Chapter 361: Happenings in Shangjing (18)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Army General Fang got promoted. His money pouch was overflowing once again.

He was humming a song and sipped his tea with elegance. He was enjoying himself until he forgot about reality. Suddenly, a cry like it was the end of time blasted in his ears.

Bang—

His hand trembled and the cover of the teapot dropped onto the ground with a resounding Pa! The tea spilled onto his sleeve.

“What is it, my young ancestor?” Army General Fang was on one hand heartbroken that his exquisite tea pot broke, and on the other hand, he had a headache from the whining outside.

Indeed, parents had to pay for their children’s debt. Since his son was born, he had a stream of court cases that followed. He despised his son, but also, he was also the paragon of his love.

He lifted his head and saw a bruised and battered guy half-rolling, half-crawling outside. It alarmed Army General Fang.

“Go––go––go away! What manner of sorcery is this?” Army General Fang was afraid, and his neck contracted. He was not to be blamed him for his lack of courage. The person before him had bruises all over, both of his eyes were blueish-black, and below his nostrils two streams of dried blood, akin to small snakes, could be seen.

Looking from afar, a strong man, extremely plump, who was supporting his pig head, stood before him. The “monster” had a familiar voice. Army General Fang was puzzled. Wasn’t that his son’s voice?

“Father––your son’s heart is so bitter!” he wailed. Fang Pangzi struggled to push away the servant who held onto him, and he pitifully crawled towards his father.

Presently, Army General Fang could only face the situation head on. Before his eyes stood his unlucky son, who was beaten until he looked like a pig’s head. It was indeed his son.

“My dear child, how did you end up like that…?” He wanted to hold his son’s face and examine where the injuries were. He unknowingly touched a spot that caused Fang Pangzi immense pain, and he made a big fuss such that Army General Fang dared not to touch him anymore.

Fang Pangzi was utterly distraught. His tears and mucus became one on his face. “Father, it was that wretched Huang Song who bullied me!”

After hearing that, Army General Fang was profusely angry. He slapped and overturned the tea table.

“This is outrageous! A eunuch’s descendent dare touch my son! Speaking of which, what did Huang Tan, that old eunuch, teach his grandson?” Army General Fang was fuming. His son was beaten by a eunuch’s grandson. How was he to face the world?

Fang Pangzi continued to cry miserably. He used his left hand to wipe his mucus and tears onto his sleeve.

“Father, it wasn’t just Huang Song. There was also another b*stard.”

Fang Pangzi had always looked down on Huang Song. Their status was on par, yet on what basis could Huang Song be a disciple under a famous scholar?

Both had countless conflicts. There were times they won and lost, but suffering such a defeat was the first of such incidents.

“Besides Huang Song, who else?” Army General Fang held a solemn face. His hand, as big as a palm leaf, was full of calluses. That, paired with his tall, sturdy, and obese build, he naturally had a fearsome look even when he was not angry. It was somewhat awe-inspiring… But all knew that Army General Fang was of lowly birth, and before he became Marquis Chengen, he was but a vendor who walked the streets.

Fang Pangzi replied ambiguously, “There’s another guy. I don’t know where he came from…”

Army General Fang thought to himself for a while. Even though he loved his son, he wasn’t blind. Fang Pangzi’s reply was doubtful, as if he was trying to hide something. He grew cautious. He resorted to commanding his son’s servants, who followed him around, and he questioned them in detail.

After questioning them in detail, he almost held his chest and breathed his last. “B*stard! Who told you to mess with them?”

The Feng’s from Shangyang were a family that even the Emperor was wary of. Who gave the fellow such audacity?

However, the Feng family had gone into reclusion. There was no one representative of them in court now, so technically there was no need to fear them.

Army General Fang wasn’t as worried about the Feng family as he was about Liu She, who was far off in Chongzhou.

Fortunately, his son did not directly bully the son of Liu She. If he had really stripped off his clothes, the whole of Dongqing would have gone into an uproar.

Fang Fangzi felt it was unjust. “Is it all right for me to be hit by Huang Song for no reason then?”

“Since you were hurt, why did you not hit back? Isn’t that your forte?” Army General Fang was angry.

Fang Pangzi was speechless. He was able to sneak an attack on Huang Song, but he could not fight against and defeat Jiang Pengji.

“Since you won’t stand up for me, I will ask aunt to help me seek justice!” Fang Pangzi’s aunt was the empress herself––the mother of the crown prince.

After Army General Fang heard that, he was fuming mad. Outsiders may be oblivious, but surely he knew.

His sister was of lowly birth, and she wasn’t exceptionally beautiful. Since she gave birth to the crown prince, the Emperor’s favor towards her had declined. The Emperor was known to be greedy for beauties and lustful. There was no lack of young and gorgeous women beside him. The ageing empress was as good as transparent in the Emperor’s harem.

If the Emperor did not need to maintain foreign relations, and since the crown prince was still alive, the empress would’ve been dethroned long ago.

“Stop! This rebellious son! Come back!” Army General Fang opened his palm, which was as big as a palm leaf, and pulled his son back single-handedly, preventing him from seeking an audience with the empress.

“I cannot swallow this injustice!” Fang Pangzi was struggling. He just gave up and sat on his buttocks in the end. He stretched forth both his legs and threw a tantrum. “You don’t love me anymore!”

Army General Fang held back his emotions until his face turned maroon.

He was provoked to his wits end, and yet his heart ached for his son. He could only redress his injustice by being shameless and going to the Emperor.

Unfortunately, Fang Pangzi did not react fast enough.

The punk Huang Song was very cunning. He knew the matter was not easily settled and went to rant pitifully before his god-grandfather. He told him the whole truth clearly, and both grandfather and grandson finalized the plan to pre-empt the Emperor in advance and have Fang Pangzi take the blame.

As mentioned before, compared to a well-fed, royal relative, in the depths of the Emperor’s heart, he valued eunuchs more.

It seemed like a small issue in his eyes. Wasn’t it normal for two young people to have conflicts?

Secretary Huang just gave the Emperor a prophylactic shot, which was followed by Army General Fang lodging a complaint. That made Secretary Huang unhappy.

With regards to deciphering the Emperor’s desire, how could Army General Fang be compared to Huang Tan, who served by the Emperor’s side?

In conclusion, both father and son of the Fang’s suffered setbacks and were disheartened.

Huang Song gained a small victory through the incident. His little companion Feng Jue wasn’t so lucky.

Feng Jin did not stir up a big quarrel––neither did he scold profusely. He, instead, stared coldly at others and stressed them psychologically.

Under the pressure of his cold stare, Feng Jue gradually felt uneasy sitting down.

“What’s so good about Huang Song?” Their hot tea became cold. Only then did Feng Jin slowly say, “We all know that the nine prefectures and five countries are unable to satisfy young men. We don’t know when the world will turn into an upheaval where super powers will arise. But tell your brother––what qualities does Huang Song have to contend with?”

Most importantly, what qualities did Huang Song have that made Feng Jue think highly of him?

“My brother, to be independent and to rely on yourself is better in the future than to invest in Huang Song,” he continued.

In terms of human network, Huang Song’s god-grandfather was only a eunuch, who had more political enemies than friends.

With regards to money and possessions, Huang Tan did earn a lot of money from selling official titles and positions of nobility. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have the resources to buy Huang Song an official position at such a high price… But did the Feng family lack money?

Comparing official titles, Huang Song was in charge of the patrol in Shangjing, but that was bought at a high price. It sounded awe-inspiring, and the job was akin to a law enforcement officer, but he was only overseeing the small issues.

How about possession of allocated lands where they were lords? That matter did not have to be considered.

Feng Jue initially wanted to brush it off, but Feng Jin will not let him off easily.

Feng Jue felt helpless and could only say, “His disposition, aspirations, and how he reads people… As well as his ability to manage them.”