Dou E's Grievance

A "Stage Breaking" ritual, as it's called, is typically performed to ward off evil after a major accident befalls a theater troupe.

Strictly speaking, Stage Breaking isn't a play itself, but rather a ritual where one actor plays a ghost, and the rest, playing Spirit Officials, Divine Generals, and the like, wield whips to drive away the spirit and slaughter a live chicken, scattering its blood on the stage.

The entire process must take place at midnight.

This is a rule of the theater world. For thousands of years, troupe masters have largely believed in it, convinced that only by successfully performing Stage Breaking and driving away the malevolent entities can the troupe continue its business.

"Master Wu, Stage Breaking is about to begin. There are some things you should tell me now, like about the Green-Robed Actress who died on stage."

In front of the bronze mirror of the dressing table, Zhou Sheng filled his cheeks with red cinnabar as he asked.

Upon hearing this, Master Wu immediately grew nervous, his gaze darting away.

Zhou Sheng didn't rush. While painting his face, he said calmly, "Since you know my master, you should be aware of the rules of our profession."

He paused, then drew his sword-like eyebrows with thick ink, making them stand on end. Beneath the bright crescent moon on his brow, his eyeliner appeared exceptionally sharp, possessing the glint of a drawn sword.

"If you try to deceive me, anything... could happen once we enter the play."

Lord Bao, with his stern and impartial face, was incorruptible. Once in character, if he discovered Master Wu had done evil, the executioner's block would not only sever evil spirits but also living people.

Clearly, Master Wu understood the rules of Ghost Opera. His body trembled slightly, and he no longer dared to deceive.

"Danshan, I'm not trying to deceive you, but this matter... it's truly too bizarre!"

"The Green-Robed Actress who died was named Shen Jinhua, but I certainly didn't harm her. After all, Jinhua was the troupe's cash cow, a famous star. If she died, wouldn't the biggest loss be mine?"

"Master Wu, please don't rush. I'm not suspecting you either. I just need to know how the Green-Robed Actress named Shen Jinhua died."

Zhou Sheng comforted the somewhat agitated Master Wu, his gaze softening as he continued to press.

Master Wu also calmed his emotions and recounted the entire story.

The Green-Robed Actress named Shen Jinhua had been with the Yangcheng troupe for seven years. She was beautiful and her singing was superb, making her the undisputed pillar of the troupe.

She primarily played the role of a virtuous lady, and her signature play was "The Injustice to Dou E." Whenever she performed it, the house was always packed, met with thunderous applause.

A little over a month ago, Shen Jinhua performed this play again.

Everything was normal during the first half. Shen Jinhua, as expected of a famous actress in the Yangcheng troupe, quickly earned a wave of applause with her mournful and poignant singing and her fluid movements.

Especially when she reached the part of the vow at the execution ground, "If indeed a heart full of resentment can spray forth like fire, it must move the heavens to make six inches of ice flowers fall like cotton, saving my corpse from exposure..."

Her voice, like clouds obscuring the moon, climbed higher and higher, accompanied by the tragic and desolate sound of the sanxian. It was truly like a cuckoo's blood-curdling cry, each word piercing the heart.

With a final, sorrowful flourish to end the aria, the applause erupted like a tidal wave, bringing many to tears.

The next scene was Dou E being beheaded by the executioner. However, her blood did not fall to the ground but instead splashed onto a three-foot white silk ribbon, causing snow to fall in June.

But something unexpected happened.

The moment the executioner swung his sword, Shen Jinhua, who was supposed to dodge and fall, inexplicably stiffened and didn't move.

And the prop sword had, at some unknown time, become a real one.

Along with the severed head, blood, more tragically beautiful than a blooming cuckoo, gushed out like a fountain.

Shen Jinhua's astonished eyes gradually became vacant amidst countless terrified screams.

The fake sword became a real sword, the fake play became a real play, and the fake Dou E became the real Dou E.

Only this time, the blood splashed not only onto the white ribbon but also all over the stage.

"After that, the troupe became increasingly unsettled. Soon, Da Cheng, who played the executioner, was found dead at home. And the Stage Manager, responsible for backstage props, went mad and hanged himself half a month ago."

Even though a long time had passed, recalling this incident still sent shivers down the spines of everyone backstage, as if the very air had become exceptionally cold.

The cinnabar brush in Zhou Sheng's hand paused slightly. Although this wasn't his first time dealing with such bizarre matters, he still felt a hint of surprise.

"After the executioner and the Stage Manager died, did the troupe continue to be haunted?"

"Yes! And it got worse and worse!"

The Green-Robed Actress who was scheduled to play a female ghost tonight suddenly shivered and said tremulously, "Once, while I was practicing my scales at home, I looked up and saw that my reflection in the bronze mirror was... Sister Jin!"

The Martial Actor, Xiao Shan, added fearfully, "I experienced sleep paralysis. I woke up in the middle of the night to find an embroidered shoe by my bed. When I looked closely, it disappeared. It scared me so much I didn't dare to sleep for three days!"

"And Old Duan, while drinking, found a pile of women's hair in his wine..."

Zhou Sheng's eyes flashed as he discerned a clue.

Logically, the culprit behind Shen Jinhua's tragic death on stage would be either the executioner or the Stage Manager who handled props.

After Shen Jinhua had caused the deaths of those two, her vengeance fulfilled, she would typically have two options.

The first would be to have her resentment resolved and be reborn into reincarnation.

The second would be to transform into a fierce ghost and kill indiscriminately.

However, the reality was different. Shen Jinhua had neither let go of her resentment nor gone on a killing spree. The scares inflicted upon Xiao Shan and the others felt more like... a test.

A test to see if they were truly the culprits.

This implied that Shen Jinhua's soul was very certain that the real killer who caused her death was neither the executioner nor the Stage Manager.

Master Wu sighed, "Afterward, I invited monks and Taoist priests to perform rituals, but none of it worked. In my desperation, I had to ask Old Master Yu for help."

Zhou Sheng nodded, his expression returning to a state of calm as still as an ancient well, as if all emotion had been stripped away, leaving only the cinnabar brush used for face paint before his eyes.

His technique was incredibly skilled; the strokes, the lines, the dots, the smudges – even veteran actors with decades of experience couldn't help but marvel at the fluid dexterity.

What was most special was his exceptionally devout demeanor.

Applying the face paint was like passing judgment, each stroke a law, imbued with an almost obsessive seriousness.

In a moment, the refined and gentle man vanished, replaced by the painted face of Lord Bao on the opera stage.

Thick ink lays the foundation of heaven and earth, Crimson cinnabar cracks the pupils to paint loyalty and rage. A black face like night suppresses the Netherlings, White stripes like guillotines divide right from wrong.

"Master Wu, let's begin the opera."

Zhou Sheng's voice also began to change, becoming deep and hoarse, as if he had instantly become someone else.

He closed his eyes while putting on his costume, as if brewing something, yet his hands made no mistakes.

"Danshan, which play shall we perform?"

Master Wu asked in a low voice. After the face paint was applied, Zhou Sheng seemed to exude an intangible authority, causing him to instinctively lower his posture.

Zhou Sheng remained silent with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in a peculiar state, taking a long time to answer.

Seeing this, Master Wu had no choice but to brace himself. He ordered the gongs to be struck to begin the opera, signaling to proceed with the normal Stage Breaking ritual.

CLANG!

On the opera stage late at night, the sound of gongs suddenly rang out.

The Green-Robed Actress, playing the ghost, was fearful, but under the Master's constant urging, she forced herself to slowly take the stage.

Her sleeves veiled her face as she lamented in a sorrowful tone:

"The cold moon and frigid water chill my soul, homeless, A lonely grave, a wandering spirit, longing for the lantern's return— Borrowing three parts of a living person's qi, To reignite the ashes within my bones!"

Her vocalizations were smooth and melodious, full of charm. As she finished the last word, her water sleeves suddenly swept down, revealing a pale face and lips dotted with cinnabar.

This single pose showcased her mastery.

At this moment, Zhou Sheng had already changed into his costume. He still stood backstage with his eyes closed, but his ears listened to every rustle on the stage.

This Green-Robed Actress had considerable skill. If the Stage Breaking ritual failed, it would be improvised. To perform so well under such tension demonstrated her level.

And yet, such an actress was constantly suppressed by the famous performer Shen Jinhua, relegated to a supporting role. This showed just how profound Shen Jinhua's skills were.

What a shame.

Following this, the actors playing the Spirit Official and the Divine General also appeared one after another. Following the ritual, they began to strike gongs and drums, sprinkle chicken blood, and set off firecrackers, continuously driving away the female ghost.

It was unclear how long this continued. The singers grew breathless, yet Zhou Sheng still had not appeared on stage.

It was as if he were waiting for something.

Finally, after another quarter of an hour, just as everyone was about to lose their resolve, the surrounding candlelight flickered, and several lamps extinguished.

An indescribable chill permeated the air.

The next moment, the 'female ghost' fleeing on stage suddenly stopped. The chicken blood spilled on her face flowed slowly down her powder-covered visage.

Her pitch-black eyes quietly stared at the 'Spirit Official' who had come to chase her and spill the blood.

Immediately after, the sound of the sanxian began, and that familiar melody caused everyone's expressions to change drastically.

The Injustice of Dou E!

Backstage, Zhou Sheng suddenly opened his eyes, which had been tightly shut for a long time. In an instant, his gaze was sharp as lightning, like a bright mirror hanging high, reflecting the figure of the white-clad female ghost.