Wan Hai’s current situation was far from ideal. At twenty-eight years old, with a seven-year-old son, he never considered himself to be riding on his mother’s coattails. Instead, he believed that his mother and stepfather had brought him unnecessary trouble.
But now that Xiao Wan had left, he gradually felt a sense of living under someone else’s roof. He used to have no less than a tael of silver for pocket money at any given time, yet now his entire net worth barely reached five hundred coins. This made him extremely frustrated.
Especially after learning that he was, in fact, a “golden phoenix born in a mountain nest,” this sense of frustration only intensified. He simply could not tolerate continuing to live such an ordinary life. However, with his biological mother gone, his stepfather indifferent to him, and his father-in-law stripped of his village chief status, Wan Hai’s former bit of village prestige had also disappeared.
Seeing someone like He Zifeng, who used to be less well-off than he was, now surpassing him in life only made it worse. But fate seemed to favor him. While searching for ginseng in the mountains, he saw two people furtively burying something. Although he didn’t dare get too close, he figured from their suspicious demeanor that it must be something valuable.
After holding back for several days, Wan Hai finally returned to the site and dug it up. Inside was a box of gleaming silver, totaling one hundred taels, along with several silver notes and exquisite jade pieces. The silver notes amounted to three thousand taels, but there was no way to cash them in at the small county. The provincial capital, however, would surely have the means to exchange them. The jade pieces, although few in number, were clearly high-quality from their smooth texture, it was enough to make him rich.
Even though he couldn’t yet use the silver notes, just the one hundred taels of silver alone were enough to let him live luxuriously. After all, He Donglai had sold the family estate for only sixty taels of silver. This was a windfall.
Wan Hai felt a surge of triumphant pride as he thought, *Even if everyone looks down on me now, so what? Fate always has its plans.* (…)
He hid the silver notes and jade under a gap in the floorboards of his bed.
The sight of those neatly stacked silver ingots was immensely satisfying, and Wan Hai couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss a couple of them. In this world, without money, one could barely take a step forward. Silver was more valuable than anything else.
Wan Hai, who had never seen such wealth in his life, was interrupted by a knock at the door. It was Xu Li.
Wan Hai hastily covered the silver ingots with a large quilt and went to open the door. Seeing Xu Li, he couldn’t help but pull him into a tight embrace.
Xu Li, who had been wearing a troubled expression for days, was deeply moved. The couple had been through their share of hardships and disputes, but seeing Wan Hai like this rekindled their past passionate feelings.
Xu Li was overwhelmed by the embrace and the rush of memories.
Wan Hai locked the door, then led Xu Li to the bed. When he lifted the quilt, Xu Li was stunned by the sight of the shining silver.
“This… this…” Xu Li stammered, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Wan Hai’s smile was full of pride. He had prepared a story: “There’s a secret I’ve been keeping, but as my spouse, you deserve to know.”
Xu Li nodded solemnly, listening intently.
Wan Hai spun a tale of being an illegitimate child of the prominent Gong family, portraying his mother as a victim of societal oppression who had been forced to marry the farmer He Donglai to raise him.
“These funds,” Wan Hai said, “are Gong family’s compensation to me.” He used the example of He Zifeng receiving ten taels of silver during his split from the family to support his lie.
As expected, Xu Li’s eyes filled with pity and understanding.
“I’ll ensure we live a good life from now on,” Wan Hai said, generously giving Xu Li thirty taels. “You’ve endured so much stress, caught between your father and my family. Take this to your father as a gesture of our filial respect.”
Xu Li, moved to tears, hurried off with the silver to visit his father and planned to speak well of Wan Hai.
Meanwhile, Wan Hai went to the county to buy a pure white stallion for sixty taels of silver. He didn’t even bother haggling.
The stable master saw this as a big sale and sneered inwardly at Wan Hai’s foolishness. But as he examined the silver ingots, his expression subtly shifted. “Buying a horse requires registering with the county office,” he said.
Without suspicion, Wan Hai followed the stable master to the county office. There, the stable master entered to “coordinate with the officials,” leaving Wan Hai waiting outside.
A few minutes later, over a dozen constables emerged, led by Captain Zhu. Wan Hai recognized Zhu from the time he handled He Zifeng’s family split and greeted him with a smile.
Captain Zhu held up the silver. “This ingot—yours?”
“Of course,” Wan Hai replied confidently.
Captain Zhu ordered, “Take him down.” Wan Hai was dumbfounded. He had already been imprisoned once on suspicion of accidentally killing Liangzi and still carried a deep psychological scar from that experience. Being arrested again filled him with fury. “On what grounds are you arresting me?” Before he could utter a second sentence, someone stuffed a rag into his mouth.
He was immediately taken back for interrogation on charges of harboring stolen government silver.
Wan Hai was stunned. As a “promising youth” in the village, he had no experience dealing with large sums of money like those in the county, let alone government silver. He had no idea such a thing even existed!
The authorities quickly confiscated seventy taels of silver from him, each piece stamped with official government markings.
“Where did this come from?” Captain Zhu demanded, his tone stern. He was suspicious that Wan Hai might be associated with the notorious pair of bandits.
“I found it,” Wan Hai replied, realizing the gravity of the situation and not daring to be stubborn.
“And what else did you find?”
“Just these seventy taels,” Wan Hai said, recounting how he had seen people burying something and later dug it up.
Captain Zhu, however, wasn’t convinced. “Only seventy taels?” he mused. The county magistrate was still missing another hundred taels. If Wan Hai wasn’t being honest about this, who knew what else he might be hiding?
The magistrate’s pressure on the case was immense, and Captain Zhu had no patience for games. “This little brat thinks he can play dumb? Use force!”
The moment the order was given, a salt-soaked whip lashed across Wan Hai’s back. After three strikes, his skin was split open and bleeding profusely.
The methods of interrogation were refined over generations by harsh enforcers. Even the hardest resolve could be broken, let alone Wan Hai’s comparatively weak spirit. Under the searing pain, he finally broke down, crying, “I’ll talk!”
The pain was excruciating, like having a layer of skin peeled from his back. He confessed, “It’s actually one hundred taels in total.” However, he stubbornly refused to admit to more.
“Where is the rest?” Captain Zhu demanded.
Wan Hai revealed the location.
Captain Zhu ordered, “Retrieve the silver and have him identify the hiding place.”
After loosening his restraints, Wan Hai collapsed to the ground, his body limp and lifeless.
Captain Zhu instructed two officers to lift him onto an ox cart, locking him in both shackles and stocks to prevent escape.
Wan Hai’s heart sank into despair. He couldn’t imagine facing his village again in such a humiliating state.
They returned to Chishui Village in a grand procession.
The villagers quickly informed Liuzi, the village chief, who rushed over only to find Captain Zhu storming into Old Xu’s house and confiscating thirty taels of silver.
Xu Li’s father was dumbfounded; the money hadn’t even warmed in his hands before it was seized. Xu Li stood aside, screaming in shock upon seeing Wan Hai’s bloody and battered state.
“What happened?” Xu Li demanded.
After some questioning, Captain Zhu determined that the family knew nothing and promptly led the team up the mountain to identify the hiding spot and search for other possible items.
Wan Hai, gagged, could only exchange sorrowful glances with Xu Li, who silently wept as the group marched off.
The news spread rapidly throughout the village, sparking curiosity and envy.
Wan Hai had stumbled upon government silver.
Many villagers envied his fortune, wondering why such a windfall hadn’t come their way.
Liu’s wife commented, “Didn’t you see? Wan Hai’s been arrested. That’s proof you shouldn’t covet easy money.”
Others, less fazed, remarked, “What’s the big deal? Just melt the silver down and recast it. That way, there won’t be any markings left to trace.”
Hearing “one hundred taels” made everyone gasp.
Some busybodies informed He Donglai, mocking, “That Wan Hai still cares about his father-in-law. The first thing he did with the money was spend it on him. You wasted your kindness on him all those years.”
Although He Donglai knew these remarks were meant to provoke him, he couldn’t help but feel furious. “Ungrateful scum! I paid ten taels of silver for his bride price when he got married. I raised him like my own son, better than most treat their real sons! Even a dog I raised would wag its tail for me. That beast deserves to be struck by lightning!”
Thinking about how he had wasted resources on Wan Hai and his family, He Donglai grew more irate, cursing and hurling insults.
The villagers were initially intrigued by the prospect of the found silver but quickly cooled down after realizing its consequences.
However, He Donglai, consumed by his anger, continued his tirade.
Meanwhile, Wan Hai’s arrest had many villagers seeking out He Zifeng for information.
He Zifeng, who was recuperating, was astonished to hear the news: “Wan Hai found the silver?” Of all people, Wan Hai had stumbled upon the very treasure that thirty officers had failed to locate despite turning the entire county upside down!
He Zifeng immediately explained the gravity of the situation to Liuzi, the village chief.
Liuzi, realizing how dangerous the notorious bandits had been, was deeply concerned.
He Zifeng recounted how he had passed out after inhaling the bandits’ poisonous gas. Later, he learned from his colleagues that seven pounds of toxic substances had been found on the bandits’ corpses—enough to poison an entire county if dumped into the water supply.
Liuzi exclaimed, “What about Wan Hai?”
He Zifeng replied, “This case could be big or small, depending on how it’s handled.” If the authorities wanted to blow it up, they could accuse Wan Hai of collusion, which would surely lead to his execution. On the other hand, they could resolve it lightly with just a fine.
Liuzi sighed, “I used to think Wan Hai was one of the more capable youths. Who knew he’d lose his head over a bit of good fortune? He’s less composed than others.”
Liuzi added, “Xu Li has gone to the county to rescue him.”
He Zifeng’s brows furrowed. “What? That’s just going to make things worse.”
Liuzi was taken aback by He Zifeng’s serious tone. “Surely it’s not that serious?”
“Where is he?” He Zifeng asked.
“He left before I came here. Said he was renting a carriage in the next village,” Liuzi replied. Based on the timing, Xu Li should already be there.
A sinking feeling enveloped both men: trouble was brewing.
They weren’t wrong. Xu Li was already at the county office, beating the drum to seek justice for his husband.
Terrified that Wan Hai would be tortured to death, Xu Li appealed to the magistrate, claiming that Wan Hai had been wronged and that the silver was a “compensation” from the Gong family.
The magistrate summoned Gong Xiyuan for questioning.
Gong Xiyuan was handsome and had always been content with his luxurious life. This time, he was brought in and heard that it was his illegitimate son who had been raised outside who had caused trouble and he framed him by saying that it was the official silver he had given him.
Gong Xiyuan cried out: “Your Excellency, I have never had any contact with Wanhai, so how could I have given him official silver?”
To others, this was just a misunderstanding.
But the county magistrate obviously didn’t want to let Gong Xiyuan off easily. When he first took over the position of county magistrate, the people in the county did not cooperate. Among them, Gong Xiyuan, relying on some money, a small merchant, actually wanted to go against him. These days, the county magistrate has regained a lot of connections in the county and cultivated his own people. He was just about to settle accounts with them.
Before the county magistrate could take action, an opportunity presented itself. His eyes gleamed as he commanded, “Detain him for now and interrogate him later!”
Arresting Gong Xiyuan threw the Gong family into a frenzy. As the family’s patriarch, his imprisonment was a serious matter. Gong Xiyuan had eight sons and strong local connections, but this incident—caused by Wan Hai—had landed him in jail. It was clear the magistrate was using this to put pressure on the family.
Getting Gong Xiyuan out became their top priority. Jail was no place for a man of his status; prolonged detainment would surely break him. They were forced to pay a hefty sum to secure his release. In dealing with officials, their words were law, and if the magistrate truly bore a grudge, he could destroy the Gong family altogether.
As for Wan Hai, who had recklessly implicated Gong Xiyuan, the Gong family despised him. The last time Wan Hai nearly faced a murder charge, the Gong family had spent a fortune to bail him out. Now, they saw him as an ungrateful ingrate. Gong Laosan bribed the jailers, instructing them to “take special care” of Wan Hai—preferably ensuring he perished silently behind bars.
Wan Hai, already weakened by torture, suffered further under this “special care,” making his time in prison unbearable.
Xu Li, unaware of these developments, only knew that the case was being reexamined and Wan Hai remained detained. Having no connections in the county, Xu Li was helpless and returned to the village heartbroken, with night having already fallen.
—
Since hearing about He Zifeng’s injury the previous day, Qiu Yu had been adamant that he stay in bed to recover, forbidding him from working or even moving around.
Being a strong and energetic man, He Zifeng couldn’t stand lying idle. Eventually, he managed to help Qiu Yu with some chores before being made to rest again. That night, Qiu Yu, lying beside him, kept checking for any signs of injury. After some time, He Zifeng pulled him in for a kiss, and one thing led to another.
The next morning, He Zifeng woke early, as usual, without disturbing his sleeping wife. He planned to get some work done before Qiu Yu woke up so they could quickly prepare and head to the market.
However, as soon as he stepped outside, he noticed a dark figure moving in the shadows. “Who’s there?” he called out.
A rustling sound followed. Under the faint light, he could finally see the person—it was Xu Li.
He Zifeng’s shout woke Qiu Yu, who threw on a coat and came outside. Seeing Xu Li, Qiu Yu asked in surprise, “Sister-in-law, why are you here?”
Xu Li’s body was covered in mist, having stood outside in the cold for who knows how long. Upon seeing the couple, he could no longer hold back. Falling to his knees with a thud, tears streamed down his face as he pleaded, “Please, save Wan Hai!”
Qiu Yu hurriedly helped him up.
He Zifeng said, “Tell me everything that happened in the county from start to finish.”
Xu Li, choking on sobs, recounted Wan Hai’s background and the events that had unfolded.
He Zifeng finally understood. Wan Hai had some leverage but had made the grave mistake of offending the Gong family. The Gongs were local powerhouses, known for causing trouble for the magistrate when he first took office.
He Zifeng said, “We’re heading to the county for the market soon. You can come with us, and I’ll arrange for you to see Wan Hai in jail. From there, you two can decide what to do.”
Xu Li was deeply grateful for He Zifeng’s willingness to help despite their past grievances.
At dawn, they took a carriage to the county. Upon arrival, it became clear that, while Qiu Yu and He Zifeng were dressed neatly, Xu Li’s clothes were filthy, making him feel a bit self-conscious.
He Zifeng and Qiu Yu had regular customers, and as soon as they set up their stall, people began buying. If they came late, everything would have already been sold out.
Before long, Qiu Yu finished selling everything and turned to Xu Li, saying, “Sister-in-law, would you like to wait and head back to the village with us?”
Xu Li’s cheeks flushed slightly. “No need. I have things to take care of. You’ve already helped me enough.” Earlier, Qiu Yu had bought him a flatbread filled with their braised delicacies. Xu Li had gone three meals without eating, so focused was he on Wan Hai’s situation. He hadn’t even realized his hunger until the food was in his hands. He devoured it ravenously.
Afterward, he followed He Zifeng to the jail.
Though He Zifeng was technically on leave, everyone greeted him warmly upon seeing him.
“Brother He,” they called out.
Some, more skilled in flattery, said, “Brother Zifeng, what wind brought you here?”
Everyone knew that he had made a name for himself by earning the favor of the county magistrate and Captain Zhu. His future prospects were bright, and they were eager to curry favor with him.
Trailing behind, Xu Li couldn’t help but feel the village had underestimated He Zifeng. In just a short time, He Zifeng had gained such respect among his colleagues. Xu Li looked at He Zifeng’s back, noticing how different he had become from the past.
He Zifeng led Xu Li inside but did not follow him further.
No one knew what Wan Hai said to Xu Li, but half an hour later, Xu Li emerged and headed straight for the Gong family estate. It was rumored that he brought with him a rare and valuable jade as a bargaining chip.
By the end of the day, Wan Hai had been released by the Gong family, and it was announced that his status as a Gong family heir was reinstated. They invited him to move back into the Gong estate and promised to help him start a business.
The news caused quite a stir in the village. When Wan Hai announced his departure, He Donglai wasn’t happy. He insisted on extracting compensation, claiming he had supported Wan Hai and his family for so many years and refused to let them go without some return. He demanded an outrageous sum of 100 taels, which infuriated Xu Li’s father, who feared He Donglai would ruin his son-in-law’s promising future.
In the end, the Gong family gave He Donglai 20 taels as compensation but took Wan Hai and his three sons—renaming them with the Gong surname. Wan Hai, however, kept his original surname.
The Gong family’s decision to take Wan Hai back wasn’t out of a desire for reunion or genuine acknowledgment. Rather, they feared that leaving him unchecked could expose them to threats or exploitation by their rivals. By keeping him under their watch, they hoped to gradually gain control over him.
Villagers constantly asked He Zifeng whether Wan Hai was now living a luxurious life with his biological father. He Zifeng consistently replied, “I wouldn’t know.”
R : ????
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