Du Huashen

Hello, my name is Yang Cheng, and currently, I'm pretending to be Jia Pangzi, the dude my master captured and killed 'in front of me'. I still believe him, but it's been a year, and I've heard nothing from the plague demon sect, or as they call it up here, 'cult'.

Still, Jia Pangzi is such an unfortunate person. Accursed by the name 'Pangzi', despite his beautiful face... oh, wait! I never even saw his face, and this face is mine! Haha, sometimes, I really think I am him!

Poor him, having this disgusting name. And poor me, having to live as him, with this name! I wonder if he was a fat baby? Or maybe the high commander has a bad naming sense?

"excuse this servant, young master." called out one of the Jia's servants.

"speak." he said in an uninterested and bored tone.

"the master wishes to see you. He also asks you to stop ditching class. Someone of your stature needs to act like it." sighed the servant.

Bastard. The Jia family is the one that takes in worthless filth like you, and you repay it by spitting in the young master's face?! I may not be Jia Pangzi, but the Jia's have fed and clothed me for a year, and I am not one to bite the hand that feeds me! Even if I occasionally kill en masse, law and order will be enforced!

"hey, servant. You must be tired from work, right? Why don't you come to my courtyard tonight? I'll give you some drinks."

"master, I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to..." he trailed off.

"it's not a request." I said with a change of tone.

"yes, I'd be delighted to."

"good. I'll be going home, now. Tell father I'm taking the long route and a potential detour."

"yes," he said as he ran off.

I went from the abandoned winery, long forgotten by the entire town, to the edge of the city. The Jia's mansion was in the middle of the newly expanded and renovated Jia city. The old winery was abandoned when the owners wanted to move shop, but realized going into the city with all the equipment would be more expensive than buying new equipment, so they abandoned the factory. It is still owned by them, and Pangzi is technically trespassing on private property, but no one even knows its existence anymore — excluding the Jia's servants. Hence, it is his sanctuary.

He went in between the slums, and the Jia's city. The slums stretched across the entire Jianbukecui, and went around it multiple times over. It was the largest realm, and has enough population to be considered a separate Plane, on its own. However, the income generated from having a few hundred cubic kilometers of the slums is the same amount you earn from pretending to get hit by a nobles carriage and blackmailing them. Despite that, it is considered to be the largest single city in the Shensheng Diguo. The slums are separated according to the Plane it belonged to.

He went through the outskirts of the town, where there was a river separating the slums from the town. Well, the quality of the houses served as a barrier in itself.

While I was walking, I saw some dirty rag in the form of a human. It was so dirty, it looked gray. I looked around. Normally, I would push it into the river, since no one was looking. Of course, the slum dwellers were looking, but they wouldn't care if a waste of food was drowned. In fact, they'd be happier, since they'd get its rations as well.

Still, for some reason, I didn't want to do it. Maybe it was because I saw myself in it? Maybe it was because I felt pity? Haha, as if. It's definitely the former. This isn't the first time I killed slum dwellers. Before regaining my true memories, I killed around half a million slum dwellers. Not like I scratched the top of their total population. Much less, their average death rate per year, totaling at 580 million, in the eastern slums alone. Makes me wonder where so many of them come from.

Anyways, I walked up to the gray rat. I looked carefully into the water, and nearly hurled. This rat... this thing was drinking piss. I looked back, and saw some slum dwellers pissing into the water. Some pushed others into it, and another one even started pooping. I was at a loss for words. Were they really so desperate to kill of these people?

"hey, rat. You do realize you're drinking their piss, shit and grime?"

The rat looked upstream, where it saw those people dancing around, and falling into the river; drowning.

"I'm surprised you actually managed to cross the stream, with those heavy currents and whatnot."

"*cough cough*"

"ah, poor you. Can't even speak. I hope you can understand what I am going to say, because I will only say it once: follow me, and you will never drink piss, shit and grime, ever again."

I cut into the main road from an alley, and went straight ahead to the Jia's mansion. The roads were empty as always. The Jia's city is known especially for medicine and renowned physicians. Especially me, the divine physician of the eastern Plane and the first child of the high commander.

No one knows how I got the shenyi token, but they tested me on it a long time ago, and I was deemed qualified. Rumors suggest a master passed it on to me.

Because the Jia's city is mainly known for medicine, we get enough income to last over a decade, just from one phase of plague.

I didn't look behind me, to see if the rat was behind me, because I didn't want to seem weak or soft hearted, but I walked half my usual pace, in fear of losing the rat.

When I arrived at the gates, the guards asked me: "young master, is this your guest?"

When I heard this, I was simply overjoyed. Of course, I didn't let it show. I couldn't let it show, would be more accurate. After all, I am still the eldest son of the Jia family. I have an identity to maintain.

"yes, this is my guest. Take care if them properly, and have madam Yi teach it everything the Jia's successor is required to learn."

"y-yes..." stammered the guard.

Honestly, his surprise isn't unfounded. Me, being the successor, and asking to teach someone else to be a successor is the same as flaunting my power and challenging my father's. It can also be seen as unfilial.

Of course, such political things never interested me. I just needed someone smart and somewhat on my level. Otherwise, there would be no fun in my life.

I then went on to greet my grandmother, who was as usual, too sick to see anyone, so he went to greet his father.

"I am home."

"so you do know the way back home! When the servant said you would come, I thought he was lying." said the high commander.

"yes, I am here."

"so what do you want?" asked the huge man who towered at an astounding ten Chi (10ft).

"do you want me to kill a person?" I asked coldly.

"it's nice how you catch onto these things that quickly. If only Jia Shuaqi De Mingzi was half as smart as you."

"well you still love him more. Now answer my question."

"I will, but I heard you brought a beggar into the house? What will you do when mother-in-law finds out?"

"it's my new rat. If anything, I can use it to break off my marriage with Ruan Gao."

"good, good. But what will you do if they are of the same gender?"

There is no reason to run in circles, is there? If so, why does he do this?

"answer my question. You know how the old coot is, so answer it."

"I want you to hold your engagement ceremony."

So this is why he was running around so much. Unfortunately for him, I won't do as told.

"has our engagement decided?" asked the sly Yang Cheng as he formulated dozens of plots in his mind.

"yes, and that is precisely what the royal family is visiting for. I'm just afraid her father won't approve, since he was not the one to decide he engagement." replied the ten Chi giant.

If the Ruan Gao doesn't want the marriage, we can both make a scene and cancel it. If she wants the marriage, I'll have someone defile her and say she is not worthy of me. Despite our years of friendship, marriage will tie me down too far.

"I know what you are thinking, fatty. Don't even think about breaking off your engagement." he said as if he would snap Pangzi's neck.

"the emperor wants to strengthen the relationship between our Jia family and the imperial family since the army had a burst in growth after the war with the other world ended."

"liar. I know you and godfather were more than just ruler and subject. You were friends. One of you wanted us engaged, so the other had it done. You aren't the kind of person to tie yourself to someone of higher power, so I assume it was godfather's choice."

"nothing gets past you, does it? Well, it is not of relevance. You are getting married to Ruan Gao, and that is final.

"can't she marry Jia Shuaqi De Mingzi instead?"

"no, she must marry you." he replied instantly.

"is it because I am the oldest legitimate child? Or is it because he is your most pure hearted and much loved son?"

"since you are done, get out and let me do my work." he sighed as he covered his face with his hands.

If he won't answer, it seems that neither me nor the princess are in a position to decline this marriage. It also seems that I am a black hearted and much hated son to him

I walked out of the building which was my father's office and went to my own courtyard.

As I neared my room, a small figure blocked my path: the sixth bastard.

It's hard to believe my father is pumping out kids as if he is twenty, but my unimportant and soon-to-be-dead 25 siblings seem to disagree. Well, minus Shuaiqi, so 24 soon-to-be-dead siblings.

Luckily, only me and Shuaiqi are legitimate children, otherwise, succession would get really messy.

"Pang Pang!" screamed the lovely little girl who blocked my path.

"dumpling!" I screamed back before running to embrace her.

"my name is not dumpwing!" said the little 6 year old as she tried pushing me away.

"why? You are pretty round, fat and soft." I say as I stretch her dumpwing-like cheeks.

"hmph! I hate you, fatty! I'll never talk to you again!" shouted the little dumpling.

"ok, don't forgive me, Jiaozi. Just don't cry if you get too lonely."

"Jia Jia is NOT a dumpling!" she screamed as she ran off.

"haha. If only everyone else is as fun as dumpling." I chuckled.

Such a short conversation, yet so much fun... why do I have to... *sighs*

I opened the door to my room and started to change.

My hair usually gets in the way of I do everything, but I like to keep it down since it looks nice. My grandmother on the other hand seems to think I am filial.

Well, I am the oldest, so it isn't unnatural for her to be biased.

Damned coot. Why can't she just die already. She coughs up so much blood every day and has such low blood pressure, yet she keeps living for so long!

I guess she wasn't lying when she said she would only die after seeing me married. Leave it. It does no good wishing for her death. I should just lie down, skip evening class, eat dinner, sleep and torture that servant.