Gu Lang's memory of the Ghost Festival was of being a child, held in his mother's arms and hidden under the quilts, as she told him that on the day of the Ghost Festival, the road from the underworld would open, allowing the dead to leave the netherworld and return to the living. Their relatives would light river lanterns on this day to illuminate the way home for the wandering souls.
Gu Lang had lit river lanterns for six years, yet his parents had never returned to see him.
He thought that perhaps the Gu family's estate had already fallen into ruin and desolation, leaving his parents with no home to return to, and thus, lighting more river lanterns was futile.
Would the Mountain River Gambling Den count as Murong Yan's home?
Gu Lang didn't know. He actually didn't understand Murong Yan very well, only knowing that the man was the chief of the Mountain River Gambling Den, appearing carefree and unrestrained in front of others, but in reality, he was full of cunning schemes. Initially, when he had scaled the palace wall late at night and was discovered by Gu Lang, who was on duty, the two fought from the palace to the streets, frightening a passing night watchman into thinking he had encountered a ghost.
Murong Yan, tired from the fight, attempted to flee but was pursued by Gu Lang all the way to a dimly lit street corner.
While gasping for air, Murong Yan laughed and asked when the palace guards became so skilled in martial arts.
Gu Lang furrowed his brows and asked, "Who are you?"
Murong Yan boldly declared, "A grand thief of the rivers and lakes."
He said he had secretly infiltrated the imperial palace to steal the Night Bright Pearl and even suggested that if Gu Lang would let him go, he could share half of the pearl's selling price with him.
Gu Lang remained silent, advancing step by step with his knife drawn, but suddenly heard a clanging sound behind him.
Turning around, he saw it was the same night watchman.
In the darkness of midnight, the night watchman, already startled once, saw the shadows of two figures looming over him, his heart skipped a beat, and he dropped his watchman's clapper, shouting, "Ghosts!"
Just as Gu Lang was about to speak, Murong Yan suddenly said to the night watchman, "We're not ghosts; we are a pair of male and female thieves."
Gu Lang: "…"
The watchman, trembling, asked, "Male and female thieves?"
Murong Yan replied, "Indeed, but my wife is angry with me and wants to kill me."
Gu Lang's expression darkened as he swung his sword in an attack.
"See, she's angry again," Murong Yan dodged while continuing his ridiculous claims, "You should leave before you get hurt… Ah, my lady, be careful, don't harm the baby…"
Gu Lang's hand shook, and his sword missed its mark. Murong Yan seized the opportunity to run away while Gu Lang was dodging.
The watchman also hurriedly fled, shouting to Murong Yan as he ran, "Pregnant women are temperamental, my wife was the same, a single wrong word could set her off, such a handful… You must be more accommodating…"
Gu Lang slashed the street wall with his sword in frustration.
*
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Gu Lang brought a river lantern to the Mountain River Gambling Den and silently handed it to Sun Fang.
Sun Fang, completely baffled, said, "A river lantern? I never light river lanterns."
Gu Lang remained silent for a while, then said, "Today is the fifteenth."
Sun Fang: "I know, it's the Ghost Festival. Guard Gu, remember to go to sleep early tonight, so the lonely ghosts don't drag you away."
Gu Lang: "…"
In the Grand Temple, the Crown Prince, who was offering incense, suddenly sneezed.
Chancellor Xu Zhiyan asked with concern, "Is Your Highness alright?"
The Crown Prince shook his head, "I'm fine."
Xu Zhiyan worriedly said, "With the Emperor unwell, Your Highness must take great care of your health."
"The Chancellor need not worry, I've just caught a cold," the Crown Prince, holding Xu Zhiyan's hand, said, "You, on the other hand, have grown thinner from attending to state affairs recently, I truly feel sorry." He took out a small bottle and poured out a medicinal pill, "This is a blood-nourishing and qi-boosting pill that I personally prepared over three days and nights. Please, take one, Chancellor, as a token of my concern."
The Chancellor's eyelid twitched, "Your Highness, I am overwhelmed…" Before he could finish, the Crown Prince suddenly slipped, thrusting the pill directly into his mouth.
"Cough cough…" The Chancellor hurriedly tried to remove the pill from his mouth, but it melted upon contact and had already been swallowed.
The Crown Prince patted his back, saying, "It was an accident, Chancellor, please don't mind it. This pill is highly nourishing; you shouldn't be polite with me."
The Chancellor: "…"
That night, as the world was quiet, the Chancellor found himself repeatedly running to the outhouse, so exhausted that his legs were weak and his head dizzy, wishing he could dismantle the Crown Prince into pieces.
When Gu Lang returned to the Eastern Palace, the night had deepened. It was supposed to be Wu Liu's duty that night, but having overindulged in wine during the day, he had to switch shifts with Gu Lang.
As Gu Lang passed by the Crown Prince's sleeping quarters, he suddenly heard a faint noise on the roof.
He abruptly looked up.
YOU ARE READING
My Love Comes to See the Grass on my Grave
Romancescheduled to be edited in April 2024 Murong Yan is "dead." His subordinate tells him that his love has been crying by his grave every single day. He's ecstatic and sneaks over to catch a glimpse, only to find that his love isn't crying at all. He's...
