Lu Qianqiao lay flat on the stone bed, his eyes tightly shut, breathing slowly.
War Ghost A silently approached him, raising a hand to check his breath before lifting an eyelid to examine him. Only then did he turn and whisper, "No immediate danger to his life for now."
War Ghost B nodded. "Take him away. As per the Madam's wishes, send him to Jiaping Pass."
"He's in the final stage of his Awakening Period. The slightest mishap could cost him his life. Why must the Madam rush this?"
"How can our clan continue to skulk and survive underground? Even if it means death, it should be on the battlefield! The Madam is willing to send her own son to the battlefield not just to preserve his honor, but that of our entire War Ghost Clan. There's no room for soft-heartedness now."
War Ghost A bent down and lifted the unconscious Lu Qianqiao onto his shoulder. Suddenly remembering something, he added, "What about his wife?"
"I'll take care of her. She won't leave the Imperial Mausoleum until everything is settled."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. Si Lan rushed in, his face filled with panic. Seeing Lu Qianqiao slung over a War Ghost's shoulder, he immediately made to charge forward.
War Ghost B raised a hand to block him. "Little Demon, don't throw your life away."
To his surprise, Si Lan instead dropped to his knees with a thud and said solemnly, "I swore an oath that no matter where the General goes, I would follow him to the death! Please allow me to accompany him this time as well!"
War Ghost A was taken aback. "Are you one of his former subordinates? But... you don't seem human."
"Ten years ago, the General saved my life. Since then, I've vowed never to abandon him."
War Ghost B nodded approvingly. "Good. Repaying kindness is the mark of a true man. The Young Master's journey to Jiaping Pass is indeed fraught with peril. Follow along and tend to him—perhaps you can help him survive this tribulation."
"My deepest gratitude!"
...So the General had been right after all. When he lost his senses and entered the most dangerous phase of his Awakening Period, the War Ghost Clan would send someone to take him away. Li Chao Yang would never tolerate her son lingering in the dark Underground Palace, clinging to life. Every War Ghost throughout history had undergone their Transformation Tribulation this way—either awakening amidst the slaughter and bloodshed of the battlefield or dying there.
The War Ghosts were a race that valued honor and dignity above all. There was no greater shame than a cowardly death. And Li Chao Yang's son could not bring such shame upon them.
"Little Demon, where is the Young Master's wife?"
The casual question made Si Lan clench his fists. Without hesitation, he replied, "I don't know. After the General lost his senses, she ran off on her own."
War Ghost B chuckled. "Ran off? What a heartless girl... No matter. You go ahead. I'll search the area around the Imperial Mausoleum."
This War Ghost was far too suspicious.
Silently, Si Lan followed behind Lu Qianqiao as they slowly made their way out of the Underground Palace.
If Xin Mei were found... No, it shouldn't be that easy. That room was well-hidden, surrounded by traps... But what if she was discovered? How would he explain it to the General?
Cold sweat broke out across Si Lan's back. Then, thinking of Xin Mei's infuriating personality, he felt both the urge to vomit blood and an even greater worry.
Little girl, you must stay safe!
Meanwhile, the oblivious Xin Mei was obediently following his instructions, sitting in the secret room and fighting with Zhao Guanren over a melon.
"Miss, hypothetically—just hypothetically! If someone took the General away and you were about to face life and death separation, what would you do?"Zhao Guanren held a melon in one hand and a brush in the other, swiftly filling the pages with the plot for his latest and most classic operatic script.
Xin Mei didn’t hesitate for a second: “What else? Bring him back!”
Zhao Guanren was so startled his brush slipped: “Uh… You’re not crying? Not making a scene? Not heartbroken and despairing? Such a bland reaction will wound the general’s fragile heart!”
Xin Mei frowned: “Zhao Guanren, you’re always wrong!”
“Nonsense! The general is still an inexperienced virgin—how can he compare to a worldly, sophisticated, and dashing man like me?! Say it again: the general has been taken away and is facing a miserable death. What should your reaction be?”
“I’ll bring him back. I won’t let him die. No one can make him die.”
…What a domineering response!
Tears streamed down Zhao Guanren’s face as if he had touched the divine spark of inspiration, and he began scribbling furiously: “What exactly did you say just now? Say it again! I’m going to plagiarize it for my new play!”
“Is this about me and Lu Qianqiao’s operatic script?”
“Yes, yes! Look here, miss—I have the general die at the hands of his furious mother, while you, newly pregnant with his child, suffer a miscarriage in extreme agony. Then one of you dies, the other goes mad, and your tragic love lingers to the ends of the earth…”
…
With no one around, could she just beat up this old crow who kept spouting nonsense and stealing her melons?
She raised her hand, about to grab the few trembling wisps of Zhao Guanren’s beard, when suddenly, steady footsteps echoed from the corridor. Both of them froze.
The footsteps stopped outside the door. Knock, knock —two polite, light raps.
“Miss Xin, please open the door.”
A strange, cold male voice.
Zhao Guanren shrank into a ball, shaking his head frantically: Don’t open it, don’t answer!
“I know you’re inside. Along with a rat spirit.”
After a moment’s thought, Xin Mei stood and opened the door. Outside stood a War Ghost dressed in white, his face like cold jade, his dark red eyes resembling… well, lychees.
He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly. “I am Li Min, sent by the Madam to oversee Miss Xin’s stay at the Imperial Mausoleum during the young master’s awakening period.”
Xin Mei was stunned for a long while before finally speaking: “Um… who is your Madam? And who is the young master?”
“The young master is your husband, General of Agile Cavalry Lu Qianqiao. The Madam is his mother, Lady Li Chao Yang.”
She thought for a moment. “I’m not a child. I don’t need looking after.”
Li Min remained expressionless. “The young master has gone to Jiaping Pass to suppress the peasant soldiers’ rebellion for the glory of the War Ghost Clan. His awakening—success or failure—will be decided in these coming days. Please remain quietly at the Imperial Mausoleum and wait.”
Xin Mei was shocked. “He can’t even move, and you sent him to suppress a rebellion?”
“The War Ghost Clan’s fate is to die on the battlefield. Everyone goes through this—there’s no need for surprise, Miss Xin. Now, please come with me.”
He stepped aside, making an unmistakable “after you” gesture that brooked no refusal.
Xin Mei had no choice but to step out. Zhao Guanren, who had been so frightened he reverted to his true form—a plump white mouse—trembled inside her sleeve, muttering, “Miss! This War Ghost doesn’t seem like a good guy—he shares the general’s mother’s surname… Ah! Could he be a bastard child? Be careful! He must be jealous of his elder brother every day, and now he’s probably taking you to be buried alive with him!”"I see!" Xin Mei was astonished. "Then what should we do? Should we run? Zhao Guanren, you lead the way!"
"Well... actually, I was just guessing..."
"No, look! He also has red eyes—he must be related to Lu Qianqiao by blood. You're a mouse now, easy to escape. You go first!" She made as if to throw him out.
"Noooooo!"
Zhao Guanren was flung high into the air, smacking into the wall with a thud . Dizzy and teary-eyed, he scurried away.
Li Min pressed a hand to his throbbing temple, turning back with forced composure. "Miss Xin, red eyes are a trait of the War Ghost Clan. Please refrain from baseless speculation."
"I get it, I get it." She nodded repeatedly. Such private matters were surely not something others should pry into.
...Why did he feel so irritated?! Li Min looked down at his hands, thinking of how his young master had chosen her as his wife. What formidable willpower it must have taken! What trials he must have endured!
In an instant, his respect for Lu Qianqiao reached new heights.
"So... how exactly do you plan to bury me alive?" Xin Mei cautiously asked from behind. "Kill me first and then toss me into the tomb? Or just throw me in and let me die slowly?"
"...Please don't think about such things..."
Li Min muttered weakly, about to continue when suddenly the ground beneath him gave way. Alert as any War Ghost, he pushed off the wall, leaping up like a great bird. But unexpectedly, a bronze panel dropped from above, smashing squarely onto his head and slamming him into the pit. With a series of clicks , layers of copper plates sealed tightly overhead, restoring silence.
"Miss! Over here!" Zhao Guanren waved at her from around the corner. "Hurry! That trap can only hold him for a short time!"
Xin Mei sprinted away, turning the bend to find Tao Guoguo and Ying Lian waiting. Several bricks on the wall were uneven—clearly, they had triggered the mechanism earlier.
"I told him the location and set the trap. Now we're even." Ying Lian's face was stern as she lightly leaped into the air. "Let's go!"
Tears welled up in Xin Mei's eyes. "Sister Ying Lian, you're so kind! Once Lu Qianqiao recovers, I’ll definitely tell him about you and Si Lan! Don’t worry!"
Ying Lian covered her ears, wanting to scream in agony. Again?! Why did she even save her?!
The secret passage's exit still led to the apricot grove, where the golden full moon now hung high in the midnight sky. The forest was alive with the revelry of spirits, eerie winds howling and ghostly wails echoing.
Zhao Guanren sighed. "By the next full moon, who knows if the general will still be alive..."
Ying Lian flew into a rage, stomping on his tail. "Shut your crow's mouth! Brother Lu will definitely survive!"
She shot Xin Mei a glare. "Why aren’t you leaving yet? If you’re caught, you’ll be buried alive!"
Xin Mei nodded. "Right, I’m going—to Jiaping Pass to fetch Lu Qianqiao. Wait for me. I’ll bring him back."
"Bring what?!" Zhao Guanren wailed. "Stop making trouble, will you? That’s a battlefield! You’re asking to die! You should find a place to hide and wait for the general to come for you after he awakens! That’s how your relationship should work!"She merely smiled and took out Qiu Yue's talisman paper from her bosom, about to summon it when suddenly an earth-shattering crash sounded behind her. Buried within the mechanism, Li Min emerged through a hole he had smashed open, covered in dust and wielding a long blade.
The little Demons scattered instantly, disappearing without a trace. Li Min strode forward with a cold sneer, "Miss Xin Mei, where do you think you're going?"
Xin Mei grabbed a steamed bun from her sleeve and shouted, "Take this!"
The bun grazed his cheek. He glanced at it disdainfully and said nothing.
"Take this!"
This time, it was a crispy duck-fat pancake.
"Take this!"
A wooden comb.
Li Min's veins bulged in fury. "Stop fooling around!"
"Take this!"
This time, it was a cloud of white powder. Before Li Min could react, he inhaled a mouthful of the choking dust, instantly coughing and tearing up.
Xin Mei leaped onto Qiu Yue's back and turned with a grin. "Fool! Don't you know all's fair in war?"
With a flap of its wings, Qiu Yue soared into the clouds, vanishing from sight.
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