Chapter 161
Zhang Huaiwen was placed in solitary confinement.
The officers arrested him in Heyang Town while he was resting. His hair and robes were disheveled at the time, but the arresting officers showed no consideration for his appearance. They would have dragged him away immediately even if they had found him in the middle of relieving himself in the outhouse.
The jail was not crowded at that time. Dozens of cells stood nearly empty, holding only a handful of prisoners. The place seemed particularly quiet.
Zhang Huaiwen was locked in the cell at the very end of the corridor, which could be considered the most luxurious 'single room'.
Fu'an Town was not considered rich, but it was still significantly more prosperous than Heyang Town.
The poverty in Heyang Town was severe. Many of its residents could not afford even two meals a day. However, a few wealthy families lived in extreme luxury. The Zhang family was among them. They had not reached the point of throwing money away like dirt, but they lived in a large, six-courtyard residence and employed a group of maids and servants, which clearly demonstrated their substantial wealth.
Prisoners in the jail received only half a wild vegetable bun per day, barely enough to keep them alive. Usually, after eating, everyone would lie down to conserve energy, making the place very quiet.
But now, a commotion suddenly arose from outside.
"Well! Young Master Fang! What brings you here today? You look much more handsome than the last time I saw you!"
"Go on, get out of here. Was I not handsome every other day?"
"Yesterday in the main hall, you looked like you were at death's door. Why aren't you resting at home today?"
Footsteps sounded from the end of the corridor.
Zhang Huaiwen thought it was Zhang Huaini coming. He ran to the wooden bars and looked intently, his pupils involuntarily contracting.
Fang Zichen was wearing a dark purple robe with golden threads embroidered on the sleeves. A jade belt cinched his waist, making his stature appear tall and imposing. His hair was simply tied up. With his impressive appearance, straight nose, and slender sword-shaped eyebrows of just the right fullness, his narrow eyes beneath them resembled a babbling spring stream. His demeanor was exceptionally elegant.
He walked over gracefully, stopped outside the cell, looked at Zhang Huaiwen, and said with a smiling expression, "So you are Zhang Huaiwen?"
Zhang Huaiwen looked at him but didn't speak.
He had seen Fang Zichen once before, but that time was from a distance and he hadn't looked closely. Yet, even from that brief glance, he had been astonished.
Zhao Ger had married a village man, something Zhang Huaiwen particularly looked down upon. He had tried to curry favor with Zhao Ger, but Zhao Ger remained unmoved. Not wanting to push too hard, he had asked an older woman who got along with Zhao Ger to put in a good word for him.
But later, the woman actually told him that Zhao Ger's husband was an outstanding talent who treated Zhao Ger extremely well. She said he couldn't compete and told him to find someone else.
This statement, implying he stood no chance in comparison, made Zhang Huaiwen deeply resentful.
What could be so good or outstanding about a country bumpkin?
He had assumed that Zhao Ger, having never left his small village, was naive and inexperienced. But upon seeing Fang Zichen in person, Zhang Huaiwen felt a sudden and inexplicable sense of shame.
Not only was Fang Zichen more handsome, but his entire demeanor and presence made Zhang Huaiwen feel completely inadequate
Then, Zhang Huaiwen learned that Fang Zichen had not only passed the county-level examination but had also achieved first place. A wave of bitter jealousy and hatred surged within him.
Back in his own county exam year, he had only managed to place second.
How could a common peasant from a village possibly be better than him?
If asked what attracted him to Zhao Ger, he couldn't really say. If forced to answer, it was probably those eyes of his, untainted by impurities, clear and simple when they looked at him. Just one glance made his heart beat wildly.
Zhao Ger wasn't like those people in his own household, whose eyes were full of calculation and vanity.
Zhang Huaiwen had used every means to get closer, but Zhao Ger remained completely uninterested. This rejection only made Zhang Huaiwen desire him even more intensely.
Fang Zichen watched Zhang Huaiwen's silence and let out a contemptuous snort. "I heard you tried to steal my fulang." His eyes swept over Zhang Huaiwen from head to toe, his gaze openly dismissive and full of scorn. Zhang Huaiwen's knuckles turned white as he clenched the wooden bars, the tendons on the back of his hands standing out sharply.
"How does it feel to be in jail? Enjoyable?" No sooner had Fang Zichen finished speaking than he exclaimed in mock surprise, "Oh dear! You've only been here half a day! You probably haven't had time to truly savor the experience yet. My question was indeed a bit premature. But don't worry, after you've been here for a year or two, you'll have truly savored it. Remember to come find me then and tell me all about it. After all, I'm a man who values face, kind and generous by nature. Something as shameful as sitting in jail likely has no place in my life."
Zhang Huaiwen: "..."
Fang Zichen gave a short, mocking laugh. "I heard you already have a wife, three concubines, and two maids, is that right? Isn't that enough for you to sleep with? Do you have to covet what belongs to someone else? Are you really that shameless?" He leaned closer to the bars. "Now that you're locked in here, do you still feel so bold? Still planning to drug people? Or are you short on money now? Should I burn some paper offerings for you?"
Zhang Huaiwen: "..."
Fang Zichen watched his chest heave up and down, seemingly furious. He patted Zhang Huaiwen's face. "Do your parents know you love being a homewrecker so much? And tell me, what qualifications do you think you have to compete with me for Zhao Ger? I can drive a tank with one hand, I can cook, I can boil eggs, I drink water when I'm thirsty, I use chopsticks to eat, I can give my son baths. Besides being cheap, inciting others to drug people, and doing those filthy deeds, what else can you do?"
Zhang Huaiwen's fists clenched tightly, his knuckles cracking.
"Shut your mouth."
"Oh! Getting angry now?" Fang Zichen raised an eyebrow, looked down, and stared at him coldly. "I'm controlling my temper and speaking to you in human language, and you have the audacity to act arrogant? You think I'm easy to bully?" He grabbed Zhang Huaiwen by the hair and slammed his head hard against the wooden bars. BANG! The sound was especially clear in the empty, damp prison, even startling the inmates in the neighboring cells awake.
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