Empress Xie understood Xie Beihan’s intent, but she glared at him fiercely:
"Fine! Now that you have a wife, you’ve forgotten your aunt. How wonderful is she that you have to protect her so much!"
"Your birth mother died early, and it was I who protected you, making the He family dare not mistreat you! Have you forgotten all this?!"
"Xie Beihan, you’re truly an ingrate! I regret ever loving and protecting you!"
Ever since Ye Chengyan’s death, Xie Beihan had grown accustomed to hearing such things from his aunt. Initially, it would hurt, but after hearing it so many times, he grew indifferent.
His gaze turned cold as he replied, "Aunt, I’ve supported you in every good cause, giving you money and manpower without a word. I have done right by you, my cousin, and my father. But if you dare touch Yunxi’s dowry, I won’t acknowledge you as my aunt anymore."
Empress Xie looked at him in disbelief.
After all, Xie Beihan had always been somewhat unreliable. But as she looked closely at his face, she saw an unprecedented determination.
Xie Beihan had grown up.
Having lost his brother and father, he had truly grown up and was now carrying the responsibility of the entire Marquis Zhenbei household. He was no longer the young man who could be easily deceived and frequently got into trouble.
"But I... I can’t ignore Yan’er..." Empress Xie muttered.
Xie Beihan responded, "If Aunt wants to ask the Death God for mercy, I’ll find a portrait of him and hang it in your room for you to worship properly."
As for building a temple, they could discuss that later.
Empress Xie, now without power and money, had little choice but to nod, urging him repeatedly, "Then you’d better hurry."
Xie Beihan had Fan Yunxi and Empress Xie return home first, while he went in search of a Death God portrait.
His first approach was to ask the three Monks Ming.
As they were Daoists, they only worshipped their Ancestral Masters or the Three Pure Ones and didn’t have a Death God image.
Furthermore, the Death God ruled the Netherworld, so praying to him either meant cursing others to die or oneself. Because of this, few people would worship him; there were hardly any temples, and even portraits of him were rare.
With no other options, Xie Beihan ordered someone to check the black market.
Returning to the Marquis Zhenbei Estate, he thought for a moment and decided to visit Fan Yunxi’s courtyard.
The room was bright, but the door was shut tight.
The maid stood guard by the door. Seeing Xie Beihan, she said, "Lord Marquis, Madam says she is feeling unwell. If you have any business, please come back in a couple of days."
Xie Beihan furrowed his brow, wanting to push open the door, though the maid dared not stop him.
However, when he reached out, he hesitated.
He had already frightened her that night; he couldn’t behave so rudely again.
Even though he knew Fan Yunxi simply didn’t want to see him, he raised his voice and said, "If you’re unwell, have the maid take a note to the palace to summon a physician. Don’t delay and let the illness worsen."
After a moment, Fan Yunxi’s voice came from inside, "Got it. Thank you for your concern, Lord Xie."
It was distant and cold.
Xie Beihan pressed his lips together, lingered a moment more, and then left.
Only then did the maid enter the room, finding Fan Yunxi still sitting on the round stool, unable to hide the sadness on her face.
"Madam, you should meet with Lord Marquis," the maid advised. "In a marriage, everything should be openly discussed face to face."
Fan Yunxi shook her head lightly. "Why humiliate myself further? The person in his heart is the Ninth Princess. It’s only natural for him to treat me this way."
She had only been forcibly married off, just before the old marquis passed.
The maid was startled.
Thankfully, no one else was present, but she still lowered her voice. "But now the Ninth Prince and the Ninth Princess are a perfect match. Even if Lord Marquis has feelings for her, it doesn’t change that you and Lord Marquis have consummated your marriage. In time, you will surely hold a place in his heart."
Fan Yunxi looked up. The dim candlelight illuminated her reddened eyes.
She said, "It was merely because the Empress scolded him. Feeling vexed, he drank, and that led to us sharing a bed in confusion. What does that mean?"
The maid had no words to console her.
Fan Yunxi wiped her eyes. "Enough. I don’t want to endure this anymore. I’ll bring up divorce tomorrow."
Fan Yunxi was determined. "Don’t say any more. He doesn’t love me, and I don’t want us to become a resentful couple."
Standing beside him, watching him love another—such a feeling was like a knife to the heart.
Better to part sooner than later.
She murmured again, "It’s better if we don’t see each other anymore..."
Little did she know, her words tonight would be prophetic.
That night, Empress Xie kept reciting her intent to worship the Death God before going to sleep.
Normally, worrying about her son kept her tossing and turning, unable to rest through the night.
But tonight, as soon as she closed her eyes, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
The chief nanny checked on her and left satisfied.
But Empress Xie was actually trapped in a nightmare, with large beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
She found herself in complete darkness, unable to see her own hands.
Suddenly, a faint, eerie firelight flickered.
A towering ghostly figure appeared—green-faced, fanged, clad in a black, floor-length robe, a necklace made of human bones around its neck.
Its skin was ghastly white, with blackened fingernails, playing with a skull in its hand.
As it raised its eyes, a deathly aura seemed to seep forth.
Empress Xie’s heart pounded with fear. Her whole body was paralyzed; she couldn’t move, and even her mouth refused to open.
The ghostly figure spoke, "You summoned me. What do you seek?"
Empress Xie, realizing something, stammered, "A-are you... the Death God?!"
The figure chuckled, shaking the skull in its hand. "Indeed."
"Death God!" Empress Xie dropped to her knees, her expression devout, hands clasped together, and pleaded for her son’s suffering to end, begging the Death God to show mercy, release her son from Abyss Hell, and send him to reincarnation.
The ghostly figure suddenly loomed before her. "What will you offer?"
"However much paper money Death God desires, I’ll burn it all for you!" Empress Xie said, "I can even build a temple dedicated to your worship!"
The figure shook its head. "No, I don’t want paper money, nor any temple."
"Then... what does Death God want?"
"I want... your life." The figure drew close, its ghostly face terrifying.
Empress Xie nearly shut her eyes in fear.
But for her son, she didn’t hesitate. "I’ll give you my life! Please, take it and free my son from his suffering!"
The ghost paused and then said, "But your son’s sins are too great; he must endure three hundred years of torment in Abyss Hell. Your one life can only lessen his suffering by a single year."
Empress Xie was stunned and blurted out, "Then, if I offer three hundred people, can Yan’er leave Abyss Hell and reincarnate?!"
The ghost stroked the skull. "That’s correct."
Empress Xie’s breathing grew rapid, her eyes darting, already plotting how to gather three hundred people as sacrifices.
The ghost, sensing her resolve, was thrilled. "Bring the offerings to Ten-Miles Valley in Lian State. There, a temple exists for my worship. I will appear then and instruct you on the sacrificial process to save your son."