Master Fang

As Chen Shi spoke,

the aggressive Fang Clan Members who had come to pressure them immediately looked embarrassed.

That was right—Fang Mu was, in truth, a simple and honest man.

Quite a few Fang Clan Members had received his kindness.

The families of Fang Ming and Fang Zhi, for instance—he had saved their lives. That was a favor as immense as the heavens.

Yet sometimes, a peck of rice bought gratitude, while a bushel bought resentment.

Not only had those two failed to be profoundly grateful to Fang Mu's family, they had instead joined the other Fang Clan Members in coming here to pressure Fang Mu's household.

Returning kindness with enmity—that was precisely what this was.

But having already cast shame aside, even when Chen Shi laid these matters bare, they were ashamed for only a moment.

"Auntie Fang, you can't put it that way. We've kept your kindness in our hearts. But we truly can't go on living like this anymore. Please, show us some mercy."

Before those who had received only minor favors could speak, Fang Zhi, who had borrowed a hundred jin of life-saving grain, spoke up again.

"If we truly had any way to survive, why would we come knocking? We're all of the same clan. At a time like this, we have to help each other!" Fang Ming chimed in as well.

The others echoed them, continuing to pressure Fang Mu's family.

At that moment, more Fang Clan Members arrived at Fang Yue's doorstep. The man at their head had graying hair and beard and walked with a cane. He was the Fang Clan Elder.

His name was Fang Suo, and he belonged to the same generation as Fang Mu's grandfather.

As the oldest among them, he was honored as Clan Elder. Whenever disputes arose within the clan, he was the one who stepped forward to handle them.

"Cough, cough. What are you all doing? Crowding around Fang Mu's door like this—have you no shame? Borrowing grain is meant to save lives. Pressuring them like this, do you have even the slightest appearance of people dealing with their savior?"

Fang Suo rebuked them a few times, then entered Fang Mu's courtyard.

Fang Mu immediately welcomed him and invited him to sit.

"Fang Mu, about this matter... They may have acted wrongly, but in these times, if their households truly weren't unable to scrape by, who would do such a thing?"

"Look, if your family still has some surplus, could you lend them a little help? I'll have them write you a note. They'll repay this grain later!"

After sitting down, Fang Suo spoke with a smile.

As soon as he finished, everyone around them looked toward Fang Mu's family of three.

Every pair of eyes held expectation. Clearly, they all hoped to borrow grain from Fang Mu's household.

In truth, Fang Suo made it sound pleasant.

But compared to the blunt coercion of Fang Ming, Fang Zhi, and the others, his method was plainly more sophisticated.

He did not force them, nor did he demand a loan by force. In his words, the decision rested entirely with Fang Mu himself.

If Fang Mu's family truly had no surplus grain, that would be one thing. But if they had even a little, they would have to lend it out.

Otherwise, their reputation would truly be ruined.

"Fang Mu, everyone knows what the village's situation is like. If some households have no food left, people really will die!"

Seeing that Fang Mu had remained silent, Fang Suo immediately piled another "stone" onto his back.

Not a single sentence directly mentioned borrowing grain, yet every sentence used sentiment, reason, and morality to trap Fang Mu.

As long as they wished to continue living in Daliushu Village, they could not disregard what others thought. They could not disregard their reputation.

Words were a fearsome thing; a multitude of mouths could melt metal and destroy bone with accumulated slander!

That was exactly it!

Fang Mu hesitated without speaking. He was simple and honest, but he was not foolish.

The Clan Elder seemed fair, but he was still forcing him to lend grain.

Yet there were so many members of the Fang Clan. Once he opened the door, it would become a bottomless pit.

"That's right, Elder Fang Suo is correct. We can write promissory notes. We won't borrow for nothing," several Fang Clan Members immediately said.

But in times like these, if the grain was truly lent out, it would be a miracle if it ever came back.

After all, land taxes and head taxes were so heavy that each year's harvest was not even enough to pay the taxes. After a year of eating and living, there was truly nothing left.

"You people!"

Chen Shi was furious as well. Pointing at these clansmen and fellow villagers of old, she could never have imagined they would be this shameless.

Since ancient times, moral blackmail had been the most insidious thing, the hardest to fend off.

Fang Suo, meanwhile, sat there as calm as an old god.

Among the clan, Fang Mu's family was currently living the best.

Over the past two years, Fang Suo had heard people say many times that Fang Mu's family ate meat at every meal, living even better than Master Liu's landlord household.

Though that was somewhat exaggerated, judging by Fang Mu and his family's complexions, they were indeed doing well. They certainly did not lack meat.

After all, everyone had seen Fang Yue fishing, and Fang Yue had learned skills from Fang Hu and gone hunting with him as well.

The Fang Family lived better than Fang Suo himself did.

Yet he had never seen Fang Mu show this old man any filial respect.

So in truth, Fang Suo also wanted to force Fang Mu's family to bring out their grain.

It was that very mindset of fearing that others might live better than oneself.

After all, if he truly had the clan's interests at heart,

why did he, the Clan Elder, not take the lead in contributing grain? As Clan Elder, he enjoyed the support of the communal fields, and his life was incomparably better than that of ordinary Fang Clan Members.

Calling him a minor landlord would not have been an exaggeration!

The stalemate continued for a while. Fang Mu breathed heavily, clearly on the verge of being unable to withstand their needling.

Then, at that very moment, the festive sound of horns and drums drifted over.

Soon, several yamen runners wearing red corvée uniforms came in from outside the village.

"Congratulations to Master Fang Yue for placing as a Martial Scholar!"

The booming congratulations stunned the Fang Clan Members who had been pressuring Fang Yue's family outside his door.

"Fang Zhi, who placed as a Xiucai? What kind of Xiucai is a Martial Scholar?"

Fang Suo's face was filled with disbelief. Though he was over sixty, his ears were sharp, his eyes clear, and his body stronger than that of many younger men who had spent their lives working the fields.

Of course he had heard clearly. It was precisely because he had heard clearly that he could not believe it.

And besides—a Martial Scholar?

Since when had there been Martial Scholars?

Didn't the Great Wei Dynasty only have Imperial Martial Candidates?

Could someone be playing a joke? Had Fang Mu's second son deliberately hired people to put on an act, just to make their plans fail today?

"Congratulations to Master Fang Yue for placing as a Martial Scholar!"

Another shout rang out then.

It was closer now, and everyone heard it clearly.

There was no longer any need to question it.

For the yamen runners had already arrived at Fang Yue's door, their faces bright with delight.

"Congratulations, Master Fang! Congratulations, Master Fang! Your honored son has placed as a Martial Scholar in this year's examination!"

At the arrival of the government yamen runners, the Fang Clan Members had long since been frightened into making way.

They dared to morally blackmail Fang Mu, but they did not dare offend the County Yamen runners.

Otherwise, the authorities could raise their taxes and force them into a life they could not survive.

They did not dare argue. They did not dare resist.

Yet they dared pressure their fellow clansman, deliberately trying to "force-borrow" Fang Mu's family grain.

Fang Suo hurriedly rose to his feet.

Though he was highly respected among the Fang Clan Members and his words carried weight,

when facing government officers, he still did not dare put on airs.

Government officers would not care whether he was a Clan Elder or not. Offend them, and they would make sure he suffered for it!

"What did you say? My Zhi'er became a Martial Scholar?"