Yang Mingyi asked, "Did you buy this for Guaizai?" Thinking of Guaizai, he felt himself relax a little.
"Yes! My son really likes these things." Fang Zichen said, his enthusiasm immediately sparking at the mention of his son. "I once made one for him out of mud before, and he loved it to death. He loved it so much he even tried to put it under his blanket when he went to sleep, but then my 'tigress' at home gave him a scolding and spanked his bottom twice. It was quite a scene."
Yang Mingyi: "Tigress?"
Fang Zichen nodded: "Yes!"
"Aren't you afraid Brother Zhao will find out you call him that?" Yang Mingyi said.
"If he finds out, he finds out! What can he do about it?" Fang Zichen said boastfully: "In our house, I, the head of the household, call the shots. If I tell him to go east, he doesn't dare go west. If I tell him to go west, he doesn't dare go east. He listens to me very well. But as you know, your Brother Fang here, besides being handsome, good-tempered, frugal, and family-oriented, is also famously good at doting on others. For Zhao Ger to have found someone like me, his ancestors must have been sending up smoke signals."
Yang Mingyi: "..."
Master Wu, who had been listening for a while, really couldn't take it anymore. This guy was terrible at talking, all he did was boast.
Last time on the street, he had seen clearly how obsequious he acted.
Yang Mingyi's attention was completely on the puppy, his pale complexion gradually improved, his features becoming lively.
Fang Zichen secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The moans from the several men on the ground gradually grew quieter. They slowly moved to the side, wanting to take the chance while Fang Zichen was distracted to escape.
Fang Zichen was talking with Yang Mingyi and didn't notice them. The bandits gritted their teeth, endured the pain, and started to get up.
If the government soldiers arrived, what awaited them would be either lifelong imprisonment or exile.
That wasn't even the worst part, the most important consequence was that their descendants for three generations would be barred from entering official service. If their families found out, being beaten to death would be a light punishment.
The bandits were now filled with immense regret.
They hadn't really wanted to take this job initially, but the payment offered by the other party was simply too high—over three hundred taels. Split evenly, each person would get fifty taels.
Fifty taels was money they couldn't earn in ten years. Although they were a bit afraid to target a Juren, in the end, desire overcame their worries and fear.
'What's a Juren? He's just an old man. As long as you make sure there are no loose ends - if I don't talk and you don't talk - then no one will ever find out. More importantly, your main target is Shopkeeper Yang's famously reclusive ger. Have you ever laid eyes on a true beauty in your lives? That ger of Shopkeeper Yang is the undisputed top beauty in all of Fu'an Town. If he calls himself second, no one would dare claim first place. Once you succeed, you can do with him as you please. And if you're still concerned, just lay low outside for a while after the job. You can return once the rumors die down.'
Persuaded like this, their reservations instantly vanished.
Just as they stood up, a club came flying over.
Fang Zichen, frowning, slowly walked over with the broadsword.
The large broadsword reflected a sharp light. Having just been used to cut people, it was now stained with blood.
"You still want to run? Do you want me to chop your legs off too?"
"... N-no, no no, we won't dare anymore. We beg you, spare us."
It was one shichen (two hours) later when the guard arrived with the government soldiers.
Having been by Master Wu's side for many years, many people knew him. When they saw him coming to report the crime, the soldiers didn't dare delay. After reporting upwards, they led troops and rushed over without stopping.
Master Wu was from Yuanzhou. Although the bandits had targeted Yang Mingyi, if this got out, it would still harm the reputation of an unmarried ger. He had the soldiers take the bandits back to Yuanzhou for investigation and interrogation.
Master Wu was helped down from the carriage and said, "Yi Ger, come back to Yuanzhou with me first!"
In a few days, it would be Old Lady Zheng's birthday. Since Fang Zichen was coming to Yuanzhou a few days ago to take the Prefectural Exam, Yang Mingyi had free time in the afternoons. Old Lady Wu missed him and had sent someone to bring him to Yuanzhou to stay for a few days.
He was returning now, firstly because Fang Zichen's Prefectural Exam was over, and secondly to return for Old Lady Zheng's birthday celebration.
Yang Mingyi thought for a moment, then shook his head.
Master Wu frowned slightly: "But... I'm not entirely at ease."
Master Wu knew perfectly well who wanted Yang Mingyi dead.
If she failed this time, there would likely be a next attempt.
Although Yang Mingyi was mature for his age, sensible, and clever, no matter what, he was only eleven, still just a child.
When women resorted to schemes and tricks, they could be insidiously vicious and hard to guard against. The Yang family had been a den of tigers and wolves; how could he have felt at ease letting Yang Mingyi return?
"It will be fine," Yang Mingyi reassured him. "My father is at home, and with Grandmother's birthday celebration so close, they would not dare to act against me in the household unless they were complete fools."
"Alright then!" Master Wu sighed. "Be careful yourself. If you encounter anything you can't handle, go to the government office and find your Uncle Jiang." As he spoke, he looked towards Fang Zichen, who had already shouldered his bundle and was growing impatient. "Young Fang."
"Huh?"
"I also entrust my Yi Ger to you, to help look after him a little."
Fang Zichen: "..." This is practically a joke.
He was the boss's son, and Fang Zichen was just a hired worker. There was no need for him to look after him.
It would be more fitting for Yang Mingyi to look after him.
But since the old man said so, he couldn't very well refute him.
"Don't worry, go back at ease! You're an old bag of bones now, don't fret over everything. Fretting too much makes you die faster."
Master Wu: "..."
In the end, Master Wu had one guard accompany Yang Mingyi back. Fang Zichen, eager to see Zhao Ger and his son sooner, accepted Yang Mingyi's invitation and climbed into the carriage again.
At shenshi (3-5 PM), they finally arrived at Fu'an Town.
No comments:
Post a Comment