The Han Dynasty Empress is a Ghost | Chapter 6 | Penance and Hard Labor | Novela.app

There was no queue at the third table. "Come, come, give me your official credential—that bamboo slip in your hand," Yun He said to Ajiao with a beaming smile. Decades ago, any ghost sentenced to punishment would have their burial goods confiscated immediately. Over time, however, the Underworld found these items useless, while the newly deceased cared for them immensely. After some deliberation, Ghost Emperor Fei Kang, who presided over the Court of Judgment, decreed that burial goods should be returned. They would be held by the Underworld during the period of punishment and restored once the sentence was served. This saved the Underworld a great deal of trouble. Ajiao handed over the bamboo slip. Yun He brushed his hand lightly across the slip, and characters began to manifest upon it. Ajiao stole a glance; her name, dates of birth and death, her recent sentence, and a list of her burial goods were all clearly displayed. This object reminded her of the "Identification Plaques" created by Shang Yang in the mortal realm. "Give me your hand. Press your index finger here to leave a print." Yun He placed Ajiao’s official credential into a small box and pushed it toward her. "Press it into that round hole. Don't miss." *There is no ink?* Ajiao paused, dazed. "Sir, there is no ink." Yun He waved a hand dismissively. "Just press it." Hearing this, Ajiao obediently pressed her finger down. "Good." Yun He closed the box and gave a light flick of his wrist. The box flew automatically onto the shelf behind him. "Alright. Go out through the small door on the far left. A ghost messenger will take you to serve your sentence." Seeing that Yun He had already closed his eyes and slumped over the table, Ajiao gave a respectful bow and walked out. Her mother had told her that she must be obedient at the Underworld’s Court of Judgment; she should simply follow the rules and do as she was told. These ghost messengers did not deign to make life difficult for ordinary spirits. Stepping through the small door, she was led away by a guard. *I wonder what this hard labor entails?* Ajiao wondered as she walked. Being a ghost did have its perks; despite walking so much today, she didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue and remained full of energy. After walking for a long while, they reached an open clearing. Many ghosts were already there serving their sentences. "Newcomers, come over here to get your ropes! Then go to the area with the red light across from us to drag stones. Move them to that large white platform over there!" a guard shouted, pacing back and forth along the path. The stones were massive—each one taller than a person and perfectly square. *Can these even be moved?* Ajiao could see the giant blocks from a distance. "I have never even swept a room in my life!" she muttered, taking a deep breath out of habit, though a ghost had no need for air. After receiving her rope, Ajiao prepared to head toward the red light. Guards patrolled the roadside, whips in hand. Whenever they spotted a ghost being lazy or sluggish, they delivered a swift lash. Black smoke would rise from the spot where the ghost was struck. It was terrifying. Ajiao looked at the working ghosts; men and women alike wore practical, sturdy clothing. Looking at herself, her hair ornaments and flowing skirts were far too ornate and entirely unsuitable for labor. She approached a nearby guard. "Sir, may I ask if there is a place to change my attire? My current dress is quite inconvenient for work." The guard gave her a cursory glance. "Go back to where you got the rope and find someone to change it for you." Ajiao had no choice but to turn back and explain her request to the guard there. With a wave of his hand, her clothes were instantly transformed. She thanked him hurriedly. Entering the area glowing with red light, Ajiao realized it was a pool dozens of feet wide and long. Guards stood at the edge, fishing out stone blocks one after another. She had seen too many wonders today to bother marveling anymore. Ajiao walked up to a guard, who snatched the rope from her hand and tossed it toward a stone. In the blink of an eye, the rope was firmly bound to the block. Seeing the other young female ghosts already shouldering their ropes and dragging stones forward, Ajiao bolstered her courage and mimicked their movements. The stone was much lighter than she had imagined! It felt no heavier than carrying a small child on her back. Feeling a sudden sense of relief, Ajiao began to stride forward. *** After his meeting ended, Shen Zhi walked toward his quarters alone. The King of Hell had already spoken to him this morning regarding the matter of the Hall of Reincarnation, so he was no longer surprised. However, the King had mentioned that once the Hall of Reincarnation was completed, he wanted to transfer Shen Zhi there to a new post. Although it was technically a promotion, Shen Zhi had been a ghost messenger since he first entered the Underworld and had worked his way up to the rank of Magistrate. He was used to the days of traveling everywhere for the Hall of Soul Retrieval. To make him sit at a desk all day like those in the Court of Judgment? He simply wasn't suited for it. "Lord Shen!" a voice suddenly rang out in his ear. *Liu Piao?* Guantao was standing at the entrance of Shen Zhi’s residence. Seeing him, she hurried forward to greet him. Shen Zhi wanted nothing more than to pretend he hadn't seen her and turn away. Although Liu Piao had only been in the Underworld for two years, her habit of changing her face faster than one could flip the pages of a book often left him speechless. Looking at her smiling, somewhat fawning expression, he truly couldn't see the personality of someone who had lived to nearly seventy. "Greetings, Lord Shen. I must trouble you this time..." Guantao bowed with a smile. "Chen Ajiao has already been sent to the Court of Judgment. I know nothing else," Shen Zhi interrupted her directly. Liu Piao’s questions about Ajiao died in her throat. "Then, could your lordship help me look into it?" Guantao asked, unwilling to give up. "That is not under my jurisdiction." Shen Zhi walked straight into his house and shut the door firmly. Guantao stared at the closed door, her heart feeling as though it were being scratched by a cat—anxious, angry, and worried all at once. "Shen Zhi, do you have no conscience? Last year when you went to catch that evil spirit and came back covered in wounds, who was it that looked after you every day? It was me! Now I ask for one small favor, and you won't help?" *Even if it was Emperor Jing who told me to look after him, I still did the work myself!* Having shouted her thoughts aloud, Guantao felt a bit better. She decided to let her two brothers continue their inquiries. Although they were only temporary workers, they had made a few acquaintances; perhaps they would find something out. *Oh, that Ajiao... I worried for her while she was alive, and now that she's dead, I have to keep worrying!* *** When she first discovered the stones weren't very heavy, Ajiao had wondered how this could possibly be considered a punishment. However, after several trips, she realized her ghostly form was aching all over. It felt exactly as it had when she was alive and had walked for an entire day without rest. This was the first time she had felt such a sensation since descending to the Underworld. Ajiao found it novel, yet extremely uncomfortable. Worse still, she wasn't allowed to rest. After dropping off a stone, she massaged her limbs while walking back toward the pool, her pace slowing more and more. "No slacking! Move faster!" A whip fell unexpectedly across her back. "Ah!" Ajiao nearly jumped from the pain. Her back burned as if on fire. "Keep moving, keep moving! Don't be lazy!" The guard’s whip cracked against the ground, narrowly missing her hair. The other ghosts scrambled to stay far away from her, terrified of being caught in the crossfire. Ajiao was forced to push forward with all her might. The guard watched the ghosts whose steps were growing sluggish and shook his head. Originally, many of these ghosts were meant to face brutal tortures like the "Thousand Cuts" or being boiled in oil. However, because the order to build the Hall of Reincarnation had come down suddenly today and the Underworld was short-staffed, many sentences had been commuted to hard labor here. It was a stroke of luck for them! Yet they were still lazy and wouldn't work properly. How could they not be punished? Furthermore, ghosts did not truly experience physical exhaustion. The fatigue these spirits felt was merely the influence of the indolence growing within them. As long as they corrected their mindset, the exhaustion would vanish. This was an act of atonement; how could it possibly be comfortable? As Ajiao walked forward, she suddenly felt her sense of fatigue lighten considerably. *Could it be that my back hurts so much I can no longer feel the tiredness?* She did not dare to stop again. Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 官信 | Official credential | A bamboo slip serving as a ghost's ID and record of property. 费康鬼帝 | Ghost Emperor Fei Kang | An official presiding over the Court of Judgment. 审判司 | Court of Judgment | The department responsible for sentencing ghosts. 照身帖 | Identification Plaque | A historical ID system created by Shang Yang. 轮回司 | Hall of Reincarnation | A new department being built in the Underworld. 勾魂司 | Hall of Soul Retrieval | The department responsible for bringing souls to the Underworld. 令官 | Magistrate | A rank of official in the Underworld (e.g., Shen Zhi). 阎君 | King of Hell | Yama, the ruler of the Underworld. 苦役 | Hard labor | Penal servitude used as a form of atonement.