Chapter 1 In the Desolate Temple

In the desolate temple, Jiang Cheng started a fire. It wasn't far from the DuShui River, and the cold was heavy. Jiang Cheng tossed a few dry branches into the fire from time to time, the flames casting a red glow on his face.

He didn't tie the white horse outside the temple, but brought it in with him.

Grabbing a handful of fodder, he stuffed it into the horse's mouth, patted its head, and said earnestly, "Tonight depends on you. If you behave well, I'll have the village chief get you a wife too, okay?"

"Neigh—" The white horse seemed to understand, blinking excitedly at Jiang Cheng.

"That's right." Jiang Cheng glanced at the shadow on the ground meaningfully, and said in a strange tone, "You're much more reliable, White Horse, unlike some people who want to kill their sweetheart at the drop of a hat. Isn't that just pure perversion?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a line of words appeared on the ground, crooked and clumsy, as if carved with a knife, "I'm not human, but you're really a dog."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Jiang Cheng responded, raising his voice.

The night grew deeper. As a burst of urgent suona horns sounded, Jiang Cheng knew that it was the third watch, the signal from the village chief reminding him that the ceremony was about to begin.

Taking out his groom's attire and changing, Jiang Cheng straightened his clothes, then led the white horse out of the desolate temple.

The sound of hooves went *clippity-clop*.

Heading west, he soon arrived at the bank of the DuShui River. In the darkness of the night, the black river water churned up white waves from time to time, accompanied by the dull sound of the water flowing, making people feel even heavier.

More importantly, there was no one at the riverbank.

Alone facing this river, and at such a time, Jiang Cheng suddenly had the feeling that he wasn't here to get married, but to attend a funeral.

Dismissing the chaotic thoughts, Jiang Cheng closed his eyes and gradually calmed down, immersing himself in the role of Lu Jianli.

He got into character quickly, in about a minute. When he opened his eyes again, the personality called Jiang Cheng was suppressed, replaced by Lu Jianli, who had attained the position of *tanhua* (third place) in the imperial examination and had returned to fulfill his promise to the Wu family's daughter.

After he completed the identity transformation, strange phenomena appeared on the river.

The speed of the water flow increased, and before long, a huge vortex appeared on the river.

A red silhouette emerged from the vortex, stepping on the water, walking step by step towards Jiang Cheng.

Who else could it be but the ghost bride?

But Jiang Cheng keenly felt that the ghost bride was different from before. The piercing chill that she carried with her was gone, replaced by a gentle, almost bird-like tenderness, and a touch of shyness.

The ghost bride took light steps, slowly stopping in front of him.

Unlike last night, tonight she was clearly carefully dressed.

That's right, after all, it was her good wedding day.

A pair of slender hands were folded in front of her, and she wore a phoenix coronet on her head, majestic and radiant, the milky white pearls shining brightly in the cool moonlight.

The red satin embroidered wedding dress was woven with golden silk threads, and faintly, he could see the dark patterns on the dress, floating and rippling like water.

The relatively wide sleeves contrasted sharply with the slender waist, and the bright red wedding dress gave a strong visual impact.

Jiang Cheng couldn't help but wonder what kind of breathtakingly beautiful face was under the veil.

"Neigh—" The white horse behind him seemed unable to stand it any longer, gently nudging Jiang Cheng with its head, waking him from his reverie.

Being stared at by Jiang Cheng, the ghost bride seemed a little embarrassed, lowering her head. A gust of wind blew, lifting a corner of the veil, revealing a hint of pink on her cheek.

Jiang Cheng slightly controlled his state of mind, perfectly portraying the proudness after obtaining the official title, and the delicate tenderness when reunited with his sweetheart. After a moment, he couldn't help but sigh softly, "Lanterns shine like day, only longing has no end. Short months, long as a year's cold. When I achieve success in the imperial examinations and return in glory, I dare not betray your kindness."

Hearing this, the ghost bride's shoulders couldn't help but tremble slightly. This was the promise that Lu Jianli had once made to her, and now, it had finally come true. He had not lied to her.

A line of clear tears slid down her cheek. Jiang Cheng was caught off guard by the little woman-like demeanor suddenly revealed by this top-tier paranormal being, comparable to Wu Yi. At the same time, he felt a little regret.

He was not Lu Jianli after all. When the dream of the Yellow Millet Pillow (yi zhen huang liang) awoke tomorrow, he wondered what the feelings of this Miss Wu family would be.

Or perhaps… just as the village chief said, as long as the resentment in her heart was resolved, everything afterward would have nothing to do with them.

With a sigh in his heart, Jiang Cheng stepped forward and gently wiped the tears from the ghost bride's cheek, but this simple action seemed to trigger the deepest switch in the ghost bride's heart. Her body leaned forward, directly nestling into Jiang Cheng's arms.

Feeling the soft body in his chest, Jiang Cheng was stunned, not daring to move. But then, he put down his reservations, slowly embraced the ghost bride, and gently rested his chin on her forehead, "I'm sorry, I'm late."

After the ghost bride had released her emotions, Jiang Cheng supported her waist and helped her onto the horse, then jumped on as well.

A white horse cut through the darkness of the night, swift as lightning, its hooves clip-clopping, carrying a pair of newlyweds-to-be through the woods and over the hills.

The ghost bride's back was pressed tightly against Jiang Cheng's chest, as if nothing could separate them again. The large and gorgeous wedding dress fluttered wildly in the wind, and the white horse neighed happily. At this moment, Jiang Cheng had merged with Lu Jianli.

He was the *tanhua* approved by the imperial court, returning home in glory with unlimited prospects.

Tonight was also his joyous day, and the beautiful woman in his arms was a one-in-a-million beauty, with a sincere heart for him.

Topping the list in the imperial exam, the wedding night in the bridal chamber.

Today, he, Lu Jianli, was the ultimate winner in life!

Stopping his horse on the hillside, he looked out at the great river, at the distance, embracing the bride in his arms when the night wind grew strong.

At this moment, this Great River Goddess, known for her decisive and ruthless methods, was not only not ruthless and heartless, but as soft as a spring river, causing him to lose himself.

"We should go." Jiang Cheng lowered his head and whispered in the bride's ear, "The auspicious time is approaching. The village chief is waiting at the entrance of the village with all the elders and youngsters, to congratulate us."

"After all..." Jiang Cheng proudly puffed out his chest and squinted his eyes mischievously, "Your husband is also the court's *tanhua*, young and promising, riding the spring breeze, and most importantly, he has an outstanding appearance. Your top… cough cough, he rivals Pan An in looks."

He only wanted to make a harmless joke, and at the same time urge the bride to go back quickly, so as not to miss the auspicious time, but after hearing this, the ghost bride actually thought about it seriously, and then nodded.

Turning the horse's head towards the village, tonight the village was no longer lifeless, but decorated with lanterns and streamers, lively and bustling.