I Finally Have Incense to Eat

(The title and blurb are both provisional. When I officially start posting, I'll keep the central incense-offering idea, but revise the blurb.)

Tao Tao lives in Chang'an's Pingkang Ward, where she is the only one in the entire house. She dislikes daytime and is always drowsy and listless, but at night she is full of energy.

Whenever the street lamps are lit, she wanders through the ward and its market streets. Even though she can't remember anything, she can still have fun on her own.

Day after day, Tao Tao sometimes feels lonely, thinking this is all her life as a ghost will ever amount to.

One morning in mid-spring, someone removes the seal on the house and moves in.

As a ghost, Tao Tao is very protective of her territory and doesn't want anyone living there. In the daytime, she is too weak to do anything, but at night she takes on a terrifying ghostly form and comes out to scare the newcomer while he writes at his desk.

The man hears a noise and looks up. His face is pale and sickly, his features lean and gentle. Startled only slightly, he slowly blinks, then takes an incense stick from a drawer and asks softly, "Are you hungry?"

Tao Tao freezes. No one has ever offered her incense before. She has only ever sneaked incense from other people's offerings. She looks at him, and her face turns red.

Though she doesn't know how a ghost can blush, she snatches the incense stick and hides.

From then on, she becomes a ghost with someone to make offerings to her, and no longer has to steal other people's incense.

Only later does she learn that Wang Zhuo, the Minister of Justice, was born with Yin-Yang Eyes and had been plagued by ghosts since childhood. That's why he always kept incense sticks close at hand.

-

The Minister of Justice, Wang Zhuo, has a reputation that divides people. The common folk love him, but the aristocratic clans and officials despise him.

Disowned by his family and ostracized by fellow officials, he has few friends and relatives. In his three years in office, countless officials and aristocrats have died on the execution ground. Anyone he sets his sights on might as well be facing the King of Hell.

In the forty-second year of the Taihe era, Wang Zhuo reopens a case from twenty years ago and moves into the Wei family residence, which has been sealed for two decades.

Twenty years ago, General Chang Wei defected to the enemy and betrayed his country. His daughter, Wei Yuntao, submitted ironclad proof, sending Chang'an's officials into turmoil. Seventeen court officials were implicated. Blood stained the execution ground, and dark clouds lingered for seven whole days.

On his first night in the Wei residence, Wang Zhuo is at his desk sorting through case files when he hears the rustle of a skirt as someone walks. He looks up.

That is the first time he sees Wei Yuntao.

He coaxes her into staying with an incense stick, hoping to uncover the secrets she holds.

Wei Yuntao's wish has been fulfilled, and Wang Zhuo comes to send her off with a lantern.

She doesn't want to leave. The sickly, pale young man stands within arm's reach, smiling gently as he bows his head to look at her. "Tao Tao, go. Don't miss your appointed time."

"But I don't want to leave you."

"When you return, it will surely be an age of peace and prosperity. Find a kind and generous husband, have two children, and spend your life in happiness and joy."

Wei Yuntao doesn't listen to him.

She decides to stay. She wants to help Wang Zhuo, and she wants to be with him to see the dawn of that peaceful, prosperous age.

==

The blurb idea was posted publicly on December 19, 2024, and has been archived.

Theme: Endure every hardship in the world and cure the ills of humankind.