Striving for Science C109

Shen Chang'an glanced back at his colleagues who were curiously watching them, then said to Judge Wei, "Let's talk downstairs in the courtyard. This place... isn't suitable for discussing these topics."

"Good." Judge Wei nodded, following Shen Chang'an downstairs and passing Gao Shujuan who was returning from outside.

Such strong ghost energy and righteous energy.

Gao Shujuan stopped and turned to look at the person following Shen Chang'an. This person's walking posture, with the old official's gait, his back straight, even though he was wearing modern clothes, reminded her of the officials of old with their righteous aura.

As if sensing her scrutiny, the other person suddenly turned back and smiled at her.

Gao Shujuan was slightly taken aback, suddenly thinking, Shen Chang'an could even fall in love with a god, so meeting some strange and supernatural people shouldn't be anything surprising to her.

"That's my superior." Shen Chang'an noticed Judge Wei glancing at Gao Shujuan and explained, "She's a good person."

"Yes, she carries righteousness, a blessed person." Judge Wei nodded, following Shen Chang'an downstairs. He looked at the tree in the courtyard, "Is there a tree here that has gained sentience?"

"This tree made a mistake a while back, and I accidentally returned it to its original form. Now it can't transform." Shen Chang'an led Judge Wei to stand under the tree, "This tree acts rashly and without considering the consequences. It's a good thing for him to stay here and reflect."

"You're right. This tree yao committed the great crime of harming innocent humans. It should have been struck by lightning and died. You returned it to its original form, which is actually saving its life." Judge Wei was a good official who loved the people in his previous life, so he didn't have much affection for this kind of yao that harmed humans. If Shen Chang'an hadn't spoken up, he might have even exorcised the yao for the sake of humanity.

The tree yao trembled and dared not speak, not even a single leaf dared to fall. In the middle of winter, forcing a tree to not drop a single leaf is like forcing a human who needs to pee to hold it in.

"This time, I've come to bother Mr. Shen because I have a favor to ask." In front of Shen Chang'an, Judge Wei didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose, "Mr. Shen should know that the rules of our Underworld are formed by the will of Heaven and Earth. Hundreds of years ago, a rule was born in the Underworld that if a widow remarries or has an affair with another person, she will be sent to the Scissors Hell and suffer the punishment of having her ten fingers cut off. However, in recent centuries, more and more female ghosts have expressed dissatisfaction with this rule, but we cannot arbitrarily change the rules that Heaven and Earth have spontaneously created. In desperation, I can only come to Mr. Shen for help."

Shen Chang'an was puzzled, "Since this rule was born in accordance with Heaven and Earth, why can't it disappear in accordance with current customs?"

Judge Wei's face was a little embarrassed, "Perhaps... perhaps there are still many people who believe that women should be loyal to one man for life."

Shen Chang'an suddenly understood. He sighed, "Yes, some people's feudalistic thinking is so stubborn that even nine years of compulsory education can't change it."

He understood what Judge Wei meant. Judge Wei seemed to want to change this rule, but he couldn't.

"Don't laugh at me, Mr. Shen. In my lifetime, people didn't oppose women remarrying." Judge Wei sighed helplessly, "Who would have thought that the people of later generations would be less open-minded than we were."

"What the Lord can't change, how can I do it?" Shen Chang'an guessed that the person he was looking for wasn't him, but Dao Nian. However, he didn't know if changing these things would have an impact on Dao Nian, so he didn't agree.

"Mr. Shen... could you please ask the Heavenly Dao for his opinion on this matter?" Seeing that Shen Chang'an wouldn't agree, Judge Wei simply said directly, "Please help the Underworld with this big favor."

Shen Chang'an: "..."

He speaks so directly, how can he respond?

"Judge Wei, I don't understand the affairs of Heaven and Earth, so I dare not speak rashly, lest I misunderstand your intentions." Shen Chang'an decided not to engage, "Why don't I take you home? If Dao Nian is willing to see you, you can talk to him personally?"

Judge Wei smiled wryly. He originally thought that this Mr. Shen, who was young and full of merit and golden light, would readily agree when he heard about the suffering of others. Unexpectedly, not only was he not impulsive, he didn't even show any intention of putting in a good word for him. This was truly beyond his expectations.

"Good." At this point, he had no other better options. He could only hope that the Heavenly Dao would see that he was with Shen Chang'an and grant him an audience.

"Then wait for me. I'll go to the office and tell the leader." Shen Chang'an hurried upstairs and knocked on Du Zhonghai's office door. He went in and said, "Director Du, I have a rather special guest here. I need to leave work early."

"The person who came to see you just now?" Du Zhonghai stuck his head out of the window and secretly took a look, "Is this... a god too?"

"The Judge from the Underworld, the one with the surname Wei." Shen Chang'an said half-jokingly, half-seriously. "Don't worry, I'll put in a good word for you in front of them."

Du Zhonghai: "..."

Should he say thank you?

As expected of Shen Chang'an, he doesn't even need to invite gods anymore, they come knocking on his door themselves.

They're all human, but the difference is so vast it makes you question if they're even the same species.

After Shen Chang'an left in long strides, Gao Shujuan walked in and asked, "The person with Shen Chang'an just now, wasn't human, right?"

"A Judge from the Underworld."

Gao Shujuan gasped, "Which Judge from the Underworld?"

"Director Du, Aunt Juan..." Xu Ze looked at the two leaders with a complex expression, "The new batch of scientific propaganda flyers is out, would you like to take a look?"

"We trust you with your work, no need to look, no need to look." Du Zhonghai picked up his teacup and took a couple of sips, using it to mask his awkwardness.

Xu Ze hesitated, he stared at the two for a while: "For those fighting on the front lines, the worst thing is to have someone pulling their legs from the rear."

They've been promoting the importance of believing in science, yet their leaders are discussing Underworld Judges behind closed doors, how could they face their colleagues?

Du Zhonghai, Gao Shujuan: "..."

Are young people these days so blunt?

***

"Mr. Shen's car is really beautiful." To build rapport with Shen Chang'an, Judge Wei complimented him after getting into the car.

He heard that young people nowadays like it when others compliment their cars.

"Really?" Shen Chang'an fastened his seatbelt, started the car and said, "This car was a gift from Dao Nian, I can drive any kind of car."

"The Heavenly Dao has witnessed everything in the world, their taste is naturally exquisite." Unable to flatter Shen Chang'an, praising the Heavenly Dao was also a good option.

Shen Chang'an looked at Judge Wei, who was smiling amiably, and was speechless for a long time.

The legendary figure who was so upright he dared to confront even the greatest emperors, was surprisingly enthusiastic when praising someone. Thinking about how this person had sacrificed so much for the Underworld, Shen Chang'an felt a mix of emotions. The image of this person in his mind didn't become smaller, but instead grew even greater.

A person who had been upright their whole life, bending their head for the future of countless female ghosts in the Underworld, saying things they didn't want to say, what kind of feeling would that be?

Shen Chang'an felt a pang of sympathy, he said, "Judge Wei, since the rules are no longer in line with the principles, they will soon dissipate and be replaced by more reasonable ones."

"May your words come true, Mr. Shen." Judge Wei chuckled bitterly in his heart, if things were that easy, why would the entire Underworld be so worried?

This time, Judge Wei was sent to the human world because he had a friendly appearance and his deeds in life were even recorded in human history textbooks. Anyone who had received nine years of compulsory education would have heard his name.

Judge Zhong was also quite famous in the human world, but he had a fierce appearance and was prone to impulsiveness, so after the four Judges discussed it, they decided to send Judge Wei as the negotiator.

After Judge Wei left, the remaining three judges sat uneasily in the Judge's Hall. They were worried that Lord Heavenly Dao wouldn't agree to help, and they were also afraid that Judge Wei had angered Lord Heavenly Dao and would bring disaster upon them.

"I heard that a few hundred years ago, a female yao tried to seduce Lord Heavenly Dao. Lord Heavenly Dao was furious, and if he hadn't spared her life because of her difficult cultivation, she would have been scattered to the winds long ago."

"Heavenly Dao Lord has always been indifferent to us in the Underworld, and hasn't even set foot in the Underworld for the past hundred years. I'm afraid that if Judge Wei goes, he'll be met with a cold shoulder."

"Judge Cui, what are you thinking about? Are you still hoping for Lord to greet Judge Wei with a smile?" Judge Zhong’s eyes widened. "What are you thinking about?"

Judge Cui fell silent for a long time after hearing Judge Zhong’s words, finally sighing helplessly.

"If Heavenly Dao Lord refuses to budge, we'll just have to turn a blind eye when we write the judgment..."

Judge Lu hadn't finished speaking when the underworld began to tremble violently, as if something was about to burst forth from beneath the earth. This commotion reminded the judges of the time when the yao beast escaped, and they quickly grabbed their seals and rushed out of the Judge's Hall.

"My Dharma Seal!" Lu Pan realized that the Dharma Seal in his hand was starting to heat up, so hot that he could barely hold it.

Judge Cui discovered that the Dharma Seal in his hand was also changing. He tossed the Dharma Seal into the air, and it instantly grew larger. They saw that the rules of punishment for the eighteen levels of hell on the Dharma Seal seemed to be changing. The characters were twisting and contorting, as if forming new regulations.

The spiritual energy in the air was constantly colliding, twisting, and churning. The three judges wanted to keep their eyes fixed on the Dharma Seal, but they were forced to look away by the blinding golden light. They only dared to look at the new rules after the twisting characters gradually stopped.

The rules of the Scissors Hell have changed!

Judge Zhong read the new rules of Scissors Hell in a low voice: "Those who are sexually depraved, who violate others, and who molest children will have their ten fingers cut off, their... their..."

The last two words, Judge Zhong didn't say them out loud, but he felt a faint ache in a certain area below his waist.

The three judges remained silent for a long time before Judge Lu said, "It seems Judge Wei's trip was very successful." It was so successful that it surprised him. How long had he been gone? Long enough to have a few cups of tea with Lord Heavenly Dao?

Sitting quietly outside the Hall of Judges, the female ghosts who had been holding banners to fight for their rights also saw the changes to the rules of the Eighteen Levels of Hell outside the Hall of Judges. They saw the newly born Underworld regulations. Some covered their faces and wept softly, tears unable to flow from their tearless eyes. There was joy, relief, and hope for the afterlife.

Behind the cheering female ghosts, some male ghosts who had been supporting them looked at each other and smiled. Though they were not women, their loved ones were, and they didn't want them to live under unfair rules.

***

The joy and excitement in the Underworld did not reach Shen Chang'an's ears. He parked his car in the garage and said to Judge Wei, "Judge, we've arrived at Dao Nian's and my home."

Judge Wei watched in astonishment as Shen Chang'an treated the Divine Mansion's restrictions as if they were nothing, as if the mansion itself belonged to him.

Who could come and go freely from the Heavenly Dao Lord's divine mansion, even bringing an outsider in without prior notice?

It seems that the secret White Impermanence told him was true. If not...

In that moment, Judge Wei looked at Shen Chang'an with a gaze filled with admiration.

"Chang'an, Judge Wei." Shen Tu and Yu Lei, standing on the steps, saw Shen Chang'an bringing Judge Wei over and didn't show much surprise. After opening the living room door for them, Shen Tu said to Shen Chang'an, "Lunch is ready. You can wash your hands and eat."

With Old Zhao around, Shen Chang'an looked forward to every meal.

He invited Judge Wei inside and offered him a meal.

Judge Wei smiled at Shen Tu and Yu Lei, bowing and saying, "Greetings to the two Divine Lords."

"Judge Wei, you're too kind." The brothers returned the greeting, "Come in. The Lord is in the living room now."

"Thank you for informing me." Judge Wei was a little nervous. He straightened his clothes before entering with a slight bow.

As soon as he entered, Judge Wei saw Shen Chang'an coming out of the kitchen, wiping his hands and with a piece of fried, crispy, golden fish jerky in his mouth. When he reached the Heavenly Dao Lord and sat down, he split the fish jerky in his mouth in half, giving one half to the Heavenly Dao Lord.

Judge Wei felt that he shouldn't look too closely at this moment.

"Sit." Dao Nian, eating the fish jerky Shen Chang'an gave him, pointed to the single-person sofa next to him without any expression.

Judge Wei sat down obediently.

Then he saw Shen Chang'an hand the Heavenly Dao Lord the paper towel he had used to wipe his hands, asking the Heavenly Dao Lord to throw it in the trash can. The Heavenly Dao Lord obediently threw it away.

Judge Wei thought nervously, "Thankfully, Shen Chang'an isn't someone with evil intentions. Otherwise, with his position in the Heavenly Dao's heart, wouldn't he just stir up chaos in the heavens and earth?"

"Judge Wei." Dao Nian not only threw away the trash but also took a new paper towel to wipe Shen Chang'an's fingers that had held the fried fish jerky, "I already guessed your intentions."

"I beg the Lord…"

"Eat first." Dao Nian glanced at the time on the wall. "Chang'an didn't eat properly this morning, so don't eat lunch too late. We'll talk about your matter after lunch."

"Yes." Judge Wei thought, as long as you're willing to let me speak, I'd eat another dinner, not just lunch.

"Judge Wei, join us for lunch." Shen Chang'an gestured for Judge Wei to sit down. "Uncle Zhao's cooking is delicious."

Judge Wei glanced at the Kitchen God who was bringing out dishes from the kitchen, silently choosing the seat at the head of the table.

The dining table wasn't outrageously large. Besides him, he noticed that the Heavenly Dao's mount, the door gods, the Kitchen God, and Wu Qu star were all seated. Only Shen Chang'an and the Heavenly Dao were sitting particularly close.

"Chang'an, I've told you, picky eaters don't grow tall."

"I'm almost twenty-four, what height am I going to grow? I'm an adult, I don't even have the right to be picky, what kind of complete adult is that?"

"Really not eating?" Dao Nian quietly looked at Shen Chang'an.

"Then... I'll eat a little." Shen Chang'an reluctantly picked at the celery. Even if it was celery grown by a god, it was still celery, it couldn't turn into other vegetables. "Darling, do you know what this is called?"

Dao Nian didn't respond.

"This is called sacrificing for love." Shen Chang'an used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of celery and brought it to Dao Nian's mouth. "Come, we face hardship together."

Dao Nian silently ate the celery, then picked up the same amount of celery from the dish and put it into Shen Chang'an's bowl: "Eat properly, even if I eat it for you, you won't eat one less chopstick."

Shen Chang'an: "..."

Dao Nian, you've changed, am I still your baby in your heart?

Judge Wei felt a little dazed, he thought he might have been under a spell. The couple flirting in front of him weren't the Heavenly Dao and Shen Chang'an, this was all fake, all deception by evil forces.

However, until lunch ended, the "illusion" in front of him didn't disappear, and he realized that no matter what species, once they fall into the vortex of love, their brains become abnormal.

Even the Heavenly Dao is no exception.

Forget it, love or no love, he's just a judge who's devoted to his career: "Lord Heavenly Dao, your subordinate has a request..."