The Horrifying Incident in Jiao's Manor: The Haunting of Resentment

The night sky above Jiao Family Village was weighed down by dark clouds as the Patriarch Jiao took his last breath the previous night. The old lady had passed away many years ago, leaving the patriarch alone for half his life. Despite his vast wealth, he was spiritually empty, and his temper grew increasingly irascible. His two sons were both prodigal sons, constantly eyeing their father's property. The relationship between the father and sons was as tense as a tightly drawn bowstring, on the verge of snapping at any moment.

The patriarch's funeral seemed grand and elaborate on the surface. Paper effigies and horses filled the courtyard, and the sound of drums and music resounded through the air. The performance of the so-called "filial sons and grandsons" was in full swing. But anyone with a discerning eye knew that this was just a show put on by the two prodigal sons to silence the gossip and simply go through the motions. When the night grew deep, the two of them couldn't wait to rush to the brothels in the red-light district, indulging in debauchery and forgetting all about the duty of keeping vigil over the deceased. In the spacious mourning hall, only a maid was left to stand guard.

After the maid offered ingots and wine to the patriarch, a wave of drowsiness washed over her like a tide. Just as she was nodding off, three shrill cries of a cuckoo suddenly came from outside the courtyard wall, "Cuckoo—Cuckoo—Cuckoo—". The sound stopped abruptly, as if it had been cut off by an invisible hand. The maid was jolted awake and quickly took off her mourning clothes. She tiptoed out of the mourning hall. The moonlight filtered through the branches, casting mottled and swaying tree shadows on the ground, which were like countless twisted ghost hands dancing. She suppressed the fear in her heart and carefully opened the door. As soon as a crack appeared in the door, a dark figure suddenly flashed in and hugged her tightly. The man smiled lewdly and groped her all over. The maid panted coquettishly, "You rascal, why are you so late?" Her laughter was lewd and flirtatious. The man gave her buttocks a hard pinch and said with a playful grin, "Well, there's no one in the house now, so I dared to come!" After saying that, he leaned in to kiss her. The maid quickly covered his mouth and said coquettishly, "This place is ominous. Let's go somewhere else." The man glanced at the patriarch's photo in the mourning hall and agreed indifferently. Then the two of them headed towards the backyard.

The night grew even darker, and a hazy, pale moon hung in the sky, its light dim and faint. The wind blew through the courtyard wall, making the leaves rustle. The sound was particularly clear in the silent night, as if countless lost souls were sobbing in a low voice. In the large mourning hall, only the patriarch's coffin and the eerie pictures of hell punishments on the wall remained. The candle flames flickered unsteadily, and the ever-burning lamp emitted only a faint glimmer, on the verge of going out at any moment, yet no one came to replace them. The sound of the night watchman's clapper outside the door also disappeared without a trace. The entire mourning hall was enveloped in a deathly silence, with only an endless sense of desolation and eeriness pervading the air.

After an unknown period of time, a gust of cold wind blew, and the patriarch's black-and-white photo fell to the ground with a "snap". Immediately afterwards, the black coffin lid made a "creak" sound and slowly opened a crack. A grayish-green hand covered in corpse spots stretched out from the coffin... At the same time, a dark figure slipped out of the back door. This person was Jia San from the neighboring village, who was idle and did a lot of sneaky things like stealing chickens and dogs on a regular basis. Tonight, he not only satisfied his lust in the Jiao family but also stole a few silver dollars. He was in a great mood and planned to buy some wine. He carried a wine pot and staggered back, turning into a dim alley. Jia San took a sip of wine, tilting his head back. In a drunken daze, he saw a figure walking towards him. He squinted his eyes and greeted the person with a silly smile. As the person got closer, Jia San took a closer look and was instantly sobered up, his back breaking out in cold sweat—wasn't this the Patriarch Jiao lying in the mourning hall? Before he could react, the moonlight was suddenly completely obscured by dark clouds, and the surroundings were plunged into darkness. Jia San's terrified scream echoed a few times in the alley and then stopped abruptly, vanishing into the thick night.

The next day, the market was still bustling with activity, and the cries of peddlers could be heard everywhere. A butcher pushed a meat cart and found a stall. He placed a piece of "meat" on the chopping block and loudly hawked his goods. A woman came over to inquire about the price. After reaching an agreement, the butcher reached out to take the meat. But when he put the meat on the chopping block, both of them were horrified by what they saw—this wasn't pork at all, but a bloody human head! The woman stepped back in fear, her face as pale as a sheet, unable to say a word. The butcher also stood there, stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. Then, screams rang out in the market. People were horrified to find that there were many human remains scattered on the ground, and the scene was extremely bloody. Many people couldn't help but bend over and vomit, and the entire market fell into chaos.

The security captain rushed over upon hearing the news. After asking about the relevant situation, he took away the human head. After investigation, it was confirmed that the deceased was Jia San from the neighboring village. At this time, the Patriarch Jiao had just been buried. His two sons pretended to mourn bitterly in front of the grave, shedding few tears but secretly rejoicing in their hearts: this old bastard is finally dead, and the property will soon be theirs. As soon as they got home, they couldn't wait to start discussing how to divide the family property. The eldest son said viciously, "Those few acres of thin farmland of that dead old man must belong to me!" The second son twisted the jade thumb ring on his finger and retorted defiantly, "The farmland should be mine! I've been helping the old man manage it on a daily basis. What have you done?" The eldest son waved the account book in his hand and sneered, "I'm the one in charge of collecting the rent!" The two of them argued back and forth, and finally parted on bad terms.

In the second half of the night, the two of them went to drink and have fun with prostitutes again, but with a rift in their hearts, they no longer went together. The second son walked on the road, his mind full of thoughts about how to seize the farmland. When he came to his senses, he was shocked to find that he had lost his way. All around him was a desolate wilderness, overgrown with weeds that were taller than a person. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from a patch of dry grass. The second son curiously leaned over to take a look. Just as he stuck his head out, a cold, withered hand suddenly reached out and grabbed his neck tightly. The second son didn't even have a chance to let out a cry for help before disappearing into the darkness.

Since then, the small town has been in a state of panic, and the residents are afraid to go out at night. Every night, someone disappears mysteriously, and the next day, incomplete corpses can always be found, either scattered skeletons or bloody pieces of flesh. Some people even spread rumors that they have seen the figure of the Patriarch Jiao at night. The mayor was deeply worried about this and didn't know what to do. Someone suggested inviting a Taoist priest with profound magic skills to exorcise the evil spirits. The mayor quickly wrapped a roll of silver dollars in a red cloth and sent someone to invite an old Taoist priest.

After listening to the security captain's account, the old Taoist priest frowned slightly and pondered for a moment before saying, "The Patriarch Jiao of the Jiao family had a very irritable temper during his lifetime and harbored a great deal of resentment. Coupled with the unfilial behavior of his descendants, he died with a grudge in his heart, and his resentment is difficult to dissipate. Only by allowing him to vent this resentment can the situation be pacified." The mayor smiled obsequiously and nodded repeatedly. The old Taoist priest said that he wanted to go to Jiao Family Village to investigate, and the mayor led the way in front.

As soon as they entered Jiao Family Village, everyone saw white flowers hanging in the mourning hall, and the second son's black-and-white photo was placed prominently in the center. It turned out that the second son had been missing for five days. The eldest son pretended to look grief-stricken on the surface, but secretly he was delighted, calculating that now he could monopolize the family property. The mayor stepped forward to comfort him, saying, "Master Jiao, the eldest, you must try to bear your sorrow." The eldest son hypocritically invited everyone to enter the house and take a seat.

After sitting down, the old Taoist priest asked, "Has the seventh day after the death of Patriarch Jiao passed?" The eldest son replied, "It's exactly today." The old Taoist priest's expression changed, and he exclaimed, "This is not good!" Seeing this, the mayor quickly asked the reason. The old Taoist priest explained, "After a person dies, the soul attaches to the bones. On the seventh day, it is impacted by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Since the physical body has died, the soul will leave the body. At this time, the soul still has consciousness and knows that its physical body has died. After realizing that it has no support, it will have the intention of seeking protection, which is the origin of the saying that the soul returns home on the seventh day after death. That's why many people choose to bury the deceased after the seventh day. Now, Patriarch Jiao's physical body has not decayed, and his three souls and seven spirits are trapped in the body by resentment. On this seventh night after his death, affected by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, his resentment is even stronger, and his consciousness is clearer. He will definitely come back tonight to seek revenge! Moreover, at this time, he doesn't recognize his relatives and will attack anyone he sees!" The eldest son's face turned pale with fear upon hearing this, and he asked in a panic, "Is there any solution?" The old Taoist priest said seriously, "You must tell me everything about the patriarch's life without any concealment!" Although the eldest son was nervous, he had no choice but to comply.

After listening, the old Taoist priest said with a solemn expression, "Tonight, I will set up an altar and perform a Taoist ritual to fight this evil spirit!" In the late night, the night watchman did not beat the gong as usual, and the gates of the Jiao family's mansion were tightly closed. An altar was set up behind the door, and various items were placed on the altar, including dog blood, a peach wood cudgel, a copper bell, red candles, Taoist talismans, white porcelain bowls, a fire chicken, a fish, a human figurine, glutinous rice, etc. The old Taoist priest, dressed in a Taoist robe, held a peach wood sword in his hand, chanted incantations around the altar, and then scattered a circle of glutinous rice around it. The eldest son and the servants hid far away and watched nervously.

Suddenly, a dark figure leaped over the courtyard wall from outside and rushed in at great speed. The old Taoist priest shouted loudly, picked up the peach wood sword, pasted a Taoist talisman on it, and stabbed at the dark figure. However, the talisman paper rolled up by itself, and after the peach wood sword stabbed the dark figure, the figure only paused slightly. The old Taoist priest took a closer look and saw that it was the Patriarch Jiao! At this time, the Patriarch Jiao had disheveled hair, and his face was grayish-green. The rotting flesh hung down, and his body exuded an unbearable stench. The old Taoist priest angrily shouted, "Evil spirit! I shouldn't have meddled in your family affairs, but you have harmed the innocent, and your crime is unforgivable. Watch me subdue you today!" After saying that, he held the peach wood sword, dipped it in the black dog blood, and stabbed at the Patriarch Jiao again. Unexpectedly, as soon as the peach wood sword touched the Patriarch Jiao's forehead, it snapped with a "crack". The old Taoist priest was greatly shocked and realized that he had underestimated the power of this evil spirit.

The Patriarch Jiao twisted his face and let out a shrill roar, pouncing towards the old Taoist priest. The old Taoist priest quickly picked up the copper bell and shook it vigorously. The sound of the bell was particularly ear-piercing in the silent night. Then he grabbed a handful of glutinous rice and threw it at the Patriarch Jiao. However, the Patriarch Jiao remained unmoved and grabbed the old Taoist priest's neck with one hand. The old Taoist priest struggled desperately, trying to stuff the donkey's hoof into the Patriarch Jiao's mouth, but the Patriarch Jiao bit the donkey's hoof to pieces with one bite. The old Taoist priest thought to himself that the eldest son must have been hiding something from him, otherwise this evil spirit wouldn't be so difficult to deal with. Unless... the Patriarch Jiao was killed by someone!

Just then, a servant suddenly shouted, "Patriarch Jiao is going into the house!" Hearing the sound, the Patriarch Jiao released the old Taoist priest and walked towards the house. The eldest son and the servants were so scared that they fled in all directions. The old Taoist priest gasped for breath, tidied up his Taoist robe, and muttered incantations, "Supreme Lord Lao Jun, in accordance with the urgent decree! I am the 18th generation successor of the Maoshan Taoist art. Today, I take people's money to eliminate their disasters, and more importantly, for the sake of all living beings in the world. I will bear all the consequences myself! Please, immortal master, bestow your treasure!" As soon as he finished speaking, the ground suddenly shook, and a copper coin sword emerged from the ground. The old Taoist priest held the copper coin sword in his left hand and made a cut on the sword with his right hand, sacrificing his blood to enhance its power.

The old Taoist priest broke into the house, opened his Taoist eyes, and quickly detected the location of the Patriarch Jiao. He chased after him quickly, turned a few corners, and entered a room. The old Taoist priest waved his hand, and a flash of golden light passed by. The Patriarch Jiao let out a scream and then jumped out of the window and onto the roof. The old Taoist priest chased after him to the backyard. This time, he found the right moment, rolled a Taoist talisman on the copper coin sword, and pushed it hard. The copper coin sword glowed with a dazzling red light and flew towards the Patriarch Jiao like a bolt of lightning, instantly piercing through his head. The Patriarch Jiao's body fell straight down, and the next second, it turned into a pile of flying ashes and drifted away with the wind.

The old Taoist priest let out a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. As the sky gradually brightened, the rooster's crowing was particularly loud. When the eldest son saw the old Taoist priest come out, he quickly stepped forward and asked, "Master, is it solved?" The old Taoist priest responded. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "How on earth did Patriarch Jiao die?" The eldest son's eyes flickered, and he pretended to be calm and said, "It was fate. He died of natural causes. Why do you ask?" The old Taoist priest took two steps forward and stared at the eldest son with sharp eyes, saying, "No! Patriarch Jiao did not die a natural death. He must have been killed! Otherwise, he wouldn't have such deep resentment!"

Before he could finish speaking, the old Taoist priest suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back, and his body froze. He looked down and saw a shining knife inserted into his back. Blood instantly stained his yellow Taoist robe red. The old man struggled to turn his head, his eyes wide open, looking at the eldest son with a ferocious expression. The eldest son sneered and said, "Blame it on the fact that you know too much! After I get rid of you, no one will know the truth, and all the property will be mine! Hahaha!" The old Taoist priest glared angrily, using his last bit of strength to try to say something, but there was no more breath left in him.

The eldest son laughed sinisterly and began to clean up the scene. But before he could be happy for long, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He looked down and saw a rotten, swollen hand protruding from his stomach. He turned his head in horror and saw the second son, who was barely recognizable, standing behind him. Most of the flesh on his face had fallen off, revealing his white bones. The second son gave a hard tug and pulled out the eldest son's intestines. The eldest son let out a scream and fell to the ground, dead.

The second son walked towards the box containing the silver dollars in the main hall. He hadn't taken a few steps when he fell to the ground. There was a huge bloody hole in his back, and blood was gushing out. When the servants came back and saw this tragic scene, they all leaned against the wall and vomited.

Since then, there were no living people left in the Jiao family's mansion, and it gradually fell into disrepair. A few years later, the Jiao family's mansion, which had not been repaired, was reduced to ashes in a fire. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. Everything started because of greed, and in the end, it also ended because of greed. It's really a sad and thought-provoking story.