Chapter 140: Divine Retribution

Chapter 140: Divine Retribution

The following day, the Yu family split into three teams.

Bai Ge'er and Gui Ge'er went to the vicinity of Kangyong Street to gather information.

Yu Sanbao and Yu Siyang closed the shop and went around asking for news about the Daoist called Huiyin.

Huai Ge'er and Liu Ge'er, having already made an appearance at the Pang estate, avoided Kangyong Street. Instead, they headed to the streets near the Pang family's main residence, where servants frequently went out shopping. They hoped to uncover useful intelligence.

As for Li Chunhua, she returned to South Tuo Village to inform her family about the situation.

By noon, the three teams of the Yu family were still out investigating when Wei Pozi and Yu Laotou rushed to the county town in a hurry.

After Li Chunhua returned to South Tuo Village and explained the situation about Xingxing to the family, the whole family was stunned as if struck by lightning.

The usually lethargic Wei Pozi immediately got off the heated brick bed (kang) and slipped into her shoes, declaring that she would go to the Pang family to demand an explanation.

Li Chunhua quickly stopped her, using the same argument Liu Ge'er had taught her—they couldn't alert the enemy, or else they might harm Xingxing. It took great effort to calm Wei Pozi down and dissuade her from wanting to kill the Pang family.

However, Wei Pozi couldn’t stay put. After some discussion, she and Yu Laotou brought all the family’s silver savings to the county town, just in case.

When they arrived, Shuang He, who had been guarding the home, opened the door for them. The old couple waited from noon until evening before their four grandsons and two sons returned, covered with frost.

Huai Ge'er and Liu Ge'er had been patrolling the street near the Pang family's old residence and heard some news. They learned that the mood in the Pang family had suddenly shifted.

Now, everyone in the Pang family seemed to walk with a spring in their step, as if something good had happened.

Huai Ge'er and Liu Ge'er tried their best to inquire further and learned that Master Pang had unexpectedly given every servant an extra half-month’s salary.

Bai Ge'er, looking somewhat troubled, added, "...Gui Ge'er and I wandered around Kangyong Street all day. We met a steward who had come out from the Pang estate for procurement. Using his youth, Gui Ge'er managed to get close to the steward. He revealed that the estate had been very busy lately, buying red silk and red lanterns and such."

Red silk and red lanterns—clearly, a wedding was being prepared.

As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Pozi’s face, etched with age, twitched violently.

She couldn't help herself and ranted at the Pang family for a considerable time.

That despicable and filthy person kept insisting they could get engaged first, and when the two children were older, they could marry.

Do we really need red silk and red lanterns for an engagement?!

They’ve completely thrown dignity to the wind, trying to bind Xingxing to that sickly boy!

Xingxing is only four years old!

How could that man surnamed Pang do something like this?!

Old Lady Wei was breathing heavily, her eyes bloodshot with anger.

Yu Sanbao and Yu Siyang, her sons, were frightened and quickly moved to soothe her.

Old Lady Wei waved them off impatiently, "I'm not dying! You two went out to investigate all day, did you find that Daoist priest you mentioned?"

Yu Siyang shook his head, but Yu Sanbao nodded.

Old Lady Wei looked at him suspiciously, so Yu Sanbao quickly added, "We didn't find him, but we have a lead. It seems Huiyin has gone to visit a friend in the area. We found the inn where he was staying. The innkeeper said he hasn’t been back for a few days, but his luggage is still in the room. We’ll go back tomorrow to check again."

This was good news, and it finally brought some relief to Old Lady Wei.

"Grandma, rest assured, we will definitely rescue Xingxing," Liu Ge'er assured her.

Thinking of her precious granddaughter, who was only four years old, and how she was about to be tricked into marrying a dying boy, Old Lady Wei felt distressed.

"If all else fails, we’ll create a big commotion at the wedding ceremony," Huai Ge'er suggested. "We can’t just stand by and let Xingxing marry that sickly boy. She’s only four years old; this is absurd!"

Old Lady Wei nodded, her expression troubled.

Even Liu Ge’er, usually calm, didn’t object this time.

If they run out of options, this might be the only solution!

The next morning, Old Lady Wei sent her four grandsons back to school.

They weren’t needed at the moment, and she, along with Yu Sanbao and Yu Siyang, could handle the investigation.

Huai Ge’er and the others knew that worrying wouldn’t help. For now, they knew Xingxing was in the Pang residence, but they couldn’t find a legitimate way to bring her back.

Yu Sanbao and Yu Siyang planned to continue staking out Huiyin at the inn.

Old Mrs. Wei and Yu Laotou also intended to go out and find out more information, at least to discover the wedding date at the Pang family's residence.

Old Mrs. Wei even found a dagger in a shop and slipped it into her sleeve.

She was truly ready to kill that despicable Pang if given the chance!

Old Mrs. Wei, looking fierce, led the way, with Yu Laotou following closely behind as they headed towards Kangyong Street.

As they walked, they suddenly heard a shout: "Laywoman Wei."

Old Mrs. Wei paused, recognizing the voice as familiar. She looked around cautiously and saw the old Taoist priest from the Nameless Taoist Temple smiling at her from across the street.

The old Taoist priest wore a loose, flowing Taoist robe, with slightly graying hair tied into a bun at the back, still looking otherworldly.

He smiled as he crossed the street, "What a coincidence! I came to the county seat to buy some supplies and ran into you, Laywoman Wei."

Old Mrs. Wei's fierce expression softened slightly, but then her face changed as she remembered something.

Though she felt it was a slim hope, she still asked, "Master, have you heard of a person named Huiyin?"

The old Taoist priest shook his head, "Why do you ask, Laywoman Wei?"

But out of trust for the old Taoist priest, she couldn't help but tell him the whole story about Xingxing being tricked and taken away.

After finishing, she felt a bit of regret, "Master, you warned me that there might be more to Xingxing’s situation. When I met those con artists, I didn’t remember. I really shouldn’t have been so careless."

Upon hearing that Xingxing had been tricked into becoming a disaster-warding person, the old Taoist priest was visibly surprised.

He blurted out, "This doesn’t make sense. Don’t they fear the karmic consequences?"

The old Taoist priest patiently explained, "I’m not very skilled in physiognomy, but I know that if someone is truly blessed with great fortune, they naturally carry a cycle of consequences. If others want to borrow their fortune to ward off calamities, they must do so properly. Otherwise, the heavens will not allow them to exploit someone with great blessings. Besides, some sudden misfortunes are what we call 'retribution.' From what you’ve said, it sounds like the child suddenly fell ill, which does seem like a curse. But in most cases, this kind of retribution results from the parents’ misdeeds, and the child suffers the consequences."

Old Mrs. Wei was stunned by the overwhelming information in the old Taoist priest's words. She found it hard to digest all at once.