Xuanyuan Che’s tears surged once again as he cried, "Good brother! Since you’re willing to do so much for me, I have one more request to make."
Qing Feng patted his chest and said, "Tell me, as long as it’s something I can do, I will agree!"
"My sister died tragically and became a wandering soul with no one to care for her. If you would marry her and erect a tombstone for her, perhaps her journey in the afterlife would be easier."
As he finished speaking, Xuanyuan Che looked at Qing Feng with a pleading expression.
What had he just said? Could he take it back?
Seeing Qing Feng’s hesitation and reluctance, Xuanyuan Che quickly added:
"In Border Nation, there’s a legend: if a woman hasn’t married by the age of fifteen, she won’t be able to enter her husband’s ancestral hall or family tomb, and she won’t have the right to cross the Bridge of Helplessness. Qing Feng, you are the closest to me in Mu Nation, and I have no one else to turn to. Besides, my sister is already dead, so it won’t affect your future marriage. I just want her afterlife to be more peaceful, with a place where I can burn offerings for her."
His tears continued to flow uncontrollably, and by the end, he was sobbing uncontrollably.
Qing Feng couldn’t bear it any longer. His thoughts stirred.
He had once vowed to serve the prince for his entire life and never marry. Now, granting Xuanyuan Che’s sister a title and erecting a memorial for her didn’t seem like a big deal. After all, the princess had said that doing good deeds in this life would result in good karma in the next.
Before Qing Feng could finish, Ye Siheng interrupted coldly, "Nonsense!"
Qing Feng immediately fell silent, standing obediently to the side. He shrugged at Xuanyuan Che, indicating there was nothing he could do.
Ye Siheng didn’t know why, but seeing Qing Feng about to agree to such a ridiculous request made him uncomfortable. So, he blurted out to stop it.
Xuanyuan Che, facing Ye Siheng, didn’t dare to be disrespectful. He wiped the tears from his face and said, "I wasn’t thinking straight; please don’t take offense, Your Highness."
As for the choice of a husband for his sister, he would take his time finding someone.
Ye Siheng looked at him gravely. "Your ruler understands matters of the Netherworld. What you just said is not true at all. It’s just a shackle placed on women by the world. Whether a woman marries or not, or whether someone builds her a grave, as long as she hasn’t committed any wrongs, she can cross the Bridge of Helplessness and reincarnate. Your sister was oppressed while alive--do you really want her to be forced into marriage with a stranger after death? Have you even considered whether she would be willing?"
Xuanyuan Che was stunned.
After a moment, he bowed deeply in thanks. "I was being stubborn. But I still wish to return to Border Nation."
"The prince nodded. "You want to go back to handle your sister’s affairs. I’ll give you a month."
"No..." Xuanyuan Che raised his head, a fierce look in his eyes. "I want to kill everyone in House Xuanyuan. Only then can my sister rest in peace!"
Qing Feng was startled and looked at Xuanyuan Che in shock. "You... you’re ruthless! Don’t forget, you’re also from House Xuanyuan!"
"I don’t want this surname anymore!" Xuanyuan Che clenched his fists. "House Xuanyuan--full of wolves and tigers, heartless and cruel. They don’t deserve to live!"
Qing Feng didn’t say anything. He didn’t think Xuanyuan Che was being irrational. After all, he had no sister and couldn’t understand the pain of losing a loved one tragically.
Ye Siheng, however, said, "I support you in seeking revenge, but it was Xuanyuan Fu who harmed your sister. He’s already dead, so why hold a grudge against others?"
"The Border Nation Prime Minister has already ordered an investigation into House Xuanyuan. If anyone is found guilty, they will be punished according to the law."
"Surely your sister wouldn’t want to see you stain yourself with more blood."
Xuanyuan Che stubbornly shook his head. "No, she came to me in a dream, asking me to avenge her. She didn’t live well in Border Nation. Every single member of House Xuanyuan must die!"
Ye Siheng frowned deeply. His sister’s soul should have been far away in Border Nation, so how could she appear in his dreams? It must be Xuanyuan Che’s own obsession, refusing to let go.
At that moment, something in the bedroom crashed loudly to the floor.
Ye Siheng’s face changed, and before anyone could react, he teleported into the bedroom.
His first instinct was to check on Nanli, and seeing her still soundly asleep, he sighed in relief. Then, he looked at what had fallen.
It was a painted flower vase from the table.
There was no one in the room, and no wind. How had the vase fallen?
Beside the shattered pieces, a Spiritual Bag was moving slightly, with a Soul-Gathering Talisman stuck to it. It was trying to move outside.
However, the entity inside was too weak. It barely moved an inch with each effort.
Ye Siheng picked up the Spiritual Bag. He remembered A’Li mentioning that it contained a woman’s fragmented soul. Since the woman had an unfinished wish, A’Li was helping to restore her soul, planning to ask her about her wish once she was fully healed.
For the soul to be so agitated, could it mean that her memory had returned?
Ye Siheng spoke softly, "A’Li is asleep. Whatever you need, wait until later."
The Spiritual Bag twitched violently a few more times.
Ye Siheng hesitated, then, recalling the little bit of skill he’d picked up from being around A’Li, decided to open the Spiritual Bag.
The woman’s soul floated out immediately, leaving behind a single "thank you" before drifting out of the room.
"You’ve just healed your soul--you can’t be exposed to sunlight," Ye Siheng warned, grabbing the Spiritual Bag and chasing after her.
He wanted to retrieve her soul, fearing that if she encountered sunlight, she’d dissipate entirely.
Just outside, the woman’s soul stood before Xuanyuan Che, sobbing, "Brother... Brother!"
Without the ability to see spirits, Xuanyuan Che had no way of seeing the ghost in front of him. He only felt a sudden chill around him.
The woman called out a few more times, but seeing no response from her brother, she realized the issue. She didn’t know what to do next.
Suddenly, she recalled what Ye Siheng had said when she first emerged.
"Sir, can you see me?" The woman floated toward him.
Ye Siheng nodded slightly. "Yes, I can."
Excited, the woman quickly asked, "Could I trouble you to pass a message?"
Ye Siheng glanced at her. "What’s your name?"
The woman paused, realizing she should be respectful when asking for help, and bowed in the style of Border Nation’s customs. "My name is Xuanyuan Lan. That man is my brother. I’ve long hoped to reunite with him, but now it seems we are separated by life and death."
She had spent a long time in the Spiritual Bag, and her memory had slowly returned.
However, her brother’s name had eluded her until she overheard someone outside speaking earlier, triggering a flood of memories.
There was no mistake--this was definitely her brother!
Ye Siheng raised an eyebrow, glancing back at the bedroom and muttering, "A’Li, how do you keep getting it right by accident?"