Novel Full Chapter 39: Return to Xiahe County Town
Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Return to Xiahe County Town
"Yue, thank you."
Just as Fang Yue was about to leave, Widow Yu’s voice rang out.
A graceful figure walked over, her eyes filled with gratitude.
For over a year, Fang Yue had taken great care of her and her daughter, helping them through their most difficult times.
She had always been grateful to Fang Yue.
"It’s nothing. You don’t have to thank me."
Fang Yue smiled, then left.
~~~~~~
Three days later, the Martial Scholar examination was ten days away.
He could wait no longer. Fang Yue decided to head to Xiahe County Town first.
Registration for the examination, from identity verification to information logging, could only be done in Xiahe County Town.
Traveling alone this time, his pace was much faster than when he had gone with Fang Hu before.
By his estimate, he could make it in about half the time.
He set off first thing in the morning.
"Zhi’Er, don’t try to be a hero during this exam. No matter what happens, you must protect yourself," Ms. Chen said gravely, holding Fang Yue’s hand.
"Yes, I know, Mother. I’ll protect myself," Fang Yue promised.
"Zhi, your big sister believes in you," Fang Lan said encouragingly.
Finally, Father Fang patted Fang Yue’s shoulder. "Take this. Come back soon."
Father Fang took out a long saber that looked newly forged.
Ironware was valuable these days. What farmer would splurge on forging a saber? The metal from this blade could have made three or four hoes.
And its cost far exceeded that of a few hoes.
Clearly, it was for Fang Yue’s self-defense.
Taking the long saber, Fang Yue nodded. His gaze swept over the family he had in this life.
"Father, Mother, Big Brother, Big Sister, you don’t have to see me off. I’ll be back in a few days."
In just one year, Father Fang’s back, which had always seemed so tall and strong in his memory, had stooped a little.
His mother, Ms. Chen, had wisps of frost-white at her temples, and a few more wrinkles had crept into the corners of her eyes.
After giving his parents a deep bow, Fang Yue shouldered the pack Ms. Chen had prepared, slung his usual hunting bow and arrows over his back, and set off toward Xiahe County Town.
Fang Yue moved quickly, and in just a moment, he disappeared at the end of the road.
Only then did the Fang Family turn to head home.
"Mother, why are you crying?" Fang Cheng asked when he saw the tears in Ms. Chen’s eyes.
"Crying? What crying? It’s not like I’m going to miss Zhi’Er. The wind just blew some dust into my eyes!" Ms. Chen said, her voice thick with emotion, as she smacked Father Fang hard on the shoulder.
Father Fang shot Ms. Chen an aggrieved look. He hadn’t said a word!
It was their eldest son, Fang Cheng, who had asked the question.
’Why hit me?’
But seeing his wife’s heartbroken expression, he didn’t dare say a word in response.
~~~~~~
By the next day, Fang Yue had reached the foot of White Stone Mountain.
He was now more than halfway through his journey, not far from Xiahe County Town.
From the peak of White Stone Mountain, one could faintly make out the silhouette of Xiahe County Town.
At his current pace, he figured he could reach Xiahe County Town by evening.
Since he was already so close, Fang Yue decided to find a sheltered spot to eat some dry rations before getting back on the road.
He found a large, clean, blue-green rock to sit on and untied the bundle from his back.
He took out the pumpkin flatbread his mother had made, tucked a piece of pickled cucumber inside, and began to eat with gusto, washing it down with spring water from his gourd.
The pumpkin flatbread was faintly sweet, and the pickled cucumber was crisp and savory.
Just then, a faint sound reached his ears.
"Help! Someone, please help us!"
Fang Yue was instantly on alert. It was the voice of a young girl—weak, desperate, and panicked.
Soon, two young women with disheveled clothes appeared not far down the road. Chasing after them were several sallow, gaunt men wielding hoes and sickles.
Judging by their clothing, the two young women were clearly from well-to-do families.
Their fair skin and delicate features only confirmed it.
Seeing them being chased, looking so helpless and frail, was enough to stir pity in anyone’s heart.
"Hmph! Committing such a violent act in broad daylight! You’ll have to get past my fists first!"
Just then, someone shouted out that classic, time-honored line.
Fang Yue cursed inwardly. ’Where did this Cheng Yaojin come from? He’s stealing the scene!’
Then, a handsome young man in cyan martial arts attire came galloping down another path on a fine steed.
The young man had clearly practiced martial arts. He galloped past the two women and charged straight into the group of pursuers.
The White Poplar Stick in his hands jabbed, swept, and swung upwards.
Within a few breaths, all seven or eight men were knocked to the ground, howling in agony.
"Who are you? Why were you chasing them?" the young man demanded, looking down from atop his horse.
"Hmph! Kill me or torture me, if I, Wang Er, so much as frown, I’m not a man. But tell me this—is it wrong for us to want to survive?!"
The leader, a sturdy man, said defiantly with his neck craned, and then proceeded to ramble.
It was the usual story: a new tax had been levied, adding insult to injury for their already poor families. At first, they thought they could just grit their teeth and endure it.
But then the tax-collecting government constable, a man named Li, used the opportunity to exploit them and try to seize their farmland.
Left with no choice, they had killed one of the men involved and fled into the mountains.
They had resorted to robbing travelers on the road simply to find food and stay alive.
Fang Yue listened from the sidelines, a thought occurring to him.
’It figures,’ he thought. ’As the old saying goes, the petty demons are the hardest to deal with.’
’People talk about officials forcing the common folk to rebel, but most of the time, it’s these corrupt clerks, using any excuse to line their own pockets and sabotaging things from within, who push people to their breaking point.’
’Compared to this, the government constable who collected taxes in our Da Liushu Village almost seems like a saint.’
’What a world,’ he sighed inwardly.
"If that’s the case, why didn’t you report it to the authorities!" the man in cyan asked.
"Report it to the authorities?" The farmers on the ground exchanged glances, seemingly stunned that the man in cyan would even ask such a question.
’Officials protect their own. Who could a commoner like us possibly bring a complaint against?’
"Hmph. Forget it. All of you, just go."
Seeing their reaction, the man in cyan seemed to realize his naivete. He waved his hand dismissively, his enthusiasm gone.
~~~~~~
By this time, Fang Yue had finished his break.
He stood up, spared no further glance for the man in cyan or the others, and turned to continue toward Xiahe County Town.
After another six or seven hours of walking, Fang Yue could see the walls of Xiahe County Town.
His status as a disciple of the White Tiger Boxing Hall allowed him to enter the city without paying the entrance fee, saving him a few silver coins.
Fang Hu had told him to stay at Master Zhang’s home, but Fang Yue didn’t want to be a bother. Of course, he also had no desire to see Zhang Shu.
So, he simply found an inn in the city and settled in.