Love Beyond the Grave

The sun rose from the eastern horizon, its unstoppable rays piercing through clouds and mist to cast dazzling gold upon the staggered rooftops of Southern Capital. Through open windows, the light flooded into dim rooms, illuminating them brightly.

Luo Xian's hair was styled into a solemn rounded bun by the maid behind her, adorned with several elegant jade hairpins. Glancing at the morning light spilling through the window, she knew the time had come. She gathered the ornate jewelry from the table into a jewelry box and handed it to the maid Xiao Yun behind her, saying, "These are yours now, along with everything else in this room."

Xiao Yun stood dumbfounded, holding the heavy jewelry box with a bewildered expression.

Luo Xian rose to her feet, straightened her dark cyan clothing, washed her hands in a bronze basin, then took out incense from the cabinet. She lit it before the memorial tablet enshrined in the room, the curling smoke drifting past her delicate brows and eyes—those eyes that had always held gentle laughter, regarded by countless dignitaries as a flower understanding words, the eyes of a worldly woman who absorbed all sorrows.

But now those eyes no longer held their usual tender affection, appearing instead like distant mountains veiled in mist.

Holding the incense, she knelt slowly and bowed deeply before the tablet. In a low voice, she said, "Father, your daughter must leave now."

Xiao Yun stared blankly at Luo Xian and asked softly, "Miss Luo Xian, where are you going?"

Luo Xian didn't answer. She walked to the incense burner and carefully placed the incense upright. A commotion arose downstairs, and the door burst open. A young servant, sweating profusely and panting, announced, "Miss Luo Xian... there's a carriage downstairs to fetch you... it's... it's from the palace."

Xiao Yun was shocked, but Luo Xian merely nodded calmly. Picking up her bundle, she stepped out of the room, pausing briefly at the doorway to look back at Xiao Yun. "Home," she said. "Back to Luo Prefecture."

In the main hall, court was in session, with ministers arrayed in their ranks.

Luo Xian waited outside the towering palace doors, listening to the debates and arguments emanating from the most solemn place in the world. Scarlet robes intermingled, their intricate patterns denoting various ranks. Among those crimson garments, someone glanced subtly toward the doorway, meeting her gaze for just a moment before smiling faintly and looking away.

The third young master of the Duan family, Duan Xu—General Duan.

Luo Xian remembered the second year of knowing Duan Xu, when he came to Yù Zǎo Tower as usual, using wine as a pretext to collect intelligence from her. Swirling his cup, he suddenly asked—Miss Luo, do you wish to return to Luo Prefecture?

—Luo Prefecture fell to the enemy long ago. Even if this humble woman wished to return, it would be impossible.

—What if Luo Prefecture were reclaimed?

—If Luo Prefecture is recovered within my lifetime, I would surely return to honor my ancestors, refine Sky Luo, and drive out the barbarians.

Duan Xu had laughed then—this young master always laughed easily, his eyes crinkling after barely a few words. She suspected he was mocking her overreach, a kind of disdain she was all too familiar with and unwilling to explain away.

But Duan Xu had said—I don't doubt you, Miss Luo. How could a woman young enough to earn my father's trust and command intelligence networks across the jianghu and capital be anything but extraordinary? Hearing your words, I only felt agreement and admiration. I wondered—should we make this wish a reality?She was quite surprised but maintained her composure, saying, "At present, Lord Duan, Duke Du, and even His Majesty have no intention of heading north."

"They may not, but a friend and I do. Luo Xian, would you like to join us in reclaiming Luozhou?"

"When the Hú Qì People captured Luozhou, they slaughtered seventy to eighty percent of the civilians, and nearly all the Sky Luo artisans perished. Years ago, Minister of Rites Duan Chengzhang searched far and wide and finally found the descendants of those artisans along with their handwritten mining manuals. Now that Luozhou has been recovered, I propose presenting these descendants and their manuals to His Majesty to reopen the Luozhou mines."

The voice delivering this address from within the grand hall sounded aged, deliberate, and authoritative.

Luo Xian thought, That must be Duke Du.

An elderly eunuch holding a horsetail whisk emerged from the doorway and said to her in a high-pitched but gentle tone, "Miss Luo, please."

Luo Xian nodded. Lifting her skirt slightly, she turned and stepped through the gate, feeling countless eyes fix upon her. The magnificent hall boasted towering red-brown pillars as thick as a man could embrace, an intricately carved caisson ceiling, and high steps leading up to the platform where the most revered figure—the middle-aged Emperor in yellow robes adorned with dragon patterns—sat. As a renowned beauty of the Southern Capital, many of the high-ranking officials present were familiar faces to her. Yet she walked steadily to the center of the hall without glancing sideways, neither submissive nor arrogant, then knelt and raised a yellowed, dog-eared book high above her head with both hands.

"This humble woman, Luo Xian of the Luo family from Luozhou, is the descendant of five generations of Sky Luo mine artisans. My great-grandfather, Luo Feng He, was the overseer of the Ten Streams Mine in Luozhou and perished under the blades of the Hú Qì. Before his death, he set fire to the mine and transcribed the Sky Luo refining secret method into this book, instructing my grandfather to flee south of the Guan River with it. It has been passed down through generations until now. I present it to Your Majesty in celebration of Luozhou's recovery and in solace for the countless souls lost there."

Her voice was firm, her chest lowered, and her hands lifted the book higher. Luo Xian’s fingers were long and elegant, bearing calluses from years of playing musical instruments. These hands had killed, played melodies, and would soon refine the finest Sky Luo from raw ore, just as her ancestors had done.

The eunuch took the book from her hands and presented it to the Emperor. As she remained prostrate on the ground, she heard the Emperor speak leisurely, "The Luo family has served the nation with great loyalty and merit, yet now only you remain. Do you have any wishes?"

"This humble woman only wishes to go to Luozhou and contribute what little she can to the mines."

"Very well. We hereby bestow upon you the title of Junzhu, with the honorific 'Hualuo,' and appoint you as an instructor at the official academy in Luozhou."

"Thank you for Your Majesty's grace." Luo Xian kowtowed, then rose under the eunuch's guidance and left the hall. The gazes of the assembly followed this legendary young woman. Duan Xu and Fang Xianye were no exception. When they withdrew their eyes, they exchanged a glance across the crowd of officials, and Duan Xu gave a slight nod and smile.

Just a few days earlier, he and Fang Xianye had told Luo Xian the time was ripe—when Duke Du would present her and the matter of the Sky Luo mines to the Emperor. Fang Xianye had then revealed to her that he, too, would find a way to go to Yun and Luo Provinces. Bowing to her, he had said, "Miss Luo, would you be willing to assist me in rebuilding an Echo Pavilion in Yun and Luo Provinces?"

As military strategy dictates, the interplay of conventional and unconventional tactics is essential. To reclaim the remaining fourteen provinces, overt confrontation alone would not suffice—covert assassinations and intelligence were equally indispensable. Luo Xian had paused in surprise, then smiled and returned the bow. "For the nation's great cause, to drive out the invaders, I would not hesitate even if it meant death ten thousand times over."The Emperor's gaze fell upon Fang Xianye in the hall, and he smiled faintly, saying, "Minister Fang's writings are exquisite to the utmost. I have heard you are the foremost figure in the Southern Capital's literary circles, and even the Empress Dowager is fond of your poetry, praising it endlessly. The Invocation Essay used in the recent Heaven Worship Ceremony was penned by Minister Fang, and yesterday, auspicious signs descended from the heavens. It seems your words have pleased the heavens, and you deserve a generous reward. I bestow upon you a thousand taels of gold, three chests of pearls from the South Sea, two jade screens, and five bolts of Cloud brocade."

Fang Xianye stepped forward to express his gratitude, declaring clearly, "To have my humble writings recognized by Your Majesty is already a great fortune. How dare I ask for further rewards? I have one matter to request, and I boldly seek Your Majesty's approval."

"Speak."

"I have heard Your Majesty is deliberating on the candidate for the Inspector of Yun and Luo's border regions. I boldly recommend myself to share Your Majesty's burdens."

Most of the court, including the Emperor, showed surprise. Duke Du had already mastered the art of concealing his emotions, but Zheng An's astonishment was unmistakable. Everyone knew this position would likely be his if nothing unexpected occurred.

The Emperor tapped his fingers and glanced at Duke Pei, who stood silently to the side, then at Duke Du. Casually, he remarked, "Minister Fang has a unique perspective and thorough consideration. I believe he can bring innovation, yet he is still young. Minister Zheng, what do you think?"

Zheng An had regained his composure. He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Minister Fang is indeed a young talent, but he has never been to Yun or Luo Provinces and lacks familiarity with engineering projects and Horse Administration. I fear Minister Fang may not be suited for the role."

"Minister Zheng, your words are mistaken," Fang Xianye straightened and turned to Zheng An. "The six ministries each have their own responsibilities. Even in matters of the Ministry of Revenue's finances and grain, the Prime Minister would not claim to understand them better than Minister Wang of Revenue. Governing a region has always been about knowing the right people and assigning them appropriately. Specialized tasks require specialized personnel. Does Minister Zheng claim to understand Horse Administration as well as the Minister of the Imperial Stud, or engineering as well as the Minister of Works?"

Zheng An smirked coldly. "Minister Fang's words are sharp, but the premise of knowing the right people is having the people. Does Minister Fang know who the talents capable of aiding Yun and Luo's military and governance are?"

Fang Xianye smiled lightly in return. "It seems Minister Zheng has already calculated who to place in every position in Yun and Luo. Does that mean Yun and Luo will be under your sole control? The two officials previously involved in the Horse Administration corruption case certainly understood Horse Administration, but once they acted selfishly and lacked oversight, it led to collusion and unchecked exploitation of pastures, with false reports on horse numbers. Minister Zheng, do not repeat their mistakes."

Zheng An had not expected Fang Xianye to bring up the Horse Administration corruption case so boldly. Enraged, he retorted, "Fang Xianye! Do not slander me!"

Fang Xianye ignored him and turned to the Emperor, kneeling and bowing deeply. "Your Majesty, I am willing to go to Yun and Luo Provinces. I will not rely on personal connections but will select and employ capable locals. Even if the Huqi show willingness to submit, they may be employed. Within Danzhi, they have heard of Your Majesty's benevolence. The Han people long for the imperial army, and the Huqi are willing to surrender. The best victory is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Additionally, Yun Province's pastures are vast, unlike any in the interior, and require special attention. I request Your Majesty appoint a Yun Province Herding Supervisor, equal in rank to the Minister of the Imperial Stud, who may report directly to Your Majesty without going through the border inspector. The same should apply to Luo Province's mines. I wish for the border to be secure and Great Liang to prosper in peace."Duan Xu stood smiling behind the crowd, watching Fang Xianye kneeling on the ground. A few days ago, when they had discussed today's speech, Luo Xian had been right—the Emperor truly had no intention of heading north. If the Hú Qì People hadn’t struck right under his nose, he wouldn’t have counterattacked and pushed them back beyond the Guan River.

Even the capture of Yun and Luo Provinces was only because the corruption scandal in the Horse Administration had escalated. The Emperor feared that Danzhi would discover Great Liang’s cavalry was weak and attack, so he urgently seized Yun and Luo Provinces to demonstrate strength.

The current Emperor, now middle-aged, was a ruler who preferred maintaining stability over expansion. In the end, establishing horse ranches and mines was meant to showcase national power rather than actually prepare for an attack on Danzhi. Persuading him required avoiding grandiose talk of achievements and glory—it was best to present a plan where land could be gained without war or military action.

On the other hand, there was the increasingly fierce factional strife in the court. That it had reached this point was partly due to the Emperor’s deliberate tolerance. He was content to let officials fight among themselves, as mutual checks and balances prevented any threat to his position. However, with the time approaching to appoint a crown prince, the factional struggles would inevitably turn into a battle over succession. He wanted them to compete—but not so fiercely that it would lead to chaos.

Duke Pei’s faction had just been severely weakened by the Horse Administration corruption scandal, while Duke Du’s side pressed their advantage. Naturally, the Emperor couldn’t allow Duke Du to grow too powerful either.

Sure enough, the Emperor smiled and said to Fang Xianye, “Minister Fang speaks wisely.”

Zheng An urgently interjected, “Your Majesty!”

But the Emperor raised a hand to stop him. “In that case, let Zheng An serve as the Border Inspector, with Fang Xianye as Deputy Inspector. They shall accompany Princess Hualuo to Yun and Luo Provinces. Minister Fang’s proposal to employ local talents and appoint the Yun Province Herding Supervisor and Luo Province Mining Supervisor shall be carried out as suggested.”

Fang Xianye smiled and bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

— You still might not win against Zheng An.

During their discussions, Duan Xu had pointed out that Zheng An was older and far more experienced. Moreover, the Emperor had already spoken with Duke Du and was unlikely to reverse his decision on the spot.

— The goal is to settle for the next best option: being appointed as Deputy Inspector while preventing Zheng An from installing all his people in Yun and Luo. As long as he doesn’t dominate completely, you’ll be going with him, and with Luo Xian’s help, you’ll find opportunities to gradually undermine him.

Fang Xianye returned to his position with a faint smile.

The morning court proceeded with several other matters. When Hu Province reported bandit unrest, Duan Xu volunteered to raise troops and suppress the outlaws. The Emperor readily agreed.

— As for me, I want to build my own army now—one trained from the ground up according to my vision.

That was what Duan Xu had said that day.

By the time they had rehearsed everything, it was already deep into the night, the sky pitch-black without stars or moon. Leaning against the window, Duan Xu exhaled slowly before turning to Fang Xianye and asking— Do you think this world can really become the way we want it to be?

Fang Xianye was surprised—after all, it had been Duan Xu who first persuaded him. After a brief silence, he blew out the candle on the table and spoke into the darkness.

— Whether it comes to pass or not, we must try. Walk deep into the night, and dawn will eventually break.

After the morning court concluded, the ministers filed out through the gates. Duan Xu and Fang Xianye crossed paths, stepping without a glance at each other into the blazing summer sunlight.

They appeared as strangers, yet their shadows overlapped on the ground, following them all the way.