Preface 2

Zhao Jing listened and couldn't help feeling both happy and sad, tears streaming down his face.

"This foolish girl sacrificed her life for me, but instead of reincarnating, she lingers here wasting so many years in the underworld!"

With tears in his eyes, he pleaded, "Please, show mercy for our deep love. Our unfinished affection from the past life, please find a way for us to be together in this life!"

Yanwang, the King of Hell, furrowed his brow and remained silent. Anxious, Zhao Jing implored, "My lord, I am willing to give up my next life as an emperor, just to be a woodcutter, a fisherman, or a farmer in this life, living a simple and poor life with her!"

Yanwang shook his head and said, "You are destined to be the Purple Star in the world, and the fate of being an emperor cannot be changed..."

While he could control animals and insects, the movement of celestial bodies was beyond his control.

Realizing that if this didn't work out, he and Hongniang might never be together again, Zhao Jing resorted to stubbornness, "If you refuse, I will stay here in the underworld and not reincarnate!"

Secretly, he thought, "They say I am the Purple Star, they can't change that. If it doesn't work out, I'll stay here with Hongniang as a ghost couple. It might be more enjoyable than the couples in the mortal world!"

Thinking this was a good idea, he stood up and was about to leave, but a judge stopped him, "Where are you going?"

"To find Hongniang!"

The judge frowned and signaled to Yanwang, "You can't leave!"

These celestial beings were difficult to deal with. The previous Emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty, who was the Heavenly Star, had caused chaos in the underworld. It took a lot of effort to send him away, and now another one had come!

Yanwang remembered the previous incident and stroked his beard, pulling out a few strands of ghostly beard. Seeing the eerie and chilling beard in his hand, he thought of a plan and called Zhao Jing back, "It's not difficult for you to be together with her!"

Overjoyed, Zhao Jing bowed and said, "Thank you, my lord!"

Yanwang waved his hand, "Wait, don't thank me so soon. Your fate is to be an emperor, but she cannot be a queen. However, as the Purple Star, if you don't become an emperor, it will disrupt the country. The fate of the Great Ning Dynasty is already precarious. If you cause further disturbance, the people will suffer. What can we do?"

"I... I just want to be an ordinary person!"

Could he refuse to ascend to the throne, even if he didn't want to?

"Alas! How can we change the destiny that is already written? The only solution is to conceal the celestial fate..."

He extended his hand and gave Zhao Jing a few strands of his beard, "This is my beard. As the ruler of the underworld, every strand is made of Yin energy. When you reincarnate, carry it with you to conceal your Purple Star fate. As long as the heavenly path doesn't notice, and you take on another identity, as long as you protect the country, the heavenly path won't notice. Then you can be with her for a lifetime. When the time comes, you can return here and erase the past. The heavens will be none the wiser. Do you understand? Can this work?"

Excited, Zhao Jing nodded repeatedly, "Yes, as long as I can be with Hongniang, whether in poverty or wealth, it will work!"

"Good! It's settled then..."

The attendants joyfully sent Zhao Jing to be reincarnated. The judge, holding a document, cautiously advised, "Sir, this... might cause trouble! It's better not to tempt fate!"

If they were caught, it would be a disaster!

Yanwang chuckled, "Do you think I really want him to be an ordinary man?"

With the strong aura of the Purple Star, how could a few strands of Yin energy conceal it? It was just a ploy to send him to be reincarnated!

"Then... should we proceed with his request?"

Yanwang said, "I sent the woman to the Great Ning Dynasty, but the matter of their relationship is under the jurisdiction of the Matchmaker God. It has nothing to do with me!"

Heh heh! When Zhao Jing returns, he can push the blame onto the old and confused Matchmaker God. He has caused enough trouble, and even the Jade Emperor wouldn't easily punish him. If not him, then who else could take the blame?

After speaking, he vanished in a gust of Yin wind!

The judge, knowing that Zhao Jing's brother was well-informed, had already sent a gift earlier. Since Yanwang said he wouldn't interfere, he made the necessary adjustments on the list.

He carefully arranged for the red-dressed female ghost to be sent to the Great Ning Dynasty, adding her name next to Zhao Jing's.

The judge knew that the Matchmaker God's eyesight was failing, often mistaking the genders of the people he paired. After numerous complaints from mortals, the Jade Emperor scolded the Matchmaker God.

The matchmaker behind the scenes had also learned a lesson and came up with a solution. They would pair up a man and a woman based on the reports submitted, which would minimize the chances of making mistakes. However, this also provided an opportunity for others to tamper with the arrangements.

The judge had done this kind of thing many times before, and it was highly likely that these two individuals would succeed. Firstly, it would earn some favor with the Purple Wei Emperor, secondly, it would not cause any trouble, and thirdly, the offerings would be accepted without any worries. It was a great deed!

After finishing the arrangements, the judge called the old and young ghosts over and said, "Take the red-clothed female ghost and send her to be reincarnated!"

Upon hearing this, the two ghosts immediately looked distressed and said, "Please spare us, we dare not take that female ghost. We are truly afraid of her!"

"No need to be afraid. Just tell her that Zhao Jing has already been reincarnated, and she will follow you!"

The two ghosts were overjoyed upon hearing this. "This evil spirit will finally leave!"

As they pestered the judge for the cause and effect, he couldn't resist and vaguely revealed a few words to them before instructing, "Do your job well, and you will be handsomely rewarded!"

With that, he turned and went inside. The two ghosts went to find the female ghost and said, "Your good days have come!"

The female ghost, seeing them approaching, raised her hand as if to strike and said, "Why are you bothering me again? If Zhao Jing doesn't come to be reincarnated, I will linger here until the end of time!"

The two ghosts hurriedly said, "Don't strike, don't strike! Your lover has already entered the underworld and crossed the River of Oblivion to meet Meng Po!"

Upon hearing this, the female ghost became anxious and stomped her foot, saying, "How could you not inform me!"

"You have karmic ties that prevent you from meeting, but now you should be able to see him from a distance!"

"Then hurry up and go!"

They reached out and grabbed the two ghosts under their arms and, with a gust of yin wind, headed towards the River of Oblivion. Along the way, the other ghosts who knew of her fierce reputation quickly dodged to the side. Unfortunately, the gust of yin wind blew the souls waiting to be reincarnated in all directions, causing a chorus of ghostly wails.

After crossing the River of Oblivion, they saw a figure standing in front of Meng Po's stand, slowly drinking from a bowl.

"Zhao Jing!"

The female ghost threw herself at him, and Zhao Jing turned to see her, smiling brightly. "Red Lady!"

The female ghost tried to approach but was stopped by the Ox-Head and Horse-Face, who were not ordinary ghosts and were not afraid of the Red Lady's power.

"Do not approach! Your karmic ties are not yet resolved. He is in the process of reincarnation, and if you get close, you will prevent him from being reborn!"

"Red Lady!"

The two had been inseparable in their dreams for ten years, and now they finally met in the underworld, but they could only stand silently, tears welling up in their eyes.

"Red Lady!"

"Zhao Jing!"

The Red Lady could only call out in sorrow, like a cuckoo weeping blood, a monkey wailing. Zhao Jing's vision began to blur, knowing that the effects of the potion were taking hold. He quickly smiled at her and reassured her, "Red Lady... I... I..."

He had wanted to tell her that he had already pleaded with the King of Hell, and in the next life, they would be able to reunite. But unfortunately, the effects of Meng Po's soup were too strong, and he could only say, "I... I... I will be in the Great Ning Dynasty in the Kuangxu Realm... waiting for... waiting for you..."

But he couldn't remember the rest of his words, and his eyes blurred as he lost his memory!

Meng Po, seeing this, quickly called over two ghosts to help Zhao Jing forward.

"The past is over, do not ask about the path in the next life..."

The Red Lady watched as Zhao Jing was sent into the cycle of reincarnation and became a human in the mortal realm.

"Wow... Zhao Jing..."

She wailed and wanted to follow him, but the two ghosts caught up and held her back. The young ghost said, "Do not worry, in this life, he will become an emperor, and you must go there to support him!"

The Red Lady, confused, asked, "Do you mean... I should become his subordinate in the next life?"

Does that mean I will be reincarnated as a man?

In the next life, will I not be able to continue our marriage and only be able to be his brother?

The young ghost replied, "In your past life, you were a brothel madam, selling women and causing harm to others. Although you helped others, you still need to be punished. You will have to be a woman for five lifetimes, experiencing the pain of childbirth and raising children. But you will no longer have a marital bond with him!"

Upon hearing this, the Red Lady felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. Trembling, she spoke after a long while, "If that's the case, then I... will not drink Meng Po's soup..."

She pushed the two ghosts away, kicked the Ox-Head, and pushed the Horse-Face, overturning Meng Po's stand and creating a mess. Then, she leaped into the cycle of reincarnation.

"Jing, wait for me!"

With those words, she leaped into the ethereal realm and disappeared without a trace!

The ghosts who had been knocked down got up, and the old ghost scolded the young ghost, "It's all because of your nonsense! You've made her furious, and now she won't drink Meng Po's soup. How are we going to report back now?"

The young ghost retorted, "Who told her to attack us!"

She had deceived the female ghost and made her believe that she and her lover had no marital bond in the next life. If she didn't drink Meng Po's soup, it was fine. But if she had decided that the man she married was not the one she had longed for in her past life, even if they were married, she would cause trouble and unrest, leading to a tragic end!

Humph! Let her know that it's easy to offend the grandfathers, and even if she is reincarnated, her days will not be easy!