In the summer night, a refreshing breeze blew over a water pond dotted with red lotuses, sweeping through a long twisty corridor, before finally gently flowing through a slightly open Pearwood window, causing the bed curtains, as thin as silk, to flutter in the airâŠ.
That night, the silvery moonlight was so bright that it poured through the window like a clear spring, faintly illuminating every corner of the room with a hazy glow.
Although it was evident that this was a refreshing summer night, two young maidservants of the East Palace, who stood outside the Crown Princeâs chambers, had flushed cheeks.
After all, they could hear the low, disheveled gasps as well as the soft moans that seemed to be deliberately suppressed. However, as this was such a quiet night, any efforts to suppress the sound of those moans were rendered futile. A manâs pent-up breathing, intermittent and fragmented, reached the maidsâ ears, making them feel as if they had ascended into the clouds as they struggled to control themselves.
From time to time, a couple of uncontrollable gasps filtered through from the other side of the bed curtains, making the young maidservants, who had not yet married and had no experience in bedroom affairs, blush even deeper. Unable to hide their curiosity, the maids crept over to the half-open window and silently peeked into the bedchamber through the slitâŠ..
The robes, as red as fire with Dragon and Phoenix patterns, as well as the lavish silk undergarments, were scattered haphazardly all over the floor. While on the bed, the curtains swayed slightly, provoked by the movement insideâŠ.
This scene alone made the maidservants of the East Palace blush even harder and quickly lower their heads, in an attempt to hide their embarrassment.
However, no matter how embarrassed they felt, the ambiguous sounds didnât cease until late into the night.
â Whoâs inside His Majesty the Crown Princeâs bedchamber? We had clearly just been inside the chamber, helping His Majesty change his clothes, but there was no one thereâŠ. I thought the Crown Prince wasnât feeling well today, which is why he didnât go to visit the Consort of the East Palace, but whatâs going on now? â
As they realized that the Crown Prince had forbidden them to enter the bedchamber, the maidservants of the East Palace comprehended something on their own. â Could it be that the Crown Prince, having learned from the Emperors of the Han Dynasty, hid a mistressâŠ.in a luxurious chamber <sup>1</sup> ? â
â But who could possibly be more beautiful than Miss Lin Qing of the Lin Family? So much so that she managed to get His Highness the Crown Prince to let her join him in his bedchamber on his grand wedding day? As custom dictates, itâs forbidden for others to stay in the Crown Princeâs bedchamber. â
â Perhaps, tomorrow weâll get to know who that woman is? â
However, no matter how much the maidservants speculated, they were bound to never get an answer. As dawn came, the maidservants cautiously knocked on the door, but no one answered. Remembering the previous nightâŠ.the maidservants dared not knock again.
Qin Cheng knew he had lost control, but the moment he was able to touch the man he loved, and for him to reciprocate, it became impossible for Qin Cheng to restrain himself. Qin Cheng wanted to be gentle with Su Jingmo, and wanted to tell himself that he should be even softer, but he couldnât do itâŠ. As soon as Su Jingmo reciprocated his advances, Qin Cheng lost all sanity, making him perform the act again and againâŠ.
As soon as it was all over, Su Jingmo fell into a deep sleep, and Qin Cheng tightly wrapped him in his arms.
By using the moonlight that pierced through the chamber, Qin Cheng stared at the sleeping face of the man in his arms without even blinking an eye. â Su Jingmo is in my arms, just like I always so desperately wanted, itâs like being in a dreamâŠ. After all, Su Jingmo left a long time ago, and heâs no longer in this worldâŠ.. â
Qin Cheng lightly kissed Su Jingmoâs temple and murmured: âIf this really was a dream, I would be willing to stay here forever. At least then I could see and hug you whenever I want.â
However, even as he held his sleeping lover in his arms, Qin Cheng closed his eyes, knowing that even staying here one day was already a luxury. Qin Cheng knew that he was nothing more than a spectator in Su Jingmoâs life, and that it wouldnât be long before the grand wedding was over.
In fact, not even after half a minute after having closed his eyes, Qin Cheng felt that his arms were empty. When he opened his eyes again, Qin Cheng found that the scorching summer had turned into fresh spring.
High above the willow branches, the moon hung brightly after the throne ascension ceremony. Su Jingmo, dressed in a grand robe with an Imperial Crown <sup>2</sup> , sat at the highest point of the banquet during the night, dignified and proud, radiating an uncanny splendor.
Gazing at the moonlight that was no longer as soft as water, a cloudy feeling spread through Qin Chengâs heart, which made him hesitate for a long time before he finally exhaled a helpless sigh that vanished into thin air.
As for what happened after that, Qin Cheng heard it from Su Jingmoâs own mouth. A year after he became Emperor, he began to build his Imperial Mausoleum in Changâan (Xiâan). However, the Xiongnu <sup>3</sup> people in the Northwest, who had remained silent for five years, began to invade Great Xuâs territory again.
Although becoming Emperor brought Su Jingmo much power, it also brought him many restrictions. After two years of intermittent warfare, the Northern Border Army, without Su Jingmo there to lead them, finally fell. Then, the Xiongnu army possessed the border and the Yumen Pass <sup>4</sup> was lost, making Su Jingmo furious.
The fear of the Xiongnu spread throughout the country.
âYour Majesty, I fear that in this world, the King of Xiongnu fears only one person.â
As to who that person was, who in the Imperial Court didnât know?
Su Jingmo narrowed his eyes and remained silent.
âItâs impossible!â Prime Minister Ning stepped forward and said: âKing Yu in the Southwest is greedily eyeing the throne. If His Majesty were to personally lead the troops, the moment heâs no longer in the Capital, King Yu will retaliate!â
Down in the hall, day after day, the discussion continued unceasingly, to the point where Su Jingmoâs ears could bear it no longer. Su Jingmo finally took the lead and said: âThen, if we follow Prime Minister Ningâs advice, instead of having the Great Xuâs throne fall into Su Jingyanâs hands, it might as well fall into the Xiongnuâs hands?â
Ning Yunze didnât expect that Su Jingmo would have interpreted his words in such a way, and froze in surprise.
âYourâŠ.your loyal Subject has no such intentions!â
Su Jingmo looked at the dumbfounded expression on the face of the highest Scholar in all of Great Xu and couldnât help, but laugh: âI understand. But, do you have any other solution for these constant disputes?â
Ning Yunze gritted his teeth and said: âYour Subject thinks we should deploy more Generals.â
âSend more troops?â Su Jingmo snorted. âIf we deploy more of those Generals promoted by the late Emperor, Iâm afraid the Great Xuâs Army will be defeated even faster.â
Speaking of that, Su Jingmo suddenly thought of the stolen Taowu bone. Of course, he didnât even need to investigate, since he knew who had taken it and who had it now.
Who else, but his Crown Princess, who refused to become his Empress?
âI shall personally lead the troops <sup>5</sup> .â Su Jingmo looked at the dark, cloudy sky outside the hall, and said: âIn the land under Heaven, there can only be one with the Su surname. I, Su Jingmo, will not allow my subjects to be trampled by foreigners!â
While a war raged in the Northwest, without the presence of Su Jingmo, Su Jingyan, who was residing in the Southwest, actually seized the opportunity to enter the Capital. However, Su Jingmo completely ignored him and continued to lead the army to fight the enemy. When food became scarce in the army, Su Jingmo sent people to the Capital to ask for supplies. Su Jingyan, who was now in charge of the Capital, was no fool, for he knew that Su Jingmo was the only one capable of holding out against the Xiongnu. For that very reason, Su Jingyan never cut off the supply of military rations.
The change in government only took one year.
Eventually, Xiangnuâs troops were forced to retreat to the Northwestern part of the Tian Shan Mountain Range. There, the final battle broke out, where the reinforcements of the Great Xu were unexpectedly annihilated due to quicksand. Su Jingmo led the remaining thousand troops to fight to the death against the Chanyu <sup>6</sup> of Xiongnu. In the end, Su Jingmoâs troops were victorious. However, the Chanyu, before his death, desperately drew his bow and arrow, firing a shot. Then, the arrow that was supposed to fly high into the skies inexplicably changed direction midway.
As he helplessly watched the arrow fly all the way to Su Jingmo, Qin Cheng ran as fast as he could, looking like a madman. Qin Cheng wanted to block the arrow for Su Jingmo, but unfortunately, there was no way to stop it.
The arrow pierced through Qin Chengâs transparent body, and ultimately, penetrated Su Jingmoâs body.
âNo! Nooo!!!â Qin Cheng shouted at the sight of Su Jingmo kneeling before him, with his mouth spitting blood, an arrow filled with spikes piercing through his heart and lungsâŠ..
Qin Cheng knew that Su Jingmo had already died a long time ago, but knowing it was totally different from witnessing it with his own eyes. At the sight of the man he loved dying in front of him, Qin Chengâs heart was violently torn apart.
âJingmoâŠ. JingmoâŠ.â Qin Cheng knelt down in front of Su Jingmo, feeling helpless. Although he wanted more than anything to embrace his beloved in his arms, Qin Cheng was unable to touch the man in front of him.
Somehow, as if he had heard Qin Chengâs cries, the eyes of Su Jingmo, which were gradually losing vision, slowly raised up, until they finally met with the person kneeling in front of himâŠ.
Qin Cheng, who never expected that he could cross eyes with Su Jingmo so suddenly, stood there speechless for a moment, not knowing what to do. Right when Qin Cheng was about to say something, the man in front of him suddenly smiled.
âQin⊠ZonghuanâŠ?â
"
"
For some unknown reason, these three words made Qin Chengâs soul tremble, and in an instant, tears began to fall from his eyes.
âŠ
On the border between Shanxi and Shaanxi, there was a mountain called âHedeâ, where a temple from the Republic of China period was located. This temple was uninhabited, so it was quite neglected, with overgrown weeds everywhere and the roof full of holes. It was noticeable that this temple had become desolate a long time ago.
Although Qu Zhiwen was a Taoist, he had the same respect for the Buddhas as he had for the Gods. After lighting incense for the Bodhisattva, Qu Zhiwen quickly set up an altar and had Jiang Ping place Qin Chengâs lifeless body in the center.
Jiang Ping looked at the lifeless Qin Cheng with a complex expression on his face. â Is there really a way to bring the dead back to life? â Jiang Ping had served as a Police Officer for so many years, and despite having witnessed so many life and death situations, right now he was assisting a Taoist to bring someone back to life. â If this were to get out, Iâm afraid Iâll be laughed at. â
â Besides, a few moments ago, Qu Zhiwen mentioned that Qin Chengâs soul is no longer in this realm. â
âCan you really save him?â
Qu Zhiwen cut his finger with a small knife and used the blood to write something on the ground. Upon hearing Jiang Pingâs question, Qu Zhiwen raised his head to look at him: âAs long as I can retrieve his soul.â
âCan you find his soul then?â
âYes.â Qu Zhiwen nodded. âA soul wouldnât leave this realm for no reason, unless it has something that connects it to another realm.â
âSo, you mean Qin Cheng has something that connects him to somewhere else?â
âQin Cheng wore Su Jingmoâs burial item for so long, that even though the jade pendant turned to ashes along with Su Jingmo, Qin Cheng is still tainted with remnants of that other realm.â
After saying that, Qu Zhiwen frowned and continued: âBesides, that other realm has âthatâ person who Qin Cheng misses so muchâŠ.â
â Qin Chengâs love for Su Jingmo was so intense, that those feelings became engraved in his soul. Thatâs what probably induced all this chaos, isnât it? â
âWe have to hurry.â
Jiang Ping looked at Qu Zhiwen. Knowing that the person he was referring to was Su Jingmo, whose soul had scattered, said so by Qu Zhiwen himself, Jiang Ping sighed: âSince that âSu Jingmoâ no longer exists in this world, and you can save Qin ChengâŠ. why not wait a little longer and let Qin Cheng see the one he likes?â
Qu Zhiwen looked at Jiang Ping with some amusement in his eyes. â Itâs true that a soul can be influenced by the emotions engraved on it. The way he speaks is different from before. â
âThings arenât as you think. While Su Jingmo is in that other realm, of course, so is Qin Chengâs past life. Do you know what would happen if Qin Chengâs present soul were to meet his past life?â
âWhat would happen?â
âIn this world, there can only be a single identical soul. If two identical souls were to meet, the soul of the present Qin Cheng would undoubtedly disintegrate in the other realm.â
â In such a situation, not even an Immortal could save him. â
When Qu Zhiwen signaled Jiang Ping to step aside, he sat cross-legged on the floor and remained silent. By using his own blood, Qu Zhiwen drew a talisman between Qin Chengâs brows. However, right as he was about to close his eyes and begin to chant the incantation, Qu Zhiwen suddenly noticed how the red thread in Qin Chengâs hand turned as black as ink, abruptly stretching out into the shadowy distance.
Qu Zhiwen was greatly astonished as soon as he realized that this was the Ghost Marriage ThreadâŠ..
â Qin Chengâs soul married someone in the Underworld? â Even so, without even having to think about it, Qu Zhiwen already knew who the person connected to the other side of the thread was.
â HoweverâŠ. â As Qu Zhiwen looked at the Ghost-Human Marriage Thread extending straight into the Underworld, Qu Zhiwen thought: â With Su Jingmoâs soul scattered, even if Qin Chengâs soul had married him in the past, it would be impossible for a Ghost Marriage thread to be formed. â
â Unless, that is, Su Jingmo⊠is still⊠â
TRANSLATORâS NOTE:
Just a tiny reminder: âQin Zonghuanâ is Qin Chengâs past life courtesy name. In chapter 74, Qin Cheng met Su Jingmo once when Qin Cheng jumped into the river to rescue a male prostitute who was Su Jingmoâs lover (when Su Jingmo was still only a Prince and not the Crown Prince). Su Jingmo thanked Qin Cheng and asked him for his name.
ASDFGHJKLĂLKJHAS SU JINGMO REMEMBERED QIN CHENGâS PAST SELF AND REMEMBERED HIS COURTESY NAME AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA