Four Famous Tales

The **Four Famous Tales** (四名景, *Sì Míng Jǐng*) were highly praised anecdote stories of the time before the four Heavenly Officials from the Heavenly Court ascended - "The Young Lord Who Poured Wine", "The Crown Prince Who Pleased the Gods", "The General Who Broke His Sword", and "The Princess Who Slit Her Throat".

How the four tales came about was not particularly due to which officials had more power, but rather which one of their tales was more profound, spread the furthest amongst mortals who shared them with enthusiasm.

## The Crown Prince Who Pleased The Gods

*Main article: Xie Lian*

This story is referring to the time when the Crown Prince of Xianle suddenly appeared before the crowd during his martial performance at the Lantern Festival. During the festival's parade he was chosen to play the part of the God-Pleasing Martial Warrior, but he was running late. Suddenly, he descended from the sky, jumping from the over ten meters tall fortress tower and landing straight before the dressed up ghost. His clothes covered the whole stage in the shape of a flower and a mask was hiding his face. In the eyes of the people his entrance was akin to a descent of a heavenly being.

The pair has to perform for at least four hours, staging a battle between a god and a ghost. The performance was to please the gods and only a seventh of the performers powers was to be used with their swords barely touching, but Mu Qing suddenly started fighting with his all. The crowd cheered like crazy, while Xie Lian finally beat the ghost. Suddenly the Crown Prince heard a scream amongst the crowd and saw a shadow falling from a wall. He reacted without thinking and jumped to save the falling child. People gasped as his golden mask fell upon landing, revealing his face.

## The Young Lord Who Poured Wine

*Main article: Shi Qingxuan*

Apparently while Shi Qingxuan was still mortal, he often went to "The Terrace of Cascading Wine" after training to drink, spreading drunkenly upon the terrace. One day a malicious crook was bullying some villagers below, so Shi Qingxuan nonchalantly spilled his wine and cast a small spell, so the alcohol knocked the man out. Even after he was appointed as a deputy general by his brother, Shi Wudu, he still came to spend his free time drinking here carelessly and happened to ascend during one of days like that.

## The General Who Broke His Sword

*Main article: Pei Ming*

Pei Ming was a revered and extremely successful general of the kingdom of Xuli. He and his army won battle after battle, however, the position of general was the highest he could go. Pei Ming himself was completely satisfied with that title and his life, but his loyal deputy general, Rong Guang, and his followers wanted him to take the throne and become the king. Under Rong Guang's leadership, they quietly planned a riot to overthrow the current king and have Pei Ming take the position.

When the day finally came, Pei Ming refused to have the king killed and thus single-handedly killed his own deputy general and all other soldiers that were part of the revolt, but after the battle was over, Pei Ming was accused of treason by the king despite protecting him. He was ordered to be killed right then and there, but Pei Ming then suddenly broke his sword in half and ascended.

## The Princess Who Slit Her Throat

*Main article: Yushi Huang*

She was the sixteenth princess of the kingdom of Yushi, and also the least favored. In her time, Yushi and the kingdom of Xuli had maintained a false peace until Xuli made up an excuse to invade and their troops, led by Pei Ming, pushed all the way to the Palace Gates. They disguised hundreds of Yushi criminals who were awaiting execution as normal civilians and dragged them before the Palace Gates. Then, Pei Ming told the king that if he would come out himself, kowtow three times as "penance for oppressing the people" and then kill himself as atonement, he would let the "civilians" free. If he should refuse, Pei Ming would chop off the civilians' heads.

He gave the royalties three days, and each day they stalled, another group would be executed. After the three days, the troops would invade and kill the royals, before attending to the rest of the civilians. Yushi Huang convinced the old king to pass on the throne to her, before coming out herself the next day, kowtowing three times, and slitting her throat with the sacred guardian sword of Yushi, Yulong. Pei Ming then had no choice but to respect his promise, and leave the people of Yushi, at least temporarily, alone. Just as she took her last breath, Yushi Huang ascended as the current Rain Master.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Manhua, Volume 1, Chapter 12: Regret and Hatred II
2. ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 12: A Ghost in Red Sets Fire Upon the Military and Civil Temples
3. ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 58: On the Martial Deity Avenue; An Awe-Inspiring First Impression
4. ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 112: Doors Open to Greet the Ghost; Drawn Earth a Prison