Chapter 52: 怨秽 (Yuan Hui: Malevolent Taint) (1/2)

Realizing this was a Qing - dynasty zombie, I knew flying corpses had limited intelligence. Planting my hand on my hip, I slapped Er Gou twice more. His chest ropes tensed, making me nervous—one snap, and he might strangle me.

Seeing the ropes hold, I exhaled, glaring at the possessed Er Gou. "How dare a lowly scholar disrespect me! Do you know who I am?!"

His confusion gave me time to palm Five Emperors Coins, channeling their might. Noon sun dimmed the golden light in my hand, but "Liu Zixuan" froze.

At the coins' aura, Er Gou burst into tears. As a Qing official, he bowed to their imperial power—hence ancient loyalty ranked above filial piety. Ming coins wouldn't have worked. Villagers gaped as the superhuman Er Gou now sobbed: "Your Majesty, I'm wronged! Governor Li Mingjie of Fengtian framed me for refusing his bribes and reporting his corruption. I've been trapped in this yin land for reincarnation—pray redress my grievance!"

Er Gou wasn't a zombie; his true body lay nailed in the coffin. The jade in his mouth held Liu Zixuan's 怨气 (resentment). When the dying open their mouths, it's their last breath; the wronged clench their jaws, trapping malevolence. Hence, ancients placed jade in mouths to dispel 怨气 —called "jade 晗 (jade 含)" or "饭含 (rice and jade offering)".

In history, jade 晗 aimed to preserve corpses. Ge Hong's Baopuzi stated: "Jade in the nine orifices keeps the dead from decaying." Wealthy families used jade fish, cicadas, or animals; smooth jade plugs blocked orifices to retain spirit energy. Liu Zixuan's jade wasn't auspicious—Er Gou's theft released its 怨气,possessing him.

If not for his greed, we could've burned the corpse. Now he'd swallowed the jade—we couldn't carve him open. I needed a ruse, relying on the coins' imperial might. Ordinary methods risked angering Liu, harming Er Gou.

"Your Majesty, please avenge me!" Er Gou wailed.

After pondering, I said gravely: "I know your grievance, but you've been dead for years. Leave this innocent man and return to the netherworld."

"I can't rest until Fengtian's governor is punished!"

The crowd murmured. How could I produce a long - dead official? But I didn't show it. "Of course I can!" A 灵光 (flash) struck—Kaifeng's kneeling Qin Hui statue.

Er Gou stopped crying, his face deathly pale under the sun. His three yang fires flickered; if they went out, no cure existed.

The chief whispered, "What's the plan?" As Er Gou calmed, I pulled the chief aside: "Find a stonemason to carve a kneeling statue. Hurry—Er Gou's time is short."

Er Gou's parents knelt, pleading. "Uncle, a stonemason thirty kilometers away will take half a month. Will that work?" the chief fretted.

His son suggested, "Draw one on a stone slab?"

The chief kicked him: "Shut up—listen to Master!" The son rubbed his butt, muttering, "Fine, you're the boss."