After Jiang Wang left, a hidden door suddenly slid open in the wall behind Fang Zehou. Fang Heling, bound to a chair and shoved out in an utterly humiliating posture, was pushed into view.
Moon-Gazing Pavilion was an establishment run by the Fang Family, which was why Fang Pengju had chosen to murder Jiang Wang there in the first place.
Fang Zehou raised a hand. Only then did the Fang Family retainer who had pushed Fang Heling out remove the gag from his mouth and untie him.
But Fang Heling didn't move. He slumped in the chair like a puddle of mud.
As it turned out, he had been listening to the conversation in the private room under the retainer's watch the whole time. He had been unable to speak or move.
"As you saw," Fang Zehou said, "he defeated you through sheer ability. There were no tricks or gimmicks. You and Jiang Wang have a stark difference between you—one you failed to notice."
Fang Heling said nothing, but the look he gave his father was almost pleading: Please, stop talking!
"As you saw, your father has lost all face because of you," Fang Zehou continued.
Fang Heling lowered his eyes, the light fading from them.
Fang Zehou walked up to him and pinched his face, forcing him to meet his gaze.
"As you saw, people look down on our Fang Family because of you!" Fang Zehou said.
Tears rolled down Fang Heling's face. He reached out to stop them, even tried to shove them back in, but his resistance was utterly futile. He couldn't stop himself from being as weak as a dog.
And Fang Zehou's voice continued: "For your sake, I held back resources from your cousin. For your sake, I gave up all kinds of benefits just to secure you a chance to enter the inner sect of the Dao Academy. For your sake, I could swallow any humiliation. And what about you?! You became a laughingstock in front of everyone, the joke of all Maple Forest City. Now you've given up on yourself and turned into a useless wreck. You've made me, Fang Zehou, a laughingstock too!"
"I didn't want this. I didn't want this..." Fang Heling shook his head, mumbling and crying, until at last he shouted, "I didn't want things to turn out this way!"
"Then prove it to me!" Fang Zehou roared!
The middle-aged man, who now held the reins of the Fang Family, let his grip slacken.
He cupped Fang Heling's face in both hands instead and spoke softly. "Then prove it to me... my son."
After leaving Moon-Gazing Pavilion, Jiang Wang didn't feel weighed down.
To be honest, ever since entering the inner sect, he hadn't worried that the Fang Family would do anything to him. The Fang Family of Maple Forest City might be wealthy and influential, but what did they amount to compared to the Dao Academy?
As long as he cultivated with fierce diligence, sooner or later he'd hold an official post in the Zhuang Kingdom. Perhaps he'd even land a good position in Xin'an City, the capital. He didn't need to pay much attention to the gentry and great families of Maple Forest City.
The only thing that had truly stirred murderous intent in Jiang Wang was Fang Zehou bringing up Jiang An'an. Even if the Fang Family did nothing more than have their young clansmen bully An'an at school, Jiang Wang couldn't tolerate it.
He could bear some grievances, but An'an couldn't. His father was dead, and his aunt had remarried. Jiang An'an had only him.
"Are you full... Hey! You're still wiping your mouth on my clothes!" Jiang Wang reached out and pulled An'an's little head away.
She was in his arms, secretly rubbing her oily mouth against his shoulder.
An'an blinked her big eyes. Her little mouth was already clean, but she pouted with an utterly innocent look. "You didn't wipe my hands for me..."
Jiang Wang surrendered at once, his voice full of helplessness. "Look at me. Is there any clean spot left on my clothes...? Go ahead."
He had given up.
An'an busily wiped her little hands, then suddenly seemed to remember something. "What did you just say?"
"I asked you... sigh!" Jiang Wang let out a breath and said, "Cai's Mutton Shop?"
"Mm-hmm." An'an nodded vigorously. She reached up, cupped her brother's face, and turned it to the left. "This way!"
Jiang Wang leaned his head back with a look of disdain. "I know the way!"
An'an was already bubbling with excitement. "Giddy-up~!"
Jiang Wang carried An'an off toward the mutton shop.
"Oh, right. My teacher wants you to come to the private school tomorrow," An'an said, finally remembering.
Jiang Wang frowned. "Did your teacher say what it was about?"
Little An'an thought for a moment, then buried her head against Jiang Wang's chest and mumbled, "I don't know."
Jiang Wang immediately grew worried.
Meanwhile, in the City Lord's Mansion, a conversation known only to Dong A and Wei Quji was also taking place.
"...If it really is what I suspect, then with this bait, there's no way they won't take it. When those fiends come out, we'll cast the net in one fell swoop and wipe them out!" Wei Quji clenched his fist and swung it. "That's the whole plan."
"The plan is thorough." Dong A nodded, his expression still unchanged. "But I don't think it'll do much good."
"Why not?"
"Do you think..." Dong A looked at him with a mocking glint in his eyes. "The people who caused the Small Forest Town massacre have any reason to show up in Maple Forest City?"
"What are you saying?"
"I don't know much about this White Bone Sect you mentioned, and I don't know what makes that thing you went to so much trouble to get so tempting. But the Three Cities Dao Discussion is a major event, and Maple Forest City will be on high alert. Is that thing really worth them taking such a huge risk? They couldn't possibly have fooled us so thoroughly, sacrificing Small Forest Town right under our noses! Besides, you're not even sure they're from the White Bone Sect, are you?"
"We can only try this, Dong A! The Small Forest Town incident happened so long ago. I can't leave the people of this prefecture without an explanation!"
"But how sure are you? Are you going to gamble with the safety of every person in Maple Forest City?"
"Maple Forest City is mine to govern. I've made up my mind!"
Dong A slammed the table and stood. "Maple Forest City belongs to the Zhuang Kingdom!"
"Dong A, think about it." Wei Quji had no choice but to soften his tone. "In the Qin Kingdom, in the Jing Kingdom, even in our neighbor, the Yong Kingdom! Could they do something like this? Sacrifice an entire town! Thousands of people, and the souls of generations who should have been resting in peace!
"If even the slightest disturbance stirs in Clear River Water Mansion, the entire army of Qinghe Prefecture has to redeploy. When a Heart-Devouring Demon appears, the whole Criminal Investigation Bureau of Qinghe Prefecture swarms in. They know us inside out, while we know nothing about them!
"Do you really want to see something like this happen again? It's time we found out what they're up to!"
Dong A sank back into his seat. "Yes, we're all responsible. Among the names those wrongfully killed cursed and hated before they died, yours should be there, and so should mine."
His voice was weary. "Go ahead with your plan. The Dao Academy will cooperate. If those fiends really do show up again, then let me see... whether good and evil are truly repaid!"
"If those people really are from the White Bone Sect, the Underworld Candle should matter a great deal to them. After all, it was taken from there..."
"Whatever happens, I'll give you my full support this time. I hope the Three Cities Dao Discussion won't turn into a joke for Qinghe Prefecture."
"They might come, or they might not. But it's the only thing I can try," Wei Quji murmured. Then he asked, "That Zhu Weiwu really can't get back in time? Nothing happened to him, did it?"
"His battlefield isn't here." Dong A turned his head slightly, seeming to gaze through the window toward some distant place beyond the sky. "He's destined to shine at the State Daoist Academy. A spot in the competition would only be wasted on him. I hope Zhang Linchuan can win the Three Cities Dao Discussion's spot."
"Then Maple Forest City will have two talents headed for the State Daoist Academy. You've certainly painted a perfect picture."
"I'll do everything I can to guide them. Let it be my small, insignificant redemption."
In the dark room, someone sighed.
The chair sat empty.
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