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"How do you know?" Xing Ruyi blinked. "Oh, I almost forgot, you are the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit; there’s nothing in this world that can escape your notice. Alright, I'll tell you everything. My sister was indeed poisoned, and it was a type of poison called the Hooked Kiss. Normally, she would have certainly died, but lucky for her, she encountered me. I sealed her heart meridian in time and used silver needles to expel most of the toxins from her body, so I managed to save her life."
"Since she survived, why did you leave her with the Wang Family and even arrange for her to have a Ghost Marriage with the son of the Deputy Minister of War, Li Tai? Fox Demon, what are you really planning? Are you not worried about getting yourself into trouble?"
"Don't worry, I've arranged everything; I won't get into any trouble. As for why I left my sister with the Wang Family and deliberately facilitated her Ghost Marriage with Li Hu, it’s because she and Li Hu were originally fated to be together in their past lives. When I saved my sister, I went to the Underworld under your name and took a look at her past and present lives. I discovered that she and Li Hu were actually destined partners in their previous life, but unfortunately, that life didn’t end well for them. In this life, they are even more fated to be apart, yet by some twist of fate—or perhaps it was meant to be—the Wang Family ended up creating this situation.
At that time, I wasn't sure if I could definitely save my sister's life, so I didn't stop the Wang Family and Li Family's Ghost Marriage. As for what happens next, if my sister is willing, she can keep this Ghost Marriage; after all, her lifespan is short and she has no fate with anyone else. If she doesn’t want it, I can help her sever it. I believe that Li Hu's ghost wouldn’t dare to entangle my sister in front of me."
"Yes, my Fox Demon is the fiercest Ghost Messenger down below!" The fox gently scratched Xing Ruyi's nose and said seriously, "Actually, you don’t need to explain anything to me. You know that the reason I'm asking is that I'm worried your affairs might bring you danger." The fox looked into Xing Ruyi's eyes: "Also, since you know I'm a Fox Immortal, any dangerous matters can be entrusted to me."
"I know that if there is real danger, I will definitely seek your help. It's just that this matter is quite easy to handle, so I want to do it myself." Xing Ruyi called over Yin Yuan, who was still munching on a chicken leg: "Go tell Brother Chang that the Wang Family doesn't deserve death; Qiao Qiao and my sister are still alive."
"Why should we? Such evil people deserve to die."
"It doesn’t matter if she dies; let’s consider it for Wang Laifu’s sake. He’s such a kind-hearted honest man; we shouldn’t make him suffer too much." Xing Ruyi patted Yin Yuan's back: "As they say, evil begets evil and good begets good. Don’t you think it’s more meaningful for the Wang Family to live in suffering than to die easily? Moreover, since she hasn’t reached the end of her lifespan yet, even if we don’t let her go today, there might be a chance for her in the future. If that's the case, why not leave this favor for Brother Chang?"
This time, Yin Yuan did not refute. He continued chewing on his chicken leg and stepped into the crowd. After a while, Chang Tai came out holding Yin Yuan and asked Xing Ruyi: "Are they all still alive?"
"Yes, they are still alive."
"You saved them?"
"Yes, I did."
"Alright then, I'll go inform the lord to lessen the punishment; however, while death penalties can be avoided, living penalties cannot escape."
"That suits me well; thank you for your trouble, Brother Chang."
There were no unnecessary exchanges between them; what you wanted to ask was something I knew how to answer. Even if you didn’t know something, you wouldn’t ask. This is perhaps the most beautiful kind of relationship—no matter when or where or under what circumstances, you trust me.
Xing Ruyi felt a slight bitterness in her nose as she took a deep breath and thought it was time to help Chang Tai find someone special.
The girl chosen for the Ghost Marriage had been buried; the date was set. The matter concerning her son Li Hu was finally coming to an end. Li Tai's heart also relaxed a little. He gently touched his forehead and stood in the courtyard for a while before ultimately choosing to go to his wife's room.
Li Tai's wife came from an official family. Although her father was no longer in the court, his disciples held important positions. Despite having a son who was frail and sickly, this only son was still the pride of his mother. Therefore, whether in terms of future prospects or personal feelings, Li Tai had some affection for his wife.
Since giving birth to their son, the lady had devoted herself to Buddhism, becoming more distant in her relationship with her husband. As for the concubines that Li Tai had taken, she paid them no mind. Those concubines, regardless of their character, would not dare to provoke Madam Li, knowing well that although she seemed neglected, her status was unshakeable.
Currently, there were many matters in the household, and the concubines had all kept a low profile. Finding it dull and still grieving for his deceased son, Li Tai spent most nights in his wife's chamber. Madam Li neither expressed joy nor showed coldness; her demeanor was neither too close nor too far, which made Li Tai feel at ease.
Upon entering the room, he was greeted by a faint fragrance that subtly teased his senses. Looking up, he saw that his wife, who usually sat before the Buddhist altar, had turned her attention to the vanity mirror tonight. Her graceful silhouette and long hair flowing like a waterfall made him feel as if he had returned to those early years of their marriage.
Upon reflection, he realized that their estrangement was not solely due to their son's health but also because he had taken his first concubine during that time. While his wife worried over their son and could hardly eat or sleep, he had sought solace in the company of the concubine, drinking and reveling with her. By the time he grew tired of that life and remembered his wife, she had already retreated into two years of silent devotion to her faith, offering him no smiles when they met.
Feeling guilty, Li Tai began to pay more attention to their son. However, due to his wife's cold demeanor, he found himself increasingly reluctant to see her and even feared encountering her. He realized that many years had passed in this manner.
He sighed softly and approached his wife from behind. On her vanity table lay a newly purchased box of rouge with a simple name: "Spirit."
"Why have you decided to dress up today?" Li Tai asked quickly adding, "I mean no offense; it's just that you've worn plain clothes for so many years. Seeing these items tonight piqued my curiosity."
"Plain clothes?" Madam Li touched her face and looked into the bronze mirror. "When our son was still here, I often felt too plain. If I had adorned myself then, I would have looked much better than those concubines of yours. But at that time, I paid no heed to it or understood what he meant. Now I realize he must have thought my complexion was poor or that I wasn't close enough to you; perhaps he felt I failed to keep his father around or manage affairs properly while those concubines vied for your favor and turned this grand Li Manor into chaos."
"All of this is my fault. If you dislike them so much, I will send them away tomorrow," Li Tai said as he took her hand gently. He felt as though her hands hadn't changed in over a decade. Looking at her slightly made-up face still exuding charm—even the fine lines at the corners of her eyes seemed to add a touch of elegance rather than age.
He leaned down intending to kiss her, but Madam Li withdrew her hand and stood up.
"My lord misunderstands me," she said. "The reason I asked the maid to buy this rouge is simply so our son could see me made up before he left this world. I wanted him to know that despite my plainness over the years, my heart has not been bitter. My reluctance to be close to you or compete with those concubines is not because I cannot win your favor; rather, it is because I disdain such competition and do not wish for your affection."
"My lady—"
"If you are tired, please rest," she interrupted. "I still need to recite my prayers!"
Li Tai gritted his teeth as he watched Madam Li turn away. Suddenly he lunged forward and disregarding her struggles, swept her off her feet and tossed her onto the bed before leaning over her.
That night, Li Tai did not dream of the concubine who had hanged herself or those embroidered shoes that danced before him; instead, he drifted gently onto the Bridge of Forgetfulness.
He knew one must drink Meng Po soup before crossing the bridge; this soup was made from forgetfulness water which erased all earthly ties once consumed. Yet with power and wealth in life—grand mansions and countless wives—along with treasures in his storeroom yet to be enjoyed or squandered—he did not wish to forget these things too soon.
However, if he doesn't drink this soup, he won't be able to cross the Naihe Bridge. Without crossing the Naihe Bridge, he won't be able to reach the underworld and will become a wandering ghost in this world. If discovered by the Ghost Messenger or a Taoist priest, he would be beaten until his soul is scattered. Just as he was hesitating, Meng Po brought over a bowl of soup and said, "Sir, drink it! You have enough to be content with in this life!"
Li Tai stepped back a bit, looking at the light-colored Meng Po soup with some regret. "If I die, my residence will belong to someone else, and those concubines will also become someone else's. And my money, I haven't even had the chance to spend it."
"Those are all external possessions and never truly belonged to you," Meng Po said softly, pushing the bowl of soup forward again.
Li Tai was furious; he glared with his not-so-large eyes, fuming, "How can they not belong to me? That house was earned by my own efforts, the concubines were bought with my money, and even the silver in the treasury was saved up by me bit by bit."
"May I ask, sir, how much is your annual salary as an official?"
"Is that something you should be asking?" Li Tai replied defensively, raising his hand to block her. His hand accidentally touched the bowl, causing it to fall to the ground and spill the Meng Po soup everywhere.
Li Tai panicked; he felt somewhat at a loss. After all, this was the realm of the underworld, under the jurisdiction of King Yan. Although Meng Po's official rank wasn't very high, she was responsible for distributing Meng Po soup and held a very important position—she might even have connections with King Yan. Offending her could lead to unknown consequences.
He thought of various crisis management techniques from his time in the mortal realm and finally pulled out a piece of jade from his pocket and handed it to Meng Po. "This is jade tribute from the southern region; it's not only rare but also very valuable. Take it and find a better job; don't stay here selling Meng Po soup."
Meng Po smiled and looked at Li Tai with a mocking gaze.
Li Tai grew increasingly anxious; glancing around, he lowered his voice. "Let's not report this incident of spilling the Meng Po soup upwards. It's just a bowl of soup; let's consider that you know and I know while no one else does."
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