Yang Ruoning received two messages from the capital. One good and one bad arrived on the same day, catching her off guard. The good news was that Susu had replied. In her letter, Susu said she had been inquiring about Yang Ruoning's whereabouts for months and knew Yang Ruoning wouldn't leave without a word. Susu wrote that everything was well in Bianliang, her business was flourishing, and she had opened a second branch. A large sum of silver notes accompanied the letter. After reading Susu's letter, Yang Ruoning felt relieved. Susu was doing very well, better than she had expected. Even if she were to leave, Susu would be alright.
The bad news was that Yue Feng was dead.
A'Jing informed Yang Ruoning of the news.
Yang Ruoning was not surprised, she merely sighed. She asked A'Jing if there was a temple nearby, as Yue Feng was a devout Buddhist, and she wished to burn some incense for her.
Yang Ruoning and A'Jing knocked on the door of a small temple on the outskirts of the city after nightfall. A young monk led them to the main hall. Although many candles and incense sticks were lit, the hall still appeared somewhat dim. Yang Ruoning, following the monk's example, prostrated herself 108 times before the giant golden Buddha statue. After completing her prostrations and offering incense, the young monk lit an eternal lamp for Jiang Yue Feng in front of the Buddha.
After the monk left, only Yang Ruoning and A'Jing remained in the hall. In the dim light of the hall, the flickering candlelight cast the shadows of the two figures sitting side-by-side onto the opposite white wall. The shadows danced with the flames. Why did their reflections look so sorrowful? With this thought, Yang Ruoning sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position on the prayer mat. The 108 prostrations had left her feeling quite tired.
Yang Ruoning looked up at the giant Buddha statue, "You know, I've never had any faith, this is the first time I'm praying to a god."
"It's because the Empress Dowager believes in Buddhism," A'Jing said, gazing at her gently from the side.
Yang Ruoning didn't look at him. She continued to gaze at the Buddha statue, hidden in the vast darkness, "Yes, Yue Feng said this was the only place where she could find inner peace. Although I'm here because of Yue Feng, I don't believe there are any gods in this world. Or, if there are, I believe they must be terribly biased, and I am that unlucky one they've forgotten." Yang Ruoning gave a wry smile. "I've begged him so many times, but he's never answered my pleas."
Yang Ruoning suddenly asked, "You must be very curious about how the Empress Dowager and my brother met, right?"
A'Jing looked at her, but said nothing. Yang Ruoning knew he was undoubtedly curious and waiting for her to tell him. Yang Ruoning smiled and looked back at the Buddha statue. "Actually, I only heard the general story of how the Empress Dowager and Ruoxuan met from Yue Feng. Yue Feng said she met Ruoxuan before she entered the palace. Ah, it seems it was during the Zhongyuan Festival. She had sneaked out to play and got separated from her maids, and then she met Ruoxuan. Then, Ruoxuan also entered the palace, um... I think he became some kind of Imperial Advisor. Heh, I don't know how Ruoxuan could be an Imperial Advisor, he detested reading and studying. Anyway, Ruoxuan became friends with the Emperor, and then fell in love with the Emperor's concubine, Yue Feng. Hahaha, isn't that incredible? It's like something out of a novel, hahaha..." She laughed and turned her head to look at the person beside her, only to find A'Jing listening in silence, seemingly not finding it amusing. She awkwardly suppressed her smile. "It's hard to believe, isn't it? But even though I look ordinary, Ruoxuan is different. He's definitely the kind of sunny, handsome young man who could be the protagonist of a novel~" she emphasized to him. "Well, not as extraordinarily handsome as Luo Yuan..."
Hearing this, A'Jing couldn't help but smile slightly. "Thank you for such high praise... General Luo."
"Actually, if Ruoxuan hadn't..." Her voice trailed off sadly at this point. She spoke with a tone of helplessness. "If Ruoxuan hadn't gotten into drugs, he would have been even more handsome. I've always felt guilty. Half of the responsibility for Ruoxuan's problems lies with me. If I hadn't gone to that damned party, Mother and Father wouldn't have died. I should have taken responsibility for looking after him, but I fled to university, leaving him to live alone at such a young age. Ruoxuan was only 14 then... If I had stayed, he wouldn't have..." Yang Ruoning choked up slightly, and A'Jing on the side silently took her hand. A'Jing's warm gesture moved her deeply. "Yue Feng said Ruoxuan is very healthy here, and she hasn't seen him exhibit any withdrawal symptoms. I suspect it might be because time flows differently here than in our world, and our physiological functions haven't changed despite traversing wormholes, remaining stuck in that time." Suddenly realizing that A'Jing probably wouldn't understand her words, she apologized, "I'm sorry, you probably don't know what I'm talking about. What I mean is, in our world, Ruoxuan was actually sick, with an illness that was difficult to cure, but after he came to this world, he miraculously recovered."
"So you came here to find Ruoxuan," A'Jing said.
"Not entirely. I came here for Ruoxuan. I've been here twice. The first time was because Ruoxuan returned severely injured, and I came to find something for him. The second time... Ruoxuan died, and I came to find the girl he loved."
"A sad story, isn't it?" Yang Ruoning said with a wry smile. "I once prayed so devoutly to God, begging him not to take away the people I love, but... he never answered my prayers, not once."
A'Jing looked at the Buddha statue in front of him. "You can pray to this god. Perhaps this time he will answer you."
"Heh, is that so?" Yang Ruoning was skeptical. Gods are all the same, whether Western or Eastern.
But A'Jing was serious. "What if it comes true? You might as well try."
Seeing his persistence, Yang Ruoning didn't refuse any further. She adjusted her posture, joined her hands together, and facing the Buddha statue, said slowly and deliberately, "I wish that God will keep Qingye safe, and let Luo Yuan be happy."
"Is that your wish?" A'Jing's mask was hidden in the dim hall. The candlelight flickered, casting shifting shadows on it, making A'Jing appear somewhat cold and ferocious, much like... the mask of Tutankhamun she had seen at the Metropolitan Museum. This suddenly reminded her of a crucial matter.
"Ah, right, in your world, what is the afterlife like?"
Yang Ruoning's sudden question startled A'Jing, but he still replied, "Souls wander the mortal world for forty-nine days. On the forty-ninth day, black and white soul guides will lead the soul to the other shore."
"Why do souls linger in the mortal world for so long?"
"Souls linger in the mortal world because they still have attachments."
Yang Ruoning nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, they must be reluctant to leave the people they love. Yue Feng... the Empress Dowager, where will she be buried?"
"She will likely be buried with the late Emperor. The Empress Dowager... should be interred in the imperial tomb on the forty-ninth day."
"Why the forty-ninth day?"
"So that her soul will be sealed in the tomb to accompany the late Emperor."
Even in death, she wouldn't have freedom? The Emperor was truly a selfish and terrifying man.
Yang Ruoning looked at the Buddha statue, silent. After a while, she said softly, "Yue Feng is dead... Can Luo Yuan's vengeance end here? If he's still not satisfied... I heard you burn the bodies of your enemies to ashes to quench your hatred... A'Jing, if Luo Yuan really does that, could you collect the ashes and give them to me..."
Yang Ruoning turned her head to look at A'Jing. A'Jing remained silent. His long silence made Yang Ruoning feel a bit awkward. She wondered if her request was too much for A'Jing, as it was quite bizarre and surreal for the people here.
"What do you want the ashes for?"
"I want to take them back," Yang Ruoning said. "To California, where all the people I love are buried, my parents, and my brother Ruoxuan... I want to take Yue Feng back and bury her beside them."
"Am I asking for too much?" Yang Ruoning asked A'Jing.
"Yes, you are asking for too much," A'Jing said. "You are always making assumptions, assuming Luo Yuan will become Emperor, assuming Luo Yuan will seek revenge..."
"I saw the future."
"The future is something that has yet to happen, Yang Ruoning," A'Jing said. "So I cannot grant your request."