Chapter 106

"The Guan Chenghuang immediately let the internal runners put a cangue on Shopkeeper Hu, and he has to wear it for three months before he can be released after serving his sentence!

Wearing a cangue for public display is the judgment of the Guan Chenghuang's mansion.

Hooking lifespan through the Book of Life and Death and depriving him of blessings and luck is the retribution of the underworld; there is still a difference between the two."

Although Jin Lian explained it this way, she was only relaying Wen Ruyu's words as they were.

She herself always felt that wearing a cangue and changing fate were both the Guan Chenghuang's punishment and retribution of the underworld.

Xiao Yu, upon hearing this, had a sudden realization.

She remembered the "Theory of Underworld Merit" that Huchen had told her.

Regardless of how ghosts and gods behave in private, at least on the surface, the underworld always adheres to the basic principle of "good and evil have retribution."

Evil causes produce evil results, and good causes form good connections.

The Guan Guan Chenghuang is not purely modifying the Book of Life and Death according to his own will; he is acting according to the law.

It can even be said that he is just the scribe.

What truly determines the content of the Book of Life and Death is the sin and karma on Shopkeeper Hu himself.

Wearing a cangue for public display is entirely the Guan Guan Chenghuang's personal will.

Even if he is a good person, can the Guan Guan Chenghuang make him wear a cangue for public display?

If Shopkeeper Hu were a great good person who was wronged, could the Guan Guan Chenghuang still change his Book of Life and Death, making his lifespan end, luck dissipate, and blessings disappear?

Therefore, underworld retribution and Guan Chenghuang punishment really cannot be confused.

"What about that Jia Yintong? He should be even more heinous, right?" Zi Ying asked.

Jin Lian said: "Jia Yintong is not a local. He is very smart; after forging fake silver, he specifically takes it to foreign lands to sell goods, or buy pigs and sheep; he doesn't despise copper coins or broken silver.

Targeting a wealthy land like our Tianmen Town, he uses large ingots; in the countryside and fields, he uses fake copper."

Let's use Huchen's Thousand-Mile Eye as an example again.

Jin Lian nodded and sighed: "Indeed! Fake silver can be done once or twice, but it's impossible to do it for a lifetime; it's better to accumulate some capital and turn to legitimate business early.

Because Jia Yintong is a foreigner, it took more procedures to handle him.

The Guan Chenghuang first called the Mao'er Village Sheling (Land God) and the County Guan Chenghuang of Dongxiang County to come over and demand Jia Yintong's files.

It was found that the Jia family had been doing evil for four generations—that is, starting from Jia Yintong's grandfather forging fake silver.

His grandfather, his father, himself, plus his son.

The Jia family should have been completely cut off starting from his grandfather's generation.

But Jia Yintong's ninth-generation ancestor was a great good person who built bridges and repaired roads, covered white bones on the road, and did good deeds for a lifetime.

Although the ninth-generation ancestor had long since been reincarnated as a commoner in the great Chinese upper nation, the ancestral shade still provided three pardons for his descendants.

By his son's generation, it was finally time to be completely cut off.

"Just cut off, anything else?" Xiao Yu asked.

She heard from Aunt Zhang that Jia Yintong shouldn't even think about having a good life in his next life.

"Wearing a cangue for half a year, wife separated and children scattered, family wealth dissipated, lonely and starving to death, with no one to collect his corpse. And after death, entering the underworld, King Yama will conduct another trial.

After serving his sentence in the eighteenth level of hell and entering the six paths of reincarnation, the first life will be a mosquito or insect, the second life will be a wet-born creature in the water, the third life will be an egg-born flying bird, and the fourth life will be a beast.

Only in the fifth life will there be an opportunity to be reincarnated as a human again.

But don't even think about having human blessings; even if he becomes a human, he will have to go through several rounds of stupidity, disability, and illness."

Chun'er and Zi Ying had expressions of both respect and fear.

As if in front of them stood a majestic and inviolable god, formless and shapeless, yet perceivable by them.

The god stood tall, untouchable and insurmountable, and mortals were as small as the dust under His feet.

Xiao Yu frowned slightly and asked curiously: "Sister said that similar underworld trials are not the first time the Guan Chenghuang has done them; can you tell me about them?"

Jin Lian lifted her skirt and spun in front of the bronze mirror, saying: "From Tianmen Town to Yingxiang Mansion, a carriage ride takes more than an hour; I'll tell you slowly on the way, now we should set off."

Xiao Yu shook her head and said: "I can't accompany Sister this time. You know, my relationship with the Guan family... is a bit awkward."

Jin Lian was stunned, then nodded: "Fine, it's all worshipping the Guan Chenghuang; there's no difference between Tianmen Town and Yingxiang Mansion."

When the legend of the Eight Immortals Shooting the Sun at Feixian Ferry spread throughout the world, "Guan Yu, the foster daughter of Huchen," also had a moment of fame.

Even Aunt Zhang and Li Daye from Soy Sauce Alley had heard of the name Guan Yu.

They also knew that "Guan Yu" had a conflict with the Iron Cavalry Battalion of the Shu Kingdom.

Guan Yu killed many knights of the Iron Cavalry Battalion.

Widow Huang, who lived alone with a posthumous child, even quietly pulled Xiao Yu aside to ask how many iron-clad knights she had killed and why she had to kill...

In short, the feud between Guan Yu and the Iron Cavalry Battalion, after Huchen returned to Yingxiang Mansion early with heavy injuries, was that Song Changqing, the deputy commander of the Iron Cavalry Battalion, united a group of knights to ambush Miss Guan Yu and crippled her sword bone.

And because Guan family's Lady Wen was jealous and not virtuous, she drove Guan Yu, whose sword bone had been crippled, out of the Guan family while her husband was recuperating...

Xiao Yu did not express any opinion on these well-known news.

When Widow Huang asked her how many Luye Guard iron-clad knights she had killed, she told her to go to Luodu and ask Song Changqing.

Widow Huang told her that Song Changqing had been exiled to the Southern Frontier.

She also indicated that although her husband was also a Luye Guard cavalryman, he had died early on the battlefield north of Tianmen Town, so no matter how many iron-clad knights Xiao Yu killed, it had nothing to do with her.

She was purely curious and wanted to know if there were any acquaintances among the killed knights.

Xiao Yu still didn't say anything.

After lunch, Xiao Yu went to the back alley to chat with Widow Huang again.

Widow Huang was idle, gossipy, and loved to inquire about privacy, making her a relatively good chat partner—as long as Xiao Yu herself didn't become the topic of conversation.

"Sigh, it's a pity that the ninth-generation ancestor of the Jia family did good deeds for a lifetime, only to have his descendants ruin it until the lineage was cut off."

After hearing the details of the "Guan Chenghuang night-trying the fake silver" story retold by Xiao Yu, Widow Huang was very satisfied.

"In the past, in the Northern Desert Shaqiu, I never knew that ghosts and gods could manifest to punish evil people in the world," Xiao Yu sighed.

Widow Huang laughed proudly: "Now that you've come to Tianmen Town, you can consider it an eye-opener."

Xiao Yu asked curiously: "Does this not count as an eye-opener for you, Sister Huang?"

"Hehe, who hasn't started listening to the Guan Chenghuang's stories since they could remember?"

Widow Huang patted the baby in her arms and said: "Like my Ergouzi, isn't he listening to the Guan Chenghuang's legends right now?

Truth be told, the fake silver case only has characters closer to us and more familiar.

In terms of excitement, it can't be counted as the most legendary."

Xiao Yu didn't even need to ask again, and she began to speak continuously, "For example, the 'Heyang True Immortal' Zeng Wendao from a hundred years ago; he was born with strange bones and natural immortal roots, but he had a straw-bag heart.

That heart of his was completely blocked by strips of muscle, like a ball of grass roots.

With the heart orifices blocked, a person is naturally as stupid as a pig.

But Immortal Zeng was a good person who had cultivated for ten lifetimes; although he was stupid in this life, he had always been doing good deeds."

Speaking of this, Widow Huang subconsciously stopped and glanced at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu didn't understand, so she asked: "And then? What did the Guan Chenghuang do?"

Widow Huang was a bit disappointed.

In the past, every time she told the story of "True Immortal Zeng Wendao" to outsiders, when she reached "good person of ten lifetimes," the other party would raise a question: Shouldn't a good person of ten lifetimes be reincarnated in the great Chinese upper nation, or even directly become an immortal? How did he become a fool in this life?

Then Widow Huang would be even more proud, also acting mysterious, lowering her voice, and saying: The name of the story is "True Immortal Zeng Wendao," you still ask such a stupid question; a good person who has cultivated for ten lifetimes, of course, will become an immortal!

Xiao Yu didn't ask.

A major pleasure point couldn't be released.

Widow Huang was a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn't easy to ask and answer herself, so she could only continue: "Zeng Wendao didn't have this name back then; everyone called him 'A-Niu,' saying he was as stupid as an ox."

"Zeng A-Niu"—Xiao Yu had a reaction to this, and her expression became a bit strange.

"Zeng A-Niu was deceived by his fellow villagers and went to move the Guan Chenghuang's statue on the hillside in the middle of the night. At that time, the Guan Chenghuang was not yet the Prefecture Guan Chenghuang, just the Guan Chenghuang of Heyin County.

Zeng A-Niu was from Heyang Town.

He was truly stupid, moving the Heyin Guan Chenghuang to Heyang Town.

However, although Zeng A-Niu was dull, he was in awe of ghosts and gods; when carrying the Guan Chenghuang's statue, he was respectful and cautious.

Afterward, he apologized to the Guan Chenghuang and carried the statue back to Heyin County on the other side of the bridge intact.

Before leaving, he even spoke foolish words, inviting the Guan Chenghuang to his house for a drink.

Which normal person would say such things, right?"

Xiao Yu's expression became even stranger; this story was a bit familiar!

"Did the Guan Chenghuang really go?"

"Of course he did!" Widow Huang clapped her hands excitedly, "Clap~~~"

"Wah wah wah~~~~" The butt of Ergouzi in her arms was slapped red.

"Oh my, Ergou be good, Ergou don't cry, Mom was confused and hurt you~~~"

Widow Huang could no longer care about showing off, putting her face on the baby's butt, kissing and cuddling, and even lifting her clothes to breastfeed.

After tossing for a while, Ergouzi finally settled down with the "pacifier" in his mouth.

Widow Huang laughed twice, her face showing no strangeness, and continued excitedly: "The Guan Chenghuang not only went to Zeng A-Niu's house for a drink, but also, while Zeng A-Niu was hungover, cut open his stomach, helped him wash his turbid internal organs, and finally even replaced it with a seven-aperture exquisite heart.

From then on, Zeng A-Niu was no longer stupid.

Not only did he have an unforgettable memory and understand everything at once when reading, but his cultivation of Dao also progressed rapidly; in a few years, he left the mortal world and became a true immortal."

"Worthy of being the Guan Chenghuang, he could actually replace someone's heart and even make a stupid ox cultivate into an immortal; it's too magical," Xiao Yu said with a face full of amazement.

She had heard similar stories in her previous life, Zhu Erdan and Lu Pan.

At that time, she only felt it was very novel and felt very moved by Lu Pan's generosity and loyalty.

Now the same story happened around her, and it was a true story; she no longer felt any novelty, nor did she feel that the "Yingxiang Mansion Lu Pan" was generous and loyal, only a great horror that made her hair stand on end!

A seven-aperture exquisite heart could never grow out of the ground.

So where did it come from?

Since even the heart can be replaced, what else cannot be replaced?

"Aunt Huang, continue, what happened after that!"

"Afterward, Zeng A-Niu changed his name to 'Zeng Wendao,' and in just a few decades, he cultivated Daoist methods and became a true immortal!" Widow Huang said.

"The sword duel isn't over yet; you come back here." Mr. Lan shouted with blood-red eyes.

Widow Huang hesitated and said: "A true immortal should be stronger than a human immortal; after all, we often hear about, or even see, human immortals.

For example, our Great Shu's Martial God of Protecting the Nation, 'Double Spear Chen Taiping.'

For example, the Lu Kingdom remnants who stole our monarch's heavy treasure... Lu Kingdom once had ten human immortals!

But as for true immortals, I have only heard of one, Zeng Wendao, in my life."

"Sigh, this story is indeed more magical than the fake silver case," Xiao Yu sighed.

"There are too many Guan Chenghuang legends more magical than the fake silver case..."

Widow Huang was teased again and talked continuously for an hour about the "Tianmen Town Ghost and God Legends."

Until Aunt Zhang, Li Daye, and the others returned from offering incense, high-spirited and satisfied.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you really should have gone to see it; inside and outside the Guan Chenghuang Temple, it was a sea of people, gongs and drums were sounding, and firecrackers were ringing.

Dozens of families with status in Tianmen Town, such as General Pingnan's family in the south of the city, Zhang Imperial Son-in-Law in the east of the city, and Yun Jing Tower in the west of the city, all sent people to the Guan Chenghuang Temple today.

Not only did they offer incense and pray for blessings to the Guan Chenghuang, but they also distributed alms in the open air outside the temple..."

Aunt Zhang held a bolt of deep cyan linen and showed off: "Look, sent by General Pingnan's family; the old Lady Huo is merciful and compassionate, and she pities us old people the most."

Widow Huang looked at the cyan cloth in Aunt Zhang's hand, then at the rice bag Li Daye was carrying, full of regret, stomping her feet and shouting: "If I had known there were good people distributing alms, I would have gone even if I had to bring Ergouzi.

If I could get a bolt of good cloth, Ergouzi wouldn't lack pants for a few years."

Aunt Zhang muttered: "I don't lack clothes; this cloth should be used to sew open-crotch pants for Ergouzi!"

Saying this, she handed the cyan cloth to Widow Huang.

Widow Huang held her son in her left hand, waved her right hand repeatedly, and her body retreated, shouting: "Can't do it, can't do it! Using new cloth for open-crotch pants is too wasteful; modifying old clothes at home will do."

Seeing her face turn red with urgency and looking very embarrassed, Aunt Zhang calculated: I'll sew a jacket for Ergouzi later; small clothes can only be worn by Ergouzi, she definitely won't be able to refuse.

Thinking this way, she didn't force it anymore and laughed: "Besides the good people distributing alms, the temple keeper also explained the process of the fake silver case in detail! Hehe, it was even more bizarre and tortuous than what we heard before, let me tell you..."

Xiao Yu didn't listen to her; she jumped up, her body rising two zhang high, and landed silently on the wall, then made a few backflips, jumped over a distance of more than ten zhang, and returned to the courtyard of Xiao Jing Xuan.