Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 112

The county magistrate heard the conflicting statements and couldn’t reach a conclusion immediately, so he called the servants and maids of the Wang family to testify. Their statements were chaotic, but everyone agreed that Wu Liniang’s yard was not guarded, and they all tried to avoid going there.

Because the young master of the mansion was previously bedridden, he said it would disturb him, and this order came from Master Wang himself.

Some people started whispering, speculating that this was the key to Lord Wang’s involvement in harassing his daughter-in-law. If it wasn’t to gratify his lecherous desires, why would he forbid anyone from approaching that courtyard? Wasn’t this what led to his daughter-in-law’s harassment? Surely, he was the culprit.

Master Wang cried out in protest, “I am innocent! My unfilial son has passed away. This matter should not be brought up, but his illness—his disease was contagious. I was afraid that the maids and servants in the household might contract it, which would only add to the sins. That’s why I ordered people to stay away from that courtyard. The doctor from Shanren Hall can testify to this.”

The county magistrate instructed someone to summon the doctor from Shanren Hall.

The doctor confirmed this was true. When asked about Master Wang’s condition, the doctor answered honestly. Master Wang’s illness started below the waist, with many rashes on his p*nis that eventually ulcerated. Later, other parts of his body festered and oozed. If someone touched his wounds, they could easily catch the disease. Prolonged exposure could also lead to infection.

No one had realized how horrific the young master’s illness really was. They knew he was gravely ill, but not the specifics. It seemed that the saying, “A knife is always aimed at the heart,” applied here—and the brothel was no place for anyone to visit.

Someone whispered, “Young Master Wang’s tool is so rotten, so how did this young wife get pregnant? I remember when Young Master Wang was buried, she went to see him off with a big belly.”

Once the whispering began, everyone nodded in agreement. Now, the question arose—who among the three men was the father of her child?

“Young Widow Wang, since the young master can no longer father children, who is the father of your child?”

Wu Liniang looked a little embarrassed. In truth, she wasn’t entirely sure herself. She only knew it couldn’t be Master Wang’s. “This young woman was forced into an affair. I don’t know… I don’t know…” She collapsed onto the ground and cried again.

The county magistrate found himself at a loss. He ordered his men to bring three bowls of clear water and instructed the three men to each drop a drop of blood into one.

Zhang Huai and Master Wang both assumed the child was Master Yang’s, so they willingly dropped their blood. Master Yang hesitated but eventually complied. Though he once believed Wang Hao was his son, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

At that moment, Wang Hao, who was hiding in the back hall, was dragged out. As soon as he appeared, he cried and ran into Wu Liniang’s arms.

The yamen runner grabbed his hand mercilessly and slashed it with a dagger. Bright red blood dripped out. He brought the first bowl, which contained Master Yang’s blood. Master Yang held his breath and stared intently. The two drops of blood didn’t mix, proving that Wang Hao wasn’t his child.

When he saw that the blood didn’t mix, he exhaled sharply and cursed, “B*tch,” before turning away.

Master Wang and Zhang Huai exchanged looks of disbelief, especially Zhang Huai, whose heart raced with an ominous feeling.

The yamen runner then brought the second bowl containing Master Wang’s blood. The drops met in the water and dispersed, proving that Wang Hao wasn’t his child either.

Zhang Huai shook his head. “Impossible… Impossible… He’s not… He’s not my child!” His muttering drew attention.

It wasn’t until the yamen runners dropped Wang Hao’s blood into the final bowl, where it mixed with Zhang Huai’s blood, that everyone realized the child was Zhang Huai’s.

Zhang Huai rushed forward and knocked the bowl to the ground. “I clearly heard it… I clearly heard it was his… What did I do? What did I do!!”

His erratic behavior frightened the others. No one understood why he acted like this.

Two yamen runners quickly restrained him and forced him to kneel, waiting for the county magistrate’s judgment.

Wu Liniang listened to his self-talk, and a vague understanding formed in her mind, though it wasn’t yet confirmed.

The county magistrate saw that Zhang Huai was still howling and appeared out of control, so he ordered the yamen runners to give him five big boards.

After the punishment, Zhang Huai calmed down. He cried bitterly, and once he settled, he wiped his tears and began to recount what happened yesterday morning when he met Zhang Shu, then described the events leading up to the court session.

As everyone listened to his account, they suddenly understood. Each person had unknowingly lied, believing the events happened a certain way. But when the story was pieced together, the truth became clear.

In reality, everything came down to three words: a guilty conscience.

Zhang Huai felt guilty and terrified after hearing Zhang Shu’s words. In his anxiety, he sought out Wu Liniang, climbed over the wall, and accidentally uncovered some “truths,” which sparked a desire for revenge.

Wu Liniang felt guilty and, upon returning, went to Master Yang to discuss countermeasures. Zhang Huai discovered this, which led to the ensuing chaos.

Master Yang was guilty. After being beaten by the Wang family’s people, he didn’t question the situation and rashly jumped to conclusions, falling right into Zhang Huai’s trap.

None of these individuals were innocent.

The magistrate immediately passed judgment: Wu Liniang and Mr. Yang were sentenced to death for poisoning and attempted murder. Though they didn’t cause any fatalities, their methods were brutal, and their intentions malicious, so they would be executed by beheading in autumn.

Zhang Huai, who had an affair with the woman and tried to seize family property, was considered an accomplice. Since he didn’t cause anyone’s death, he was sentenced to exile a thousand miles away.

Master Wang violated ethics and was morally corrupt. He was stripped of his title as juren, and half of his property was confiscated. However, due to his old age, he was not detained.

Wu Liniang and Master Yang looked ashen. In truth, they already expected the consequences once they were found out. Zhang Huai, on the other hand, deeply regretted everything. He realized that it was all his fault. If he hadn’t led people to beat Master Yang, hadn’t informed Master Wang, and hadn’t spoken to Zhang Shu that day… perhaps things would have turned out differently.

When Master Wang heard his punishment, he collapsed in shock. He couldn’t imagine how to explain the loss of his Juren title to his ancestors.

Coincidentally, the doctor was still in the back hall. After checking Master Wang’s pulse, everyone learned that the slow-acting poison Wu Liniang and Master Wang used had already caused significant damage to his health. The added shock brought on a stroke. Master Wang might never recover and could remain an invalid for the rest of his life.

Madam Wang arrived to take Master Wang back. During her two years of imprisonment, she had reflected deeply on her past mistakes. When Zhang Shu couldn’t find her at the other residence, it was because she had voluntarily entered a nunnery months earlier. Now, her expression showed neither sadness nor joy—her spiritual practice seemed to have taken effect.

For the sake of their marriage, she didn’t let him die in court. But after everything he did—locking her up, sending people to punish her, and threatening her family—she completely severed ties. She no longer cared about him.

The arrangements for the people were nearly complete. The county magistrate was preparing to leave when an officer came out of the back hall, leading Wang Hao, who had been taken earlier, and asked what should be done with him.

Wang Hao was raised by the Wang family, but it was now confirmed that he was not a Wang, but a Zhang. Therefore, he had to be sent back to the Zhang family.

As much as Zhang Huai once loved him, he now hated him. He blamed Wang Hao for resembling him, which led to the entire disaster. He quickly provided his home address and left for prison without looking back.

Wu Liniang wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. She simply covered her face and walked past him.

The child was innocent, and everyone sympathized with him. Yet no one was willing to speak to him. From the moment he was born, he was a child of an affair, a living symbol of shame. No matter how much people pitied him, they still looked down on his existence.

He was once happy in a past life. Now, life would be difficult. It showed that justice always returned—but the wounds left on the dead would not be forgotten by time.

A good play had ended, and Zhang Shu left quietly. The person who caused him so much pain in a previous life had destroyed himself in this one. It was truly ridiculous.

…

Zhang Shu drove the carriage to the mountain with a wine jar, heading toward the hill where he was buried in his past life. He opened the jar, took out a bowl, and poured a bowl of wine at the site of his former grave.

“Zhang Shu, Zhang Shu, I offer you a glass of wine. Now that great revenge has been taken and all the damned are dead, you can rest in peace.”

“I don’t know if I’m the reincarnation of your past life or if I’m simply me with an extra memory. If there really is another me, I hope you can rest in peace.”

Zhang Shu held the jar and took a few gulps of wine.

“I’ve taken care of the people you cared about. You wanted to gain respect from others, and I’ve made sure that happened. Now, I’ll live well, live with dignity, and live with responsibility. So, don’t worry.” He poured wine onto the ground at the grave site, then poured another bowl. “I know you can’t drink well, because you are me, and I am you. Let’s just have three bowls. After three bowls, let’s forget the past and never be troubled by it again.”

Zhang Shu said everything he wanted to say to his past self. In the haze, he seemed to see a grave in front of him. The cowardly and incompetent version of himself from his past life sat there, patiently listening. His face no longer looked sorrowful, as if his soul had been comforted. He waved, and glowing specks appeared on his body, slowly dissolving into the wind. Zhang Shu felt lighter, his heart relaxed, and he fell asleep just like that…

“Jin’er… Jin’er…” Zhang Shu held his head, sobbing in discomfort. He drank half a jar of wine the night before, and now he suffered a splitting headache and a dry mouth.

A pair of warm hands lifted him up and let him lean on a strong, flexible body. The faint scent of soapberry filled the air—the smell of home.

Cold, sweet water flowed into his mouth, bringing relief and easing the hangover somewhat.

He opened his eyes and smiled at Li Mujin.

Li Mujin smiled back, then helped him lean against the bed. A slender hand reached out and firmly pulled his ear.

“Zhang Shu! What were you thinking?! You ran off in the middle of the night, came back drunk, and now you’re giving me all these problems?! You’d better explain yourself! Where did you go? Were you out drinking with women? Don’t try to play dumb, tell me clearly!”

The roar in his ears made Zhang Shu’s headache return. He propped his forehead on his hand, thinking, Alright, it seems living with dignity in front of Li Mujin in this life is impossible…