The Beggar Returns, Tears at the Edge of the World

Shangguan Yunyi had once been spoiled as a child, but his family was poor. His mother worked for a wealthy landlord, contracted tetanus, and died because the family could not afford treatment. His frail father made a living as a peddler, but even that could not feed the family, and he eventually starved to death. His grandmother scrimped on food and told his mute older brother to shoulder the burden of the family before she, too, passed away. His mute older brother struggled with all his might to survive, but could only leave Shangguan Baoyi and a little sister behind before joining the dead. Shangguan Yunyi and his sister became beggars. Taking pity on him, his father-in-law, a barber, married his daughter to Shangguan Yunyi. His sister also started a family with a young beggar. But the villagers were furious to see beggars living like ordinary people. They beat and mocked them, and even demanded that Shangguan Baoyi and his wife work like oxen to repay a tiny act of charity from years ago. Their two children were also discriminated against and oppressed. Though Shangguan Yunyi was a beggar, he had great pride and refused to beg, leaving him frail and afflicted with stomach trouble. When people bullied him, he could only endure it, beset by illness. His resentful soul went to the underworld, and, remembering the misery of his past life, refused to be reborn. He caused a great disturbance in the underworld, determined to settle the grievances of his previous life…

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.