What became of those who deceived ghosts? The old troupe leader didn't know, nor had he ever heard of it. After all, a troupe capable of doing something like that probably wouldn't get the chance to speak again.
Though the other members of the troupe knew they had broken a taboo, they had no choice but to kneel down with the old troupe leader and kowtow around the stage, however unwilling they were. As they bowed, they muttered apologies, saying they had broken their promise unintentionally and begging for forgiveness.
The man showed no surprise at the sight.
Once everything had been set up, the old troupe leader gathered everyone together and held a meeting, his expression grave.
The old troupe leader had never performed in a ghost opera, but his master had. Once, after getting drunk, his master had mentioned that experience in passing.
The old troupe leader stressed that no one performing onstage was allowed to wear red. Any red parts of their costumes or props had to be wrapped in white hemp cloth.
Whether they were singing or performing fight scenes, the tips of their spears and the edges of their knives and swords were never to point toward the audience. They were not even allowed to look out at the audience.
If... if they really saw something terrifying, they had to remember not to panic or scream. Most importantly, no matter what happened, they were not to stop.
Stopping halfway through a ghost opera was a grave taboo. It was said that listening to an opera soothed the ghosts' resentment. If the performance stopped midway, their resentment would erupt, bringing disaster!
The musicians playing beside the stage had to follow the same rules, with one additional requirement: before the ghost opera began, they had to cover