Chapter 69: The underworld is investigating a case, no one should interfere
Ye Zhiyuan felt like he was struck by lightning when he heard what his wife said.
I have been dead for six years.
He did not recover from the serious illness that year, but died of illness.
He found this reality somewhat unacceptable.
"I...how could I be dead? I'm clearly still alive and well."
Ye Zhiyuan murmured, and the reason why Lin Ye and Dao Hai behind him were shocked was not because Ye Zhiyuan’s wife revealed the truth that Ye Zhiyuan was already a ghost.
What shocked the two was that Ye Zhiyuan's wife was also a ghost in their eyes.
Ghosts are afraid of ghosts?
Ghost shouting to catch ghosts?
Dao Hai already felt that his brain was not enough. Lin Ye's mind was working quickly. It seemed that the problem was not with Ye Zhiyuan , but with Ye Zhiyuan and his wife.
No, Ye Zhiyuan said that he has another son.
Ye Zhiyuan's son appeared.
The child ran out from the door. Seeing this, Yunniang hurried forward and held the child in her arms.
"Don't be afraid, Xiaobao!"
Ye Zhiyuan came back to his senses when he saw his son. Six years ago, his son's height reached his knees, but now it reached his waist.
"Yun Niang, what nonsense are you talking about? Xiao Bao is my son, why should he be afraid of me?"
"You ...you're a ghost, so...of course I have to be afraid of you. You've been dead for so many years, why did you come back?"
"Yunniang, I am not dead. Six years ago, when I recovered from a serious illness, I remembered the letter that County Magistrate Ding wrote to me after he left office and returned to his hometown. I decided to go to Shangyang County to open a private school to teach County Magistrate Ding's sons and nephews. Not long ago, the first imperial examination of the new dynasty was held, and Lord Ding's son passed. I also explained to Lord Ding, so I said goodbye to him and came back to see you without stopping."
Ye Zhiyuan still didn't believe that he was dead. If he was dead, how come Ding Gong and those students didn't notice it?
"You failed the exam twice and were ridiculed by merchants. You were so angry that you fell ill. How could you go to Shangyang County? If you don't believe me, come with me to your grave."
There was fear and resentment in Yunniang's words. She led the way in front , and Ye Zhiyuan followed behind with a frown. When they passed the backyard of the Ye Mansion and walked to the hill behind, they saw the grave and were stunned.
【Tomb of my late husband Ye Zhiyuan】
[My wife Yunniang and her son bowed in adoration]
There is a tomb and a tombstone, and judging from the appearance of the tomb, it is obvious that it has been there for some time, so it is impossible to be fake.
"I...how could I be dead? I was clearly teaching. Yes...I also asked someone to send the tuition to you two every month. Have you received it?"
Ye Zhiyuan held on to the last glimmer of hope, but he didn't expect that after hearing what he said, Yunniang's face became even more resentful: "Where did you get the money? When you were young and successful, everyone praised you, so you had no shortage of money. But since you failed the imperial examination twice, no one is interested in you anymore. Finally, a merchant came to ask for your calligraphy, but you flatly refused and drove him away."
Ye Zhiyuan was a little embarrassed and explained, "Those merchants only care about making money and have no character at all. How can we accept that kind of money?"
"Yes, you are a scholar, you are noble, but the family has long been out of food. You were so angry at the merchants' sarcastic remarks that you fell ill. In order to treat you, I pawned everything in my house that could be pawned. I could only dig wild vegetables to feed Xiaobao, but who knew that you would die in just seven days."
Yunniang had obviously been resentful about this matter for a long time, and even after six years, she was still brooding over it.
Lin Ye listened to the conversation between the couple and sighed. This was what the ancient scholars were like. They were self-righteous and only cared about studying, but they couldn't even take care of their own wives and children.
It is almost imaginable that when faced with merchants coming to his door and offering a large sum of money to ask for his calligraphy, Ye Zhiyuan must have rejected them. How could a scholar bow down for a few pieces of silver?
Ye Zhiyuan upheld the so-called nobleness of scholars, but the result was that his wife and children went hungry and had to dig wild vegetables to fill their stomachs.
Similarly, the merchant originally thought that Ye Zhiyuan was so destitute that he came to his house with good intentions to ask for a calligraphy but was rejected and humiliated. In anger and shame, he said many sarcastic words. A scholar like Ye Zhiyuan had never been ridiculed like this before, and he fell ill in anger and never got up again.
But this is not what Lin Ye is confused about. What Lin Ye doesn't understand is that Ye Zhiyuan died of illness, so how did his wife and son die, and why didn't they know they were dead?
"Brother, did you see anything?"
"Strange, the Ye family doesn't look special, and Ye Zhiyuan's family are just ordinary ghosts. Why do they think they are alive?"
"If it's just self-deception, then it's nothing. The key is why can't people around you tell the difference?"
This is what Lin Ye is most confused about. Some ghosts may not know that they are dead because of certain obsessions during their lifetime. This situation still exists, but those ghosts generally live alone and have no contact with the outside world.
But Ye Zhiyuan's family was different. Ye Zhiyuan opened a private school in Shangyang County. His wife and children lived in the Ye family and also interacted with neighbors.
"Junior brother, instead of guessing here, why not go and ask the local City God of the Underworld, which is in charge of ghosts and spirits."
"How should we meet?"
"Just go to the City God Temple."
Lin Ye nodded and was about to go to Poyang County City God Temple with Dao Hai, but at this moment a shout suddenly came from outside the door.
"Ye Zhiyuan, you are finally back!"
Lin Ye and Dao Hai turned around and saw two soldiers appearing at the door with chains in their hands, but the strange thing was that the two soldiers' feet were floating off the ground. This reminded Lin Ye of the battle in front of Miaoying Temple and the evil spirit brought by the City God who came to watch the battle.
"According to the order of the City God, arrest Ye Zhiyuan's soul and bring him to trial."
The ghost waved the chain in his hand and directly wrapped it around Ye Zhiyuan, and another ghost did the same thing to lock up Ye Zhiyuan's wife and children as well.
Locked by chains, the expressions of Ye Zhiyuan and his family of three became a little dazed, and they slowly followed the ghost.
"Wait a minute, you two."
Seeing that Ye Zhiyuan and his family of three were about to be taken away, Lin Ye spoke up.
The ghost officer turned around, glanced at Lin Ye, and said in a deep voice: "The underworld is investigating the case, are you two going to stop it?"
"I won't stop him, but I'm a little curious. Since Ye Zhiyuan's soul has left this place, and the local underworld can't capture him, let's not talk about it for now. Why do the souls of Ye Zhiyuan's wife and children stay here and live as living people?"
"This is my underworld, and has nothing to do with you."
The subtext of Yinchai's words is, it's none of your business.
Lin Ye smiled and looked at Dao Hai. Dao Hai touched his bald head and said, "That's right. It's none of our business."
After hearing this, the ghost turned around and prepared to move forward. However, the moment he turned his head, Daohai raised the Zen stick in his hand and chopped at him.
