The lights blazed brilliantly. The oil-paper lanterns presented by Lin Gao hung from nearly every carriage in the imperial procession. Ah Jiao wondered why Liu Che had chosen to rest his horses and chariots by the side of the Imperial Highway instead of stopping at a post station.
The sky was pitch black. She scouted the area and found a post station only two or three li away. After circling in the air for a while, she slowly descended. Seeing the subordinates of the Commandant leading the Crimson Guards and infantry in a state of high alert, she surmised that something must have happened.
Moving with light, graceful steps, she walked toward the carriage where the lights were brightest. The infantry surrounded the vehicle in three dense layers, with cavalry patrolling the perimeter. Guo Dun stood guard outside.
Inside the carriage, all was silent. Only a flicker of lamplight cast a shadow against the windows. She saw Liu Che’s silhouette move as he set down one bamboo slip and picked up another.
Ah Jiao slipped into the carriage, only to startle when she came face-to-face with the occupant. "Huan Jiujun?"
Huan Jiujun moved to sit up, but after a moment of visible hesitation, he settled back down. He beckoned Ah Jiao forward and whispered, "Master sent word that someone was coming to help. Is it just you? Surely not."
Ah Jiao’s expression stiffened. She snapped back, "Do you look down on me? Where is Liu Che? Has something happened? The security outside is incredibly tight."
Huan Jiujun straightened his sleeves and resumed a formal posture. "He’s over in my carriage. Something did happen. Yesterday at the post station, assassins suddenly appeared. Though it didn't seem like they were actually targeting His Majesty, Huang Yu was wounded while protecting him. So, today I was made to wear the Emperor’s robes and sit here."
"Not targeting Liu Che? Tell me more." Ah Jiao sat down beside Huan Jiujun, studying him closely. Usually, he wore simple green robes and cloth shoes with his hair tied loosely; now, with his hair neatly styled and dressed in formal attire, he truly looked the part of a refined noble.
Huan Jiujun propped his cheek on one hand and tilted his head. "I have a feeling they were after you. When the intruder entered, he headed for the bed, but he didn't strike. He just looked around and prepared to leave. It was only when I used a spell to stop him that he fought back, accidentally wounding that little eunuch."
He blinked and continued, "Remember the Emperor’s dream before? Wasn't that also targeting your spiritual power and official plaque? This might be the same thing. However, you weren't here, and I found it difficult to handle alone. Although I wounded the assassin, he managed to escape."
Ah Jiao pondered for a moment before nodding. "It’s possible. Then I must trouble you to stay here a while longer, Lord Huan. Lord Zhong Yu will be arriving shortly. I’m going to see Liu Che."
Huan Jiujun smiled and stretched his neck. "Go on, go on. His Majesty is in a terrible mood. You’ve been gone for days, and he hasn't had a single beauty by his side to confide in."
"Hmm?" Ah Jiao turned back, her brows furrowing.
"Hehe, at a previous post station, they specifically prepared a young beauty for him. The Emperor had her thrown out immediately—she even broke her arm in the fall."
Huan Jiujun saw Ah Jiao raise an eyebrow, though her expression remained unreadable.
***
Huan Jiujun’s carriage was much smaller than the Emperor’s. Liu Che was curled up inside, feeling as though he couldn't even stretch his legs. He was exhausted, having gone nearly a day and night without sleep, yet he didn't quite dare to close his eyes.
In his daze, a soft touch brushed against his hand.
"Jiao Jiao!" He cried out in pleasant surprise, trying to stand up only to find his legs had gone numb.
Ah Jiao pressed down on his shoulders to keep him still, then sat down to massage his legs.
Liu Che let out a few grunts before speaking. "So, you finally remembered to come back?"
Ah Jiao was startled by the sheer amount of resentment in his voice. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. She clicked her tongue and said, "The Underworld had arrangements, as you well know. Be good and don't interfere with my official business."
Liu Che felt that something was very wrong with that sentence. It instinctively reminded him of the times Ah Jiao used to visit him while he was handling government affairs... The more he thought about it, the angrier he got!
He turned away, refusing to look at her. He had nearly been hurt because of her, yet she hadn't come to see him for a whole day. And when she finally arrived, she offered only a few stiff words without a hint of concern.
The sound of Ah Jiao’s soft laughter reached his ears. He turned back in surprise to see her looking radiant. He could hardly suppress his temper. "What are you laughing at? Shut up!"
"Ah Che, I know you’ve been in a foul mood lately, but you must learn to restrain your temper. Just as you maintain a poker face before your ministers, you cannot always vent your anger at me. If I see it too often, I will grow weary of it."
Liu Che stared at her for a long time with a pouting expression. He lowered his eyes and replied, "Can you stop taking the things I used to say to you and throwing them back in my face?"
"Huh?" Ah Jiao was stunned. Had Liu Che said those words to her before? She didn't remember.
Ignoring Ah Jiao’s confusion, Liu Che threw himself into her arms. He nuzzled against her and murmured, "I’m so tired. I want to sleep for a while."
"Sleep, then," Ah Jiao said, patting his back.
...
The imperial procession rested in the wild for a day. At dawn the next morning, they set off for the post station. After resupplying, they continued forward accompanied by the traveling officials. This was the final post station; further ahead lay the docks along the river.
Before departing, Liu Che and Huan Jiujun swapped their identities back. Many officials were waiting by the docks. Liu Che draped a cloak over Ah Jiao and, holding her close, boarded the official vessel under the protection of the guards.
Ah Jiao looked at the shadow the cloak cast on the ground and lamented that she hadn't thought of this method herself—Liu Che truly was a wily old fox.
The official vessel was several stories high. The main ship carrying Liu Che was positioned in the middle, with guards stationed on the ships ahead and behind. Huan Jiujun was led by palace attendants to a room on the lowest deck. He sighed, wondering what virtue he had possessed to be allowed to stay so close to the Emperor.
The Emperor’s quarters were on the upper deck. Once the attendants had prepared food and hot water, Ah Jiao shed the cloak and rolled around on the bed a few times. The Emperor walked over, and the two of them simply washed up before having the food trays placed on the bed and dismissing the servants.
Liu Che sipped some soup and, finding the braised beef to be quite good, picked up a slice and offered it to Ah Jiao.
Ah Jiao was still fiddling with the clothes and jewelry the servants had prepared for her. She shook her head at the food. Come to think of it, she had only changed clothes while inhabiting Chen Wan’s body; her true form had always worn the same set of Underworld robes.
Seeing these fresh, beautiful things now, she couldn't help but feel delighted. She tilted her head in thought, then ran behind the screen to fetch the bronze basin used for washing. She rolled the clothes into several bundles, tossed one into the basin, and dropped a candle in after it.
Flames shot up instantly. Liu Che, holding his bowl, cried out repeatedly, "Move the basin further away! You’ll burn the bed!"
Ah Jiao giggled. "Don't worry, I’m watching it."
As the bundle in the basin was nearly consumed, the fire remained strong. Ah Jiao tossed in another bundle of clothes and reached her hand into the basin.
Liu Che was horrified. He dropped his bowl and rushed to stop her. "What are you doing? Watch your hand!" Before he could finish, he saw Ah Jiao pull something out of the ashes. In the midst of the blue smoke, the object transformed into a set of robes.
Liu Che stared at Ah Jiao’s fair hand, then slowly shifted his gaze to the robes she held. He asked in confusion, "You can wear them just like that?"
She gave a brilliant smile, bright as the stars. "Naturally." With a wave of her hand, she was already dressed in the new clothes. Liu Che stood agape. He got off the bed and circled her several times before his exclamations of wonder finally ceased.
***
Because they were on a ship, no one could board the main vessel without an imperial summons. Ah Jiao usually just had to pretend to stay in the room. She spent her time playing chess, reading, or playing the zither with Liu Che, and nothing unusual seemed to occur.
"Watch out!" Zhong Yu’s voice suddenly rang in her mind. Ah Jiao pressed down on Liu Che’s hand as it plucked the strings and stood up abruptly. She walked to the window and looked out. The clouds were heavy, the breeze was light, and the red sun was sinking in the west; she could see nothing out of the ordinary.
Liu Che walked to her side. He couldn't see anything either, so he took her by the shoulders and asked, "What is it?"
Ah Jiao pressed Liu Che back into his seat. "Something feels wrong. I’m going out to check." After a thought, she pulled out the talismans her mother and Stepfather Shen had given her in the Underworld and stuffed them all into Liu Che’s hand. "Take these. Stay here."
Liu Che watched blankly as Ah Jiao vanished from the spot. He wanted to stand up, but his arms seemed to lose all strength. He remained frozen on the couch in a strange posture.
Even if ten thousand horses and soldiers stood before him, he would not fear, for he was the sovereign of the Great Han, the leader of countless Han sons. No matter how strong the enemy, they were but flesh and blood; no matter how sharp the blade, there were places it could not reach.
But he had never felt this powerless. Now, he was merely a mortal of flesh and bone. He didn't know what ghosts or monsters lurked outside. Ah Jiao could go, but he could not. Liu Che slumped back onto the couch, clutching the talismans tightly.
He kept his eyes open, huddled under the covers, as if he could see Ah Jiao walking down the stairs step by step toward the bow of the ship.
Ah Jiao walked to Huan Jiujun’s side and nodded to Zhong Yu. Huan Jiujun stood with his hands behind his back, his sleeves fluttering in the wind, his expression one of undeniable gravity and tension.
It was then that Ah Jiao saw dark shadows moving within the river water. She focused her senses for a moment and asked, "What is that? It looks like... a snake?"
Zhong Yu glanced at her and sighed. "No need to comfort yourself. It’s a *jiao*. I’ve already sent word out; we just need to hold on until they arrive. Neither of you is very skilled in the art of wind-riding, so you will be responsible for protecting the mortals on the fleet." He shook his sleeves and leaped into the water.
He was a civil official under the City God; his combat strength was not high, but of the three present, his cultivation was the best. If he didn't take the lead, it would be inexcusable. As for why this single *jiao* remained submerged beneath the ship without showing its head, he couldn't be sure.
But his intuition told him it was wary of something.
Beneath the water, one could see a black *jiao*. Its body was covered in scales, with small horns growing from its head, measuring over eighty feet in length. Upon seeing Zhong Yu, it began to sink toward the riverbed.
"Wild *jiao* from whence you came, depart at once!" he shouted in a low voice. The shrimp, crabs, and fish in the water were startled and quickly swam away.
A few moments passed without incident. He stared at the bottom and slowly floated toward the surface. The river was turbulent, and the silt carried by the current obscured his vision; the situation at the bottom was not very clear.
Reaching the surface, he turned to fly back toward the ship.
"Lord Zhong Yu!"
Ah Jiao watched as an arrow of water suddenly pierced through Zhong Yu’s chest.
