Chapter 154

Chapter 154: The Ugliness of the Human Heart (1)

Yin Yong did not notice the actions of his second brother, Yin Chuan. He believed that as long as he returned the bronze mirror to its original place, the tragedies would come to an end.

After observing the seventh-day mourning rituals for their parents, Yin Hua’er returned to town. She rarely came back to Peach Source Village afterward, deliberately avoiding Yin Yong.

Just as Yin Yong began to put the bronze mirror out of his mind, Yin Chuan returned from town, boasting that he had saved the life of an honored benefactor who rewarded him richly with silver. He announced that he and his family would move to town to enjoy a better life.

Yin Yong sincerely felt happy for his second brother’s family and felt no envy. Yin Chuan was married with children, so Yin Yong wished only the best for him.

But not long after Yin Chuan moved to town, tragic news arrived: Yin Hua’er and Scholar Xin had mysteriously died on their way to the imperial examinations. Their deaths were quiet, unnoticed. Had the innkeeper not realized they hadn’t left their room for three days, their deaths might have gone undiscovered even longer.

They had died peacefully in their sleep, with no sign of struggle or poison. The local magistrate concluded their deaths to be natural causes, and the Xin family was summoned to retrieve the bodies.

Yin Yong was deeply shaken by the news. He had thrown the mirror away, and his younger sister had only made a single wish. Why, then, had she and her husband died exactly as their parents had? Fear gripped his heart.

Together with their eldest brother, Yin Shan, Yin Yong traveled to town to see Yin Chuan. The three brothers planned to discuss who would accompany the Xin family to bring back their sister’s and brother-in-law’s bodies.

Upon arriving in town, the brothers realized Yin Chuan was not merely living in a nicer house. His new lifestyle was extravagant, surrounded by servants and luxurious comforts.

Yin Yong’s brow furrowed deeply. He realized his second brother had lied to them. Even the honest and simple Yin Shan sensed the deception.

“What does Chuan mean by this?” Yin Shan murmured bitterly, “Acting humble before us but secretly living in luxury. Is he afraid his poor brothers might cling onto him?”

“Eldest Brother,” Yin Yong replied gravely, “this isn’t the sort of life you could buy with just a bit of silver from a benefactor. Perhaps that honored guest gave Second Brother his entire fortune.”

Yin Shan’s anger simmered beneath the surface. When Yin Chuan, clothed in fine silks, finally hurried into the flower hall, Yin Shan bluntly informed him: “Yin Chuan, Hua’er and her husband died unexpectedly on their journey to the examinations. The Xin family sent someone to inform us, asking our family to send a brother along to retrieve our sister’s body—”

Before Yin Shan finished speaking, Yin Chuan’s face turned deathly pale, overcome by shock. Yin Yong, noticing Yin Chuan’s sudden panic, quickly added: “The Xin family said our sister and her husband died quietly in their sleep, exactly as our parents had.”

“What? How… how can this be possible?” Yin Chuan collapsed into a chair, his expression shifting anxiously.

A dreadful suspicion gripped Yin Yong. He lunged forward, grabbing Yin Chuan’s collar and shouting: “Did you make a wish to that bronze mirror? Was it you?”

Yin Chuan, startled back to his senses by his younger brother’s accusations, vigorously denied it, saying: “I don’t understand what nonsense you’re speaking!”

“Stop pretending!” Yin Yong’s voice shook with fury. “That bronze mirror is wicked. When it grants wishes, there’s always a price. Our younger sister wished to marry the man she loved, and the price was our parents’ lives! That’s why I threw the cursed thing away. Did you overhear her and then fish it back out?”

Despite Yin Yong’s accusations, Yin Chuan stubbornly refused to admit guilt. Instead, he pushed Yin Yong away and snapped irritably: “Enough of your nonsense! Bronze mirror? Wishes? I know nothing about it!”

Yet Yin Yong was certain. Yin Chuan had wished to become wealthy, to live a life of riches. His wish had come true, at the cost of their sister’s and brother-in-law’s lives.

Yin Yong felt an icy chill in his heart. If their sister had innocently made her wish without knowing the consequences, that was understandable. But Yin Chuan, fully aware of the mirror’s evil nature, had willingly sacrificed family members to indulge in his greed. His heart was utterly selfish and ugly.

Yin Yong attempted to storm into the inner courtyard to find the accursed mirror but was beaten back by Yin Chuan’s servants.

“Yin Yong!” Yin Chuan shouted arrogantly from behind the servants. “Don’t say I’m being harsh on you as your elder brother. You, a grown man, barging into the inner courtyard—what if you frighten the womenfolk?”

“Bah!” Yin Yong spat contemptuously. “Earlier, when Sister-in-law and our nieces sat at the same table eating with us, why didn’t you worry about frightening them then? Don’t bother with such lame excuses. I advise you, throw away that wicked mirror or you’ll never have a good end!”

“Get lost!” Yin Chuan sneered. “Who are you to lecture me? You’re just jealous of my wealth!”

“Jealous? You know exactly how you gained this fortune! You stepped over the corpses of our sister and brother-in-law! Such wealth will never last. I’ve warned you clearly; if you refuse to change, the bond between us brothers ends here!”

Unfazed, Yin Chuan scoffed dismissively: “Fine by me. As if I need your company. Don’t step foot near my door again!”

He then pulled Yin Shan, who stood helplessly nearby, back into the house, slamming the ornate red door shut behind them.

Yin Yong stared painfully at the closed door, his heart heavy with sorrow. He turned and left for the Xin family home, determined to accompany them in bringing back his sister and brother-in-law’s remains for burial.

When Yin Yong saw their bodies, he was devastated to learn Yin Hua’er had been three months pregnant. He wept bitterly, unable to confess to the Xin family that their misfortune originated from the Yin household.

The Xin family, learning of the unborn child, suffered an even greater grief, losing both a son and a grandchild at once—a double tragedy.

But when Yin Yong and the Xin family returned home with the bodies, even more terrible news awaited him: Yin Chuan’s lavish lifestyle had drawn the envy of criminals who had murdered his entire household, servants included.

Yin Yong felt utterly drained, hurriedly burying his sister and brother-in-law before going to seek out Yin Shan, assuming the eldest brother would handle Yin Chuan’s funeral arrangements.

However, upon returning to Peach Source Village and visiting Yin Shan’s home, Yin Yong found the atmosphere shockingly joyful, without a trace of mourning for their recently deceased brother. His heart sank further.

When Yin Shan’s wife spotted Yin Yong, she quickly erased the cheerful expression on her face, pretended to wipe away tears, and ushered him into the house.

Inside the courtyard, Yin Yong noticed his nephews and nieces busily moving heavy redwood chests—valuable objects obviously belonging to Yin Chuan.

Eldest Sister-in-law Tang hurriedly stepped forward, blocking his view and led him into the hall.

After seating himself, Yin Yong asked bluntly: “Where is Eldest Brother?”

“Your eldest brother went to select a burial site for your second brother’s family,” Tang explained stiffly.

“Have the murderers been caught? Why the rush to bury them?” Yin Yong questioned, displeased.

Tang’s expression darkened. “The coroner has examined the bodies. We were instructed to bury them quickly. With this hot weather, the bodies will soon stink. Besides, your nephew is getting married next month. How can we have corpses—five of them no less—rotting in our small courtyard?”