Love Beyond the Grave

Duan Xu claimed he had no illustrious reputation, but he was clearly being too modest.

“Duan Shunxi? Who in the court hasn’t heard of that name?”

The Bright Pearl in He Simu’s hand emitted a soft glow under the bright moonlight. Wrapped in a cape, she sat on the roof of the governor’s residence, one hand propping her chin while the other held the pearl, listening to the voices emanating from within.

“The Duan family has produced three generations of Hanlin scholars and is connected to the imperial family. Duan Shunxi’s maternal grandmother was a princess of the previous dynasty, the elder sister of the late Emperor. His father, Duan Chengzhang, rose to the position of Minister of Rites before retiring due to illness. His family is a renowned lineage of civil officials, and when he placed second in the imperial examinations two years ago and entered the court, his future seemed boundless.”

Leaning against the roof ridge, He Simu gazed up at the moon and asked, “And who is Duke Pei?”

“Oh, so even you’ve heard of Duke Pei, Old Ancestor. The court is currently divided into two factions locked in a life-and-death struggle—one led by Duke Du, the other by Duke Pei. Duan Shunxi’s father was Duke Du’s trusted aide, so naturally, he’s part of Duke Du’s faction. The current Emperor favors appointing young officials, and since Duke Du is advanced in years, Duan Shunxi—with his prestigious background and Duke Du’s favor—is being groomed as a future chancellor.”

“Unfortunately, he has a sworn enemy: Fang Xianye, the top scholar from the same examination year, now the Remonstrance Official. Fang Xianye comes from a humble background and was originally a retainer of Duke Pei. After placing first in the exams, he naturally joined Duke Pei’s faction. That man is clever and meticulous, always outshining Duan Shunxi.”

“At the Mid-Autumn banquet, the Emperor, on a whim, invited the talented attendees to debate military strategy. This time, Duan Shunxi triumphed over Fang Xianye and earned the Emperor’s high praise. But Duke Pei’s faction immediately submitted a memorial, arguing that since Duan Shunxi had such military talent, he ought to be given more practical experience. The Emperor, pleased in the moment, appointed Duan Shunxi as Palace Guard General.”

“Originally a Supervising Secretary in the Chancellery, Duan Shunxi’s smooth path to becoming chancellor was suddenly derailed. Though promoted, he was given a military post. Coming from a civil official background with no military connections, he was bound to make mistakes in the Palace Guards. Fang Xianye seized the opportunity and submitted a censure that sent Duan Shunxi out of the capital to serve as a Colonel in the Snow-Treading Army. But as soon as he arrived, the Huqi invaded, and the Snow-Treading Army’s general fell in battle. Thus, he was thrust into command and became the Snow-Treading Army’s general.”

He Simu rubbed her temples, tossing the pearl in her hand. “I see. So he’s your universally known, illustrious unlucky fellow.”

From a scion of nobility and a chancellor candidate to a precarious frontier general—no wonder Meng Wan was like a powder keg ready to explode, shouting about protecting Duan Shunxi.

He Simu looked toward Duan Xu’s room in the distance. Though the night was deep, a dim light still burned inside, and his silhouette, tall and straight as a pine, was cast against the window.

“But this young general seems utterly untroubled, always smiling and never complaining about his situation.” He Simu propped her chin lazily. “Is he truly so open-minded and accepting, letting things take their course? In this mortal world, after a decade of grueling study to earn fame and rank, doesn’t everyone dream of becoming chancellor?”

“Given the chance, even the Emperor would want it, hahaha! Duan Shunxi is famously cheerful, always greeting others with a smile. But who knows what he really thinks? With his illustrious background and exceptional talent, wouldn’t he want to stand above ten thousand, second only to the Emperor?”

“Ah… how tedious.”The world hustles and bustles for profit alone; this young general is but the most ordinary mortal, trapped in this arena of fame and fortune, coming and going throughout his life.

Once having seen the ocean, one finds it hard to admire mere rivers. Her uncle was perhaps the most noble, gentle yet formidable person she had ever seen in this world. How could the Illusion-Breaking Sword, having had such a master, ever settle for such a common man?

At the same time, Duan Xu, who was reading military reports in his room, sneezed. The officer in the room immediately looked at him and said, "The snow is heavy today. Has the general caught a chill?"

Duan Xu shook his head. He set down the report and stared absently at the lamplight for a while before raising his eyes to the officer.

"Qing Sheng, have the assassins from today been caught yet?"

Xia Qingsheng looked ashamed as he clasped his sword and replied, "Not yet. The assailant was highly skilled and escaped too quickly—we lost track of him. General, you must bring guards with you when you go out in the future. It's far too dangerous otherwise."

Duan Xu's dislike for attendants was well-known in the Southern Capital. For a young master of his stature, bringing four or five servants when going out would already be considered modest, yet he always traveled alone.

According to his own account, he had once been ambushed by bandits. The servants who had attended to him for years fought desperately to help him escape, all perishing under the bandits' blades. Nostalgic at heart, he refused to take on new servants.

This explanation spread throughout the Southern Capital, earning Duan Xu a reputation for being deeply sentimental.

"Highly skilled... The spot he chose on the Corner Tower was extremely well-hidden. To take aim at me from such a distance—he truly is an expert." Duan Xu thus completely ignored Qing Sheng's advice and murmured softly.

"Even if you had been by my side, you might not have noticed the assassin."

Duan Xu gave a faint smile.

Much less an "ordinary" girl who knew no martial arts?

The moon reached its zenith. Xue Chenying woke from a nightmare only to find that Little Sister was not in the room. He called out tentatively a few times but received no response. Holding a candlestick, he searched the courtyard again but still found no trace of her.

Standing there in a daze, the scenes from his nightmare seemed to resurface. Chen Ying gradually panicked. Clutching the candlestick, he pushed open the door and ran into the street, calling out repeatedly, "Little Sister! Little Sister!"

Where had Little Sister gone?

Had Little Sister grown tired of how much he ate and abandoned him?

Chen Ying's eyes gradually welled with tears, blurring the street before him. He thought of his mother and father, and all his departed loved ones—they had all vanished one day after he woke up, never to return. It felt like some ominous metaphor.

Those he couldn't see when he opened his eyes might be gone forever.

Snow had fallen all day, leaving a layer of ice on the ground. Weeping as he walked, Chen Ying slipped and fell.

The candlestick dropped to the ground, its flame extinguishing with a soft "puff," leaving only a wisp of smoke.

Just as the light went out, a gentle woman's voice sounded, faint and indistinct.

"Child, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Chen Ying looked up. In the desolate, freezing silence of the street, a young woman in a green jacket stood ten paces away.

The snow, which had finally stopped, began to drift down again. She stood in the shadows, her delicate silhouette barely visible, jade earrings dangling by her ears, holding a large jar adorned with black-and-white infant play motifs.

Staggering to his feet, Chen Ying glanced around but saw no one else. He stood there awkwardly, unsure what to do."I'm looking for someone," he whispered.

The woman took a step forward, her feet sinking soundlessly into the snow.

"Who are you looking for?"

With that step closer, he could now see her crimson lips, the corners curled in a faint smile.

Chen Ying hesitated but finally answered, "I'm looking for... Sister He Xiaoxiao. Do you know her?"

"He Xiaoxiao? I know her very well. I know where she is. Come, Mother will take you to her." The woman took another step toward Chen Ying.

Instinctively, Chen Ying retreated. Like a wild animal, he sensed danger. Bewildered and cautious, he said, "My mother passed away long ago, and she didn’t look like you. Why are you calling yourself my mother?"

The woman fell silent, her smile slowly fading. The surroundings grew eerily quiet, save for the howling wind tearing through the banners and shop signs in the street.

The woman stepped forward again, this time fully entering the light. Chen Ying finally saw her eyes—completely black, with no whites. And the Infant Play Pattern Jar she cradled in her arms was smeared with bloodstains.

Her delicate, jade-like hands, stained with fresh blood, dripped crimson down the jar’s surface, drop by drop onto the snow.

The silence was so profound that he could almost hear each blood droplet hitting the snow.

As if nothing were amiss, she blinked her pitch-black eyes and smiled gently, coaxing him, "I’m not your mother yet, but I will be soon. Come, come to Mother."

Chen Ying gaped at her, trembling in terror.

Driven by primal fear, he wanted to turn and run, but his legs had gone weak, refusing to obey. Xue Chenying could only cry out helplessly, "Y-you stay back! I—I want Sister Xiaoxiao! She... she knows magic tricks!"

Magic tricks were obviously useless against evil, but Chen Ying couldn’t think of anything scarier.

The woman laughed as she approached him, but suddenly, a sharp shout rang out from nowhere, startling the crows perched on the eaves.

"Captain Meng, it’s her! She’s unnatural! Violating curfew and injuring several of our men!"

A patrol of soldiers cut across from the adjacent street, five or six men forming a barrier between Chen Ying and the woman. Leading them was Meng Wan.

She glanced back at Chen Ying, recognizing him as He Xiaoxiao’s little brother, then turned and drew her blade against the eerie woman.

The woman halted, her expression darkening.

Meng Wan tightened her grip on the hilt, unnerved by the woman’s black eyes—she had never encountered anything like this. "Is this woman possessed?"

"Move aside if you don’t want to die! Give me that child!" The woman snarled like a beast, her nails elongating and her mouth revealing sharp fangs.

Meng Wan’s hand trembled, her confidence wavering. As the woman lunged, she steeled herself and raised her sword, shouting, "Old Xu, Old Wang, get the child out of here!"

In that split second, the woman’s eyes widened, her mouth agape. Her pitch-black eyes filled with disbelief, her malice replaced by overwhelming terror. The next moment, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees, her fangs and claws vanishing entirely. She cowered on the ground, trembling like a lamb awaiting slaughter.Meng Wan still held her sword aloft, staring blankly at the young woman kneeling at her feet, unable to comprehend how her attitude had changed so drastically in the blink of an eye.

"Spare... spare me..."

The woman was so terrified she could barely speak, only kowtowing repeatedly with such force that the thuds echoed on the ground, as if she felt no pain.

"Just who are you—" Meng Wan began warily, but before she could finish, a wisp of blue smoke drifted past, and the woman vanished without a trace.

The surroundings fell so silent it was as if the woman had been an illusion.

"Mother of heavens, that woman really was a ghost!" One of the soldiers behind her exclaimed after a stunned pause.

"Look at the atrocities these Huqi People committed—such a massacre is bound to attract unclean things!" The soldiers murmured among themselves.

Still shaken, Meng Wan turned to check on Chen Ying, only to unexpectedly spot a figure at the far end of the long street behind her.

The figure wore a lotus-pink fur-lined cape and a Veiled Hat, its black gauze fluttering past the shoulders in the wind, obscuring the face. The person stood motionless amidst the falling snow, as if the surrounding darkness was caused by their oppressive aura. The only vibrant spot was the flickering blue light at their waist.

Was that... Duan Xu's Veiled Hat?

Meng Wan froze. Before she could voice her question, the figure suddenly let out a heart-wrenching wail as if a clay doll had come to life. Wailing loudly, it lifted its skirts and ran to Chen Ying, crouching down to stroke the child's face.

"Chen Ying! You scared me to death! Are you alright? Your sister is all alone now, we only have each other—you mustn't get hurt!"

Chen Ying, infected by her emotions, threw himself into her arms and sobbed, "Wuwuwu, Sister Xiaoxiao, I came out to look for you! But then I met this strange woman, she was so scary!"

As the wind lifted the black gauze of the Veiled Hat, Meng Wan saw the weeping siblings embracing and finally recognized the girl as He Xiaoxiao.

"That monster was so bold earlier, how did it suddenly disappear?" Old Xu from the night patrol team wondered aloud.

Before Meng Wan could analyze the situation, He Simu wailed, "It must be because Captain Meng is so mighty and heroic! That evil spirit was intimidated by your aura and didn't dare cause trouble, so it had to flee!"

Meng Wan looked doubtfully at her sword, then at where the female ghost had vanished. "Is that so?"

The soldiers seemed enlightened and quickly chimed in agreement.

"The girl's right! Both women, but you're a general protecting our homeland while she's a murderous ghost—any self-respecting spirit from the Ghost Capital ought to feel ashamed!"

He Simu stood up, holding Chen Ying's hand as she wiped her tears. "Thank you for saving us, Captain Meng."

Meng Wan sheathed her sword and frowned. "What kind of sister are you, letting your little brother wander the streets alone at night? Don't you know about the curfew?"

He Simu pitifully twisted her fingers together.

Looking at this fragile young girl before her, at her clear black-and-white eyes, Meng Wan thought perhaps she'd been too tense earlier and had misseen things.

For that brief moment when the wind lifted He Xiaoxiao's black veil at the street's end, she'd seemed to glimpse a pair of pitch-black eyes—identical to the female ghost's.

It must have been an illusion.