Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 137 - 62: Yu Tuanzi

Mrs. Fang entered the main room holding an oil lamp, and under the glow of two oil lamps, the room finally felt a bit brighter.

Gu Chengli and his companions threw the little thief onto the ground. Mr. Gu looked at the man covered in a black cloth in front of him and found him somewhat familiar. Recalling the shout the man had made earlier, he felt increasingly certain that this was someone he knew.

In the middle of the night, when the family was robbed, no one had the patience for this. Gu Chengyi approached and ripped off the black cloth from the man’s face, and the little thief immediately lowered his head in panic once his face was no longer covered.

But in the instant the little thief bowed his head, it was enough for everyone to see clearly who he was. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Mr. Gu exclaimed in surprise, "Why is it you?"

Gu Chengyi, being the closest, naturally saw clearly who the person was.

"Yu Tuanzi! Is it you?" Gu Chengyi was taken aback after seeing his true identity.

Seeing everyone had recognized his face, Yu Tuanzi stopped hiding.

Yu Tuanzi raised his face, and Gu Chengyu noticed a conspicuous mole at the corner of Yu Tuanzi’s mouth. Twitching the corner of his mouth, it was hard not to recognize such a distinctive mark!

Originally Yu Tuanzi lived at the west end of Shangling Village, with only a blind old mother and a sister at home. Yu Tuanzi was over twenty years old and had not yet married. One reason was the large mole on his face that truly didn’t appeal to the girls; the other was the Yu family was poor and couldn’t afford a proper dowry.

Yu Tuanzi’s mother’s eyes were blinded when she was gathering thatch on the mountain to burn as firewood. While returning, she stumbled over a tree root and tumbled down the mountain. Her eyes were pierced by a tree stump during the fall, and a lot of blood was shed, leading to her blindness.

Yu Tuanzi’s father died early, and the family only had three mu of land. Yu Tuanzi refused to work diligently, his mother’s eyes couldn’t see, and his sister was still young back then, so the land was left mostly unutilized every year. Without proper management, the fields wouldn’t yield much harvest, and after paying taxes, there was little left.

The villagers nicknamed him Yu Tuanzi because he was lazy. For years he lay around all day ignoring household matters, leaving his teenage sister to handle everything. Compared to the laziest person in the village, he was even worse.

These past two years have gotten better, and he’s reportedly quite filial to his mother. Gu Chengyu guessed it must be another story of a prodigal turning over a new leaf. But at present, who knows why Yu the Blind acts this way again? Gu Chengyu thought it must be that forced labor had cornered him. If he left, what would happen to his mother and sister at home?

"Hey! It’s really you, Yu Tuanzi? You merciless scoundrel, how dare you sneak into my house to steal silver? In the middle of the night, no peace for us! Hmph! Old man, such a thief should be sent to government as England does." Mrs. Lv, disturbed from a good dream in the middle of the night, was understandably upset, especially considering Yu Tuanzi came to steal silver, so her words were harsh. The family’s silver was her lifeline!

"Uncle, Aunt! I’ll admit to being caught. I only beg you not to send me to the government. I too see no way out. Tomorrow, officers come, and my family can’t gather enough silver. I just..." Hearing he was to be sent to the government, Yu Tuanzi became anxious.

Thinking about it, he was indeed unlucky. This was his first time stealing. If there were another way, why would he resort to this? Now caught, if sent to the government, what would become of him?

"Yu... Cough! Yu Lin!" Mr. Gu wanted to call Yu Tuanzi but thought calling him by his nickname was inappropriate.

"I know your family’s difficulties, uncle knows too! But that cannot be a reason for theft, who doesn’t have hardships? Who can gather so much silver? Why don’t others steal too? It shows it’s not a silver problem, but a character problem. Indeed, our family did acquire some silver recently, but we’ve spent most of it." Mr. Gu spoke earnestly to Yu Tuanzi.

"Uncle! I know you’re right, and I know I’m wrong. I was just possessed by greed. Uncle! Please give me a chance, don’t send me to the government. I still have a blind old mother and a sister at home. If I go to jail, what about my poor mother and sister?" Yu Tuanzi pleaded while struggling, as if trying to kneel.

But quickly, Gu Chengyi pressed him down, not allowing him to move.

Being restrained, Yu Tuanzi lost his headstrong spirit. Indeed, forced labor or jail weren’t much different; both could nearly cost him his life. The Dayan Dynasty’s punishment for theft was extremely severe; in court, one would first be struck with ten boards. Don’t underestimate those boards; the officers could beat you till your skin split, and if not treated promptly, it could endanger your life.

Thinking this way, he felt dispirited. So be it, whether jail or forced labor, there wasn’t much difference.

"Dad! We can’t just let him go, or what if he comes back next time?" Gu Chengyi didn’t want to just let Yu Tuanzi off.

"Uncle! What next time? Even if you don’t send me to the government, tomorrow my name will be reported for forced labor. Whether I survive is uncertain. Even if I returned by luck, I’d hardly need to resort to this again." Yu Tuanzi said with a self-deprecating grin.

"Dad! I think this Yu Tuanzi is desperate; why not spare sending him to the government? It’s quite pitiful!" Gu Chengli saw Yu Tuanzi’s demeanor and felt some sympathy for him.

Mr. Gu initially seeing Yu Tuanzi’s filial affection, didn’t want to send him to the government. However, to just let him go was unsettling. If others did like Yu Tuanzi, sneaking around the Gu’s in the middle of the night, how would they live? So punishment was necessary.

Everyone noticed Mr. Gu being quiet and looked at him, waiting for him to decide.

Gu Chengyu glanced at Yu Tuanzi twice and found he didn’t seem cunning, birthing an idea. However, it would have to wait until others left.

Mr. Gu thought about it; although they caught the person, they couldn’t make rash decisions themselves. Better to lock the person in the firewood shed first and deal with it tomorrow after consulting the village chief.

"Eldest, Second, both of you lock Yu Lin in the firewood shed first. This matter should be dealt with tomorrow, after calling the village chief." Mr. Gu instructed the two accordingly.

Then seeing Third and Fourth sleepily dozing off, he told them to go back to their rooms to sleep.

"Xiao Bao! Quickly sleep! You have to rise early for school tomorrow, tonight’s delay was long. Sigh! One issue after another, endless. Can’t even sleep soundly." After everyone left, Mrs. Lv climbed onto the bed, yawning widely, utterly exhausted. Her mind foggy, she felt there was something else she hadn’t remembered to say, but now she just wanted to sleep.