Chapter 86 - 40: Bountiful Harvest (Part 2)

Chapter 86: Chapter 40: Bountiful Harvest (Part 2)

Against anyone below Middle Grade? With his enhanced Power, his physical attributes were already overwhelming. He had no need for Martial Arts at all.

In other words, there was no pressing need.

"Very well. A powerful expert such as yourself must surely be a man of his word!"

Lord Hu’s words were clearly intended to put Fang Rui on the spot.

But Fang Rui remained completely unfazed, his expression revealing none of his thoughts.

"Fine! Fine!"

Lord Hu let out a wretched laugh and began to recite once more.

This time, a new Martial Art appeared in the Skills column of his panel.

Evidently, it was the real deal.

Fang Rui nodded slightly. "The Cultivation Technique?"

Lord Hu’s mental defenses had already been broken. Once you give in the first time, the second is inevitable. It was much easier for him to accept this time, so he obediently began to recite again.

The Cultivation Technique was longer than the Martial Art. Halfway through the recitation...

Fang Rui’s ears twitched. He heard a commotion outside.

"Stop!"

Lord Hu’s Cultivation Technique was called the Wild Bull Technique. It was a garbage technique, not much better than the Nourishing Body Skill. It wasn’t suitable for women, so he didn’t care much about it. It wasn’t a must-have.

With time being short, he naturally abandoned this worthless prize.

"Where do you hide the silver?" Fang Rui asked instead.

"It’s..." Lord Hu named two locations.

Fang Rui entered the room and quickly reemerged. His satchel was now heavier by about one hundred and sixty or seventy taels of silver.

’One big score! A massive haul!’

His face remained impassive, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

What Fang Rui didn’t know was that a significant portion of this money was what the Tiger Gang had set aside to purchase medicinal herbs.

In a way, this was karmic retribution. Lord Hu had wanted to exploit Fang Rui and make a profit, but by a twist of fate, Fang Rui had turned the tables and fleeced him for all he was worth.

"Your Excellency, you’ve gotten everything you wanted. Can you spare my wife and child now?" Lord Hu asked, his voice trembling with anxiety.

Even the most vicious tiger won’t eat its own cubs. The importance placed on continuing one’s bloodline in this era was something a person from Fang Rui’s past life could never understand!

Even a villain like Lord Hu, knowing his own death was certain, was willing to do anything—even grovel before his enemy—to secure a chance of survival for his wife and child.

"Of course. I wish you a safe journey, Lord Hu." This time, Fang Rui made no effort to disguise his voice.

"You... You’re...!" Lord Hu’s face was a mask of horror, his eyes bulging like brass bells.

Shock, regret, disbelief...

In the throes of these emotions—

SLICE!

A flash of the blade, and the head tumbled to the ground.

Fang Rui had given Lord Hu a quick end.

’Lord Hu probably hid other stashes, but this should be the main one. I don’t care about the small stuff!’

He patted the silver in his satchel, picked up Lord Hu’s broadsword, and walked straight out.

He didn’t lay a hand on Lord Hu’s wife and child.

The reason?

Without Lord Hu, this widow and her orphan child wouldn’t survive long anyway. The people Lord Hu had once oppressed would repay them in spades!

What goes around, comes around. It was their turn to taste the despair of those at the bottom...

Fang Rui had no need to dirty his own hands.

As for failing to pull a weed by its roots, only for it to grow back in the spring? Or the child returning after ten years as an invincible god of war, sweeping all aside for revenge?

Reality wasn’t a novel.

And taking a huge step back, even if the boy survived and became a master of some skill, who would he even look for to get revenge?

Fang Rui had knocked them out cold. They hadn’t seen him, and besides, he was wearing a Ge Cloth mask.

’Besides, by then, I’ll probably have no idea just how strong I’ve become...’

Fang Rui watched the governmental officers from the Government Office rushing over in the distance and smirked. ’Who needs a blade to kill a man? Forget the people Lord Hu once oppressed. When these officers arriving to "help" find Lord Hu dead, the first thing they’ll do is kick him while he’s down!’

’The sayings about County Magistrates who ransack homes and governmental officers who break down doors aren’t just jokes.’

’You all can have your fun. I’m out of here!’

With a push from the balls of his feet, Fang Rui’s figure shot away like a wild goose, and he swiftly departed.

...

Faint voices drifted from behind him.

"Lord Hu is dead?! The killer’s over there! Quick..."

"Shut up! Why would you give chase? That expert covered twenty feet in a single leap. He either possesses a profound Body Technique or... well, either way, he’s not someone we can afford to offend!"

"Good eye, Old Wu! In our line of work, if you don’t keep your eyes sharp, you’ll be dead before you know it. Besides, there’s no profit in chasing the killer. The real profit is right here! That expert took the meat, but the bones he left are more than enough for us to chew on..."

"Breaking bones to suck the marrow, squeezing out every last drop of profit... gang members are masters of it, and we’re not far behind. The house... torture... the silver coins... and this woman, tsk tsk..."

...

「Back home.」

As Fang Rui entered the house, he was greeted by Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady.

Fang Rui had told them not to wander off, that it was chaotic outside. But then he had gone out himself and didn’t return for a long time. How could they not worry?

"Brother Rui, are you alright?" Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family asked with concern.

The Third Lady poured a bowl of water and brought it to him. She didn’t speak, but her clear, autumn-like eyes were fixed on Fang Rui, filled with concern.

"I’m fine, Mother! Thank you, Third Sister!"

Fang Rui sat down, took a sip of water, and said, "Mother, for lunch today, how about we make a nice meal? Let’s take out a piece of cured meat and stir-fry it with some mushrooms. Use plenty of oil. And stir-fry a platter of bean sprouts... Then steam a large bowl of egg custard."

"That’s far too extravagant. Things have gotten a little better for us, but we can’t live like this..." Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family said, pained by the thought of the expense.

She had promised not to be stingy when it came to food, but this was simply too lavish.

The Third Lady said nothing.

For one, it wasn’t her place to advise him. For another, if the Fang Family ran out of money, she could simply use her own personal savings.

And if that ran out too, she would simply endure a life of hardship alongside them. When the Third Lady had resolved to be with Fang Rui, she had already prepared her heart for a life of poverty.

"It is a bit extravagant," Fang Rui admitted, "but I’ve had a breakthrough in my Martial Arts, and my appetite has grown. Besides, today is a good day. We should celebrate!"

Fang Rui smiled, then untied his satchel, placed it on the table, and opened it.

CLANG!

A cascade of small five-tael silver ingots and a heap of broken silver poured out. The dazzling, collective gleam was breathtaking. Faint reflections of light danced upon the walls, like the rippling surface of a lake under the spring sun.

Both women were stunned.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family covered her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.

She had never seen so much silver in her entire life!

The Third Lady was equally astonished, though she recovered a little faster. Over the years, she had managed businesses for the Military Leaders and handled considerable sums of silver coins.

Her shock was less about the money and more about the fact that Fang Rui hadn’t hidden it from her. She was deeply moved by his trust.

It was just as he had promised her yesterday: "I will treat you and Nannan as I do my own mother and sister."

If you are the stone, I shall be the reed. The stone never wavers, and the reed is as tough as silk!

The Third Lady gazed at Fang Rui with adoration and gratitude. The endless affection in her clear, beautiful eyes seemed powerful enough to melt a man’s soul.

Seeing the shocked gaze of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the affectionate one from the Third Lady, a surge of pride and an indescribable sense of accomplishment welled up inside Fang Rui.

’Why was I so happy about this silver? Wasn’t it because I imagined their shock and happiness upon seeing it?’

’Otherwise, it was just a hundred-odd taels of silver. For someone like me, who had seen so much in his past life, it was nothing special.’

"Brother Rui,"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family instinctively glanced at the closed doors and windows before sighing in relief. The shock now replaced by apprehension, she asked, "Where did all this silver come from?"

The Third Lady also turned to Fang Rui, her eyes full of the same question.

Fang Rui considered for a moment, then decided to tell them the truth. "Earlier, Lord Hu came looking for me..."

"Mother, Third Sister, you both know that I was saving that batch of medicinal herbs for an emergency. I couldn’t just give them up..."

"Just now, I paid a visit to Lord Hu’s home... Don’t worry, Mother, Third Sister. No one knows it was me!"

Fang Rui explained what had happened.

This also served to reassure the Third Lady. With his breakthrough in Martial Arts, he was strong enough to kill even Lord Hu. Such power could certainly protect her and Nannan.

"Brother Rui, why didn’t you discuss something so dangerous with us? Yes, I know there’s no use discussing it with us women. But you could have at least said something..."

"Thankfully, the Immortals were watching over you, and you’ve returned safely!"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family continued to chide him, her words a worried ramble.

Fang Rui listened with a smile, not a trace of impatience on his face. If there was anyone in this world who would give everything for him without expecting anything in return, who would even die for him, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family was without a doubt one of them.

"You’ve worked so hard!" A thousand words filled the Third Lady’s heart, but she managed only to say those four.

She knew from experience just how dangerous it was to struggle in the outside world, the constant scheming and backstabbing it required... She understood that it was precisely because Fang Rui was out there, shielding them from the storm and bearing the weight of the world, that they could live in peace.

The Third Lady understood what Fang Rui was doing. And because she understood, she was moved. Because she was moved, she adored him.

’Ah, Third Sister is so good at this!’

To be admired, liked, worshipped, and relied on... To be looked at with that gaze that said "you are my entire world" was truly intoxicating. It made his heart itch, like the gentle scratch of a cat’s paw.

’No wonder they say the arms of a beautiful woman are a hero’s tomb,’ Fang Rui thought.

...