My father burst out of the house, eyes bloodshot and head covered in blood, but the large blade in his hand gleamed with a deadly chill, radiating pure killing intent.
"How dare you lay a hand on my wife and child! I'll chop all you bastards down!"
Seeing his wife and child hurt, even the gentlest man loses his patience.
So when my father stepped out wielding that knife, filled with murderous energy, the five Zhang brothers immediately sensed he meant business. Without a doubt, he would slash them all without hesitation. In the next moment, the five brothers turned tail and ran. My father chased them all the way to the gate, but just then my mother snapped out of her shock and rushed from behind, grabbing him tightly. It took all her strength to hold him back.
Truth was, my father was already drained of energy, badly beaten by the five brothers—his head cracked and bleeding. After struggling for a while, he had no strength left.
My mother was genuinely afraid of what might happen if he went after them. If my father lost his head and killed someone, the consequences would be unimaginable.
She helped him back inside and quickly bandaged his wounds. Not long after, my grandfather came home with Liu Pozi.
Seeing the chaos and my father's battered state, my grandfather's fury ignited instantly—his anger even fiercer than my father's temper.
If my grandfather had been home earlier, those five brothers from the Zhang family wouldn't have dared to come to our house and cause trouble.
Everyone in the village knew my grandfather had killed before—he fought and killed Japanese soldiers during the war. When my grandfather grabbed the knife and was about to confront the Zhang family, Liu Pozi stopped him.
She had noticed a clear slap mark on my face.
"Brother Wu, don't go looking for trouble. Even if you don't, the Wu family is doomed to bad luck," Liu Pozi warned.
My grandfather frowned in confusion, asking her what she meant.
"It's obvious. Someone hit your grandson. Misfortune will surely follow," she sighed.
Seeing the slap mark on my face made my grandfather even angrier.
"Those little bastards! They even hit a six-year-old child—have they no humanity? I have to get to the bottom of this," he cursed.
"Brother Wu, listen to the old woman's advice. Don't go. If you do, things will only get worse. The one who hit your grandson definitely won't survive tonight," Liu Pozi said sternly.
Her words stunned my grandfather. He asked why.
Liu Pozi recounted what had happened with Ma Laosan's wife—how she had kicked me several times and was found dead on the back mountain the next day.
Now the Zhang family, out of all days, chose to come on the day of my three-year calamity. That's just asking for death.
Inside me is a powerful immortal spirit. For six years, those yellow weasels and foxes have protected me. To hit me is to disrespect that spirit, and those creatures would surely not let the Zhang family off.
My grandfather shuddered at this, realizing how serious the situation was.
Though the Zhang family was wrong, it was hard to believe they'd lose their lives over a slap.
Being from the same village, my grandfather didn't want them to die over this and asked Liu Pozi if there was any way to resolve it—at least to warn them.
Liu Pozi shook her head helplessly.
"There's no way around it. Wu Jie was born with a cursed fate, doomed to hardship and calamity. The three-year trial cannot be escaped. Either he dies, or someone else does. It depends on the Zhang family's luck."
Although that was the truth, my grandfather couldn't shake his unease and asked if whoever hit me would have to die.
Liu Pozi nodded.
Then my grandfather asked my mother who had hit me.
She said it was Zhang's fifth brother.
After thinking, my grandfather asked if there was any way to help the Zhang family, or at least warn them.
Liu Pozi reluctantly told him: "The ones who will seek revenge are the yellow weasels and fox spirits. They'll probably come for Zhang's fifth brother tonight. Tell him to keep several village dogs in the yard—not tied up—and to raise a few large white geese inside the rooms where he sleeps. Before putting the geese in, make sure they're well fed and let them defecate freely. That might help Zhang's fifth brother survive the night."
This advice had a reason behind it.
Village dogs are very spiritual and excellent guardians. If they spot a yellow weasel entering the home, they'll relentlessly chase it. The weasels are no match for the dogs physically and will usually flee.
The big white geese serve a similar purpose. They are territorial and larger than the weasels, with powerful beaks that can bite hard. Sometimes even dogs fear the geese and won't approach them, let alone the weasels.
More importantly, the yellow weasels are terrified of goose droppings. If their paws touch it, the affected area rots quickly.
Liu Pozi hesitated to say all this, as she was a disciple of the immortal order and the yellow weasels and foxes were celestial beings—forces she dared not offend.
But after my grandfather's repeated insistence, she relented and gave him the advice, though she couldn't guarantee it would save Zhang's fifth brother.
Regardless, my grandfather felt compelled to warn Zhang's fifth brother.
Before dark, he went alone to Zhang's fifth brother's house. But to his surprise, the gate was tightly shut, and no one answered when he knocked.
Zhang's fifth brother was home but scared stiff, knowing my grandfather would come looking, so he dared not open the door. My grandfather wouldn't force his way in.
All five Zhang brothers had grown up under my grandfather's watchful eye. He held great authority in the village, and even they feared him.
They regretted their reckless attack on my father and were terrified of my grandfather's large machete.
Still uneasy, my grandfather went to find the other Zhang brothers. Some refused to come out; others were too scared to stay home. One even sent his wife to apologize on their behalf.
My grandfather walked away disappointed and sighed.
Perhaps this was Zhang's fifth brother's fate.
The next day, Zhang's eldest brother found him dead—hanging from a beam inside their home.