Chinese Ghost Fables 1 by Yun Ji Read Free Book Online Page B

will inadvertently do the dirty
job for him. We continuously mistreated and abused them. As a result of our thoughtless
misconduct, the thin-faced and nerve-wracking maid would be forced to commit suicide
which was the crafty ghost's ultimate purpose. The new soul would replace the hanged
ghost, who would be re-born again. In disagreement, some servants vigorously argued that
the two young servants should not meet with each other in the first place. Their moral
indiscretion is the root of all troubles. No matter how different their perspectives were, they
all agreed that the otherworldly creature was too evil-minded and calculating to snatch a
substitution. The Almighty wouldn't allow such level of deep-covered and malicious intrigue
existed without interference.
25
STRUCK BY A THUNDERBOLT
    On the west side of City Xien, a farmer was struck and instantly killed by a thunderbolt.
The city judge dispatched a forensic expert to conduct the autopsy. Scrutinizing the
scorched body, he certified that the death was caused by a natural disaster and allowed the
victim's relatives to reclaim and bury the body properly.
After about half of a month of this tragedy, in the city court, the judge questioned a suspect.
"Why did you purchase gunpowder?"
     
"It's for bird-hunting," The person timidly responded. "It only needs a few ounces for a
week's consumption. Why did you obtain over forty pounds?"
     
"It's for my future use."
    "Now, be reasonable and rational. After a month of the acquisition, you might consume, in
the most, no more than two pounds. Where is the rest?" Astonished and tongue-tied by the
judge's common sense and calculation, this suspect was nervous and,
with much
hesitation, confessed. Cooperation with the victim's wife, they committed the crime. He and
his lover were soon captured, after a trial, executed.
"How did you perceive his intrigue and resolve this hideous case?" Some friends asked
him.
    "It's simple," The judge explained. "I clandestinely sent several plainclothes to local
markets to explore. They were instructed to write down any persons whom acquired
unusually large quantity of gunpowder and sulfur in the last few months. In summer, there
is no festival and no firecrackers were needed. Nobody should acquire those materials to
make firecrackers at all. The only usage is to make a bomb which is illegal and will be
punished by death."
    "How could you notice the victim was not killed by a thunderbolt since you were not even in
there?"
"Coming from the sky, it will slaughter a person and certainly, the cause some had
collateral damages on its surroundings. Besides slaughtering a person, it should also
scorch trees and impair barn or farmhouse.
    In this case, the victim, spread-eagled near his barn, was blazed into charcoal from his
lower torso up. Although the ground where he stood on became concave, the barn merely
missed a couple shingles. All of those pieces of circumstantial evidence pointed out that it
is an explosion from the soil. On the day of the calamity, the farmer's wife visited and
stayed in her mother's home. How convenient it could be? It was a perfect alibi! That's the
main reason why I didn't reveal the inconsistencies to her. That fatal tragedy was
premeditated. It was classified and investigated as a murder case. Strongly believing that
she must know and was even involved in this crime, I had to be patient and wait until
capturing the prime suspect and acquired his written confession. Then, she, as an
accomplice, couldn't deny it."
26
A CALLOUS WEALTHY MERCHANT
    A wealthy merchant went to Peking in order to make a big political contribution in
exchange for a government post. One day, a poor old man called on him. At first, the
merchant's servants refused to admit him. He patiently stood outside of the hotel. After
hours of waiting, he noticed, eagerly waived his arms at and was received by the merchant.
They knew each other for many years. The prosperous host reluctantly gestured his
servant to