After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times
Chapter 1494: The Underworld (Part 10)
Zhao Hu only realized after descending to the underworld upon his death that Zhao Changyu’s dream visitation back then was to scold him, not to thank him.
Before he could grab Zhao Changyu’s hand for a reunion, he was taken by ghost messengers to the Yama Hall for judgment.
Zhao Hu’s legs went weak, and he directly hugged Zhao Changyu’s legs, crying out, "Big brother, save me! Big brother, save me!"
Zhao Changyu felt utterly embarrassed by him and tried hard to pull his leg out, but couldn’t.
Zhao Zhongyu expressionlessly looked away, finding the scene quite offensive to the eyes.
In the end, it was Zhao Song who stepped forward and pulled Zhao Hu away, saying, "Stop crying. After death, everyone must pass through the Yama Hall, where the merits and demerits of one’s life are judged. If guilty, punishment follows; if innocent, you wait for reincarnation."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu knelt again and clung to Zhao Changyu’s leg, pleading, "Big brother, save me—"
Zhao Changyu sneered, "So you know you’ve lived a life with more wrongs than rights. It seems you do understand right from wrong."
In this world, apart from a few born with antisocial personalities who can’t distinguish good from evil, who wouldn’t know?
Yet, this doesn’t stop them from committing evil, choosing what benefits themselves during their lifetime.
Only when descending to the underworld and reflecting on their life do they dare to confront their own conscience. But even then, admitting wrongs might not truly be sincere; it’s mostly out of pure fear or selfish gain—like Zhao Hu clinging to Zhao Changyu’s leg and wailing endlessly.
Seeing Zhao Changyu’s heart hard as iron, Zhao Hu decisively turned around and clung to Zhao Song’s leg, "Fifth brother, save me!"
Zhao Song had a conflicted expression, feeling sympathetic, but it was useless in the underworld where he was just a ghost.
The ghost messengers, out of respect for Zhao Changyu, had already delayed for a long time. Had it been another ghost, they would have been dragged away long ago; those who dared delay would’ve had their limbs broken.
Seeing Zhao Hu so inconsiderate, not only wasting time but trying to act unlawfully in front of them, they immediately took action, grabbing and locking him up, dragging him away.
Zhao Hu was dragged away, crying and wailing, while the other ghosts around were accustomed to it, as every newly deceased ghost would experience this.
The next encounter happened three months later.
Zhao Hu appeared completely dispirited and mournful. Upon seeing Zhao Song and the others, he rushed over, crying, "Big brother, fifth brother, old eight, I thought I’d never see you again."
Zhao Changyu had a curious look, "Just three months? Seems like the evil you did wasn’t all that much."
Zhao Hu’s sobs halted, and Zhao Song quickly explained on his behalf, "Big brother, our Zhao Family has strict rules, absolutely forbidding any criminal acts."
Zhao Changyu: "You’re not the worm in his stomach. If he quietly commits evil, how could you possibly know it all?"
Zhao Song was speechless because Zhao Hu indeed was such a person.
After pondering for a moment, Zhao Changyu guessed, "Could it be that your merits and demerits offset each other? Did you contribute to the state or the people?"
Zhao Hu replied, "Big brother, when Her Majesty founded the nation, I also contributed a lot. I supported her in raising troops, sheltering and soothing refugees. Even after establishing the nation, when disasters struck, each time I gave money. Whenever the national treasury was short, I would lend Silver Coin to her. Not only did I lend, but I also vouched for her, and Yama Hall said that all counted as my merit."
Zhao Changyu nodded, "Yet still punished for three months, so you were unsavory in making money or committed other life-harming evils?"
Zhao Hu’s face turned red, and he remained silent.
Zhao Changyu didn’t delve into it further. After all, they’re dead, and settling accounts was the task of Yama Hall. Why bother with earthly matters?
He only asked, "When will you reincarnate?"
Zhao Hu looked conflicted and cautiously asked, "Big brother, you’ve been here for so many years, why not reincarnate?"
Zhao Changyu: "I’m waiting for Third Lady."
Zhao Hu sighed in relief, happy there wasn’t any trap in reincarnation. He cheered up and said, "The ghost messengers said my time for reincarnation is scheduled six months later. No idea what kind of birth I’ll have next lifetime. If I could be reborn into our Zhao Family, that’d be great."
Zhao Changyu looked him up and down, then shifted the topic, "Come, let’s give you a welcoming banquet."
Zhao Hu, being a new ghost, was curious, "Are there really fine wines and delicacies in the underworld?"
"What do you think the fine wines and offerings prepared every year for ancestor worship are used for?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu’s eyes lit up, remembering this in his heart, "Once I reincarnate, I’ll prepare offerings and fine wines for brothers and ancestors annually. Brothers and ancestors receiving my gift must bless me well."
"Your ancestors have long reincarnated. As for me, we’ll talk about it once you reincarnate, if you still remember me by then. Also, if you have money."
Zhao Hu was certain he would remember.
Since Zhao Hu was about to reincarnate soon, he stayed at Zhao Changyu’s residence without building another house.
When the daylight brightened, the ghosts returned to sleep. Zhao Hu finally had a chance to speak privately with Zhao Song, "Fifth brother, why don’t you reincarnate either?"
Zhao Song: "I want to spend more time with big brother."
Zhao Hu: ...He definitely asked an unnecessary question.
"Can you reincarnate whenever you wish?"
Zhao Song nodded: "As long as you’re willing to spend money."
The underworld had almost cleared out the ghost population, coinciding with a human population boom. Daily, a large number of ghosts queued on Naihe Bridge, waiting to jump. Zhao Changyu calculated for him: at the current reincarnation rate, in four years and eight months, the flow between the underworld and the mortal realm would normalize. Reincarnating then would mean life would be better, with each family having fewer children, averaging around two and a half.
In other words, he might be born as an only child or into a family with at most three children, enjoying relatively more resources and a better life.
Zhao Song originally intended to tell Zhao Hu this, but he cried so pathetically at the time that he promptly forgot. Later, after being dragged away and emerging again, Zhao Hu had already queued for reincarnation, so Zhao Song avoided mentioning it, lest Zhao Hu felt unease knowing, carrying resentment into his rebirth wouldn’t be good.
Evidently, Zhao Song wasn’t the only one with this idea; everyone silently kept the matter from Zhao Hu.
Happily, Zhao Hu queued, and six months later, he lined up to drink Meng Po Soup and jump the bridge.
Zhao Song stayed in the underworld with Zhao Changyu for a long time, living comfortably there under his protection, occasionally visiting the mortal realm to see his son and grandson.
Also his great-grandson; after Zhao Song’s passing, Zhao Ming sought out three children within the family to adopt in one go for Zhao Shen, personally raising them.
Zhao Song never persuaded Zhao Shen to marry and have children throughout his life. After Zhao Song’s passing, Zhao Shen took the pretext of mourning to resign and pursue immortality.
Zhao Ming didn’t force him, as he had no obsession with passing on bloodline. He valued having a child adopt his thoughts more than his blood, yet Zhao Shen wasn’t the one.
So this time, he personally chose three children as grandsons and raised them himself, hoping they could inherit his thoughts and morals, with at least one succeeding.
Zhao Song visited his son several times, gradually coming to terms with it. When Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan descended one after another, he cheerfully queued to get his number for reincarnation.
"This time, I’ll be on par with Third Lady and Ting Han, hahahaha..."
Zhao Changyu glanced at him, baffled at his joy. Hanzhang and Ting Han were exceptionally smart people; what’s so delightful about being of the same age as them?
He was different; he wanted to be their grandfather or, they would be his descendants, enjoying the benefits of ancestors and the dynasty.

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