It was relatively easy for the Black and White Impermanents, but when Liu Dashao heard Old Lady Fan’s shout, he actually started to feel a bit hungry. At the same time, he remembered he was still a living person and couldn’t stay too long in the underworld. He turned to the Black and White Impermanents and said, “Today’s chat was really enjoyable! Unfortunately, I’m still alive and can’t stay down here too long. Otherwise, I would definitely stay and keep you company. When the day comes and you two brothers are free, please come visit me at my home. I’ll make sure my father prepares the best dishes and serves the finest Shao Daizi liquor for you!”
The Black and White Impermanents chuckled without trying to stop him. They knew the rules between the worlds of the living and the dead. They replied, “Heh, heh! That’s your promise, don’t go back on it later. Alright then, staying here too long might drain your yang energy and cause health problems later. We won’t insist on keeping you for dinner. It’s just wax candles and paper money anyway—nothing nearly as delicious as that roasted rabbit we had last time. Just follow the path back with those three souls, and take the route opposite of the Naihe Bridge. That way is guarded by the Bull-Headed Guard, who’s always been careless on duty. We’ll let you slip through easily. Take care, brother!”
With that, the Black and White Impermanents bowed to Liu Dashao and then herded the spirits into a line to head back. As they went, they shouted at the spirits, “Don’t open your mouths in front of Lady Mengpo, understand? Or we’ll fry you in oil and pull out your tongues! Hahahaha! You won’t enjoy that one bit, believe me!” In the distance, one could still hear the whistling sound of the mourners’ sticks and the constant wailing and pleading of the little ghosts.
Liu Dashao was overjoyed watching the Black and White Impermanents gradually disappear into the distance, and the envious, jealous glances from the spirits. His heart was brimming with joy, absolutely delighted beyond words.
Finally, Liu Dashao and the others slowly made their way toward the Naihe Bridge. Along the way, Liu Dashao cheerfully sang a classic Northeastern Errenzhuan tune called “Wang Ersister Longs for Her Husband,” winking and making faces as he walked at the front.
“Oh! Singing now, the autumn wind in August makes everyone shiver with cold.
A frosty dew falls like a heavy rain.
The little frost strikes the single-rooted grass,
And the big flat gourd swings from the buckwheat stalk.
Swallows fly from south to north and still know cold and warmth,
While the maiden in her chamber still longs for her beloved scholar.
In Suzhou City lives Old Lord Wang, rich beyond measure with more grain than he can use.
Though he has silver and gold, he isn’t truly rich,
For he lacks a son to carry on the family name.
One mother bore two daughters,
And when the girls grew up, they married scholars.
The second daughter married Zhang Tingxiu,
And the eldest married a rogue named Zhao Ang.
Zhao Ang became an official in Nanjing,
And Lady Wang became the wife of an official…”
Well, Liu Dashao singing was one thing, but unexpectedly Old Lady Fan joined in with great enthusiasm. This puzzled Liu Dashao and the others—they couldn’t figure out why this old woman was so happy.
Actually, Old Lady Fan was thinking this: Liu Dashao was on good terms with the Black and White Impermanents, and she herself knew Liu Dashao. Earlier, she had even crossed paths with the two Impermanents and managed to become somewhat familiar with them. So in the future, when she had to come down to the underworld again, hehe… maybe they’d even grant her a few extra years of life. Thinking of this, Old Lady Fan gave a sinister, sinister laugh, so creepy that Liu Dashao and the others’ hairs stood on end and cold sweat poured down. They thought maybe the old woman had been possessed by a ghost.
Just then, suddenly, a monster with a horse’s face appeared at the crossroads, glaring at Liu Dashao and the others with narrow eyes full of ill intent. Old Lady Fan panicked and quickly pulled Liu Dashao aside, trying to sneak past, but the Horse-Faced Guard simply leaned sideways and blocked the entire path.
“Officer, what’s the matter?” Seeing there was no way to avoid it, Old Lady Fan forced her wrinkled face into what she hoped was a charming expression and approached the Horse-Face with a smile.
“Take them back!” The Horse-Faced Guard raised his weapon, making Old Lady Fan leap aside in terror. It was a thick iron club covered in sharp spikes—any contact meant instant death!
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Once you’ve entered the gates of the underworld, there’s no going back!” The Horse-Faced Guard sneered, pointing at the souls of Tian Guoqiang and the others.
Coincidentally, it had originally been the Bull-Headed Guard’s shift, but he had been called away, so the Horse-Faced Guard had taken his place. By sheer chance, he had encountered Old Lady Fan’s ill-fated group.
“Old Lady Fan, he, he…” Liu Dashao, unaccustomed to such a scene, turned pale and hid behind Old Lady Fan, peeking out with a pale face to whisper, “Who is he?”
“Shh! He’s also a ghost officer, and you should know—he’s Horse-Face from the Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced Guards!” Old Lady Fan whispered back.
Legend has it that Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced once held high authority in the underworld. But why did they later become mere officers under King Yama, responsible only for capturing souls? There’s an interesting story behind this.
Long ago, in Fengdu City, there lived a wealthy man surnamed Ma, a powerful figure in both wealth and influence. He should have been content, but there was one thing that troubled him deeply. At sixty years old, despite eleven concubines, he had only one son. No matter how many prayers and offerings he made, he couldn’t have more children. Naturally, he cherished his only son, Ma Yichun, like a precious gem. But he worried endlessly—if anything happened to the boy, not only would the Ma family line end, but his vast fortune would have no heir.
Then, misfortunes came in succession. One morning, after breakfast, Ma Yichun was preparing to go out to buy food for his son’s eighteenth birthday banquet when, by chance, a fortune teller passed by his house shouting, “Fortunes told! Fortunes told!”
Hearing this, Ma Yichun was overjoyed and forgot all about his errand. He hurriedly invited the fortune teller inside, offered tea, and respectfully asked, “Master, would you please read my son’s fortune?”
The fortune teller nodded and said, “Of course.” Ma Yichun quickly provided his son’s birth details. The fortune teller calculated for a moment, then suddenly turned pale and exclaimed, “Oh no!”
Ma Yichun was startled and immediately broke into a cold sweat. “What’s wrong?”
“I’d rather not say,” the fortune teller hesitated.
Ma Yichun grew even more anxious and begged, “Please, Master, tell me the truth!”
After a pause, the fortune teller said, “Your son has a good fortune in food and clothing, but his lifespan is very short.”
“How short?”
“Eighteen years.”
Ma Yichun cried out in shock and fainted, only to awaken after a long while, his face pale with fear. He realized that the next day, his son’s eighteenth birthday, would be the day of his death. Overcome with grief, he wept bitterly.
After some time, he finally managed to ask, “Master, please, is there any way to save my poor son?”
The fortune teller thought for a moment and replied, “There’s no way for ordinary people, but there is one path, though it may cost you dearly.”
Hearing there was hope, Ma Yichun calmed down a bit and said, “I’ll do anything—even if it means losing all my wealth!”
The fortune teller told him, “At midnight tomorrow night, prepare a lavish feast and bring it in a food box to the twelfth step before the ‘Gate of Ghosts.’ Offer the food to the two people playing chess there. But you must invite them three times and wait patiently—don’t rush.” Ma Yichun memorized every word.
The next day, he arrived at the designated spot and indeed saw two people deeply engrossed in a game of chess. These two were none other than the Bull-Headed and Horse-Faced Guards. Ma Yichun dared not disturb them, so he quietly knelt aside, holding the food box above his head and watching silently. After they finished one game, he carefully said, “Honored spirits, please eat before continuing your game!”
The two barely acknowledged him and began another game.
Ma Yichun waited patiently until the second game ended, still unnoticed. He grew anxious but dared not interrupt, continuing to kneel there devotedly. After a while, Bull-Head suddenly put down his piece and said, “Brother Ma, it’s time for us to go.”
Horse-Faced quickly packed up the chessboard and prepared to leave. Ma Yichun panicked, fearing he would miss his chance. He shouted desperately, “Honored spirits, please eat before leaving!”
The two turned around and asked, “Who are you?”
Seeing his chance, Ma Yichun eagerly replied, “Honored spirits, you must be hungry after your hard work. I’ve prepared this humble meal to offer you.”
Seeing his sincerity and the delicious food, the two guards’ mouths watered. Horse-Faced whispered to Bull-Head, “Brother Niu, we haven’t eaten yet. Let’s have a meal first. It’s hard to refuse such a kind gesture. What do you think?”
Bull-Head had been thinking the same but hadn’t dared to say so. He nodded and said, “Eating before we leave won’t delay us.” They devoured the food like a whirlwind. As they were about to leave, they noticed Ma Yichun still kneeling, so they asked, “You’ve gone to great expense for us. Do you have a request?”
Ma Yichun quickly bowed and said, “I have an only son whose life is nearly over. I beg you, Honored Spirits, to spare him!”
“What’s his name?”
“Ma Yichun.”
Bull-Head checked the “Soul-Capturing Order” from Judge Cui and was shocked. “Brother Ma, the person we were sent to capture is none other than your son. But the time hasn’t come yet…”
Ma Yichun kept bowing and pleading, “Honored Spirits, if you can extend his life, I’ll be forever grateful and reward you handsomely!”
Bull-Head replied, “The laws of the underworld are strict. It’s not easy to change fate.”
Ma Yichun, desperate, suddenly turned to Horse-Faced and said, “I have an elder brother surnamed Ma who also holds power in the underworld. If you won’t help, I’ll have to go to him.”
Horse-Faced thought, “In the underworld, from kings to ghosts, I know everyone surnamed Ma. If this relative is me, yet I’ve never met him.” He asked cautiously, “I’m also surnamed Ma. Who is your elder brother?”
Ma Yichun exclaimed joyfully, “I didn’t recognize you! One brush can’t write two ‘Ma’s. Brother, I beg you!”
Horse-Faced said, “You say you’re my brother, but I don’t remember.”
“You drank the Soul-Confusing Tea after coming to the underworld, so you’ve forgotten everything from the human world,” Ma Yichun replied.
Horse-Faced thought it made sense. Having eaten Ma Yichun’s food, he felt he should help. He exchanged a glance with Bull-Head. Bull-Head understood and thought, “Since it’s like this, let’s just do them a favor and get a bit of extra money.” So, under the influence of wine, they returned to the underworld and canceled the order.
When King Yama learned of this, he sent White Impermanent to investigate and confirmed the truth. Enraged, King Yama summoned Bull-Head and Horse-Faced to his court. To make an example of them, he ordered forty lashes each before blowing two gusts of cold wind, instantly reverting them to their original forms. Seeing their remorse, King Yama demoted them from officials to mere officers in the underworld, assigned to capture souls ever since.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage