Following this, Official Qian further stated that the dossiers were stored in the first layer of hell, detailing Li Yuanba's life and his penal servitude there. He could not be accessed at the moment, and Official Qian frankly admitted he couldn't recall Li Yuanba's exact term of service.
"Then we must trouble Minister Wu to personally go down and have a look," the King of Hell declared.
"...Go down?" I was a bit dazed. Wasn't I already down here?
"Mangshan is in the first layer of hell. To go down to hell," Sima Dekang chuckled, "the first layer is relatively shallow, not unlike our underworld. However, it is still difficult for ordinary people to reach. Officials like Official Qian and myself are mortals, but Lord Wu is a Yin Messenger, so you can naturally pass without impediment."
I understood. These ministers couldn't go themselves. I had to go. Perhaps the King of Hell could enter, but given his status, descending to hell was probably akin to going to prison. He wouldn't deign to come for such a minor matter.
"Alright, I'll make the trip. How do I get there? Who do I find when I arrive? How do I check Li Yuanba's files?" I fired off three questions.
"Have you met Commander Hei Wuchang?" Sima Dekang asked.
I nodded. "Yes, I met Lord Fan Wujiu."
"She is in charge of opening the first, second, and third layers of hell. Find her. Upon reaching the first layer of hell, seek out a scribe named Hu Sun. He will assist you in accessing the Mangshan archives."
This was a realm completely beyond my comprehension. I couldn't even imagine what Mangshan and hell were like. All I could do was follow their instructions.
Bidding farewell to the King of Hell's palace, I used the Qi Observation Technique and saw that Xiao Nu and Zheng Baobao had just entered the annular mountain region.
Using my Soul Detaining Token, I located Fan Wujiu and inquired about descending to the first layer of hell.
"As Bai Wuchang, you are only permitted to enter the fourth, fifth, and sixth layers of hell. I regret I cannot assist you," Fan Wujiu refused me outright.
"Uh... this is the Emperor's command. Please cooperate, Lord Fan." I invoked the King of Hell's name.
"Is there an imperial decree?"
"I am in Erqi City. How about I have the Emperor speak to you directly?"
Fan Wujiu, after all, was merely a minor commander in the Yin Messenger's office, likely a third-rank official. Official Qian and Sima Dekang were second-rank officials, and they had to be respectful to the King of Hell.
"Very well. However, I am stationed deep in the north and cannot escort you personally. I will arrange for someone."
"The mission is urgent, Lord Fan. Where should I go to meet your subordinate to save time?"
Fan Wujiu pondered for a moment. "Hmm... you should go to Erliu City. At the north gate, look for someone wearing a Wuchang uniform. Her name is Xiaoman. She should arrive at Erliu City in about an hour."
There was no faster way. Presumably, Erliu City had some kind of key to enter hell, and I couldn't just find Xiaoman directly.
I had seen Erliu City on the underworld map before. It was about an hour's ride from our current location. Half an hour's wait, so I wasn't in a hurry. I decided to wait for Zheng Baobao and Xiao Nu to arrive, then we could ride over together.
Before long, the two ghosts arrived. I had also managed to borrow a horse. I had intended to stroll through the market and collect some antiques, but Sima Dekang found me again. He said the King of Hell had a decree for me to also investigate the files of a person named "Liang Shidu."
"I know of this person," I said. "He was also a prominent figure during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties."
At that time, there were various rebel leaders and self-proclaimed emperors. Liang Shidu was one of them. Unlike other rebels who aimed to unify the land and become emperor, this man was particularly fond of colluding with the Turkic people to attack the Han territories, essentially acting as a traitor. However, it wasn't a simple black and white issue, considering that era saw the chaos of the Northern Dynasties, with various nomadic peoples intermingling and mixed bloodlines. Both the Sui and Tang dynasties actually had Turkic bloodlines.
He was apparently defeated by Li Shimin's brother-in-law.
"Why are you looking for him?" I asked, perplexed.
"He was a high-ranking general under the rebel forces. It's about knowing your enemy," Sima Dekang replied.
We set off immediately for Erliu City. The weather in the underworld was fine that day, feeling somewhat similar to spring in the northern regions of the mortal world. Although I couldn't see flowers and grass on the ground, I could smell the fragrance of new life.
Perhaps Heaven, in its wisdom, also saw the hope of quelling the rebellion and restoring peace to the underworld.