Chapter 13 - A Message of Restoration
Ah Su stared blankly at Liu Che, her translucent form flickering slightly in the dim light of the Hanyi Pavilion.
"Where is Chen Ajiao? Tell her to come out." Liu Che paced the room, his eyes searching every shadow. He had thoroughly inspected the pavilion and confirmed there was no one else present. He remembered the last time Ajiao had appeared in his dreams; she had looked exactly like this. According to the rumors of the occult, this was the so-called "First Seventh," the night a soul returns to the mortal realm. He knew that such returning spirits were strictly monitored by the Soul-Seizing Department to ensure they did not harm the living, so he felt no fear, only a desperate, gnawing anticipation.
"Your Majesty... she is not here," Ah Su said, a soft sigh escaping her lips. It was only after being taken to the Underworld that she realized the woman who had captured her was not a mere mortal, but a high-ranking official of the Netherworld.
Because Ah Su had spent so much time wandering as a rogue spirit before being processed, she had been granted a rare opportunity upon her official induction: a chance to observe the "First Seventh" rites and return to the world of the living for twelve hours. But as she looked at the Emperor, she felt a pang of pity. Why did it seem as though His Majesty had fallen in love with that cold, distant ghost official?
Liu Che’s brow furrowed, his mood plummeting instantly. Chen Ajiao’s temper was truly becoming unbearable. It had been seven days, and she hadn't even bothered to seek him out!
"Your Majesty," Ah Su continued, her voice trembling with a strange melancholy. "I know Your Majesty’s heart is set upon that Lady Messenger. However, from what I have gathered in the Underworld, there is no such thing as 'concubines' or 'consorts' there. When Your Majesty eventually passes from this world, you must choose your eternal companion from among your former Empresses."
Liu Che froze, his heart fluttering with a mix of anxiety and hope. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Does that... does that include the deposed Empress?"
Ah Su nodded slowly. "Anyone who has sacrificed to Heaven and Earth alongside Your Majesty is a candidate." She didn't have the heart to tell him that the Lady Messenger was not his Empress and therefore could never truly be his in the afterlife. "If... if Your Majesty truly favors that Lady Messenger, you would have to invest her as Empress for her to stand by your side."
Liu Che was stunned. He realized Ah Su was unaware of Ajiao’s true identity, and he had no desire to explain the complexities of his past to a ghost. He simply waved his hand dismissively. "I understand. You may leave."
Ah Su opened her mouth as if to say more, but then closed her eyes, a sense of profound desolation washing over her. She whispered to the invisible reaper assigned to guard her, "Official, it is enough. Let us return."
"You have twelve hours," the reaper’s voice echoed faintly. "Not even one has passed. You could stay longer."
"There is no need. I have no family left in this world. Let us go."
Liu Che felt his consciousness begin to drift. The world around him blurred, and the Hanyi Pavilion dissolved into a familiar, heavy darkness.
***
In the Xuanshi Hall, Yang Deyi watched the Emperor with a mixture of confusion and wariness. Lady Chen had vanished, and the Emperor had been in a foul, irritable mood for days. Yet today, upon waking, His Majesty seemed strangely buoyant, even joyful. He had immediately called for brushes and silk, claiming he needed to draft a formal decree.
"Enter," the Emperor’s voice called out from within.
"At your service," Yang Deyi hurried to the Emperor’s side, keeping his head bowed.
Liu Che tapped a polished wooden box on his desk. "You are to personally deliver this decree back to Chang'an. Ensure the instructions are carried out precisely before you return."
"This servant obeys," Yang Deyi said, stepping forward to receive the box. He hesitated, then ventured cautiously, "Your Majesty, if I may be so bold... what is the nature of this decree? It would help me handle the matters in the capital with the appropriate discretion."
Liu Che leaned back against his armrest, a small, triumphant smile playing on his lips. "It is a decree for the posthumous investiture of Chen Ajiao as Empress."
Yang Deyi’s heart nearly stopped. *Empress? But Empress Wei is still perfectly fine!* Then the word "posthumous" registered. *Oh, a restoration of her former rank.* He let out a silent breath of relief, though his hands still trembled as he withdrew.
Liu Che took a sip of warm water, feeling a sense of satisfaction. No matter how difficult Ajiao’s temper was, she was ultimately his. Ah Su’s words had convinced him that he held the power of choice. If he could choose his companion in the afterlife, he would choose both. Empress Wei had given him an heir, and for the sake of the Crown Prince’s dignity, she had to be honored. But Ajiao... Ajiao was the one who held his soul. Having two Empresses in the Underworld seemed a perfectly reasonable solution.
Feeling his anger of the past few days dissipate, he summoned Huan Jiujun.
"Huan Jun, go to Changmen Palace once more."
Huan Jiujun’s ears perked up. "And what is my mission this time, Your Majesty?"
"Deliver this to Ajiao." Liu Che pulled a piece of jade from his robes. It was carved into the shape of a begonia flower, the petals so delicate they seemed to hold dew. He had selected the stone in Lantian County specifically for her, but their constant bickering had delayed the gift.
As Huan Jiujun reached for it, Liu Che suddenly pulled back. He stood up, searched through a cabinet, and produced a square box made of cassia wood. He wrapped the jade carefully in a silk handkerchief before placing it inside.
"Tell her... tell her to come back soon."
Huan Jiujun waited, expecting more. When nothing came, he prompted, "Is that all, Your Majesty? No words of longing? Perhaps something like, 'One day without seeing you is like three autumns'?"
The Emperor felt the phrase was a bit too sentimental for a man of his years. But then he worried—had it been so long since they were close that she would find him repulsive? His mood soured again. He sat down, spread out a piece of fine cloth, and wrote: *“There he gathers dolichos; a day without seeing him is like three months. There he gathers oxtail-southernwood; a day without seeing him is like three autumns. There he gathers mugwort; a day without seeing him is like three years.”*
He handed the silk to Huan Jiujun.
Huan Jiujun stared at the text. *Really? You just copied a poem from the Classic of Poetry?* He sighed and accepted his role as the imperial messenger.
When he arrived at Changmen Palace, the sound of lively laughter was already drifting from the Luoshuang Pavilion. Inside, he found Chen Ajiao, Yan Zheng, Wen Song, and Ren Qiao gathered around a brazier, deep in a game of leaf cards.
Wen Song and Ren Qiao jumped in surprise at his sudden appearance. Ajiao had stayed at Changmen for several days now, and under her direction, Yan Zheng had revealed the truth to the two old servants. Wen Song had known Ajiao’s former maid, Guanyan, and learning that Yan Zheng was actually Guanyan’s daughter—originally named Shen Xu'er—had prompted a long session of weeping and reminiscing. It had taken even longer to convince them that the girl before them was truly the soul of their former mistress.
Ajiao looked up at Huan Jiujun with a playful glint in her eyes. "What brings you here, Huan Jun? Has His Majesty sent you?"
Huan Jiujun glanced at the servants, mindful of the secret. "His Majesty sent me to check on Lady Yan."
Ajiao’s smile faltered slightly. "I see."
Yan Zheng looked at Ajiao’s face, trying to read her reaction, but found nothing but calm indifference. She turned to Huan Jiujun and frowned. "Are you sure you didn't forget anything?"
Huan Jiujun gave her a reassuring look. "Actually... His Majesty did have a few words. Perhaps we could speak in private?"
Ajiao burst out laughing. "Enough, Master Huan. There are no outsiders here. Tell us, what is Liu Che up to now?"
Huan Jiujun was surprised by the servants' lack of reaction, but he set the box and the silk on the table. "His Majesty sent these for you."
Ajiao didn't move. Seeing her lack of interest, Huan Jiujun opened the silk himself. "Look, it’s a love letter written specifically for you."
Ajiao scanned the lines. "Are you sure he hasn't been possessed by an evil spirit?"
"How can you say that? Look at this jade—he carved it into a begonia. There are four begonia trees in the Shanglin Park that he prizes above all else. He clearly views you with the same regard."
For a moment, Ajiao was reminded of the hibiscus in the courtyard when they had reunited at the Chen estate. She shook her head. "I don't want it."
No matter how much Huan Jiujun pleaded, Ajiao refused to touch the gifts. In the end, he had to leave them with Yan Zheng for safekeeping.
Yan Zheng sighed as she looked at the poem. "If His Majesty knows that 'one day without seeing her is like three autumns,' why does he not understand the line: 'If I do not go to you, will you not come to me?'"
Later, when Huan Jiujun returned to report, the Emperor asked what Lady Chen had said. The line Yan Zheng had whispered was still echoing in his mind, and he blurted it out: "If I do not go to you, will you not come to me?"
He regretted it the moment the words left his mouth, knowing Ajiao hadn't actually said them. But Liu Che’s eyes lit up with a smile. So, she was simply throwing a tantrum because he hadn't come to fetch her personally!
Yet, as an Emperor on a southern tour, he couldn't simply divert his entire entourage to Changmen Palace on a whim. Liu Che rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, even as his heart felt lighter than it had in days.
