Xuanyuan Lan knew that the person who saved her was Nanli, the new ruler of Border Nation. Grateful, she said, "The ruler has a kind heart; surely, they will live long and be blessed with great fortune."
Ye Siheng, hearing praise for A’Li, felt quite pleased and smiled slightly. "Wait for a moment," he said.
Xuanyuan Lan was anxious, but with Ye Siheng’s words, she had no choice but to wait patiently. After all, no one else in the room could pass on her message.
Familiar with the use of different talismans, Ye Siheng quickly found one that opened the yin-yang eyes. As he stepped out, Xuanyuan Lan eagerly asked, "Has the prince agreed to help me?"
"I’m not accustomed to passing messages for others," Ye Siheng said, which darkened Xuanyuan Lan’s expression. However, he immediately activated the talisman on Xuanyuan Che, adding, "You can speak to him face to face."
A soft glow burst out. Xuanyuan Che felt his eyes sting and instinctively shut them, about to ask what Ye Siheng had done. But when he opened them, he saw a ghostly figure floating in front of him. Startled, his face turned pale as he stumbled back, weak and trembling. "Don’t... don’t come near me! Stay back!" he shouted.
Xuanyuan Lan realized the talisman had made her visible to her brother. Tears streamed from her ghostly face as she choked out, "Brother, it’s me, A’Lan..."
Xuanyuan Che froze, staring blankly. "A’Lan?" he muttered.
"Yes, I’m A’Lan..." she confirmed, and Xuanyuan Che quickly nodded. "Brother, it’s been so many years. Do you still remember me?"
When her brother left home, she had been very young. If not for her sharp memory and overhearing conversations earlier, she wouldn’t have connected the voice outside to her brother after their 20-year separation. Now, standing before him as a ghost, she had no physical proof of her identity. So, she thought fast and began to perform the Border Nation dance she had learned as a child.
Though it was usually a joyful dance, her tears fell throughout, and every movement was filled with sorrow. After a while, Xuanyuan Che finally recognized the dance and, shouting her name, lunged toward her. But she was a spirit, intangible and ethereal, and he grasped at nothing but air. He realized, after a moment’s confusion, that his sister was already dead--a ghost.
"A’Lan..." he whispered, turning back slowly, meeting her tearful gaze. The only thing they could do was silently weep together.
Forcing a smile, Xuanyuan Lan said, "Brother, we should be happy. We’ve reunited after so long, so let’s not cry, okay?"
Xuanyuan Che, choking on his emotions, nodded and hastily wiped his tears, struggling to hold them back. Though the two siblings quieted their sobs, Qing Feng, who had also been affected by the talisman and could see Xuanyuan Lan, began crying loudly.
Ye Siheng shot him a glare. "What are you crying for? This has nothing to do with you."
Qing Feng couldn’t stop his tears. "I’m just so moved! I’ve heard stories of such reunions in plays, but I never thought I’d see it myself--siblings separated by life and death meeting again..."
His loud sobbing made it impossible for the siblings to continue their conversation. Xuanyuan Che, who had previously called him "brother," now found him a nuisance. "Qing Feng, go outside if you’re going to cry."
But Qing Feng, unwilling to face the cold wind outside, stayed put until Ye Siheng spoke. "Go sweep the snow from the palace grounds."
Qing Feng turned, shocked. "But, my lord, it’s snowing heavily outside! The wind is howling!"
"It seems you’d rather not stay in the palace," Ye Siheng replied coldly.
Startled, Qing Feng rushed out the door. "I’ll get right to it!"
Sweeping snow was nothing compared to the difficulty of being cast out of the palace!
With the room now quiet, Ye Siheng left them in peace, reminding Xuanyuan Lan, "Your spirit is still weak. You can only stay out for the time it takes to brew two cups of tea. Once the time is up, return to the spiritual bag to rest, or the sunlight will burn your soul, causing it to scatter."
Xuanyuan Lan bowed slightly. "I will remember your words."
Ye Siheng nodded and returned to the chamber, where he quietly watched over Nanli, reading a book.
Reunited after so many years, the siblings were at a loss for words. After a brief silence, Xuanyuan Che broke it. "A’Lan, how have you been all these years in Border Nation?"
When he was undercover in Mu Nation, Xuanyuan Che only received letters from his sister every few years. In her letters, she always assured him that she was well, spending most of her words asking if he was eating and dressing warmly, or reminding him to take care of his health.
Xuanyuan Lan hesitated for a moment before answering, "I’ve been fine. But then, I was unlucky and got captured and taken to the palace. When I died, it wasn’t painful; it was quick. Afterward, the new ruler restored my soul, and today, I finally got to see you. So, Brother, don’t be sad, and please don’t seek revenge."
Xuanyuan Che’s lips quivered, and his emotions churned. His sister’s words didn’t quite add up. If she had been well, why wasn’t she married? Why had she been taken to the palace? If her death had been quick and painless, why was her soul so damaged?
Tears welled up in his eyes again, but his sister had told him to be happy, so he fought to keep them from falling. He blamed himself for their family’s downfall. Even though he’d worked tirelessly in Mu Nation, he still couldn’t save his sister.
"A’Lan..." he said softly. "Now that you’re gone, I don’t want to live anymore."
Xuanyuan Lan’s face hardened. "Brother, you must live! The new ruler killed the tyrant, saved my soul, and reunited us. How can you repay such kindness with death?"
Xuanyuan Che shook his head slightly. "I know, but..."
Ever since he learned of his sister’s tragic death, he felt lost. Now, seeing her soul again, the only thought in his heart was to follow her into the afterlife, to fulfill his duty as her older brother on the road to the underworld.
"No buts," Xuanyuan Lan said firmly. "My death was a fate I couldn’t escape. The living must continue living. Brother, when we parted, you promised you were a man who could stand tall and brave the world. Why have you become so weak now, after all these years?"
Xuanyuan Che choked up. "A’Lan, it’s because of you... because of you, I tried to be strong, so you could rely on me."
It wasn’t that he was weak--it was that there was no one left in the world for him to hold onto.
Xuanyuan Lan’s heart ached, unsure of how to comfort or persuade him.
Suddenly, Xuanyuan Che rushed to the door of the chamber, falling to his knees. He called out loudly, "My lord! I vow to serve you for eternity, as long as my sister can be brought back to life and remain by my side!"
Inside the chamber, Ye Siheng immediately looked over at Nanli, startled by Xuanyuan Che’s sudden plea.