Love Beyond the Grave

With a deafening explosion from the distance, the figures of Yan Ke and Duan Xu vanished from the treasure mirror in the palace of Jade Zhou City.

He Simu's curled lips straightened as threads of wind coiled densely around her. The room began to tremble violently, her Ghostly energy surging to fill the entire palace, even spreading like blades across Jade Zhou City. The entire city quaked as if struck by an earthquake.

Jiang Ai was forced to her knees by the oppressive energy, barely lifting her head to plead, "Your Majesty... Simu! Calm down!"

He Simu's pitch-black eyes gleamed as she whispered, "Hejia Fengyi, do you have a death wish?"

Her raging Ghostly energy surged toward Hejia Fengyi in the hall. Caught off guard, he raised his staff, only for the unassuming Ziji to suddenly step in front of him.

The energy dissipated upon hitting Ziji, while a force radiating from her spread like water dousing flames, suppressing He Simu's energy and quelling the tremors across Jade Zhou City. The power erupted abruptly, then vanished without a trace in an instant.

Jiang Ai gaped, covering her mouth, while He Simu stared deeply at the unharmed Ziji.

Standing protectively before Hejia Fengyi, Ziji said coolly, "He rushed here personally to inform you the moment he could. It was careless, but he knows his mistake."

Hejia Fengyi peeked out from behind Ziji, blinking nervously. He Simu glanced at the allergic rashes covering his skin, then closed her eyes and turned away.

Jiang Ai glanced between Hejia Fengyi and He Simu before clearing her throat tentatively. "Simu... the Ghost King Lamp is your Life Gate? Are you sure about telling Yan Ke?"

"I won't let him use Duan Xu against me again," He Simu said coldly, rubbing her temples. "He wouldn't dare destroy the lamp. Knowing this, he'll keep Duan Xu alive just to spite me."

This was Duan Xu's slim chance of survival.

In the ghost prison Yan Ke had created, he shattered a spiritual tool in fury upon hearing He Simu's words. Turning, he saw Duan Xu on the wooden frame open his eyes, lifting his head with a darkened gaze.

"She won't save me?" Duan Xu murmured, his trembling eyes filled with disbelief.

So he'd heard everything. Yan Ke felt a vicious thrill at the heartbreak on Duan Xu's face. Mockingly, he sneered, "I told you—she's never lacked lovers. What are you to her? A fleeting distraction. She only saved you with the lamp because she had a backup plan. If it truly cost her, she'd discard you in an instant. You've been fooled—you're just a plaything!"

His voice rose with fervor, as if pouring all the humiliation He Simu had inflicted on him onto Duan Xu. Watching the man's expression darken further filled him with twisted satisfaction.

Duan Xu lowered his gaze, then laughed sharply. "If she abandons me, then I'll abandon her. Destroy that damned lamp—let her turn to ashes. Then I'll be her last lover."

But Yan Ke hesitated, his anger fading as he glanced down at the Ghost King Lamp at his waist. Slowly, he lifted his eyes back to Duan Xu.He slowly approached Duan Xu, hands behind his back with an inscrutable expression, and said, "Do you wish to possess He Simu completely in this lifetime, to make her unable to leave you?"

"Of course," Duan Xu answered without hesitation.

Yan Ke narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "You can perform a Sense Exchange with Simu. During this exchange, Simu loses all her Magical Power and becomes like an ordinary human, correct?"

Duan Xu clenched his fists, his eyes widening slightly as if surprised. He said, "You mean..."

"In a few days, there will be a major battle. Follow my timing and perform the Sense Exchange with her. Once I defeat and capture her, forcing the Ghost King Lamp to recognize me as its master, He Simu will have to obey my commands. I will then ensure she stays by your side for the rest of your life. How does that sound?"

Duan Xu fell silent for a moment before asking, "And after I die, what will happen to her?"

"What does she have to do with you after your death?" Yan Ke sneered.

"True." Duan Xu pondered briefly, then chuckled softly. Meeting Yan Ke's gaze, he said, "Deal."

At this moment, chaos reigned in the Duan residence in the Southern Capital. Duan Xu had suddenly vanished without a trace on his way out of the city to the military camp. The household had searched day and night for three days without finding any sign of him. When news reached the soldiers stationed outside the city, Shi Biao immediately flew into a rage.

Even before arriving in the Southern Capital, Shi Biao had suspected the Emperor would cause trouble for them. Now, he was convinced Duan Xu's disappearance was the Emperor's doing—perhaps he had already lost his head. If not for Chen Ying desperately restraining Shi Biao, he would have led the soldiers outside the city to storm the Southern Capital and surround the palace, demanding the Emperor hand Duan Xu over.

As if misfortunes never come singly, Danzhi, who had previously sought peace, suddenly launched a massive counterattack. They not only reclaimed some territories in Fengzhou and Qingzhou but also breached Youzhou, though the Great Liang forces eventually pushed them back. The Emperor then ordered Zhao Chun to assume command as marshal, leading Shi Biao, Chen Ying, and the troops back to the front lines.

Zhao Chun came from a military family and had some achievements to his name, but he had never been to the Northern Territory. As a close confidant of the Emperor, this was the Emperor's attempt to elevate him. Shi Biao, oblivious to these machinations, simply refused to accept this sudden appointment as marshal. He wouldn't return to the front lines without seeing Duan Xu, ranting about how they had fought tooth and nail at the front, only to be betrayed upon their return. He adamantly refused to march back into folly.

Tensions in the Southern Capital escalated, and the Emperor shifted the pressure onto the Duan household, accusing Duan Xu of leaving the Southern Capital without permission and showing disrespect to the throne. He outright denied any involvement in Duan Xu's disappearance or death.

The Duan household was in turmoil. Duan Chengzhang, already in poor health, grew even weaker from the stress, yet he forced himself to manage the situation. Even Lady Duan, who had been devoted to her Buddhist prayers, temporarily left the prayer hall to attend to the family's affairs.

On the fifth day of Duan Xu's disappearance, at the height of the crisis, as the moon reached its zenith, someone knocked on the back gate of the Duan residence. The visitor wore a cloak with a hood and claimed to have information about Duan Xu, requesting to speak with the master of the house. The steward immediately ushered the guest into the main hall.

When Duan Jingyuan hurried over upon hearing the news, she saw the visitor standing in the hall. The black hood concealed his face. Duan Chengzhang, leaning on a cane and supported by Sister-in-law Wu, approached with trembling steps and asked, "Do you know the whereabouts of our Xu'er?"The visitor fell silent for a moment, then reached up to remove his hood, revealing an elegant and handsome face—phoenix eyes, thin lips, like ink-washed mountain stones. Slowly lifting his gaze to the people in the hall, his eyes held the clarity of moonlight.

Under Duan Chengzhang's shocked stare, he shook his head and said, "I don't know."

After a pause, he added, "But perhaps you need someone to play his role."

Duan Jingyuan stared at him blankly. His appearance was both familiar and strange. She murmured, "Fang... Xianye."

Fang Xianye turned to glance at her, gave a slight nod, then looked back at Duan Chengzhang, whose face had turned ashen.

Duan Chengzhang pointed a trembling finger at him and said, "You insolent fool! What are you saying? To impersonate Xu'er... after all these years... Do you think—"

"Lord Duan, at this point, do you have any other options?"

Fang Xianye spoke calmly.

He was certain he wouldn't be refused—and indeed, he wasn't.

The next day, news spread from the Duan residence that Duan Xu had been found.

Duan Xu had suddenly fallen ill and fainted on his way to the military camp. Nearby farmers had rescued him and treated him, and he had only recently awakened and been sent home. But his illness wasn't ordinary—it was highly contagious leprosy, forcing him to remain secluded with no visitors.

Shi Biao was skeptical and insisted on seeing Duan Xu, even if it meant speaking through a door and a curtain. He needed to confirm Duan Xu was still alive. When Shi Biao boldly barged into the Duan residence, Duan Chengzhang knew further refusal would arouse suspicion, so he permitted the visit.

Duan Chengzhang sat in Bright Moon Residence, separated from the "fake Duan Xu" by only a curtain. He watched nervously as the burly man entered with Chen Ying. The man gave him a rough salute, then eagerly addressed the figure behind the curtain. "Commander Duan!"

"What, did you think I was dead?"

The voice from behind the curtain bore an uncanny resemblance to Duan Xu's—close enough to deceive.

Hearing that familiar voice, Shi Biao's heart, which had been clenched in worry for days, finally eased slightly. He immediately moved to lift the curtain but was stopped by "Duan Xu."

"Shi Biao! My illness is contagious. Do you want to catch it and spread it to the troops? The Emperor ordered you back to the front—why haven't you gone? The ones who understand the Feather Formation Vehicle best are me, you, and Chen Ying. Right now, all three of us are in the Southern Capital. Danzhi's counterattack is fierce—what are the Returning Crane Army and Ding Jin supposed to do without you?"

Shi Biao lowered his hand. "I was worried about you, Commander. The Emperor wants to replace you—I can't swallow that."

The figure behind the curtain fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Shi Biao, the last time you got drunk and missed duty, you made me a promise, didn't you? Besides swearing off alcohol, you also vowed to obey my orders in everything from then on."

Duan Chengzhang's eyes widened. He turned to stare at the silhouette behind the curtain, his aged hands trembling as an outlandish suspicion took hold of his mind.

Hearing "Duan Xu" mention this, Shi Biao was completely convinced the man behind the curtain was the real Duan Xu.

The voice continued, "Don't worry—I won't lose my head here in the Southern Capital. Right now, you should obey me and return to the front. Drive the Danzhi back to their homeland. As for who the commander is, that's not the most pressing matter now."

Shi Biao hung his head. "If the Commander is safe, then I can rest easy. I'll take the men back right now and slaughter those bastards!"Shi Biao exchanged a few more words with "Duan Xu" before taking his leave. Chen Ying, who had remained silent until then, said he had some words for his third brother and would leave later. After Shi Biao departed, Chen Ying glanced at the bamboo curtain and then at Duan Chengzhang, who sat upright.

He seemed hesitant, but before he could speak, the voice from behind the curtain said, "Chen Ying, speak your mind if you have something to say."

That voice was no longer "Duan Xu's."

Chen Ying finally spoke: "Lord Fang."

"It's me."

Duan Chengzhang immediately stood up from his seat, staring at Chen Ying in shock.

Chen Ying simply asked, "Where is my third brother?"

"I don’t know either. He’s disappeared, and his fate is uncertain. Will you stay in the Southern Capital to wait for his return?" The voice behind the curtain remained calm.

Chen Ying shook his head. Dressed in green robes, he stood in the sunlight streaming through the door and said, "I’ll return to the front lines with Shi Biao. My third brother’s wish is to destroy Danzhi and restore the Central Plains. His wish is my wish. Now that he’s gone, I must uphold it for him."

In just over ten days, it would be the New Year, and he would turn fourteen. Over the years, his physique had grown sturdier, lean and tall. When not in the presence of Duan Xu and He Simu, his features carried a firmness and steadiness, making him seem like a reliable adult.

He bowed and said, "Thank you, Lord Fang. Take care."

Then he turned to Duan Chengzhang and added, "Master, take care of your health."

With that, he strode out of the room, his upright figure disappearing beyond the gate of Bright Moon Residence.

Fang Xianye leaned against the bed frame, listening to the sound of Chen Ying’s departing footsteps. Moments later, Duan Chengzhang hobbled over with his cane, yanked the curtain aside, and confronted Fang Xianye, his face livid with rage. He grabbed Fang Xianye by the collar and choked out, "You... how could... all these years, you and Xu'er... cough cough cough —"

Before he could finish, Duan Chengzhang was seized by a violent coughing fit.

Fang Xianye looked up calmly, pushing Duan Chengzhang’s hand away. "Everything you suspect is correct. Calm yourself before speaking..."

He smiled mockingly, meeting Duan Chengzhang’s eyes, filled with shock and fury, and said, "Should I call you... Father?"

Duan Jingyuan, eavesdropping outside the window, felt as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.

In the following days, messengers arrived at the Duan residence one after another, seeking to exchange a few words with "Duan Xu." Even the Emperor himself came, testing the truth behind the curtain.

Yet Fang Xianye, hidden behind the curtain, handled each probe with ease, as if he knew every detail of Duan Xu’s interactions—from the Emperor down to the common soldiers. He could casually reference events from the year Duan Xu entered officialdom. The court’s initial skepticism about Duan Xu’s sudden disappearance and reappearance gradually turned into unwavering belief.

Meanwhile, Duan Jingyuan, emerging from her shock and confusion, began to realize one thing:

Fang Xianye and her third brother might not be the bitter rivals she had imagined. On the contrary, they were long-time friends—exceptionally close ones.