One day, Ma Jiefu paid a sudden visit. Yang Wanshi secretly instructed his household staff not to let Madam Yin know of the matter. Ma Jiefu was greatly surprised to see the elder Mr. Yang in tattered rags, and grew even more grief-stricken upon hearing that Yang Wanzhong had drowned himself in the well. Xi’er, having learned of Ma Jiefu’s arrival, came to pay her respects, calling him "Uncle Ma" with deep affection.

For a moment, Ma Jiefu failed to recognize her. Upon closer inspection, he exclaimed, "Good child, how have you become so haggard?" Elder Mr. Yang stammered out the whole miserable story, trembling with fear. Ma Jiefu became indignant, fixed his gaze on Yang, and scolded, "I always told you that you were weak-willed, and it proves true. Xi’er was insulted, why did you not step forward to see justice done? If the sole surviving flesh and blood of the Yang line is harmed to death by that shrew, what then?"

Yang Wanshi remained silent, bowing his head and weeping incessantly. Before long, the news reached Madam Yin. Hearing that Ma Jiefu was there, she was filled with a mixture of shock and fury. However, having suffered losses at his hands before, she dared not appear to drive him away. Instead, she summoned Yang Wanshi into the room, slapped him several times, and ordered him to deal with Ma.

Yang Wanshi emerged with tears streaming down his face, the palm prints still red upon his cheeks. Ma Jiefu saw this and roared, "You are truly useless! To endure your wife being so tyrannical, beating her father-in-law and causing the death of her brother-in-law—can you still call yourself a man? Were it me, I would have divorced her long ago." Hearing this, Yang Wanshi’s expression shifted. Ma Jiefu provoked him further, "If the shrew refuses to leave, you should argue with reason, use threats and intimidation; any of these methods would suffice. Putting it mildly, even if you killed her, you need not worry. I have connections in the court; I guarantee you will face no trouble."

Yang Wanshi meekly agreed and, stewing in resentment, returned inside the house, only to encounter his wife. Madam Yin snapped, "Coward, what are you doing here?" Yang Wanshi looked flustered and said with a tremor, "Brother Ma told me to divorce you." Madam Yin became furious upon hearing this. She searched everywhere for a wooden club, intending to fight Yang to the death. Yang Wanshi was terribly frightened and fled in disarray.

Ma Jiefu cursed him in frustration, "You are truly incorrigible." As he spoke, he opened a bamboo chest, took out a packet of powder, dissolved it in water, and said, "This is 'Husband’s Reconstitution Powder.' I dared not use it lightly because its power is too great, but now that circumstances compel me, I must act according to the emergency."

Yang Wanshi downed the powder in one gulp. He instantly felt a surge of rage, his whole body burning as if on fire, an unbearable sensation. With a great shout that sounded like thunder, he charged into the bedroom like a fierce wind. Madam Yin, seeing him return, was just about to reprimand him when Yang Wanshi lashed out with a kick, striking her chest and sending her tumbling several somersaults. He then clenched his fist and rained a barrage of blows upon Madam Yin’s vital points.

Madam Yin was covered in wounds, her body a mess of injuries, and she could not help but scream curses. Yang Wanshi reached to his waist, drew the personal saber he carried, and Madam Yin faced him without changing expression, coldly saying, "Coward, do you dare kill me?" Yang Wanshi offered no words, but swept his blade out, severing a piece of flesh from Madam Yin’s thigh, as large as a palm, and tossing it onto the floor. Madam Yin cried out in pain, anxiety gripping her heart, and she began to beg for mercy plaintively. Yang Wanshi paid no heed, his wrist moving again, slicing off another piece of muscle.

The household staff, witnessing Yang Wanshi’s ferocious madness, realized that if this continued, someone would surely die. With a shout, they collectively rushed forward and dragged him out. Ma Jiefu stepped forward to meet him, grasped Yang’s arm, and softly tried to console him. Yang Wanshi’s residual fury was not yet quelled; he repeatedly brandished the saber and yelled, insisting he would kill Madam Yin. Ma Jiefu waved his hand, halting him.

A moment later, the drug’s effects receded, and Yang Wanshi became utterly exhausted and disconsolate. Ma Jiefu instructed him, "Brother, do not lose heart. Reasserting your authority as husband is paramount now. Your fear of Madam Yin did not happen overnight; it is the result of subtle, gradual influence. Now that you are reborn through fire, you must press your advantage and subdue the shrew. Any relaxation now will undo all your efforts."

Yang Wanshi nodded in agreement and raised the saber again, entering the room. Madam Yin’s legs trembled, and her heart pounded with dread. Supported by a maidservant, she managed to stand up. Seeing Yang’s menacing appearance, her knees buckled, and she was about to kneel. Yang Wanshi suppressed his anger and waved his hand, "That will do. From this day forward, you will behave yourself properly, or you will see what happens." Though his words were harsh, he lacked true conviction in his heart. After speaking, he quickly departed.

When he emerged and reported this to Ma, everyone was overjoyed. Father and son had regained control, and they celebrated enthusiastically. As Ma Jiefu prepared to leave, the father and son urged him to stay. Ma Jiefu replied, "I must hurry to a gathering at the East Sea and cannot remain any longer. We will meet again if fate allows."

In the blink of an eye, more than a month passed. Madam Yin’s injuries healed, and she diligently served Mr. Yang. As time wore on, Madam Yin gradually realized: since her husband’s display of power last time, her husband seemed to have exhausted his tricks and was no longer terrifying. Thus, her old habits returned. She mocked him or cursed him, paying him no mind whatsoever.

Elder Mr. Yang could not bear it. In a fit of pique, he traveled to Henan and became a Taoist priest. Yang Wanshi, naturally weak in character, was entirely indifferent when he saw his father leave and dared not venture out to search for him.

A year later, Ma Jiefu came calling again. Upon learning what had transpired, his anger flared, and he severely reprimanded Yang Wanshi. Then, he called Xi’er over, lifted her onto a donkey’s back, and the two rode off at a gallop, departing in high spirits.

From then on, the villagers all scorned Yang Wanshi’s conduct and looked down upon him. When the Circuit Inspector came to examine the scholars in the area, he learned of Yang Wanshi’s improper character and immediately stripped him of his xiucai (bachelor) status. Four or five years later, the Yang family residence caught fire, and all its possessions turned to ash. The blaze spread to neighboring properties, burning down adjacent houses. The neighbors, enraged, reported the matter to the authorities. The subsequent lawsuit forced Yang Wanshi to pay a great deal of money, causing his family fortunes to plummet. Living became difficult, and in desperation, he had no choice but to resort to begging.

Neighbors, disgusted with Yang Wanshi’s character, refused to offer any assistance. Madam Yin’s brothers also looked down on their sister’s behavior and refused to take her in or allow her back home. Yang Wanshi, impoverished and miserable, sold Madam Wang into a wealthy household, then took Madam Yin and traveled south. After winding through various places, they reached Henan. Because Yang Wanshi was penniless, Madam Yin refused to accompany him further, constantly stating she intended to remarry. Coincidentally, a butcher who was widowed and living alone bought Madam Yin from him for three hundred wen of copper coins.

Yang Wanshi continued to beg alone, drifting from place to place. One day, he arrived at a rich household and went to ask for alms. The gatekeeper refused him entry. As they were arguing, an official heard the noise and came out. Yang Wanshi prostrated himself and wept. The official studied him for a long time, asked his name, and Yang Wanshi told him truthfully.

The official was greatly astonished and exclaimed, "Isn't this Uncle? How have you fallen to such a state?" Yang Wanshi focused his gaze and saw that the official was none other than Xi’er. Seeing his relative, he could not help but break down in heartbroken sobs. Xi’er led him into the magnificent, splendid courtyard. Yang Wanshi’s heart was filled with a rush of emotions. Soon after, Xi’er emerged with his grandfather. Seeing his father again, Yang Wanshi choked back tears.

Earlier, Ma Jiefu had taken Xi’er to Henan, provided money to build a house for Xi’er to live in. A few days later, he fetched Elder Mr. Yang back from the Taoist temple, reuniting grandfather and grandson who now relied on each other. Ma Jiefu also hired tutors for Xi’er to study. Xi’er was naturally intelligent; at the age of fifteen, he passed the xiucai examination, and the following year, he passed the provincial examination (juren). He then married the daughter of a wealthy family.

Ma Jiefu settled everything and took his leave. The grandfather and grandson tried hard to make him stay, but Ma Jiefu replied, "I am not human, but a fox immortal. My Daoist brethren have been waiting for me for a long time." With these words, he vanished.

Xi’er recalled these events and became emotional. Thinking of his aunt (Madam Wang) who had suffered abuse from Madam Yin just as he had in the past, he grew even sadder. He prepared gold, silver, carriages, and horses to redeem Madam Wang and bring her back to live in his residence. A year later, Madam Wang gave birth to a son, and Yang Wanshi was overcome with joy, immediately elevating Madam Wang to the status of principal wife.

Meanwhile, Madam Yin, having married the butcher, was as tyrannical as before. The butcher was furious and stabbed through Madam Yin’s thigh with his cleaver, creating a clear hole with a single thrust. Furthermore, the butcher threaded pig bristles through the hole and hung Madam Yin from a beam in the house as punishment. Madam Yin begged for mercy, but the butcher ignored her, picked up his pork, and left. The pain from her wound made Madam Yin wail at the top of her lungs. Neighbors heard the commotion and came to rescue her. They carefully pulled out the pig bristles, and with every tug, Madam Yin screamed, her cries echoing across the vicinity.

From then on, every time Madam Yin saw the butcher, she would tremble all over, and her body hair would stand on end. Although the wound eventually healed, the pig bristles remained embedded in her flesh. She walked with a permanent, very noticeable limp. The butcher was irritable and often drunk; when intoxicated, he would whip Madam Yin without mercy. Madam Yin deeply regretted her past actions, finally understanding: evil begets evil. Her past abuse of her family had now been repaid upon her own person, a stark manifestation of karmic retribution.

One day, Xi’er’s wife and Madam Wang went to Puto Temple to offer incense. Women from neighboring villages flocked there to worship. Madam Yin mingled among the crowd, hesitant to come forward. Madam Wang pretended not to know her and asked, "Who is this person?" A family member replied, "She is Butcher Zhang’s wife." They ordered Madam Yin to step forward and kowtow to the Elderly Lady.

Madam Wang smiled and said, "Since this person is a butcher’s wife, she should not lack meat. Why is she so thin?" Madam Yin retreated in shame. Upon returning, she attempted suicide, but the rope was too thin, and she failed. When the butcher learned of this, he intensified his cruelty, tormenting Madam Yin daily.

A year later, the butcher died. One day, while walking down the street, Madam Yin happened to see Yang Wanshi from a distance. She crawled toward him, weeping torrents of tears. Yang Wanshi, mindful of the servants present, remained silent. Upon returning, he discussed taking Madam Yin back with Xi’er, but Xi’er vehemently forbade it.

Scorned by the villagers and with nowhere to turn, Madam Yin had no choice but to join the beggars, living by begging for food. Yang Wanshi, unable to forget their past connection, would occasionally meet Madam Yin secretly in a ruined temple. When Xi’er learned of this, he felt deeply ashamed and secretly instigated the beggars to humiliate Yang Wanshi severely. Yang Wanshi suffered a great loss because of this, and only then did he sever ties with Madam Yin.