Yin-Yang Master: I Married Little Qing at Birth

To avenge my uncle, my grandfather used magic to kill the village chief and his family of five. The commune denounced him as a monster and a demon and prepared to execute him by firing squad. Before he died, he called my grandmother to his side and gave her three final instructions.

First, she had to wait until the night of the ninth day, at midnight, before placing his body in the coffin. When she did, she had to put nine snakes inside, the bigger the better.

Second, the funeral procession had to set off as soon as the Hour of the Rat began. Four men born in the Year of the Tiger had to carry the coffin, and no one else could follow. They were to carry it to the stone bridge at the village entrance, set it down, and return immediately without looking back.

Third, no grave mound was to be raised, and no headstone erected. From then on, whenever the family ate, they had to set out one extra place at the table!

When I was little, my grandmother kept everything from me. It was only when I grew up that I gradually understood how much thought and care my grandfather had put into his final wishes...