Chapter 33: Beaten to Death, Yet Still Begging for Mercy

As Wang Xuezhou stepped out of the gate, feeling quite pleased, he saw an unexpected person waiting there.

Seeing him emerge, Wang Chengzu’s face lit up with a mix of seven parts pleasant surprise, two parts warmth, and one part ingratiating smile. "Xuezhou, my dear nephew, I’ve come to take you home today."

Wang Xuezhou couldn't help but tighten his belt before walking forward. "Where is my father?"

Wang Chengzu reached out to take his satchel: "Your father is waiting for you at home. You must be exhausted from your studies these past few days. Come, let your uncle carry your things."

Wang Xuezhou let him take the small satchel without a word.

On the ox cart ride home, Wang Chengzu rummaged through the bag from top to bottom but failed to find the twenty taels of silver. He dared not speak up with other passengers on the cart. As soon as they stepped off, he could no longer contain himself and pulled Wang Xuezhou aside, ready to search his person.

"Uncle, what are you doing?" Wang Xuezhou asked, knowing full well the reason.

"What do you think? A child like you, what do you need so much money for? You ran off faster than a rabbit yesterday. If I hadn't bumped into your teacher, I wouldn't have let you off so easily."

Wang Chengzu failed to undo his belt, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to use force, but the boy suddenly wiggled away like a loach and took off running.

"Murder! The eldest of the Wang family is trying to kill someone!" Wang Xuezhou shouted as he ran.

Wang Chengzu’s face shifted from green to sallow. "You stand right there!"

...

"Grandfather! Grandmother! Father! Mother!" Wang Xuezhou burst through the front gate, his shout bringing Old Madam Liu out from the kitchen.

Upon seeing him, her face beamed, though she immediately scolded him with a darkened expression: "Why are you shouting so loudly? You nearly scared the life out of me, and I spilled half a bag of flour!"

Zhang followed close behind, her face lighting up at the sight of her son, and she couldn't help but defend him: "Mother, Choudan is back today, so let the flour be. A loud voice just shows he’s healthy and strong!"

Wang Xuezhou chuckled: "Of course! We exercise with our teacher every day! I can even perform the Five Animal Frolics now!" He struck a few poses to show them.

Old Madam Liu watched her grandson jumping about and couldn't help but remark: "What kind of teacher is this? Teaching nothing but useless things."

"Mother, you're wrong there. This just goes to show my eye for quality—I found a great teacher for our Choudan!" Old Man Wang and his three sons entered the courtyard together.

Wang Chengzu kept winking at Wang Xuezhou, who pretended not to see.

"Without a sturdy body, all the studying in the world is useless! If it’s windy or rainy during the exams, how could he hold up? This is exactly how it should be," Wang Chengzhi said, beaming with pride.

Wang Xuezhou gave a thumbs up: "That’s my father for you. That’s real wisdom!"

"Of course. I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice."

Old Madam Liu raised her eyebrows: "Are you implying I have no wisdom?"

Wang Xuezhou offered an ingratiating smile, reached into his trousers, and pulled out two ten-tael silver ingots, handing them to Old Madam Liu: "Grandmother, this is for you and Grandfather, from me and Uncle."

This action stunned the entire Wang family.

Shortly after, Old Man Wang gathered everyone in the main hall. Wang Xuezhou recounted what happened the previous day in vivid detail, without sparing Wang Chengzu at all. The room fell into a heavy silence. The Wang family all thought to themselves: Could Choudan truly be the reincarnation of the God of Literature?

Only Wang Chengzu kept backing away, inching toward the door.

"I want to go to the city to study, too! I want to go!" After listening, Wang Xuewen was stunned for a moment before shouting, "If I go to the city to study, I can definitely make money too! I want to go!"

His words brought Old Man Wang back to his senses. Seeing Wang Chengzu by the door, he took off his shoe and hurled it at him. "Second and Third! Grab the Eldest!"

Wang Chengzhi and Wang Chengyao immediately pounced, pinning Wang Chengzu to the ground.

"You unfilial wretch! Are you trying to be the death of me? You dare go to a gambling den? I should just beat you to death today and be done with it, so you don't drag the family down later!"

Hearing this, Zhang’s eyes shifted. She ran to grab a club as thick as an arm and handed it to Old Man Wang. Old Madam Liu glared at her, but Zhang explained indignantly: "Father, Mother, it’s not that I’m heartless! If the Eldest brother continues to be so reckless, it’s one thing to drag Xuewen down, but what if he drags my Choudan down with him?"

"Since Choudan started school, not only has he not spent the family’s money, he’s brought money back! He’s a much better student than Xuewen. The future of the Wang family rests on my Choudan. If he’s held back by the Eldest brother, a beating is the least he deserves!"

Old Man Wang gritted his teeth, his resolve hardened. He raised the club and struck Wang Chengzu: "You disaster! It’s bad enough that you’re a failure, but you’re going to drag the Wang family to their graves! How will I ever face our ancestors in the afterlife..."

"Father! Listen to me... argh... Father! Mother!"

Wang Chengzu let out a scream like a slaughtered pig.

Gao gritted her teeth, watching her husband without intervening. That deadbeat! It wasn't enough that he ruined their son last time; now he wanted to drag him down again! She wished her father-in-law would just beat him to death! How did her son end up with such a father? It was because of him that they were always overshadowed by the second branch. Thinking this, Gao sat there weeping, stripped of her usual arrogance.

Seeing his grandfather’s rage, Wang Xuewen was too terrified to make a sound. Old Madam Liu was also filled with a complex mix of emotions, remaining silent.

Wang Xuezhou watched for a while and decided that was enough. His grandfather couldn't possibly beat his own son to death; if he beat him too hard, the old couple would not only be heartbroken but would also have to pay for medical bills, which wasn't worth it.

"Grandfather, the county is about to levy corvée labor. That’s why I came back today."

What? Corvée labor? Old Man Wang and his three sons fell silent at once.

The third branch, which had been sitting calmly, suddenly grew anxious. Ma asked urgently: "Are you sure? When?"

"It’s coming soon. This time, they need to build a bridge in Linxing Town. The exemption tax is five taels. Although it’s gone up, what I earned yesterday is enough. Could we pay the exemption for the family this year instead of sending someone?"

According to the Wang family’s rotation, it was Wang Chengyao’s turn to serve.

Building a bridge! Hearing this, Ma’s face turned deathly pale.

"I heard this from my classmate, whose family learned it from the County Magistrate’s wife. It’s highly likely." Fearing they might not believe him, Wang Xuezhou added this detail.

Old Man Wang swayed, and the club slipped from his hand.