Ten Classic Touching Supernatural Stories Collection

Chapter 12

He laughed and said, "Why aren't you inside chatting with the ladies and young women? Why are you sneaking off here to sleep all by yourself?"

I said, "Then why don't you drink and chat with princes and high-ranking officials? What are you doing here all alone?"

He paused, then threw his head back and burst into laughter. I realized my words had been abrupt, and my face flushed even more. He stopped laughing, looked at me seriously, and said, "I don't think I've seen you before. Which family's young lady are you?"

A wave of grievance washed over me. I didn't know why I trusted him so much. I said, "I'm not some kind of young lady. I'm just a bastard who shouldn't have been born."

He took my hand and said softly, "Why do you say that?"

Tears welled up in my eyes involuntarily, and I said, "I've never seen my mother since I was born. I heard that she was originally one of my father's maids, and later she somehow became pregnant with me. But my father didn't take her as a concubine; instead, he gave her away after she gave birth to me. Originally, I should have been a servant too, but for some reason, my father had my wife adopt me as her daughter and raise me and my sisters together. That's why everyone dislikes me." My voice gradually lowered and faded away.

He said softly, "But your father must love you very much, otherwise why would he do this?"

I was bewildered and said, "But he never even glances at me, and he doesn't say a word to me for a whole year. When the ladies bully me, he never cares."

He remained silent for a while, then suddenly said, "I know, your name is Naihe, isn't it?"

I was startled and said, "Is my story known to everyone?"

He smiled without saying a word, looked at me for a while, and then said, "There's also a flower-adorning ceremony today, did you know?"

The so-called "flower-adorned gathering" was originally a folk custom that later spread to the palace. So, at the annual grand banquet at Liangji Palace, all unmarried men and women, regardless of status, could present their flower bouquets to their chosen ones. This did not necessarily lead to an engagement; it was merely a way for them to express their feelings, and some even took the opportunity to get married.

I nodded.

He took a string of luminous pearls from his wrist and put it on my hand, then smiled and said, "You must come." Then he left.

The string of luminous pearls on my wrist emitted a soft glow, making my skin appear as white as snow. I then wondered why I had confided all my private matters to a strange man. Touching my face, I found that my previously cold hands had been warmed by his grip.

Just as he was lost in thought, a person suddenly emerged from behind the tree, laughing and saying, "I saw everything."

I was taken aback. I saw that the man was also dressed in a jade crown and yellow robe, with a handsome face. However, he had an old scar on his forehead, shaped like a cross, but it did not diminish his heroic bearing. I asked sharply, "Who are you?"

The man laughed and said, "Why are you so friendly with Di Zhui, but when you see me you ask who I am?"

Emperor Zhui? It's like I've heard that name somewhere before, but I can't quite place it.

The man before me exuded an air of wickedness, his smile unrestrained, and his domineering presence somehow made me extremely uncomfortable. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand, saying, "Why are you leaving without saying a word? Do you think Di Zhui can get close to you, but I can't?"

My face flushed red, and I said, "Please let go, young master."

Ignoring his words, he fiddled with the luminous pearl on my wrist, saying, "This pearl is quite ordinary. I'll give you something more interesting." With that, he untied a chain from his neck and hung it around my neck without a word. The black gold chain had a delicate jade pendant hanging from it, engraved with the character "誇" (zhé). He laughed, "Don't lose it or give it away carelessly. This is my protective treasure."

Just as I was at a loss, I suddenly heard someone say, "What are you doing here?"

A new person approached, whose appearance was exactly the same as the previous one, but whose demeanor was calm and aloof, unlike the previous one who was so carefree. This person laughed and said, "What are you doing here again? You always ruin my plans." With that, he let go of his hand and left.

Later, he stopped at a distance, glanced at me a few times, frowned, and said, "He actually gave you his protective jade pendant?"

I hurriedly took off the jade pendant, but didn't know what to do with it.

The man frowned again and said, "Since I've given it to you, keep it safe." With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and left.

I was left standing there bewildered and at a loss. In a fit of pique, I threw the jade pendant on the ground. What kind of clueless person would force someone to give away some "treasure"? After thinking about it, I picked it up again and put it in my sleeve. What if that person came back and asked me for it, and I couldn't give it to him? Wouldn't that be even more troublesome?

It's been long enough since we left; if we don't go back soon, my sisters will probably scold us again. Sure enough, as soon as we got back, Serphie scolded us: "Didn't you go out and have fun without coming back? Father has been looking for you several times and couldn't find you, and instead we've been blamed."

I could only nod and agree.

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [90]: Suddenly, the palace maids came up with silver platters, the platters full of exquisitely decorated little flower balls. Each of the sisters took one, and Jiao Li casually stuffed one into my hand as well. Chan Yuan glanced at me sideways and sneered.

Suddenly, everyone around me became excited. Jiao Li exclaimed, "The Crown Prince is here!" She stood on tiptoe to look around. I took a few steps back; it was best to stay away at a time like this. Then I heard Jiao Li whisper, "Ah, it's Jing Ren and Jun Zhe! Good heavens, they look so alike, I can't tell them apart."

I couldn't help but glance over as well, and, to my surprise, I gasped. Weren't those the people who had shoved the jade token into my hands, and that cold-faced one? So, they were the twin brothers, Jing Ren and Jun Zhe. Zhe—hmm, the jade token had the character for "Zhe" on it, so that arrogant and frivolous fellow must be Jun Zhe. And the other, cold-faced one, must be Jing Ren.

The Empress Dowager announced the start of the Flower-Wearing Ceremony, and the musicians began to play. Suddenly, the crowd erupted into chaos as the three elder sisters struggled to push their way forward, offering their flower bouquets to Jingren and Junzhe. Junzhe accepted all the bouquets without hesitation, quickly filling his arms with them. Jingren, however, arrogantly ignored the bouquets offered to him. I watched as Yuanchan's smiling face flushed crimson with embarrassment, while Jingren walked past her with his head held high.

"Naihe." I turned around. It was Di Zhui. He smiled and tied a small golden flower ball to my lapel. His flower ball was different; it was pure gold adorned with various gemstones. I heard the people around me gasp loudly, "The Crown Prince gave the flower ball to Naihe?!"

"Aren't you going to give me a bouquet?" Di Zhui asked with a smile.

Before I could answer, Junzhe had squeezed in and shouted, "Naihe's flower ball is mine!" With that, he threw the flower balls he was carrying to the ground, and without a word, pinned a red flower ball in my hair, looking gleefully at Dizhui, whose face had darkened.

Jing Ren also came over. He didn't have a flower ball in his hand, but he took a small pink flower from the flower ball in Jiao Li's hand and put it next to the gold ring that tied my hair up.

Three people, no, hundreds of people were watching me, waiting for me to give the bouquet to one of them.

I could feel the astonishment and resentment in those gazes. I looked around blankly, wondering who would help me? Why was I in such an awkward situation? Why did Di Zhui, Jing Ren, and Jun Zhe give me the flower ball? They were all royalty, brothers. The small purple flower ball was crushed in my hands, falling softly all over my skirt, like my chaotic and disordered emotions.

On the way back, Jiao Li kept a straight face and didn't even glance at me, as if I were invisible. I knew she was jealous of me.

Life after that was actually no different, except that my wife and sisters looked at me with increasing disgust, but they didn't do anything else. My father would occasionally see a thoughtful look in my eyes.

Mi Wu, on the other hand, was very excited, constantly asking for details, and then asking which of Di Zhui, Jing Ren, and Jun Zhe was better looking. I said helplessly, "They're about the same, they're brothers, and they all look very similar. Especially Jing Ren and Jun Zhe, they look exactly alike."

Mi Wu rested her chin on her hand and idly thought by the window, "It's a pity I don't have the fortune to see them, otherwise my life would not have been in vain."

Ah, I wish I had never met them.

No one expected Jing Ren to act so quickly, sending someone to propose marriage the very next day, which startled even her father.

Jing Ren, a prince, actually wants to marry a woman born to a lowly maid like me. Even my father finds it absurd. My father hesitated and said to the marriage proposal, "How can this be? The Empress Dowager will probably be angry."

The messenger said, "The Empress Dowager has already promised that the marriages of Princes Jingren and Junzhe will be arranged by them."

The father said, “But… how could she be worthy of the prince? Perhaps… look, I have three daughters, Chanyuan, Sefei, and Jiaoli, all of whom are well-educated, polite, and of good status. Why not choose one of these three?”

The man smiled wryly and said, "General, you know Young Master Jingren's temper. How dare I make a decision for him?"

Next, Jun Zhe also sent people, and even more outrageously, he brought betrothal gifts along with them, as if he had no choice but to agree.

My father reluctantly pleaded for a few more days' grace, when suddenly news arrived from the palace that the Crown Prince was also begging the Empress Dowager to arrange my marriage to him. My father was as if a catastrophe had struck. Pointing at me, he roared, "You monster! What sorcery have you used to bewitch these three princes? Making them insist on marrying you? Now I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. How can you, a lowly child, be worthy of entering the palace? If the Empress Dowager punishes us, won't our entire Fu family be wiped out?"

I knelt on the ground and cried, "Father, I did nothing wrong."

The father cursed, "You're just like your mother, a vixen who bewitches people. If I had known, I would have thrown you both into the well, so you two could both become ghosts."

I was horrified. Wasn't it said that he had given my birth mother away? How could she have been thrown into a well? I remembered the well in the backyard that had been sealed off. From a young age, the mistress had forbade us to go near it, and even the servants avoided it. Could it be that my mother's burial place?

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [91]: The father realized he had let something slip, calmed down, waved his hand wearily, and said, "Go down."

I stood up, and with a trembling voice, I asked, "Father, is my mother dead?"

My father was startled. He stared at me for a long time before shouting, "Get down!"

I retreated in a panic.

That night, exhausted from crying, I was lying down to sleep when suddenly someone covered my head, forcibly dragged me into a sedan chair, and swayed me to a certain place, where I was forced to kowtow. Only after the veil was removed did I realize that I had just married this thin, pale man.

He was a minor official, but he treated me quite well. I cried by my bedside for three whole days, and he just sat in a chair, rubbing his hands and sighing, then advised me to drink some water and get some sleep. Seeing that he meant no harm, I gradually stopped crying.

The minor official confessed that his father had given him a hundred taels of gold and promised him a bright future in officialdom, ordering him to perform this act. After much thought, I realized I couldn't change the facts, so I had no choice but to accept my fate.

After some time, my father sent Miwu to serve me as well. As soon as Miwu saw me, she burst into tears, hugged me, and said, "Why have you become so haggard?"

She added that her father and the Empress Dowager had conspired to feign acceptance of Jingren's marriage proposal, but on the wedding day, they would send Chanyuan to the bridal chamber in my place. The die was cast, and Jingren had no choice but to acquiesce. As for Junzhe, he was always a womanizer; she figured his antics would pass in a few days. She told Dizhui that she and the minor official had been betrothed since childhood, and even as the Crown Prince, he couldn't prevent someone else's marriage, so he had to give up. She then selected Sefei to be a lady-in-waiting in the palace, keeping her constantly by his side, hoping to make Dizhui forget about Naihe.

That's fine, but I can't let go of what my father said: "...If I had known, I would have thrown you into the well with me, so that you and your mother could both become ghosts." What exactly happened when I was born? Was my mother killed by them?

Night after night, I could hear a woman crying mournfully, but when I got up, I couldn't find her anywhere. I was so frightened that I thought I had been possessed by an evil spirit. I thought that must be my mother.

The minor official's jurisdiction was a remote little town. There was a small hill outside the town, and I often went there to sit and daydream. Day after day, time passed by leisurely. I began to wonder, was my whole life going to disappear in this little town?

Autumn had arrived, and the weather was slightly chilly. Early in the morning, Miwu draped a sky-blue cloak over my shoulders and saw me off to my usual spot on the mountain before leaving. She would come back to pick me up in the afternoon.

I drew lines on the ground with a twig: Di Zhui, Jing Ren, Jun Zhe... These three princes who suddenly appeared in my life, did they just send me into the abyss without a care?

A rapid sound of hooves approached, and suddenly a man jumped down in front of me, grabbed me, and exclaimed, "Naihe, I've finally found you!"

I asked in surprise, "Jun Zhe?"

It was indeed Jun Zhe. He was still as handsome and wicked as ever, only now there was a hint of melancholy between his brows.

Jun Zhe said, "The Emperor has already made Serphie his Empress and Jiaoli his Consort. Your father has now become the Emperor's Father-in-Law."

I sneered, "What does this have to do with me?"

Jun Zhe laughed and said, "Of course it's none of your business. Now that Di Zhui and Jing Ren are married, no one will come after me to take you away from you."

I still sneered: "Don't you know I'm already someone's wife?"

Jun Zhe laughed loudly, "That petty official, how could he be worthy!" He lifted me onto the horse, mounted me, and laughed, "Now, you are mine." He whipped the horse and spurred it on, taking me away from the small town.

Jun Zhe's mansion, like his arrogant personality, exuded domineering power. From then on, Jun Zhe stayed by my side day and night, our days and nights intertwined in passionate embrace. In moments of intense intimacy, he whispered in my ear, "Alas, at first I was just being stubborn with Di Zhui, wanting what he wanted, I wanted too. But, after just one more glance at you, you've stolen my soul, and I can't live without you. Do you know how alluring you are? Like the purest, clearest drop of water from a celestial pool, even holding you tightly in my arms, I'm always afraid you'll suddenly melt away."

The jade pendant he gave me that day is now hanging around my neck, tucked inside my clothes, and I'm not allowed to see it easily.

With Junzhe's care, I gradually became plump. One day, I was sitting idly by the window admiring the snow when suddenly someone pushed open the door and came in. I was stunned and didn't even know to get up and kneel down.

It's strange that Emperor Zhui was as gentle as he was that day; of the three, he, as the emperor, had the least of that kingly domineering aura.

"I didn't expect you to actually be here," the Emperor said.

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [92]: I came to my senses and bowed gracefully: "How I greet Your Majesty."

He reached out to help me up, his fingers touching the luminous pearl on my wrist. He was momentarily lost in thought and said, "In this world, apart from the Empress Dowager, you are the only one I allow to see me without having to kneel."

I said quietly, "How could I be worthy?"

Emperor Zhui gently stroked my face, then suddenly teared up and said, "Alas, are we truly destined to be apart?"

I bit my lip and said, "With Serphia and Lychee by his side, will the Emperor still remember me?"

The Emperor pressed on, saying, “The Empress Dowager said that since I am the Emperor, I should have a motherly demeanor to avoid violating propriety. I thought that since they are your sisters, they would naturally have some similarities. But who knew that they are not alike at all.”

I couldn't hold back my tears and said, "I was forcibly taken out of the city that day, and you just let it go."

The Emperor pulled me into his arms and sighed, "How I wish I could save you too. But though I am the Emperor, I am even less free than you. I wish I weren't the Emperor, so I could be with you."

A single word reminded me, and I shoved Di Zhui away, saying, "Now that I'm Jun Zhe's person, you come looking for me."

Di Zhui's face turned pale, and he said, "You, the person you love, is it Jun Zhe?"

I cried, "Don't ask me whether I love you or not. He was the one who rescued me from that dark place. I had nowhere to go outside. What do you want me to do?"

Di Zhui gritted his teeth and said, "Naihe, don't worry, one day I will stay with you forever."

I cried and said, "Don't ever use those words to coax me again."

Di Zhui gritted his teeth and said, "Believe it or not, I'm serious." With a heavy heart, he turned and left.

I cried until Junzhe returned. He hurriedly asked me, "I heard that Dizhui suddenly came today. What happened? Why are you crying?"