Chapter 6: Punishments and Rewards

This

"Kneel in the ancestral hall, and do not provide any food or drink. Kneel for three days first, and then we will see." The old lady cast a stern glance at the Cui family, "If you dare to bring him food, you will be expelled from the Wang family. I cannot afford a daughter-in-law who does not understand right from wrong!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Cui's face turned pale. In fact, after she had struck Wang Ning'an, she recalled that Wang Ninghong had indeed approached her for four guan of money before. Cui felt that her son's expenses were already quite substantial, so she did not give it to him. Later, when the horse was lost, Wang Ning'an claimed that his elder brother had taken it away, and Cui also considered the possibility that her son might have taken it.

Is it easy for our family to support your studies at the private school? You do not study diligently and instead focus on some misguided paths; you truly want to drive me to despair!

Wang Ning'an, on the other hand, widened his eyes and looked on with an appreciative gaze; he felt no sympathy whatsoever. On the contrary, he thought the beating was not severe enough.

Predicting the outcome of dog fights, the first three times are free, but the crucial one requires a monetary investment to buy the result, and it starts with a hefty sum of five guan. Wang Ning'an thinks with his toes, it's all a scam. Wang Ninghong, this fool, is actually preparing to sell the horse at home, I don't even know what to say about him, all those years of schooling were in vain, he has turned into a pig's head, it would be better to give the opportunity to himself.

"Second Aunt, if I am not mistaken, during the day you came to our courtyard, making a great fuss, accusing my nephew of being a little thief, a wasteful scoundrel who steals things. How is it that in the blink of an eye you have become so open-minded? It is truly quite strange!"

The Song people had a penchant for gambling, known as "Guan Pu." Even those selling breakfast would set up a target for people to throw at. If one was fortunate, they could enjoy a lavish breakfast at an extremely low price, similar to the ring toss games that still exist today

The elderly lady spoke in a loud voice: "First, you associate with bad people. That Li Zhen is encouraging you to steal the horse from your home; he is not a good person. You fail to recognize the character of others, and you deserve to be punished!"

Wang Ninghong was moved. He discussed with Li Zhen to each contribute 5 guan to buy a share of the outcome, and then use another 5 guan to place a bet. If they won, they would split the money equally. ... Wang Ninghong only had the stipend for his teacher and a small amount for living expenses, merely 1 guan, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and secretly led the horse away, intending to sell it for money to place a bet on gambling

What?

The old lady raised her stick high, striking while also enumerating Wang Ninghong's offenses

The old lady swung her stick down, and Wang Ninghong felt a wave of darkness before his eyes, screaming in agony like a slaughtered pig. Cui opened her mouth, wanting to plead for mercy, but lacked the courage; the Wang family's rules were as unyielding as a mountain, not to be taken lightly. She could only turn her head away and sob softly.

Hearing from Li Zhen, it has indeed been three consecutive correct predictions, which is truly extraordinary. The fourth time coincides perfectly with the finals, offering the highest odds, and if successful, it could yield a tenfold return

Secondly, you are still underage, yet you are imitating others by gambling, and you even took out five guan of money at once. Do you know how many families have been ruined because of gambling? Should gambling be punished?

Old Lady Wang enumerated a charge thoroughly, striking several blows; by the end, Wang Ninghong was left speechless, only the sound of the stick could be heard, making a popping noise

"That!" Wang Ninghong said through gritted teeth

Wang Lianggui brought over a long bench, and Wang Ninghong was pressed down onto it, his clothes were pulled off, revealing his back and buttocks

Wang Lianggui shouted angrily, "Second brother's wife, at this point, you still protect him? Perhaps it was you who instigated him to steal the horse, intending to harm the entire family of the fourth brother?"

The old lady nodded perfunctorily, her interest waning as she said, "I am tired, you all may go back."

However, obtaining the result for the fourth time is not free; it requires spending five guan of money to purchase it

Alright, let us proceed as the boss has instructed, let Ning An study

Although Old Lady Wang is biased, she is not completely foolish. Who is Jin Laohu? He is a ruthless moneylender, and last year in Tuta Village, there was a family that could not repay their debt and was driven to drink brine on New Year's Eve

Old Lady Wang has become accustomed to being biased and gullible, and she actually began to nod her head, "Although nothing was stolen, taking without permission is indeed inappropriate..."

The stick then fell, leaving a glaring red-purple mark on the back.

"Look, they are all bullying my granddaughter-in-law!" Cui seemed to have suffered a great injustice, "Ning Hong is a good child, he would never steal anything..."

Minor mistake

Nonsense! Cui suddenly jumped up, saying, "My son is the literary star of the heavens, even the fortune-telling blind man has said so!"

Although he thought this way, witnessing the family law in person still left Wang Ning'an feeling somewhat cold at heart; it was truly too brutal

This time, Mrs. Wang was indeed very disappointed with Wang Ninghong. What was most critical was that during the day, she had punished Wang Ning'an, clearly wronging the child. If she did not compensate him, once Wang Liangjing returned, the household would be in perpetual turmoil.

Wang Ninghong, holding a stool, spoke with a voice tinged with tears

Wang Lianggui clenched his fist and angrily shouted, "Speak up! If you don't, I will beat you to death!"

In an instant, the old lady seemed possessed by a fierce spirit, picking up a three-foot-long wooden stick and glaring menacingly at Wang Ninghong

The charges have suddenly been reduced significantly, so will the subsequent proceedings be inconsequential, allowing Wang Ninghong to be spared

Some individuals combine dog fighting with gambling, placing bets on the dogs they believe will win before each match. If their chosen dog wins, they can receive substantial rewards, and many people engage in this activity with great enthusiasm

It is one thing to be foolish oneself, but to drag others down with you is unacceptable, causing me to get beaten up. If I do not teach him a severe lesson, it would be utterly intolerable!

Thirdly, should one be punished for secretly stealing the family's horse and misappropriating family assets

Wow

His uncle, they are all family members, borrowing the horse from home, what kind of theft is that? Don't say it so harshly, as if our family is full of thieves...

Listen! This time you have violated the five major rules

Wang Lianggui said solemnly: "Grandmother, Ning Hong has made so many mistakes, which shows that he has not put any effort into his studies over the years. He has not internalized the teachings of the sages. It seems impossible to expect him to become successful and bring glory to the Wang family. It would be better to give the opportunity to study to Ning An; I believe he is the more suitable candidate!"

Cui was left blushing in embarrassment when questioned, and in a moment of desperation, could only look at the old lady with a pitiful expression

Cui was speaking when he suddenly felt someone watching him. Following the gaze, he found it was Wang Ning'an!

Cui wished to defend his son but could find no words, feeling utterly helpless. Wang Ninghong could only speak in a fragmented and ambiguous manner, yet Wang Ning'an managed to understand the reason... It turned out that Wang Ninghong had heard from his good friend Li Zhen that a remarkable person had recently emerged in Cangzhou, capable of predicting the outcomes of dog fights with astonishing accuracy. Dog fighting originated in the Northern Song Dynasty, and Cangzhou, located on the border, has a fierce local culture where dog fighting is extremely popular.

However, she was unwilling to believe that her son would steal, and she was intent on dealing with Wang Ning'an. Moreover, she perhaps subconsciously thought that her son had stolen the horse from home, as her son was clever. Little did she know that he was caught red-handed, which left the Cui family in an awkward position

Bang

Moreover, you secretly took away the horse, causing your second brother to be punished by your mother. Between brothers, is there still a shred of brotherly love? Should he be punished?

Kneel down

Suppressing his excitement, Wang Ning'an stood up and said loudly: "Great-grandmother, I will definitely study hard, become accomplished as soon as possible, revitalize the Wang family, and will not show the slightest negligence, nor will I make friends indiscriminately"

Old Lady Wang could hardly believe her ears, "Second Daughter-in-law, is this a minor mistake? The Wang family has a lineage of military officials, we are a respectable family, with four generations living under one roof. Our descendants must not steal, must not gamble, and must not harm their own brothers. If this is considered a minor mistake, then there would be no such thing as a major mistake. If we do not impose punishment, the ancestors of the Wang family will never find peace"

The Wang family ancestral hall was brightly lit, and all the family members, young and old, had arrived without exception. Wang Ning'an's grandmother, Mrs. Xu, Wang Ningxuan, the second son of the Cui family, as well as the already asleep Wang Ningze and Wang Luoxiang, were all called up. The two little ones, still drowsy and unaware of what was happening, could only snuggle in their brother's arms and doze off.

Wang Ninghong's legs went weak, and he instinctively bent his knees. However, Cui was not having it and angrily said: "What are you scaring the child for, Uncle?"

... ...

Old Lady Wang was reluctant, yet she had no choice but to make a painful decision

Wang Lianggui burst into laughter, "Second brother's wife, have you ever seen a Wenchuxing who steals? Have you ever seen a Wenchuxing who betrays his own brother? Dawang's character, if he studies, might end up harming our family in the future"

Old Lady Wang casually said, "What do you want to do?"

Old Lady Wang sensed the dissatisfaction of the Cui family, and her heart was filled with even more regret, even falling into self-blame. It seemed that she had been too indulgent towards the second son’s family, allowing them to act with impunity, showing no concern for anything. If she did not teach them a severe lesson, the Wang family would surely be doomed

After listening, even the Cui family realized the seriousness of the situation. Old Lady Wang turned around, faced the ancestral spirit tablet, and wept loudly: "The descendants are unworthy, bringing shame to our ancestors. The daughter-in-law of the Wang family, Zhang, upholds the family rules of our ancestors and punishes the descendant Wang Ninghong. May the ancestors bear witness!"

Cui was completely stunned, opening her mouth but unable to find the words to defend herself. She was utterly frightened and filled with resentment, thinking that if her husband were at home, there would be someone to speak on her behalf, and she would not be in such a passive position

Cui had no courage to argue with the old lady and could only bow his head in acquiescence, yet his expression clearly showed some disdain; as long as he could make money, what did it matter whether it was clean or not, truly narrow-minded

Cui could no longer hold back and rushed over to protect her son

Cui was left speechless after being rebuked, only able to look at Old Lady Wang with tear-filled eyes

Pfft

The elderly lady had just finished punishing Wang Ninghong and was about to leave when Wang Ningan desperately signaled to his uncle. Wang Lianggui finally remembered and hurriedly said: "Grandmother, rewards and punishments must be clear. Regarding the matter from a couple of days ago, Ningan has been wronged. As an elder, we cannot leave him without an explanation."

... ...

To think that you are involved with such a fierce person, Old Lady Wang could no longer show favoritism. She walked up to Wang Ninghong and, filled with disappointment, said: "Ninghong, what on earth is going on? Quickly tell your great-grandmother!"

Grandmother, you cannot hit him anymore. Ning Hong is also acting out of kindness; he sees that our family is facing financial difficulties. The child has made a small mistake, so let it go!

The old lady struck down with her stick, causing severe injuries and nearly rendering the victim unconscious

Wang Ning'an could no longer endure it and suddenly stood up, "Great-grandmother, my elder brother has stolen the horse and intends to sell it to Jin Laohu. Should we invite him to testify?"