Chapter 51: Receiving the Yin

Following Granny Wan’s instructions, I laid the straw mat across the boat, then covered it with a clean white cloth. Under the dim light of night, I rowed toward Dragonhead Canal. Along the way, a few night fishermen caught sight of our strange setup and, terrified, abandoned their rods and fled without a backward glance.

Anyone would be frightened by such an eerie scene, especially at night, without any warning.

After half an hour of rowing, we finally arrived at Dragonhead Canal. The canal was still under renovation; aside from us, not a single boat disturbed its vast waters. Cold moonlight spilled over our fishing boat, casting a pale, ghostly reflection on the river’s surface.

“This is the place. Xu Yingying should be beneath the water here.” After anchoring our boat at the canal’s center, I turned to Granny Wan and asked, “Should I dive in to retrieve Xu Yingying’s body?”

To my surprise, Granny Wan waved her hand. “No need.” She lowered a wooden box onto the boat, opened it, and took out several black pickled plums, tossing them into the river.

The dark plums hit the water, sending ripples across the surface. Then, from the depths, a corpse in a crimson bridal dress began to float upward—it was none other than Xu Yingying.

Xu Yingying’s face was turned upward, her eyes wide open, staring fiercely at the increasingly round moon in the night sky. Her hair spread out in the water, the malice in her appearance fading, replaced by a chilling eeriness.

Her belly was even more swollen than when I’d seen her during the day—most likely, the herbal medicine I’d given her had accelerated her labor.

“This girl harbors deep resentment. She’s been submerged for so long, yet her body hasn’t decayed at all,” Granny Wan crouched on the boat, silently observing Xu Yingying in the water, her expression unchanged. Clearly, she had seen much in her lifetime.

Granny Wan changed into a black gown and donned gloves made from rat skin before she finally spoke. “Bring her aboard. Her belly is so big—she should have delivered before she died. Who knows what she suffered in life? Ah, we women are so pitiful.”

I swallowed hard, the memory of retrieving Xu Yingying’s body in daylight still fresh and vivid. I feared I might cause trouble, and for a moment, hesitated to act.

“Don’t worry. With me here, nothing will go wrong.” Sensing my unease, Granny Wan reassured me.

Only then did I reach out for Xu Yingying. She seemed to sense something; her corpse rose upright in the water and began to sink. Fortunately, my reflexes were quick, and I managed to grab her shoulder.

Xu Yingying appeared enraged, dragging both us and the boat downward.

“Mother of the child, I am the River Crossing City’s Mistress of the Underworld, here to help deliver your child for worship. If you have grievances or hatred, wait until the child is born. Don’t burden the little one,” Granny Wan commanded, instantly subduing the corpse. Xu Yingying fell still.

I hauled her from the depths, her weight sinking our boat even further. The river water streamed from her body, icy and chilling to the bone.

Her swollen belly continued to twitch rapidly, as if something inside was desperate to escape.

Granny Wan calmly lifted the red bridal gown from the corpse, exposing Xu Yingying’s pale belly and fair legs in the moonlight. Then, with one hand gently pressing the corpse’s abdomen, she whispered softly, “Little one, I know you are full-term and should have come out long ago. Let Granny help you now. Don’t be impatient.”

Whether it was Granny Wan’s words or her touch, the corpse’s belly quieted at once.

“All right. We can begin the delivery.” Granny Wan turned to me and said, “Xiao Xi, lend a hand and remove the mother’s trousers.”