On the third day, the ritual finally entered its final stage.

Feihua Zhenren produced a small bowl.

"Princess, may I ask for a drop of your blood?"

This was a step that hadn’t occurred in the past two days, and the Emperor couldn’t help but ask.

"Why do you need Princess Consort Zhao’s blood?"

Feihua Zhenren explained unhurriedly.

"This humble Daoist has read the Prince and Princess Consort’s birth charts and determined that your fates are exceptionally compatible.

The Prince’s destiny is marked by a baleful aura, making him prone to disasters involving bloodshed.

The Princess Consort possesses a rare fate of great fortune and carries immense merit.

The Princess Consort’s destiny is perfectly suited to neutralize the baleful energy in the Prince’s own, helping turn his fortune from calamitous to auspicious.

Therefore, this humble Daoist wishes to use a drop of the Princess’s blood in the ritual for Prince Zhao.

By borrowing the Princess Consort’s good fortune, we can greatly increase the chances of success."

Hua Manman felt extremely awkward listening to this.

’I don’t even have to think to know that Prince Zhao must have made all this up.’

’What good fortune do I have?’

’I’m just a lowly cannon-fodder supporting character.’

Princess Ningyang was a firm believer in destiny. It was because of this belief that she had specifically arranged for Hua Manman, who was born on the fifth day of the fifth month, to marry Prince Zhao.

Upon hearing this, she immediately said,

"Manman, quickly, give the Daoist Master a drop of your blood."

Hua Manman took the dagger from Feihua Zhenren and made a small cut on her finger.

A bead of blood trembled and fell into the bowl.

Feihua Zhenren offered his thanks.

He mixed Hua Manman’s blood with vermillion ink, drew more than a dozen talisman papers, and affixed them to various spots on the coffin.

Feihua Zhenren picked up the copper bell again, his gaze turning back to Hua Manman.

"This humble Daoist has one more matter that requires the Princess’s assistance."

Hua Manman said, "Go on."

Feihua Zhenren: "The reason the Prince shows no signs of life is that his soul has been taken away by a Ghost Messenger.

To bring him back from the dead, we need someone close to him to help call back his soul.

This humble Daoist has heard that the person the Prince was most concerned about before he passed was the Princess Consort.

Furthermore, your destinies are exceptionally compatible.

It would be most fitting for you to perform this task."

When Hua Manman had heard Prince Zhao lay out his plan, she didn’t remember him mentioning anything about calling back his soul.

She figured Feihua Zhenren wouldn’t act on his own in such an important matter.

’That damn man must be doing this on purpose to torment me.’

’He always enjoys this kind of thing.’

Seeing Hua Manman remain silent, Princess Ningyang thought she was unwilling and hurriedly spoke to her.

"Just do as the Daoist Master tells you."

Hua Manman nodded and said earnestly, "As long as it can bring the Prince back to life, I’ll do anything."

Hearing this, Princess Ningyang’s attitude toward her softened even more.

"You’re a good child. When Prince Zhao comes back to life, he certainly won’t treat you poorly."

Following Feihua Zhenren’s instructions, Hua Manman walked to the side of the coffin and called out, "My Prince."

Feihua Zhenren advised, "You must call out with genuine emotion. It would be best if you could use the Prince’s name."

Hua Manman hesitated.

The Emperor reminded her, "Prince Zhao’s surname is Li and his given name is Ji. You can call him by his name directly. At a time like this, there’s no need for restraint."

At this point, Hua Manman was fairly certain that this was all part of that damn man’s scheme to mess with her.

’Since he’s decided not to act human, he can’t blame me for being a little wicked.’

Hua Manman looked at the black coffin before her and cleared her throat.

Inside the coffin, Li Ji had already perked up his ears, waiting to hear Manman call his name.

’Ever since they met, she had never once called him by his name.’

’She always called him ’Prince’ or ’Your Highness’.’

’Other than that, the only names she used were things like Li Ergou or ’that damn man’.’

’Not intimate at all.’

He really wanted to hear Manman call him by his given name.

’She could call him Ji.’

’Or, like an elder, she could call him Jie’er.’

Just then, Li Ji heard Hua Manman’s voice from outside the coffin.

She called out with deep affection.

"Xiao Ji."

Li Ji: "..."

’Xiao Ji? What ’little chicken’? There are no chickens here, thank you very much!’

Hua Manman said sheepishly, "You probably don’t like that name, do you? Then how about I change it? What about ’Ji-ji’?"

Li Ji: "..."

’Fuck, ’Xiao Ji’ was better than this!’

Hua Manman: "Actually, ’Xiao Ji-ji’ isn’t bad either."

Li Ji: "..."

’I suspect you’re making a dirty joke, and I have evidence.’

Outside the coffin, Hua Manman had already begun to call out to him repeatedly.

"Xiao Ji-ji, please come back! I can’t live without you."

Hearing this new, socially-crippling nickname, Li Ji felt it might be better not to come back to life after all.

’Just let me lie in this coffin forever.’

Hua Manman was still calling him, each cry more affectionate than the last.

"Xiao Ji-ji, Xiao Ji-ji~"

Feihua Zhenren fanned the flames from the side. "Don’t just call his name. You should also say things that will excite the Prince when he hears them—the kind of words that would make him wish he could fly back from the underworld to your side."

Hua Manman: "Xiao Ji-ji, the weather is getting colder lately. I was thinking of knitting a hat for you."

Feihua Zhenren didn’t understand the joke about the hat.

But Li Ji understood it perfectly!

’This woman actually wants to put a green hat on me!’

He was so furious he laughed.

’Heh, woman. You’re playing with fire!’

He had originally wanted to use this opportunity to hear some sweet nothings from Hua Manman.

He never expected this woman to take such an unconventional route, with each sentence more infuriating than the last.

’Looks like she hasn’t been given enough ’homework’.

Hua Manman: "Xiao Ji-ji, if you think one hat isn’t enough, I can knit you several more. You can wear a different one each day. Wouldn’t that be lovely?"

Even though Li Ji knew she was saying this on purpose, he still couldn’t stand the mental image of her putting a green hat on him. His anger flared, instantly burning away his reason.

’Sweet nothings? He didn’t want to hear them anymore!’

Right now, he just wanted to burst out, pull Hua Manman into his arms, and bully her ruthlessly.

’Bully her until her eyes were filled with tears and she wouldn’t dare spout such nonsense again.’

Outside, Feihua Zhenren was still telling the Emperor that calling back a soul wasn’t so easy and would take more time, urging the Emperor not to be anxious.

But the very next moment, they saw the coffin lid being pushed open from the inside.

A handsome man in magnificent dark robes sat up, his expression terrifyingly grim.

He looked as if he was about to grab a sword and start killing people.

Hua Manman knew this was bad.

’Oops, I took the teasing too far!’

She hurriedly retreated, hiding behind Feihua Zhenren.

Feihua Zhenren clearly hadn’t expected Prince Zhao to be so impatient. He was stunned for a moment before he recovered and quickly said to the Emperor and the others,

"Everyone, don’t move. Allow this humble Daoist to check if it is truly Prince Zhao’s soul that has returned."

With that, he hurried to the coffin, shaking the copper bell next to Prince Zhao while muttering something that sounded like a scripture.

In reality, he was asking in a muffled voice.

"My Prince, why did you get up so quickly? Didn’t we agree you’d wait at least two or three hours?"

Li Ji gritted his teeth. "In another two or three hours, I’m afraid my household would have several hundred more hats!"

Feihua Zhenren: ???