The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 599: Death God Doesn’t Want These Offerings

Chapter 599: Death God Doesn’t Want These Offerings

Empress Xie immediately bowed her head in gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Great Death God!"

Seeing her unwavering resolve, the ghostly figure grinned, exposing all its teeth in a ghastly and terrifying manner.

"Of course, the more, the better," the specter murmured, hovering around her. "The more offerings, the sooner your son will reincarnate."

Whenever Empress Xie looked at him, a chill crept up her spine. The apparition was undeniably the Death God.

"Yes, I understand," she replied with conviction. "I’ll gather nine hundred and ninety-nine offerings for the Death God!"

By addressing herself as his disciple, she effectively declared her allegiance, vowing to worship him and him alone from then on.

The ghostly figure let out an eerie laugh.

Just before dawn, his shadow began to fade, and he left with a final word: "Remember, Ten-Miles Valley in Lian State!"

With that, he vanished completely.

Empress Xie awoke, realizing she had left the dreamscape, just as the sound of roosters crowing echoed outside.

It was morning.

She sprang up, calling for the chief nanny.

The chief nanny, who had been keeping vigil outside, hurried in, draping herself with a robe. "Your Highness, is something the matter?"

Empress Xie, quickly putting on her shoes, replied with an urgency tinged with excitement, "Quickly, make preparations—we’re going to Lian State’s Ten-Miles Valley to make offerings."

"Offerings?" the chief nanny echoed in confusion.

Empress Xie’s hands trembled with excitement as she grasped the chief nanny’s hands. "Yan’er is saved! The Death God appeared in my dream and instructed me to gather offerings. This will release Yan’er from Abyss Hell so he can reincarnate. There’s probably a Death God temple in that valley, which is why he wants me to go there for offerings."

The chief nanny was genuinely happy for her and smiled. "Congratulations, Your Highness. Shall I prepare incense, fruit, and pastries for the offering?"

"Death God doesn’t want those offerings!"

"Then what does the Death God desire? Chickens, ducks, geese? Or some kind of exotic delicacy?" the chief nanny asked, puzzled.

"People," Empress Xie replied calmly.

The chief nanny shuddered in shock. "Wh-what?"

People?! Surely, she must have misheard.

Empress Xie continued, "I’ve promised to prepare nine hundred and ninety-nine offerings for the Death God. Chief nanny, you must help me think of a way to gather that many people."

The chief nanny’s face turned pale. "Your Highness, you must have been enchanted. The Death God, ruling the Netherworld, would never require human lives as offerings. Those are human lives, Your Highness. You must not be so reckless."

Sacrificing human lives would be unthinkable, even for Emperor Muwu, who surely wouldn’t let years of marriage sway his judgment.

Empress Xie cast a cold glare at her. "I’m not enchanted. It was the Death God in my dream!"

"But, Your Highness, in the past...you never involved yourself in any acts of harm. You’ve always been devoted to kindness. Staining your hands with so many lives...even if you saved the young master, you would bear that sin forever."

Empress Xie’s voice grew icy. "In the past, I was too compassionate, too soft-hearted. If I had acted, would the Emperor still be alive today? Back then, Yan’er was the rightful heir. If only the Emperor had perished, Yan’er would have naturally ascended the throne. But my lack of foresight forced him into rebellion. Even if I must stay in Abyss Hell for five hundred years, a thousand years, as long as Yan’er reincarnates, it will be worth it."

"Your Highness..." The chief nanny knew how deep-rooted this regret was in Empress Xie’s heart, but she had no words to counter her conviction.

Empress Xie brushed a lock of hair away, her eyes taking on a vacant look.

She muttered, "Truthfully, each day I’m alive, I’m in agony. If it weren’t for the hope of Yan’er reincarnating, I would have ended my life long ago."

Having served Empress Xie all these years, the chief nanny knew her mistress’s heart had withered, sustained only by this single, fragile belief.

But this plan was reckless beyond measure, and the chief nanny pleaded, "Your Highness, sacrificing lives wouldn’t just be condemned by the Emperor, but also by the Ninth Prince and the Ninth Princess. The consequences are too severe. You must think of the Marquis Zhenbei Estate and the Xie family. Because of the young master, even the Marquis is now struggling."

Empress Xie snapped her gaze at the chief nanny, eyes blazing with hatred.

She hissed, "He killed Yan’er—he should be buried alongside him!"

Family honor was meaningless to her now!

Xie Beihan had once promised to help, yet now refused even a loan. In her eyes, he was a heartless ingrate!

The chief nanny sighed softly. "But he’s the last of the old Marquis’s bloodline, Your Highness. Think it over."

Empress Xie’s chest tightened at the mention of her late brother, causing her eyes to sting.

"If my brother were here, he would help me see this through. No, with him here, Yan’er’s position as heir would have been unshakeable," she whispered, her voice choked.

But her brother was long gone.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. "Very well. For my brother’s sake, I won’t hold a grudge against Beihan."

The chief nanny smiled faintly. "It’s good that Your Highness has seen reason."

"Since Chu Nanli refuses to assist, I’ll go through with this offering, whether true or false." Empress Xie was unwavering.

The chief nanny could only concede. "But, gathering nine hundred and ninety-nine people is no easy task."

Empress Xie, bereft of power, wealth, or influence, would indeed struggle to gather such a large number.

Empress Xie gave a wry smile. "Help me get dressed; I need to enter the palace."

The chief nanny, understanding her intentions all too well, frowned in concern.

After much contemplation, she made her own decision.

Once Empress Xie was dressed, she left the estate.

But as she prepared to board her carriage, her expression shifted, and she commanded the Imperial Guards, "This wretch stole my pearl hairpin and pawned it. Arrest her and throw her into the woodshed. I’ll deal with her upon my return."

The chief nanny was taken aback. "Your Highness, when have I ever stolen your hairpin?!"

Empress Xie ignored her protests, boarded the carriage, and ordered the guards to detain the chief nanny and gag her.

It dawned on the chief nanny then that Empress Xie feared she might reveal her plans, so she was preemptively being locked away.

She’s gone mad. Completely mad!

Only after seeing the chief nanny being dragged back inside did Empress Xie feel at ease and continue to the palace.

Since she had avoided seeing Emperor Muwu for a long time, her sudden request for an audience surprised him. After a moment’s thought, he summoned her in.

Once inside, Empress Xie greeted him gracefully, as she had in the past. "Your Majesty, your humble wife greets you."

Emperor Muwu gazed at her, momentarily taken aback. Despite her face etched with lines and fatigue, her meticulous grooming stirred a distant memory of their first encounter.

Back then, she had been gentle, graceful, and demure, her every smile like a breeze warming his heart.

But after she became Royal Princess, and later the Empress, her smiles grew increasingly rare.

Snapping out of his reverie, Emperor Muwu’s tone was cool. "It’s rare for the Empress to visit. There must be a pressing matter."

Empress Xie began, "Sixth Miss told me that I haven’t performed enough good deeds, which is why Yan’er continues to suffer in Hell. But I am penniless and can only come to Your Majesty for a bit of silver, so I may resume charity work, build shelters, and provide porridge to accumulate blessings and virtue."