Chapter 04: The Curse of Yang Lin

Hmm?

Ye Xiaotian nodded slightly, placed the box he was holding down, and said: "The paper, ink, brush, and inkstone are all inside. Sir, please hurry, as soon... someone will come to see you off soon."

What kind of people are locked up in that prison? Which one of them is not a cunning individual? My son has been accompanying his father in guarding the prison since he was three years old, and three years ago he took over as the prison guard. After mingling with these crafty individuals for such a long time, he must have gained some experience, right

Ye Xiaotian was even more surprised and said, "Curse Nightmare Technique? I thought this was a talisman. What are you trying to curse by drawing all over my wrist?"

This statement may seem somewhat cruel, but now is certainly not the time for tact, as the officials responsible for escorting Yang Lin on his final journey have already arrived. They are merely waiting outside for a little longer out of respect for Ye Xiaotian, for which Ye Xiaotian even paid for an additional round of tea.

Yang Lin said emotionally: "Time reveals a person's true heart. During my three years of imprisonment, old friends have all disappeared, and my relatives are also nowhere to be found. At the moment of my departure, to still have you thinking of me, I find some comfort in that."

Yang Lin's voice turned eerie: "Whether you intend to or not, as long as you fail to fulfill the promise you made to me, this curse will take effect immediately. From then on, you will be plagued for life, everything will go awry, your wife will leave you, your children will be scattered, and you will meet a tragic end"

Old Ye glared at his eldest son, but soon received a glare from his wife in return. Old Ye opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing more; he merely sulkily grabbed a bun and took a hearty bite. Even with a fierce demeanor, one still fears the mother tiger.

Yang Lin exhaled a long breath of foul air, and a strange smile appeared on his gaunt cheeks: "Who said this is some kind of blessing secret technique? This is a curse technique I learned from the southern frontier, using blood as a medium, life as a conduit, and the resentment of those on the brink of death as a guide. It can only be performed once in a lifetime!"

Xiao Tian's sister-in-law and her husband have a fairly good relationship, but she feels a bit resentful towards her husband for being overly timid and simple-minded. Now that Xiao Tian has handed over the prison guard's duties to her brother, how could she not return? As a result, she feels a bit guilty towards her younger brother-in-law and feels somewhat embarrassed when she sees him.

Just this one sentence, like withered grass suddenly absorbing enough rainwater, a kind of indescribable spirit suddenly radiated from Yang Lin, who seemed to have already withered in life. He quickly rushed to the fence, excitedly asking: "Did you agree? Did you really agree?"

Ye Xiaotian couldn't help but let out a chuckle, saying, "Alright, alright, my Lord Yang, facing death, you still believe in such nonsense. Didn't you say when you read my fortune before that my fate is extremely resilient, impervious to gods and ghosts? Can you really curse me?"

Yang Lin chuckled coldly: "No matter which profession you choose, you must pay respect to your predecessors and seek support, right? If you pursue academia, your mentor will be unfortunate. If you engage in business, your benefactor will be unfortunate. If you wish to be an official, your backer will be unfortunate. Whoever you follow will be unfortunate, and in this way, how can you avoid misfortune yourself?"

In this scenario, Ye Xiaotian encounters it every day, but today it feels particularly dear to him, for he knows that he will not be able to see all of this for a long time. In his heart, Huguang Road, Jingzhou Prefecture, truly feels like a place at the ends of the earth!

Although we are not related and have no particular ties, you came here three years ago, and I also arrived three years ago. Having lived under the same roof for such a long time, it makes me quite uncomfortable to see you about to face this ordeal

Yang Lin's voice was eerie, and in this dimly lit, cold air prison, it carried a particularly mysterious flavor, as if a cold current seeped deep into one's heart

Father was extremely envious, always thinking about when he could also have a tiger to raise, imagining how impressive it would be to walk out with one. During that time, Father was so obsessed with the idea of having a tiger that he became almost delusional. Years have passed in the blink of an eye, and now that Father is of advanced age, this wish remains unfulfilled

Yang Lin suddenly bit into his own finger, using his blood to draw three winding and bizarre lines of blood on Ye Xiaotian's wrist, mumbling in a language that Ye Xiaotian could not understand at all

Yang Lin heard the call, slowly raised his head, and looked at him with a bewildered gaze, his focus not landing on him at all. Ye Xiaotian frowned slightly and said softly: "Lord Yang, I have agreed to that matter!"

Yang Lin sneered and said, "Rest assured, as long as you can keep your promise, this curse will never take effect. However, if you fail to uphold your word and do not fulfill my last will..."

Ye Xiaotian lifted the door curtain and walked into the main room, where he saw his elder brother pacing outside, glancing at their father's figure, timidly hesitant to enter. Ye Xiaotian immediately walked over, put his arm around his brother's shoulder, and warmly said: "Elder brother, come, let's have a meal. After we finish eating, I will accompany you to pick up sister-in-law."

Early in the morning, he was to be taken on a prisoner transport vehicle, paraded through the streets alongside other inmates sentenced in this session, and by the time that old ox cart brought him to the execution ground, it would be nearly noon. Therefore, Ye Xiaotian had to set off even earlier to the dungeon in order to obtain Yang Lin's last letter

Ye Xiaotian could not help but laugh and said: "Father would surely look at this scene and immediately exclaim, 'A true man should be like this'"

Ye Xiaotian gently held his hand and said with deep emotion: "But right now, I truly wish that today last year was the memorial day of you, this old bastard..."

And wait!

Old Ye smacked his lips and, feeling uneasy, advised: "Well... you can go, but you must be careful on the way. Although the world is relatively peaceful now, the ways of the world are treacherous, and human hearts are even more perilous. On this journey, avoid taking small paths and do not travel at night. If you encounter remote areas or neighbors, make sure to travel in pairs..."

Early the next morning, the three members of the Ye family set out from their home. Each of them had their own responsibilities: Ye Laodie went to the county office to apply for a travel permit for his son. In fact, during the Wanli period, the restrictions on the movement of common people were not as strict as they had been in the early Ming dynasty; however, having a travel permit still made passing through checkpoints and staying at inns considerably less troublesome. Ye Xiaotian and Ye Xiaoan, the two brothers, headed straight to the Ministry of Justice's prison, where they needed to report for duty.

Old Ye smiled, and surprisingly, there was a hint of shyness in his expression: "Father remembers, that was during the reign of Emperor Jiajing. There was a time when Father was munching on candied hawthorn on the street when he suddenly saw Emperor Jiajing on a royal procession. The imperial entourage was truly impressive..."

Ye Xiaotian was rendered speechless, and after a long pause, he sincerely addressed Yang Lin: "Lord Yang!"

Early in the morning, there are not many pedestrians on the streets. The porters transporting toilets and the farmers bringing vegetables into the city are few and far between, with sparse carts slowly moving along the streets of Beijing

Yang Lin suddenly realized, and with a slap to his forehead said: "That's right! I almost forgot about this matter! I cannot curse you, I cannot curse you, hmm... then I shall change to another curse. I curse you, whoever you follow will be doomed!"

... ...

Ye Xiaotian accompanied his elder brother and successfully brought his sister-in-law back from her family home, subsequently discussing the matter of traveling far with the family. Although Ye Doushi was fierce towards Ye Laohan, she was extremely fond of her son. Having never left Beijing herself, the thought of her son enduring hardships on his journey brought her to tears.

In a cell of Xuanzi No. 1 prison, Yang Lin sat in the corner, hugging his knees, staring blankly at the skylight above. The few small stones, which he often used to interpret the I Ching and had been polished to a shine by his hands, lay quietly at his feet.

Yang Lin nodded eagerly, using his trembling old hands to open the box, taking the ink, brush, paper, and inkstone one by one into the cell. He laid out a sheet of paper, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and with just one gaze, tears streamed down like rain.

Old Ye's expression changed upon hearing the voice, and he hurriedly replied: "Coming, coming, I'm on my way."

Ye Xiaotian did not urge him again; he was not being pretentious, but at this moment, to press him further would undoubtedly be too cruel. Fortunately, Yang Lin also understood that time was limited, so he did not delay for too long and began to write swiftly with tears streaming down his face.

Ye Xiaotian could not help but say: "Father, hasn't your wish already been fulfilled?"

Yang Lin suddenly reached out again, grabbing Ye Xiaotian's wrist with a fierce glint in his eyes

Ye Xiaotian had no choice but to first comfort his mother before discussing the arrangements for the next day with his father and brothers. Yang Lin had already eaten the "head-cutting meal" tonight, not because he was to be executed tonight, but because there was no time for him to enjoy it slowly in the morning.

Ye Xiaotian walked to the front of the cell, quietly observing him for a while through the bars, before calling out loudly: "Lord Yang!"

Old Ye rambled on for half a day, and Ye Xiaotian couldn't help but laugh, saying: "Father, I understand, please rest assured. Although I have never been far from home, you should also consider where I came from. That was the Ministry of Justice's prison!"

Old Ye was amused by him and laughed while scolding, "Look at you, how capable you are. I've spent my whole life in a cell, yet I haven't cultivated any skills. However, you are right; a person should have some ambition. When I was young, I also had ambitions, but unfortunately, I never realized them in my lifetime"

Ye Xiaotian nodded slightly, tucked the letter into his bosom, picked up the box, and said to Yang Lin: "Farewell"

Yang Lin rolled his eyes and said: "Drawing on you is naturally a curse!"

He sighed, stroking his thigh, and nostalgically said: "At that time, my father stood by the roadside, watching the grand procession of the emperor pass by, with eight towering white elephants, four majestic lions, and especially those two fierce tigers

Ye Xiaotian frowned and said, "Is there anything else you wish to command, my lord?"

Old Ye also smiled and shot a glare at his son, saying: "Nonsense! Are you not afraid of losing your head for saying such things? Besides, can your father really have such lofty ambitions?"

Ye Xiaotian asked strangely: "If others are unfortunate, what does it have to do with me?"

This time, Ye Xiaotian was truly stunned, remaining in a daze for a while. Suddenly, Ye Xiaotian jumped up and exclaimed angrily: "Cursing me? I have no grievances or enmities with you, and I even promised to travel a great distance to help you deliver a message. How could you curse me?"

Ye Xiaotian curiously asked: "What ambitions did father have?"

Just as this was said, a roar came from the main room: "Are you done yet? You've already been taught a lesson, so why are you still sulking and refusing to eat? Does your son have to keep coaxing you endlessly? You old fool, hurry up and come out! If you don't want to eat, then I won't cook for you anymore!"

A letter was written almost as fluidly as flowing clouds and flowing water. Yang Lin carefully dried the will that had been stained with tears, folded it earnestly, and turned to the fence, saying to Ye Xiaotian: "The detailed address for sending the letter has already been written on the envelope, and the benefits promised to you are also included within."

Old Ye was momentarily taken aback, but soon understood his son's words. Unable to help himself, he tapped his forehead lightly and scolded with a smile: "You little rascal! If your mother hears this, just wait and see if she won't give you a beating!"

Ye Xiaotian did not struggle; he looked on in astonishment as Yang Lin applied something to his wrist, muttering incantations. Once Yang Lin had completed all of this, Ye Xiaotian, puzzled, asked: "It is merely sending a letter; is it really necessary to be so cautious? Yet I do not know what kind of blessing secret technique Lord Yang is employing?"