69novels Chapter 70 Yin Ling
Chapter 70 Yin Ling
Le Zheng Fengye's expression was serious. He organized his thoughts and replied, "Your feeling is correct. This is a ritual to truly turn the performers into corpses. Those actors are people who travel in the underworld."
"How did you tell that someone is a shaman?" Su Zixu asked curiously.
"Shoes? All those actors are wearing white shoes. Ordinary actors wear costumes according to their roles, but they are all wearing white shoes," Yue Zheng Fengye replied.
He then countered with, "Don't you two think that if you watch this play for a long time, you'll become really engrossed?"
"I had that feeling, but when you started offering the toasts, I suddenly snapped back to reality," Su Zixu said.
"Pah! You dog actors!" Lin Tian muttered under his breath. "These shady actors are summoning spirits; if we get possessed, we'll be in trouble."
"Well, you can't say that. These actors who perform in the underworld are called 'yinling' in the industry. There's no such thing as good or bad yinling. It all depends on what they do. Maybe in their eyes, this play is a good thing for them."
At this point, Lezheng Fengye's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he had thought of something again, but he did not continue speaking in that direction.
Le Zheng Fengye then added, "Lin Tian is right too. Yin Ling uses opera techniques to summon souls, and those who are engrossed in watching the opera will be possessed by the ghosts."
"In short, this family banquet is a disguise for a role reversal. Although we haven't been directly replaced, in the eyes of outsiders, we should look like the owner of this outfit."
"You two must guard yourselves. It's not just this outfit; everything here is trying to assimilate us. The consequence will be that you become like Liu Jia and Zhang Jingjing."
"Senior Liu Ye, do you think... something will happen to them today?" Su Zixu asked.
"I don't know what will happen, but one thing is for sure, things won't be peaceful." Le Zheng Feng Ye's tone was somewhat heavy.
After all the commotion, everyone was exhausted. Although they were in a dream, they seemed to have retained their mental state from before entering the dream.
Su Zixu dozed off in the carriage and fell asleep without realizing it. He only opened his eyes when the carriage suddenly stopped.
Lin Tian also looked dazed, apparently having just woken up, while only Le Zheng Feng Ye remained awake.
Seeing this, Su Zixu scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, senior, I must be too tired..."
Before Su Zixu could finish explaining, he was interrupted by Le Zheng Fengye, "Haha, it's not simply because you're tired. You and Lin girl are too inexperienced, and the old general drained too much of your energy just now. It's not your fault."
"I think it's not just you guys, the others aren't much better off either."
As expected, after Su Zixu got out of the carriage, he found that everyone else also looked sleepy.
At this moment, the butler was already waiting in the front yard square before everyone else. The sunlight shone on the butler's pale face, making him look somewhat unreal.
The butler seemed to be in a good mood and said to everyone with a smile, "Dear friends and relatives, the master has had a very enjoyable evening! You should all go back to your quarters and rest early."
"From Chenshi (7-9 AM) to Shenshi (3-5 PM) is the time for rest in your household. In order to avoid disturbing others and to avoid the summer heat, you should all stay indoors."
"Meals will be delivered to each courtyard at the hour of Xu (7-9 PM)."
"The hour of You (5-7 PM) is the time for paying respects to elders. Juniors are required to kowtow to their elders, and each household takes turns paying respects to the master every day."
"Today it is the turn of the East Wing to be on duty. I hope all the gentlemen of the East Wing will remember this and not miss the appointed time."
After giving his instructions, the steward gestured to the maid standing to the side, then bowed deeply to everyone before leaving.
"Bang—bang—bang—"
A wooden clapper sounded within the mansion: "It's Chen Shi (7-9 AM)—the weather is dry—be careful with fire—"
As the sound faded, the watchman slowly walked towards the west courtyard and then the east courtyard, his footsteps and the sound of the clapper echoing leisurely through the deep alleys of the mansion.
"Miss, what time does the night watchman start at your residence?" Su Wang asked.
"Reporting to Your Excellency, the night watchman begins his watch at dawn and ends at dusk," the maidservant replied respectfully.
After the maid finished speaking, Su Wang bowed slightly to her and said respectfully, "Thank you, Miss."
This contrasting detail was also noticed by most people, including Su Zixu.
"Although this man is arrogant, he is also a smart one." Su Zixu silently examined Su Wang in his heart.
Su Wang originally wanted everyone to chat in the square before returning to the courtyard, but he couldn't get rid of the maid beside him no matter what he said, so he had to give up.
The journey back was silent, and Su Zixu quietly reviewed the time arrangements at the manor in his mind.
The household's bedtime is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Although the steward said it was best to stay in the house and sleep, Su Zixu felt that since he had not explicitly forbidden going out, it should be permissible to go out.
It is customary to greet elders after 5 p.m., as this facilitates communication between them.
Su Zixu thought he should ask Senior Liu Ye for advice on how to pay his respects to the old general later.
"Why is there only one meal a day?" Lin Tian muttered to himself as he walked behind Su Zixu.
"Reporting to Madam, the harvest in the interior this year is poor, and it's also the dry season. The best food on this sandbar is all in our mansion. I dare not let Master hear this."
As the maid spoke, she quickly made a shushing gesture.
Lin Tian was still chatting with the maid behind him, and Su Zixu vaguely felt that Lin Tian was talking a little more.