Chapter 212 - 155: Journey
They started pitching their daughters, or their relatives’ daughters, to Fang Yue.
In their eyes, Fang Yue was from Da Liushu Village and so handsome. If they could make a match, it would be an incredible catch.
They were enthusiastic. Far too enthusiastic.
Only then did Fang Yue realize how popular Da Liushu Village had become.
He remembered how, in the past, Da Liushu Village was so poor that few women from the surrounding villages were willing to marry into it.
After finally escaping the encirclement of enthusiastic aunties, Fang Yue soon found his uncle’s house.
"Just a few more days, give me a few more days! Once the rice from the autumn harvest is sold, I swear I’ll pay back all the silver I owe you." From a long way off, Fang Yue heard the voice of his uncle, Chen Kang.
’He’s in debt again?’
Fang Yue frowned slightly. The last incident had happened because his worthless cousin had racked up gambling debts and been hounded by creditors at his door.
Of course, if his uncle had come to him and spoken reasonably, Fang Yue wouldn’t have minded helping him out. But instead, his uncle had tried to take advantage of his injuries, scheming with outsiders to seize his family’s property.
This had caused the relationship between the two families to turn ice-cold.
He never thought he’d hear the same old story upon returning to Chen Family Village.
’Sigh. Gambling truly is the most destructive vice,’ he thought. ’Or maybe it’s the get-rich-quick mentality, the desire for reward without work, that’s even more pernicious.’
He listened a while longer, and it was just as he’d expected.
His cousin hadn’t changed his ways at all. He had run up more gambling debts and now the creditors were at the door, demanding payment.
Seeing this, Fang Yue couldn’t help but shake his head.
’Some people... even if you want to forgive them, they’re a lost cause. What can you do?’
Disheartened and weary, he was about to turn and leave.
Just then, he saw his cousin peek his head out from around a corner.
"You rebellious son! You’ve ruined our family! Look at what’s left! Nothing but debt collectors at our door every day! I’ll beat you to death, you rebellious son!" Chen Kang raised his arm high.
"Dad, keep your voice down! If those guys see me, they’ll break my legs for sure. Besides, it’s just a little bit of money. In a few days, you can write to Auntie again and have her send some silver over," Chen Liang said nonchalantly.
"You still have the nerve to call her your aunt? Given the state of our two families, do you think they’ll give us any more silver?" Chen Kang snorted, but in the end, he didn’t actually strike his son.
"Hmph, blood is thicker than water. If you go and beg her, I don’t believe for a second Auntie won’t give us the money," Chen Liang said with a smug chuckle.
....
Fang Yue didn’t stay to hear the rest.
If he listened any longer, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from going over there and beating them up.
But now that he was clear on the situation with the father and son, Chen Kang and Chen Liang, Fang Yue decided not to reveal himself. He simply turned and walked away.
Before long, he saw the few debt collectors who had just left the village.
"Greetings, friend. Do you need something from us brothers?" the leader asked. He gave Fang Yue a quick look-over. Though his clothes seemed ordinary, the man carried himself with an unusual air. Thus, the leader asked politely.
If it had been an ordinary farmer, he probably wouldn’t have been so civil.
"It’s nothing. I just overheard you looking for that Chen Liang. I saw him go home a moment ago. If you go back now, you might be able to corner him.
Oh, and one more thing. With a guy like that, it’s best to break his legs. Otherwise, he’ll be hard to find next time."
Fang Yue smiled faintly, not waiting to see if they would agree.
Finally, he instructed the men not to mention they had seen him, and then turned to leave.
"Your Excellency is righteous. We will not breathe a word."
The leader cupped his fists and gave his word, then immediately led his brothers back to Chen Family Village.
This time, they moved quickly and, just as expected, they cornered Chen Liang in Chen Kang’s house.
It was, of course, a sound beating, and they did indeed break Chen Liang’s legs.
After the men left the village, one of the subordinates couldn’t help but ask, "Boss, why did we only break his legs?"
They hadn’t collected the debt; they just broke the man’s legs.
"That man just now was a Martial Artist of at least the Bone Forging realm. He told us to break the legs, so we could only break the legs." This leader had also practiced martial arts and was himself at the Bone Forging realm, but he was old and had no hope of advancing further, so he had become the head enforcer for some gambling den.
Though his skills were lacking, his eye for people was not.
Even though Fang Yue kept a low profile, the man had sensed something was off and dared not be disrespectful.
Only then did the other enforcers understand. No wonder their normally hot-headed boss had been so agreeable today.
---
One day, as the sun slowly rose and the morning chill dissipated,
Fang Yue left the borders of Xiahe County and entered Wenxi County.
"Hey there, young man. Traveling alone? If you don’t mind, why not join us?"
Suddenly, a voice came from beside him.
"Hm?" Fang Yue turned to look. An old man, around fifty, with dark skin, narrow eyes, and a skinny build, was approaching on a horse-drawn carriage.
The carriage was exceptionally wide. Two people were already sitting on it, a man and a woman, both dressed in coarse, shabby-looking clothes.
With a single glance, Fang Yue’s keen perception picked up on something unusual.
The girl looked to be only fourteen or fifteen. Her skin was fair, not like a girl from a common farming family, and her eyes shone with excitement and longing.
The man, on the other hand, looked much more nervous. He kept glancing behind them, as if afraid someone was in pursuit.
Seeing this, Fang Yue’s interest was piqued.
"Thank you, sir," Fang Yue said, accepting the offer and climbing directly onto the carriage.
They were all heading to Wenxi County Town anyway, and it wasn’t too far. A ride on a carriage wouldn’t be so bad.
’Besides,’ he thought, ’the old man driving, and this couple... they’re rather interesting.’
Once on the carriage, the young couple didn’t speak to Fang Yue. The old driver, however, was warm and talkative. He was especially happy when he learned Fang Yue was from the neighboring Xiahe County, and he kept trying to make small talk.
The carriage was naturally slower than Fang Yue traveling on his own. It was nearly dark by the time they arrived at a small market town. From here, it was still over three hundred li to Wenxi County Town.
That night, they stayed at the only inn in the market town.
It was very crude, little more than a few converted wooden shacks.
Naturally, everyone paid for their own rooms. After a simple meal of farmhouse cooking, Fang Yue returned to his room to rest.
The night deepened.
In the inn’s back kitchen.
"All three of ’em today are fat sheep. That man and woman are eloping. I saw it myself—the girl’s wearing a gold bracelet. And the man’s clutching that bundle of his for dear life; there’s got to be silver in there."
"And the other one—don’t let the plain clothes fool you. He looks healthy, strong, and well-fed. His family’s clearly well-off. Maybe some young master out adventuring. We can definitely squeeze something out of him."
As the lamplight flickered, two men with thick beards and vicious faces listened to the old man speak. The more they heard, the more ferocious the glint in their eyes became.
"Alright, you two do a clean job tonight. Not like last time, when we were almost tracked down and I had to kill a few more people to clean up the mess. If you make a good haul this time, I can help you find wives."
The old man took a drag from his water pipe, PUFF, PUFF, his tone calm as he discussed such bloody matters.
From their conversation, it was obvious this wasn’t the first time they had done something like this.
"Alright, go on now. Be clean about it. They should be dead asleep. I drugged their food."
Under the dim light of the dark night, the old man’s eyes were sinister.
However, the three of them, plotting in secret, had no idea that someone was in the courtyard outside, taking in their entire conversation.
’So it really is a black inn. I never expected one to be operating in a place like this.’ In the darkness, Fang Yue smiled faintly, then turned and went back to his room.
’Let’s see just how these people run their ’black inn’.’
Sure enough, he soon heard the sound of deliberately muffled footsteps.
From the sound of it, it was the two large men.
Fang Yue’s room was further in, so the two men first went to the room where the young couple was staying.
But the next moment, a series of CRASHES and BANGS erupted from the room next door.
A few moments later, it fell silent again.