Ling Wen/History

## Ling Wen

* Manhua
* Donghua
* Audio Drama

## Mortal Life

Nangong Jie was originally a shoe selling maiden in the kingdom of Xuli who would work as a scribe for sonnets or letters for extra income. During a ceremonial festival for Civil Gods, she wrote an essay titled *Not Xuli* for a competition and won, defeating the essay *Ode to Xuli* written by a clone of Jing Wen, the foremost Civil God of the time. At the time, the kingdom was in a turbulent time and the people were tired of the essays that praised Xuli, making *Not Xuli* extremely popular.

The essay was taken down and after Ling Wen was exposed to be the author, she was captured by the authorities. This was brought to Jing Wen's attention, and he immediately appointed Nangong Jie to the heavens as Heavenly Official of the Middle Court.

## Middle Court Official

Although Jing Wen claims he appointed Ling Wen out of the goodness of his heart, Ling Wen suffered acute mistreatment as his subordinate. After her appointment, she was made to serve tea, deliver gifts to other Heavenly Officials, and wipe tables, always running around doing errands. Unsatisfied with her position and the abuse she received from Jing Wen behind a closed door, she enlisted Pei Ming's help in burning down several of his temples, fastening his demise.

While she was a Middle Court official, she met Bai Jing, a skilled and important general of Xuli. Since that kingdom was Jing Wen's domain, Ling Wen pursued the goal of bringing ruin to that nation. She ultimately killed Bai Jing to speed up that process, but Ling Wen is also said to be the first and only woman to have shown him kindness. She was aware of how mistreated he was by the kingdom and even gave Bai Jing his current name that he treasures. Bai Jing in return fell deeply in love with Ling Wen and is implied to have willingly died for her, holding no grudge and leaving his remains, now known as the Brocade Immortal, with her.

With the decline of Jing Wen's palace, his powers decreased as well. Ling Wen used this to come after Jing Wen to try and kill him. Jing Wen fled the Heavens and possessed a stone statue to survive, effectively being removed him from the Upper Court.

## Number One Civil God

Even after she was free from Jing Wen and constructed the Ling Wen Palace as a Heavenly Official of the Upper Court, she was accused to having ascended through seduction, and it became the prevailing folktale, causing her temple to be desecrated and her donation box filled with menstrual linens and bralettes.

Finally, her followers couldn't stand the terrible reputation their competent civil god was gaining. They recreated her statues in the form of a man and made up a set of extravagant backstory for her, effectively changing her from Goddess Ling Wen into God Ling Wen. After this change her temples quickly rose in prominence as everyone praised how effective Ling Wen is.

Throughout the centuries, Ling Wen continued to significantly rise in status, even surpassing the former leading Civil God, Jing Wen.

## Xie Lian's Third Ascension

She is the first person that Xie Lian meets upon his third ascension to heaven. She informs him that immediately after he reached heaven, the resulting shock brought down a clock onto a passing Heavenly Official. Afterward, she continues to tell him how he would be able to redeem himself.

She proves to be a source of help as Xie Lian joins the Communication Array by helping him remember the names of the officials he once knew, yet hadn't spoken to in hundreds of years.

## References

2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Novel, Book 3, Chapter 154: Why Not Xu Li; Why Not Jing Wen II
3. ↑ Novel, Book 5, Chapter 243: How My Lord Aches for the Flower; How I Ache for My Lord
4. ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 133: Seen Through the Ghost King; Play the Ghost King
5. ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 90: The Mid-Autumn Festival; Battling Lanterns on Moon Watch Eve
6. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 35: Enter the Ghost City! Rendezvous With the Ghost King
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Novel, Book 1, Chapter 2: Scrap-Collecting Immortal’s Third Ascension to Godhood