Chapter 32: Flourishing Prosperity

  At this moment, I thought of that prosperous and magnificent era, and asked about the inside story of Tang Wang's return to Yang.

  The Tang Dynasty, one of the most prosperous dynasties in Chinese history. It has produced numerous superstars in the fields of literature and art, sports, beauty, and entertainment, ushering in the golden age of chubby culture, making it a dynasty that countless fat souls yearn for day and night, and is considered one of the most brilliant and unique pearls in Chinese history.

  The national name "Tang" of the Tang Dynasty was an ancient name for Jin, and the central region of Shanxi Province. During its heyday in the Tianbao period, the population reached 80 million, laying a hidden seed for later family planning.

  The Tang Dynasty was also the first unified dynasty since Qin, Han and Sui Dynasties that did not build the Great Wall. The largest territory spanned from Luo Fu Zhou in the south to Xuan Que Zhou in the north, An Xi Zhou in the west and Ge Wu Zhou in the east, covering an area of 11 million square kilometers. Just think about it, Chinatowns are all over the world, which can prove how powerful this prosperous dynasty was.

  That was a golden age, with countless wealthy and powerful people. Thinking of that glorious era, my ancestors were so excited they couldn't contain themselves, holding my hand tightly and stroking it repeatedly, looking at me with deep affection.

  "Cui Ming, this Tang Dynasty's reputation is already so great, no need for me to say more! However, this fame comes at a cost. There's no free lunch in the world, and certainly no dropped manna from heaven. Before the prosperous Tang era, the Sui Dynasty was also considered majestic, but it went bad because of Emperor Yang of Sui's extravagance and debauchery, exhausting the people and draining the treasury, ultimately leading to a crisis of governance and great chaos in the land. In Henan Province, there were Zhang Jiao and Li Mi's Huaiyang gang; in Hebei Province, there was Dou Jiande's troops; in Jianghuai region, there were Du Fuwei and Xiao Xiang's factions... It was truly a chaotic world, a mess. The ancestors' words only added to the chaos of that era."

  Watching the ancestors at this moment, I quickly cooperated with the appearance of a diligent student, highlighting the ancestors' profound knowledge and unfathomable depth.

  "The wars of Tujue, Xiyu, Xueyantuo, Baekje, Goguryeo, Dashi, and Tubo have produced so many heroes! But in exchange for this prosperous era, which is praised by the world and passed down through the ages, my name is not on the list of honors. This is the sorrow of an unknown hero. While others enjoy flowers, applause, and beauty, I am haunted by the curse of the ten thousand souls, demanding repayment with my life." Moved to the depths of his soul, the ancestors wept tears, this mighty judge, this high-ranking official in the underworld, at this moment accompanied by rolling thick smoke, tears streaming down his face.

  I want to gently pat the ancestors' backs, but I'm worried about those scorching tears, so maybe just looking and listening is the best comfort.

  "The governance of Zhenguan, the beauty of plump and beautiful women, the romantic poets, the grandeur of a prosperous era... How many people know that a large part of these achievements are due to our family's efforts? Who has ever felt the desolation of this behind-the-scenes hero? I warmed the eyes of the world, but who will warm my chilly heart?"

  This sentence is simply classic, I silently memorize it, thinking that it will be used when writing a love letter in the future.

  Looking at the ancestors in front of me who are still in a sentimental state, I try to squeeze out the deep sadness and mourn together for those glorious years that have passed.

  Actually, pretending to be cool isn't an easy thing! Who am I standing tall in the wind for?

  "Ugh, sorry about that, I made you watch a small joke. Every time I mention this matter, I feel unwell and lonely. At first, I thought being an unknown hero was pretty cool, didn't it seem like we had high quality and awareness? But looking at those guys on the front line, holding press conferences, endorsing products, releasing albums, writing books... they're all so famous, while what do I have? The more I think about it, the angrier I get, it's unbearable!"

  It seems that wanting to pretend to be low-key is really going to cost a painful price, the bloody lesson is right before our eyes!

  "My ancestors let out a deep sigh and continued, 'It's just that the propaganda work back then was not thorough enough, and many people didn't know about my advanced deeds. I should have received honors but didn't, it's very disappointing! Not many people knew, I'm very lonely! This is also one of the biggest regrets in my life.' It seems that my ancestors are not as calm as I imagined! Even great figures have their own sorrows. I nodded repeatedly, like a well-behaved student."

  Almost ran off track, continuing to say, the matter of Tang Wang's resurrection was due to the old dragon of Jinghe offending the heavenly laws, privately bringing down rain, resulting in the loss of heavenly property. The Jade Emperor was furious and ordered Wenqu Star Wei Zheng to execute the old dragon on his orders.

  Jinghe Old Dragon was so frightened after hearing this that he became like a snake. After thinking it over, the only way to resolve this matter was to find Wei Zheng's direct superior, namely Tang Emperor Li Shimin. After saying all the nice things and promising that everything would be fine in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, the emperor agreed to personally arrange for Wei Zheng to let him off. Upon hearing this, Jinghe Old Dragon was so excited that he left with a fart and urine flowing!

  The Tang Emperor was a reliable master, thinking that since he had promised the old dragon and had also obtained benefits for the people, he should quickly arrange for Wei Zheng. So the Tang Emperor immediately issued an edict summoning Wei Zheng to enter the palace for a game of Go, thinking that by dragging out the time, he would not let Wei Zheng leave, and this death sentence could not be carried out. However, who knew that near noon, Wei Zheng actually fell asleep at his desk, and Taizong pinched his nose and dug into his acupuncture points but still didn't see him wake up, even calling two small eunuchs to give artificial respiration, but there was still no effect. Just as the imperial physician was about to arrive...

  Emperor Taizong saw Wei Zheng sleeping soundly and shouted "Cut, cut, cut" three times before falling back asleep. The emperor thought this was just a case of sleepwalking and didn't think much of it. Just as he finished speaking, the sky outside the palace, which had been clear and sunny just moments before, suddenly darkened with thick clouds and loud thunder. With a deafening clap of thunder, a dragon head descended from the sky - it was the Dragon King of Jing River.

  It turned out that Wen Qu Xing Wei Zheng Meng killed the Dragon King of Jinhe River, and Tang Wang did not expect that things would turn out to be like this. Now that things have come to this, he can only give up."

  Listening to the ancestors' words, I feel emotional that the famous remonstrating official Wei Zheng actually has such extraordinary abilities, no wonder he had the courage to poke the Tang king's eyebrow, earlier I thought it was all because of his boldness, but it turns out the background is so strong.

  The ancestors continued to speak, and I kept listening:

  "That night, the old dragon of Jinghe River, covered in blood and holding his head in his hands, appeared before Emperor Taizong of Tang again. The scene was so frightening that even the mighty Emperor Taizong broke a sweat. He ordered General Qin Qiong and General Zuo to guard the palace gate, not allowing the old dragon to enter. The old dragon then went directly to the underworld to file a complaint, saying that when he saw Emperor Taizong, he would have to bow three times and knock his head nine times. Upon hearing this, Yan Wang became enraged and ordered Hei Bai Wu Chang to come and take the emperor's life to the underworld for trial."

  It turns out that the truth behind this history is actually like this, and this old dragon is quite ruthless.

  "At that time, I was the Yang Shi Yin Cha and also the magistrate of Changzi County in Lu Prefecture. Upon receiving the order from Prime Minister Wei Zheng, I was responsible for escorting the Tang King to the underground palace. Everyone said that this was a prosperous era with good governance, and it was hard to find a sage emperor. For the sake of the common people, I, Cui Jue, did not fear life or death. My head had a scar as big as a bowl, and even if my skull were shattered, my brain would still be intact! Moreover, with the arrangement of Wenqu Star Wei Zheng, I was even more fearless."

  During the confrontation at Yan Wang's temple, facing my eloquence, this old dragon couldn't produce any evidence to prove that Tang Wang had slandered Yan Wang, so he was released without guilt. However, this old dragon was directly punished and carved into a pillar in the toilet for life, forever smelling foul.

  As it should be, with the release of the innocent, the matter was settled. But I got excited, my adrenaline surged, and I added 20 years to Tang Wang's lifespan. Alas, this is against the underworld's laws, so I was deducted 20 years' worth of salary, and I was impoverished for 20 years. And I missed seeing 20 years' worth of mortal little sisters! All because of my impulsive punishment!"

  It seems that our ancestors were indeed people who made outstanding contributions to a prosperous dynasty!

  I looked at Zongzong and said: "Since nothing's wrong, how did the Wan Soul Curse appear?"

  "This old dragon slandered me, and secretly spread the news that Tang Wang had entered the underworld. Those ghosts who died in battle learned of this and privately contacted each other to block my way with Tang Wang at the Ghost Gate."

  I thought to myself, this old dragon is indeed not ordinary!

  "You think, as the saying goes, 'a life for a life, a debt repaid', this is an unchanging principle of heaven and earth. No matter how powerful your reason, no matter how kind your excuse, these are all unshakeable truths. Behind the prosperous Tang Dynasty, there were countless lost souls, too many to count. On that day, the 64 wisps of smoke gathered at the Ghost Gate, the tens of thousands of vengeful spirits from the 72 bandit families who died unjustly came to demand justice. The scene was truly a sea of ghosts and monsters, with drums beating loudly, colorful flags fluttering in the wind, and a grand spectacle unfolding. Even now, when I think back on those evil demons and thugs, like Ma Te, Xisheng, and Chui, who were killed, I still break out in cold sweat."

  Listening to the ancestors' words, thinking of that eerie and terrifying scene, just thinking about it makes one's whole body feel chilly.

  "These are all desperate guys, as the saying goes, barefooted people are not afraid of those wearing shoes. These wandering ghosts and wild devils have nothing to fear either. After being a ghost for many years, I've gotten used to it. Looking at this situation, although I'm very fierce, but if we fight one on one, it would take at least ten or eight years. Even if I can hold on, Tang Wang's yang body would have turned into sand by then. In that thrilling moment, I suddenly had an idea, thinking of the famous saying 'money can make ghosts grind mills'. I remembered that 'Hu Shao Zhi' Xiang Liang had thirteen warehouses of silver in hell. Xiang Liang was an old man who sold black pottery and tiles, and when he had nothing to do, he would randomly go burn paper money for Yan Wang (the king of hell). People called him 'Hu Shao Qian'. Over time, he accumulated a fortune of thirteen warehouses of silver in hell."

  "So I borrowed the silver from Old Hu with an interest of one-thousandth, and in the face of so much wealth, those poor ghostly gangs were busy fighting and snatching, without time to bother us. Taking advantage of the gap, we slipped out of the Ghost Gate. After Taizong's resurrection, this group of dead ghosts regretted it, but at that moment, the Tang king was protected by the Qinglong aura in the sun, and could not take revenge. So the ghostly resentment was all poured onto my ancestors, resulting in this cursed Soul-destroying Curse!"