Chapter 32 – Fourty Thousand; A Debt Collector’s Story

Many people gathered in front of the Wang family’s house, and all the neighbors had come out to watch; the scene was very chaotic. Given that Wang Tianyou is the only male grandson of the Wang family. After he was sentenced to fifty strikes, Wang Lao Furen spent a lot of money to bring him home and prepared to carefully treat him for a few days before sending him to Lingnan. If possible, she even thought of tricking people by replacing him with a look-alike. But Wang Xianggan’s past actions were too rampant and offended a lot of people, and now that the Wang family has been punished, those people naturally came one after another to kick them while they were down, doing their best to beat them to death.

Immediately someone sent a memorial to the throne, saying that the Wang family had bribed officials and was intending to harbor the criminal. The Crown Prince and Xiao Guifei have long abandoned Wang Xianggan so how could they protect him? On the contrary, because of his lack of morals, the Crown Prince’s reputation was ruined and he hated that he couldn’t dispose of him. Therefore, in the early morning of the next day, some yamen runners came to the door and wanted to bring Wang Tianyou, who was lying on the bed recuperating, to Lingnan.

Lin shi was vicious. All those beautiful concubines of Wang Xianggan’s were given a sterilization drug. Even if they were lucky to escape unharmed, the children they gave birth to were also secretly killed. In the end, apart from the Di son who "suddenly died" in the past, there was only one son and one daughter under his house, namely Wang Tianyou and Wang Junxi.

Lingnan was a place with very bad conditions with barren mountains, rapid rivers and miasma permeating the air. No criminal who was sent there ever came back alive. And Wang Tianyou was also injured, the chance of survival was even slimmer, and maybe his soul would return to Heaven halfway. Soon the Wang family would have no heir. Needless to say, Wang Xianggan’s heart was torn, Lao Taiye and Lao Furen also went mad with distress, and while blocking the yamen runners, they also sent people to the Crown Prince's house to kneel and beg.

The steward had just explained what he came for when he was expelled by the gatekeepers of the Crown Prince Fu. Not long after, he also sent a government official to send a message to the yamen runners, that is to ask them to handled the matter impartially. Wang Xianggan had embezzled the pay of millions of soldiers, causing the Crown Prince’s reputation to be greatly damaged. In the imperial court, he was often vetoed and attacked by the Empress Dowager and the Seventh Prince, and he wished to kick Wang family into the mud. How could he protect them?

The yamen runners had received a definite message and immediately broke into the house. They dragged Wang Tianyou - who was seriously injured and resting on his bed - to the door. Lin shi refused to let him take him away and held both her son’s legs and wailed. Wang Lao Furen also followed them out. The 70 or 80-year-old woman actually knelt down and kowtowed. Lao Taiye and Wang Xianggan both felt embarrassed but couldn't bear Wang Tianyou dying halfway, so they could only negotiate with the yamen runners and try to delay it for a while till he recovered from his injuries.

But Wang Tianyou was an extremely savage idiot, he didn’t know how to repent at this time, because when the yamen runners accidentally touched his wound, he actually pointed to them and curse, repeatedly saying to let Wang Xianggan cut down everyone here.

The spectating crowd suddenly raged, get together to discuss:

"Wow, Wang family has such impressive official authority ah!"

"Yes ah, even the Emperor cannot simply cut down anyone, but it’s the reverse for them, they’ll deal with whoever they don’t like! "

"Who told the Wang family to only have this one scion? Ever since he was young he would get whatever he wanted. When he wanted to kill, his mother and sister also helped look for candidates, utterly heartless!"

"I say ah, banishing him 3,000 li away is considered light, he should have been publicly beheaded! "

3,000 li = 1, 500, 000 m, basically very very very verrrry far

"There is still his father, embezzling millions of soldiers of their pay and had only been sentenced to a dismissal of his position. In the end, the Crown Prince still treasures old ties."

"Where is he ‘treasuring old ties’ ah, it’s probably because Wang Xianggan knows too many of his Master’s dirty secrets, it’s simply not beneficial to get rid of him is all.“

After speaking this, the crowd quickly closed their mouths, not saying another word.

You Shu just happened to pass by Wang fu at this time and was attracted by the noisy scene. He channeled spirit power into his eyes, and immediately saw the sight different from ordinary people. He saw Wang Tianyou lying on the ground, the rear part of his clothes stained red with blood, and there were two little ghosts with one sitting on his wounds and scratching hard, and the other one sitting on his head exhaling black gas. The Thousand-Faced ghost behind Wang Xianggan is even more horrible. He was trying to squeeze himself into each other's mouth, but his mind is a bit dull and he has no idea how to squeeze into Wang Xianggan for a long time and looks very annoyed.

"Yi (surprise), it’s actually him?" You Shu could not help but murmur as he found a pale shadow beside the Thousand-Faced ghost. It turned out that the Debt-collecting Ghost who hadn't shown up for a long time didn't escape, but hid beside Wang Xianggan. Because Wang Xianggan’s killing intent was too dense and difficult to approach, he can only find another way to recover his debts. Therefore, the Debt-collecting Ghost could only linger by You Shu. But now, the killing intent of Wang Xiangqian was devoured little by little by the Thousand-Faced Ghost and used it for its own, and the happiness and lifespan was also cleanly consumed, so he naturally returned to haunt Wang Xianggan.

It was already mentioned that even ghosts were afraid of evil too, this is not false, but now that they were able to find him for revenge, why would they miss the opportunity? Not only did the Thousand-Faced ghost want to drill into Wang Xianggan’s mouth, even the Debt-collecting Ghost wanted to.

"What kind of method is this?", doubt arose in You Shu’s heart, squeezing in while holding a fried dough stick to watch.

Ji Changye had no choice but to follow with one hand to part the crowd and pull the teen into his arms to firmly protect him with the other hand.

At this point, the yamen runner’s patience has run out, a few pulled Lin shi away while some dragged Wang Tianyou to the prisoner’s cart by his hands. One little ghost was riding around his neck, digging out his eyes and ears, while the other was riding on his back, stabbing his foot into his bloody wound, and every time the ghost kicked, Wang Tianyou let out a miserable howl.

Others would think that his injuries hurt, but You Shu felt this was very interesting and could not help but hook his lips into a smile. Just then, the two little ghosts also saw him, and quickly kowtowed, "Sir, we sister and brother will follow him to Lingnan. He doesn’t have long and will die in a few hours. Soon our wishes will be fulfilled and we can only bid sir farewell here. If there is a next life, we will be a cow and horse for sir to repay your kindness! "

You Shu secretly shook his head, expressing that he wasn’t expecting anything in return from them, then waved and sent them off when the prisoner’s cart started moving.

In the eyes of the Wang family, they simply thought that this action of his was him taking pleasure in their misfortune. Adding insult to injury, not only is Wang Tianyou screaming insanely, the always calm Wang Xianggan also lost his senses and grabbed the teens lapels and roared, "EVIL CREATURE, WAS IT YOU WHO DID IT? WAS IT? IF I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS IN THE BEGINNING, I WOULD HAVE STRANGLED YOU TO DEATH WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS!"

Ji Changye was just thinking of kicking Wang Xianggan away but You Shu moved first. He hit Wang Xianggan's head away with a single punch, and firmly slammed his left knee into his opponent's abdomen, waiting for the moment when the other bent down and screamed, he grabbed the Thousand-Faced ghost. The 3 zhang tall ghosts howled while being burned miserably. It was squished into a thick black mist ball the size of a fist and was stuffed into the Wang Xianggan’s mouth.

zhang - 3.3 m

Others would only think that he was shutting him up because of all his yelling, but they all do not know just what kind of nasty, evil thing he had just shoved into the other party’s stomach. After doing all of this, You Shu looked up at the terrified Debt-collecting Ghost.

The Debt-collecting Ghost had long been frightened by this senior demon and quickly shrunk himself into a ball and pleaded, "No need to trouble sir! This little one can go in by myself!" He disappeared into Wang Xianggan’s stomach as soon as his words fell.

Wang Xianggnan’s stomach was severely hit a bit and incessantly felt sharp pain, and therefore did not notice anything abnormal. Wang Lao Taiye and Wang Lao Furen were still immersed in grief. When they saw their son was beaten, they immediately ordered the servants to separate the two in the fight. They looked livid, but they couldn't reveal You Shu’s identity here and they saw the surrounding people whispering to each other. They seemed to be discussing the relationship between You Shu and the Wang family, and they had to turn around to return to the Fu and close the door.

Wang Lao Furen frequently looked back, and seemed reluctant to part with the teen. If Wang Tianyou dies outside, the other party is the only descendant of the Wang family. If he can recognize his ancestors and return to the clan, he can inherit the family. But Wang Lao Taiye thought deeper and further: the teenager had no feelings for the Wang family except for hate. If they recognised him and let him return to the clan, then it would be the same as inviting a wolf into their house, the loss outweighed the gain.

"Don’t look anymore. Xianggan is still young, he should accept a few concubines, how can there not be many heirs? Hmph, my Wang family absolutely cannot tolerate this kind of unworthy descendant!" Lao Taiye’s tone was extremely cold and he glanced at You Shu.

Others thought he was only talking about Wang Tianyou, ​​but You Shu knew that this was hinting towards himself. Accept concubines, have a son? You still hope for Wang Xianggan to have that kind of life?! Although he didn’t understand why the Thousand-Faced ghost and the Debt-collecting Ghost wanted to dig into Wang Xianggan’s body, if one thought about it, it definitely wasn’t a good thing!

Once Lao Furen heard this, she also restored her demeanour and hobbled back in with her walking stick. Seeing Lin shi who was still lying prone on the ground, she was suddenly filled with anger. She cursed her as a woman who brought bad luck to the family while sending people to carry her back. The Wang family falling to this extent was all due to this woman. If she hadn't been raised to the status of a wife in the first place, none of this would have happened. If Wang Tianyou dies outside, she won't have to live anymore. Mother and son will meet each other in the Yellow Springs! As for Wang Junxi, just simply send her to any temple.

Yellow Springs - the world of the dead; underworld; nether world

Wang Lao Taiye and Wang Lao Furen tried to look on the bright side, showing that "mercilessness" is a way that was passed down in the Wang family. It’s no wonder they could raise a son like Wang Xianggan and even gave birth to a grandson like Wang Tianyou. You Shu shook his head secretly, took the purse around his waist, and threw it towards the door that was about to close. "This is the forty tael silver I owed to the Wang family, and now my debt is cleared."

Why, they turned out to be in debt! The spectators also dispersed.

The gatekeeper was hit on the face with the silver, he squatted and howled non-stop. Wang Lao Taiye was trembling with anger and yelled, "Throw it out, do not dirty our doorstep!" Where is there a case where the elder brother framed his brother and the son beat his father? This evil creature has been rotten from the roots, and sure enough it should have been strangled to death when he was born!

The gatekeeper promised but quickly took off his own pouch and threw it out, and hid You Shu’s pouch in his sleeve.

When night fell, Lin shi and Wang Junxi hid in the house and cried, they each had a bundle beside them which was only filled with a few pieces of clothing and a few simple jewelry. The Lao Furen had already spoken and they would be sent to Ganye Temple as soon as the city gate opened tomorrow morning. Most of the criminal women in the Capital are sent there. Not only do they have to work hard every day to atone for their sins, but they are also wantonly humiliated by nuns. Within a few years, they won’t be the same as they entered, they will happily seek death.

Samui: for the part with ‘they won’t be the same…’ is directly translated to “people won’t be people and ghosts won’t be ghosts” but I think this flows better and conveys the same meaning /// Blu: And for the ‘happily seek death part’, the meaning is that they would kill themselves (is what I understand).

When she originally sent Song shi away, Lin shi never thought she herself would suffer the same crime. And because she didn't know whether her son lived or died, she became completely disheartened.  She cried with such sorrow and almost fainted, causing Wang Junxi to cry with her.

Her wet nurse was pretty loyal and not only did not think of leaving, but also came to comfort them, "Furen, Young Miss, do not cry. Young Master has had a strong and healthy body since childhood and will certainly be able to endure. Just wait for a few years and then seek Laoye again. Seeing that the Young Master is the only male heir of the Wang family, Laoye will surely think of a way to take him back. "

"But Lao Taiye has spoken to let Laoye accept a few concubines. They don't want to care about Tianyou ah!" Lin shi harshly pounded her chest.

"It will be fine if you feed a portion of that medicine to Laoye." The wet nurse deserved to be called Lin shi's adviser, she easily spoke of a key point.

Lin shi and Wang Junxi’s weeping abruptly came to a stop. Just then, the cry of maid servants came from the outside, "Not good, the yamen runners just sent word and said to the young master just passed away after exiting the 10 li pavilion, and now the body is placed at the gate! Furen, you have to quickly go see! "

Lin shi suddenly stood up and ran out. She just ran out a few steps when she fell paralysed to the ground. Wang Junxi laid on top her and cried, the sound extremely wretched.