Chapter 97 - 46: Entrustment

Chapter 97: Chapter 46: Entrustment

"So fast?!"

Even though Fang Rui had been expecting it, he was still shocked to hear the news so suddenly.

’To lead a motley crew and still march at this speed... That bandit leader, Li Xuantong, is a capable man,’ he thought.

"I could hardly believe it myself, but it’s true. I came to tell you as soon as I heard, Brother Fang. The County Magistrate’s Office issued an emergency summons. They’re ordering all of us governmental officers and Chief Constables out on patrol to suppress any lawlessness. The wording was extremely harsh!"

Jiang Ping’an shook his head with a bitter smile. "I thought we’d have at least a few more days of buffer time, but I never imagined..."

Clearly, the County Magistrate was panicking. If the Taiping Bandits breached the city walls, he wouldn’t just lose his post—his life would be forfeit, and his family would be dragged down with him.

In a situation like this, he was past caring about anything else. All he could do was put immense pressure on his subordinates.

If Jiang Ping’an delayed any longer, just getting stripped of his post would be getting off easy. More likely, he’d be made an example of—killing the chicken to scare the monkey.

—True, the Government Office’s top fighters had suffered heavy losses. But a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Getting rid of a few Chief Constables and governmental officers wouldn’t be difficult for them.

"I’ve already made arrangements. The man in charge of conscription won’t come looking for you, Brother Fang, even when they start rounding up men."

Jiang Ping’an paused, his tone turning grave, as if he were entrusting his last wishes. "If the worst should happen to me... Brother Fang, don’t forget what I told you last night!"

With that, he turned and hurried away.

Fang Rui watched Jiang Ping’an’s receding figure in the sunlight, stunned for a moment before shaking his head. ’Looks like I wasn’t the only one sober last night...’

’Good grief... In this world, it seems everyone, whether they’re human or a ghost, is putting on an act.’

Though it was early morning and the sun had already risen, bathing the land in bright light, the breeze carried the unending sounds of cursing and weeping.

Fang Rui sighed and turned back. ’It’s chaos. This world has descended into utter chaos.’

...

Returning to the house, Fang Rui suppressed the flicker of irritation in his heart. His expression became calm again, exuding an air of confidence, as if he had everything under control.

As the pillar of the family, he couldn’t afford to lose his composure, no matter the circumstances.

"...And that’s the situation. This morning, the Taiping Bandits surrounded the city." Fang Rui didn’t hide the news he’d received from Jiang Ping’an.

"They’re here already?!"

"What are we going to do?"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady were both in a bit of a panic.

Yes, the Third Lady was no exception. True, she was a "strong woman," but a catastrophe of this magnitude could break anyone’s composure. Or perhaps, being with Fang Rui and having someone to rely on had unconsciously softened her nature.

Of course, their panic was short-lived. Seeing how calm Fang Rui was, they quickly regained their own composure.

"Brother Rui... I know you said so before, but... are you sure we’ll be alright?" asked Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family.

The Third Lady also looked at him, her expression filled with concern.

"We’ll be fine, really."

Fang Rui thought for a moment. He felt he needed to put their minds at ease, so he broke the situation down for them. "Our family is very well-prepared. We have silver coins, plenty of food, and we have martial strength..."

’More than just ’some’...’

’His true strength was the Sixth Grade, firmly in the Middle Three Grades. He was a figure who had one foot in the highest echelons of Changshan County.’

’That was the source of his confidence.’

"’Let’s consider the worst-case scenario. Even if the Taiping Bandits break into the city, during the peak of the chaos, the thugs looking to loot during the crisis won’t be so insane as to target an ordinary family like ours. With that kind of time and effort, wouldn’t it be more profitable to rob the pawnshops, money-lenders, and wealthy estates?’"

"’The most we’d have to deal with are some rogue soldiers or local thugs. And as for them...’"

Fang Rui shook his head. "’They’re nothing but paper tigers. I could deal with them with a flick of my wrist.’"

He was telling the truth.

The truth was, as long as you kept a low profile and didn’t draw attention to yourself, even an Entry Grade Martial Artist had a good chance of surviving the most chaotic period after the city fell.

Never mind someone like Fang Rui. With his power, it was a good thing he wasn’t the one bullying others. Protecting his own ordinary family would be more than easy.

Seeing Fang Rui’s confident expression, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family felt her heart calm down. The Third Lady felt the same, her eyes filled with adoration and admiration.

Now that Fang Rui had broken it down and analyzed it for them, they realized he was right. If even the worst-case scenario—the fall of the city—would barely affect them, then what was there to worry about?

And so, they weren’t panicked at all. They were even relaxed enough to sit down and continue with their needlework.

Fang Rui’s gaze softened as he watched them. ’It’s true. Whether in times of peace or chaos, strength is everything. With power, you have nothing to fear, no matter where you are.’

"’Mother, Third Sister, how about I bring my friend’s family over to meet you?’"

Jiang Ping’an’s house wasn’t far, just a short walk away. In truth, as long as Fang Rui was watching over them from here, he wasn’t worried about anything happening.

But having Sister-in-law Jiang come over to talk with Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady would be a good distraction, helping them worry less about the chaos outside.

"’Alright.’"

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady readily agreed.

...

He stepped outside.

Fang Rui headed for Jiang Ping’an’s house.

He had barely taken two steps when he saw a street tough with a thuggish air about him. The man was wearing the black uniform of an officer, a large character for ’Officer’ emblazoned on his chest, and was swaggering down the street like a crab, a lackey trailing behind him.

But the moment he saw Fang Rui, his arrogant demeanor vanished. A huge smile spread across his face as he bowed and scraped, his attitude turning extremely polite.

"’You must be Lord Fang, Fang Rui, yes?! Jiang Ya Yi specifically mentioned you... oh!’"

"’My surname is Yan, and my given name is Song,’ he said, slapping his forehead. ’Please, just call me Xiaoyan.’"

In truth, what Jiang Ping’an had told him was only part of the reason. More importantly, Jiang Ping’an had, intentionally or not, mentioned that Fang Rui was at least an Entry Grade Martial Artist.