Chapter 95 - 92: Human Heart
Chapter 95: Chapter 92: Human Heart
"Maybe... maybe we should go back."
"If someone finds us, we’ll be beaten to death."
The night was dark and the wind was high outside the Fang Family Mansion.
One of the men hesitated. Once they climbed over, there would be no turning back.
In the countryside, getting caught stealing meant a whipping.
In serious cases, you’d even be handed over to the officials.
And for them, stealing grain from Fang Wuju’s home, the consequences of being caught would only be more severe.
"Hmph. We’ve come this far. No one is backing down. Anyone who tries to back out dies."
"We’re just taking back our own grain!"
Fang Juye’s face was grim and vicious. He glared at the man who had just spoken, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
’We’re already at this point. What if someone quits and turns us in?’
’So, anyone who even mentions quitting now has to die.’
"Don’t overthink it. Fang Yue is a wastrel now. The Fang Family only has two men left. With so many of us, we can escape even if we’re discovered."
"Besides, if we pull this off, we won’t have to starve this year. And like I said, we’re just taking back what’s ours."
Fang Juye knew that this hastily formed group could easily fall apart.
He had to give them a confidence boost.
The men then helped each other over the two-meter-high wall, leaping into the Fang Family Mansion.
"Huh? Damn rich bastards. This courtyard is huge!"
Fang Juye landed inside the walls and surveyed the courtyard before him.
The ground was paved with green bricks, and there was even a pavilion. This courtyard alone was bigger than his entire home.
"Fang Juye, where the hell did you lead us? Did we just jump into the courtyard where Fang Wuju lives?"
When Fang Yue’s Family built this residence, several of the men present had come to help the Fang Family.
So they had some knowledge of the layout, knowing that the Fang Family Mansion was actually divided into three separate courtyards.
The two Fang brothers each had their own courtyard, while Father Fang and Mrs. Fang had the third.
They were now in the western courtyard, where Fang Yue, the Martial Scholar, lived. It was the only one with a training ground.
The feature was so distinct it was recognized immediately.
"Hmph, of course I know. But this was the easiest wall to climb. Do you think you could have gotten in so easily anywhere else?"
"Besides, what are you afraid of? He’s just a crippled wastrel. If we’re really discovered, we can just..."
Ever since Fang Cheng had beaten him up, Fang Juye had harbored a deep resentment for the Fang Family.
Of course, he wouldn’t dare to oppose the Fang Family openly.
But when it came to sneaky tricks, backstabbing, and dirty plots, he wouldn’t hesitate to act.
"Alright, I’m not asking you to fight the Fang Family head-on. Let’s just be careful and we won’t get caught. We grab the grain and go. They have so much, they’ll never notice a little bit missing."
Fang Juye calmed everyone’s nerves, then led them as they crept cautiously toward the granary.
"Where do you think you’re going so late at night?"
A cold, clear voice suddenly rang out in the darkness.
Fang Juye and his men, who were moving toward the granary along the shadows of the wall, froze instantly.
They had been discovered.
"Run!"
Someone shouted, and the men scattered like headless flies.
Two of the disoriented men even crashed into each other and fell flat on their backsides.
"What are you panicking for? Stop! He’s just one person, a wastrel! What are you afraid of!"
Fang Juye quickly realized the speaker was Fang Yue.
In the past, they wouldn’t have dared to even make a peep in front of Fang Yue.
But now, Fang Yue was a cripple.
Just a wastrel, what was there to be afraid of!
"Everyone, let’s get him together! You think we can’t handle one wastrel? He’s already seen us. We kill him together, or none of us will get away by morning."
Fang Juye once again incited the group.
Sure enough, spurred by his words, the men who had come to their senses actually charged toward Fang Yue’s position.
When people are in a state of extreme panic, their brains often stop thinking, and they just mechanically follow orders.
This was exactly the case for these idlers from Da Liushu Village.
They were only thinking of killing Fang Yue.
But they didn’t notice that Fang Juye had fallen a step behind, going from leading the group to being at the very back.
Fang Juye talked a big game, but when push came to shove, he became cunning and slippery, naturally unwilling to be on the front line.
After all, that was Fang Yue, the famed Fang Wuju.
If anything went wrong, he would definitely be the first to flee.
"SWOOSH~"
The sound of a stone cutting through the air rang out.
The next moment, one of the running men suddenly saw a Black Shadow hurtling toward him. He had no time to dodge before he was sent flying.
BANG!
Immediately after, Fang Juye heard another dull thud and saw four of the idlers who had come with him get knocked away like beads on a string.
’Time to run!’
Seeing this, how could Fang Juye not realize that a Martial Artist had made a move?
’Who else but a Martial Artist would have such strength? Could Fang Yue have recovered?’
’Or does Fang Yue’s family have a Martial Artist guarding them?’
But no matter the reason.
No matter who it was.
He had to leave now, or it would be too late!
At this moment, Fang Juye was incredibly grateful for his earlier decision to hide at the back of the group.
He reached the wall in just a few steps.
In times of extreme fear and tension, people can often unleash strength far beyond their normal capabilities.
Despite being weak from hunger, Fang Juye managed to leap and scramble onto the wall in a single bound.
But just then, another sound of something cutting through the air rang out.
Fang Juye, who had just gotten to the top of the wall, didn’t even have a moment to celebrate his imminent escape.
He felt a sharp pain in his body, let out a scream, and fell off the other side.
~~~~~~
"What’s happening?"
"What was that? Who was just screaming? Did thieves break in?"
Fang Juye’s scream had woken everyone in Fang Yue’s Family.
Soon, Father Fang, Mrs. Chen, and Fang Cheng all arrived in Fang Yue’s courtyard.
"It’s nothing. A few petty thieves broke in, but I’ve taken care of them. Let’s tie them up first," Fang Yue said in a calm tone.
Only then did the Fang Family see the people lying on the ground in the corner of the courtyard.
Father Fang and Fang Cheng immediately went to get some rope to tie up the men.
"Zhi’Er, my son, are you alright?"
While they were busy, Ms. Chen hurried to Fang Yue’s side, using the light from a lantern to check him from top to bottom.
She was checking to see if he was hurt. After all, Fang Yue couldn’t stand, and she was worried he might have been at a disadvantage against so many people.
"Mother, I’m fine. Your son is a Martial Scholar. A few petty thieves are nothing to me."
Fang Yue comforted Ms. Chen.
"As long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay." Ms. Chen still checked him over carefully one more time. Only after confirming he was truly unharmed, with not even a tear in his clothes, did she finally relax.
By this time, Father Fang and Fang Cheng had finished tying up the thieves.
"Pah! These heartless bastards! They came to steal our grain. When Zhi found them, they were going to attack him."
"Pah! Truly shameless! And to think our family used to pay them extra for their work!"
Fang Cheng was indignant, his fists clenched so tightly they creaked.
The honest farmer could never have imagined that these were all fellow villagers. For the past two years, whenever his family had work, they would hire these very men.
His family paid them more than generously and even provided meals.
Who else would treat them so well?
Everyone outside the family said the Fang Family was benevolent and righteous.
"Oh, right. Another one jumped the wall, but he shouldn’t have gotten far."
While Ms. Chen had been checking on him, Fang Yue hadn’t had a chance to tell Fang Cheng there was one more outside the wall.
However, the man had been hit last and was surely injured quite badly.
The moment Fang Cheng heard there was another, he rushed out.
He couldn’t let someone who wanted to harm his brother get away.
"Zhi’Er, what do you think we should do with them?" Father Fang frowned. As an honest and law-abiding man, he had never encountered a situation like this.
According to tradition, they should have an arm broken.
But in times like these, doing so would be a death sentence for them.
Besides, there were quite a few of them this time.
If the punishment was too harsh, it might stir up other troubles.
Villagers often unconsciously sided with the underdog, paying less attention to who was actually in the wrong.
"Let’s just have them dig ten wells for the village as punishment," Fang Yue said.
The water shortage was getting worse by the day. Several more of the village wells had dried up, and there weren’t many left.
Since these men had done wrong, they would be punished by doing some good.
"Mm, we’ll do that."
After deciding how to handle the men, Father Fang told Ms. Chen to go back to sleep.
He also told her to reassure Fang Lan and Fang Cheng’s wife, so they wouldn’t worry.
Ms. Chen had just left when Fang Cheng returned, looking dejected.
"Zhi, that bastard got away!"
When Fang Cheng had gone out, he had spotted a staggering figure in the alley and immediately gave chase.
But the man spotted him too and naturally sped up to escape.
In the end, Fang Cheng chased him for a while but couldn’t catch up.
Worried it was unsafe at night, he decided to come back first so the family wouldn’t worry.
"That bastard Fang Juye! If he ever dares to show his face in the village again, I’ll break his hands for sure," Fang Cheng said furiously.
The captured men had, of course, confessed that Fang Juye had instigated the whole thing.
He couldn’t help but be angry that the ringleader had managed to escape.
"It’s alright, Brother. It’s okay. If he ran, he ran."
Fang Yue smiled. This time, he hadn’t intended to kill anyone; he wanted to capture them alive.
Otherwise, Fang Juye would have died on the spot.
’He was lucky to escape. I won’t hold back next time I see him.’
After what had happened, the Fang Family naturally couldn’t go back to sleep. They all remained vigilant until dawn.