Catching Monsters

Chapter 1 Jiang Yun
Jiang Yun is sick.

The illness is not serious.

The first attack occurred when I was five years old, at my grandmother's funeral.

He saw his grandmother, who should have been lying in the coffin, sitting in a corner of the funeral, looking at her relatives with a look of reluctance on her face, unwilling to leave.

But grandma still disappeared, and that was the last time he saw her.

He told this to his parents and elders.

Everyone said he was sick.

Later, he saw more and more "people" of all kinds, and he realized that he was very ill, so he was sent to a mental hospital for treatment.

The doctors at the psychiatric hospital are friendly and kind.

When the power is turned up too high, he will feel unbearable pain.

Whenever he said he was not sick, he would be electrocuted.

His parents visited him often in the first two years, but came less often after his younger brother was born.

Later, a group of Taoist priests came and said that they were born with the ability to see ghosts and gods and were geniuses in practicing Taoism. They forcibly took him away from the mental hospital and beat up several doctors.

The doctors called them crazy but did not dare to stop them.

It seems that they would be afraid if they met a real madman.

After being taken away by the Taoist priest, Jiang Yun learned many Taoist techniques.

The Taoists were very happy and said that he was gifted and could become the youngest Heavenly Master.

Finally, at the age of twenty-three, he became a Heavenly Master and wore a purple robe.

He died when everyone thought he had a bright future.

He didn’t die at the hands of a demon, but when he was crossing the road, he encountered a dump truck that ran a red light. The dump truck was driving very fast...

In the early winter in the city of Nanzhou, a thin layer of snow has already covered the eaves of the houses.

In an old courtyard in the city.

"Uncle Wu, my brother is a scholar. When my parents were alive, they didn't want him to work."

"Please don't come here again."

A girl of about sixteen years old, wearing coarse cloth, stood at the gate and stopped the middle-aged man who wanted to enter the hospital.

The girl's face was sallow and she was obviously malnourished. It was already winter, but she was wearing thin clothes.

The middle-aged man called Uncle Wu, dressed like a businessman, glared at the girl with a stern face and said, "A scholar?"

"Can a woman like you, doing sewing and washing clothes, really support him to become the top scholar?"

"Until now, Jiang Yun is only a student, and he has not even passed the examination to become a scholar."

"I'm afraid that before he can become a scholar, you two will have starved to death."

Jiang Yun was lying in the house, thinking about two things in his mind.

First, that dump truck is really fast.

Second, it seems that I have traveled through time and space and possessed another person's body?

He could hear the conversation outside.

Jiang Yun doesn’t know much about this world.

All we know is that his original parents died early, and he lived with his younger sister Jiang Qiaoqiao since childhood.

I read and study at home every day.

The burden of supporting the family fell entirely on the younger sister, Jiang Qiaoqiao.

Jiang Qiaoqiao went out early and came back late every day, doing sewing and washing clothes for others, earning some copper coins to make a living.

However, the original body disliked that Jiang Qiaoqiao earned too little, which prevented him from buying the latest book annotations.

The original self even believed that the reason why he failed to pass the examination to become a scholar was related to this.

When talking with other scholars, he couldn't help but sigh that if his family was wealthy, he would have passed the imperial examination long ago.

Later, he even planned to marry off his younger sister so that he could earn some money that would allow him to pass the imperial examination.

Fortunately, this guy had not had the chance to carry out his plan. A few days ago, when he went out for drinking and fun with several other students, he accidentally fell into the river, caught a cold, and died.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun looked out the window and saw the middle-aged man who was talking to Jiang Qiaoqiao.

He did have an impression.

As I recall, his name seemed to be Wu Chenhu, an old friend of my father. He had come several times. The first few times, he found some jobs for Jiang Yun and wanted him to earn money.

As a result, the original person thought that he was a scholar, lazy and did not know the difference between grains.

He refused several times on the grounds that going out to work would inevitably affect his chances of passing the imperial examination.

"I have known your parents for many years. Do you think I am worried about Jiang Yun? I am worried about you, a girl. You are so young, but you have to work so hard. It's not worth it." Wu Chenhu said angrily, "I heard that Jiang Yun went out for drinks with others many times recently, and he even rushed to pay the bill."

Jiang Qiaoqiao quickly explained: "My brother once told me that it was a literary exchange between scholars, and it was normal to spend some money."

At this point, Jiang Qiaoqiao paused and gritted her teeth: "I'll find another way to earn it."

"Earn?" Wu Chenhu said in distress, "He owes more than twenty taels of silver outside. Did you know that?"

"And it's owed to Peng San and his gang of thugs. If Jiang Yun can't pay it back, they will bury him alive."

"Ah." Jiang Qiaoqiao was stunned when she heard the number.

She really didn't expect that drinking would cost so much money.

She worked hard, but after a busy day, she only earned a dozen copper coins.

Occasionally, there would be more clothes, and they would be from wealthy families nearby. Knowing her situation, they would leave a few more clothes for her to wash.

You should know that one dou of rice costs five copper coins, and usually one tael of silver is equivalent to about one thousand copper coins, which can buy two hundred dou of rice.

It is not easy for the two brothers and sisters to save one or two taels of silver.

Not to mention twenty taels of silver.

When Jiang Yun in the room heard this, he couldn't help but secretly curse the original owner as a bastard.

After all, he inherited part of this guy's memory, and he knew in his heart that this guy was not cut out for studying.

Just finding an excuse not to work.

It's just a pity for Jiang Qiaoqiao. She sincerely believes that Jiang Yun studies hard every day and is determined to pass the imperial examination.

For this, she is willing to endure any hardship.

At this moment, Jiang Qiaoqiao in the yard felt scared. Peng San and his gang of thugs were not easy to mess with.

She asked anxiously, "Uncle Wu, do you think any family is in need of a maid? How about sending me there to be a maid?"

"I'm a very hard worker. I wash clothes, cook, and mend clothes. Everyone in the neighborhood knows it."

As she spoke, Jiang Qiaoqiao quickly raised her hand.

The hands of a sixteen-year-old girl should have fair skin, but her hands already had many calluses and many wounds from accidental needle pricks when mending clothes.

"Silly girl, what family would spend more than twenty taels of silver to hire a maid?"

"I'm not here to introduce him to work this time." "The Huang family outside the city took a fancy to Jiang Yun and recognized him as a scholar."

"I want to recruit him as my son-in-law."

Jiang Qiaoqiao wanted to shake her head and refuse after hearing this: "Uncle Wu, before our parents died, their last wish was for my brother to pass the imperial examination."

"How can I become someone's son-in-law?"

Wu Chenhu said: "The Huang family gave forty taels of silver."

"If you don't pay back the money your brother owes you."

"You're going to lose your life, and you still want to pass the exam to get a good reputation?"

"What's more, Miss Huang is very pretty, and her family is rich and has land..."

"Uncle Wu, I'll go."

Jiang Yun's voice rang out from inside the house.

The door creaked open and Jiang Yun walked out weakly.

Wu Chenhu was delighted when he saw Jiang Yun agreed. He eagerly took out a bag of silver from his arms and handed it to Jiang Yun: "This twenty taels of silver is the deposit."

"I will give the remaining twenty taels of silver to your sister after you get married."

"I will come to pick you up tomorrow night."

After giving his instructions, Wu Chenhu left in a hurry, fearing that Jiang Yun would go back on his word.

"Brother." Jiang Qiaoqiao looked worried and wanted to persuade him again: "After I finish washing the clothes, I can go out of the city to chop some firewood and sell it back."

"Besides, Miss Wu also likes me and has asked me to be her maid several times."

"If I go and ask Miss Wu for help, she might be willing to lend us some money."

Jiang Yun said, "Qiaoqiao, go to Butcher Hu to get a piece of meat. I want to eat meat."

Looking at Jiang Qiaoqiao's face full of concern for him, Jiang Yun, who hadn't known what family was for a long time, felt some warmth in his heart.

As for this world, we should make the best of it. The most urgent thing is to pay back the money first to avoid any further trouble.

It would be nice to be someone's son-in-law, but I don't know what Miss Huang looks like.

……

The next evening, Jiang Yun dressed up nicely and put on a clean white scholar's robe.

After all, the other party likes his identity as a scholar.

Soon, Wu Chenhu arrived, and with him came a black sedan chair and four bearers.

"Qiaoqiao, after I settle down there, I will find a chance to bring you over."

"If you need anything, come to me."

After explaining everything, Jiang Yun stepped forward and asked curiously, "Uncle Wu, are these the only people coming to the Huang Mansion to marry a son-in-law?"

Wu Chenhu laughed and whispered, "I'm just trying to save your family's reputation."

"After all, being a son-in-law is not a glorious thing. If it gets out of hand and too many people know about it, it won't be a good thing."

"Okay, get in the sedan chair, don't miss the time."

Jiang Yun nodded and got into the bridal sedan.

Getting married in the evening should be the custom in this world.

He didn't think much about it. After all, in his previous life, many places, such as Guizhou, also had the tradition of welcoming the bride in the evening.

Riding in a sedan chair was not as comfortable as I had imagined.

If you sit there for too long, your bones might be shaken apart.

After leaving the city and walking for about an hour, Wu Chenhu's voice came from outside: "We are almost there."

Finally arrived.

Jiang Yun looked outside and saw that they had already left the city and were walking on a country road.

In the distance, you can vaguely see a grand house.

There are white lanterns hanging on both sides of the gate, with a plaque with the words "Huang Mansion" inscribed on it.

Soon, the door was opened, and a tall and thin old man wearing a black gown and a hat walked out of the Huang Mansion.

"Boss Wu, it was delivered on time as expected."

Wu Chenhu clasped his fists with a solemn face and said, "Butler Huang, I have sent the people away. I will take my leave now."

After saying this, Wu Chenhu looked at Huang Fu with a strange look in his eyes and left in a hurry.

The tall and thin old man called Butler Huang lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, glanced at Jiang Yun, nodded slightly, and said in a cold voice: "Send the son-in-law to take a bath."

The sedan chair staggered into the courtyard.

This is a large house with three entrances and three exits.

Inside the house, white lanterns were hung everywhere, and the flickering candlelight made it look particularly eerie.

Jiang Yun was puzzled and asked the butler outside, "Butler Huang, why are there white lanterns on such a festive day?"

Could it be that this is the custom of their world?

Butler Huang glanced at Jiang Yun with a fake smile and said calmly, "You will know it later, Master."

Soon, Jiang Yun saw that there were many round tables in the yard, and hot food and wine were served on the tables.

Jiang Yun looked through the curtain of the sedan chair and saw many guests sitting there enjoying the banquet enthusiastically, but there was no color on their faces.

Jiang Yun bit his right middle finger, wiped it between his eyebrows, and opened his eyes again.

These were not guests at all, but paper figures made of white paper, sitting at the table, which was extremely strange.

Soon, he was brought to the door of a room.

Jiang Yun knew that this place was strange and he had to find a way to escape. He made an excuse: "Butler Huang, I have to pee urgently, where is the toilet?"

Butler Huang: "Bring the chamber pot to my son-in-law."

Jiang Yun rolled his eyes and tried to find another excuse, but Butler Huang got impatient and said to the four cooks, "Help the son-in-law take off his clothes."

The four sedan bearers were all strong and healthy. Their original bodies had just recovered from a serious illness, so their new bodies were unable to resist at all.

Several people quickly stripped Jiang Yun of his clothes, leaving him only in his underpants, and made him jump into the bathtub.

Then Butler Huang came over with many bags.

"As usual, add dried ginger, tangerine peel, cardamom, fennel, and saffron to the bathtub."

Jiang Yun frowned slightly. This recipe didn't sound like a bath at all.

After adding these things, the bathtub smells delicious.

Butler Huang had a somewhat weird look on his face as he spoke with a forced smile.

"Soak it for a while longer to let it marinate, otherwise the young lady won't like it."

　The new book is here, everyone remember to collect it. If you have tickets, please give them to me. Thank you very much.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)