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Xuan Ji hates her wife.
She hates Yushi Huang the moment she sees her dressed in cheap robes, walking with a fan covering her plain face. Xuan Ji stands dressed in fine red silks, waiting for her wife to join her at the altar- and scorns how much of a scam this marriage is.
Xuan Ji is a respected general, and more importantly, the others have absolutely no proof that she sold secrets to Xuli.
She tried to, but there’s no proof of it. Pei Ming had refused her efforts to share them.
But the emperor decided Xuan Ji needed to be taught a lesson, shackled by the humiliation that is his sixteenth daughter. They wouldn’t dare demote her, but marrying a nothing princess with a lower social ranking than herself is demotion enough.
Her fellow generals laugh all throughout the wedding, throwing taunts her way while drinking up all the wine.
She stews in hatred sitting next to her silent wife, no tears, joy, or hatred upon her face. Yushi Huang is like a statue. And she’s heard the rumors about the sixteenth princess, she’s an idiot with no social graces who is ridiculed by Xuli and her own younger siblings alike. There is no grace of royalty or honor in her bones, happy to waste time tending to the weeds in the mud.
Xuan Ji hates how Yushi Huang remains a blank slate. Her wife keeps her eyes turned toward the ground and never speaks to her, even as they get up to enter their wedding chambers.
But Xuan Ji refuses to continue with the farce, spending the entire night where they were supposed to consummate the ritual smoking her pipe. Her wife lies in bed with her eyes closed, face serene. Xuan Ji doesn’t bother to open a window to vent out the air, and she can see Yushi Huang coughing from time to time. Xuan Ji empties out many bottles of pear blossom wine.
Xuan Ji doesn’t sleep, and she blearily watches when Yushi Huang rises before the sun, redressing in her plain robes.
“Where are you going?” Xuan Ji asks.
“... the Temple of Yulong,” is the first thing her wife tells her.
Xuan Ji roughly sets down her pipe, “What, my darling wife can’t even prepare us breakfast the morning after?”
Yushi Huang turns her way, but still doesn’t meet her eyes, “Oh. Please give me a moment.”
Her wife runs off, but Xuan Ji isn’t too concerned with what she does. But for her break here in the palace, she wants to at least pretend she has the accolades of marrying royalty before dragging her princess to the battlefront. Quite brilliant of the emperor, really. Out of sight, out of mind. He no longer has to worry about the thorn in his side that is his useless daughter.
She pops open another jar of wine and grimaces at the taste. They couldn’t even bring out the good stuff for them.
Yushi Huang is quick to return, with a tray of plain congee and steamed vegetables on a tray. She hands it over to Xuan Ji, who sneers at her.
“What a shitty breakfast, as if I'd eat this crap,” Xuan Ji tosses the tray of food onto the ground.
Her wife kneels quickly, starting to pick up the pieces of shattered ceramic, “... I only know how to make simple dishes, my apologies. My cultivation method demands asceticism.”
Xuan Ji scoffs, “You’re a fool for accepting that ridiculous position, you know. It’s why we’re in this situation in the first place- you let yourself get pushed around.”
Even when Xuan Ji is at her cruelest, her wife does not give her the honor of a response. Yushi Huang obediently cleans up the mess of fallen food and excuses herself to visit the Temple of Yulong, leaving Xuan Ji alone on the morning after her wedding.
Xuan Ji hates her, she hates her so much.
She’s a general, rising up in the world by her own talents. Xuan Ji was going to have it all, the wedding of her dreams- with someone else. Anyone else would be preferable to Yushi Huang, honestly. But all she wanted after all her hard work was… to get to be a happy wife. Not even that- just to be loved.
Xuan Ji lied.
She doesn’t hate Yushi Huang’s apathy- she hates that no matter where she ends up in life, no one loves her. Pei Ming abandoned Xuan Ji easily, and if the situation ever changed, she suspects Yushi Huang would not struggle to abandon her as well. Her wife has no earthly attachments and she lets others' bullying wash off of her like rain.
Is Xuan Ji doomed to always be the fool? Is she that unlovable?
She just hopes the ice finally breaks when they travel to the battlefront. Whether the violence makes Yushi Huang run or finally give a shit about her new wife, who can guess. Xuan Ji just needs something to change.
===
Yushi Huang adjusts well to Xuan Ji’s lifestyle, surprisingly enough. Their honeymoon was short and spent mostly apart from each other, but Yushi Huang doesn’t complain about being forced to leave home. Her wife doesn’t complain about the hours spent on horseback like any other noble lady would, and Yushi Huang doesn’t seem bothered by military camp life.
Well, the meals they eat are already plain, made from rations. And Yushi Huang seems to get along well with the horses and livestock kept around for future meals. Whenever they make camp anywhere for a while, her wife seems to have a green thumb and always grows a variety of vegetables.
Her wife is dutiful, making plain meals for them to eat every day and preparing cold baths in the evening. But Xuan Ji doesn’t turn her nose up at her efforts anymore, too exhausted and hungry to refuse food and a chance to wash the dust off herself. She makes an effort to complain as much as possible to ensure Yushi Huang understands her efforts aren’t appreciated- but her wife is so dense, Xuan Ji doubts she understands her insults.
Every morning, Yushi Huang helps Xuan Ji dress into her red soldier's garb and armor. They never exchange words then. There’s a kind of peace to it, existing side by side with someone who won’t judge you.
Yushi Huang never wishes her luck before battle, but without fail when Xuan Ji returns, her wife is there with a boring meal to welcome her back with already prepared.
===
The war turns in Xuli’s favor. Xuan Ji could’ve predicted that, with the group of fools that surround her as her fellow generals. She tried to jump ship, but that failed, so she tried her best. But even Xuan Ji cannot fix the incompetence of Yushi’s emperor.
They’re pushed back to the capital, ordered to defend the royal family. Xuli offers them an ultimatum- the king’s life for the lives of their people. Xuan Ji recognizes Pei Ming and his army’s trickery, but it’s far too late. They’re doomed.
It’s her stupid, stupid wife who offers a solution, “Crown me emperor. I will slit my throat in the courtyard.”
“You idiot, do you forget who you are?”
“The sixteenth princess?” Yushi Huang says earnestly.
“Not that- I mean- I won’t permit it. You’re my wife. Listen- this damn country is doomed anyway, and they’ve never shown you any respect. You don’t have to die for them now.”
“Regardless,” Yushi Huang looks up from her shoes to finally come face to face with Xuan Ji, “I must do this.”
Xuan Ji curses her, but does not stop her. She always knew Yushi Huang was a fool, but it becomes Xuan Ji’s burden to care for her dying wife in the days afterward. The wound on her neck won’t heal, they both know that, and she’s only brought a temporary peace.
“Xuli will be back. They’ll tear us down. Nobody will remember your name, dumb princess,” Xuan Ji rambles.
And of all things, Yushi Huang smiles, speaking in a stilted voice, “You’ll… remember.”
That evening, Xuan Ji’s wife dies.
Yushi Kingdom falls to Xuli Kingdom, and Xuan Ji dies on the battlefield.
===
There are rumors of a ghost soldier who rides through the countryside. Villagers say he’s looking for a wife to claim, and that he comes to town whenever it rains. Even worse, the rumors say it’s a Calamity who can bring horrors unseen- the Red Soldier Seeking Storms.
They’re only half right. She’s only looking for her wife.
===
Xuan Ji sits on the branches of a tree watching as another temple to Ming Guang is enveloped by her flames. It’s been centuries since she last cared about him, but he’s still an asshole for destroying her kingdom, and he’s the reason her wife died and then ascended. So it never hurts to burn down one of his temples when it crosses her path.
"The Calamity who seeks storms,” a stilted voice calls out. A huge grin spreads across the ghost’s face.
“Rain Master, what an honor to finally be in your presence. You’re a tad late to my funeral, but it couldn’t hurt to still burn some paper money for me.”
Yushi Huang, riding upon her ox, doesn’t respond. She simply jumps from the back of her beast onto the nearest tree mirroring Xuan Ji’s.
“It’s fine, I understand. You were quite busy in heaven for a while, healing from your whole,” Xuan Ji makes a slicing motion at her neck, “I didn’t know gods needed so much time to heal from wounds. Isn’t the point of a god to be invincible? But then, I got so busy too, with the call of Mount Tonglu and all. I’ll forgive you since we were both caught up with other affairs.”
“Don’t you wish… to move on?” Yushi Huang asks.
“Why would I? I’m having a marvelous time,” Xuan Ji snaps her fingers and tosses another fireball onto the burning temple, reigniting the flames.
“We’re the only ones from Yushi Kingdom left. It’s my responsibility to take care of you.” She means, of course, to take care of Xuan Ji by making her pass on. But Xuan Ji has no plans in the near future to leave this realm.
“You’ve got one thing right. I’m your wife, isn’t it your responsibility to take care of me? How could you so easily forget, how could you bear to disperse me? You should burn incense and offer fruit for me, and maybe stop by more often.”
Yushi Huang stares at her, finally looking puzzled. Xuan Ji rejoices that she can pull a reaction out of her stoic wife after so many years. Maybe her wife doesn’t understand it yet, but why else would Xuan Ji’s soul linger in this world?
“Listen, I have to get going before Pei Ming sends an official to assess the situation. Until next time, dear,” Xuan Ji waves her hand and runs off before Yushi Huang sincerely tries helping her spirit move on. She’s quite happy right where she is, burning down temples and chasing the storms.
All of a sudden, the rains follow in her footsteps, and the night is filled with Xuan Ji’s giddy laughter and the pelting of raindrops.
Maybe her dense wife can pick up on some things after all.