Though the underworld has its own rules, they are not like those of the human world.
Whether king or commoner, noble or servant, or even livestock, one becomes an independent soul upon entering the underworld after death. They are not bound to anyone, despite any lingering ties to the world of the living, for here, it is considered a new beginning.
The rules of the underworld appear to favor kings and nobility, for these souls receive plenty of incense and offerings after death. However, they also bear greater burdens.
Why did those who died around the same time as him disappear as soon as they entered the underworld?
Because their sins were heavy, and they were dragged straight into Hell for punishment.
Zhao Changyu stood out for his public spirit; in this life, he was worthy of heaven and earth and the people. Otherwise, like his colleagues, he would have gone straight for a three-year tour of Hell, unaffected by whatever offerings were burned for him on earth.
Since Emperor Shi harshly cracked down on live burials, there was a brief compliance period among the people. However, after the Han dynasty, the custom of burying people alive silently resurfaced, especially in the late Han period when even small landlords dared to use concubines and servants as burial offerings.
Some even crazily used their wives as burial offerings.
According to Zhao Changyu’s observations, he still saw this happening even now, having observed several such instances while wandering the underworld.
Those servants followed their masters into the underworld. There’s a brief period after death when they lose their reason and memory, acting only on instinct.
The wrongful death of the servants preys on their pain, so even if they don’t remember how they died, they instinctively attack those who caused their burial.
Even when they regain their sanity and memory, seeing their master’s spirit dimmed by their biting, would they remember any notions of rank and not continue?
When people die, how many ghosts care about rank and order?
He had often seen those plump souls that emerged in the underworld, being gnawed to mere shadows before they could regain their memory.
The ghost messengers were indifferent, letting the souls bite. Only after the souls regained consciousness would they intervene, and their intervention was halfhearted. As the ghost messengers would say, "As long as there’s a strand of soul left, it’s fine. Even if the soul scatters, it’s just their payback for the sins they committed in life."
"Of course, the ghosts that gnaw at souls won’t get away unpunished. The living world is the living world, the underworld is the underworld. If they dare continue biting after regaining memory, they will be struck by lightning."
Most ghosts can’t withstand the punishment of lightning, but many ghosts don’t seem to care.
Dying with the satisfaction of gnawing to death the masters who caused them harm in life seemed to please them greatly.
Moreover, even if a ghost isn’t gnawed at, accounts will be settled for practicing such burials, reducing their virtue and leading them through Hell.
Let alone bringing someone to serve them; it’s simply a calamity hastening their doom.
How could Zhao Changyu not be enraged?
Furthermore, the Zhao Family has always been lenient, and their ancestors didn’t hold such vile practices even before the Qin era. Did Zhao Hu lose his mind to offer him a burial?
He even dared to consider offering Uncle Cheng, whom Zhao Hanzhang was supposed to manage household affairs.
Zhao Changyu had little faith in Mrs. Wang’s abilities, for Uncle Cheng knew the Zhao Family’s social dealings better than anyone.
He died too hastily, leaving many things untaught to Zhao Hanzhang. He left Uncle Cheng to her to fill in the gaps, and that dog Zhao Hu dared consider burying him!
Furious, even knowing the cost of every dream visitation, he stormed into Zhao Hu’s dream, cursing him roundly.
"You’ve always been foolish, unwilling to study. The only thing you did well from birth was obey, yet that vanished the moment I died." Zhao Changyu pointed to his nose and scolded sharply, "Even without studying, you should remember the virtue of our ancestors and heed their teachings. When has the Zhao Family ever committed the cruelty of burying the living?"
Zhao Changyu recalled with more anger how only Zhao Song and his son opposed the burial suggestion within the family, while others looked on indifferently, "It’s people like you who’ve ruined our family values."
In the dream, Zhao Hu argued weakly, "Human lives are so insignificant, and they didn’t care much about their lives. I gave their families money, and they were willing..."
Zhao Changyu was so angry he nearly overturned his coffin, "Shut up! Are human lives insignificant because human lives are inherently worthless? Do you think that remark is about them? That statement is cursing us, calling us incompetent, condemning the decline of societal morals, which has led to such insignificance in human life!"
In the dream, Zhao Changyu wielded a whip and lashed Zhao Hu, "I taught you nothing good, yet you learned all the bad. Though those people act like dogs, do you want to learn to act like a dog too?"
Because of his rage, Zhao Hu was lashed too hard, waking up instantly with a twitch in his leg, and Zhao Changyu’s words stopped short, sending him back to the underworld.
Zhao Hu, clutching his leg, howled on the bed, "It hurts, it hurts..."
The servants rushed in immediately, seeing him clutching his calf, they knew it was a cramp, and promptly massaged it while calling for a doctor.
After a night of fuss, the doctor left once a prescription was given, and Zhao Hu frowned with displeasure, "This must be because I’ve been fasting from meat for mourning, lacking nutrients, which caused the cramp. Go, have the kitchen stew some meat. I want it for breakfast tomorrow."
Sanjin whispered, "Master, if Fifth Grandfather finds out..."
"Then find a way not to let him know. I’m just eating some meat, not drinking or hiring entertainers."
Sanjin: "The smell of stewed meat is too potent. I’ll ask the kitchen to make some meat porridge to supplement you. Next month, the harsh mourning period will be over, and then you’ll be free to eat whatever you like."
The current rule for twenty-seven months of mourning wasn’t strict. One only needed to avoid meat and wine during the harsh mourning period. Beyond it, living normally, refraining from marriage and merriment, was all that was required.
When Zhao Changyu mourned for his mother, he followed these rules: weeping when necessary, eating vegetarian when required, kneeling when needed, but living normally otherwise, refusing social banquets.
Zhao Hu felt that Zhao Changyu wasn’t his father, just a brother, so fasting for over two months was already mournful enough. He prioritized his health despite the servant’s persuasion and insisted on eating meat.
Sanjin, powerless, could only comply.
Only then did Zhao Hu find time to ponder, "Strange, what nightmare did I just have? Why can’t I remember a thing?"
Fifth Silver beside him said, "If you can’t remember, it must not have been prophetic, Master. Don’t dwell on it."
Zhao Hu furrowed his brow, "I vaguely dreamed of Older Brother. Could it be that he came to thank me because I was going to send things to accompany him in burial?"
Fifth Silver: ...You just said it was a nightmare.
He dared not voice it out.
Zhao Hu simply believed what he wanted to believe. Since he couldn’t remember, he concluded Zhao Changyu must have thanked him in the dream.
"Alas, it’s a pity Third Lady is so strict, forbidding this and that. Otherwise, I could have sent several more people to accompany Older Brother, and he would be even more grateful."
Fifth Silver only smiled and nodded, afraid to agree.
As another servant, he shared the sentiment that lips sealed meant no teeth were left cold. He actually preferred a master like Third Lady than Fifth Grandfather...
In his heart, Fifth Silver prayed, hoping he would leave this world before Fifth Grandfather did.
Although death awaited, he still wished for a death of his choosing, rather than being buried alive.

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