Liu Che irritably shoved Chen Wan’s body to the side and swept out of the room. He had originally intended to tell her that Lantian possessed natural hot springs, but now, he decided to forget it!
Dinghu Palace, a detached imperial residence, was located in Lantian County. Legend had it that Dinghu was the place where the ancient Yellow Emperor had achieved immortality and ascended to heaven; the First Emperor of the previous dynasty had also built a palace here.
Liu Che rode his palanquin toward the Tangquan Hall.
The Magistrate of Lantian County had been waiting there for a long time. Lantian produced jade and housed an iron office; whenever the Emperor visited, he was bound to inquire in great detail.
By the time the Emperor’s palanquin finally rounded the rockery, the Magistrate was standing under the eaves of Tangquan Hall, his hands and feet icy cold, deeply regretting that he hadn't worn thicker clothing.
The Magistrate led the Merit Officer, the County Commandant, and the County Vice-Magistrate in a deep bow beneath the corridor. Behind them followed several county scribes, responsible for carrying the relevant bamboo slips.
Liu Che waved a hand and walked inside.
Tangquan Hall contained both outdoor and indoor hot springs. When the Grand Architect designed the palace, he had cleverly diverted several small springs into the hall to nourish various plants and flowers, keeping the interior warm.
Liu Che sat down inside. The braziers were already lit, incense was burning, and a faint mist of steam permeated the room.
Yang De-yi directed Huang Yu and Guo Tun to carry a writing desk before the Emperor. The Lantian Magistrate stepped forward once more to pay his respects.
The Emperor withdrew his hands from his heavy cloak and warmed them over the charcoal brazier. "The year-end accounting ledgers for each county have already been submitted, and I have reviewed them. They are acceptable. Bring forth the records from these past two or three months for me to see."
The Magistrate stepped back slightly, and attendants took over from the scribes, carrying the bamboo documents forward. Huang Yu and Guo Tun inspected the slips before presenting them on the Emperor’s desk.
Liu Che reached out and took a scroll. The cool touch gave him slight goosebumps, but he sighed, straightened his posture, and began to read carefully.
Lantian was rich in mineral resources—gold, iron, copper, and more. Every year, the wealth and minerals it funneled into the Han Empire were immense. What he needed to examine included, but was not limited to, ledgers; there were also various legal records and administrative documents.
To be honest, he felt a twinge of envy toward A’jiao. She could run off whenever she wanted, play when she wanted, and do as she pleased.
***
"A little to the left! A little more to the left!"
A’jiao sat on a branch of a green pine tree outside Luoshuang Pavilion, watching Yuan Song and Ren Qiao lead the palace servants in hanging lanterns.
Yan Zheng stood at the doorway, looking up at them as they moved wooden ladders up and down.
When Yan Zheng finally went inside, A’jiao drifted down to the ground and followed, sitting opposite her. Perhaps because they were away from Weiyang Palace, A’jiao felt that Yan Zheng looked a bit more lively now, shedding some of the cautious, timid air she had in the capital.
After all, she was only an eighteen-year-old girl.
Thinking of this, A’jiao sighed.
Today, A’jiao stayed at Changmen Palace even longer than yesterday. It wasn't until Yan Zheng fell asleep that A’jiao tucked a "Talisman for Cleansing Filth and Destroying Ghosts" beside her bed. It was hand-drawn by the City God himself; its power was far superior to anything Chou Zhuang... no, his real name was Luan Da... far superior to anything Luan Da could draw.
Once everything was settled, A’jiao hurried back to Lantian County. If she weren't afraid that Chen Wan’s physical body would lose its vital essence, she wouldn't have wanted to return at all.
When A’jiao rushed back into Chen Wan’s body, she learned that Liu Che had gone to Tangquan Hall alone, so she hurried there as well.
The moment she saw Liu Che, A’jiao had a sudden epiphany: Since Chen Wan’s body would only truly die if she didn't return, why did she bother coming back at all? The world was vast; once "Chen Wan" was dead, could Liu Che, a mere mortal emperor, still have any authority over her?
Liu Che was soaking in the hot spring, watching with a cold gaze as A’jiao burst in with a face full of fury, only to freeze at the entrance.
He muttered under his breath, "I don't know what kind of idiocy she's possessed by now." Then he shouted, "What are you standing there for? Come in and close the door."
A’jiao dawdled her way inside, stripped off her clothes, and plunged into the water. The warm spring water enveloped her body from all sides, making her let out an involuntary groan of relaxation.
"You actually didn't tell me! You're such a stingy Emperor!" A’jiao splashed the water, pulling a floating food tray toward her and nibbling on pastries.
Having not eaten all day, this physical body was struggling; her stomach was growling incessantly.
Liu Che walked over and handed her a cup of warm wine. A’jiao wasn't picky; she drank it from his hand and continued munching on the snacks.
"No one is going to snatch it from you."
A short while later, a palace servant knocked. Yu Li led Mian Fu and Nan Ke inside to set out the meal.
Liu Che then watched as A’jiao remained soaking in the water while the servants used chopsticks to deliver food to her lips, one bite at a time.
She merely opened her mouth and accepted it.
Liu Che: "..." This display made it look like *she* was the Emperor.
After taking a bite of crispy beef, A’jiao squinted her eyes in comfort. Then, through the slits of her eyes, she saw a strange figure appear.
It was a woman.
Her long hair was unbound, drifting loosely in the water. A’jiao’s official tablet grew slightly warm. She sensed something was wrong—this woman was shrouded in a thick ghostly aura.
A’jiao cast a protective shield around herself, making sure to include the two maids kneeling by the pool feeding her.
The woman wore a pale green robe. She walked to the edge of the pool, stripped herself bare, and stepped into the water. Pressing herself against Liu Che, she called out with enchanting grace, "Your Majesty~"
*Well, then...*
A’jiao bolted upright from the water and climbed onto the bank in three quick steps. Yu Li hurried over to wrap her in a blanket.
Liu Che, confused and displeased, asked, "What is it now?"
The female ghost also turned her head to look at her. Her face was bruised and purple, her eyes slightly bulging—it was a terrifying sight.
A’jiao flashed a mysterious smile and said to Liu Che, "Your Majesty, would you like to see a beauty?"
Liu Che, thinking A’jiao was about to leave her soul and use her true form to meet him, couldn't help but say, "Of course I want to see."
The female ghost looked at A’jiao with displeasure, then turned back to Liu Che and began to sob. "Does Your Majesty no longer love A’su? Didn't Your Majesty say that A’su’s body is the softest and lightest, and that you would only love A’su from now on?"
A’jiao’s smile stiffened for a moment before deepening. She tilted her chin toward the attendants.
Liu Che, composed and expectant, waved his hand, signaling everyone else to withdraw.
Once only the two of them—and the ghost—remained in the room, A’jiao smiled again. "Ah Che, I promise you, you will be very excited!"
Liu Che laughed. "That is because you are too beautiful. I am excited every time I see you."
The ghost named A’su glared at A’jiao, pressing her body even closer to Liu Che’s arm.
"Then look closely!" A’jiao swept her hand, casting the Ghost-Revealing Incantation.
Then, she saw the Emperor—whom she had always considered to be getting old—leap up violently. In an instant, he dashed to a nearby weapon rack, grabbed a long sword, and slashed at the air. The entire process was seamless.
A’jiao doubled over with laughter.
Liu Che was profoundly displeased. He strode over to A’jiao and hissed in a low voice, "Why haven't you captured her yet!"
A’su was stunned, weeping softly. "Your Majesty~" Unfortunately, paired with that face of hers, there was no beauty to speak of.
A’jiao was ultimately afraid that a wandering ghost might harm someone, so she turned serious. "What kind of ghost are you? Why are you here?"
The female ghost didn't look at A’jiao; she only stared at the Emperor.
The Emperor said nothing!
A’su suddenly turned to A’jiao. "It must be you! You must be the one who stole His Majesty away! That is why His Majesty is ignoring me. I was the one who served His Majesty first! You wicked woman, waaaah!" She cried even more piteously.
A’jiao sneered at Liu Che. "Tsk, it seems she is deeply devoted to you. Even as a ghost, she can't forget you."
Disgust appeared on Liu Che’s face, and he felt a surge of resentment toward A’jiao. "What are you dazing for? Didn't I tell you to capture her? Are you going to leave a ghost in the mortal realm to harm people?"
A’jiao huffed again and turned to A’su. "First of all, in terms of who came first, no one can stand before me. Second, your 'Majesty' is a fickle-hearted man by nature; it’s not that someone stole him away."
"Chen A’jiao!"
A’jiao couldn't be bothered with him. She stepped closer to the female ghost and asked, "How did you die? Do you remember?" As she spoke, her hand already formed a Soul-Capturing Seal.
Although this A’su didn't have much malicious energy, she still had to be careful.
A’su froze, a look of confusion crossing her face. But a moment later, her expression turned distorted. She gritted her teeth. "You’re lying! His Majesty said he liked me! He said my waist was soft, and that he would always favor me! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, tell her I'm right!"
She scrambled over to her clothes and pulled out a small, smoky-purple sachet. Opening it, she revealed a small wooden token.
Clutching the token, she walked to Liu Che’s side, looking up and weeping. "Your Majesty, you gave this to me. Have you forgotten?"
Liu Che refused to look, turning his head away. Seeing A’jiao’s mocking expression, he couldn't help but say, "A’jiao, don't listen to her nonsense. Who knows which year this ghost is from, or which 'Majesty' she means. Don't go wrongly accusing me."
A’jiao snatched the wooden token. On it were only two words: *Guanju*—it was indeed Liu Che’s handwriting.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and threw the token into Liu Che’s lap. "Here, take a look."
Liu Che dodged it, but he couldn't help looking down at the floor... It was indeed his handwriting.
He hurriedly checked A’jiao’s expression, but she was currently stone-faced.
Seeing A’su collapsed before Liu Che, A’jiao spoke slowly. "Miss A’su, although I understand and sympathize with you, you are dead. You are a ghost now, not a person. You must go where you belong."
A’su lay on the ground, dazed, crawling toward Liu Che. Liu Che hastily retreated behind A’jiao.
A’su cried again, "Why am I dead?" Unfortunately, ghosts have no tears, and her current appearance was not moving; it could not evoke the Emperor’s love.
A’jiao looked at Liu Che again. Liu Che, feeling stifled and angry, roared, "How should I know!" He didn't even remember the woman's name; how could he know how she died?
A’jiao sighed at the female ghost and comforted her softly, "Don't be afraid. The Underworld isn't scary. You will have a new life there. This Emperor is not worth your lingering."
With that, she raised her hand and struck out with the Soul-Capturing Seal.
A sphere of light enveloped A’su, shrinking smaller and smaller. The piteous, heart-wrenching cries of "Your Majesty" seemed to strike A’jiao’s heart one by one.
Even at the end, A’su did not develop any malice.
How foolishly devoted!
The sphere of light finally shrank to the size of a mung bean. A’jiao caught it and placed it temporarily inside her official tablet.
Liu Che hurried forward to embrace A’jiao.
A’jiao broke free and said coldly, "I must return to the Underworld to report. Your Majesty, please go to sleep!"
With that, she vanished.
The Emperor stood there, stunned. He had seen the look A’jiao just gave him—it was one of pure disgust.
It shouldn't be! Wasn't A’jiao the one who hated him being with other women the most? Why was she so angry that he had *forgotten* that woman?
She even put on that "shared sorrow" act!
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
阿酥 | A'su | The name of the female ghost.
鼎湖宫 | Dinghu Palace | A detached imperial palace in Lantian.
汤泉殿 | Tangquan Hall | Hot Spring Hall; a specific hall within the palace.
计簿 | Accounting ledgers | Annual administrative and financial reports.
摄鬼现行诀 | Ghost-Revealing Incantation | A spell to make ghosts visible to mortals.
摄鬼诀 / 摄鬼印 | Soul-Capturing Seal | A technique to capture or contain a ghost.
关雎 | Guanju | "The Crying Ospreys," the first poem in the Classic of Poetry, often associated with courtship.
薄情种 | Fickle-hearted man | A person who is unfaithful or easily discards old loves.
