Lang Jiuchuan looked at the three figures now seated cross-legged on the floor and fell into a moment of bemused contemplation. They were talking perfectly well — how did it come to this, all sitting on the floor?

Was it because Fuyi had seated himself on the ground, and so these two “devoted descendants” could not bring themselves to sit above him in their chairs — and so could only follow his example and sit on the floor as well?

“So — he and his men truly have been at Fenghuo Pass for two hundred years, reliving the day of their sacrifice in an unending cycle?” Grand Tutor Fang’s voice trembled as he asked.

Lang Jiuchuan looked at Fuyi, who sat hunched with his head hanging low and his entire bearing heavy with despondency. She made a sound of confirmation.

Grand Tutor Fang’s face went pale. To be consumed by fire was one of the most extreme of all torments — and here were souls who had endured that burning without ceasing, even after death, still being immolated over and over again. How was that any different from being trapped in the fires of hell?

“This is outrageous. Liang’s Luzong — that man was truly not human. Soldiers were protecting the homeland for him at the front, and these were generational loyal subjects at that. In the end, he had the gall to use them as his scapegoat for his own incompetence. That is disgusting.” Xue Shi struck his thigh in fury. “By doing this, where did it leave all the soldiers who had given their lives in the Liang Dynasty’s service? This was not merely a chilling of loyal hearts — this was carving out a loyal heart with a blade of ice. What an absolutely benighted ruler.”

Soldiers laying down their lives at the front to defend the homeland — the least you could do was give them your full support. Not doing that was already bad enough — but then, when they died in battle, turning around and heaping filth upon their names?

Was there a single decent person alive who could do something like that?

“The historical records describe the Luzong era as a period of rampant court corruption and unceasing internal strife — I had not imagined it had deteriorated to that extent. Not even able to give aid to orphans and widows, letting a woman take her own life before the palace gates to prove her clan’s loyalty and innocence — it is laughable. A nation so devoid of humanity — how could its collapse be anything but deserved, with the people crying out their resentment to the skies.” Xue Shi spoke on, and his eyes grew red. He looked at Fuyi and said, “To give one’s life to hold the city — such a feat of greatness deserves to be remembered by all who come after, not buried in obscurity and branded with a foul name, not even permitted to rest peacefully in death. Emperors who act this way are truly — truly evil…”

“Shiyong.” Grand Tutor Fang called him by his courtesy name, his voice grave, eyebrows drawn together in a slight frown.

Even in a private room, one had to be cautious of ears at the wall. If the wrong person overheard and carried those words to the Holy Emperor, no one could say what shape those words would take by the time they arrived.

Xue Shi’s expression shifted through several changes. He then said, his voice filled with indignation, “I am simply furious on their behalf. Soldiers should not be treated this way — and they certainly should not be left trapped in the fires of hell, unable to rest.”

Who could disagree? But whoever holds power is the one who makes the decisions.

Grand Tutor Fang said, “Luzong, even in his youth, indulged treacherous sycophants and was obsessed with alchemy and the pursuit of immortality. As he aged, his judgment only grew more muddled — the fall of his dynasty was inevitable. What I had not imagined was that the battle at Fenghuo Pass — such a significant event — would be buried and have its truth overturned in this way. That despicable Wei faction had control of the court with its network of associates, and many loyal officials were harmed at its hands. Were it not for that, the Fuyi family would not have met such an end.”

Xue Shi said with a cold laugh, “Heaven has eyes. Harming loyal subjects — the dynasty got nothing but its own destruction in the end.”

Lang Jiuchuan asked, “The Fuyi family — is there not a single descendant remaining?”

At those words, Fuyi lifted his head and looked at the two men, his eyes holding a trace of hope.

Grand Tutor Fang saw that look of yearning hope and felt his heart ache. “General Fuyi was a figure of unimpeachable loyalty who suffered an overwhelming injustice, with that infamy inscribed into the historical records. If any descendants remained, they would surely have worked to restore your name. But in the Liang Dynasty historical records, I have never come across any written account that served to correct the record in your honor.”

What did that indicate? It indicated there was no one left.

And no one had ever spoken up for that tragic and heroic battle.

The light in Fuyi’s eyes faded and died. He gave a bitter smile and said, “Two hundred years have passed. The Fuyi line — it should be gone.”

A heavy silence settled over the private room.

The oppressive weight of the atmosphere spread through the air.

Xue Shi stammered, “General — rather — Ancestor, as the Grand Tutor has said, we are all people of the Central Plains. You are an elder of old — you are our Ancestor. From now on I will offer you proper ritual sacrifice. When I return, I will set up a spirit tablet for you and place it right next to Xiao Jiu’s.”

Lang Jiuchuan: “……”

I thank you very much — but I am still alive, you know.

Xue Shi seemed to realize he had misspoken and hastily made amends. “Oh, hers is a longevity spirit tablet — but it is all the same. Either way, both are being venerated.”

Grand Tutor Fang looked between the two of them. There was clearly a story there.

“When a person is long gone, having someone offer sacrifice is of little comfort to the lonely.” Fuyi was indifferent to it.

But Lang Jiuchuan said, “That is not necessarily so. Having someone make offerings after death is always better than having none. You are what is known as a ghost who eats incense — with someone to offer sacrifice, it is always better than scrambling at the roadside with common wandering spirits.”

Two people and one ghost: “……”

Without having discussed it beforehand, all three simultaneously imagined that scene, and with uncanny unanimity, exchanged a glance. The offerings were the better choice then — a dignified general competing with stray spirits for scraps of incense was too humiliating for words.

Jiang Che could not stand it any longer and came drifting out. “Have you all drifted off topic?”

Lang Jiuchuan quickly returned to the matter at hand. “Grand Tutor — you have not yet answered me. What is Fenghuo Pass called now?”

“The Fenghuo Pass from before Da Dan’s founding was named as it was because it was a strategic military stronghold. After the fire that burned Yuancheng, the name was changed twice over the years, and it is now called Chiyang Pass — meaning the pass where fire blazes like the sun.”

“That is right — and the city of Yuancheng behind Chiyang Pass was renamed Bagua City,” Xue Shi added.

Lang Jiuchuan narrowed her eyes. “Bagua City?”

“Because of the repeated reconstruction after the fire, the layout of the houses and streets within the city came to resemble the lines of the Eight Trigrams. Viewed from a high vantage point, the city’s appearance resembles the Taiji Eight Trigrams pattern — hence it was renamed Bagua City.”

Lang Jiuchuan now had a clearer sense of direction. “I wonder which bookshop might carry the city gazetteers of Bagua City and Chiyang Pass? And as for the Liang Dynasty historical records — where might such ancient documents be found?”

Xue Shi looked to Grand Tutor Fang. “Then you have truly asked the right person. The Grand Tutor has an extensive personal collection — these items should be among them. And if not, the imperial archive — I imagine the Grand Tutor would have access to search it as well?”

Grand Tutor Fang said, “The Liang Dynasty historical records, being a record of a former dynasty, are not widely circulated and are housed within the imperial archive. As for Chiyang Pass and Bagua City — I have a map of them at home. I had heard of the many foreign traders who came through Bagua City to conduct business and felt drawn to see it for myself. It happened that a student of mine was serving in a post there, so I had him send me a copy.”

“I would like to borrow it for a look.”

“But of course.” Grand Tutor Fang looked at Fuyi and said, “With such a loyal soul yet to pass on to the afterlife, contributing what little I can is the least I can do.”

“And I as well.”

Fuyi bowed to both of them in thanks.

The two men quickly moved aside. “Ancestor, you honor us far beyond our deserving.”

Fuyi looked at the two men who were visibly older-looking than himself, and rubbed his nose.

At this, Lang Jiuchuan said, “The matter of the General and the three thousand soldiers of his family army not yet having passed on — I must ask both of you great scholars to please refrain from sharing this with others.”

“That goes without saying — we are not people who speak out of turn,” Xue Shi said at once. “And even if we did speak of it, would anyone believe us?”

Truthfully speaking, had they not personally come face to face with Fuyi and come to understand the full account of the battle at Fenghuo Pass directly from him, they might not have believed it themselves, even if Lang Jiuchuan had told them with her own mouth.

An old spirit failing to pass on to the afterlife was unusual enough, but that all of them had been reliving the same day of their deaths for two hundred years in an unending cycle — that was something beyond all reason. Something so bizarre — who would believe it?

Grand Tutor Fang discerned the implication concealed within Lang Jiuchuan’s words and said, “You suspect there is more to this than meets the eye?”

Lang Jiuchuan gave a nod. “I only hope I am overthinking it.”

Xue Shi thought to himself: you had better not say it — because if you say it, it will most likely turn out to be true.