Chapter Fifty-Nine: Wei Xiaoping Takes in the

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Wei Xiaoping and Luo Zhifu hurried toward the gatehouse of the All Things Transmigration Consultation Office. Even before they reached the entrance, they could already see, from a distance, a strikingly handsome ghost standing by the door.

Wei Xiaoping thought, That handsome ghost must be the messenger sent by King Yama!

The handsome ghost was conversing with the two Underworld Hounds stationed outside the entrance; the two hounds kept kneeling and nodding submissively as they listened.

Wei Xiaoping asked Luo Zhifu, “Brother Luo, is that ghost by the door the messenger sent by King Yama?”

Luo Zhifu replied, “Indeed! I’ve been here for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen King Yama dispatch a messenger to this place. And it’s the first time the messenger has come here and immediately asked for you by name. I wonder what business he has with you?”

Wei Xiaoping said, “Could it be that I made some mistake, and King Yama has sent a messenger to seize me?”

“I doubt it. Most likely, there’s some important matter King Yama wishes to entrust to you. If he wanted to arrest you, it wouldn’t be done like this!”

“What could it be? My soul will soon return to my mortal body—then I’ll be forever separated from the Underworld!” Wei Xiaoping mused inwardly.

Before long, Wei Xiaoping and Luo Zhifu were standing before the messenger sent by King Yama.

“Messenger Horseface, the General Wei Xiaoping you asked for is here! This is General Wei!” Luo Zhifu introduced him to the messenger, who was addressed as Messenger Horseface. “General Wei, this is the messenger sent by King Yama—Messenger Horseface!”

Wei Xiaoping stared in astonishment at the messenger before him, thinking, Legend has it that King Yama has two messengers at his side—one called Oxhead, the other Horseface. Their heads, it is said, are those of an ox and a horse, mounted on human bodies. But this Messenger Horseface has the face of a handsome man. Why doesn’t he look anything like the tales describe?

“Greetings, Messenger Horseface! I am Wei Xiaoping, and I pay my respects!” Wei Xiaoping saluted Messenger Horseface, then stood, his gaze fixed upon the messenger.

“There’s no need for such formality, General Wei,” Messenger Horseface replied with a bow of his own, also gazing at Wei Xiaoping.

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The two spirits regarded each other for a moment. Then Messenger Horseface inquired, “General Wei, why do you stare at me so intently? Is there something amiss with my attire?”

Wei Xiaoping immediately felt embarrassed and said, “Messenger Horseface, I was rude just now! Please forgive me!”

Messenger Horseface responded, “General Wei, you haven’t answered my question yet! That truly was discourteous! Hahahahaha!”

Wei Xiaoping realized the messenger possessed a sense of humor, which made him find Messenger Horseface rather endearing. He quickly said, “It’s nothing, really! It’s just that, when I was alive, I often heard from my elders that King Yama had two messengers, Oxhead and Horseface, each with a beast’s head upon a human body. But now I see that you, Messenger Horseface, have the features of a handsome and robust man. Clearly, rumors can’t be trusted!”

Messenger Horseface chuckled at his words and said, “What you heard was not untrue, General. I truly did once have the face of a horse! But thanks to King Yama’s favor, after thousands of years of atonement and performing good deeds at his side, I moved him to compassion, and he restored my horse’s head to my original human form.”

Hearing this, Wei Xiaoping wondered to himself, Could it be that King Yama’s messengers, Horseface and Oxhead, were, like the six Underworld Hounds, once mortals who wronged their parents and were punished by being turned into beasts?

Wei Xiaoping bowed deeply and said, “Messenger Horseface, I spoke out of turn earlier—my apologies!”

Messenger Horseface said, “General Wei, we’ve only just met, yet you’ve already bowed to me twice! You are so refined and courteous—clearly, you are a man of deep feeling and kindness. No wonder you were so easily defeated by Wei Xiaofan! With such a gentle character, how could you have been a general in the mortal world?”

Wei Xiaoping was taken aback to hear this and thought, How could this Messenger Horseface in the Underworld know I was wounded by Wei Xiaofan?

Standing nearby, Luo Zhifu noticed how well they seemed to be getting along and interjected, “Messenger Horseface, General Wei, since you’re so in tune, why not come inside the gatehouse and have a seat?”

At Luo Zhifu’s suggestion, Messenger Horseface seemed to recall the task assigned by King Yama and said, “General Wei Xiaoping, His Excellency King Yama sent me to you today with an important message.”

Hearing that King Yama had something to entrust to him, Wei Xiaoping tried to kneel, as if receiving an imperial edict in the mortal realm.

Messenger Horseface quickly reached out to steady him, saying, “There’s no need to kneel, General Wei. In the Underworld, unless you have broken the laws of the King, there is no distinction of rank among us. You need not kneel!”

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Once Wei Xiaoping stood upright, Messenger Horseface continued, “General Wei, though you were still young in the mortal world, you understood right from wrong, cared for the people, and possessed a deep sense of duty. King Yama has foreseen that, upon your return to the world of the living, you will soon accomplish great deeds that will benefit the nation and its people. To aid you in your future endeavors, King Yama has ordered that the six Underworld Hounds at the gate be entrusted to your service. First, the crimes these six committed in their previous lives were grave and had a far-reaching impact. Although they have suffered much in the Underworld and in their subsequent reincarnations, their punishment is not yet fully repaid. Second, having endured these hardships, the six have repented and now seek a chance to do good for the people. King Yama wishes to assign them a worthy master, so they may serve with purpose. At first, he could not find a suitable master, so he stationed them here as gatekeepers. But foreseeing your ordeal and journey to the Underworld, and knowing you are a rare and virtuous general, King Yama decided to have these six Underworld Hounds follow and assist you in your future undertakings.”

Hearing this, Wei Xiaoping recalled how Yang Zhijin and Luo Zhifu had previously told him about these Underworld Hounds. At the time, Luo Zhifu had said King Yama was waiting for someone destined to cross their path—so he was that person after all!

Wei Xiaoping said, “But, Messenger Horseface, my mortal body is gravely wounded. I do not even know if I will fully awaken, let alone recover. How can I accomplish any great feats? If King Yama gives me the Underworld Hounds and I am unable to fulfill my destiny, would that not squander their chance at redemption?”

Messenger Horseface replied, “General Wei, you may not realize that our King Yama presides over the fate and life of all beings, both in the mortal world and the Underworld—his divine power is beyond compare! Since he has entrusted you with the hounds, surely he has foreseen your future. If he could not see what lies ahead, how could he assign you these hounds, or claim that you are destined for greatness?”

Wei Xiaoping, hearing this, conceded the truth of it—King Yama, as the sovereign of life and death, would not act without certainty.

He said, “As for the six Underworld Hounds, I have heard their tale from Brother Luo Zhifu and Brother Yang Zhijin, and I am deeply moved by their later deeds. Since this is so, Messenger Horseface, would you kindly convey King Yama’s will to the six hounds, so that I may take them with me?”

Messenger Horseface bowed to Wei Xiaoping and said, “Thank you, General Wei, for accepting the charge entrusted by King Yama. On behalf of His Excellency, I express my gratitude.”

Wei Xiaoping quickly returned the bow.

Then Wei Xiaoping, Messenger Horseface, and Luo Zhifu turned and walked toward the entrance together.