I become a god in another world

Chapter 763 Another secret
Chapter 763

Hao Jinyi had deep-set features, a straight nose, and fair skin, but due to the influence of the ghostly calamity, he had heavy dark circles under his eyes, which made his skin look pale and dull.

His lips were chapped, his eyes were bloodshot, his hair was not combed properly, and his clothes were wrinkled.

When he came in, his shoulders were hunched inward, and he looked like a frightened bird, seemingly even worse off than Hao Mingshan, the lantern bearer from before.

Upon seeing this scene, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help but wonder: Was Hao Jinyi hated by the Hao family because of his complaint, or was there another hidden reason—such as his involvement in the ghost case?

The answer was quickly revealed. Hao Jinyi timidly entered the hall, his gaze falling on Hao Dingzhu's face. Then, his dull eyes lit up, and he rushed towards Hao Dingzhu:
"Uncle, save me! Uncle, save my life!"

"Please, Uncle, for Father's sake, save your nephew."

Hao Dingzhu gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with disgust and coldness as she looked at him.

In front of Zhao Fusheng, Hao Dingzhu couldn't very well yell at him, so he forced a smile, but his anger made the smile look stiff.
"What nonsense are you talking about? A Lord Zhao has come to the capital and is now investigating this case. You just need to explain the details of the case to this Lord Zhao in detail and don't hide anything."

After saying that, unable to suppress his resentment, he added:

"It would be a blessing if the case could be resolved sooner, restoring peace to the Hao family. Otherwise, the entire Hao clan would be destroyed in your hands."

Hearing the dissatisfaction in his tone, Hao Jinyi felt a pang of fear and his heart tightened.

But then he heard that someone from the capital had arrived, and he turned his head timidly in the direction Hao Dingzhu was pointing, and there he saw Zhao Fusheng.

In the past, he was confident in his good looks and would always try to impress young women.

However, he was not in good condition at the time, and he was also afraid of Zhao Fusheng's status as an envoy from the capital, so he became even more timid and hesitant in front of her, and became more and more frustrated.

"Lord Zhao, this is my second brother's good-for-nothing only son." Hao Dingzhu's mindset changed, and his attitude towards this matter also changed:

"Please, sir, help me save the lives of my Hao family."

Zhao Fusheng didn't answer, but looked at Hao Jinyi and asked him:
"You're Hao Jinyi? Did you report this case involving the Hao family to the capital?"

Hao Jinyi was still in a daze when Hao Dingzhu shouted:

"You wretched child! Your superior is asking you a question, why aren't you kneeling down!"

Reprimanded by his elders, Hao Jinyi was like a frightened bird; his knees immediately buckled, and he knelt on the ground, instinctively answering:

"Yes."

Upon hearing his answer, everyone in the Hao family showed expressions of resentment.

Hao Laoqi and Hao Laoba flung their sleeves, wishing they could beat this unfilial son to death.

Zhao Fusheng became interested.

But instead of immediately asking about the ghost case, she asked:

"Hao Dingzhu is your uncle?"

"Correct."

Hao Jinyi was terrified, not knowing what he had been through. If he were to be asked about the ghost case as soon as he arrived, he would be both scared and shocked. This case was unusual, and the Hao family had lost their lantern bearer. The elders all looked like they wanted to eat people.

Although the case successfully alerted the visitors from the capital, Hao Jinyi still had to continue living his life after they left. Under pressure from his elders, he might not tell them all the details.

In addition, fear can make one's speech incoherent, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Zhao Fusheng planned to start with the details and ask questions step by step.

Hao Jinyi was unaware of what was going on, but he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Perhaps because her question didn't make him nervous, he glanced at Hao Dingzhu and even took the initiative to say a few more words:
“My father was the lantern bearer in our clan in his early years. He died after being cursed. My third uncle took care of me and raised me well since I was a child. He was not my biological father, but he was better than my biological father.”

Upon hearing this, Hao Dingzhu couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

He was a shrewd and experienced man, and naturally knew that Hao Jinyi was trying to flatter him.

If he were to move forward, he would naturally find the kid's words helpful.

But now the Hao family is going through a storm, and all the storms were brought about by Hao Jinyi. If the case hadn't been unresolved and involved him, Hao Dingzhu would have loved to tear that kid to pieces.

Everyone present was incredibly shrewd.

Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly, taking in everyone's reactions, and then asked:

"I heard from Chief Hao that," Hao Dingzhu felt a sense of unease when she mentioned the name "Chief Hao." She immediately clasped her hands together, bowed repeatedly, and showed an expression of shame and trepidation.

"We sent you to study in the capital a few years ago?"

Hao Jin said with remorse:

"I'm not cut out to be the lamplighter."

In reality, he was timid; he dared not kill anyone himself, and he was also afraid of suffering bad consequences in the future.

Hao Dingzhu saw through his true nature and sent him to the capital.

"I studied at the home of Master Wang, a Confucian scholar in the capital." Hao Jinyi said, "Master Wang's ancestors were officials in the capital, and his family produced many famous people. He is very knowledgeable."

Zhao Fusheng asked:

How many people are in Master Wang's family?

Hao Jinyi replied:

"Master Wang's family was small, and his wife was frail. He forced himself on her when he married her, which caused a rift with his family, leading to them separating and living independently. His wife had two sons and a daughter; Wenqing was the eldest—"

"and many more."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fusheng immediately interrupted him:
Who is Wenqing?

She couldn't help but look at Kuai Manzhou, but the child didn't react to the situation around him. His attention was focused on the string of copper coins in her hand, and he didn't respond to her gaze.

Magistrate Pang was quite frightened by the strange sight just now, and when he heard Hao Jinyi speaking, he did not react to the name 'Wenqing'.

Cao Gu and the others noticed her tense expression and were puzzled.

Hao Jinyi, however, was lost in his own thoughts and didn't notice the reactions of those around him, continuing to speak to himself:

"Wenqing is Master Wang's eldest daughter."

"Wang Wenqing—"

Zhao Fusheng murmured.

Hearing this, Hao Dingzhu couldn't help but ask:

"Sir, is there anything special about the name Wang Wenqing?"

Zhao Fusheng composed himself:
"I know someone whose name used to be 'Wenqing'."

Zhang Chuanshi's mother, also known as the Human Skin Ghost Mother of Shangyang County, was named Liu Wenqing.

This time, Zhao Fusheng and others were in the ghost realm, which was created by Zhang the Paper Doll. In addition, Wang Wenqing died, and the ghost case in Tongshan County was caused by Hao. The two must be related and it is not just a coincidence.

But she wasn't in a hurry to expose the matter at this moment. Instead, she forced herself to remain calm and looked at Hao Dingzhu:

"That's quite a coincidence. Let's put that aside for now and talk about Master Wang."

"I see."

Seeing that her expression was normal, Hao Dingzhu immediately believed her explanation:
"In this vast world, there are only so many good names for girls. Master Wang Daolin is indeed a scholar. The name he gave his daughter is also related to the elders."

He flattered her.

Judging from Zhao Fusheng's expression, the flattery hadn't hit the mark, so Hao Dingzhu had no choice but to regretfully put away her ingratiating smile and reply:

"The Wang family certainly has a distinguished background. I wonder if you, sir, know anything about the origins of the Lantern Festival in Tongshan County?"

Zhao Fusheng's heart skipped a beat:
"Surname Wang? A famous person from their ancestors? Could it be related to Wang Puyi, whom Cao Gu mentioned earlier?"

Hao Dingzhu immediately said:

"You are indeed very knowledgeable, sir." His words made things all fall into place.

Hao Jinyi was still kneeling on the ground with an uneasy expression. He claimed that he was incompetent and unfit to be the lantern bearer, but judging from Hao Dingzhu's arrangements, he probably still had the intention of supporting his nephew to become the lantern bearer.

Her thoughts shifted:
"Did you study drawing?"

Hao Jinyi nodded:
"Master Wang is most skilled in painting, especially portraits."

Zhao Fusheng understood the situation.

She said:
"Go on to describe the scene at Master Wang's house."

Hao Jin's Legacy:

“Master Wang’s ancestors were glorious, but he was estranged from his family and had little contact with them in recent years. His wife was in poor health and had given birth to three children, but none of them survived. She had a son left but dared not keep him with her and sent him back to the Wang family clan, where the clan members took care of him. Wenqing stayed by his side and served him.”

At this point, he became somewhat frightened:
“When I was learning my craft in the capital, Wenqing took good care of me, providing me with food, clothing and tea. We had already made a vow to each other and never be separated.”

Wang Wenqing was unhappy to learn that Hao Jinyi was going back to Jinzhou to participate in the lantern festival.

Jinzhou and the capital are far apart, and it would probably take more than a year for the two of them to see each other again.

Moreover, everything in the Hao family is decided by Hao Jinyi's uncle. Now that he has reached marriageable age, Wang Wenqing is worried that his family will arrange a wife for him once he returns to Tongshan County.

The two poured out their hearts to each other and decided to pledge their lives to one another.

On his return trip to Tongshan County, Hao Jin secretly took Wang Wenqing with him. Before leaving, he left a message for Wang's master, explaining that he would not let Wang Wenqing down.

The letter was written with great certainty, but who knew that things would turn out so unexpectedly, and Wang Wenqing would eventually die in Tongshan County.

Thinking of this, Hao Jinyi cried again:
“Master Wang was very good to me, and his wife took good care of me too. I… I abducted their daughter. Now that Wenqing is in trouble, how can I face my two elders in the future?”

The couple had two sons and a daughter. One son died young, and the other son stayed in the clan and could not be with his parents, so they only had one daughter left.

Now that their daughter is gone, they will be heartbroken if they find out the truth.

……

Zhao Fusheng inquired about Hao Jinyi's past learning of martial arts, and by a twist of fate, he uncovered two important clues.

Seeing Hao Jinyi's sorrowful expression, she asked again:

"You returned to Tongshan County without incident. Did anything strange happen along the way?"

Hao Jinyi shook his head:
"Nothing strange has happened."

The two eloped, and after the initial excitement, Hao Jinyi later became somewhat troubled about how to report the matter to his uncle, Hao Dingzhu.

Afterwards, both parties returned home, and Hao Dingzhu indeed did not approve of the marriage.

However, they did not neglect their guest outwardly, and had the servants arrange for Wang Wenqing to stay in a courtyard in the west wing, instructing them to take good care of him.

Later, Hao Dingzhu inquired about Hao Jinyi's apprenticeship and expressed his intention to arrange for him to join the Demon Suppression Division at this year's Lantern Festival. He hoped that by leveraging Hao Jinyi's status as a descendant of Wang Puyi, he could have Hao Jinyi participate in the Lantern Festival's painting activities.

“My uncle promised me that if I can qualify to participate in the painting competition this year, he will agree to our marriage.”

After Hao Jinyi finished speaking, Hao Dingzhu nodded.

But little did we know that good things often come with difficulties.

Hao Jinyi had just finished speaking when Hao Dingzhu shouted:
Think it through before you speak!

Zhao Fusheng glanced at him, his eyes filled with displeasure.

Hao Dingzhu, who had been so aggressive, immediately fell silent.

"Is there something else I don't know about?"

Zhao Fusheng asked with a smile.

There was dead silence in the hall.

Hao Jinyi seemed to know he had gotten himself into trouble, so he bit his lip tightly and dared not utter a sound.

“Nobody dares to say,” Zhao Fusheng joked, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes; he turned to look at Cao Gu instead.
"Speak, Lord Cao."

Cao Gu was seething with hatred inside, but on the surface he said respectfully:

"Yes, my lord."

He said:
“We had a lawsuit here before.”

"What lawsuit?" Zhao Fusheng suddenly felt that Tongshan County was a really interesting place.

She was new to the area and didn't quite understand the situation, but she had a feeling that there were many things to do in such a small county.

The local customs are also peculiar, with clear class distinctions and numerous lawsuits.

First there was the lawsuit between the Qin and Hao families, and then, when the case of Hao Jinyi's ghost was mentioned, a new lawsuit was brought up.

As soon as she finished speaking, Cao Gu forced himself to say:
"Sir, may I speak with you in private?"

Zhao Fusheng frowned:
"Is it related to Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu, the two Ghost Masters of the Demon Suppression Division?"

Cao Gu hesitated for a moment without speaking, but his attitude was self-evident even without words.

Zhao Fusheng sighed:
“Our situation is special and we can’t be separated, Lord Cao. Just say it like this, and I guarantee that Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu won’t cause you any trouble afterward.”

After saying that, he glanced around:

"Or each person could say a sentence about the details of the lawsuit."

Having said that, Cao Gu had no further excuses and could only say:

"My lord, the two Lord Jiangs are in special circumstances—"

He seemed to have something difficult to say, and before he finished speaking, he looked at Hao Dingzhu.

Hao Dingzhu received his gaze, her body trembled, and finally she gritted her teeth and uttered a meaningless sentence:
"My lord, the two lords of the Demon Suppression Division in this county, Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu, are originally from Tongshan County."

After saying that, he crossed his arms, looking like it was none of his business, and fell silent.

Hao Laoqi panicked and echoed:
"These two gentlemen are born from coffins."

The matter had come full circle, bringing it back to Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu of the Demon Suppression Division.

Under Zhao Fusheng's watchful gaze, everyone began to speak, one after another.

From the evasive and uneasy expressions of the group, Zhao Fusheng roughly pieced together the truth of the matter.

The father of Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu is unknown.

The two brothers' biological mother was from Dazao Village, Chuanxi Town, Tongshan County. She was born with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. She was still a minor and was said to have been defiled by a stranger while pregnant.

When Cao Gu and others mentioned this matter, they were worried about offending the Jiang brothers, so they only mentioned it briefly. However, Zhao Fusheng could imagine that in such an era, a disabled woman who was disgraced and became pregnant out of wedlock must have had a very difficult life, and might not have been able to endure it.

Ultimately, Jiang Wen and Jiang Wu's mother died before giving birth.

When Hao Laoqi mentioned the Jiang brothers, he called them "children born from a coffin." In reality, under the circumstances at the time, the Jiang brothers' mother did not have a coffin; she was simply wrapped in a straw mat and buried.

But the two were not destined to die.

Perhaps the people working on burying the babies weren't putting in enough effort, or perhaps Heaven, with its benevolent heart, couldn't bear to let the twins die in the womb.

The poor woman gave birth to a child after her death, and the baby's cries woke up the villagers.

In conclusion, the twins survived and successfully controlled ghosts after reaching adulthood.

Because of these past experiences, they developed a particular aversion to outsiders after taking control of the Demon Suppression Division.

“For many years now, there haven’t been many outsiders settling in Tongshan County,” Cao Gu said cautiously.

(End of this chapter)