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05 The Dragon King Is Beheaded

The blue-robed boys led him in, and the Emperor followed Judge Cui along the street; on either side stood ministers and generals long dead. Suddenly from the crowd stepped his father Li Yuan, his elder brother Jiancheng and his younger brother Yuanji. Jiancheng and Yuanji seized him and fell to beating him, demanding his life. Fortunately Judge Cui called in time for a blue-faced, fanged ghost officer, who drove Jiancheng and Yuanji off, and the Emperor got free. Further on, out of rosy cloud and red mist, rose a tower reaching into the clouds, of grey brick and green tile with bracketed eaves. A bar of white jade lay across the threshold, rows of gold studs studded the doors, and on the plaque above were carved four great gilt characters: "Precious Hall of Senluo." At the hall the ten Yama Kings of the Underworld stood bowing outside to greet him: King Qingguang, King Chujiang, King Songdi, King Wuguan, King Yama, King Pingdeng, King Taishan, King Dushi, King Biancheng and King Zhuanlun — all splendidly robed and fearsome of face. The Emperor returned their courtesy and went in with them. When host and guest were seated, King Qingguang cupped his hands and asked, "The ghost of the Jing River dragon accuses Your Majesty of promising to save him and then going back on your word. Is this so?" The Emperor explained to the ten kings how Wei Zheng had beheaded the dragon in a dream, and added, "I am but mortal flesh. How could I know what the Minister of Personnel did in his dream? Wherein lies my fault?" The ten kings bowed. "The Book of Death kept by the Southern Dipper star long ago decreed that the dragon should die by Wei Zheng's hand, as we knew well. But he insisted Your Majesty come for the threefold confrontation; we hope you will not take it amiss. We have already sent him into the wheel of rebirth." Then they ordered Judge Cui to fetch the Book of Life and Death, to see how long the Emperor's mortal span was. Cui Jue went to the registry and took out the Ledger of the Heavenly Emoluments of the Kings of All Nations. Opening it he was startled to read: "Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Great Tang in the Southern Jambudvipa, shall end his years in the thirteenth year of Zhenguan." He took up a large brush and added two strokes to the character for thirteen, making it thirty. Judge Cui presented the ledger to the ten kings, who saw that Emperor Taizong's span now ended in the thirty-third year of Zhenguan. "Your Majesty has twenty years of life remaining," they congratulated him. "We shall send you back to the world of light at once." The Emperor bowed his thanks. "I see that the courts of the Underworld lack for nothing in rare treasure, so I can only send some fruit as a token of my regard. What think you, my lords?" King Qingguang said, "We have winter melons and watermelons in plenty; only pumpkins we lack. Then we shall trouble Your Majesty." The Emperor took his leave. The ten kings sent Judge Cui and Marshal Zhu to escort the Emperor out of the Hall of Senluo. Marshal Zhu went ahead with the soul-guiding banner, and Judge Cui followed behind, protecting the Emperor out of the dark courts. They went several li and came to the Shady Mountain of the Underworld, steep as the ridges of Shu, high as the crags of Lu, with dark cloud brushing the ground and black mist filling the air. Goblins hid in the brambles and demons in the rock faces. Trembling, the Emperor followed the two across. Beyond the mountain they passed many court buildings, and everywhere came sounds of wailing and the plaint of suffering souls — every manner of hellish sight, most pitiful to see. The Emperor asked Judge Cui, and learned that this was the Eighteen Levels of Hell. The top three levels are the Prison of Sinew-Stretching, the Prison of Unredressed Wrongs and the Prison of the Fire Pit — silent, desolate places full of anguish, holding those who did evil in life and now pay their debt in death. The next three are the Prison of Fengdu, the Prison of Tongue-Pulling and the Prison of Flaying — full of weeping and misery, holding those who were disloyal and unfilial and outraged all that is right. The next three are the Prison of Grinding, the Prison of Pestling and the Prison of the Cart — all torn flesh and wry grimaces, holding those who deceived their own hearts and harmed others in secret.

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