Netherworld

“Cousin, this is Brother Bai’s business. How can we meddle? When the time comes, we brothers will simply join Brother Bai for a drink.”
Li Xintian spoke half-jokingly.
“My cousin’s right. Brother Bai, you must invite us to your wedding feast when the day comes.”
Chen Yuanwen smacked his own forehead as he spoke.
“All right, stop making fun of me.”
Of course Bai Yang could see that Li Xintian and Chen Yuanwen meant to comfort him.
“Who is that? He’s grown, yet it seems his intelligence is moving.”
Li Xintian pointed at someone about their age, quarreling with children over a kickball.
“You mean him? Cousin, you don’t need to wonder—he really is simple-minded. He’s the opposite of Zhu Erdan. That’s Wang Yuanfeng, son of Wang Taichang. The children all call him ‘the fool.’ Every time they play kickball, they make him buy candied hawthorns to share before they’ll let him join, and then they quickly abandon him.”
“The fool’s reputation is infamous. No one wants their daughter to marry him. Wang Taichang has turned white-haired worrying about it.”
Chen Yuanwen looked in the direction Li Xintian pointed and spoke, recognizing Wang Yuanfeng.
“At least his heart is kind.”
Li Xintian could see Wang Yuanfeng was gentle-hearted.
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back. Farewell, Brother Bai.”
Li Xintian saw the evening glow in the sky and spoke.
“Brother Bai, farewell.”
Chen Yuanwen called out as he left.
“All right.”
Bai Yang replied with a single word, turned back to the pharmacy, lost in thought.

The Chen Residence.

“Xintian, how was your stroll today?”
After dinner, Chen Linqing asked Li Xintian.
“The capital has changed a lot.”
Li Xintian answered without hesitation.
“Oh? Is that so? Your grandfather has received word that you composed a grand poem outside, and even gifted the original to the Prime Minister’s daughter. I suspect the Prime Minister is overjoyed. Should I recite your poem aloud for you?”
Chen Linqing smiled meaningfully at Li Xintian.
“Grandfather, please don’t. It’s nothing, really. Let’s not mention it.”
Li Xintian blushed, feeling the murderous aura from Hu Qiuyan, thinking tonight might be trouble.
“Haha, now you’re shy with your grandfather?”
Chen Linqing laughed.
“Xintian, Grandma supports you. You’re better than Zishan and Yuanwen.”
Huo Wanping spoke, giving Chen Zishan and Chen Yuanwen a sharp look, as if to say, you two are hopeless.
“You brat, I told you to study, but you always slack off. Go on, go teach your son.”
Chen Zishan slapped Chen Yuanwen lightly on the back of the head, signaling with his eyes.
“I’ll go at once.”
Chen Yuanwen rubbed his head and lowered it.
“Mother, let me go supervise them. I don’t trust Yuanwen to properly keep watch.”

After Chen Yuanwen left, Chen Zishan spoke.
Huo Wanping certainly saw through Chen Zishan’s thoughts, nodding slightly.
Then Chen Zishan sensed the atmosphere was off and quickly glanced at his wife, Huo Wanping, signaling her.
The two elders found an excuse and left, leaving Li Xintian and Hu Qiuyan alone.
“I have something to do. You rest well.”
Li Xintian said, then dashed away.
“Don’t even think about running!”
Hu Qiuyan chased after him.
“Everyone, let me stay the night—I’m being hunted by a ruthless one, no, a five-hundred-year-old fox spirit. I have no choice but to disturb you.”
Li Xintian hid in the Temple of Ten Courts, gasping for breath.
“Li Xintian, if I catch you, you’re dead. And not in a good way.”
Hu Qiuyan, seeing no trace or scent of Li Xintian, shouted furiously to vent her anger before leaving.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Li Xintian realized Hu Qiuyan had left and bowed in gratitude.
Only the Judge of the Underworld appeared in his own statue.
“Li Xintian, why are you so scared? Did you do something shameful? Last time, wasn’t she your friend?”
The Judge looked at Li Xintian, gossiping.
“Greetings, Judge. That’s right—what am I afraid of? She and I are innocent, why run?”
Li Xintian suddenly remembered: this was the ancient era, not modern times.
“Hmm, someone’s coming.”
The Judge of the Underworld sensed someone entering the Temple of Ten Courts and transformed into a statue.
Li Xintian hurriedly hid himself.

Outside, Zhu Erdan’s father had suddenly suffered a stomach ache. Ke Shaorong joked that the master should make more ‘soft gold,’ so she wouldn’t need to wear a silver bracelet anymore but could switch to gold. Thinking of the silver chain left in the temple, Zhu Erdan entered to fetch it.
Zhu Erdan pushed open the temple door, leaving only a crack. Within, only candlelight flickered, casting an eerie gloom that filled Zhu Erdan with fear and dread.
Li Xintian poked his head out as Zhu Erdan opened the door to look outside.
“A ghost! A ghost!”
Already gripped by fear, Zhu Erdan saw only Li Xintian’s face and fled in panic, shouting for help and abandoning the silver chain.
“What’s this? Even I can be mistaken for a ghost?”
Li Xintian stepped out, puzzled.
“Of course. It’s so gloomy here—he must have been scared out of his wits. Not everyone’s as fearless as you, Li Xintian.”
The Judge appeared at his statue.
“Forget it, let’s not discuss him. Please, everyone, reveal yourselves—I’d like to offer you a drink.”
Li Xintian bowed in invitation.
The King of Hell, the Black Judge, Lord Sima, and others appeared. The Grand Emperor of the Eastern Peak joined unbidden.
“Thank you all for showing your faces.”
“Have we met somewhere before?”
Li Xintian looked at the Grand Emperor of the Eastern Peak.

“Ha, young man, I am the Grand Emperor of the Eastern Peak. Look closely and see who I am.”
He transformed into the Daoist’s appearance.
“No wonder. Greetings, Grand Emperor of the Eastern Peak.”
Li Xintian bowed. This was a major figure in the underworld.
“I came uninvited—hope you don’t mind?”
The Grand Emperor smiled at Li Xintian.
“Not at all. Whoever comes is welcome. Let’s just talk as friends.”
“But you’re all dressed in official underworld robes—could you change?”
Li Xintian looked at them, suggesting a change in attire.
“Everyone, let’s change.”
The Grand Emperor was the first to transform, adopting plain black clothing. The others followed suit, each changing the color of their garments.
“This time, I must thank you all. Last time, I acted wrongly. Please forgive me. I’ll drink this cup first.”
Li Xintian brought the group to an inn, raised his cup, and drank. The wine burned, not tasting well.
“I think you’re just looking for an excuse to drink!”
The Grand Emperor joked, unconcerned about Li Xintian’s elimination of the ghost officers.
“Come, let’s drink together.”
Li Xintian raised his cup and drank, feeling the sting of the wine.
“This time, I’m inviting everyone for a drink to make friends, and also to ask a favor—please don’t let my family die untimely deaths. If they can live to old age, that’s all I want. I believe you won’t refuse this request.”
Li Xintian felt a strong intuition that trouble was coming, and wanted to protect his loved ones by cooperating with the underworld.
“Of course, if you help me, I’ll help you if the underworld ever needs aid.”
Li Xintian wouldn’t let the underworld’s help go unpaid.
“Young man, since you say so, it’s settled. Let’s drink.”
The others dared not speak, only the Grand Emperor of the Eastern Peak responded—after all, he was the leader.
“Come, drink.”
Li Xintian knew that with the Grand Emperor’s promise, his loved ones would live out their natural lives, not die prematurely.
He dared not drink too much, lest he get drunk and make mistakes, so he told jokes to entertain the Grand Emperor and the others.

The next day, at the Zhang Residence.

“General Ren.”
Xiao Wei held a letter, intending to leave through the back gate, but ran into Ren Yuanwu, who was guarding it. The letter fell to the ground.
“Hmph! That scoundrel—a disgrace to scholars! So he’s been secretly meeting with our Xiao Man all along!”
After reading the letter, Magistrate Zhang slammed his fist on the table in fury.
“Utterly shameless! A scandal! And you, the lady’s maid, dared to conceal it from us!”
Madam Zhang jabbed Xiao Wei’s forehead with her finger as she spoke.
“If word gets out, where will the Zhang family’s reputation stand?”
Madam Zhang continued angrily.