259: Chapter 257: Yun Family Affairs 259: Chapter 257: Yun Family Affairs A night passed.
On the edge of the extreme lands of the Desert North, a green oasis dotted with sheep and cooking smoke could faintly be seen.
Si Li, in her flowing red robe, resembled a lone flame under the night, making her solitary way atop the desert hills.
Yet beneath her palm, unbeknownst to her, a head had appeared.
Heading south, her destination was Xianling City.
Baili An found no sleep past midnight.
Although the vivid voices from last night’s dream had completely vanished, their message had deeply embedded itself into his heart.
It felt as if some inexplicable power was urging him to hurry and fulfill this mission.
His head throbbed faintly.
Despite meditating for most of the night, he could not settle his Divine Sense.
In two days, the procession for the Ghost Bride would arrive at the Yun Family.
During these two days, Baili An stayed within the Yun estate, and his only communication with Fang Geyu was through written letters.
Fang Geyu’s two other Guest Elder Cultivators remained at the inn, while Lin Guiyuan was taken by Li Beifeng to the secret chambers of the Wandao Immortal Alliance, presumably with other plans in mind.
Although Fang Geyu didn’t specify, Baili An had a vague guess.
She was preparing to counterattack.
Meng Zifei did not send any letters as if he truly feared the legendary Fierce Ghost, and since their parting that night, he had not appeared again.
But Baili An knew that Meng Zifei was no ordinary man; while others may find it difficult to enter the ghostly mansions of the Inner City, if it were him, he would surely find his own way.
Meng Zifei seemed straightforward but was in truth complicated.
Baili An could not fully grasp him and could only remain warily vigilant.
In these two days, Baili An also learned the story of the Yun and Tao families.
Besides his legal wife, Old Master Tao had three concubines.
This time, the one struck with the Ghost Marriage Seal was from one of these concubines, born a royal, named Tao Ziyang, the third daughter.
Tao Ziyang, twenty years old, although born from a concubine, was graceful and stunningly beautiful; she was the most talented among the younger generation of the Tao family, greatly beloved by Old Master Tao.
The Tao family’s third daughter, talented and serene, attracted the interest of the wealthy families in the border city as she grew older.
This naturally included Yun Shulang, the eldest son of the Yun family.
The Yun and Tao families were old friends, and Yun Shulang and Tao Ziyang naturally grew up as childhood sweethearts.
Yun Shulang, being five years her senior, had adored and pampered her since their youth, attentive in every detail.
The marriage between the two families was as natural as water flowing along its course, and the pair was regarded as a match made in heaven by the people of the border city.
The Yun family’s silk-weaving business was flourishing, making them the wealthiest merchants in the border city, and notably, the family of Yun Shulang’s legal mother was deeply connected with the local military.
If one were to be calculating, it was rather the Tao family that aspired to climb the social ladder.
The Tao family was overjoyed at the prospect.
And Yun Shulang loved her for her beauty and understanding nature.
Both families agreed readily, settling the marriage arrangement early on.
However, Baili An felt there was something odd.
Normally, Tao Ziyang, now twenty years old, had already surpassed the usual age for marriage and childbirth for mortals.
If the marriage had been agreed upon early on, why had it been delayed until now?
If judging by social standing alone, the Tao family undoubtedly wished to marry off their daughter sooner to settle the matter, allowing Tao Ziyang to comfortably become the young mistress of the Yun family.
This suggested that the postponement of the wedding might likely be deliberate on the part of Yun Shulang.
But why would he delay the marriage?
Baili An had posed this question to Yun Shulang.
Yun Shulang, tears streaming down his face, had replied, “Since my youth, I’ve immersed myself in literature, believing myself to be knowledgeable and determined to aim for the White Wood Academy in the Inner City, yet I have failed the entrance exams year after year.
“Ziyang surpasses me in both knowledge and talent.
It’s embarrassing to admit, but out of selfish pride, I believe that until I am admitted to White Wood Academy, I am unworthy of marrying Ziyang.”
Of course, Baili An didn’t believe this nonsense.
If that were truly the case, why propose the marriage so early?
If his intentions were genuine, he wouldn’t have hesitated so prolongedly, inadvertently subjecting the lady to gossip and disdain.
Understanding the marriage alliance between the Yun and Tao families didn’t seem to help with the upcoming battle.
However, Baili An was accustomed to meticulous calculation and attention to detail; even a speck of dust was worth observing over and over.
Moreover, the circumstances of the Ghost Marriage Seal were peculiar.
The Yun family’s reservations only made his and Fang Geyu’s upcoming situation more uncertain and dangerous.
Since Yun Shulang was unforthcoming, Baili An turned to the servants for information.
The household staff of the Yun mansion knew Baili An as a Cultivator and treated him with utmost respect.
However, when he inquired about Yun Shulang’s marital matters, they tended to deflect, clearly unwilling to discuss their master’s private affairs.
They respected Baili An, but they also knew that this young Immortal Lord, who had taken on the Ghost Marriage Seal, was likely doomed.
With the fearsome reputation of the Ghost, a single one could stand against ten thousand soldiers in the city!
If merely any Cultivator could subdue the Ghost, then it wouldn’t have wreaked havoc in the Mortal World for three thousand years.
To them, a man soon to die from ghostly calamity, no matter how formidable, was not worth their concern; they would be polite in person, but they weren’t inclined to share sensitive information.
As loyal servants of the Yun family, they wouldn’t dare do anything their master despised or resented.
Unsuccessful in his inquiry, Baili An wasn’t discouraged.
He found a hoe and a pair of scissors in the storeroom and spent the afternoon weeding, chopping firewood, and carrying water with the housemaids and servants.
By evening, he was helping chop vegetables and prepare meals in the kitchen.
He worked diligently and treated everyone kindly, displaying no airs.
With his excellent cooking skills, he quickly became popular among the servant girls and even the formidable old cooks.
Of course, Baili An was not intentionally trying to ingratiate himself with anyone.
He simply saw it as lending a hand while casually engaging in conversation.
However, the effect was surprisingly good, even to his astonishment.
In the kitchen, with sleeves rolled up, stirring the cooking pot, the thick smoke couldn’t obscure the cluster of women gathered around him.
They held sunflower seeds, delicately cracking them, their gazes lingering on Baili An.
Even brooms wielded by the stout old cooks couldn’t drive them away.
A group of twittering young women, whispering and giggling.
Whenever he asked a question, he received three responses.
The kitchen, usually the coldest and busiest place, was unusually lively tonight.
After such a lively evening, Baili An had a crystal-clear understanding of the Yun family’s marital situation.
It turned out that Yun Shulang wasn’t unwilling to marry Miss Tao.
Rather, this eldest son of the Yun family had a flirtatious nature and enjoyed playing the ancient game of hiding beauties in the golden house.
Yun Shulang, five years senior to Tao Ziyang, saw her in her unripe years; she had barely matured in feature, still resembling a child.
Although the families were close, at that time, Yun Shulang cared for her as a sister, without any other intentions.
That year, during the vibrant spring when all things revived, he met a laundry woman by the lakeside.
A young man in bright attire and a spirited horse, fiery passion for a beautiful woman.
In this world, the one thing never lacking is the stories of young men and women meeting and falling in love.