Chapter 1
The Blood-drenched Bridal Chamber
(1)
Pow pow, pow pow!
Just after the bright red firecrackers were lit, the gongs and drums and other musical instruments started up in unison, joining with the sounds of happy laughter in a mighty, joyous tumult.
Through the smoke from the firecrackers appeared a jubilant face beaming with smiles.
There were people inside and out Ouyang Manor’s main hall, everyone wreathed with smiles, and the one smiling the most and laughing the loudest was the lord of the manor—“One Palm Shakes the Central Plains” Ouyang Changshou.
Ouyang Changshou, just like his name, was long-lived, already seventy, yet still hale and hearty like a middle-aged man. Aside from the long grayish white beard you wouldn’t be able to tell that he was an old man of seventy.
Ouyang Changshou’s hearty laughter wasn’t because today was his seventieth birthday. It was because today he was becoming a father-in-law.
His son, Ouyang Peng was marrying the female disciple of Abbess Kindheart of Clear Voice Hermitage, the martial world renowned “Pretty Swallow” Chao Xiaoyan!
× × ×
Ouyang Changshou’s wife, Zhao Siniang had long been famed throughout the jianghu. Her family was a famed hereditary house of the martial world out of Hebei.
“Iron Palm, Gold Sabre” Zhao Rongguo was known by almost everyone in the jianghu, and everyone respected him.
Now, Zhao Siniang wore a crimson ceremonial robe as she made the rounds through the hall, socializing with the guests. If Ouyang Changshou looked young for his age, Zhao Siniang looked even younger, still possessing the graceful charm of a faded beauty.
In fact she was not all that old, only forty or so.
Ouyang Changshou had become a father at the age of fifty, and at the time, Zhao Siniang was only nineteen, but no one felt that there was a huge disparity in their ages.
The fifty-year-old Ouyang Changshou could still attract a number of young women, and could even beat out a number of younger rival suitors.
Back then, there were at least a dozen, if not more, young men under Zhao Siniang’s charms.
However, once Ouyang Changshou appeared, Zhao Siniang was taken by his mature charm, unrestrained, debonair bearing, his status within the martial world, and conscientiousness that surpassed that of other younger men.
Zhao Siniang married Ouyang Changshou three months later, and a year after that gave birth to Ouyang Peng. After she and Ouyang Changshou got together, Luoyang’s Ouyang Manor and Hebei’s Zhao Family became even more famous and prestigious!
Consequently, even though Ouyang Changshou was seven years older than his father-in-law, no one felt that the marriage was inappropriate. On the contrary, it was praised throughout the martial world.
Today, not only was Ouyang Changshou happy, Zhao Siniang also felt limitless pride.
Above and below the Yellow River, even north and south of The Yangtze, not a few famous heroes had come to be well-wishers of the Ouyang family.
Even Shaolin Monastery had sent two elder disciples of the Bai generation to Ouyang Manor as wedding guests, and Daosenior Blue Void, disciple of the head of Wudang, had come along with several famed disciples to attend as distinguished guests.
(2)
“The auspicious hour has arrived for the new bride and groom to exchange vows before heaven and earth!”
After Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan bowed to heaven and earth, they faced Ouyang Changshou and Zhao Siniang and bowed three times.
Everybody praised the beautiful woman to no end, and from the tall and eminent stature and handsome face of Ouyang Peng one could guess at how suave his old man had been back in the day!
Chao Xiaoyan’s master—Abbess Kindheart, was not in attendance, which came somewhat as a surprise to the guests.
Not only were the guests astounded, when his son and daughter-in-law bowed to Ouyang Changshou, the attentive among the guests detected a trace of trembling and amazement on Ouyang Changshou’s face.
When the newlyweds had finished exchanging bows, the banquet began.
Ouyang Changshou and Zhao Siniang were overjoyed, radiant with happiness as they led the newlyweds around to the tables to give toasts.
“Five Tigers Soul-severing Sabre” Peng Gongzhi was known for his booming Thunder God voice, “In the past Brother Ouyang defeated countless adversaries to get Sister-in-law. Today, Worthy Nephew Peng has done the same. Truly, a tiger father doesn’t have a dog son!”
His voice was loud, so nearly all of the guests heard him and there was a burst of laughter following.
Ouyang Changshou glanced at his son and laughed, “Brother Peng really is a joker, you mentioning that with me as old as I am, you’ll make everyone laugh their teeth out!”
The master of Peacock Hall, Five-colored Peacock Zi Cuique said with a tightlipped smile, “How is the Master of Ouyang Manor old? If you cut off that beard others would think you and Worthy Nephew were brothers!” Zi Cuique’s tongue was loose, but her conduct was aboveboard. Everyone who walked the white path deemed her a friend, and so even though she spoke out of turn, no one found it offensive.
She said to Zhao Siniang, “Little Sister always runs her mouth off and doesn’t mince words, Fourth Sister, don’t be angry. Actually, Fourth Sister is even more youthful, not like Little Sister. Later I’ll have to ask Fourth Sister to share with me your secret for preserving your looks!”
Zhao Siniang laughed, “You are a smooth-tongued one. Big Sister is only a year or two older than you but looks eight or ten years older. It’s I who should be asking you!”
Everyone roared with laughter!
Ouyang Changshou said a few more polite banalities, then returned to his seat with the newlyweds.
Guests and hosts alike thoroughly enjoyed the banquet, eating and drinking till the second watch before finally breaking up.
Ouyang Manor was on the outskirts of Luoyang and occupied dozens of acres, houses row upon row, so all the guests were held overnight by their host.
Once the banquet was over, some of the guests busied themselves with hazing the newlyweds. Of course it was not appropriate for Daosenior Blue Void or the two Shaolin greatmasters Bailu and Baide to go.
Ouyang Changshou instead set up three tables in the inner hall with wine and meat and vegetarian dishes and invited a party of men to join him.
Accompanying them was the Ouyang family head steward, Zhan Tianhong.
Great Xia of Zhongzhou Cui Yishan was the closest with Ouyang Changshou. He offered a toast to Ouyang Changshou and said, “Brother Changshou, on this happy day you become a father-in-law, don’t let us keep you. Us old guys have been friends for decades, there’s no need to greet us!”
Daosenior Blue Void interjected, “Almsgiver Cui is right, Almsgiver Ouyang, go and entertain the guests outside.”
Ouyang Changshou pondered to himself for a moment. “We’ve been friends for decades and rarely get together. Today being able to all assemble in one room is rare feat, of course I’m going to enjoy a great chat with you brothers!” He turned to Zhan Tianhong. “Tianhong, you go see to everyone for me!”
Zhan Tianhong excused himself and left the table.
After the watchman’s clapper sounded the third watch, neither guests nor host were the least bit tired, conversing happily. By the looks of it, they’d likely be talking through daybreak.
(3)
In the bridal chamber, the flames of the dragon & phoenix candles leapt and fluttered, making the dark red decor a dazzling bright red. Hence the joyous occasion was even livelier.
A group of young men were packed into the newlywed chamber, coming up with all sorts of ways to tease the newlyweds.
Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan were happy and bashful and impatient for them to hurry up and leave so they could drink their nuptial wine cup and go together to “Shaman Mountain”.1
Luckily, the bride’s maid came to the rescue and ushered everyone out.
One of the young men suddenly said, “Brother Ouyang, when we leave it must be the bride who sees us off!”
Another added, “Right right, the bridegroom has to lead the bride in seeing us off, otherwise we’ll stay here till daybreak!”
Ouyang Peng reached out to take Chao Xiaoyan’s jade hand, but Chao Xiaoyan jerked her hand back.
The young man who had just spoken laughed. “Brother Ouyang, as the saying goes, one notch of a spring night is worth a thousand gold. You have to think of a way to get the Sister-in-law to let you lead her in seeing us out!”
Everyone burst out laughing and carried on egging them on.
Ouyang Peng plucked up his courage and said a few words into Chao Xiaoyan’s ear, and then she let him take her hand.
Everyone roared with laughter again, then, finally satisfied, left.
Just as Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan were seeing their guests out, the rear window suddenly opened and a masked person in black dove inside.
The masked person quickly hid under the bed just as Ouyang Peng and Chao Xiaoyan returned.
The bride’s maid carried in the nuptial wine, said a few complimentary remarks, exacted a tip, then went out and shut the door.
Ouyang Peng’s heart was pounding as he reached out and lifted the red veil from Chao Xiaoyan’s face.
In the candlelight, Chao Xiaoyan was mouthwateringly beautiful. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Ouyang Peng.
“Wife, there’s no one here now, no need to be shy. Let Hubby offer my wife this cup!”
Chao Xiaoyan tittered and picked up the wine cup before her and clinked it against Ouyang Peng’s, then tilted her head back to drink it down.
Ouyang Peng laughed, “Wife, hold on, let Hubby say a few words first!”
“You still have something to say at a time like this?” Chao Xiaoyan blushed and looked into her wine cup.
“This cup of wine is from husband to wife, hoping that next year Wife can bear me a healthy boy!”
Chao Xiaoyan’s blush deepened and she tsked, “If I knew you weren’t going to be serious with that oily mouth of yours, how could I have ever entrusted myself forever to you!”
Ouyang Peng grinned. “This is the most serious, don’t you want to be holding a grandson soon?” He side-eyed her. “If you want to hold a grandson, naturally you have to first hold a son!”
Chao Xiaoyan seemed to be feverish, turning to the side too shy to face him.
“Hee hee, actually it’s my dad who wants to hold a grandson. Ai, you know my dad’s getting on in years, naturally he’s anxious to hold a grandson, you must be understanding towards the old man.”
Chao Xiaoyan tsked, don’t use Dad as an excuse!”
Ouyang Peng wrapped his arms around her waist. “Actually I’ve been waiting for this day, about to wear my eyes out in anticipation!”
Chao Xiaoyan sighed faintly and slowly raised her head.
“Sister Yan, you’re really beautiful!” Ouyang Peng couldn’t help but stare foolishly at her. “That day you first came to my house, Steward Zhan said you looked a lot like me. He thought you were my little sister. Is that funny or what?”
“Do I look a bit like you?”
“You think so too?” Ouyang Peng said, “A little bit. Probably every handsome man and beautiful woman look a bit alike!”
Chao Xiaoyan hit him lightly, “Big Brother Peng, you’re shameless!”
Ouyang Peng couldn’t resist kissing her forehead, and he grabbed her up in his arms. “What Brother Ke said a minute ago was right, one notch of a spring night is worth a thousand gold. All these words I’ve said have probably wasted 10,000 taels already!”
Chao Xiaoyan’s blush had faded, but now it came back again. The corners of her mouth were turned up in a smile and she gently closed her eyes.
Ouyang Peng set her down on the bed and he hurriedly took off his boots and got onto the bed.
Chao Xiaoyan was pleasantly surprised and her eyes opened a crack and caught sight of the rear window. She said modestly, “The window, it’s… It’s not shut.”
Ouyang Peng quickly got up and shut the window and eagerly jumped back on the bed and let down the red satin bedcurtain embroidered with mandarin ducks!
× × ×
The bed boards creaked and the sounds of heavy breathing mingled with faint, gentle panting.
Chao Xiaoyan was dripping with sweat, her arms around Ouyang Peng’s back. Panting, she said, “Big Brother Peng, take a short break…”
Before she finished, there was a thud and a sharp sword suddenly plunged through the bottom of the bed, penetrating Chao Xiaoyan’s back and running on through and out Ouyang Peng’s back!
The tip of the sword flashed and then drew back out and a stream of blood spurted, then kept on gushing out.
Chao Xiaoyan let out a soft “Ah” and then nothing.
Ouyang Peng let out a muffled grunt and all movement suddenly ceased.
The bride’s maid just happened to be at the door when she heard it. She went happily to Zhao Siniang to announce the good news. “The big event has been completed!”
As soon as the sound of the bridge’s maid’s footsteps receded, the black figure leapt up at once from under the bed.
The black figure raised the bedcurtain to take a look and wiped the blood off the sword with the clothes strewn on the floor, then wrapped the sword around their waist, the tip going into the eye of the pommel ring, becoming an ingenious belt. All ready, they went back out through the window.
× × ×
It was still all jubilation within the Ouyang estate, from Ouyang Changshou and Zhao Siniang on down to the maids and servants, all happy and rejoicing for Young Master.
Several of the maidservants who suffered from unrequited love in their disappointment hid under their quilts and wept quietly. Sounds of joyful laughter were still frequently heard from the outer courtyard of the inner chambers.
Inside the bridal chamber, the precious dragon & phoenix candles burned happily. A stream of blood suddenly flowed down from the bed, a pool of bright red blood growing on the floor, making the bridal chamber even more noticeably dark red.
A gust of night wind blew in from the rear window and the candlelight suddenly went out and the room was pitch-black as ink.
Bright and clear moonlight illuminated every corner of Ouyang Manor, but could not illuminate the bridal chamber.
