The ghost messenger counted the money for Zhao Zhongyu, took a hefty fee and tax according to the rate, and handed over the contents of a storeroom to him.
Inside were not only money, silk bundles, various objects, and livestock, but also various sacrificial texts.
The ghost butler ran around for him, helped him buy a house, and hired a group of ghosts to move everything into the new house, naturally, all paid for by Zhao Zhongyu.
He has money now!
Zhao Zhongyu felt very novel, "If so, isn’t all the currency in the underworld coming from the human world? Do ghosts also depend on humans?"
The ghost butler replied, "This is the case now; I’ve heard from ghost messengers that in the past, there were few lingering ghosts in the underworld—they were either reincarnating or suffering punishment in Hell, so few ghosts spent money, only ghost messengers needed money from human offerings and sacrifices."
"But the ghost messengers’ currency comes from Yama Hall, and the newly arrived ghosts have some offerings, which can be shared with the ghost messengers, so material wealth is not that important in the underworld."
Zhao Zhongyu understood.
His new house was not far from Zhao Changyu’s, not because he didn’t want to buy farther away, but good houses, big houses were all in this area, he couldn’t help it.
During this time, many new ghosts had gradually entered the city, and most of them were acquaintances of Zhao Zhongyu, by comparison, they were poor.
Although their backgrounds in the human world were not bad, their reputation was not as big as Zhao Zhongyu’s, and their families were uncertain if they were dead or alive, so there weren’t many offerings and sacrifices, making it impossible for them to buy a big mansion.
Seeing former colleagues so down-and-out, plus everyone died around the same time, Zhao Zhongyu’s heart softened, and he accepted them into his home just like a brother.
Recently, Zhao Changyu had already gotten news from new ghosts about what happened in the human world, and the new ghosts he found included captured Jin Ministers, Zhao Family Army who died in battle, civilians innocently affected, and even royal family members.
He calculated the time and thought his brother should be accustomed to his new identity, so he sent ghosts to call him over for a talk.
Zhao Zhongyu didn’t want to go, directly telling the ghost butler who came to invite him, "We are dead, life and death are ended, worldly affairs have nothing to do with us anymore, what’s there to talk about?"
The ghost butler bowed his head and replied, "The master said, before being reincarnated and starting anew, you were part of the Zhao Family in life, and part of the Zhao Family in death, and..."
He raised his head and said, "Don’t you know that ghosts in the underworld can send dreams to their relatives in the human world and can protect their loved ones there?"
Zhao Zhongyu: ...He didn’t know, no one told him.
Zhao Zhongyu took a deep breath and went silently.
Once again, Zhao Changyu held sway over Zhao Zhongyu.
If Zhao Zhongyu truly didn’t care about the Zhao Family or his relatives, how could he have calmly embraced death?
He chose to die, firstly for the people of the world, and secondly for the Zhao Family Army, for the Zhao Family, for his family, right?
With the emperor’s and his death, the Zhao Family Army would no longer be threatened and could retaliate freely.
Hmph, the Zhao Family isn’t just his; Zhao Hanzhang is also Zhao Changyu’s granddaughter, he doesn’t believe his big brother wouldn’t care.
Thinking like this, Zhao Zhongyu wasn’t anxious anymore, and leisurely went to meet Zhao Changyu.
As soon as they met, Zhao Changyu said, "Third Lady subdued Shi Le, and the Jie Clan army pledged allegiance to her."
All the words he had been muttering along the way were instantly forgotten, Zhao Zhongyu excitedly said, "Shi Le pledging allegiance, Hanzhang driving away the Xiongnu, isn’t reclaiming lost territory within reach?"
Zhao Changyu nodded and said, "So what do you think, will Third Lady proclaim herself emperor?"
Zhao Zhongyu’s body stiffened, secretly observing Zhao Changyu’s expression to determine whether he was angry, but he couldn’t see anything from his face.
He could only cautiously reply, "I think she wouldn’t, Third Lady was taught well from a young age, our Zhao Family is loyal and unyielding..."
Zhao Changyu lifted his gaze and looked at him, lightly saying, "We are all dead, our purity left in the human world, here in the underworld there’s no need to speak of loyalty to the emperor and the country. Here, there’s not only Emperor Wei but also emperors from the Han Dynasty. Though Emperor Shi’s whereabouts are unknown, some of the pre-Qin kings haven’t reincarnated, staying either as ghost immortals or lingering in the underworld. Truly, putting all the kings from various dynasties together, who isn’t a traitor or scoundrel?"
Since they are all traitors and scoundrels, there’s no need to differentiate between them.
Zhao Zhongyu was rendered speechless, and his heart stirred, prompting him to inquire, "Brother, is the reason for taking in so many ghost friends in your home?"
Zhao Changyu then sneered visibly and said, "You think I’m like you, with a sudden burst of kindness, taking in any ghost who comes knocking?"
Zhao Zhongyu was again at a loss for words.
Zhao Changyu finally explained, "King Yanluo disdains explaining the existence of the underworld to us, but underworld ghosts, ghost messengers, wealth, all come from the human world. Even the merit and telekinesis cultivated by ghost immortals and ghost messengers depend on human incense and sacrifices, showing the underworld is dependent on the human world."
"The connection between the two is so close, it’s impossible for the human world to only affect the underworld; the underworld must also be able to influence the human world, it’s just that Yin Si Mansion doesn’t disclose the rules, so we don’t know the specifics." Zhao Changyu pondered, "For years, I’ve been trying to send messages to relatives in the human world; so far, I can send dreams to Zhao Song and Mrs. Wang. After you came down, I found I could also send dreams to Second Son and Zhao Ming."
Zhao Zhongyu widened his eyes, recalling something, exclaimed in surprise, "I, I dreamed about Brother..."
Zhao Changyu nodded slightly, "I’ve tried several times to send dreams to Third Lady, but was unsuccessful; at that time, I could only send dreams to you, Zhao Song, and Mrs. Wang."
"Moreover, the better I live in the underworld, the more good deeds I do, the more I shelter innocent ghosts, the more smoothly my relatives act in the human world," Zhao Changyu glanced at Zhao Zhongyu, he thought Zhao Zhongyu’s smooth ascent to the position of Chief of Staff was partly thanks to him.
If it weren’t for his hard work in the underworld, spending large sums to ensure the Zhao Family’s newly deceased clan members lived well and led towards goodness while helping so many ghosts build good karma, how could he have been so successful?
However, considering his recent temper, Zhao Changyu didn’t say that out loud but instead said, "Do you think I randomly took in those people?"
Zhao Zhongyu asked, "What’s different about them?"
"They don’t have significant karmic burdens, but their kin were nearly wiped out in recent years due to the wars, with only a few surviving clan members," Zhao Changyu explained, "Third Lady initiated a recruitment exam, didn’t she? I know what she aims to do; the Han Dynasty’s recommendation system was eventually monopolized by the aristocratic clans, leading to virtuous figures among the common people having no way to rise, so Lord Cao established the Nine Grades Middle System, intending to select officials through large, medium, and small ranks."
"For fifty years afterward, it was fair, but a hundred years later, by the time of our Jin Dynasty, the Middle System became like the recommendation system. Whether a person could start a career, what rank they could achieve, was predetermined, fixed."
Zhao Changyu said solemnly, "Selected during recruitment as Rank Five, they could only rise to Rank Five officials, not Rank One. Clans allied with clans, trading interests, recommending one another, pre-determining high ranks for family offspring. The higher the clan, regardless of talent or virtue, could secure high ranks, while those from lower clans had to strive even to participate in recruitment gatherings. The atmosphere deteriorated henceforth, and thus, politics collapsed, and the state fell into disarray."

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