As his consciousness fell into the darkness, Xu Yan Ze tightly grasped onto Xiang Han's hand. There was a faint smile on his lips. To be able to spend his life and die of old age with the person he loves, Xu Yan Ze felt no regrets.
However, he never expected that when he opened his eyes…he would be hugging a skeleton.
Xu Yan Ze froze for a long time before his fingertips trembled. No matter how much time had passed, be it an entire lifetime, his heart still hurt when he saw these bones.
Heaps of corpses covered the floor. When the wind swept past, it carried a bloody scent. The bones in his arms couldn't endure the force of the wind, and the skeleton's arm bone broke apart after a couple of gusts, scattering onto the ground.
Xu Yan Ze's heart trembled. He couldn't understand why he'd return. His little fool wasn't here, so why did he come back? Why couldn't he leave with Little Fool? Or was it to say his little fool was also here?
Recalling the joke from their last life, Xu Yan Ze's eyes brightened.
That's right, his little fool could have… also come back? Transmigration, cultivation, rebirth, abilities… he had seen all these before. What was impossible?
Xu Yan Ze's heart quickly grew optimistic. He picked up the fallen arm bone and carefully reattached it. He had to put it back properly, otherwise when Little Fool comes back and realises his body has become a skeleton, who knows how angry he would be?
Wait! He had already been reduced to bones. Can Little Fool still return?
Xu Yan Ze's heart chilled instantly, but he quickly comforted himself. No, no… he'd definitely return. He may even use a different body…
Just as he was seriously arranging the bones back, a cavalry of horses rushed through, bringing clouds of dust into the air. The skeleton that had just been rearranged fell crooked again.
Killing intent exuded from his eyes. He looked up and saw that Jin Da had arrived with his soldiers and said coldly, "Scram, can't you see you've toppled my Little Fool?"
T-Toppled?
Jin Da froze and looked at the skeleton on the ground. Seemingly having understood something, he howled, "I didn't expect we were still too late. Third brother, h-he…"
"Get lost." Xu Yan Ze pushed him away with a frown before instructing, "Go prepare a coffin, it must be covered in a layer of cotton and mink. If it's too hard, Little Fool won't be comfortable."
Jin Da was dumbfounded. He couldn't help but turn to the person next to him. "Has he gone crazy?"
Although he couldn't understand, Jin Da still prepared a high-quality coffin and quickly brought it over.
Unfortunately, Xu Yan Ze didn't seem to be satisfied. Disdain filled his eyes and he reluctantly sent the bones back to the Jin family in it. "This is too ugly, Little Fool won't like it. Find a nicer looking one."
Jin Da: "…"
Jin Xue Yu and the old madam, initially holding onto the coffin while crying, were stunned. Soon, Jin Da returned with a beautiful and dazzling gold coffin.
Xu Yan Ze was finally satisfied, but the old madam tried to persuade him with reddened eyes, "It's best to lay Han' er to rest and let him go in peace. I know your heart must be hurting, but things have already happened. What's the use of being sad? Sigh, there's still a war that must be fought. That dog emperor is still alive. Even if it's for Han' er, you must go on."
Xu Yan Ze nodded, "I understand."
Then, he brought the gold coffin to find the dog emperor.
Everyone: "…"
The old madam sighed, "He's a love-struck fool."
Therefore, by the time Xiang Han was done preparing and returned to the world, everything was dark.
"Why is everything dark? Could it be that without my eyes, I can't see?"
Big A, [You're in a coffin, don't be in a hurry to leave. Your bones are too brittle. Go soak in the spring water in the space.]
[I've been buried?] Xiang Han was shocked. [I was only a little later than Yan Ze, but I've already been buried?]
[Relax. He brings your coffin along wherever he goes. You haven't been buried.] Big A said helplessly.
[Oh.] Xiang Han finally relaxed and went into the spiritual spring.
After some time, Big A urged him, [It's about time. Why are you still soaking?]
[Don't rush me. I dropped my finger bone, and I'm trying to find it.]
Big A: […]
After he finally found his finger bone, Xiang Han poked the holes in his socket and complained, [Isn't this appearance too frightening? Will it scare Yan Ze?]
Big A was silent for a moment. [What do you want…]
[Can you beautify me?]
[You're all bones. What's there to beautify?] Big A wanted to cry.
[Ahem, go look in the house. There may be some beautifying talismans.] Little B suggested with a smile.
[Right, how could I forget?] Xiang Han quickly went into the little hut and ransacked it until he finally found a couple of talismans. They were said to be able to make a person look better.
He immediately used it gleefully, then… a massive bow appeared on his head.
"What the hell is this?" Xiang Han hurriedly used another one, then… the bow turned into a flower.
"…"
"WTF, is beauty all on the head?"
Little B, [Ahem, it's not just that. Previously, you were grey, but now you have whitened. Moreover, your bones have also become more exquisite and shiny…]
"What's the point?" Xiang Han tore at the flower in exasperation, but couldn't rip it off.
He nearly forgot, this spell will last for three days. Until then, he would have to foolishly wear the flower.
Big A endured his laughter and comforted him, [Stop complaining, it's just a flower, and not lush green grass. Hurry out.]
[Impossible, I need to find something to cover it.]
By the time Xiang Han left, Xu Yan Ze and the army had already broken through the city. They had captured the emperor alive.
As the emperor was already rather old, escaping was detrimental to his health. After being caught, he suffered a fright and before he could even be brought back to the city as a hostage, he died from sickness.
Although he had gotten his revenge, Xu Yan Ze didn't feel any trace of joy at all because his little fool hadn't come back for him.
This wasn't right. If Little Fool knew he had toppled the imperial city, he would definitely come back. Could it be that he hadn't transmigrated back?
The longer he waited, the more hopeless he felt. He felt that he should ascend the throne as soon as possible. Once he becomes the emperor, who in the entire country wouldn't know? Little Fool definitely would.
After settling matters, he was relieved but couldn't help going to take a seat by the golden coffin.
Just as he was lost in his daydream of Xiang Han's return, a dull sound came from within the coffin.
Xu Yan Ze was startled. He stared intently at the coffin, but shook his head in disappointment a moment later, thinking he had misheard.
The sky was getting darker. He gently caressed the lid of the coffin and whispered. "Sleep, I'll come back for you tomorrow."
Before he could turn around, he heard another sound.
Xu Yan Ze immediately froze, and the knocking sounds grew more frequent and loud. Ecstatic, he opened the lid in a hurry and cried, "Little Fool, you're ba…"
His voice froze. Xu Yan Ze stared at the golden coffin in a daze. A skeleton lay within the coffin; it had gotten whiter and had an additional mantle. What's…going on? Didn't Little Fool return? But this mantle…
"Hi, Yan Ze. Long time…no see. I'm Wu Han." Xiang Han reached out a paw and moved a finger.
Xu Yan Ze immediately grasped it with heartache. "Don't move about recklessly, or you'll fall apart again."
"I won't. I've already soaked in the spiritual spring and pasted a piece of talisman on my body."
Pulling apart his cloak, Xu Yan Ze saw a piece of talisman on the skeleton's head. Those who didn't know would think it was a talisman for exorcising evil.
Xiang Han used his dried-up hands to prop himself up carefully. Then he felt embarrassed. "Don't look, it's too frightening."
When he didn't hear a response, he asked worriedly, "Are you…afraid of me?"
"How is that possible? I was just… too excited." Xu Yan Ze couldn't help picking him up and holding him gently. The corners of his eyes had turned red.
However, despite how careful he had been, the little skeleton's body still emitted a soft crack. Xiang Han yelled, "Stop, my rib is breaking."
Xu Yan Ze released him in fright and carefully inspected the rest of his body. He only relaxed after seeing there were no problems.
"Little Fool, can I look at you?"
"No." Xiang Han shook his head.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not afraid of you, I'm just…worried, because I've jostled you for so long. I don't know if I've hurt you in any way." Xu Yan Ze's voice was barely above a whisper, in fear of frightening his lover. At the same time, he wanted to prove he wasn't afraid.
Xiang Han shook his head, but blushed a moment later. "It's not like I can't let you see, but you can't laugh at me."
"Alright." Xu Yan Ze raised his hand in agreement.
Xiang Han finally put down his cloak.
Upon seeing the little flower swaying from his head, Xu Yan Ze sank into silence. His face slowly got redder and he finally couldn't hold it back any further. He barely managed to squeeze a sentence out from between his teeth. "Little Fool… I think… I probably need… to step outside for a moment."
Xiang Han: "…"
"Forget it. Laugh if you want. Don't endure it." Xiang Han was extremely helpless.
"Hahaha…" Xu Yan Ze couldn't resist poking the flower and laughing, "It's quite cute. Why did it grow here?"
Thinking of how it had grown, his smile immediately subsided and turned into concern instead. "Could it be that I was careless and left some seeds inside? How long has it been? Will it affect you?"
"It's not what you think. This is because of a talisman." Xiang Han recounted the events gloomily.
As he listened, Xu Yan Ze resisted the urge to hit the coffin. It had been so many years, yet his little fool… was still so adorable.
Three months later, the ascension and marriage ceremony were held in conjunction. Everyone only saw the empress appear in red garments, but no one saw his face.
Regarding the empress's small stature, the ministers were concerned, and many people had the same thought: The Kingdom is unlikely to be prosperous in the future. Since the emperor is at a wild age, they'd better hurry home and see which young women they can send to the palace.
After their marriage, Xu Yan Ze insisted on sleeping on the same bed as Xiang Han. However, Xiang Han had never been a proper sleeper, even after becoming a skeleton. He often slept in weird poses.
When Xu Yan Ze returned from court on the first day, he saw Xiang Han was still asleep and grew worried. "What happened? Do you feel unwell? Or are your bones oxidising?"
Xiang Han muttered, "I dreamt I gave someone a kick, and when I woke up, my lower leg was gone."
"Ah?" Xu Yan Ze immediately searched the room before finally finding it. He admonished his lover, "What did you kick him for? You could have called for me!"
"It was a dream."
"Even in a dream, you can still call for me. I'll definitely appear."
Xiang Han: "…"
From then on, after morning court every day, Xu Yan Ze would hurry back to his chambers to help him find his bones.
The ministers lamented, "The empress is a fox spirit!"
Jin Da and Jin Er exchanged a look. They were both aware of the situation, but…
Jin Da, "Third Brother is really amazing, to be able to make His Majesty reluctant to part from him."
Jin Er, "His tastes are too heavy!"
In winter, Xiang Han felt he had laid down for too long and had grown moist. Thus, he decided to go to the garden to bask in the sunlight. However, when he returned, he found that he had dropped a finger bone at some point in time.
Xu Yan Ze was anxious. He activated all palace personnel to search for it, and finally found it under a white cat's claw.
Although the cat was cute, Xu Yan Ze was enraged. He asked coldly, "Whose cat?"
"Uh, Madam Dai Jun and Lady Rong San entered the palace today. The cat is probably the lady's." The attendant replied cautiously.
Madam Dai Jun was Yan Xiao Ze1's second aunt. Out of filial piety, or perhaps gratitude towards her when her evil plans unexpectedly aided him in finding Little Fool, he granted her some empty titles.
Unfortunately, Yan Xiao Jiang2 gave birth to a girl after marrying the third prince. Now that the last dynasty was over, the third prince was dead and his second aunt knew that she could no longer rely on her son, she set her sights on Xu Yan Ze instead.
Lady Rong San was Xu Yan Ze's second aunt's niece. When she thought about how Xu Yan Ze didn't have a child yet, she wanted to push her niece up since they were of one family with 'Yan Xiao Ze'. She couldn't let those people from the Jin family reap a cheap bargain.
After listening, Xu Yan Ze's face turned dark and he issued an order, "Chase them all out."
No one knew where Xiang Han appeared from. He was tightly bundled up in his clothes, and spoke through a veil, "The cat is quite cute, let's keep it…"
"You still dare to run about?" Xu Yan Ze blew his top and picked him up, immediately carrying him back to his chambers. After reattaching his finger, he said stoically, "In the future, you aren't allowed to recklessly jump about. Tell me where you want to go and I'll bring you there."
The next day, Xu Yan Ze issued an edict to exile his second uncle's family to the borders to live their lives as farmers. From then on, no one dared to covet a position in the emperor's harem.
Xu Yan Ze worked less than three years before he snatched a child from the Jin family and raised him for over ten years. Afterwards, he immediately abdicated the throne and brought the little skeleton with him to travel the world.
The more time they spent cultivating, the more durable the little skeleton's bones got and rarely fell out. It was a pity that he never grew any flesh.
Xu Yan Ze had a regret. Two years ago, while travelling, they especially went to visit the miracle tree and even brought back many miracle fruits. If only Little Fool had a body…ah, what a pity!