Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

Biyu finally finished pouring the water in the clay jar, but she felt her arms were so numb that they were about to break. She put the jar down and stretched her arms and stiff neck.

Old Madam Zhang was sitting under the eaves basking in the sun. She had aged a lot recently. Her white hair was dazzling and her two lines of nasolabial folds were deeply embedded on both sides of her cheeks, making her look particularly sinister. Seeing Biyu stopped, she scolded from a distance: "You little whore who has forgotten your roots. You don't eat half a bowl less when you eat fine rice, and you are always lazy when you work! If you keep doing this, I will sell you to a brothel!"

Biyu's face flushed, and she was about to argue, but Nenghong stopped her with a look, so she had to go back to fetch water to water the vegetables with tears in her eyes. After finally catching a glimpse of Mrs. Zhang coming in, she cried, "Sister Nenghong, when will this day end?" Nenghong also sighed, and was about to say a few words to comfort her when she heard someone knocking on the door.

After Chen Guangrui was demoted, all his former colleagues cut off contact with him, and the other people in Wenyuan Pavilion also avoided him as if he were the plague. Therefore, the door of this new house was never knocked except by the clerk who announced the government decree. When Neng Hong heard the knock on the door suddenly, he was still a little stunned. He was stunned for a moment, and then he shouted loudly: "I'm coming."

At the door, there were two black men who looked like businessmen, and behind them was a large cart that gave off a spicy smell. Neng Hong was puzzled: "Are you two here to stay? My family is full of women, so it's not convenient. You two can go ask at other houses."

Mrs. Zhang had been anxiously waiting for her son to come back these days. When she heard a knock on the door, she hurried out with her cane. When she heard the voice belonged to a strange man, she immediately became suspicious: "Nenghong, who are you talking to?"

First, his wife Yin Wenjiao kicked his son, and then the two concubines ran away with the money one after another. Mrs. Zhang's trust in these little goblins in her son's backyard has reached the bottom. Seeing that Nenghong and Biyu are young and beautiful, she has been on guard against them recently, fearing that if she fails to keep an eye on them, these two little bitches will run away with their lovers again.

Neng Hong knew what she was thinking, and said with a suppressed breath, "They are two peddlers I don't know, and I am sending them away."

Madam Zhang's eyes widened, and she was about to interrogate her when she heard the shorter one shout, "Mother, it's me."

"E'er!" This was the voice that Old Lady Zhang had been thinking about day and night. How could she not recognize that the person coming was her beloved son? She hurried over in two steps, grabbed Chen Guangrui, and burst into tears: "E'er, you are finally back. I have thought it through. We will not bother with Mantangjiao, Li Xiaoman, and Li Aman. As long as you stay at home safely, we can live even if we have to eat coarse food every day, right?"

After seeing his face clearly and touching his rough and thin hands, she couldn't hold back her tears. "Son, you've suffered so much out there, how come you've become so dark and thin? Come in with me and rest. I'll ask them to kill a hen and make soup for you."

Chen Guangrui pulled his hand away indifferently and said to the big man beside him, "My mother is a little anxious to see you again after a long absence. I am sorry to make you laugh, Brother Ao."

The big man laughed out loud: "The deep love between your mother and Brother Chen is really touching!"

Chen Guangrui smiled faintly: "Brother Ao, please."

Mrs. Zhang was full of enthusiasm, but she felt a little sad when her son treated her coldly. Seeing Chen Guangrui being so polite to the big man, she realized that this man was extraordinary. She cheered up, endured the pain, and asked the cook to slaughter the chickens that she had raised with great difficulty these days, and prepare a table of wine and food to entertain the distinguished guests.

Chen Guangrui watched her running in and out coldly: "Mother, you don't have to prepare anything. Brother Ao and I will just sit for a while and leave. This time I came here just to see how you are doing and to bring you some things. There is a whole cart of pepper and a few boxes of ambergris in that big cart. Mother, keep them well. When money is tight, you can spare a few taels to sell in the market. It will be enough for your old age."

Madam Zhang thought these words were ominous, so she grabbed his sleeve and asked tremblingly, "E'er, you won't live at home anymore? What about Wenyuan Pavilion? Are you going to go and report for your leave?"

Chen Guangrui gnashed his teeth and said, "Of course I will go and seek revenge on that whore. With Brother Ao's help, I am not afraid of even the powerful Yin Kaishan. After I tear off the whore's demon skin in front of everyone in the world and avenge this deep hatred, I will naturally come back to find my mother."

"What if it can't be reported?" Mrs. Zhang was terrified when she heard this.

Chen Guangrui remained silent. Old Madam Zhang understood his subtext. If he could not avenge himself, he would just fight to the death. Anyway, the truckload of pepper he left behind would be enough to support her in her old age.

Old Madam Zhang's heart ached: "E'er, because of your quarrel with Mantangjiao, the old prime minister and we have become enemies. Even if you catch the demon, there is no way to go back to the past. Can't you just live a good life?"

Chen Guangrui paused, then said angrily, "Women's views. Mother, I thought you were a woman of insight, but I didn't expect you to only see the petty gains in front of you. I am a man of honor, with a lot of brilliant articles and a heart full of ambition to serve the country, but that whore ruined my future and made me lose face. If I don't take revenge, I won't be a man!"

Madam Zhang couldn't persuade him. She was scolded by her own son in front of others. She couldn't help but glare at the big man: "Did you instigate it? You taught my good son to be bad! Mantangjiao is the daughter of the current Prime Minister Yin Kaishan. What ability do you have to get rid of her? When you lose, you can just run away and leave us mother and son with no place to bury our bodies!"

"Mother, please don't talk nonsense. This Brother Ao is the Dragon King of Hongjiang. He transformed into a golden carp and swam in the water that year. He was caught by a fisherman by mistake. I saved him and set him free. So he took me in in the water palace and used a bead to keep my body from decaying. This time, it was only after I begged him that he agreed to go north with me to avenge me." Chen Guangrui hurriedly stopped him and smiled apologetically to the Dragon King of Hongjiang. "My mother is old and ignorant. Brother Ao, please don't argue with her."

The Dragon King of Hongjiang was a little unhappy at first, but he said, "I didn't want to leave Hongjiang, but you asked me for help. I was worried that you would have a hard time supporting your family, so I sent you more than a thousand kilograms of pepper and spices. In the end, I was charged with abetting. Your mother is really a wonderful person."

Chen Guangrui said humbly: "Brother Ao is a white dragon fish. My mother is blind and naturally can't recognize a real dragon."

The Dragon King of Hongjiang suppressed his anger and asked: "When are we going to the Yin Mansion?"

Chen Guangrui said, "We alarmed the guards when we entered the city just now. I'm afraid someone will come here soon. We should leave immediately without delay."

Seeing them discussing how to commit suicide without paying attention to others, Old Lady Zhang was very anxious: "Don't go. Even if you go, Mantangjiao is not in the Prime Minister's Residence."

This time Chen Guangrui turned around and looked at her: "Then where is she?"