The sky was blood-red like a canopy. The golden Luan Hall was surrounded by layers of imperial guards, both inside and outside, making it impenetrable. The silence was deafening, and the tension between the opposing sides was so thick it seemed to freeze time itself.
Cai Wen, clad in a dazzling golden dragon robe, held a three-foot sword at the throat of a pregnant woman in front of him. Guards surrounded him, all pointing their swords and blades outward. Faced with the sudden flood of imperial troops, they appeared flustered. The court officials, who had been praising and fawning over Cai Wen moments earlier, had now retreated outside the encirclement, abandoning him.
The woman being held hostage by Cai Wen wore simple white mourning clothes, her hair disheveled and her pale, beautiful face streaked with tears. Her body trembled slightly.
No one in the hall didn’t recognize her—Liu Zhi. Once a common village girl who became the beloved wife of the virtuous prince, only to be cast aside a few months later due to a scandalous affair with a subordinate. Her story had become the gossip of the capital. Now, seeing her pregnant and used as a shield by Cai Wen, one couldn’t help but feel pity for her uncertain fate.
Cai Wen, with his usual cunning and ruthless demeanor, looked at the crowd with eyes full of resentment and anger.
“Zhao Bing, you’re ruthless! You even faked your death to escape my notice. So what if you’ve won in the end? The woman you love most is in my hands now. If you take one more step forward, it will be two lives lost!”
Zhao Bing, the current Left Virtuous Prince, and Cai Wen, the Right Grand Chancellor, were two powerful figures in the court, both with remarkable achievements, each balancing the other’s influence. Emperor Song Zhenzong had long feared that his virtuous uncle, who was deeply loved by the people, might vie for the throne. Under the instigation and slander of his favored minister, Cai Wen, the emperor stripped Zhao Bing of his military power and repeatedly suppressed him.
Gradually, Cai Wen consolidated power, eliminating all his opponents. He even sent assassins to kill Zhao Bing several times. Believing Zhao Bing to be dead, Cai Wen finally made his move to seize the throne. However, just two days after ascending the throne, Zhao Bing reappeared, trapping Cai Wen in a desperate situation. If not for his prior preparation in capturing Liu Zhi, Cai Wen feared he would have been killed on the spot. The two had been rivals for their entire lives. Despite Cai Wen’s usual caution, he had been fooled by the illusion of Zhao Bing’s death, leading to this critical mistake.
At this moment, Zhao Bing stood at the forefront, habitually squinting at Cai Wen, arms crossed with a sneering, arrogant smile. His expression was one of elegant laziness, mixed with a dangerous, bloodthirsty aura.
“Cai Wen, do you really think you can use a woman I cast aside as a shield and safely escape?”
His cold and disdainful voice sent a chill through everyone present.
Emperor Song Zhenzong, who had just been rescued and was still shaken, hid behind Zhao Bing. Already feeling guilty, he now saw the virtuous prince’s wife taken hostage and couldn’t help but whisper, “Imperial Uncle, you’ve reclaimed the throne. Let him go. Don’t let Liu Zhi and the child in her womb get hurt.”
Cai Wen laughed wildly, “The dog emperor is right. A life in exchange for two, why not?”
Zhao Bing shook his head, “Your Majesty, Cai Wen still holds military power and has deep roots in the court. It’s difficult to eradicate him. He has many strange and capable followers and holds leverage over numerous court officials and generals. This time, we’ve taken a risk to capture him. We must not let the tiger return to the mountains.”
Liu Zhi, her tears falling like rain, looked at Zhao Bing, who hadn’t spared her a glance, and whispered, “My lord, I have never asked you for anything, nor have I ever intended to drag you down. But for the sake of the child in my belly…”
Jiang Liu, hearing her words, felt a pang in his heart and clenched his fists tightly. At this moment, he was blending in with the imperial guards, slowly inching closer to Cai Wen from behind, intending to launch a sneak attack and save Liu Zhi.
Zhao Bing seemed unmoved by Liu Zhi’s tearful plea and coldly said, “Cai Wen, even if you had wings today, you wouldn’t escape!”
With a wave of his hand, over a hundred archers simultaneously aimed their bows at Cai Wen, who finally showed a hint of panic in his eyes.
“Zhao Bing! Fine, forget about the woman, but are you really willing to abandon your own flesh and blood?”
“How ridiculous. This woman had an affair with Jiang Liu. How do I know if the child in her belly is even mine?”
Cai Wen’s heart sank. Back when he had sent assassins, Zhao Bing had taken several arrows while trying to save Liu Zhi. Cai Wen had believed this woman was important to Zhao Bing, which was why he used her as leverage. But no man could tolerate being cuckolded. At the height of their standoff, Zhao Bing had not only cast Liu Zhi aside but had also demoted Jiang Liu twice, sending him to guard the border. However, Zhao Bing was always cunning, and Cai Wen couldn’t be sure if Zhao Bing was just putting on an act to protect Liu Zhi from danger.
Liu Zhi shook her head desperately, “My lord, Jiang Liu and I grew up together like siblings. How could there be anything between us? Please believe me… No matter what, the child is innocent!”
It didn’t matter if Zhao Bing doubted her, ignored her, or misunderstood her, but how could he say the child wasn’t his? He had taken other women right in front of her, insulted her, and cast her aside, yet she never complained or defended herself. She knew that his heart was set on the country and the people, that he had spent ten years biding his time, meticulously planning to eliminate Cai Wen. She never meant to be his burden or his hindrance. If she could, she would rather take her own life under Cai Wen’s sword than see him in any difficulty. But the child… Their child… Even if he had married her out of responsibility and had no feelings for her, shouldn’t he at least care for the child?
“Jiang Liu has already told me everything. There’s no need for more excuses.”
Liu Zhi panicked. How could this be? Jiang Liu…
“Will you never believe me?”
“For such humiliation, sparing your worthless life is already enough to repay the few months we spent as husband and wife!”
Liu Zhi let out a bitter smile, “Zhao Bing, all this time, have you never loved me?”
Zhao Bing noticed the despair in her eyes and felt a shock in his heart. He saw that Jiang Liu was already close behind Cai Wen, ready to strike at any moment. But everything had to go perfectly; any mistake could cost Liu Zhi and the child’s lives. Although he had absolute trust in Jiang Liu’s skills, he couldn’t help but feel a cold sweat on his palms.
“How could I ever love you? I’m Zhao Bing. What kind of person could I not get? Why would I care for a village girl like you? If it weren’t for the fact that you were carrying my child… But now, even the child…”
The hint of hatred between his brows made Cai Wen even more fearful and uncertain.
Liu Zhi lowered her head and smiled, gently stroking her belly.
Child, your father doesn’t believe in your mother, and he never loved her. Now, he’s abandoning us both. Even though he’s already won, he still doesn’t care about our lives and insists on winning completely. Rather than being killed in front of him, I might as well give him a final victory.
…
“Liu Zhi!” Zhao Bing’s shout was filled with shock.
Cai Wen looked down to see that the woman in front of him had slit her own throat on his sword. Blood spattered everywhere. He cursed under his breath and took two steps back, only to hear a sudden rush of wind behind him.
Quickly turning his sword around, Cai Wen managed to stab Jiang Liu, who had leaped at him, but not before Jiang Liu plunged a dagger deep into Cai Wen’s heart. Everything happened too fast. The surrounding guards were stunned, realizing that the tide had turned. They dropped their weapons to the ground.
Cai Wen’s eyes widened in terror, unable to believe that Jiang Liu had chosen to kill him even at the cost of his own life. Knowing there was no turning back, Cai Wen collapsed to the ground, his mouth twitching before he finally died.
At this moment, Jiang Liu’s usually calm and quiet face was filled with sorrow and anger. The brilliance in his starry eyes slowly dimmed until it disappeared entirely.
His steps were unsteady as he walked toward the two, seeing Zhao Bing holding Liu Zhi. Zhao Bing, usually so noble and relaxed, who commanded the battlefield with ease, now looked lost, his deep eyes gradually clouding over, though he clenched his teeth to hold back his tears.
“Foolish woman, I told you… No matter what, never doubt the decisions I make. Never doubt my love for you. How could I ever abandon you…”
Jiang Liu shook his head. Zhao Bing didn’t understand. Liu Zhi was just a simple, ordinary woman. She didn’t understand the power struggles of the court, nor did she understand Zhao Bing’s patience and his prioritization of duty. It was precisely because of her complete trust and dependence on him that she believed whatever he said. How could she have realized the deep meaning behind his harsh words and actions?
Jiang Liu wanted to go over and look at her one last time, to say one final word to her. But the two were holding each other so tightly, he couldn’t intervene. Just like in the past, he could only watch from a distance, silently guarding her and them. He could have walked away after killing Cai Wen, but after seeing Liu Zhi dead, he no longer wanted to live.
Their first meeting had been when he was eight years old. He had been beaten unconscious on the street after stealing a steamed bun. Six-year-old Liu Zhi had saved him and bought him as a servant with a single coin.
“Big brother, from now on, you’re mine. No one else can bully you…”
And so, for many years, Jiang Liu silently protected her. He followed her family when they moved, and when her family fell into poverty, he wandered with her. When she fell in love with the virtuous prince and became his wife, he joined the army and became a general. From fields to private schools, from village temples to the royal court, he always followed her footsteps. Now that it was time to go, he certainly wouldn’t leave her behind…
The surrounding noise grew louder, but Jiang Liu held tightly to that coin, as the pain and regret on Zhao Bing’s face became a blur. He vaguely heard someone shout that Cai Wen’s body had disappeared. Jiang Liu’s legs buckled, and he fell heavily to the ground, blood flowing everywhere.
With a soft sigh, he thought back on his cold, drifting life. Death might not be such a bad thing. His vision turned completely dark, fading away the echoes of war, the clash of swords and spears…
Half a month later, the virtuous prince’s wife was given a grand burial, with the entire nation mourning. The usually frugal Left Virtuous Prince spent vast amounts of resources, gathering mystics from all corners of the land to build an enormous tomb for her.
A year later, the prince led an army against the Liao, made a critical error in command, and suffered a devastating defeat at Wudi. His entire army was annihilated, and his body was never recovered.
Jiang Liu awoke to the sound of a baby laughing, the soft giggles echoing eerily in the darkness.
He opened his eyes, but still saw only blackness. Realizing that he was standing, he tried to move his body, but his hands and feet seemed to be bound by something. He struggled, but couldn’t break free, as though he were trapped in some kind of container.
He knew he was dead, but where was this place? Was it the underworld? Where was Liu Zhi?
He tried to speak, but it seemed he had lost his voice for too long. His mouth was stuffed with something, and he could only produce broken, muffled sounds that echoed inside the container.
Was this a coffin? He suddenly realized.
The laughter grew closer, seemingly coming from beneath him, followed by a sudden impact against his body. He swayed for a moment, then another forceful hit made his head spin as he toppled to the ground.
With a loud crash, the container surrounding him shattered into pieces. The moment he came into contact with the air, he could feel his blood beginning to flow rapidly, his pores opening wide as if desperately gasping for breath. Slowly, light began to filter into his vision.
He spat out the object that had been in his mouth—it was a small, translucent pearl. His whole body felt itchy, as if something was slowly growing. Looking down, he saw a layer of white fur, like mold, covering him.
Before he could recover from his shock, another presence brushed against his leg. Startled, he reflexively almost kicked it away. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a crawling baby, giggling and babbling as if trying to talk to him.
Jiang Liu felt a bit dizzy but remained calm as he began to take in his surroundings. Thick pillars, large enough for several people to wrap their arms around, lined the room. The walls were inlaid with various gemstones and luminous pearls, and the ceiling was adorned with lifelike murals. At the center of the chamber was a massive crystal coffin, which told him that this was not the underworld, but rather a tomb.
Looking at the shattered fragments of pottery on the ground, he realized in surprise that he had been made into a terracotta figure, stationed to guard the coffin. The scale of this underground palace was enormous, and under the light of the luminous pearls, it seemed as bright as day. The layout of the main chamber was quite simple, with only his terracotta figure and the large crystal coffin in the center. The floor was covered in strange symbols.
Jiang Liu had a vague idea of what had happened but wasn’t entirely sure. Slowly standing up, he approached the coffin, and the delicate, bare baby eagerly followed behind him.
The lid of the coffin had been partially lifted, revealing Liu Zhi lying inside. Her appearance had not changed; she looked peaceful, dressed in pure white, unstained and resting as if in a peaceful slumber.
Jiang Liu suddenly felt the urge to cry, but his outstretched hand froze in mid-air. The baby climbed up his leg, using great strength to quickly pull herself into the coffin and snuggle against Liu Zhi.
Jiang Liu looked down and saw that Liu Zhi’s once-pregnant belly was now flat. Glancing at his reflection in the crystal coffin lid, he saw his fur-covered face. He reached up to touch his mouth, feeling something new—two sharp fangs. His steps faltered.
Leaning against the coffin, he wanted to cry and laugh at the same time, but his muscles felt stiff, unable to form any expression. He picked up the baby from the coffin, noticing the strange purple markings covering her body. After a flash of purple light, the markings disappeared, making him wonder if he had imagined it.
“Liu Zhi…” he whispered softly, as if trying to wake her from her long sleep, yet afraid of disturbing her.
He checked her breathing and pulse. Aside from the fact that her body was perfectly preserved, she was no different from a corpse. But why could he and this child, who should also be dead, still move freely? Was this what they called becoming a zombie? A sliver of hope sprouted in his heart. Perhaps Liu Zhi, too, might wake up someday. Even if the three of them had to live forever in this tomb…
Suddenly, he remembered the virtuous prince. He didn’t know how many years had passed since their deaths. The murals on the ceiling looked somewhat worn. Was the prince still alive? If not, why wasn’t he buried alongside Liu Zhi, and why was Jiang Liu’s body made into a terracotta figure to guard her instead?
The baby in his arms suddenly began to cry. Jiang Liu didn’t know if she was cold or hungry. Seeing nothing else around, he took the shawl covering Liu Zhi and wrapped the baby in it.
It was a girl. He didn’t know how long she had been alive. She should have been a stillborn, yet somehow she was warm and soft, with a normal pulse and breathing, just like an ordinary person. So had she died or not? Or did the virtuous prince find some way to save her?
This tomb was full of mysteries. Jiang Liu stood there, dazed. The baby continued to cry, struggling out of his arms and crawling back into the coffin. Suddenly, she began sucking on the blood from the wound on Liu Zhi’s neck. Jiang Liu was shocked and hurriedly tried to pull her away, but she clung to Liu Zhi with extraordinary strength, refusing to let go.
Jiang Liu realized she was hungry. Liu Zhi, though dead, had not decayed. Her body was still as fresh and pink as that of a living person. This child had been feeding on Liu Zhi’s blood since her birth, as there was no milk to nourish her.
The smell of blood in the air caused Jiang Liu’s fangs to grow longer. A powerful desire surged within him. But that was Liu Zhi—she was feeding her child with her blood. How could he…
He fought hard to suppress the urge, his fangs digging painfully into his gums. His nails also grew long and black, itching with the urge to tear everything apart. Looking at his reflection in the coffin lid, he saw his eyes had turned blood red, and the white fur on his body continued to grow. He was on the verge of losing his mind when he suddenly recalled a Buddhist mantra an old monk had taught him during his military campaigns. He quickly recited it in his mind, gradually regaining his clarity. His fangs, claws, and the white fur on his body slowly retracted.
The baby, seeing him return to his original clear and handsome appearance, couldn’t help but reach out to touch his face. Jiang Liu lowered his head and kissed her small hand.
He looked around, wondering if he should find a way out. Most tombs were filled with traps to deter grave robbers, and the entrance would be completely sealed. However, the craftsmen who built the tombs usually left secret passages, knowing they would be buried alive inside. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find.
But before he could act, the baby, now playing happily with Liu Zhi, curiously reached out and removed the pearl from Liu Zhi’s mouth.
Oh no! Jiang Liu sensed something was wrong. Liu Zhi had not woken up yet. But it was too late to stop the baby. He watched in horror as Liu Zhi’s body rapidly decayed, turning into a dry corpse and then a skeleton. The baby, holding the pearl, was at a loss, and upon seeing her mother suddenly transform, she burst into loud sobs.
Jiang Liu stood there in sorrowful silence for a few seconds before pulling Liu Zhi’s shawl over her face.
Originally, he had intended to follow Liu Zhi into death, to continue protecting her on the road to the afterlife. But now he had become this half-human, half-ghost creature. Life or death no longer mattered—what mattered was that he still had Liu Zhi’s child to care for. So, he would live. No matter what form it took, as long as he lived, there was hope…
Jiang Liu picked up the baby, put the two identical pearls into his pocket, bowed in front of Liu Zhi’s tomb, and left the burial chamber.
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