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This volume is in the past tense, and the timeline is the first time Xianle was demoted after the fall of the country. It continues from the second volume. It's not too long~
Xie Lian was startled awake.
He was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, sat up suddenly, and covered his face with his hands.
The reason for his awakening was a dream. In it, his father, the king, and his mother hanged themselves. He saw it, but felt neither joy nor sorrow, no tears to shed. He woodenly prepared a white silk rope for himself. As he put his head through it, he saw a figure in white, wearing a mask of joy and sorrow, sneering at him from below. Startled, the rope tightened, and a suffocating feeling came over him, and he woke up.
It was already dawn outside the window, and a voice came from outside: "Your Highness! Are you awake?"
Xie Lian said casually, “Awake!”
After panting heavily for a while, he realized he wasn't actually on a couch, but a straw mat on the ground. Although padded with straw and unusually soft, it still wasn't very comfortable for him. He still couldn't get used to this simple bedding. This wasn't an inn or palace either, but a dilapidated prince's temple. He lay in the smashed and emptied rear hall.
It was Feng Xin who had called out to him. He had gone out early in the morning and brought back food, and was still outside urging him to go out and eat. Xie Lian responded and stood up.
The suffocating feeling in his dream was so real that his hand could not help but touch his neck. He wanted to confirm that there was no hanging silk or fatal strangulation marks, but he actually touched something.
Xie Lian was startled at first, and rushed to the mirror that had been discarded on the ground not far away. He picked it up and saw a black collar wrapped around his fair neck. Only then did he finally calm down and remember everything.
Cursed shackle.
Xie Lian's fingers tentatively touched the object.
Once demoted to a mortal, he would have no more privileges except aging a little slower than ordinary people. But when Jun Wu put the curse on him, he still showed mercy and opened the door to convenience.
Although this curse locked up his magical power, it also locked up his age and body, making him immortal. Furthermore, Jun Wu told him that if he could ascend again, even if his past was wiped out, this thing would be removed from him.
However, wearing this thing would be like being a criminal with a tattoo on your face—undoubtedly a deep shame. With this thought in mind, Xie Lian reached out to the side, grabbed a piece of white silk, and pulled it over his head. As he raised his arm, he suddenly remembered the dreadful feeling of his neck being slowly tightened in his dream. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately wrapped it around his neck and the lower half of his face meticulously before stepping out.
Feng Xin and Mu Qing were already waiting for him outside. Feng Xin had returned with steaming hot steamed buns, which Mu Qing was slowly eating. Feng Xin offered him two, but Xie Lian, seeing the dry, crude food was unappetizing, shook his head and refused to take them. Feng Xin said, "Your Highness, you must eat something in the morning. What we're about to do won't be handled by sitting still."
Without even raising his eyelids, Mu Qing said, "Yeah, there's nothing else to eat if not this. If I faint again, I'll have to eat this too."
Feng Xin glared at him: "How can you talk like that?"
Xie Lian had ascended for several years and had long forgotten the taste of food. A few days ago, he nearly fainted, and then he realized he hadn't eaten anything in three or four days. Mu Qing was referring to this. Xie Lian, not wanting the two to start fighting again so early in the morning, changed the subject and said, "Let's go. We don't know if we can find work today."
Xie Lian, once a prince of wealth and a celestial being, lived in seclusion from the mundane world, naturally not needing to worry about making a living. But now, despite being a crown prince, Xianle Kingdom is gone, and even though he's an immortal, he's long since been demoted. He's essentially no different from a mortal, so naturally he has to worry about how to make ends meet. Taoists' main business is, of course, catching ghosts and performing rituals, but it's not every day that they're offered demons to capture or rituals to perform. So, most of the time, they still have to find odd jobs, like helping unload goods or doing manual labor.
But even such odd jobs are not necessarily available. Because nowadays, there are too many displaced poor people. These poor people see that there is work, no wages, and they are willing to do it for a steamed bun and half a bowl of rice. They rush over. How can a few people here compete with them? Even if they can grab it, Xie Lian may think that others need the work more than them after weighing the pros and cons. Sure enough, after wandering around for a long time, they still find nothing. Mu Qing said: "Can't we find a stable and decent job?"
Feng Xin said, "Nonsense. If they could have found it, they would have found it long ago. Doesn't a respectable job depend on appearance? Who wouldn't recognize your Highness's face? How could they be sure of it being recognized?"
Mu Qing fell silent. Xie Lian, on the other hand, tightened the white silk covering the lower half of his face. Indeed, if someone were to recognize him, they would either flee on their own or be beaten away. For example, who would trust a bodyguard with a shady background who refused to reveal his face? They couldn't become thugs, murdering others, so their options were very limited.
A god wouldn't worry about not having enough to eat. But humans need to eat. Xie Lian hadn't had to worry about this since he was a child, but it was only in the past decade or so that this question truly troubled him. And if a god didn't even know what hunger felt like, then how could he possibly understand the feelings of his hungry followers? How could he empathize with them? At this point, he could only consider this a test.
At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums could be heard not far away, and a large crowd gathered. The three of them followed the crowd and looked over. Several warriors and clowns were shouting enthusiastically in the crowd. It turned out that there were warriors performing. Mu Qing suggested again, "If all else fails, let's go and perform."
Xie Lian was also considering this. Before he could reply, Feng Xin looked at him and said, "What nonsense! Your Highness is a daughter of gold. How could you do such a thing?"
Mu Qing rolled his eyes and said, "The bricks have already been moved, so what's the difference between performing and selling art?"
Feng Xin said, "Brickworkers earn their living by their own strength, but performing for fun is for the amusement of others, to be laughed at. Of course, there's a difference!" As he spoke, the bouncing clown fell, and everyone burst into laughter. He climbed back up, bowed and nodded, picking up a few scattered tips on the ground. Seeing this, Xie Lian felt a surge of resistance and shook his head vigorously, erasing the idea of performing from his mind. Mu Qing saw this and said, "Alright. Then just be a pawn."
Feng Xin said: "I have already pawned a lot of things, otherwise I wouldn't have made it this far. I can't pawn the rest anymore."
Suddenly, there were cries of surprise from the back of the crowd, and someone shouted, "The soldiers are coming! The soldiers are coming!"
When they heard that the soldiers were coming, the crowd of onlookers dispersed. Soon, a line of soldiers, armed with weapons, shining with new armor, and looking majestic, walked through the street. They arrested and questioned anyone they saw who looked suspicious. The three of them hid in the crowd and listened to the discussion:
"Who are you arresting?"
"Don't worry, they're not here to arrest us. I heard they're here to catch the escaped Xianle royal family."
"It is said that someone saw a suspicious person in this area, so the city has been checking very strictly recently."
"Is it true? This is unbelievable! He actually escaped to our place!"
Hearing this, the three of them exchanged glances, and Xie Lian whispered, “Go check it out quickly.”
The other two nodded. They each quietly left the crowd, walked for a while without attracting attention, and then reunited and ran away.
Running to a remote forest on a small hill, Xie Lian saw a thick smoke rising from the forest in the distance. He was horrified. Could it be that the soldiers from Yong'an had found this place and set fire to it?
As he approached, he found a dilapidated hut hidden in the woods. It must have been left behind by a hunter who had once guarded the mountain. The thick smoke was wafting from that hut. Xie Lian cried out in disbelief, "Mother! What's going on? Are you there?"
After calling out, a woman came out and said happily, "My prince, you are here?"
It was the queen. She was dressed in plain clothes and a thorny hairpin, and had lost a lot of weight, looking a little different from the noble lady she used to be. Seeing that his mother was fine and her face was full of joy, Xie Lian was relieved and asked hurriedly, "What's the matter with the smoke?"
The queen said embarrassedly: "...It's nothing. I want to cook something myself today..."
Xie Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He said, "Farewell! What are you cooking? Just eat what Feng Xin and Mu Qing send you every day. This smoke is too conspicuous. Smoke means people, and it will attract the Yong'an soldiers. We just encountered them in the city, and the city will be under martial law. We'll have to move again."
Feng Xin and Mu Qing went into the house to put out the cigarettes. The queen, not wanting to be careless, went to the back of the house to discuss things with the king. Feng Xin came out and whispered, "Your Highness, aren't you going to see the king?"
Xie Lian shook his head and said, “No.”
They were father and son, one a king of a fallen nation, the other a deposed god. It was hard to say which was more boring, and neither had the dignity to lose. If they were forced to sit face to face, they would just stare at each other, not engage in a proper conversation. So, if they could avoid meeting, it was best to do so. Xie Lian said loudly, "Mother, pack up later. We're leaving today. We'll pick you up tonight. We're leaving now."
The queen quickly came out again and said, "My prince, you're leaving now? You haven't been here for so many days, why are you leaving right after arriving?"
Xie Lian said, “I still need to practice.”
In fact, they still had to find work, otherwise they wouldn't be able to gather enough food for so many people. The queen asked, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Xie Lian shook his head. All three of them were now starving. The Queen said, "This is the worst thing you can do to your health. Luckily, I just cooked a pot of porridge. Come in and eat."
Xie Lian thought to himself, “How could such a huge cloud of smoke rise from a pot of porridge you’re cooking? It’s like a palace on fire…”
The queen then said to Feng Xin and Mu Qing, "You two children, come and eat with us."
Feng Xin and Mu Qing hadn't expected such a treat and repeatedly declined, but the queen insisted. They cautiously sat down at the table, both feeling somewhat flattered. "Surprised" was the feeling of pleasant surprise.
However, after the queen brought the pot, their surprise turned into horror.
After returning to the city, Mu Qing's nausea hadn't subsided yet. He stumbled and said, "I thought... that porridge smelled like stewed bran water, but I didn't expect it to taste like it too!"
Feng Xin gritted his teeth and said, "Shut up! Stop forcing me to recall that pot! After all, the queen is... worth a fortune... and she never cooks... This is already very... disgusting!..."
Mu Qing snorted, "Am I wrong? If you don't think it tastes like bran water, then... go ask the Queen for another bowl! Ugh!..."
The two men retched and vomited. Xie Lian grabbed them, patted their backs, and said, “Stop retching! Look, there seems to be work ahead…”
Sure enough, the three of them stumbled forward and saw a few rather well-dressed small leaders shouting on the street to recruit people for help. The reward was quite good, and there was no limit on the number of people, as many as came, they would be employed. The three of them quickly agreed, mixed in with a group of ragged and skinny poor people, and came to a muddy open space in groups. It seemed that someone was going to build a new house here, so they had to start repairing it and fill it up first. The three of them worked hard and were covered in mud. Feng Xin, while transporting the soil, had a sullen face, covered his stomach and cursed: "...Fuck! I feel like the pot of stewed bran water has become a spirit in my stomach!"
Xie Lian turned around, carrying a basket of dirt on his back, and whispered, "Can you still hold on...would you like to sit over here for a while?"
Mu Qing said to Xie Lian, "You should just stay over there."
Xie Lian said, “No need. I can still hold on.”
Mu Qing rolled her eyes and said, "Don't insist. I have to wash your dirty clothes. I'd rather do your job as well." Someone shouted from a distance, "Work hard and don't talk! Don't be lazy! Do you still want to get paid?"
Feng Xin was very tenacious and continued to persevere, carrying twice as much soil as before. He said, "It's not much money, is it worth it to make such a fuss and act so arrogantly?"
After struggling through the blazing sun all day and all night, they finally accomplished their mission. Physically, the three men weren't completely exhausted, but their toil, all for meager wages and rations, left them feeling even more exhausted mentally than physically. They finally found some time to rest on a slightly cleaner patch of ground when another group arrived, making a clamorous noise. Several men were slowly approaching, carrying a stone statue.
Xie Lian raised his head slightly and asked, “What is that image?”
Mu Qing also took a look and said, "It must be the new statue that is stationed here."
Xie Lian remained silent.
In the past, the preferred deity in the town would undoubtedly have been his prince statue, but now it was unknown which deity it was. Most likely Jun Wu, or perhaps a newly appointed priest.
After a pause, Xie Lian couldn't help but wonder who would replace him. He forced himself to stand and leaned into the crowd ahead to take a closer look. The stone statue had its back to him, so he couldn't see its face clearly, but it seemed to be kneeling. This only intensified his curiosity. Which priest's statue would be kneeling? He circled again, turning a corner to take a closer look.
When he saw this, his mind went blank.
The face of the statue was actually his own!
The kneeling statue was placed on the ground. Someone nearby patted its head roughly and said, "Finally it's here. This grandson is quite heavy!"
"Why make a statue like this? It's so ugly. Can't you make a statue of the Godly Emperor? Isn't this that guy..."
"Well, huh? Isn't it said that worshipping him will bring bad luck? How dare you still worship him? And you even specially brought him here..."
"You don't understand this, do you? Worshiping the Plague God does bring bad luck, but this stone statue isn't meant to be worshipped, it's meant to be stepped on. If you step on the Plague God, won't that bless you with everlasting good fortune?"
Everyone suddenly understood and said, "What a good implication, what a wonderful implication!"
Feng Xin and Mu Qing also noticed something was wrong and came over to take a look, but they were speechless. Feng Xin was about to explode on the spot, but Mu Qing grabbed him and gave him a warning look, whispering, "The prince didn't even shout, what did you want to shout?"
Xie Lian remained silent. Feng Xin wasn't sure if he had other considerations, and he didn't want to act rashly. He swallowed his words with all his might, his eyes blazing with anger. Finally, someone muttered, "Isn't this... a little inappropriate? He's a god, after all, and the Crown Prince."
"Hey, Xianle is dead, but His Royal Highness is still here."
Someone else said, "That's wrong. Far from being wrong for us to trample the Plague God, he should be thanking us."
Xie Lian suddenly asked, "Oh? Why should I thank you?"
The man argued confidently, "Have you ever seen a temple threshold? Thousands of people step on it, and yet, don't you see how many wealthy families rush to buy a temple threshold to use as a substitute? Because every time they step on it, it redeems their sins, repays their debts, and accumulates merit. The meaning of this kneeling statue is the same. Every time we step on its head, or spit on it, aren't we also accumulating merit for the prince? Therefore, he should be grateful to us..."
Xie Lian couldn't bear to listen any longer.
When the man said the word "thank you", he raised his hand and punched him.
The crowd immediately erupted in laughter: "What are you doing!" "You're hitting someone!" "Who's causing trouble?!"
Feng Xin had been wanting to fight for a while, so he shouted and joined the fray. Mu Qing wasn't sure if he'd thrown in the fight himself or been dragged along. Anyway, all three of them started fighting. During the scuffle, Xie Lian nearly had the white silk draped over his face ripped off several times, but luckily it didn't. All three were skilled, but the other side was outnumbered, and Mu Qing later restrained the two men, warning them if they were planning to kill a mortal and add insult to injury. The fight was incredibly frustrating, and in the end, while it was a satisfying fight, all three were driven out.
After a messy walk along a river for a while, the three of them slowed down. Mu Qing, his face bruised, angrily said, "We worked hard all day, and in the end, we got into a fight and got nothing!"
Feng Xin wiped the blood from his mouth and said, "You're still asking for money at this time?"
Mu Qing said, "It's precisely because of this time that we have to ask for money! When is this time? When we can't even get enough to eat! Even if you deny it, it's useless. We just can't do without money! Can't you just be patient?"
Xie Lian remained silent. Feng Xin said, "How could I endure this? I've been made to kneel down like someone's stepping on my face! It's amazing that you weren't the one getting stepped on. You're making it sound so easy."
Mu Qing said, "Since the defeat, this isn't the first time he's encountered something like this, and he's sure to encounter more in the future. If he doesn't learn to get used to it soon, he might not have much to live for."
Feng Xin said with disgust, "Used to it? Used to what? Used to others' insults? Used to mortals stepping on his face? Why should he be used to this kind of thing?"
Xie Lian said irritably, “Alright! Stop arguing. Is such a small matter worth a big argument?”
The two men shut up in unison.
After a pause, Xie Lian sighed and said, "Let's go. Find a car and go pick up Mother and the others. We're leaving this city tonight."
Feng Xin said, "Okay."
The two walked side by side for a while, but suddenly realized that Mu Qing hadn't caught up. Xie Lian turned around and asked in confusion, "Mu Qing?"
After a moment of silence, Mu Qing said, "Your Highness, I want to tell you something."
Xie Lian asked, "What's the matter?" Feng Xin said impatiently, "What's wrong with you? I already said I won't argue with you anymore, what else do you want?"
Mu Qing said: "I want to leave."
“…”
Although Xie Lian had a vague sense of foreboding before he opened his mouth, he still held his breath when he actually said this.
Feng Xin suspected he had misheard: "What? What did you say?"
Mu Qing straightened his back, his eyes as black as obsidian fixed, and he said calmly, "Please allow me to leave."
Feng Xin said, "Leave? What will happen to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince if you leave? What will happen to the King, Queen, and the others?"
Mu Qing opened his mouth, and finally said, "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do."
Feng Xin said, "No, tell me clearly what you mean by powerless."
Mu Qing said, "The King and Queen are the Crown Prince's parents, and I also have my own mother who needs my care. I can't say I'll take care of others and their parents while ignoring my own mother. So, please understand that I can no longer stay by your side."
Xie Lian felt a little dizzy and leaned against the wall. Feng Xin said coldly, "Is this the real reason? Why haven't I heard you mention it before?"
Mu Qing said, "That's just one of the reasons. Another reason is that I feel we're both in a difficult situation right now, and we have different ideas about how to get out of it. With all due respect, if we continue like this, we won't be able to get out of this predicament even in ten thousand years. So, people with different philosophies cannot work together."
Feng Xin laughed in anger, nodded, and said to Xie Lian, "Your Highness, did you hear that? Remember what I said back then? If you were demoted, he would definitely be the first to run away. Was I right?"
Mu Qing seemed slightly irritated by him and said calmly, "Please don't kidnap me. I'm just telling you the truth. Everyone has their own heart, and no one is born destined to be the righteous man or the center of the world. You may like to revolve around another person, but others may not feel the same way."
Feng Xin said, "Why are you making so many evasive excuses? I don't want to listen. Why don't you just say I'm ungrateful?"
“That’s enough!”
Hearing Xie Lian's words, they both stopped. Xie Lian removed his hand from his forehead and turned to Mu Qing. He stared at him for a moment before saying, "I don't like forcing others."
Mu Qing pursed her lips and still stood straight.
Xie Lian said, "Go ahead."
Mu Qing looked at him without saying a word, bowed to him, and turned away.
Watching his back gradually disappear into the night, Feng Xin said in disbelief: "Your Highness, are you really going to let him go like this?"
Xie Lian sighed and said, "What else? I told you I don't like to force things."
Feng Xin said, "No? This kid! What is he doing? He really left?! He ran away? Fuck it!"
Xie Lian squatted down by the river, rubbing his brow. "Forget it. Since his heart is no longer with us, what else can I do by staying here? Tie him up with ropes and make him wash my clothes?"
Feng Xin didn't know what to say anymore. They squatted down together. After a while, he said angrily, "Damn it! This guy can share wealth but not hardship. He ran away as soon as something happened. He doesn't remember the kindness you showed him at all!"
Xie Lian said, “I told him not to remember it, so you should… just stop talking about it.”
Feng Xin said, "Then he can't really forget it, right? I'm really screwed! But don't worry, Your Highness, I will definitely not leave."
Xie Lian forced a smile, unable to speak. Feng Xin stood up again and said, "Are we going to pick up the king and queen? I'll go find a car. You wait here."
Xie Lian nodded and said, "Thank you for your help. Be careful."
Feng Xin agreed and left. Xie Lian also stood up and walked along the river for a while, still feeling a little dazed and unreal.
Mu Qing's departure really shocked him.
Firstly, he had never imagined that someone so close to him would leave so easily. Secondly, Xie Lian always believed in "forever," as if friends were forever friends, without betrayal, deception, or rifts. There might be a time to part ways, but it certainly shouldn't be for reasons like "life is too bad to go on."
It's like a story where a hero and a beauty, a match made in heaven, should stay together forever. Even if they can't, it must be because of a resolute and tragic death, not because the hero likes meat and the beauty likes fish, or because the hero dislikes the beauty's extravagant spending and the beauty dislikes the hero's bad habits.
Suddenly, I stepped on empty air and fell to the ground, only to find myself still in the human world. This was a terrible feeling.
After wandering aimlessly for a while, he suddenly saw a multitude of dazzling golden stars floating in his direction. Xie Lian finally came to his senses and, upon closer inspection, discovered they were actually lanterns floating on the water, drifting slowly towards him along the current. A few children were also playing happily by the riverbank.
Xie Lian remembered, "Ah, today is the Ghost Festival."
In the past, Huangji Temple would hold a grand ceremony for the Ghost Festival. It was something he had been anticipating for a long time, and it was impossible to forget. But now, he simply couldn't remember it. He shook his head and continued walking. At this moment, a voice came from the roadside ahead: "Little kid, do you want to buy something?"
The voice was extremely old, and held a sinister, ghostly air. Xie Lian instinctively sensed something was amiss and looked up. He saw the two children, holding lanterns, stopped by the roadside, staring at something with a mixture of curiosity and timidity.
Across from them, in the darkness, sat a figure. He seemed to be an old man in a black robe, his grimy appearance blending seamlessly into the darkness. He held a lantern in his hand and said sinisterly to the two children, "The lanterns I have here are different from the ordinary lanterns you hold. These are rare treasures. Light them and make a wish; I guarantee it will come true."
The two children were skeptical: "Really?"
The old man said, "Of course. Look."
The lamp in his hand, clearly unlit, suddenly emitted an ominous red glow. The dozen or so lamps on the ground also flickered with a faint green light, creating an eerie atmosphere.
The two children looked at him in amazement, but Xie Lian could see clearly. How could that be some rare treasure? It was clearly the phosphorescence of a dead person!
The lantern must have contained the spirit of a ghost, emitting that ominous, eerie light. And this old man must be a half-baked, unorthodox Taoist priest, who had somehow captured such a horrible group of ghosts and made them into lanterns. The two children, bewildered, clapped their hands in delight and even tried to buy one. Xie Lian quickly approached and said, "Don't buy it. He's trying to trick you."
The old man glared and said, "What are you talking about, kid!"
Xie Lian said bluntly, “That lamp isn’t a treasure, it’s a demonic artifact. It’s haunted by a ghost. If you take it home to play with, you’ll definitely be haunted by it.”
When the two children heard there was a ghost, they dared not stay any longer. They cried and ran away. The old man jumped three feet high, furious: "How dare you ruin my business!"
Xie Lian said, "How could you buy and sell so carelessly in a place like this? Let alone an ignorant child, even an adult would be in dire straits if they bought one of your sinister lanterns. They might even be haunted by an evil spirit, which would be a grave mistake. Even if you absolutely must sell something like this, you should go to a dedicated place."
The old man said, "That's easy for you to say. There's no place that sells these things! Don't people just set up stalls somewhere on the roadside?" He then grabbed the huge pile of ugly lanterns and started to leave in a huff. Xie Lian hurriedly said, "Wait!"
The old man asked, "Why? What for? Do you want to buy it?"
Xie Lian asked, “No way, are you really planning on selling them somewhere else? Where do the ghosts in your lamps come from?”
The old man said, "We caught them on the battlefield in the wilderness. They're everywhere."
Could it be the wandering souls of the soldiers?
Hearing this, Xie Lian couldn't just ignore it. He said solemnly, "Don't sell them. Today is the Ghost Festival. If something goes wrong, it won't be fun. Besides, these are the souls of warriors. How can you sell them like trifles?"
The old man said, "When a person dies, he becomes nothing more than a wisp of smoke. What's the point of a heroic spirit? Of course, my old bones are more important. We all have to make a living. If you don't let me sell myself, I'll starve to death. You're so kind, why don't you buy it for me?"
"you……"
Finally, Xie Lian gave in and said, "Okay, I'll buy it." He reached into his pocket, searched every corner, and pulled out a few small coins. "Is this enough?"
The old man took a look and said, "Not enough! It's only this much, how can it be enough?"
Xie Lian didn't quite understand what a reasonable price for a dozen lanterns was. He'd never looked at the price before when buying things, but out of sheer desperation, he'd learned to bargain without a teacher. "These lanterns aren't particularly pretty, and they're unlucky. Just give them a discount."
The old man said, "You're still calling me cheap at this price? I've never seen anyone more poor than you. How shameful!"
Xie Lian felt a bit embarrassed by what he said. He said, “I’m the Crown Prince. No one has ever called me poor in my life.” He felt a slight regret as soon as he finished speaking. However, the old man didn’t take his words seriously at all. He smiled and said, “You are the Crown Prince, so I must be the Emperor!”
Xie Lian felt a mixture of relief and embarrassment. He decided to go for broke and said frankly, "Sell it or not? I don't have any money."
After some haggling, the two finally reached a deal. Xie Lian used his meager money to purchase a dozen ghost lanterns and carried them to the river. The old man tossed the money and ran off. Xie Lian sat by the river, untying the red knots wrapped around the lanterns one by one, releasing the imprisoned ghosts and performing a simple ritual for them.
Tiny, faint, ghostly lights drifted from the lantern. These souls were freshly deceased, dazed and unconscious, still very weak, hence the old man's capture. Released from the narrow lantern, they flocked to Xie Lian, circling affectionately and nuzzling him from time to time. Xie Lian stood up and whispered, "Let's go, let's go."
After he gently lifted them up with his hands, the ghosts rose higher and higher, drifting towards the sky and gradually dispersing. This is what is called the soul returning to heaven and earth.
Xie Lian stared at the starry night for a long time when he suddenly heard a small voice behind him.
The voice said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince..."
Xie Lian was startled, then looked towards the direction where the sound came from, only to discover that there was actually a small ball of will-o'-the-wisp left, which had not risen into the sky, nor turned into sparks and dissipated.
It seemed this little ghost was stronger than the others. Not only did it have its own consciousness, it could even speak. He walked over and asked curiously, "Were you calling me just now? Do you... recognize me?"
He noticed the little will-o'-the-wisp, which seemed to be very excited, jumping up and down. Judging from the sound, it seemed to be a young boy. "Of course I recognize you!" it said.
Xie Lian remembered that he was now covered in mud and looked oddly awkward. He felt even more embarrassed. He clenched his fist and pressed it to his mouth. He really wanted to deny it and just say he was wrong. After a moment, he said sternly, "Why are you still here? Didn't I just convert you? Did I miss something?" Otherwise, how could there still be one left after that ritual?
The unknown ghost floated in front of him, not too far away, and replied, "No. You haven't done anything wrong. It's just that I don't want to leave yet."
Xie Lian thought for a moment and said, "Do you have any unfulfilled wishes or obsessions?"
The unknown ghost said, "Yes."
Xie Lian said, “Well, tell me, what is it? If it’s not too difficult, I’ll do my best to help you.”
An unknown ghost, with three thousand floating lanterns drifting along with the night, said, "I have a beloved one who is still in this world."
After a moment of silence, Xie Lian said, "I see. Is she your wife?"
"No, Your Highness. We are not married."
"ah."
The unknown ghost said, "Actually, he probably doesn't even remember me. We haven't even exchanged a few words."
Xie Lian thought to himself, "We haven't even spoken a few words. If that's the case, how could she become the 'beloved' who holds your soul captive in this world? What a beauty!"
After a moment's silence, he said, "So, what is your wish?"
The unknown ghost replied: "I want to protect him."
Usually, the wishes of such ghosts would be, "I want to tell her I like her," "I want to be intimate with her," or something more terrifying, "I want her to come down and keep me company." "Protection" was a rare thought. Xie Lian was stunned for a moment and said, "But you no longer belong to this world."
The unknown ghost said, "So what."
Xie Lian said, “If you force yourself to stay, you won’t be able to rest in peace.”
The unknown ghost, however, was unconcerned and said, "I wish to never rest in peace."
This lonely soul was surprisingly stubborn. Normally, such a paranoid ghost would be extremely dangerous, but for some reason, Xie Lian didn't sense any murderous intent from it, so he wasn't worried. He added, "If your loved one knew you couldn't rest in peace because of them, they'd probably feel guilty and troubled."
The unknown ghost hesitated for a moment and said, "Then I won't let him know why I'm not leaving."
Xie Lian said, “You’ll know after seeing it more often.”
The unknown ghost said, "Then just don't let him find out that I'm protecting him."
Hearing this, Xie Lian’s heart couldn’t help but move slightly, thinking that this person’s “love” was not just talk.
These lanterns contained wandering spirits the old man had captured from the battlefields of the wilderness. The one before him must also be a young warrior. He spoke slowly, "This war has taken you away from your loved ones... I'm sorry. I didn't win."
The unknown ghost said, "To die fighting for you is my greatest honor."
Xie Lian was stunned for a moment.
"To die fighting for the Crown Prince is the highest honor for a Xianle soldier." This was a slogan a general of Xianle used to instruct his soldiers, bolstering their morale. He declared that even in death, they would die a worthy death, destined for immortality. Of course, this was a lie. Unexpectedly, even after his passing, his spirit wandering the mortal world, the young soldier still remembered these words. Furthermore, he responded with care and solemnity.
Suddenly, Xie Lian's eyes felt hot and his vision blurred. He said, "Sorry, forget it."
The unknown ghost's dancing flames grew brighter, and he said, "I will never forget. Your Highness, I will always be your most loyal believer."
Xie Lian suppressed a sob and said, "...I no longer have any followers. Believing in me will bring no good, and may even bring disaster. Did you know? Even my friends have left me."
The unknown ghost swore, "I won't."
Xie Lian said, “You will.”
The ghost insisted, “Trust me, Your Highness.
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