I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 169: Chapter 71: Blossoming Flowers 3

’—Once inside this home, Fang Rui was just an unremarkable Physician. The killer was that Fourth Grade Martial Artist from last night. What did that have to do with him?!’

...

「Mid-morning.」

The Rebel Army searched the entire city, going door-to-door for questioning and putting on a grand display.

Of course, this was all for show, a way to save face. It was likely that even Zuo Boyang himself had no confidence he could find the culprit through these means.

News of the Xia Family’s annihilation spread as well, causing a massive uproar throughout the city.

In Willow Alley, under the great willow tree, a crowd had gathered. The hot topic of gossip today was, unsurprisingly, the Xia Family.

”What a tragedy for the Xia Family! The old patriarch’s seventieth birthday... they’d been preparing for half a month, and before the celebration could even start, poof! Everyone’s gone!” The voice was laced with malicious glee.

”Heard that so-called Wild Dog Gang disbanded, too!” another person said.

”The Tiger Gang, the Wild Dog Gang... wasn’t the Xia Family backing them all?”

The speaker was an old man. He wouldn’t have dared say such a thing when the Xia Family was still around, but now that they were gone, there was nothing to hold him back.

”That’s right!”

Another old man chimed in, ”It’s just like how we have to pay protection money to the gangs; the gangs, in turn, had to pay the Xia Family... You can blame the Xia Family for more than half of all the evil things those gangs did!”

”Over all these years, how many families have been ruined, how many people have died, all because of that protection money!” an old woman sighed.

”It’s karma. Good on that hero for taking action! The Xia Family deserved to be wiped out!”

”Are any of the big families in this city any good?”

”Sigh. No matter who’s in charge, they’re all going to want their pound of flesh. Even the Reb—” a more perceptive person began to say.

”Shh! Quiet! Is that something you can just say out loud? Do you have a death wish?”

”Let’s not talk about this! Not this!”

Someone changed the subject. ”This morning, the Rebel Army hauled out cart after cart of treasure from the Xia estate! Good heavens, that hero did all the work, and the Rebel Army gets to reap all the rewards!”

”Isn’t that the truth? It’s no less than what they got from wiping out the Lin Family back then!”

...

’Last night, I was all alone, so I was limited in what I could carry. The Rebel Army ended up with the lion’s share.’

Fang Rui stood by the window, listening to the chatter from outside, feeling rather displeased.

He mulled it over and realized that in the end, the biggest beneficiary of the Xia Family’s annihilation was none other than the Taiping Bandits.

’The Rebel Army and the Xia Family had been at odds for a long time. But the Rebel Army’s hands were tied due to the credit the Xia Family had received for surrendering the city back then.’

Otherwise, if they gained a reputation for ruthlessly discarding allies once they’d served their purpose, how would they ever convince other prominent families to surrender in the future?

’My actions actually eliminated a hidden threat for the Rebel Army. Not to mention, the Xia Family’s gold, silver, businesses, and lands all ended up being a gift to them!’

Fang Rui clutched his chest, feeling an inexplicable ache.

But he didn’t quite dare go and demand his due from the Rebel Army. There was a formidable figure among them whose true strength was unknown; it would be disastrous if he accidentally walked into a trap.

’Forget it. I’ll just keep a tally for now and deal with it later. As an Immortal, I’m not afraid of being unable to collect. For me, there’s no such thing as a debt being erased by death!’

’Even if you die, you’ll leave a son. That son will have a grandson, and that grandson will have a son. That son will have another son, and he a grandson... an endless line of descendants.’

’Besides, happiness lies in contentment. If I don’t focus on what others gained and only look at my own haul, it was actually quite substantial.’

’A Cultivation Technique, Great Medicine, gold and silver, secrets of the elite, Tribulation Points...’

Thinking of the Cyan Wood Skill, Fang Rui subconsciously glanced at the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan.

’They’re still too young... But I can start by teaching them to read and write.’

He mused to himself, then beckoned with a warm smile. ”Ling’Er! Nannan! Come here! Over here!”

”What is it, Big Brother?”

”I’m going to teach you to write.”

”Ah? Writing?! Big Brother, can’t we skip it? Can you tell us a story instead?” Fang Ling’s little face scrunched up.

”In your dreams! And Nannan, stop snickering! You get over here too!”

In for a penny, in for a pound. Fang Rui had promised the Third Lady he would treat them equally, so he had to follow through.

Under the eaves, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady were doing needlework.

By the window, in the mottled light, Fang Rui began to gently teach the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, how to read, occasionally weaving in a short story to help them learn.

RUMBLE!

Outside, a sudden clap of thunder echoed. And just like that, amidst the noise, Changshan City’s calamitous October finally came to an end.

’To hear the thunder in the silence, to see the blossoms in the void.’

Fang Rui drew his gaze back from the window, glanced at Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady outside, then looked back inside toward Fang Ling and Nannan, watching them clumsily practice their writing.

Time trickled by like a mountain stream, flowing on, ever so slowly.

...