Yin Yong never realized what his second brother Yin Chuan had done. He believed that as long as he threw the bronze mirror back where he found it, the tragedy would end there.
After completing the seven-day mourning ritual for their parents, Yin Hua'er returned to the town and rarely came back to Taoyuan Village, deliberately avoiding Yin Yong.
Just when Yin Yong had nearly forgotten about the bronze mirror, Yin Chuan returned from town, claiming to have saved the life of a noble. In return, the noble rewarded him with a generous sum of silver. Yin Chuan announced that his entire family would be moving to the town to live a better life.
Yin Yong felt nothing but happiness for his second brother. Yin Chuan was already married and had a son; if their lives could improve, then Yin Yong was truly glad for them.
But shortly after Yin Chuan's family moved to town, tragedy struck—Yin Hua'er and Scholar Xin died quietly on their way to the imperial exam. If the innkeeper hadn't noticed that they hadn't left their room for three days, no one might have discovered their deaths at all.
They had died in their sleep, with no signs of external injury or poisoning. The case was ruled a natural death, and the local yamen notified the Xin family to retrieve the bodies.
When Yin Yong received the news, he was deeply shaken. He had clearly thrown the mirror away, and his sister had only made one wish. Why then had she and her husband died so quietly, just like their parents? A chill settled deep in his bones.
He and his elder brother Yin Shan went to town to see Yin Chuan, hoping the three brothers could decide who would accompany the Xin family to recover their sister and brother-in-law's remains.
But when they arrived in town, they discovered that Yin Chuan hadn't simply moved into a bigger house—he was living a life of luxury, with servants at his beck and call, and fine clothes and food all around him.
Yin Yong frowned so hard it looked like his brow might split. He was certain their second brother had lied to them. Even the usually honest Yin Shan noticed something was off.
"What's the meaning of this?" Yin Shan said coldly. "In front of us, he acts one way, behind our backs, another. Is he afraid his poor brothers will drag him down?"
"Big Brother," Yin Yong said, narrowing his eyes, "you think a noble would reward someone with enough silver for this kind of life? It's more like that noble handed over their entire fortune to him."
Yin Shan was seething. When Yin Chuan rushed into the hall dressed in silk, Yin Shan didn't mince words.
"Yin Chuan, Hua'er and her husband died on the road to the examination. The Xin family sent word to Taoyuan Village asking us brothers to help bring her body home."
Before Yin Shan finished speaking, Yin Chuan's face turned deathly pale, like he'd been struck by something horrifying.
Yin Yong, who had remained silent until now, suddenly understood.
"The messenger said they died in their sleep," he added grimly. "Just like Father and Mother."
"What? That's impossible!"
Yin Chuan collapsed into a chair, his expression shifting wildly.
A terrifying guess sprang into Yin Yong's mind. He lunged forward, grabbing Yin Chuan by the collar.
"You made a wish to that bronze mirror, didn't you? It was you, wasn't it?!"
The question jolted Yin Chuan back to his senses. He vehemently denied it.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Stop pretending! That mirror isn't some harmless trinket. Fulfilling a wish always comes with a price. Hua'er asked to marry the man she loved, and the price was our parents' lives!
That thing is cursed. That's why I threw it away. Did Hua'er say something to you? Did you fish it back out?"
Yin Chuan refused to admit it. He shoved Yin Yong away, his face dark with anger.
"Stop spouting nonsense! What mirror? What wish? I have no idea what you're talking about."
But Yin Yong was sure. His second brother had definitely made a wish—to live in wealth and splendor. And now that he'd gotten it, Hua'er and her husband had paid the price with their lives.
Yin Yong felt a chill wrap around his heart. When their sister made her wish, she hadn't understood the mirror's danger. Her mistake could be forgiven. But Yin Chuan had known. He had willingly traded the lives of his loved ones for a life of luxury. Greedy. Selfish.
Yin Yong tried to barge into the inner residence to search for the cursed mirror, but the household servants drove him out.
"Yin Yong, don't say I, your elder brother, didn't show you courtesy. You think a grown man can just barge into the women's quarters? What if you scare the ladies?"
"Pah! You didn't say that when I was sitting at the same table with your wife and daughters. Don't make excuses. I'm telling you, throw that cursed bronze mirror away, or there won't be a good end for you."
"Get out! Don't preach to me. You're just jealous of my wealth."
"Jealous? You know exactly how you got your wealth. You walked over our sister and brother-in-law's corpses to get it. It won't last. I've warned you. If you refuse to repent, then from this day on, the bond between us brothers is broken."
Yin Chuan sneered.
"Fine. Let it break. You think I care? Don't you ever set foot in my house again."
With that, he pulled Yin Shan, who had stood there silently the whole time, back into the house.
Yin Yong stood in front of the closed red lacquer door, a suffocating weight pressing on his chest. He turned and headed straight to the Xin family. He would help them retrieve the bodies of his sister and brother-in-law and ensure they were buried properly.
When Yin Yong and the Xin family finally saw the bodies, they learned something that broke him completely—Hua'er had been three months pregnant.
He sobbed uncontrollably, grief tearing through him, but he dared not reveal that it was the Yin family's doing that had brought this tragedy upon them.
The Xin family was devastated to learn of Hua'er's pregnancy. Not only had they lost their son, but also their unborn grandchild. It was a double blow.
After the bodies were brought back and buried, another terrible piece of news arrived. Yin Chuan's household had attracted too much attention with their sudden wealth. One night, a gang of thieves broke in and killed everyone—down to the last servant.
Yin Yong felt utterly drained. After rushing to bury his sister and brother-in-law, he went to find his eldest brother Yin Shan. Surely Yin Shan was already handling their second brother's funeral.
But when Yin Yong returned to Taoyuan Village and arrived at Yin Shan's home, he found the household bustling with joy, not mourning. A cold dread settled in his heart.
Yin Shan's wife saw Yin Yong and quickly wiped the smile off her face, dabbing at her eyes with fake tears and inviting him in.
As Yin Yong entered the courtyard, he saw his nieces and nephews moving boxes—heavy redwood chests, clearly valuable.
His sister-in-law Tang Shi stepped forward to block his view and ushered him into the main hall.
Once seated, Yin Yong asked,
"Where's Big Brother?"
"He went to look for a burial plot for your second brother's family."
"Did they catch the killers? Why the rush to bury them?"
Yin Yong's voice was sharp with displeasure.
Tang Shi's expression soured.
"The yamen's coroner already examined the bodies. We were told to bring them back for burial. It's summer now, and if we don't act quickly, the corpses will start to rot. Your nephew's getting married next month. Having five corpses lying in our yard isn't proper for such a small house."