BW Chapter 141

Shuangjing (16)

Pei Si received the five hundred taels silver note and carefully tucked it into the inner pocket of his front garment.

He had never held so much money in his entire life.

He was anxious to go to the government office to save someone, walking quickly. Carrying such a large amount of silver notes, he was especially careful, his expression tense as he walked forward close to the wall.

Pei Si was naturally cautious by nature. The most outrageous thing he had ever done was bringing Ning Xingyuan home on his own initiative. But now he planned to go to the government office, return the five hundred taels silver note to the tavern owner, and exchange it for Elder Pei’s return home and peaceful days ahead.

Although Pei Wu’s leg had been broken, as long as he and his parents were all alive, life could go on.

Pei Si stood at the entrance of the imposing county government office, nervously lowering his head to pat the dust off his clothes, then kicked the mud off his shoes, before steeling himself to climb the steps.

“The magistrate is busy handling official business and has no time to see you,” the advisor said lazily, his eyelids drooping. Seeing his anxious expression, he continued, “Elder Pei injured someone. According to the law, he must serve at least one year in prison. It depends on how Liu Wanfang decides to sue. It’s useless for you to come to us – the magistrate judges cases fairly and strictly, never showing favoritism.”

Liu Wanfang was the employer where Pei Wu worked. He owned several taverns and was one of the notable wealthy merchants in Shuangjing County.

Pei Si’s voice was strained, “If I return the money to him, can you release my father?”

The advisor finally lifted his eyelids to look at him and smiled ambiguously, “Where did you get the silver?”

Pei Si looked at him silently.

The advisor shook his sleeves and brushed the dust off his hem, then walked forward two steps. Pei Si hurried to follow, but was stopped by the advisor who turned around and pressed his fan against Pei Si’s shoulder, “Don’t follow me. Go return the money to Liu Wanfang. If he agrees to settle privately, then come back.”

Pei Si cupped his hands toward him, “Thank you, daren.”

“Mm, go on.” The advisor waved his hand casually, his steps looking somewhat hurried as he walked forward.

Pei Si followed a constable toward the exit when he suddenly clutched his stomach, his face turning pale as he said, “Officer brother, may I ask where the latrine is?”

The constable glared impatiently, “You go out and then—”

A piece of broken silver was stuffed into his sleeve.

“Over there, don’t wander around! Come back quickly!”

“Thank you, thank you.”

Pei Si quickly spotted the advisor’s back figure. He saw him hurrying into a room.

With no one around, Pei Si frowned and circled to the window behind the room.

“Daren, you truly have divine foresight! That Pei Si indeed plans to return five hundred taels of silver to Boss Liu!” The advisor quickly walked to the desk and said, “It seems the rumors are true – the immortal really did leave quite a few good treasures for his family.”

The county magistrate was a middle-aged man with proper features. Upon hearing this, he said, “It was still your good idea. If you hadn’t thought of breaking Pei Wu’s leg, it wouldn’t have been so easy to test this out.”

“Not at all, not at all.” The advisor smiled, “That Pei Wu had such a good constitution that he held on for seven or eight days. Otherwise, we would have tested this out much earlier… I sent someone to ask at the medicine shop. The medicine the Pei family used to keep him alive was all the finest quality. Adding the medicine costs for over a month, it must have cost at least seven or eight hundred taels. Even so, that Pei Si can still come up with money to repay five hundred taels of debt. Wanfang asked for too little.”

“Enough. If Liu Wanfang weren’t your brother-in-law, would such good fortune fall to him?” The magistrate picked up his tea and took a sip, “Go tell him that if Pei Si comes looking, let him wait. After a month, ask him for one thousand taels.”

“Yes, very good.” The advisor bowed, “What about Elder Pei?”

The magistrate smiled disdainfully, “Throw him in the dungeon.”

“Then… when do we release him?” the advisor asked.

“The prison won’t lack one more mouth to feed.” The magistrate said unhurriedly, “Besides, immortal treasures in the hands of such poor common households simply cannot be protected. This official is thinking for their sake.”

“Yes, yes.” The advisor refilled his tea.

“When Pei Si has nowhere else to turn and comes begging to this official, we’ll talk then.” The magistrate waved his hand, “This remote backwater place – even the tea has a petty air about it…”

****

When Pei Si returned, he happened to meet Madam Pei Li who was walking back from the front.

The village chief sighed and said to Pei Si, “Fourth child, you absolutely cannot collapse. Your whole family depends on you.”

Madam Pei Li looked at him with swollen eyes, “Did you see your father? We were directly blocked from entering. Did you see your father?”

Pei Si shook his head.

Madam Pei Li irritably slapped his arm, then hugged him and began crying loudly.

“Mother, let’s go home first and then talk.”

Night fell.

The candlelight in the room was extinguished. Pei Si sat alone on the steps, looking down at the somewhat wrinkled silver note and the five hundred taels IOU in his hands.

He completely failed to notice the light slowly brightening in the woodshed behind him.

Ning Buwei sat cross-legged on the dry grass with a small stool in front of him. On the stool were a bowl of rice porridge, a small plate of vegetables, and half a roasted chicken.

Ning Xiu sat on his father’s lap, holding his own small spoon with bright eyes.

Although Ning Buwei and Chu Jun had repeatedly explained to him that eating here was pointless since it wouldn’t actually enter his stomach, he still stubbornly insisted on completing his three meals a day.

“Porridge~” Ning Xiu clumsily scooped up a spoonful with his small spoon, spilling half of it, then wobbled as he brought it to his mouth. After licking half of it, he politely asked Ning Buwei, “Father~ eat some?”

“Thank you, I won’t eat.” Ning Buwei looked at his small spoon with disdain.

“Mother?” Ning Xiu looked toward Chu Jun.

Chu Jun’s attitude was better than Ning Buwei’s, but still declined.

Ning Xiu persevered, looking toward the unfamiliar Fang Wanchen, “Big brother~ eat?”

Fang Wanchen, who had been leaning against the window with a melancholy expression, looked up upon hearing this and forced a smile, “Thank you, I’m not hungry.”

He sighed, then seriously corrected Ning Xiu, “You should call me uncle. I’m your father’s friend.”

Ning Xiu licked the porridge from the corner of his mouth and nodded obediently, “Su Su~”

(TL: instead of 叔叔 ‘shū shu’=Uncle, NX called 簌簌 ‘sù sù’)

Fang Wanchen withdrew his gaze from Pei Si outside, crouched down in front of the stool and patted Ning Xiu’s little head, “Brother Chengfeng, won’t it be harmful to his body if he stays in this kind of… illusion realm that you mentioned?”

“It’s fine as long as he’s by my side.” Ning Buwei wiped the rice porridge off Ning Xiu’s body. Seeing him about to reach for the roasted chicken, he tore off a drumstick for him to hold.

Ning Xiu held the big drumstick with bright eyes, took a big bite with an “ah-wu,” and after gnawing for a long time, he looked up having only bitten through a bit of the skin, his face covered with oil.

“Father~ can’t eat~” Ning Xiu looked at Ning Buwei pitifully.

Ning Buwei picked it up and took a bite, “Isn’t this edible?”

The fist-sized drumstick instantly lost more than half, hanging pitifully on the bone.

Ning Xiu looked at Ning Buwei enviously and opened his mouth wide, “Ahhh—”

Ning Buwei stuffed a small piece of tender chicken meat into his mouth. Ning Xiu seriously puffed his cheeks as he chewed, eating with a completely satisfied expression.

Fang Wanchen looked at Ning Buwei with hesitation.

Ning Buwei said, “Speak freely.”

“If… this place really is the Mass Resentment Illusion Realm you mentioned, do you have a way to save them?” As soon as Fang Wanchen finished speaking, he felt a cold gaze fall upon him.

Ning Buwei was stunned, “These people died hundreds of years ago. Who are you saving?”

Fang Wanchen said, “If according to your explanation, this place is so realistic because there are many… vengeful spirits here, is there a way for them to find release?”

Ning Buwei was about to speak when he heard Chu Jun say coldly, “This illusion realm has lasted for five hundred years. It can only be destroyed, not resolved.”

Fang Wanchen was speechless.

Ning Buwei frowned and thought for a moment, “Actually—”

“We only need to know how things unfolded.” Chu Jun looked at Fang Wanchen, “You and they are not from the same era. Getting too involved will damage your own fortune.”

Chu Jun was also warning him not to interfere too much in Fang Wanchen’s affairs.

Ning Buwei rarely fell silent.

Fang Wanchen had been following Pei Si with them all along, witnessing all of his encounters firsthand. His heart was full of indignation and injustice. Hearing Chu Jun say this, he shook his head, “That county magistrate, advisor, and Liu Wanfang committed evil acts, harming and hurting the people, yet no one upholds justice for Pei Si. Even though these events happened hundreds of years ago, they let us see what happened in Yuquan Village back then. It must be that these wronged souls want us to restore justice! Even if it damages my fortune, I’m willing to accept it!”

Ning Buwei frowned, “There are countless unjust things in this world. Can you manage them all?”

“One case at a time. As long as I encounter it, I should do my utmost.” Fang Wanchen looked at Ning Buwei, “I just need to have a clear conscience.”

Ning Buwei rarely encountered someone like Fang Wanchen, but thinking carefully, he could understand it—when he was fifteen or sixteen, he had also sworn to slay demons, eliminate evil, help the people, and join the Chongzheng Alliance.

Fang Wanchen was about the same age as that fool Feng Zizhang. Despite their vastly different experiences, they could miraculously be “foolish” in the same way.

Chu Jun said coldly, “If your living soul scattered here as a sacrifice could ferry the vengeful souls, would you do it?”

Fang Wanchen was stunned, “What do you mean?”

“Use your life to exchange for their peace.” Chu Jun’s voice grew colder.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Ning Buwei stood up, “This kind of Mass Resentment Illusion Realm simply has no way to—”

“I’m willing.” Fang Wanchen suddenly said.

“You’re willing my ass.” Ning Buwei interrupted him irritably, finally no longer maintaining his gentle demeanor with him, “Do you know what kind of people they were when alive? Do you know how the village burned? Or do you know how to use your life to make the exchange?”

“You care so much about the world – why don’t you think about your parents and other relatives?”

Fang Wanchen was immediately speechless.

Ning Buwei stood up and glanced at Chu Jun, “I’m going out for some fresh air.”

Ning Xiu wanted to follow while holding his chicken bone, but couldn’t even touch his father’s sleeve. He turned to look at the oily roasted chicken on the plate, then after deep consideration, walked back to the stool.

Better finish eating first, then go play with Father~

Fang Wanchen came to his senses and looked at Chu Jun somewhat embarrassedly, “Brother Chu, is Brother Chengfeng angry?”

Chu Jun said with an indifferent expression, “No, he just doesn’t like hearing others mention these things.”

Fang Wanchen was puzzled, “Doesn’t like?”

“He once had an elder brother who cultivated the Way of All Living Beings.”