Chapter 307: Welfare Chapter

Chapter 307: Welfare Chapter

The Underworld.

Lady Anguo had guarded Jizhou with her husband Han Zongping for over twenty years, protecting the border and sheltering the people, which were great merits. As Han Zongping led a group of civil and military officials to overthrow the corrupt previous emperor, the couple's merits reached new heights. Therefore, after her death, Lady Anguo received the treatment of a founding empress in the underworld, owning a magnificent palace.

General Feng Duan, the commander of Jizhou, heard the news and came to visit.

He had arrived in the underworld only a few days earlier than Lady Anguo. Like other famous generals who protected the people and the nation, he also had a residence in the underworld and could choose the time of his reincarnation. Most virtuous people who no longer had any attachment to the mortal world would enter the cycle of reincarnation after staying for a while. However, General Feng, having just arrived, was concerned about his relatives and friends in the mortal world as well as the state of the world, and thus was reluctant to leave.

After paying his respects, General Feng asked with sorrow, "Empress, you were so young, how could this happen?"

Lady Anguo sighed, "I was already seriously ill, and when I heard about the general's situation, I became too anxious..."

General Feng was shocked to learn that the empress's death was linked to him, overwhelmed with mixed emotions, and he shed tears.

Lady Anguo comforted him and asked about the situation in the underworld. She learned that the elders of both families had already entered the cycle of reincarnation. The old tyrant of the previous dynasty and Imperial Uncle Dou, due to their heavy sins, were being punished in the underworld, suffering during the day and only resting at night. On the other hand, General Meng Jingye, who had contributed to protecting the nation in his early years and later committed crimes in his old age, had his merits and demerits offset, thus avoiding punishment and living in an ordinary hut.

Just as they mentioned Meng Jingye, he came to visit Lady Anguo.

In life, they had served different masters, but there was no deep enmity between them. In death, they could interact peacefully.

However, when discussing past events, Meng Jingye still felt a hint of resentment: "If it weren't for the ambush set by the Xiao family woman, how could that Xiao family boy have killed me?"

Lady Anguo smiled, "The Xiao family woman is named Tong Sui, now titled Lady Anguo. The Xiao family boy you mentioned is named Xiao She, the youngest grandson of Duke of Wei. When the uncle and nephew teamed up to kill you, they were only nineteen years old."

Meng Jingye: ...

General Feng: "Throughout history, many famous generals and ministers have come from humble backgrounds. Brother Meng, having personally experienced the prowess of the Xiao family, you should let go of your prejudice against their status."

Meng Jingye nodded with a bitter smile.

After the two generals left, Lady Anguo also set aside her serene, life-and-death-transcending demeanor and opened a water mirror to watch the mortal world.

Seeing her husband's tearful and haggard figure, Lady Anguo also shed tears. When she saw her husband venting his anger on their son, ordering him to observe filial piety in the east for three years, she frowned.

In the following three years of the Xingping era, the northern regions experienced both internal strife and external wars. Before the traitorous general Qin Sizhu of Hezhou could betray the country, he was killed by Pan Yong. After arriving in the underworld and meeting Meng Jingye and General Feng, Qin Sizhu, feeling deeply humiliated by his death, chose a remote hut and rarely showed his face.

With Hezhou stabilized, Lady Anguo and General Feng became even more anxious. Sure enough, the Xingping Emperor encountered danger near the Sword Gate Pass.

After the Liang general Zong Quan was shot dead by Tong Sui's arrow, General Feng exclaimed, "What a great shot!"

Meng Jingye, who was drinking with him, remained silent.

From then on, Meng Jingye stopped visiting General Feng and instead became friends with the Liang generals Zong Quan and Feng Yun, who were also shot dead by Tong Sui. Having died, they no longer had to serve any monarch and became "wronged ghosts" who had died at the hands of the same person.

Qin Sizhu, who had been living in seclusion for a long time, saw his neighbors divided into two factions: one led by Lady Anguo and General Feng, and the other by several famous generals who had died in humiliation like himself. He finally decided to come out and join Meng Jingye, Zong Quan, and Feng Yun. They spent their days drinking, riding horses, or visiting Imperial Uncle Dou, who was still being punished, and found some joy in their afterlife.

One day, Zong Quan asked Meng Jingye and Qin Sizhu, "Both of your clans are no longer in the mortal world, why do you still linger in the underworld? Reincarnate early, and perhaps you can return to the mortal world for another battle."

Although they were both defeated generals, the Liang Emperor still treated Zong Quan and Feng Yun's clans well, while the Meng and Qin families had been punished.

Meng Jingye: "I want to see if Han Zongping has the ability to unify the world."

Qin Sizhu: "Han Zongping is one thing, but I also want to see how long that Pan family blacksmith can ride on my reputation..."

As the four generals chatted, a golden light suddenly shone in the underworld, and a palace even more magnificent than Lady Anguo's gradually took shape in the golden light. The plaque outside the gate read "Nanping Prince's Mansion."

The title of Nanping Prince was posthumously conferred upon the late elder Xiao Mu by the Xingping Emperor.

Apart from Qin Sizhu, Meng Jingye, Zong Quan, and Feng Yun all died at the hands of the Xiao Family faction. Now, with the deceased elder arriving in grand style, while they remained in simple thatched-roof cottages, their dignity was tarnished both in life and death. They exchanged glances, pretending not to notice.

Queen Mother Guo and Feng Duan went to greet the deceased elder.

Xiao Mu humbly bowed to the two.

Queen Mother Guo looked over at Xiao Mu's palace, her smile tightening: "Everything in the mortal world cannot escape the watchful eyes of the underworld deities. Your merits far surpass ours; there is no need to judge status by mortal identities."

Xiao Mu insisted: "No matter the time or place, Xiao Mu dares not forget the favor and appreciation of the Emperor and Empress."

Queen Mother Guo made an excuse to head back to her palace, leaving Feng Duan and Xiao Mu to regret not meeting earlier.

In the third month of the year, the Xingping Emperor also arrived in the underworld. After tearfully reminiscing with Queen Mother Guo, Feng Duan, and Xiao Mu, he began to watch his son, the Xianqing Emperor, with Queen Mother Guo through the reflective pool, concerned about his every move.

Seeing his son give Fan Zhao a kneeling pad during the mourning period, and Fan Zhao saying, "A man of eight feet has no need for the delicacy of a pregnant woman," Queen Mother Guo murmured: "What a man of eight feet."

Xingping Emperor: "...He's just stubborn and ungrateful."

Seeing his son replace Pan Yong with Wang Dingxian as the commander of Hezhou, the Xingping Emperor slammed the table: "Fool! Fool!"

Queen Mother Guo: "...This move is inappropriate, but the civil and military officials you left him with do not truly respect him. They oppose everything. He is young and impulsive, and with the Wang father and daughter provoking him, how can he endure? Look, does Fan Zhao show him even half the respect he showed you?"

The Xingping Emperor suppressed his anger and sat back, only to see his son forcing Fan Zhao to kneel: "...I am the Emperor, and you are merely my subject!"

The distinction between sovereign and minister sounded correct, but seeing the confusion in Fan Zhao's eyes, the Xingping Emperor's heart ached.

Fan Zhao was a man of strong emotions, treating the son like a younger brother since childhood. The son's words were like a knife to Fan Zhao's heart.

Seeing her husband's distress, Queen Mother Guo angrily shut the reflective pool.

It wasn't until Xiao Ji suggested increasing troops in Huainan and Huaibei, alleviating the worries of Hezhou, that the relationship between the emperor and empress improved.

Soon, the mortal world reached the height of summer, and the Xianqing Emperor went to Quchi for leisure.

Seeing her son frolicking with several beautiful palace maids in a secluded courtyard, Queen Mother Guo's face turned ashen, and the Xingping Emperor was furious, cursing his son several times. Xiao Mu and the four generals, Meng Jingye and others, living nearby, heard it all.

Xiao Mu was only concerned with his own younger relatives, while the four generals drank and watched the drama. Imperial Uncle Dou, busy with daytime punishments and having no time, learned of this at night and gleefully ran outside the Xingping Emperor's palace to laugh: "Well done! You scolded me for leading the Emperor astray, but your son, at a young age, has already gone astray on his own, even more indulgent than the Emperor, hahaha... ah!"

Feng Duan, spear in hand, came out and stabbed him in the back.

Qin Sizhu, a friend of Imperial Uncle Dou, saw this while peeking and grabbed a large knife to help Imperial Uncle Dou counter Feng Duan.

All were famous generals, and Feng Duan struggled against two. Fortunately, Xiao Mu arrived upon hearing the news, and the Xingping Emperor also rushed out.

Qin Sizhu shouted towards the distant thatched cottage: "Brothers Meng, Zong, Feng, come quickly to help!"

The three generals were just about to jump into the fray when they suddenly saw Queen Mother Guo standing on the wall with a bow and arrow, a scene that overlapped with the slender figure they saw before their deaths. The door they had just opened was immediately shut tight.

After the fight, the Xingping Emperor and Queen Mother Guo, ashamed of their son, quickly retreated to the palace.

Feng Duan sighed: "The new emperor..."

Xiao Mu said nothing more.

A few months later, the Xianqing Emperor arrived in the underworld and immediately began to accuse his parents: "It was all Fan Zhao, Fan Zhao killed me!"

The Xingping Emperor slapped him, still not satisfied, grabbed the collar of the wayward son and slapped him again: "If you had listened to me and treated him with kindness, would he have harmed you?"

The Xianqing Emperor lost three teeth in the beating.

Queen Mother Guo rushed over, shielding her son and said, "Baoge is at fault, but isn't Fan Zhao also at fault? The entire Imperial Guard obeyed him, and he dared to draw a sword and kill in front of Baoge. If it were you, could you tolerate such a Commander of the Imperial Guard?"

The family of three was crying and fighting when they heard Imperial Uncle Dou's laughter outside: "Hahaha, Great Yu, Great Yu, it only lasted five years before it fell, not even as good as Liang and Ling! Ling Emperor, stop peeking through your door crack, come out and I'll toast you, although you always lose to Yu, your Ling bloodline still exists!"

The Ling Emperor, hiding in his small palace, did not show himself, but the corners of his mouth curled up high. Han Zongping was dead, the northern regions would be in chaos, and Liang had no successors. Perhaps it was truly his Ling Kingdom's time to unify the world! Although his eldest son was neither scholarly nor martial, his youngest son was a fighter!

From then on, Imperial Uncle Dou came every night to mock Han Zongping. Han Zongping and Queen Mother Guo, too ashamed to show themselves, left only Feng Duan, Xiao Mu, Imperial Uncle Dou, and Qin Sizhu to fight in pairs.

One day, Imperial Uncle Dou came to provoke again. Just as he uttered an insult, a loud curse came from behind. Imperial Uncle Dou turned around to find it was Fan Zhao!

Imperial Uncle Dou's sarcasm grew sharper, but Fan Zhao was invincibly brave. With Feng Duan and Xiao Mu also present, Qin Sizhu dared not come to his aid.

After driving Imperial Uncle Dou away, Fan Zhao was about to seek an audience with the Xingping Emperor when Xiao Mu suddenly blocked his path with a spear.

Fan Zhao was furious: "You old fool..."

Before he could finish, the Xingping Emperor kicked open the door, wielding a large sword and directly slashed at Fan Zhao, splitting him in two: "You wretch, how dare you come to see me!"

Fan Zhao's two halves of his ghostly form merged back into one, kneeling before the Xingping Emperor and weeping: "Your Majesty, I didn't mean to, it was Baodi who pressured me!"

The Xingping Emperor, of course, knew the whole story. Flesh of his flesh, the pain of kin killing kin was unbearable for him.

Seeing her husband still harboring pity for Fan Zhao, Queen Mother Guo sneered and took the Xianqing Emperor to the reincarnation platform.

Two bowls of Mengpo's soup, and all past memories were forgotten.

The Xingping Emperor grew increasingly haggard. After Xiao Chan ascended the throne and ensured the northern regions were secure, he followed his wife and son.

At that moment, a golden light once again shone brightly in the underworld, as Xiao Mu's princely mansion transformed into an imperial palace.

Xiao Chan ascended the throne, and Xiao Mu was posthumously honored as the Founding Benevolent Emperor of the Wei Kingdom.

Fan Zhao, harboring hatred towards the Xiao Family, joined the camp of Meng Jingye and the other three generals, hoping for the downfall of the Xiao Family.

After waiting for several years, the Liang Emperor, killed by Xiao Yan, arrived in the underworld. Seeing Zong Quan and Feng Yun, he burst into tears: "I didn't kill Xiao Qi, why did that man have to take my life!"

Feng Yun: "...Blame me for dying early, if I hadn't died, he would have come to kill me."

Fan Zhao spat in disdain: "Outcasts, let's go, continue drinking!"

Seeing that the great generals did not favor him, the Liang Emperor went to seek the Ling Emperor, enviously saying: "Your two nephews are truly capable, the Ling Kingdom is rich and strong in military, surely you can stop the Wei army."

The Ling Emperor worriedly said: "It's difficult, Shu had all fallen to Wei, if they advance from Jiaozhou, my Ling Kingdom has no other troops to use."

The Liang Emperor stayed with him to watch the battle.

When the successor Ling Emperor successfully recruited forty thousand bandits from Fuzhou to head to Jiaozhou, the old Ling Emperor felt a fleeting moment of joy. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. With Tong Rong defecting to Wei, the Ling Kingdom's defeat became apparent.

Defeat was defeat, the Ling Emperor had prepared for it, but he never expected his eldest son to poison the only son who could still delay the defeat!

Watching Pan Yong cut off his second son's head, the Ling Emperor screamed and descended into madness.

On the side of the famous generals, Qin Sizhu asked Fan Zhao sarcastically, "Your father-in-law, who sent troops to Xiao Ji and killed the great general of Ling Kingdom, isn't he really a spy sent by Xiao Ji to Ling Kingdom?"

Fan Zhao remained silent...

Just as Fan Zhao couldn't help but suspect this, Pan Yong died under Xiao Ji's arrow.

Qin Sizhu was thrilled and rushed out to confront Pan Yong, only to find that Pan Yong didn't even qualify for a house in the underworld, not even the worst thatched hut. He was directly taken by the ghost officials to the ghost gathering area, waiting for reincarnation. With the ghost officials nearby, Qin Sizhu didn't dare cause any trouble and turned back, sighing to the generals, "Well, there's nothing left for me in the mortal world. I will reincarnate with Pan Yong and kill him again in the next life!"

Zong Quan reminded, "Perhaps he will enter the animal reincarnation path."

Pan Yong's actions against the mountain people of Fuzhou and against Lu Yi, the king of Ling, all diminished his merits, including his collusion with Fan Zhao to frame the benefactor Xiao Family. The greater the merits of the Xiao Family, the deeper Pan Yong's sins.

Qin Sizhu: ...

He wanted to remain human, so he said to Feng Yun, "Then I'll have to trouble Brother Feng to avenge me."

Feng Yun, who had set mountains ablaze and slaughtered countless lives: ...

Fan Zhao: "By the way, with such grave sins, how did you still end up with a thatched hut?"

Zong Quan: "Don't bully others too much. Brother Feng played a key role in founding our Liang Kingdom, and the people of Liang have enjoyed years of peace under his protection..."

At this moment, a ghost general stormed over and immediately seized Feng Yun's soul: "The judge was drunk and made a mistake in his judgment earlier. A wicked person like you should enter the eighteenth layer of hell and suffer extreme punishment for eighty-one years before you can reincarnate again."

Author's note:

Protecting forests is everyone's responsibility.

Haha, here's a fun little trip to the underworld. See you in the next book if fate permits~

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