Why does Zhao Ming, clearly of great talent, refuse to enter officialdom?
It is precisely because he belongs to a collateral branch of the Zhao Family, thus the highest rank he could attain was the fourth grade. Zhao Changyu recommended Zhao Ming to the emperor several times, but at that time Empress Jia was in power. She even wanted to eliminate Zhao Changyu from court; how could she possibly allow another talent to arise from the Zhao Family?
Therefore, under her manipulation, Zhao Ming’s rank in the talent selection banquet was set very low.
Zhao Ming originally looked down on the Sima Family and Empress Jia, and he didn’t rely on the Sima family for sustenance. Being so humiliated by the Zhongzheng official, he straightforwardly chose not to enter officialdom. Instead, he stayed home to assist Zhao Changyu and his father in handling family affairs, occasionally going out for studies, which was quite enjoyable.
Although Zhao Changyu was also from an aristocratic family, he opposed this talent selection system and attempted several times to amend it, but felt powerless because the throne was occupied by a fool.
When he heard in the underworld that Yu State had launched a talent recruitment initiative, he immediately remarked to those around him, "This person is greatly talented, yet regrettably harbors rebellious intentions."
Then the ghost messenger who informed him retorted, "Nonsense, General Zhao loves the people like his children; how could she rebel?"
Zhao Changyu said, "Loving the people like one’s children is the greatest form of rebellion. Wang Mang is a precedent."
"I don’t know who Wang Mang is. I just know General Zhao wouldn’t rebel; she hails from our Xiping Zhao Family of Yu State, and the Zhao Family are all loyalists. How could she rebel?"
At that moment, Zhao Changyu fell silent, and his friends who had come with him to gather news also became quiet.
From then on, Zhao Changyu frequently paid attention to the news from the human world.
The observer sees clearly. He was already dead, looking up from the underworld, and he recognized Zhao Hanzhang’s ambitious nature earlier and more certainly than Zhao Zhongyu.
His heart has struggled before, but—he is just a ghost who can’t even send a dream to Zhao Hanzhang; he can only visit Zhao Song, Zhao Zhongyu, and Mrs. Wang in dreams.
No need to think about Mrs. Wang; why would he go to his daughter-in-law’s dreams for nothing?
So he could only occasionally wander in Zhao Song’s and Zhao Zhongyu’s dreams, and gradually, he came to terms with it. Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes, and he’s dead; in the underworld, there’s no Jin State. He doesn’t need to be a loyal ghost to the emperor; what he can do for his descendants is to accumulate yin virtue more.
And the reason he gathered those ghosts from aristocratic families ruined by war was not just out of sympathy for them, but also because they still had surviving relatives scattered around.
"With relatives lost and the family declining, these survivors striving to stand out and bring glory to their lineage will be her most powerful assistants," Zhao Changyu said leisurely. "As I mentioned earlier, the relationship between the human world and the underworld is close and interconnected."
"Those ghosts are carefully selected by me. During their lifetime, their talents and virtues were commendable, and as ghosts, they’re not much different. Their family traditions are also strict. I can’t guarantee that all their descendants will possess the same talents and virtues, but I think the chance of good bamboo producing good bamboo is relatively high."
The most important thing is, if they are nurtured well, they can occasionally send dreams to their living descendants, urging them to support Third Lady and assist Third Lady.
Never underestimate the ancestor’s dreams. If you ask what the greatest superstition in this world is, it would certainly be dreams—especially those with ancestral predictions and warnings!
People might doubt auspicious signs or heaven’s wrath, but they will never doubt the ancestor’s dreams.
Zhao Changyu lightly glanced at Zhao Zhongyu and asked, "What do you plan to do with the ghosts you’ve taken in at your residence?"
Zhao Zhongyu: ...as if he’d ever thought his elder brother would be so generous, taking in so many ghosts to reside in his home—turns out he had this kind of plan.
Zhao Zhongyu avoided replying, thinking to himself, does he need to say that he simply pitied them, as they were colleagues and died together, thus took them in without thinking too much?
Zhao Changyu naturally understood this brother and knew he was being hypocritical again. Despite scoffing inwardly, he didn’t show any sign of it on his face and said, "I’ve investigated their backgrounds and causes of death these past few days; their identities are quite useful."
All were Jin ministers captured with the emperor; after the emperor was killed, they were murdered for cursing Liu Cong—barely worth showing off.
With a weak country and lowly ruler, even ministers were humiliated, and successive deaths of Jin ministers did not earn much glory. Even Zhao Zhongyu felt a sense of indignation, considering he couldn’t beat those who poisoned him.
It was only that dying in the end wasn’t so humiliating and worthless, providing some psychological comfort.
It was merely the public’s sympathy that brought them incense and remembrance.
This is the people’s sentiment.
This is also their connection to the human world.
Zhao Changyu is playing a grand chess game, influencing the human world through the underworld. He is unsure of its extent, but will do his best, lending a helping hand to Third Lady.
Zhao Hanzhang is unaware that her grandfather in the underworld is overwrought with concern for her, as she has no means to receive information from the underworld.
Conversely, Zhao Changyu and Zhao Zhongyu in the underworld can constantly receive news from the human world.
New ghosts arrive every day, among whom are both high-status and low-status individuals. No matter their status, accumulating their knowledge can result in an analysis of the human world situation.
For instance, Zhao Hanzhang established the new emperor, eliminated Liu Cong, and relocated the capital back to Luoyang;
The court equally distributed land, exempted many taxes, causing many people to stop wandering and start settling;
During the autumn harvest, the court reduced taxes, ensuring households had enough grain until the next year;
Zhao Hanzhang proclaimed herself Prince Yu, not only a Great General but also a Grand Commandant and Sima, maintaining a harmonious relationship with the Little Emperor.
Then there was a great flood affecting people, and facing great difficulties, Zhao Hanzhang ascended the throne as emperor.
The last news wasn’t even something they inquired about—rather a ghost messenger reported, with real-time updates.
After Zhao Hanzhang ascended the throne, Zhao Zhongyu was titled Prince Jing, and Zhao Changyu was posthumously honored as Emperor Gaozu; human tributes poured in, bringing vast wealth and incense overnight, their merits dramatically increased, blinding even ghostly eyes.
Ghost messengers visited to offer congratulations, and even the elusive King Yanluo appeared, personally meeting them and offering priority for reincarnation.
Zhao Zhongyu pondered, but Zhao Changyu directly refused, insisting on queuing—absolutely queuing!
Zhao Zhongyu quickly followed his elder brother’s lead, albeit not knowing the reason, he promptly refused as well.
Upon leaving Yama Hall, Zhao Zhongyu asked the reason.
Zhao Changyu glanced at him and said, "I haven’t decided whether to reincarnate. Now that Third Lady has founded a nation, we are worshipped with the nation. As long as the nation persists, we’ll always have tributes and won’t go hungry again; reincarnation isn’t an urgent matter."
Therefore, he must consider whether to become a man again or continue being a ghost named Zhao Changyu.
"Moreover, even if reincarnating, I wouldn’t choose this moment."
Zhao Zhongyu asked, "Why?"

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