure it for a while, but ultimately failed. Fire and lightning danced in his eyes as they snapped open with a murderous aura.
But paired with the red veil clinging to his hair and the scarlet garment adorning his body, although he looked no less fierce, the slight hint of red at the corners of his eyes from the anger and grievance unexpectedly painted quite a uniquely enticing picture.
Looking at eyes like these, Mo Ran startled involuntarily, smile freezing on his face. The Shizun before him suddenly looked just like he had at a certain moment in the past life. The two overlapped in his vision, and he suddenly couldn't tell when he was.
It was only for an instant, but it was enough to drench Mo Ran in cold sweat.
He had once committed three ruthless acts to Chu Wanning:
First: Murder. He had used the killing technique on Chu Wanning.
Second: Humiliation. He had forced Chu Wanning to sate his carnal desires.
Third...
The third had been the most gratifying thing he'd done in his previous life, but it had also been his greatest regret in the end.
Of course the emperor of the human world would never admit to regretting any of his actions, but he never did manage to escape the torment deep in his heart.
Damn. Why did he remember that insane past? Why did he remember the Chu Wanning from those days?
Mo Ran shook his head and bit his lips, arduously trying to erase the face of the Chu Wanning in his memories to look over the person before him now with fresh eyes.
Chu Wanning was still glaring at him with an "I'm going to kill you" kind of gaze. Mo Ran didn't want to provoke this difficult person further, so he could only smile apologetically with a helpless expression.
The ceremony official spoke, "Groom and bride, perform the woguan rite."
The woguan rite dictated that the newlyweds must first clean themselves individually, and then wash the other's hands afterwards.
The ghost attendant brought out a porcelain pot filled with clear water, lifting it in invitation for the two to wash their hands. The poured water flowed into a basin underneath.
Chu Wanning's face was full of loathing, having to wash himself and then the other. Mo Ran was absentminded, and silently washed Chu Wanning's hands without making a fuss, but Chu Wanning was ill-tempered and unceremoniously poured the entire pot on Mo Ran, drenching half his sleeve.
"........."
Mo Ran stared at his drenched sleeve for a while. Who knew where his mind had wandered to, but he was so preoccupied that his face hardly even showed a reaction, only a faint light that drifted across the depths of his ink black eyes.
His heart beat wildly as he thought.
Chu Wanning hadn't changed, he'd never changed.
His every action, every thought, last life and this, all of it was exactly the same, not the slightest bit different…
He raised his head slowly, and for an instant, it felt as if he was back at Sisheng Peak, standing before Wushan Palace as Chu Wanning walked toward him on a long stretch of stairs. In the next moment, he would kneel before Mo Ran; that proud head would touch the ground, that upright spine would bend, and Chu Wanning would prostrate before Mo Ran's feet for a long time.
"Woguan rite complete."
The ghost attendant's abrupt chant roused Mo Ran from his memories.
Suddenly coming to, his eyes met with Chu Wanning's, whose pitch black pupils flashed with a cold light like the reflection of a sword, looking quite terrifying.
Mo Ran: "......…"
…Uh, the past life was the past life, as for something like making Chu Wanning kneel before him, he would have to make do with just thinking about it in this life, the cost of making it happen was truly too great…
After the woguan rite was the tonglao rite, and then the hejin rite.
The ghost attendant chanted slowly, "Husband and wife share a cup of wine, henceforth together until the end of the world."
Wine cups were exchanged in the hejin rite, and after that was the ritual bowing to heaven and earth.
Chu Wanning's phoenix eyes narrowed dangerously; he looked like he really was about to lose it, he was so angry. When this was all over, Mo Ran wouldn't be surprised if he chopped the ghost mistress of ceremonies into mud at the very least.
But he really couldn't look too closely at Chu Wanning when he was like this.
Even just one extra glance and he risked falling back into those chaotic, filthy memories, unable to free himself.
"First bow——to heaven and earth——"
Mo Ran thought that even if they were playing along, with Chu Wanning's proud temperament, there was no way he would kneel. But unexpectedly, in order to finish what he started, Chu Wanning closed his eyes, brows twitching, and actually knelt down. Together, the two touched their brows to the ground.
"Second bow——to parents——"
Fine then, kneeling for the faceless paper dolls. Could those even be called one's parents?
"Third bow——husband and wife to each other——"
Chu Wanning's thick eyelashes were lowered as he turned and knelt directly and swiftly without so much as sparing Mo Ran a single glance, but his teeth were tightly clenched.
Who would've known that the two had such poor coordination and had knelt a bit too close. As they bowed, their heads knocked together with a thud.
Chu Wanning sucked in a breath from the pain, holding his forehead and raising teary eyes to glare vengefully at Mo Weiyu, who was also rubbing his forehead.
"..." Mo Ran could only mouth soundlessly, "Sorry."
Chu Wanning didn't speak, face gloomy, and rolled his eyes.
After that was the jiefa rite, with the ceremony official chanting, "Cording hair to become husband and wife, conjugal love never to be doubted." The ghost attendant offered a pair of golden scissors, and Mo Ran couldn't help but flinch, worried that Chu Wanning might just stab him to death in his displeasure. The thought indeed seemed to have passed through Chu Wanning's mind, but in the end they only cut a lock of hair from each other and placed them into a brocade pouch presented by the golden boy and jade maiden, to be kept by the "bride" Chu Wanning.
Mo Ran really wanted to ask, I know you're pissed, but you wouldn't use my hair to curse me or make a voodoo doll or something, right?
The ceremony official chanted, "Ceremony——complete——"
They both sighed in relief and stood up. But unexpectedly, the ceremony official continued,
"The auspicious hour has arrived, enter the bridal chamber[12]——"
What. The. Hell!!!
Mo Ran froze instantly.
And nearly spat out a mouthful of blood!
What kinda joke was this, if he dared to consummate with Chu Wanning, this wedding really would become a fucking ghost wedding! Sure, the saying went that if one should die beneath a peony flower[13], one would still be charming as a ghost, but in this lifetime he wanted…no wait, in both lifetimes he wanted the virtuous Shi Mei, not this cold-blooded demon Chu Wanning who would tie up anyone who coveted him and toss them into a mud pond!!
Was it too late to flee the marriage?
Author's Notes:
Oh, about the wedding verses, originally I planned to search for ones from traditional customs, but I couldn't find anything in depth. Also ghost weddings are not performed the same ways as normal weddings, therefore the lyrics must be different as well. Critics please don't nitpick too much at it.
Also a few details have been deliberately added to the lyrics. Once the entire story is updated, those of you who are interested can come back here and revisit. You will realize these wedding verses are not completely gibberish, there is deeper meaning.
Runs away. Look, bridal chamber time, I don't have to livestream eating turd!