Spring Once More

 chapter 3

(Reminder: To read the translator"s notes, hover your cursor over the words underlined with dots.)

Chapter Three

Most people have dreams offalling, and returning to life is pretty similar.

At first, it almost feels likeI’m floating weightlessly in the air, and then my ears pop, and mybody shudders. The next time I open my eyes, I find myself lying on abed.

But, when it comes down to it,returning to life and dreaming are two different things. When I blinkmy eyes open, I see a dazzling yellow. My eyes are covered by a pieceof yellow silk, and a cold, hard object is in my mouth. I can hear theunmistakable sound of keening through the coffin. I wiggle my fingersand exhale once, and the yellow fabric quivers. I reach for the leftside of my chest feeling the strength of my heartbeat - boom boomboom. There’s no doubt about it. I’ve landed successfully!

The sensation of air going inand out of my nostrils puts me at ease. The yellow fabric mushroomsand deflates along with my breathing. I suppress my excitement as Iwonder how I should declaim my existence to the relevant people in mysecond life with a speech that will not raise too much suspicion. Butbefore I can even start making full use of my brain cells, I begin tocatch bits and pieces of conversation outside the coffin.

“The hour is not yet uponus…”

“It is nigh. Let us nail thecoffin.”

Nail the coffin?! Did I hearsomeone say nailing the coffin?!

“But once that’s beendone…”

“We are going to die anyway.Is there a need to be so precise about the time? I want to get itover with quickly. Let’s just nail the coffin.”

To my shock, they’re reallygoing through with it. Another voice seems to hesitate for a moment,and then the wooden board above my head is pounded thrice. “Thehour is upon us… Nail the coffin!”

G.o.dd.a.m.n, they’re reallydoing it? What the h.e.l.l! I finally manage to find the perfect vesselto return to life in, and before I get to enjoy anything, I’m goingto suffocate to death in a coffin and become a grudge spirit again? Ishoot up, head pushing off the lid of the coffin, and pull off theyellow fabric. I spit out the piece of ceremonial jade from my mouth before I yell, “Don’t do it! I’m alive again!”

Silence all around.

I cling to the edge of thecoffin as I look at the surrounding mortals. They are standing likewooden poles wrapped in white, mourning attire. One of them who’shugging an earthen pot is the quickest to react, the pot clanging asit drops as he cries, “Oh no! The prince has turned into a zombie!”

The wooden poles instantlybounce up like fishes in boiling oil, all hightailing out the door,with b.u.t.ter-fingers in the lead.

“Get the guards! Get theTaoist priest! The hour was not right! The prince’s corpse has beenreanimated!”

“Help! Zombie! The princehas become a zombie!”

I stand and make to step outof the coffin attempting to rea.s.sure everyone that I’ve returned tolife and not turned into a zombie. At the very moment my foot hitsthe ground, the few people who have not already darted away arepetrified as they drop to the ground. One of them keeps kowtowing,his legs trembling as he whimpers, “Milord, Milord… Your slaveknows that you died with many regrets…but every debt has itsdebtor. I, Xiao-Shun was the most faithful to you. His Majestyalready issued an edict to execute w.a.n.g Rui by slow slicing beforeyour very grave. The masters shall be buried along with you, soplease be at ease and leave… Be at ease…”

I laugh hollowly as I reply,“Don’t be afraid. I haven’t turned into a zombie. I havereturned to life. If you don’t believe me, touch my hand and see ifit’s warm or cold.” I stretch my arm out while I swing my otherleg out of the coffin. Xiao-Shun immediately shrieks and scramblesaway.

A few others who are frozen intheir fear eventually struggle to their feet and make for the door.There remains only a grandpa with a white beard who is giving me aspooked stare and pointing at me with a trembling index finger. Itake several steps forward in what I believe to be a friendly mannerand hold the grandpa’s hand. “My hand’s warm.”

The grandpa’s eyes roll backin his head. White froth spews from his mouth. He faints.

I roll my eyes and can’thelp but rub my nose, “d.a.m.n it, what just happened!”

From behind me, an unhurriedand matter-of-fact voice remarks, “Your Highness has suddenlyreturned to life. The servants know very little of the world, so itis expected that they are afraid. Please don’t blame them, YourHighness.”

These words make me jump infright. The voice sounds similar to that of the person who wanted mycoffin nailed. I turn and look for the source of the voice and find afellow standing next to the Taoist banner behind the coffin who, likethe others, wore a white ceremonial robe. I am immediately moved bythe expression on his face.

His gaze is definitely oneaimed at a living person, and he sounds like he is talking to aliving person. Like a guerrilla soldier who has located the Party,I throw myself at him excitedly and grip his hand. “You believe I’ma real living person? That’s wonderful! Look, my hand is warm,which means I’m really alive. Finally someone believes me. May Iknow your name?”

The moment the words leave mymouth, I realize I’m in deep trouble. I can tell from his speechand white robes that this man clearly belongs to the prince’sresidence. He’s handsome beyond words, and I figure he is way upthere in the pecking order. Thankfully, with my years of experiencehandling impromptu situations like this, I can think fast on my feet,so seeing the slight twitch in his brows, I quickly add withenthusiasm, “I’m sure you recognize me. Could I trouble you totell me who I am?”
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Dairytea: Lol.another pic from the manhua