“Alright, I’ve put the thing here for you! These are to be dropped directly into your eyes—remember, do not eat them!” Yun He tucked the small bottle under A’jiao’s pillow and patted it twice. “Don’t forget to plead my case when the time comes!”
Liu Che sat back down. “What nonsense are you spouting now? There must be a reason to increase your fief. What justification do you have?”
Having hidden the bottle, Yun He walked back over. “Actually, I mainly came today to give you this.” He produced a red pearl with a flourish of his hand. “I took this back and showed it to your stepfather. He recast a spell on it to seal the leaking spiritual energy.”
A’jiao looked at Liu Che. “Did Wang Zhi’s daughter have some special justification when she was granted a title?” In her mind, she spoke to Yun He: *“Thank you, Lord Yun He. Please thank Lord Shen for me as well! By the way, why was the spiritual energy leaking from this pearl?”*
“We haven’t figured that out yet, but it might be because it stayed in the Underworld for too long and couldn’t adjust to the mortal realm. Regardless, it won’t affect anything now.”
“How can you call the Empress Dowager by her given name?” Liu Che frowned. “Sister Jin Su was granted the title of Lady Xiucheng because she is Mother’s daughter. Since they are both my sisters, I cannot show favoritism to one over the other!”
“But I’m your younger sister too! Your only cousin!” A’jiao huffed, then thanked Yun He once more in her heart.
Yun He raised his hand, slowly guiding the pearl back into A’jiao’s body. “You’ll notice the difference this time. This was sealed by both Shen Zhi and my father; the previous situation won’t happen again! Alright, alright, I’m off!”
Liu Che felt helpless. “How can that be the same? Do you intend to tell everyone openly that you are Chen A’jiao? Your current identity is already somewhat awkward.”
*“Safe travels, Lord Yun He!”*
A’jiao smiled and said, “That’s simple. I’ve already thought of a plan.” She beckoned to Liu Che, and he leaned down.
“Just say that I am my own granddaughter. Wouldn’t that work?” This way, she could also stop Liu Che from constantly talking about her entering the palace once she grew up.
“What?” Liu Che was stunned for a moment before reacting. “What nonsense are you talking about? When did you ever have a child in your past life?”
“Oh, who would know what happened in Changmen Palace? It’s all a matter of Your Majesty’s decree. You don’t have to state it definitively; just be ambiguous and let others guess. You’re good at that!”
“...Chen A’jiao, why don’t you be even bolder? Why not say you’re my daughter instead of my granddaughter!”
“Well, didn’t I die too young in my last life? The ages wouldn’t match up now!”
“You...” Liu Che was choked with frustration, feeling a headache coming on.
“So, don’t you really think this identity is both close and convenient?”
“I do not! Stop thinking about these impossible things and stay here obediently. Everything else will wait until the truth of the witchcraft affair comes to light.”
“Ah, wait, wait! Your bowl! You forgot your bowl!” Lord Yun He had said that the bowl was indeed made from a thousand-year-old divine wood. Using it long-term truly could extend one’s life. She wondered if that Divine Lord Ruan actually had real skill or if he had just stumbled upon it by sheer luck.
Liu Che didn’t bother answering her and simply walked out.
Wei Yuan slipped in quietly. “Little Jiao’er, what did you say to His Majesty? He seemed angry.”
“I don’t know. He has such a terrible temper!”
“My Lady, you must not speak of His Majesty that way!” Yu Li said sternly.
A’jiao bantered with them for a while longer before starting to act spoiled. “Jiao’er wants to sleep now!” She had to find a way to send them out so she could examine the Yama’s Tears.
Xia Zhu touched A’jiao’s forehead. “My Lady just woke up and ate; why do you want to sleep again? Are you ill?” Yu Li had taught her that from now on, she must address their young mistress as ‘My Lady.’
Wei Yuan added, “Perhaps we should call for the imperial physician.”
“No need, no need! I just want to lie down!” A’jiao tugged on Wei Yuan’s sleeve.
“Jiao’er, listen to your aunt. You shouldn’t lie down right after eating. Get up and walk for a bit, alright?”
“I can’t walk!” A’jiao patted her legs.
Wei Yuan went silent. “Er...”
A’jiao thought for a moment. “My tummy hurts!” She grabbed Xia Zhu’s hand.
“Then I shall go fetch the commode!” Xia Zhu turned to run.
Yu Li stopped her. “In the future, you can just instruct the junior maids to do these things.” She then called several young maids to prepare.
A’jiao watched as they brought in the commode, cushions, screens, and incense, setting them up in the side chamber. She quickly said, “Xia Zhu is enough. The rest of you, go out!”
Wei Yuan smiled. “Is Jiao’er feeling shy?” She began to walk out.
The others had no choice but to withdraw.
Xia Zhu helped A’jiao with her skirts and placed her on the commode. A’jiao pulled her close and whispered, “Xia Zhu, go get the bottle from under my pillow.”
Xia Zhu hesitated. “Can My Lady sit steadily on her own?”
“I can, I can! Go quickly.” A’jiao waved her off.
Xia Zhu hurried over, lifted the pillow, and indeed found a small white bottle. She grabbed it and ran back. “My Lady, there is only this one.”
“This is it.” A’jiao took it, and Xia Zhu carefully supported her. Had it not been for her leg injury, Xia Zhu wouldn’t have needed to be so cautious.
A’jiao opened the bottle and saw a few tiny droplets of water floating inside, emitting a faint glow.
*Tsk, the tears of a deity really are different.*
Xia Zhu leaned in. “My Lady, what is this?”
A’jiao paused, then said, “This is a treasure bestowed by His Majesty. You are not allowed to tell anyone, or your head will be chopped off! You can’t even tell my aunt.”
Xia Zhu clutched her neck and nodded stiffly.
A’jiao took a nearby dish containing scented beans, emptied it, wiped it clean with a cloth, and then carefully poured out a single tear from the bottle.
The tear floated in the air, not touching the dish.
“Heavens!” Xia Zhu gasped in surprise.
A’jiao carefully capped the bottle and put it away. Then, using one finger, she guided the tear toward her eye. “Xia Zhu, go get me a mirror!”
Dazed, Xia Zhu quickly returned holding a mirror.
A’jiao faced the mirror, guided the tear into her right eye, and closed it.
It was icy cold! A’jiao felt a chill spread from her eye through her entire body. She couldn’t help but shiver.
“What’s wrong, My Lady?” Xia Zhu was terrified that something had happened.
A’jiao waved her hand. “It’s nothing.”
Once the coldness faded, A’jiao slowly opened her eye. Everything seen through her right eye seemed much clearer. She could even vaguely see swirls of mist floating in the room—A’jiao felt that they didn’t look like anything good.
She looked down and saw three talismans hanging around her neck, and a red pearl resting against her chest.
Thinking of this, A’jiao simply opened the bottle and counted carefully; there were five tears left. Now, she could see a very faint silver radiance flowing around these tears. A’jiao poured out another tear and guided it into her left eye.
She kept her right eye open, watching as the radiance merged into her eyes.
When the discomfort in both eyes had completely vanished, A’jiao felt as though the world before her had become incredibly vivid and transparent.
“My Lady?” Xia Zhu crouched to the side, watching a look of satisfaction appear on A’jiao’s youthful face. She was deeply worried—if anything went wrong while she was caring for the young mistress, the Young Madam and Young Master would surely be heartbroken!
“I’m fine.” A’jiao reassured Xia Zhu, her hand tightly gripping the small white bottle. *Where should I hide this?*
A’jiao scanned the hall, but nowhere felt safe.
Xia Zhu continued to worry. “My Lady, is your stomach bloated but you can’t go? Perhaps we should see a doctor!”
A’jiao blinked, only then realizing she was still sitting on the commode. “Er... it suddenly doesn’t hurt anymore! Xia Zhu, help me up.”
Xia Zhu had no choice but to lift A’jiao, carry her to the bed, and help her dress. She decided she would tell Sister Yu Li later to buy some medicine.
A’jiao sat on the bed and scanned her surroundings. Suddenly, she froze.
On a cabinet in the bedchamber sat a golden crane, poised as if about to take flight. She had seen it yesterday and quite liked it.
But looking at it now, there was an eye perched upon that golden crane, staring at her unblinkingly—she couldn’t even tell if it was actually looking at her. The large eyeball seemed to be lodged inside the golden crane’s body, rolling around aimlessly.
A’jiao sucked in a sharp breath!
Xia Zhu walked over and saw A’jiao staring intently at the golden crane. “Does My Lady want to play with that? But it’s too big to move easily. Should I go ask Lord Guo?” She turned to leave.
“Wait,” A’jiao called her back. “Tell Guo Dun to prepare a palanquin. I want to go to the Xuanzhi Hall!”
She had to see that leaf with her own eyes.
That scatterbrain Yun He had forgotten to tell her whether the witchcraft and the leaf came from the same person!
She turned to glance at the golden crane again. “This thing is an eyesore. Have someone cover it with a red cloth—no, just have them move it directly into the sun!” She didn’t know if that eyeball was a ghost or not, so she would leave it to bake in the sun first!
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 阎君的眼泪 | Yama's Tears | Tears from the King of Hell (Yama) that grant supernatural sight. |
| 修成君 | Lady Xiucheng | A noble title granted to Jin Su, the Emperor's half-sister. |
| 女君 | My Lady / Lady | A respectful form of address for a noblewoman or mistress of a house. |
| 宣室殿 | Xuanzhi Hall | A major hall in the imperial palace (historically the Xuan室殿). |
| 郭旽 | Guo Dun | A character name (likely an official or attendant). |
| 步辇 | Palanquin / Sedan chair | A hand-carried litter used by royalty and nobility. |
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The Han Dynasty Empress is a Ghost | Chapter 54 | The Yama's Tears | Novela.app | Novela.app
