Chapter 170 - 139: Prefecture Examination
"Who was that just now?"
The yellow-robed guard who had pointed the way for Fang Yue was scratching his head. Just as he turned back, he heard the question from beside him.
"The new boss. He’s fierce. Even fiercer than that black-robed fellow with Leader Yang."
"Really? Then we’d better be careful not to provoke him."
"Oh, right. I heard some fresh goods arrived today. We should go have some fun tonight."
"Of course. Heh heh."
The two yellow-robed guards muttered to each other, their conversation quickly drifting to other topics.
Meanwhile, Fang Yue quickly found his destination.
Just as he reached the door, he heard waves of lewd laughter from inside. With a light exertion of force, he blasted the door open.
"Who are you? New here? You got no manners! Get the hell out! Come back after I’m finished having my fun."
Inside, the yellow-robed Temple Priest, who was just about to have his way with Zhang Shu, saw Fang Yue walk in. His face darkened with rage, looking for all the world like someone whose fun had been interrupted.
Seeing that Fang Yue remained unmoved,
"Hmph. Today, I’ll teach you a lesson. I’ll show you what it means to respect your superiors."
The yellow-robed Temple Priest clenched his fist and threw a punch at Fang Yue. The force of the blow whistled through the air; he was actually a Martial Artist of the Bone Forging Pass.
He showed no mercy with his strike. If an ordinary person were hit by it, they would be crippled, if not killed.
"Heh heh~"
Fang Yue sneered, stepped forward, and his strong, powerful hand instantly clamped down on the other man’s fist.
With a gentle squeeze, the yellow-robed Temple Priest’s face twisted in agony, and he began to howl in pain.
"Aiyoyo! I was blind! I have offended you, my lord! Sir, my hand is about to be crushed! Please let go, please spare this lowly one just this once!"
The yellow-robed Temple Priest was a man who knew when to bend. He instantly realized that Fang Yue’s strength far surpassed his own. Looking closer, he confirmed that he had never seen Fang Yue’s face before.
’He must be that new lord.’
He immediately began to beg for mercy.
However, Fang Yue shook his head. He had no intention of letting this man go.
The next moment, before the yellow-robed Temple Priest’s astonished eyes, Fang Yue’s fist shot out, forcing all the words of his continued pleas back down his throat.
Then, his vision went black, and the yellow-robed Temple Priest collapsed completely.
’Just as I thought, she’s been drugged.’
Fang Yue walked to the bed. A quick examination confirmed that Zhang Shu had indeed been given some kind of knockout drug and was completely unconscious.
~~~~~~
「A quarter of an hour later.」
A li outside the Goddess Temple, in a deserted village.
Zhang Shu groggily felt a sharp pain in her head. She forced her eyes open and found herself in what appeared to be a dilapidated house.
After a moment, her memories began to return.
Zhang Shu remembered that she had gone to the Temple Priest to have her fortune read. Because she was willing to part with her silver, she was naturally led into a private room for the reading.
She recalled that just after she went in for the reading, before she had even exchanged more than a few words with the Temple Priest, she smelled a sweet scent. Then, in a daze, she saw the Temple Priest reach for her with a lecherous grin on his face.
’In that case, could it be that I...!’
Women in ancient times valued their chastity above all else. Although Zhang Shu had a bad temper, she was not a promiscuous person. At the realization of what might have happened, how could she possibly remain calm?
She immediately let out a scream, jumped up, and began to check her clothes.
A moment later, she found no signs of having been violated and sighed in relief. Just as she was about to see where she was, a hoarse, rough voice spoke up:
"You’re awake. Go home by yourself. Be more careful next time. You won’t always be this lucky."
Hearing the voice, Zhang Shu finally noticed a tall man dressed in black standing a short distance in front of her.
Just looking at him, she could feel a vicious aura emanating from him, enough to make one tremble uncontrollably.
"You... who are you? What... what do you... want? Did you bring me here? Do you know who my father is? Do you know who my husband is?"
Zhang Shu stammered, unable to form a complete sentence, and just stared in terror at ’Fang Yue’.
Even so, after recovering from her initial shock, Zhang Shu’s questioning was still surprisingly fierce.
She didn’t even consider that if she had truly encountered a ruthless bandit, telling them her background would have turned a non-lethal situation into a deadly one.
What a stupid and foolish girl!
Fang Yue completely ignored Zhang Shu’s threatening questions. Seeing that she was awake, he immediately turned to leave.
"Hey, stop! You can’t leave! You’re not going anywhere until you explain yourself!"
Zhang Shu grew anxious. She couldn’t let things end so ambiguously. She immediately moved to block ’Fang Yue’ from leaving.
But how could she possibly stop Fang Yue? The moment she touched the corner of his clothes, she felt a powerful force wash over her.
Then, her entire body was sent flying uncontrollably. With a BANG, she crashed through the dilapidated earthen wall, leaving a gaping hole.
After one last glance at Zhang Shu struggling to get up amidst the dust, Fang Yue turned and left.
Leaving only Zhang Shu, still struggling in the cloud of dust and debris.
~~~~~~
After the incident with the fortune-telling, Ms. Chen once again started actively trying to arrange a marriage for Fang Yue.
Helpless, Fang Yue eventually had no choice but to move out of his residence and into the Tea Garden not far from the city.
Only then did his days finally become peaceful.
Of course, the reason Fang Yue used was quite valid: with the expanding demands of the tea business, he needed to supervise it personally.
Faced with this, Ms. Chen couldn’t very well object.