Xu Hexue bent down and retrieved a rectangular brocade box from the writing desk, handing it to him. “You and I meet again. I have no material possessions, so I can only present you with this.”

Zhao Yi reached out to receive it. Inside was a scroll. He took it out and unrolled it. Ink spread across the paper, flowing freely, austere and elegant—it was Qu Yuan’s “Summoning the Soul.”

“In Yongzhou there’s a prefect named Shen Tongchuan. He’s Minister Meng’s student. I wonder if you still remember—back then you and I both read his essay ‘On War Horses.’ He has talent for recognizing horses, yet the court lacks the ability to recognize people. He saw clearly the accumulated ills of the horse administration and had the heart to eliminate these problems, to raise horses and strengthen the army for the country, yet he could never be in that position, nor could he pursue those policies. He can only carry this regret until now.”

“And I believe there are quite a few people in court now like Shen Tongchuan—who have aspirations in their hearts yet cannot be in the right positions.”

Xu Hexue looked at him. “You summoned my soul, and I want to summon for all under heaven the soul of an enlightened ruler.”

“Every person standing in this world has their own strengths. If an enlightened ruler exists and allows those with strengths to occupy their positions, pursue their duties, and fulfill their abilities—why would the country worry about not becoming prosperous?”

“What you’ve said today, I will never forget.”

Zhao Yi wiped his face. “This calligraphy you’ve given me, I will also keep well and use it as a mirror for this life.”

“I won’t forget the people’s suffering, nor will I forget that the displaced people of the Thirteen Provinces are still waiting for Great Qi to recover lost territory. Everyone under heaven is watching me.”

Bright sunlight came through the lattice window into the room. Fragmented light swayed slightly on their garments. Zhao Yi looked at him. “Ziling, you watch me too.”

“I vow before you, in this life as ruler, I must recover our territory and absolutely will not yield!”

“As a person, as a ruler, I absolutely will not be weak again.”

At this moment, Xu Hexue saw in this close friend’s face his resolve. Years destroy people but also forge them. Willow branches swayed gently before the lattice window. He said, “Yonggeng, being friends with you is my fortune.”

These words nearly forced Zhao Yi’s tears out again. He held back repeatedly. “Won’t you stay here?”

Xu Hexue shook his head. “Since returning to the mortal world, there’s been something I very much wanted to do but didn’t dare and couldn’t. But now I can.”

“What is it?”

Xu Hexue faintly heard voices outside. He could easily distinguish her voice among them. “I want to be by A’Xi’s side, accompany her back to Que County, and watch her complete the medical text she’s writing with her elder brother.”

“I want to see her smile and never make her cry for me again.”

The sky gradually darkened. The courtyard was filled with lit lanterns.

Xu Hexue’s damaged soul body hadn’t completely recovered yet. Before the evening meal was even finished, he transformed into mist, clinging to Ni Su’s sleeve.

Meng Yunxian and Zhao Yi were drunk from wine. Jiang Shao and Li Xizhen hurriedly had people come support them. Ni Su followed them to the clinic’s main hall and asked Li Xizhen, “Your Majesty, does your lower abdomen still hurt recently?”

“Thanks to your medicine, I no longer hurt.”

Li Xizhen said gently.

Ni Su smiled. “Your Majesty has certainly been very exhausted recently. Your complexion doesn’t look too good, but the medical officers in the Imperial Medical Bureau will certainly care for you well. As for heirs, Your Majesty needn’t worry either. I have extreme confidence in my prescription. After Your Majesty uses it for some more days, you’ll certainly improve. At most one more year and your body will be much better.”

“I must thank you.”

Li Xizhen grasped Ni Su’s hand. “Though we two appear to differ considerably in age, I still must call you sister-in-law.”

Ni Su was about to say something more when she saw Zhao Yi suddenly break free from the palace attendant’s hand and stumble over in a few steps. Li Xizhen hurriedly steadied him.

“Sister-in-law.”

Zhao Yi, carrying wine fumes, bowed to her.

“Your Majesty, please don’t do this. I cannot accept it.” Ni Su was startled.

Zhao Yi straightened. “I know that from now on Ziling must rely entirely on you, sister-in-law, to support him. But he’s not without anything. His Xu family’s estate and Princess Wenduan’s mansion property—I’ve already ordered people to settle accounts from Duke Luguo’s mansion and the state treasury. Once the accounts are clear, I’ll hand everything over to you, sister-in-law.”

“Please don’t refuse, sister-in-law. Those things originally belonged to Ziling. Now that I’m returning them to you, I’m returning them to him.”

Zhao Yi didn’t forget to instruct, “Sister-in-law, you absolutely must not scrimp on Ziling’s expenses.”

“Your Majesty…”

Li Xizhen smiled helplessly. “What kind of person do you think sister-in-law is?”

Ni Su also smiled but still properly responded, “Your Majesty, rest assured. He’s my husband. I absolutely won’t bear to economize on his expenses.”

Night gradually deepened. The banquet dispersed.

Ni Su and Qingqiong gathered the bowls and chopsticks together and washed them in the kitchen.

“Miss Ni, can I really go with you?”

Qingqiong asked while placing dishes in the cabinet.

“Why not?”

Ni Su raised her face. “Don’t you want to study medicine? Our family’s clinic has many old medical workers. What I can’t teach you well, they can also teach you very well.”

“Your family’s clinic is still occupied by your second uncle, isn’t it?”

Qingqiong walked back to her side.

Ni Su nodded. “My second uncle just isn’t material for running a clinic. When I return, I’ll definitely take the clinic back from his hands.”

“So, Qingqiong, you must come with me. With the three of us together, I won’t be afraid of him.”

“You’re right.”

Qingqiong responded. “General Xu and I—we can’t let him bully you!”

“Then I thank you first.”

Ni Su smiled at him. “When the time comes, I’ll buy food for you to eat.”

Qingqiong knew she was saying these things because she didn’t want him to walk alone in loneliness. He couldn’t quite control the heat in his eyes. “Miss Ni, I’ll cause trouble for you and General Xu.”

“You’ve never caused us trouble. We should thank you for always being by our side helping us.”

Ni Su washed her hands clean and said earnestly, “Qingqiong, I promised your father. Xu Ziling and I will always take care of you, just as you’ve cared for us all along this journey.”

After finishing the kitchen chores, Ni Su returned to her room to bathe. Hot water washed away her day’s fatigue. Her head of damp long hair hung loose behind her.

Her brows and eyes were relaxed, but she suddenly noticed a gleaming white shadow had appeared on the ground.

That faint mist that had always followed her was gone.

She turned her head. The young man wearing a light blue robe stood right behind the screen, unmoving. She couldn’t help but call softly, “Xu Ziling?”

“Mm?”

He was somewhat slow, only responding after a while.

“Help me get a dry cloth.”

Ni Su said.

He didn’t speak, still standing there.

“Go on.”

Ni Su felt he was a bit strange.

He seemed to have forgotten where the cloths were kept, walking back and forth in the room. Ni Su reminded him before he knew to fetch a cloth from the rack.

Ni Su looked at that section of cold white wrist bone. There were no more wounds on it.

She took the cloth and tapped his hand.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly grasped her hand.

Ni Su was truly startled. Outside the plain gauze curtain, his figure was blurred. Cold fingers hooked around her fingers. He just stood there and didn’t move again.

Even his clinginess was soundless.

Ni Su found this novel. She simply exerted force and pulled him inside the curtain. He seemed unprepared and suddenly arrived before her.

His entire face was still pale, but Ni Su looked at those eyes—crystalline as dew, yet also carrying some hazy moisture. She understood. “Ghosts can also get drunk?”

Tonight at the banquet, he had drunk quite a bit.

In the hot mist was the scent of wood shavings water she used. Xu Hexue’s eyelids lowered. In his line of sight was her moist, fair countenance, shoulders bare of clothing.

She suddenly kissed him. His lashes trembled. Instinctively he held her lips, pressing inward.

Xu Hexue didn’t know why, as a ghost, drinking too much mortal world wine would still make him drunk. He wrapped Ni Su in clothing, carried her to the bed, and used a cloth to dry her hair.

“Once day breaks, you’ll return to Que County with me. Are you happy?”

Ni Su hugged her knees, looking up at his jaw.

“Mm, happy.”

He carried a trace of wine fumes—a very crisp scent.

“This morning when I woke, I discovered the offering fruit I gave Lord Earth Count was missing quite a few pieces. But I haven’t asked him for anything recently. Did you ask him for something?”

Ni Su asked him again.

Even though she made daily offerings, the Earth Count generally wouldn’t readily use her offering fruit.

“Yes, I asked him.”

Xu Hexue said, “I lent him this stellar deity ability.”

“Then what did he give you?”

“He gave me illusion arts.” Xu Hexue’s fingers passed through her damp black hair. “So I can change along with your changes.”

His gentle kiss fell on her hair. “A’Xi, this way, I can also be considered to accompany you to white-haired old age, right?”

Ni Su’s heart trembled. She turned her head to look at him. After a long while, she reached out to embrace him, her head pressed against his chest. “This is also very good. Anyway, if you used stellar abilities in the mortal world, you’d be punished. I don’t want you to hurt anymore. This way, I can also see what you look like growing old.”

“Xu Ziling, look—since we can grow old together, then between us, there’s also nothing different.”

Xu Hexue cupped her face. The instant their eyes met, he couldn’t help but bend down to kiss her.

Yet though passion intensified, he still had to restrain himself.

Ni Su looked somewhat bewildered at the quilt wrapped around her body, while he covered himself with nothing, lying beside her with some distance still between them.

“It’s already entering summer, Xu Ziling.”

She frowned.

“Are you hot?”

Only then did Xu Hexue loosen the tucked quilt corner. She immediately burrowed into his embrace. His spine stiffened, somewhat resistant. “A’Xi…”

“Since it’s already entering summer, why can’t I sleep holding you?”

Ni Su raised her face.

Xu Hexue didn’t answer.

“What are you afraid of? Afraid we’ll create a little star together, afraid he’ll be like Qingqiong, unable to choose his own life, right?”

Ni Su reached out to touch his cool cheek.

“A’Xi, I can’t treat you this way, and I also can’t…”

Also couldn’t let their child come into this world to suffer.

But Ni Su’s expression was relaxed. “You really seem not to know one thing.”

“What?”

“You stellar deities in heaven cannot produce offspring.”

Hearing these words, Xu Hexue froze. “You…”

“The day I married you, I already asked Lord Earth Count.”

She said.

Hearing these words, Xu Hexue should have felt relieved, but he lowered his eyelids and only after a long while said, “I’m sorry, A’Xi.”

“Sorry for what again?”

Ni Su embraced his arm. “Xu Ziling, don’t be like this. As a woman, I don’t necessarily need to give birth to a child for my life to be complete. If you still had a body of flesh and blood and we could have a child of our own blood, that would naturally be good. But that’s because we love each other, so it would be good.”

“But if it’s just for a child, I find it completely meaningless.”

“Now I have you. My heart already feels very good. Even if we can’t have children, we can also adopt some orphans.”

She smiled and asked him, “Would you mind if I adopt more girls? I also want to establish a school—a school for female physicians. This way, expenses will be considerable. We might have to use the money His Majesty returned to your family.”

“I don’t mind.”

Xu Hexue said immediately, “A’Xi, I’ll give you all my money to manage and use. Whatever you want to do, I’ll follow your wishes.”

“Then that’s very good.”

Ni Su leaned into his embrace. “Xu Ziling, you stay by my side, accompany me to establish the school, watch me write medical texts, help me write case records. We’ll spend our whole lives like this.”

“Perhaps if I save many people, Heaven’s Way will think I’m not too bad. Then after my hundred years, I can still go to heaven with you to be stars for a few hundred more years.”

She was joking.

“Xu Ziling, let’s live our lives like this.”

Even though human and ghost walk different paths, we still know each other, respect each other, love each other—different paths leading to the same destination.

I am forever grateful that—

That year outside the Great Bell Temple, in the cypress forest,

Winter clothing summoned a soul to share my life.