"Ah Jiao, I think you are being far too stubborn."
"Oh." Ah Jiao turned to leave, but Liu Che suddenly caught her by the wrist. She looked back blankly, her eyes filled with confusion.
Liu Che pulled her back toward him and tucked a few stray locks of hair behind her ears. "I have sent Yang Deyi back to the capital to deliver an imperial edict," he said softly. "I am posthumously restoring your title and honor as Empress."
"There is no need. I do not care for it." Ah Jiao brushed his hand away and took several steps back.
"How can there be no need? I heard from A-Su that after I... pass away, you can continue to accompany me. While the status of a deposed empress would technically suffice, I know your temperament; you refuse to be beneath anyone. When the time comes, I cannot allow you to be a step lower than the Wei woman. See? I am still quite considerate of you."
Ah Jiao: "..."
"I think you have some misunderstandings about me," she said. "And you certainly have some misunderstandings about the Underworld."
Liu Che’s brows knitted together. He pressed forward two steps and asked, "What misunderstandings? Speak."
"Heh!"
Based on her understanding of Liu Che, his desire to become an immortal was not so he could stoke fires or haul wood for the great gods and spirits; he wanted to be an earthly sovereign for all eternity. The phrase "long live the Emperor" was predicated on the idea of *remaining* the Emperor. If Liu Che knew that he could achieve longevity after death but could no longer be an emperor—and might even have to serve under others—would he still want it?
However, since her grandfather and uncle had managed to change themselves to adapt to their identities in the Underworld, and she had heard that even the First Emperor had adapted, surely Liu Che could as well?
"You... *Sigh*. Liu Che, I cannot tell you everything, but I can tell you that you truly do have a misconception about the Underworld."
"Such as?"
"Such as... after you die, you can only choose one woman to accompany you." *And I won't be one of them.*
"Only one?" Liu Che was stunned.
If he could only keep his Empress, he might have been able to have it both ways. But if he could only keep *one*... He looked toward Ah Jiao, his gaze darkening.
Ah Jiao patted Liu Che’s cheek and smiled. "Be content. Judging by your expression, at least you think you have a choice."
The truth would only be more cruel.
"Ah Jiao, I..."
"Liu Che, I understand. You want to say that the Wei woman is the mother of the Crown Prince, and you must consider the matter carefully, right?"
Liu Che nodded.
"I also understand. You don't want Liu Ju to become Emperor and then go to the Underworld only to find he can't even find his own mother. So, you don't need to be conflicted."
"Ah Jiao, do you mean..." *That you are willing to give it up yourself?*
Liu Che felt a wave of tenderness rise in his heart. He suddenly remembered that in the past, whenever he had a dispute with the Grand Empress Dowager, Ah Jiao would always try her best to mediate so he wouldn't be caught in the middle.
Even now, was she still unwilling to let him be troubled?
"Ah Jiao!"
"You don't need to be conflicted," she continued. "You can simply depose Liu Ju and pick someone else to be the Crown Prince!"
Liu Che stood there in shock. By the time he regained his senses, Ah Jiao was nowhere to be seen. Only the sound of her wanton, mocking laughter seemed to linger in the air.
"Chen Ah Jiao!" Liu Che barked, exasperated.
"Your Majesty?" Guo Dun’s voice sounded from outside the carriage.
"Enter." The Emperor was in a foul mood.
Guo Dun carefully climbed into the carriage and knelt by the door.
"On my behalf, deliver a letter to Wei Qing."
***
Yang Deyi rode a fast horse back to the capital, a move that immediately shocked the three men left in charge of Chang'an.
While the Emperor was on an inspection tour, the Crown Prince oversaw the state. The place where officials reported had moved from the Xuanshi Hall to the Bingjia Hall of the Crown Prince’s palace.
At this moment, Liu Ju and Wei Qing were both in the Bingjia Hall to receive the imperial decree.
"Restoring the Chen woman's status? Why? Why would Imperial Father suddenly do such a thing?" The Crown Prince’s eyes widened, his usually gentle features tightening.
When Yang Deyi read the decree, Liu Ju had been dazed for a moment. It took him a while to remember who this "Empress Chen" was. Why would a woman who had been deposed for over twenty years and died in an auxiliary palace suddenly have her title restored?
Yang Deyi lowered his gaze and bowed slightly. "In response to Your Highness, this... this servant is not entirely sure."
Even if he knew, he couldn't say! He was, after all, a servant of the Emperor; he could not gossip about his master.
Wei Qing stepped forward and took the decree, reading it over several times to confirm it was indeed the Emperor’s handwriting. Usually, an imperial edict was drafted by the relevant officials under the Emperor’s instructions, reviewed by His Majesty, and then sealed. It was rare for the Emperor to write one personally. But perhaps because His Majesty was away, he had drafted it himself.
"The Palace Attendant has been serving by His Majesty's side constantly. Surely you have heard something?" Wei Qing’s face was gaunt, but his eyes still held a spark of spirit. Ever since Liu Qing had offered the medicine, although the immediate threat to his life had vanished, his health had not improved, and he remained chronically ill.
Yang Deyi cupped his hands and replied, "This official truly does not know."
Liu Ju looked at Wei Qing, his expression displeased. When he was born, Empress Chen had already moved to the North Palace. Before he was old enough to remember things, she had been moved to Changmen Palace. He had never even seen her face.
Aside from her passing seven years ago—when he heard his mother mention that the burial arrangements for the Chen woman had exceeded protocol—he might never have known she existed.
"Did Imperial Father have no other instructions?"
"Your Highness, regarding the posthumous restoration of Empress Chen, His Majesty had no other instructions. He only told this servant to see the matter settled before returning."
"I understand. You may go then." Liu Ju waved Yang Deyi away. He was not happy about this, but Empress Chen was a dead person, after all. Even a posthumous restoration wouldn't interfere with anything.
"Crown Prince!" Wei Qing’s voice was somewhat stern.
"Uncle?"
"Palace Attendant Yang Deyi has traveled a long way. It would be better to let him rest first. As for His Majesty’s decree, the Crown Prince and I will summon the Chancellor, the Minister of Ceremonies, and the Director of the Imperial Clan to divine an auspicious date and proclaim it to the world."
"I shall trouble the Crown Prince and the Marquis, then."
Ah Jiao sat upon the rafters, listening to the men below discuss her restoration. Only then did she realize Liu Che hadn't been teasing her.
A strange sensation slowly seeped into her heart, swirling back and forth before finally dissolving into a sigh.
Wei Qing’s physical condition looked poor. The blood aura she had seen on him before had weakened, but at the same time, his vitality was also fading.
After Yang Deyi was sent off, Liu Ju frowned and looked at Wei Qing. "Uncle, why did you call out to me just now?"
"Palace Attendant Yang Deyi has served His Majesty since childhood. Although he was once demoted to serve as a dog warden for a time, he was quickly recalled by His Majesty. Do you know this?"
"I know, but... I was just momentarily annoyed. Why do you think Imperial Father suddenly wants to restore the Chen woman? She has been dead for so many years."
Ah Jiao floated down beside Wei Qing, intending to cast an Exorcism Curse to see if she could disperse the blood aura on him.
"Since the Crown Prince knows this, you should not have been so dismissive of him," Wei Qing said. "Yang Deyi is His Majesty’s confidant. To offend him is, in a way, to offend half of His Majesty."
"Uncle! I am the Crown Prince, the eldest son of Imperial Father. No matter how influential Yang Deyi is, can he truly offend me? Uncle, you worry too much. Besides, didn't you say before that Yang Deyi is not a petty man?"
"Even if he is not petty, he should not be treated with neglect!"
Ah Jiao hovered in mid-air, pressing a hand onto the top of Wei Qing’s head. The Exorcism Curse was slowly driven into his body. The blood aura within him suddenly became agitated, like a drop of water falling into a pot of boiling oil.
"Crown Prince..." Wei Qing felt his mind go blank. His entire body pitched forward.
"Uncle!" Liu Ju was horrified. He rushed to support Wei Qing and shouted toward the door, "Someone! Summon the Imperial Physician!"
For a moment, the Crown Prince’s palace fell into chaos.
As the Chancellor, Shi Qing knew that compared to himself—the Crown Prince’s former tutor—His Highness valued his maternal uncle, the Grand Marshal, far more. Therefore, as long as nothing major was happening, he didn't seek trouble and stayed quietly in his own manor.
However, on this day, he had just finished teaching his young grandson a few characters when a summons came from the Crown Prince, saying something terrible had happened.
He hurriedly changed his clothes and entered the palace. Before he could even see the Crown Prince, a Palace Attendant told him that the Grand Marshal had suddenly fallen ill and collapsed.
Ah Jiao frowned as she looked at Wei Qing, feeling conflicted. The blood aura on him could indeed be dispersed, but Wei Qing’s vitality was currently being sustained by that very aura.
Though this energy had entered the path of evil, it had indeed repaired Wei Qing’s body. If she cleared the blood aura now, Wei Qing’s body would only last for less than half a year.
Ah Jiao found herself in a rare state of hesitation. She was suddenly curious: Wei Qing had risen from the son of a slave to a Marquis of ten thousand households through countless military merits. Would a man like him be willing to let go of all his wealth and status?
She was truly curious.
Wei Qing was still unconscious. Liu Che had taken the two Directors of the Imperial Physicians with him, so the Imperial Physician's office in Chang'an was currently led by the Vice Director, Song Zhen.
Song Zhen took the pulse and felt that the Grand Marshal’s condition was not optimistic. He weighed his words, wondering how to report this to the Crown Prince.
Ah Jiao placed her hand on Wei Qing’s forehead, sending a sliver of her spirit into his mind.
Upon entering, Ah Jiao was jolted by a frigid, piercing killing intent. She hadn't expected that beneath Wei Qing’s gentle exterior lay such deep slaughterous intent. But then she remembered he had fought for his life on the battlefield, and she accepted it.
"Wei Qing!" she called out to the man whose eyes were tightly shut in pain.
Wei Qing’s soul consciousness was huddled together, entangled in a mass of blood-red aura.
He slowly opened his eyes, which were filled with confusion.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Ah Jiao looked at Wei Qing and spoke plainly. "You do not need to know who I am. I only tell you this: you are currently entangled by a malevolent aura. If it is not purged soon, I fear it will affect your sanity. But if it is purged... you know you were very ill before. You likely won't live long."
"Lose my sanity?" He felt his eyelids were heavy, almost impossible to lift.
"Yes. If your sanity is consumed, you will no longer recognize those around you. You might even cause harm to others, becoming no different from a malevolent ghost."
"If it is purged... will I die?"
"Yes! Your body cannot hold out for long."
"Then purge it."
Ah Jiao’s hand paused. She was surprised. "You won't consider it? You currently enjoy all the wealth and honor of the mortal world. If you die, all of this will be gone."
"I have made my decision! Do it." He was exhausted and closed his eyes once more.
"I understand. I will purge it for you." Ah Jiao prepared to withdraw from Wei Qing’s consciousness, but then she suddenly asked, "You trust me just like that?"
"I just remembered who you are," he murmured. "You have always been by His Majesty’s side. You were the one who killed Chou Zhuang."
"Oh? You still remember me. I am surprised."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 宣室殿 | Xuanshi Hall | The main hall of the Weiyang Palace where the Emperor handled state affairs. |
| 丙甲殿 | Bingjia Hall | A hall within the Crown Prince's palace. |
| 尚书令 | Palace Attendant | An official title; here referring to Yang Deyi's role. |
| 大司马 | Grand Marshal | A high-ranking military title held by Wei Qing (Da Sima). |
| 太医丞 | Vice Director of Imperial Physicians | A high-ranking medical official. |
| 杀气 | Killing intent / Slaughterous aura | The aura of one who has killed many in battle. |
| 驱邪咒 | Exorcism Curse | A spell used to drive out evil spirits or malevolent energy. |
| 追封 | Posthumously restore/grant | To grant a title or honor after death. |
| 监国 | Overseeing the state / Regent | Acting as the head of government while the Emperor is away. |
| 宗正 | Director of the Imperial Clan | The official in charge of the affairs of the imperial family. |
| 太常卿 | Minister of Ceremonies | One of the Nine Ministers, in charge of religious rituals and the imperial lineage. |
