A Good For Nothing A Good-For-Nothing 16: The Cruel Truth

On the hilltop stood Old Master Zhu and He Zheng, the lower hems of their coats fluttering in gusts of wind.

He Zheng took the last handful of ashes in the urn and scattered them in the direction of the Spirit Mountain. Carried by the wind, the ashes soon disappeared in mid-air. Eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears, Old Master Zhu observed in a choked, hoa.r.s.e voice, "Our family believe in Wu Xian, the G.o.d of Divination. There is a tradition in our family that when a family member dies, their lamp shall be put out, and their body shall be cremated. Eventually, on the top of the Four Sides Hill, their ashes shall be scattered westwards, so that they can return to the Spirit Mountain. This is the destiny of every member of Zhu family. It has never crossed my mind that it would take Ningning such a long time to return to Zhu family... It took her fifteen years."

Fifteen years before, Zhu Ning pa.s.sed away, leaving young He Zheng helpless. Though born into a geomantic family, he had no spiritual power. It was even divined that he might die of presenility if he tried to cultivate. The house of He family, where he was regarded as a freak, was nothing short of the lion's den.

A wave of sorrow spontaneously swept over Old Master Zhu as he thought of this, tears flowing from his aged eyes. "Poor boy, you've suffered so much during all these years."

He Zheng shook his head. There hadn't even been the slightest change of his expression throughout the service. Ever since he caught sight of that jade pendant, this young man, who had been c.o.c.ky for so many years, seemed to have converted to someone else.

Why was a jade pendant of Qiao family in the lacquered wooden casket of his mother? He had privately asked that tall thin young man beside Li Zong, but the look in Zu Zhichong's eyes had suggested that he didn't have the heart to tell him. Maybe it was because Li Zong had given him some kind of instruction. After hesitating for a while, Zu Zhichong still chose to tell him the truth.

That ancient jade pendant contained spiritual power and was of yin nature (Yin and yang are two concepts in Chinese philosophy, medicine, etc. They are two opposing principles in nature, the former feminine and negative, the latter masculine and positive). In most cases, pieces of first-cla.s.s jade were made into spiritual vessels. Of course, in some other cases, they were made into evil vessels.

"The function of this jade pendant is... to improve the fortune of its owner by dint of the deceased. When placed in a cinerary urn, it can even continually absorb the residual 'Qi' of the deceased, nouris.h.i.+ng the living," Zu Zhichong explained.

He Zheng involuntarily clenched his fists with force so great that his nails sank deeply into his palms, slitting the flesh open. As if impervious to pain, he gazed emptily at the patches of fog floating ahead in mid-air.

He remembered that in the dream created by the Dream Eater, the last scene he saw was Qiao Peiyu smas.h.i.+ng the cinerary urn containing her mother's ashes.

In the dream, Qiao Peiyu said that she wanted to make sure his mother could not rest in peace after death.

He Zheng was consumed with indignation and despair. He hated her. Never had he ever hated anybody so deeply. He had an urge to shout out loud. What he desired even more was a knife, with which he could kill that malicious woman.

What kind of lunatic would resort to venomous means of this kind to torture the deceased?

He Zheng abruptly raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face.

Unaware of what was going on, Old Master Zhu was taken aback. He hurriedly grabbed He Zheng's hand. "Zheng, what's the matter? Why did you hit yourself?"

Instead of weeping, He Zheng smiled at Old Master Zhu. As his skin was thin, five scarlet marks instantly emerged on his cheek, his red eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears of remorse. "Grandfather, I'm fine. I was just trying to awaken my muddled self with that slap."

'I was so stupid. For so many years, that malevolent woman has been torturing mother all along, while I've been foolishly indulging in luxury and dissipation.' Even he himself despised him.

'He Zheng, how could you be so such a fool! How could mother close her eyes in death while you're living like this!' He Zheng yelled at himself in his mind.

Eyes red, Old Master Zhu watched He Zheng in concern. "Dear, what are you talking about? What happened to you?"

A man of advanced years, Old Master Zhu was gray-haired, his face covered with creases and senile plaques. He Zheng couldn't help but put his arms around his maternal grandfather. "Grandfather, if someday I end up becoming a very, very bad person, wi…will you forgive me?"

Old Master Zhu knew very well that though He Zheng was bad-tempered, he was very kind by nature. Even if anybody messed with him and angered him, he would never try to kill that person. He Zheng had been wronged by people of Qiao family, so it was fair that he had intention to take revenge on them, because they owed a debt to Zhu family, and to He Zheng.

Old Master Zhu was not totally unaware of how unfairly He Zheng had been treated in He Zheng these years. Weren't it not for that his daughter's last wish was for them to never set foot in He family or take He Zheng back, Old Master Zhu would have long ago led his men to He family and get justice for his daughter.

"Dear, whatever it is that you're going to do, grandfather got your back."

Holding the old man, He Zheng finally dissolved into tears and cried out loud.

Hiding behind a giant rock on the hilltop, Zu Zhichong had been eavesdropping on them all along, as Li Zong had bidden him. On hearing the last remark, Zu Zhichong exhaled deeply with relief.

However, Old Master Zhu had guessed only half of the truth and the other half had escaped him.

Zu Zhichong raised his head to look into the sky. It was a cloudless sunny day.

"For every piece of bad karma, there is always retribution. For every debt owed, there is always payback."