Returning to Xiahe County Town

"Brother Yue, thank you."

Just as Fang Yue was preparing to leave, Widow Yu's voice rang out.

Her graceful figure approached, her eyes brimming with gratitude.

Over the past year or so, Fang Yue had taken great care of the mother and daughter, helping them through their hardest days.

She had always been deeply grateful to Fang Yue.

"It was nothing. No need to thank me."

Fang Yue smiled, then left.

Three days later, Ten Days remained until the Martial Scholar examination.

He could wait no longer. Fang Yue decided to head to Xiahe County Town first.

Because registration for the examination could only be done in Xiahe County Town; whether verifying one's identity or recording one's information, it all had to be done there.

This time, he traveled alone, and his pace was much faster than when he had gone with Fang Hu before.

By his estimate, it would take only about half as much time to get there.

He set out early in the morning.

"Zhi'er, when you go take the examination this time, don't try to be a hero. No matter what happens, you must protect yourself." Chen Shi held Fang Yue's hand, her tone solemn.

"Mm, I know, Mother. I'll protect myself," Fang Yue promised.

"Zhi Di, Sister believes in you," Fang Lan encouraged him.

Finally, Father Fang patted Fang Yue on the shoulder. "Take this, and come back early."

Father Fang took out a long saber. It was clearly newly forged.

Ironware was expensive in these times to begin with. What farmer would be willing to have a sword or saber forged? A saber like this could make at least three or four hoes.

And its price far exceeded that of several hoes.

Clearly, it was meant for Fang Yue to defend himself.

Fang Yue accepted the saber and nodded. His gaze swept over the family he had in this world.

"Father, Mother, Big Brother, Sister, you don't need to see me off. I'll be back in a few days."

Only a year had passed, yet Father Fang's back—once forever tall and strong in his memories—seemed to have bent a little.

A touch of frost had crept into Chen Shi's temples, and several wrinkles had climbed to the corners of her eyes.

Fang Yue gave his parents a deep bow, slung on the bundle Chen Shi had prepared, carried the bow and arrows he normally used for hunting, and headed toward Xiahe County Town.

Fang Yue moved swiftly, disappearing at the end of the road in no time.

Only then did the Fang Family turn and head home.

"Mother, why are you crying?" Fang Cheng asked when he saw the tears in Chen Shi's eyes.

"Who's crying? It's not like I can't bear to part with Zhi'er! The dust got in my eyes!" Chen Shi said through tears, fiercely smacking Father Fang on the shoulder.

Father Fang immediately looked at Chen Shi in grievance. He had not said a word.

The one who had asked had clearly been their eldest son, Fang Cheng.

Why hit him?

But seeing how heartbroken his wife was, he did not dare utter a reply.

By the next day, Fang Yue had reached the foot of Baishi Mountain.

Having arrived here, he had already covered more than half the journey. Xiahe County Town was no longer far away.

Once he climbed Baishi Mountain, he would be able to make out the outline of Xiahe County Town in the distance.

At his current pace, he would reach Xiahe County Town around dusk.

Since it was not far now, Fang Yue decided to find a sheltered spot to eat some dry provisions before continuing on.

He found a clean big blue stone to sit on and untied the bundle he carried.

He took out the pumpkin flatbread his mother had made, sandwiched a piece of pickled cucumber inside, drank spring water from his gourd, and tucked in with great relish.

The pumpkin flatbread was faintly sweet, while the pickled cucumber was crisp and refreshing.

Just then, a faint sound rang out.

"Help! Someone, save us!"

Fang Yue immediately grew alert. From the sound of it, it was a young girl, her voice weak, pitiful, and panicked.

Before long, two young girls in somewhat disheveled clothes appeared not far down the road. Behind them, several sallow-faced, emaciated men wielding hoes and sickles were pursuing them.

Judging by their clothing, the two girls had lived quite comfortably in ordinary times.

Their fair skin and delicate appearances further proved it.

Now, as they were being hunted down, their frail and helpless appearance was enough to make anyone pity them.

"Hmph! In broad daylight, under the bright heavens and clear earth, you dare commit violence? Ask my fists whether they agree!"

At that moment, someone actually shouted that famous line that had been passed down through the ages.

Fang Yue inwardly cried out, Where did this Cheng Yaojin come from? He's stealing the scene!

Then he saw a handsome young man in a fitted blue outfit gallop over on a fine horse from the road on the other side.

The young man clearly knew martial arts as well. He charged over, passed the two girls, and plunged straight into the crowd.

The White Poplar Staff in his hand jabbed, swept sideways, and struck upward.

In only a few breaths, all seven or eight men had been knocked to the ground, each crying out in misery.

"Who are you? Why were you chasing them down?" the young man asked from above.

"Hmph! If I, Wang Er, so much as furrow my brow when you want to kill or carve me up, then I'm no man. But are we wrong for wanting to live?"

The sturdy man at the head of the group stiffened his neck and spoke harshly, then rambled on about the matter.

It was nothing more than the latest tax increase, which had made their already impoverished lives even harder. They had thought they could grit their teeth and endure it.

But Li the Yamen Runner, the man collecting taxes, had actually taken the opportunity to squeeze them dry, intending to seize their family's farmland.

Left with no choice, they had killed one of them and fled into the mountains.

For food, for survival, they had begun robbing travelers along the road.

Listening from the side, Fang Yue thought to himself.

Sure enough, since ancient times people had said that cartmen, boatmen, innkeepers, porters, brokers—guilty or not, they all deserved killing. And there was also the saying that petty demons were hard to deal with.

What officials driving the people into rebellion—more often than not, it was these clerks and underlings, using any pretext to line their own pockets and stirring trouble in the middle, who drove matters to the brink.

Compared with these men, the yamen runners who collected taxes in Daliushu Village almost seemed like good people.

It truly made one sigh.

"Then why didn't you report it to the authorities?" the man in blue asked.

"Report it to the authorities?" The farmers lying on the ground looked at one another, seemingly never expecting the man in blue to ask such a question.

Officials shielded officials. Who could ordinary folk like them report their grievances to?

"Hmph. Forget it. You may go."

Seeing their reactions, the man in blue seemed to come to his senses as well. He waved his hand listlessly.

By then, Fang Yue had finished resting.

He rose without looking at the man in blue and the others again, turned, and headed straight for Xiahe County Town.

After walking another six or seven shichen, Fang Yue saw the walls of Xiahe County Town.

Because he was a disciple of the White Tiger Martial Arts School, he did not have to pay the entrance fee, saving him a little silver as he entered the city.

Fang Hu had originally told him to stay at Uncle-Master Zhang's home, but Fang Yue did not want to trouble anyone. Of course, he also did not want to see Zhang Shu.

So he simply found an inn in the city and stayed there.