“I am surnamed Wei, a wedding guest… I must see Master Shangren!”

Outside the side gate of Ganye Temple, before the wedding procession for Lord Chai’s marriage to the County Princess of Linfen, four or five maids holding items and torches stared blankly at the unfamiliar young lady sitting elegantly in the carriage. The young man leading them sneered:

“A wedding guest hiding in the bridal carriage? How peculiar—whose custom is this? If you ask me, you look more like a thief taking advantage of the chaos!”

Wei Shubin was furious. She wanted to grab something and hurl it at his arrogant face. There was something heavy in her hands… what was this?

Looking down, she hastily placed the valuable gilt-silver hand warmer back in the carriage.

“I am not a thief! If you don’t believe me, take me to see Master Shangren—she knows me!” Wei Shubin angrily retorted, and unable to contain herself, added: “Randomly accusing people of being thieves should be punished! You’re so young—try to accumulate some virtue with your words!”

The young man outside raised his eyebrows. In the torchlight, one could see he was only sixteen or seventeen, yet he wore a purple satin robe with large floral patterns embroidered on the chest and stomach, with a gold-adorned jade belt at his waist—formal attire permitted only for officials of the third rank and above, typically appearing quite noble. However…

However, this young man was far too thin, swimming in the purple robe, and his face bore such an insufferably haughty expression that it wasted the fine clothing. He opened his mouth, about to say something cutting when a middle-aged maid beside him suddenly leaned forward and exclaimed:

“Isn’t this the young lady from Minister Wei’s household?”

“Minister Wei’s household?” The young man frowned, unconsciously taking a step back.

“Yes indeed. When the Zixu Temple started the Women’s Study Society, Young Lady Wei attended frequently and was close with Master Shangren. That’s right, back then Young Lady Wei was always with Princess Su of the Eastern Palace…”

Wei Shubin also recognized this middle-aged maid—she was Jingxuan, one of Master Shangren Chai Yinglu’s capable assistants. Yes, she was normally a Daoist priestess, but now presumably accompanying her mistress in temporarily returning to secular life for three days.

Around the seventh year of Zhenguan, Chai Yinglu had started a “Women’s Study Society” at her inner temple “Zixu Temple,” occasionally inviting wives and daughters of meritorious officials in the capital to attend lectures and discussions. The wives and daughters of Minister Wei’s household were naturally among those invited. Master Shangren of Zixu Temple came from a prestigious background and had considerable influence—talented women like Imperial Consort Xue of the Upper Palace, the widowed mother of the five successful Cui sons from Qinghe, the capital’s foremost Buddhist nun Dharma Master Jingming, and the octogenarian Medicine King Sun Simiao had all appeared to give talks at her society. Over the years, the Zixu Temple in the imperial garden, with its brocade decorations and fragrant clouds, had become the capital’s most fashionable gathering place for noble ladies.

Because her father Wei Zheng was the court’s premier minister, Wei Shubin naturally drew attention to the society and was quite familiar with this Daoist priestess Jingxuan. The priestess was said to be Chai Yinglu’s former nurse who later took religious vows alongside her young mistress. She usually managed all the temple’s affairs. Now recognizing Wei Shubin, she hurriedly came forward to carefully help her down from the carriage, chattering all the while:

“Look at my poor eyesight—it’s too dark outside, I didn’t recognize you at first… How did the young lady end up in the bride’s carriage? Your father and mother are in the front courtyard, they arrived before dark. Did young lady come to meet with Minister Wei and his wife?”

Wei Shubin’s legs went weak, and she nearly lost her balance, steadying herself by grabbing the carriage shaft. She quickly said:

“I have urgent business with Master Shangren—I cannot see my parents first! Master Jingxuan, please trouble yourself to take me directly to see Master Shangren!”

“Is that so?” Jingxuan looked somewhat troubled. “Young lady, please forgive me, but I was ordered to help decorate the bridal carriage… You know Master Shangren’s temperament—she cannot be disobeyed. If I fail to follow her orders, I’ll be severely punished… Ah, right—Fourteenth Young Lord!”

The other maids had already begun scattering dates, chestnuts, and coins inside the bridal carriage. The tall, thin young man held a torch to provide light and turned his head when Jingxuan called out to him.

“I cannot leave the bridal carriage, would Young Lord Fourteen please take Young Lady Wei to find Yingniang inside? You’re free anyway…”

What… what kind of arrangement was this? Wei Shubin was momentarily stunned. In the dead of night, a lone man and woman meeting for the first time—how could they just walk together?

That tall, thin Fourteenth Young Lord also seemed startled, apparently thinking the same thing. He glanced at Wei Shubin but asked:

“Is this truly Minister Wei Xuancheng’s daughter? Aunt Jing, are you sure you haven’t mistaken her?”

“Listen to what Young Lord Fourteen is saying—how could my old eyes mistake such a delicate young lady?” Jingxuan’s face wrinkled with smiles. “Besides, Young Lord, doesn’t she look like Minister Wei? The thin face, pointed chin, and those fierce eyes…”

Wei Shubin vaguely recalled hearing people discuss in the Zixu Temple Women’s Study Society that although Master Jingxuan was a religious person, her greatest pleasure in life was matchmaking between men and women…

“Aunt Jing, I don’t think this is appropriate…”

“Oh, what’s inappropriate about it? I’m just too busy! Young Lord Fourteen, what did you say to Yingniang earlier? That we should call on you for any task? I think this task is quite suitable—I’ll leave Young Lady Wei to you then.”

Jingxuan had fully assumed the air of a manager. Having given her instructions, she lifted her skirts and climbed into the bridal carriage, burying herself in arranging the items inside, no longer paying attention to them.

That Fourteenth Young Lord shook his head helplessly, glanced at Wei Shubin again, and without a word of acknowledgment, started walking toward the temple gate with his torch held high.

What to do?

Wei Shubin hesitated only for a heartbeat before gritting her teeth and following the tall, thin young man. Staying at the gate would be useless—only by finding Master Shangren Chai Yinglu quickly and pleading her case in person would there be hope of escaping her current predicament.

The tall, thin young man had long legs and took large strides, showing no intention of slowing down to wait for her. After a few steps, Wei Shubin was forced to lift her skirts and break into a small run, chasing after the torch in the air as they passed through the side gate, suddenly feeling as if they had fallen into a forest of dancing ghost shadows.

The small path inside the gate was overgrown with weeds, with shrubs higher than shoulder height on both sides. Who knew how long this path and gate had been abandoned? The sound of the tall, thin young man’s footsteps crushing grass stems was audible, though gradually drowned out by Wei Shubin’s panting.

Just whose Fourteenth Young Lord was this? So cold, arrogant, and sharp-tongued.

He wore a purple robe, which should indicate a person of high rank, yet he was at the side gate of Ganye Temple with servants to prepare the bridal carriage—and incidentally caught a runaway bride—while allowing a servant-status maid to order him around. How could a noble of the third rank be doing such menial tasks?

In all great households of the time, the main gate was reserved for the master and guests, while servants and laborers used the side gates for deliveries. The side gate of Ganye Temple wasn’t far from the main gate—the shouts and clamor of the wedding procession could be faintly heard. The tall, thin young man led with the torch while Wei Shubin followed with small, hurried steps. As they moved toward the direction of the noise, winding through several turns, the building eaves on both sides grew taller, and the darkness of night deepened.

Suddenly, a large shadow flashed through the tall grass, startling Wei Shubin. Fourteenth Young Lord immediately called out:

“Yang Da!”

A tall and robust figure, towering like a pagoda, emerged from beside the path, instantly filling the sky. The man’s breathless voice carried a laugh:

“Fourteenth Young Lord! Thank goodness—save me! Master Shangren is too cruel. The men she stationed to tease the groom are all tough fellows, chasing me in circles trying to beat me to death!”

Wei Shubin stepped back, craning her neck and almost standing on tiptoes to see the broad-shouldered, strong-featured young man who had burst from the tall grass. Fourteenth Young Lord replied:

“Stop talking nonsense—the groom-teasers are all women, where are these men you speak of? Where’s Yingniang?”

“Some of these women are built like men… Master Shangren is inside the main gate, directing the women to block the entrance and stop us!”

The towering Yang Da barely glanced at Wei Shubin, paying her little attention, probably assuming she was a maid. He turned to walk alongside the Fourteenth Young Lord, talking and laughing as they went:

“I, Yang Xinzhi, have helped many brothers in the team take brides, but usually we just recite poems and ask for money at the gates. Who’d expect Master Shangren to be so mischievous? The main gate is sealed tight as a drum, and while we’re outside beating gongs and drums, we almost have to bring up battering rams! Just when we built up momentum, Yingniang went and lit three huge bonfires inside the main gate and started throwing firecrackers in them—is this New Year’s ghost-driving? We had no choice—several tall fellows climbed over the corner tower of the wall, shouting to draw away the women guarding the gate. But who knew Yingniang had anticipated even this and stationed people below the wall, each wielding clubs this thick, chasing us around the courtyard aiming for our heads…”

As Yang Xinzhi talked and gestured animatedly in the torchlight, the Fourteenth Young Lord couldn’t help but smile, and even Wei Shubin, despite her troubled mind, found herself breaking into a grin. They passed through a moon gate, and suddenly everything brightened—the sounds of gongs and drums, firecrackers, shouts, running feet, and laughter all mixed together. They had reached Ganye Temple’s main courtyard.

A waning moon hung high in the night sky, and candlelight flickered in the majestic hall, though both paled in comparison to the three huge bonfires blazing inside the courtyard gate. Firecrackers still crackled in the three bonfires, continuously sending up blue smoke. Almost everyone in the courtyard had gathered around the bonfires, while the Chai family’s wedding party still struggled to break through the main gate. The clamor from both sides of the gate made it impossible to distinguish what people were shouting.

Master Shangren Chai Yinglu, who was directing the gate defense, must be near the bonfires. Wei Shubin squinted in that direction but could only see a mass of dark heads against the bright flames. Everyone seemed to be facing the main gate, absorbed in the drama unfolding there.

If she were to walk over to find Chai Yinglu now, her parents might also be among that crowd…

For some reason, the Fourteenth Young Lord had also stopped with Wei Shubin, silently contemplating the direction of the bonfires. Yang Xinzhi asked, “Fourteenth Young Lord, you’re looking for Master Shangren—shall I go request her presence?”

This young man was quite considerate and capable. Fourteenth Young Lord nodded: “Go tell Yingniang that Minister Wei Xuancheng’s daughter needs to see her on urgent business.”

Yang Xinzhi’s face showed surprise, and he turned back to properly observe Wei Shubin, bowing deeply and saying something about “Young Lady please forgive Xinzhi’s rudeness.” Wei Shubin naturally hurried to return the courtesy.

Suddenly another burst of laughter and cheers erupted from the gate, along with what sounded like battering. Yang Xinzhi looked up and smiled, “The main gate’s about to give way—the groom will enter soon. Master Shangren might not be free at this moment, but I’ll go look for her. Fourteenth Young Lord and Young Lady Wei, please wait here.”

In the firelight, one could see this young man was quite handsome, with fair skin, thick eyebrows, large eyes, and dense black facial hair—the very picture of masculine beauty most admired in their time. Wei Shubin felt her face grow slightly warm for some reason as she watched Yang Xinzhi’s tall figure run toward the bonfires, feeling deeply grateful.

As the eldest daughter of her family, with her biggest brother Shuyu only thirteen or fourteen and still immature, she thought if she had such a reliable older brother to depend on, perhaps she wouldn’t have had to flee her wedding in such haste.

Lost in these scattered thoughts, Wei Shubin suddenly noticed the light around her rapidly dimming. She turned to see the Fourteenth Young Lord, without a word, walking away with the torch.

…Did this mean he considered his delivery complete and was washing his hands of the matter?

What a crude and discourteous person.

Wei Shubin glared angrily as his figure disappeared, then looked around and realized she was standing before the moon gate connecting the east wing to the main courtyard, closer to the main Buddha Hall. Turning her head, she could see the north side of the Buddha Hall in shadow. There seemed to be large piles of weeds and dead branches almost reaching up to the hall’s eaves.

Perhaps the entire temple had been in this state—overgrown with weeds, buildings in ruins—before Chai Yinglu was commanded to oversee the wedding?

At least the latticed windows of the Buddha Hall still showed lamplight and moving shadows, indicating people inside. But the row of east wing rooms facing the Buddha Hall across the main courtyard was completely dark, seemingly vacant. Wei Shubin felt a little frightened and took two steps toward the southern bonfires, then stopped. She told herself “It’s fine, this isn’t far from the gate, they’ll hear if I call,” but she knew that hidden in the dark among the weeds, she’d be hard to spot, and with all the noise by the bonfires, likely no one would hear her even if she shouted herself hoarse.

Voices and light came from the east wing entrance.

The dim, flickering light seemed to come from handheld lanterns, as two figures with lamps emerged from the door, walking one behind the other. A breathless female voice said, “Young Lady, truly, I saw His Highness—”

“Stop talking nonsense,” the responding voice was very delicate but extremely firm. “You must be seeing things, imagining ghosts in your paranoia. How dare you speak of such things? Master Shangren would whip you to death!”

The first female voice fell silent. The second person softened her tone and said, “It’s so late now, why hasn’t the First Lady made any movement? Aluo, go check on her in the east wing—she hasn’t fallen asleep, has she?”

The woman holding the lantern responded, and the two turned toward the east wing entrance. Wei Shubin unconsciously followed a few steps behind them, then quickly stopped—she couldn’t wander off now, as Yang Xinzhi might soon return with Chai Yinglu.

Indeed, lantern light swayed over from the west, but as it approached, Wei Shubin could see it wasn’t who she hoped for, but rather a middle-aged servant woman. She hurried toward the east wing entrance, meeting the two women at the door. After exchanging some words, someone called out “First Lady” and began knocking.

There was no response.

The knocking turned to pounding and shouting.

The east wing remained pitch black, showing no signs of life.

It was as if an icy ghost hand reached into Wei Shubin’s chest and squeezed her heart. She found it hard to breathe, inexplicable fear flooding her body as she was drawn, as if possessed, to shuffle quietly toward the east wing.

The door creaked twice, and screams pierced the air.

It was one or two women shrieking at the top of their lungs as if facing a ghost in broad daylight. Wei Shubin stopped to catch her breath, then couldn’t help but gather her skirts and run.

Four or five figures had gathered at the room’s entrance. No lamps were lit inside, but by the light of the courtyard’s three bonfires, Wei Shubin saw two maids collapsed on the steps before the wing entrance—one trembling violently, the other already crying. Inside the doorway, a high-ranking lady wearing a flower crown and formal robes leaned against the wall, also unable to move.

“Lady Xi… Lady Xi…”

Through the servants’ sobs, Wei Shubin climbed two steps and peered inside. The inner chamber’s paper doors were wide open, pitch black within. After her eyes adjusted, she could make out something long swaying beneath the ceiling beams.

Her heart already half-guessing, both terrified and excited, she gathered her courage to step inside. But her legs were too weak—she tripped on the threshold and fell straight in, knocking over a low screen in the inner chamber and landing flat on the ground.

Looking up, she saw indeed a person hanging from the ceiling beam, a slight, small body suspended in mid-air by a long rope around the neck.

A scream burst unbidden from her own throat. In all her fourteen or fifteen years, this was the first time she’d seen a legendary “hanging ghost” with her own eyes.

A black shadow swift as wind swept past her, entering the inner chamber with a torch.

In the sudden brightness, Wei Shubin could see the hanging person wearing a glittering crown of hairpins and dark formal robes, the rope tight around their neck as they swayed in mid-air.

The purple-robed youth holding the torch looked quickly around, first using his torch to light the room’s bronze lamp, then throwing down and stamping out his torch. He wrapped both arms around the hanging woman’s body and shook it several times, seemingly trying to lift her out of the noose.

But he wasn’t successful—instead, the hairpins and crown slipped from the hanging woman’s head, falling straight to the ground with a continuous tinkling as over ten pearls and jewels scattered across the floor.

As the jewels shattered and scattered, so too had life been lost.

Vol 1 – Chapter 3 Notes:

1. Fourteenth Young Lord’s “purple satin robe with large floral patterns on the chest and stomach, with a gold-adorned jade belt—formal attire permitted only for officials of the third rank and above” – “Changfu” (常服, casual wear) originally meant leisure clothing, but since Sui and Tang officials and emperors preferred wearing changfu for work (as formal court robes were too cumbersome and uncomfortable), the government eventually regulated the ranks, colors, and accessories of changfu, essentially sanctioning this practice. During the Wude period and early Zhenguan era, regulations stipulated that privileged high officials of scattered ranks third grade and above could have their robes made of “large-patterned silk and gauze,” “in purple color, (with belts) adorned with jade.” For a visual reference, see the male anchor’s attire in the “Tang Dynasty News Broadcast” promotional video for “A Guide to Time Travel in the Tang Dynasty” in Figure 1 of the author’s Weibo Vol 1 – Chapter notes.

2. The robe in the above photo lacks large floral patterns, and the belt is a “gold-buckled stepping belt,” which isn’t quite accurate. The “gold-buckled jade belt” in the dress code should look like the “pearl-stepping belt with jade beams and gold frames” unearthed from the Tang Dynasty tomb of Dou Xian, as shown in Figure 2 of the author’s Weibo Vol 1 – Chapter notes.

3. Regarding “firecrackers” in the bonfire: The “firecrackers” we’re familiar with today—paper tubes filled with gunpowder—didn’t appear until the Song Dynasty. Before that, during festivals and celebrations, people would throw bamboo into bonfires to hear the hollow bamboo sections explode. So please, when writing about pre-Song periods, don’t describe “red paper firecracker debris scattered on the ground”… promise me…

4. The bride’s wedding attire mentioned in the text is a “flower-pinned pheasant robe” (花釵翟衣).

From “Old Tang History, Chronicle 23, Official Ranks 2”: The king’s daughter, entitled County Princess, is ranked as regular second grade.

From “Tongdian: Ritual 89: Wedding Ceremony”: For all below the imperial officials, women’s attire follows their husband’s rank, wearing flower-pinned pheasant robes. The first rank has nine clusters of flower ornaments (on the crown) and nine rows of pheasant patterns (on the robe). The second rank has eight clusters and eight rows. The third rank has seven clusters and seven rows. The fourth rank has six clusters and six rows. The fifth rank has five clusters and five rows. Sixth rank and below wear flower-pinned wide-sleeved robes. Commoners wear flower-pinned connected dresses.

Li Yiniang had her noble rank (actually higher than her husband’s), so she wore the second-rank wedding attire with eight st—no, eight clusters, and eight pheasants of flower-pinned pheasant robe. This type of ceremonial dress belongs to the “pheasant robe series” and was the highest-grade ceremonial dress for medieval women.

We only have images of the Song Dynasty empress’s pheasant robes (see Figure 3 of the author’s Weibo Vol 1 – Chapter notes) and recently successfully restored photos of Sui Dynasty Empress Xiao’s ceremonial crown (see Figure 4 of the author’s Weibo Vol 1 – Chapter notes). Other noble women’s clothes and crown ornaments were of lower specifications, mainly reflected in fewer patterns, but the general shape was similar.