Chapter 002: The Disgraceful Young Master Wan

The tax official of the Underworld Bureau stated emphatically: "This is to urge the souls to reincarnate as soon as possible, ensuring a comfortable life in the afterlife, free from natural disasters and human calamities, even more idyllic than the Peach Blossom Spring. If every soul becomes complacent in the comforts of the underworld and refuses to reincarnate, it will inevitably lead to an overabundance of souls. At that time, land prices, commodity prices, and housing prices will soar, leaving them without food or drink, resulting in unrest among the souls, which would disrupt the stability and prosperity of the entire underworld"

In the end, after much contemplation, one can only blame her father-in-law, whom she had never met. The expenses for the house, servants, and horses were excessively high, while the paper offerings were insufficient. The actual amount of money exchanged for the afterlife was not even enough to cover the handling fees and head taxes required for registering with the Bureau of Afterlife Affairs, let alone the taxes on these items. Ultimately, she had no choice but to mortgage all these properties and vehicles to the Bureau of Afterlife Affairs, in exchange for this small courtyard and the couple's household registration. Oh, and it also covered the shortfall in the money needed to purchase an official position, ultimately allowing Wan Qing to secure a job that appeared relatively respectable in the eyes of others

There are many mansions, all of which are luxurious. According to the laws of the underworld, in addition to the original exchange tax, luxurious houses are subject to an additional 20% tax for wealth redistribution. Just by listening to the name of this tax, one can understand its meaning. If we were to use the terminology from a previous life, it would be akin to a charitable fund. When wealthy individuals pass away, they must contribute a portion to assist the poor. This is not all; it is well known that land is more valuable than the buildings on it. For such a large mansion to be established in the underworld, it would require a significant amount of space. Therefore, the cost of the land plus the land tax amounts to an astronomical figure. If Wan Qing had not made a decisive decision to promptly mortgage these houses and vehicles to the underworld authorities, he would likely have become the largest 'debtor' in the underworld.

Wen Zhao was initially puzzled. Although she had a thousand and one grievances about this ghost marriage, she had once yearned for Wan Qing's family background, as it could at least fulfill her desire to live a life of ease. However, reality and ideals are always two parallel lines that never intertwine. Later, she learned that her father-in-law, whom she had never met, truly cherished his beloved son. Not to mention the paper ingots that were burned, just the wide houses and large mansions amounted to seven or eight. If she counted the paper servants, there were certainly around forty or fifty, along with sets of cars, horses, beds, tables, and chairs.

"Zhao Niang, Zhao Niang, quickly call your man over..."

Wen Zhao later learned about it and was quite dissatisfied. Are the taxes and fees really that harsh? She went straight to the Department of Underworld Affairs to check the accounts, insisting that taxes should be clear. Upon inspection, her eyes widened in disbelief; there was indeed more to it. For instance, regarding the paper ingots, the amount of ghost money received corresponds to the amount burned. Dream on! When the Department of Underworld Affairs exchanges them, it is based on the actual value of the paper ingots. In other words, one hundred paper ingots weighing one tael, which sell for one hundred wen in the mortal world, are only worth one hundred wen in ghost money in the underworld. However, what she actually received was only seventy wen, with the remaining thirty wen going to taxes. Fine, she could understand the exchange being based on actual value; otherwise, the underworld would have experienced hyperinflation long ago. But isn't a thirty percent tax a bit excessive?

"Look, look, there's a fish tail..." Sister Song suddenly screamed, "Ah, the fish body has jumped out too, it's a carp... golden..."

Although the courtyard is somewhat small, it is sufficient for a couple to live in. Despite having undergone some inspections, Wen Zhao merely seeks clarity and is not dissatisfied with the courtyard. She is quite content with her current life.

Wen Zhao was startled by this shout, and he came to his senses. There were living beings in the Yellow Springs, which was a significant matter. This was not the time to be watching the commotion. He quickly responded and hurried home with the basin in hand

Suddenly, there was a chorus of screams by the riverbank. If one were to say that the fish tail seen earlier was merely a figment of the imagination, the fish body itself could not be false. Its scales were particularly dazzling, golden in color. If it weren't for the fact that the underworld is devoid of sunlight, the women's eyes would surely be blinded by its brilliance. Anything that can leap about must certainly be a living creature. The women had once been human; although they are now all souls of the deceased, they can still distinguish between the living and the dead.

Is it that he, as a son, did not earn the affection of his parents, and even after his death, they did not burn a few houses or paper figures for him?

So how did everything just disappear

In the realm of the dead, there is no living being; even a ghost understands this principle. Although the Yellow Springs are indeed mysterious, occasionally rare objects emerge, they are always lifeless. Who has ever seen a living thing? This flower basket is even more sinister than that cabinet. The woman, feeling timid, no longer dares to reach out, instead, she merely gazes at the few women washing clothes by the river, stammering as she seeks confirmation that her eyes are not deceiving her.

A profound truth, Wen Zhao retreated. The issue of population has existed in every era, whether in the mortal realm or the afterlife. The resource and economic crises brought about by population are like a sword hanging over the heads of those in power. They control the population, or rather, the souls, through high tax rates and fees. This could be considered a significant invention of the Bureau of the Underworld. As for whether it is reasonable or not, Wen Zhao does not wish to ponder further; she is neither an economist nor a ruler of the underworld.

Pushing the door open, he entered the courtyard. After taking a turn and not seeing Wan Qing, he realized that the man must have gone out on patrol. Wen Zhao set down the laundry basin and went out again to look for Wan Qing on the street

Jiu Jie'er was a bold girl even in life; she was killed before marriage, harboring a deep resentment that prevented her from being reborn. She spent her days alone in the underworld, which only made her courage grow stronger. In times of trouble, she remained more composed than the other women. When living beings appeared in the underworld, it was akin to a murder case in the mortal realm, necessitating a report to the authorities. Wan Qing was the highest-ranking official in this ten-mile area of the underworld, and naturally, the one called by her mother was Wen Zhao.

It is quite simple; taxes have already been paid. The tax collection by the Underworld Bureau is particularly ruthless. Compared to them, Wen Zhao realizes that the various types of taxes from his past life were trivial. The Wealth God of Wanhe-Tu-Shu burned so many items for his son, yet in the end, only a small courtyard remained. Of course, the paper servants are worthless, and they were all left behind, ultimately destroyed by human intervention. The reason is even simpler: they cannot be supported. To make these paper servants work, one must provide them with incense and candles. Wan Qing himself cannot even afford incense and candles; usually, he can only share cold food with his wife. During festivals, he might manage to scrape together some incense and candles for a little celebration. With four or five mouths to feed, how can he afford it? In the end, he can only send them to the Yellow Springs.

The small residence of the Wan family is not far from the underworld, and Wen Zhao is not a woman with bound feet; she quickly arrived in no time at all, perhaps just five minutes if compared to her previous life. This small courtyard with three rooms is her home. It must be said that Wan Qing, after all, is a young master; during his lifetime, he was not only surrounded by attendants but also had a dozen maids serving him in the house, a standard for a Wan family "Jia Baoyu." How is it that after death, he ended up in such a shabby place, confined to this small courtyard without even a servant to attend to him?

Fish ... ... Fish ... ... Sister Song ... ... Miss Huan ... ... Miss Zhao ... ... Ninth Sister ... ... Did you all see it? There is a live fish in the basket ... ... " The Zhang family girl, who had been slapped, was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she could hardly speak clearly