Jun Jiuling - Chapter 175

Chapter 175

The dark house crackled as the fire ignited, and the air filled with the acrid scent of smoke .

Outside, swords and staffs faced off against one another . Once the barking the people had heard from the village quieted, the atmosphere became silent and stifling .

"Second Uncle . " Lady Fang pushed aside the people guarding her . She took several steps forward to look at Head Shopkeeper Song outside the entrance . The firelight behind her illuminated her face in flickers; it was rapidly fading in and out of darkness . Her expression was a amalgamation of sorrow and other emotions . "Why what?"

"Why what? Is there any other possibility?" Head Shopkeeper Song said seriously . "Of course, it's for money . "

Lady Fang was probably not expecting this answer . She didn't know whether to laugh or cry .

"Money? You wanted money?" she asked . She pointed at the sky . "Father said that he would give you half of the De Sheng Chang, and you didn't want it . Husband asked you if you wanted stocks, you didn't want it . Mother spoke of you as a respected senior, you didn’t want it . Song Yunping, you didn't want it, you said you didn't want it . "

He smiled .

"What you gave was not mine," he said . "It was your bestowal, it was you granting a boon from above . "

As he said this, he pointed at the sky with fury .

"I wanted it . For my whole life I was just a junior to you . Not just my whole life, even my descendants would have to bear your feelings . I worked myself to the bone, staked my life for the De Sheng Chang, but in other people's eyes it was just as it should be . You said you would give me mountains of gold and silver, but would they be mine? They were yours . The more I wanted the more I owed you . The more I wanted, the more you looked good to everyone else . And me? I am just your Fang Family's dog!"

The deluge not only made Lady Fang's expression furious yet mournful, even her guards were shocked .

"Song Yunping, why do you think this way?" She looked at him . "What do you take other people's good intentions for?"

He laughed .

"What do I take other people's good intentions for? I said I didn't want emotions, I only want money," he said solemnly . "When I supported him, he should've just died and given me the De Sheng Chang . He clearly called us sworn brothers, but what's the use in sworn brotherhood? It was him who owed me, but I still owed him? Is this not too unfair?"

She stared at him .

"You're mad . " She reined in her sorrow . "We never needed to feel sorrowful over your damage to us . "

The guards formed a tighter formation around her . They looked around warily, but they couldn't discern how many opponents there were .

"Are you saying that Father did not die of a sudden illness?" she asked .

He smiled again, looking at her with condescending pity .

"Eldest Daughter-in-law, no matter how you say it, you have called me Second Uncle for so many years, so I will share this modicum of truth with you . " He paused . "Yes, Fang Shouyi did not die of a sudden illness . He was healthy as an ox; even the strong poison almost did not kill him . "　　

Lady Fang’s hands flew to her mouth, but she swallowed down the acid creeping up her throat .

"And husband was also you?" she asked huskily .

"Yes," he admitted . "You don't need to ask, I'll tell you too that Chengyu was also my design . Oh, speaking of which, Concubine Su is also of my arrangement . "

He smiled .

"And Eldest Son was really an obedient and filial child . I gave him Concubine Su . She wasn't very pretty or outstanding in any regard, and he still treated her especially well . " 

Lady Fang felt like a knife had sliced through her heart . As she thought of these things, she hated Song Yunping, and she hated herself .

They had treated this person with respect and love . She really wished she could die .

She tamped down on the cry of pain from her heart .

"Why? Why did you do it?" Her voice cracked as she spoke .

Head Shopkeeper Song was still as calm as ever, solemn as he always was, but in the night, his eyes gleamed with hidden joy .

"For money," he said . "Didn't I say that?"

"If you wanted money, we would have given it . Didn't you say you wanted the De Sheng Chang? Well it's yours," she said .

Head Shopkeeper Song was furious .

"How can you women have such a muddled mind?" he shouted . "If you gave me what I wanted, in other people's eyes the De Sheng Chang wouldn't be mine . Even if my head was plastered on it, everyone would only remember you, remember you, the tale of the Fang Family, and I, I would forever be just a piece of trash who had received benevolence . "

Lady Fang did not know whether she should be sad or angry .

"That is why you're like this?" she asked .

"Say, where is Fang Chengyu?" Head Shopkeeper Song had recovered himself . "Did you think that the stuffed rice straw sack would fool me? Did you think that I really would be fooled by you?"

Lady Fang's expression was wooden, and her back was ramrod straight .

"I would rather feed myself to a tiger . What reason do I have to tell you were Chengyu is?"

"Tell me . Of course, I won't let you go, but I will let Chengyu go . " An affectionate expression appeared on his face . "I will let Chengyu live happily until he dies . "

At this he laughed, like he had made some hilarious joke . But soon his laughter subsided .

"In brief, you can relax, I won't kill him . I will let him live until his last moment, with dignity . After he dies, his funeral will be in style . "

Lady Fang looked at him sneer but didn't say anything .

"Eldest Daughter-in-law, why do you need to be like that?" he asked . "Why do you need to have him hide like a rat? Where is the meaning in that?"

He smiled .

"It's fine even if you don't say anything . The will of Heaven has already been cast," he said, looking solemn again . He pointed up at the sky . "Your Fang Family's fate has been decided by Heaven . Only I can bear the burden of the De Sheng Chang, I, Song Yunping, am receiving the rewards of Heaven . "

He lifted his arm .

"Fi–"

The moment Head Shopkeeper Song lifted his arms, Lady Fang's guards had sprung into action by lifting their shields .

The sound of an arrow whistling through the air .

A pained shriek .

Head Shopkeeper Song was now cradling the arm that he had raised . He didn't finish saying 'fire' before it turned into a strangled scream .

His people hastily crowded around him, their torches illuminating the single arrow stuck in his arm .

The arrow had gone through the arm, leaving only the trembling feather .

"You are not the will of Heaven, so you see, you are still one step behind," rang an old woman's voice from the night . 　　

The night seemed to light up . In a moment, countless torches had been set aflame, and a noisy clamor followed .

The guards looked around furiously, but all they could see were countless mounted riders pouring in . Even the sleepy village was teeming with people

And these people were no ordinary people .

The blazing fire illuminated their shining armor, and their weapons glittered like frost .

These weapons were professional soldier equipment .

So the ones who came were actually soldiers .

The people around Head Shopkeeper Song were in a frenzy .

He suppressed his pain to look at the approaching old woman .

"Song Yunping, thank you for finally letting our Fang Family know why we suffered so much misfortune over and over again," said Old Lady Fang with furious eyes .

Head Shopkeeper Song looked at her, then at his surroundings .

"Why?" The word 'inconceivable!' was written across his face .

"Why?" Old Lady Fang smiled coldly . "Of course it's because this is a trap . Could it be you didn't know?"