Chapter 1475: Netherworld (3)

Yu Zhongji saw Zhao Changyu, immediately lowered his head and stepped back three steps, respectfully smiled and said, "Since Minister Zhao has family here, I won’t say much. My office is north of here, four li away. If there is anything you don’t understand, you can find me there."

After saying this, he respectfully gave a salute to Zhao Changyu, then took two steps back and turned away.

Zhao Zhongyu was dumbfounded, his feelings were very complicated.

Even in the underworld, his elder brother seems to mix in well.

Zhao Changyu only slightly nodded at Yu Zhongji, and seeing Zhao Zhongyu still standing foolishly, he frowned and said, "Come with me."

Zhao Changyu took him in front of a large mansion. The ghost guarding the door saw him, immediately opened the door and invited them inside.

Zhao Zhongyu curiously looked a few more times at the gatekeeper.

Zhao Changyu just glanced and knew what he was thinking, said solemnly, "The underworld is not much different from the mortal world, in fact, the rules here are simpler and clearer."

"These little ghosts come from impoverished backgrounds, or have lost all their family without anyone to offer sacrifices," he said, "without incense offerings for sacrifice, and unable to queue for reincarnation, it won’t be a few years before their spirit bodies will thin out, at most ten years before they starve to death and dissipate into the world."

Zhao Zhongyu became nervous, asked, "Are there many opportunities to earn incense in the underworld?"

Zhao Changyu’s lips curled, almost smiling as he said, "Wars rage in the mortal world like hell, do you think hell can be any good?"

He said, "Every day, countless ghosts come down from the mortal world. The underworld has long been overwhelmed with ghosts, while the number of pregnant women in the mortal world is fewer each year. The ghosts that can reincarnate are extremely few, and the rest can only wait in the underworld; among ten thousand ghosts, there might not be one that can find work."

In the mortal world, one can farm, but what can one do in the underworld?

Only helping some wealthy ghosts groom horses, lead horses, watch over properties, serve the rich ghosts, but there aren’t many wealthy ghosts either.

"Many established families have ceased their sacrifices." Zhao Changyu’s mansion is large, and this mansion is not just for him alone. Aside from the main courtyard, the other courtyards mostly have ghosts living in them.

He said, "They are old acquaintances whose sacrifices have been cut off."

He directly took Zhao Zhongyu to the study in the main courtyard, and as soon as he sat down, he asked directly, "Is the mortal world at war again?"

Zhao Zhongyu replied with a "Hmm."

Zhao Changyu asked, "Could Third Lady be aiming to become Empress?"

Zhao Zhongyu’s eyes widened instantly, swiftly asked, "Brother, why do you ask this?"

Zhao Changyu said, "A few years ago, I bumped into Zhang Shijie in the underworld; as soon as he met me, he pointed at my nose and cursed, saying he was harmed by Third Lady."

Zhao Zhongyu’s mind whirled, thinking, who is Zhang Shijie? In these years, many have been killed by Zhao Hanzhang...

Zhao Changyu glanced at his expression, subtly reminded, "Zhang Shijie was the Governor of Ruyin County in Yu State..."

Oh, Governor Zhang!

He was Zhao Hanzhang’s official stepping stone into the court.

Zhao Zhongyu’s gaze shifted as he said, "Governor Zhang was martyred fighting against the Xiongnu, heroically sacrificing in the battle to protect Yu State..."

Zhao Changyu looked mocking, "He said he was stabbed in the chest by Hanzhang in public, murdered."

Zhao Zhongyu: ...this man’s mouth is too big, failed in skill, killed by a young girl, yet has the face to broadcast it.

Zhao Zhongyu touched his nose and said, "Now Hanzhang is the Great General of Jin State. When I died, she was commanding the army of Jin State, driving out the Xiongnu, and recovering lost territories."

Zhao Changyu frowned at this, "Then how did you die? I heard someone say you and the emperor were captured by the Xiongnu, didn’t she try to rescue you?"

This is one of the reasons he suspected his granddaughter might have ambitions to seize power. If she didn’t have such thoughts, she should have done everything possible to rescue Zhao Zhongyu and then pushed him to the forefront, allowing herself to control Jin State from the rear.

Zhao Zhongyu let out a sigh of relief, explained, "I was poisoned by Liu Cong. Brother, that Liu Cong, his mind is unclear, narrow-minded, easily angered, and explosive. Not only me, but even Your Majesty was poisoned by him."

Zhao Changyu, upon hearing the emperor was also poisoned, was shocked and stood up, then sat down with a dark face, "With Your Majesty dead, every Jin person will fight Liu Cong relentlessly."

Zhao Zhongyu nodded, "That’s why I say he’s unclear-minded. He captured Your Majesty and the ministers, clearly having the hope of becoming orthodox, yet he didn’t treat Jin people well, nor did he treat Your Majesty and Jin Ministers well."

Saying this, Zhao Zhongyu paused, then finally mentioned how the emperor was humiliated by Liu Cong.

It was reported that the emperor was forced by Liu Cong to wear cloth clothes, pour wine in the Xiongnu court, even forced to compose poems and dance publicly. Zhao Changyu listened with fury, glared at Zhao Zhongyu, "You are also incompetent, as the Chief of Staff, how could you let Your Majesty suffer such humiliation?"

Zhao Zhongyu had nothing to say.

Zhao Changyu never pretended well in front of his own family; with outsiders, he still wore a guise of gentleness, but with his own younger brother, he showed his vile side without reservation, thoroughly scolding him inside and out.

"You have been dumb since childhood, I thought after I left, you could hold your own. Unexpectedly, even as Chief of Staff, you are still so incompetent. The emperor suffers humiliation, and you couldn’t block, plea for him, nor could you carry him, protecting the dignity of Jin State. What’s the point of you living?"

He had become a ghost, and Zhao Zhongyu still got scolded to the point his face flushed red, chest heaving intensely; he made an instant decision—he didn’t want to live with his elder brother!

He abruptly stood up, said sullenly, "That’s why I’m dead!"

Zhao Changyu glared at him with staring eyes, daring to talk back to him.

Zhao Zhongyu turned around and said, "If brother has no matters, I will leave first. I need to retrieve my offerings and find a place to stay."

Although he hadn’t yet figured out how the underworld operated, he swept his eyes around this study—there were many familiar things inside.

He glanced at the Lotus Sutra on the desk; the handwriting was very familiar, even the ink spot on the cover page was so clear.

That’s what he recently burned to him; ever since being captured, he kept thinking about escape, life and death, the future of Jin State, and also about the future of the family and people of the world.

When his mind was unsettled, he would transcribe the Lotus Sutra, slowly dissipating the unwillingness and cowardice in his heart, finally firming his heart toward death.

He doesn’t know why, at that time just muddle-headedly burned it to Zhao Changyu.

He suddenly understood his elder brother, being a family head is truly challenging; if it were his elder brother, he would certainly do better, right?

Regardless of being a family head or a national minister, he was called the thousand-foot pine of the court, when he died, indeed the dynasty began to decline.

But, he is the thousand-foot pine, he doesn’t want to live with him anymore.

He had died already, why still live looking at his face?

Zhao Zhongyu turned and started to leave, since the things he burned could be received, then surely what is burned from the mortal world for him he can also receive.

He died, and died by Liu Cong’s hand; with Hanzhang’s character, she’ll surely give a grand sacrifice for him, material wealth and goods must be plenty. Otherwise, those ghost messengers and Yu Zhongji wouldn’t be so courteous to him.

He would retrieve the things himself, buy a house to live in, absolutely not relying on him!

Zhao Changyu’s temples twitched, calling him back, "I have many things to ask you still."

Zhao Zhongyu said, "I am already dead, before dying, I was captured and held by the Xiongnu army, completely unaware of the outside. Since so many have died recently, brother can find someone else to ask, why persist on questioning me alone?"

If he asked nicely, he would be willing to talk, but with his brother’s temperament, they would be talking and suddenly he would start scolding again.

He had become a ghost, why should he endure such grievance?

Zhao Zhongyu turned and walked out boldly; before long, he already ran far away.

Zhao Changyu: ...