Chapter 12 – The Coming Storm

Watching Ma Fu vanish over the cliff, Fang Yu finally lost all strength and collapsed at the edge.

The wind sweeping along the mountainside gave her the dizzying illusion that she too might fall.

She gulped in a few deep breaths before she truly felt alive again. Clearly, this body had much room for improvement. In every respect, she needed a safe, stable place to train.

The moon hung high above. On the pale rocks, the dark streaks of blood were starkly visible. Fang Yu tore off a handful of leaves and scrubbed away the stains on stone and soil.

This spot she had chosen was one she’d discovered while gathering herbs before. One side dropped into the cliff where she had just tossed Ma Fu; the other was a nearly unused path. Jagged rocks stood out everywhere, vegetation sparse. Villagers searching for food would never come here.

“Girl, did you clean it all up?” Old Fang asked, even as he dragged a branch to sweep haphazardly over the ground in the darkness.

It was hard to see where the blood had splattered, but as long as the traces weren’t found within two or three days, it would be enough. Father and daughter worked in unspoken accord, “tidying up” the place before slipping home under the cover of night.

Instead of returning to their rooms, they sat in the main hall. In the dim light, Fang Yu relayed all the information she had gathered in recent days.

When Ma Fu had mentioned that even the county magistrate had fled, Old Fang had closed his mouth before speaking.

Now, listening to his daughter, he finally pieced everything together. No wonder she had struck so ruthlessly—both the Chen family and this man were clearly targeting the two of them.

Though still shaken by the fact that his daughter had just killed someone, he understood enough: Ma Fu’s official position was weight enough to crush them. If they hadn’t killed him, who knew if he would turn around and accuse them instead?

He might have been inexperienced, but he wasn’t a fool.

And hearing that the world was about to fall into chaos—that even the county magistrate had fled—it suddenly seemed to him that… perhaps killing one man was not such a big matter after all.

As for why his daughter could kill, his reasoning was simple: if that man hadn’t tried to assault her, how could his girl have possibly hurt anyone? She had been forced into it!

Suddenly remembering her injuries during the fight, he panicked. “Your arm—your hand! Is it hurt? Do we have medicine? Let me treat it!”

Fang Yu, seeing her father’s flustered concern, felt a flicker of surprise. Why hadn’t he cried tonight?

After a simple bandaging, she told him that in a few days, they would need to leave—begin their escape from the famine.

She laid out every reason for their departure in detail. Old Fang only gave a calm “Oh” in response, then they returned to their rooms.

But when she lay down, she heard muffled sobbing from the next room…

For Fang Yu, the night passed without ripple. Perhaps because she had once lived in the brutal world of cultivation, killing one man or ten made no difference.

Her code had always been: If others do not offend me, I do not offend them. If they do… I return it doubly.

So the moment Ma Fu had forced his way into her life, his death had been sealed.

But for Old Fang, this night shattered and rebuilt his very worldview.

The torrent of revelations left his mind buzzing. Crying quietly, he thought it through. He had never doubted his daughter’s judgment. If she said the world would fall into chaos, then it surely would.

So he pushed aside the matter of killing. Instead, guilt welled up: he was useless.

His daughter had been planning and negotiating with the Xu family all along without him even knowing. Tonight, he had spied on her battle with Ma Fu, his heart pounding with fear. These were burdens a father should have borne, not his daughter.

Resolutely, he vowed: he must not drag her down.

Thoughts tangled endlessly through the night, leaving him sleepless.

By morning, Fang Yu did not hide as she packed. She separated the silver from Ma Fu’s bundle, setting it aside. Then she set out again for the city.

Having suddenly gained so much silver, she naturally needed to purchase more supplies.

They had no water flasks—she wanted to see if there were gourds available. She also planned to buy more iron tools and, most critically, salt.

As usual, she stopped by Bao’an Hall. This time, she noticed that there were more people buying finished medicines. Recalling Ma Fu’s words, she guessed that news of the county magistrate’s flight had already reached some of the populace.

After swiftly purchasing the necessities, Fang Yu passed through the marketplace and saw a stall selling bamboo baskets meant to be carried on the back. She immediately bought two.

After some thought, she stopped by the grain shop and bought a bit of white rice as well.

By the time she returned home, it was around midday.

She had barely sat down when a loud bang bang bang knocked at the door.

Father and daughter went to look, only to see Chen Dashan with his two sons standing outside.

Fang Yu frowned. “What is it?”

“This is an official notice,” Chen Li declared, chest puffed up, chin held high. “Since there aren’t enough constables in the county, the task of collecting taxes has been handed down to the village. That means my father is now the tax officer here. If you need to pay your tax, come to him! But the same rules apply—if you don’t pay, the authorities will come to take you away!”

“Isn’t the deadline tomorrow? We haven’t even defaulted yet!” Old Fang stepped in front of his daughter, speaking righteously.

Ever since learning the county magistrate had fled, he felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted. If even the magistrate was running for his life, who would bother paying taxes? Besides, his daughter had said they would escape through the mountains, bypassing the county checkpoints altogether. One clean stroke.

All they had to do now was wait for the Xu family to finish preparing, and then they would leave. When that time came, the Chens wouldn’t be worth a damn.

Chen Dashan had gone to the county seat early that morning and returned immediately to announce the news throughout the village. Watching the villagers grovel before him, relishing the power over life and death in his hands, he had felt intoxicated.

He had thought the Fang family would surely kneel and beg for mercy, plead for a few days’ grace. That was what all the other villagers had done.

But instead, Old Fang’s words had directly slapped him in the face. Father and sons, after a morning of basking in flattery, were suddenly left stunned.

Realizing they’d been rebuffed, Chen Li’s temper flared. He pointed at Old Fang, ready to charge forward, but his father held him back.

“Well then, Fang brother, I’ll be waiting for you to come pay your tax tomorrow!” Chen Dashan said with feigned kindness. But the malice in his eyes did not escape the Fang family.

Once they were out of sight, Chen Li fumed at his father. “Dad, I can’t swallow this! Just that father and daughter—why not just get rid of them? The arrogance, I can’t stand it!”

“Enough. We’ll talk when we’re home. Not out here.”

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After sending the Chen family away, Auntie Xu came to invite Fang Yu and her father to dinner.

Knowing it was to discuss important matters, they went.

For once, nearly all of the Xu family was gathered. As they were all familiar, there was no need for politeness. Xu Jiang told them he had already quit his job and returned home. Chaos had already erupted in Qingzhou County. According to the information he had gathered, Yunyang Prefecture was in complete disorder, while Guang’an Prefecture lacked the military strength to hold its city. The rioters from Yunyang had already stormed it. Wealthy families and local gentry who had gotten wind of it earlier had already fled. A total breakdown was only a matter of time.

After hearing this, everyone fell into silence. Being mentally prepared was one thing; facing the real collapse was another.

The mountain rain approaches, and the whole tower is about to fall.

To truly flee famine meant the road ahead was unknown, their very lives uncertain. Naturally, fear gnawed at their hearts.

Even Fang Yu herself felt an emptiness inside. Across three lifetimes, she had never once experienced a famine migration. To hear of it in a story was one thing; to face it in reality was entirely different.

After a long silence, someone finally muttered, “When do we leave?”

Fang Yu glanced at Xu Jiang, then at his household—clearly not yet ready. After some hesitation, she asked, “Will two days be enough?”

She paused, then explained, “It’s not that I want to rush you. But leaving early gives us the advantage. If we wait until the chaos reaches here, it’ll be too late. The county magistrate of Qingzhou has already fled. Total collapse is inevitable.”

She thought back to the Chen family posturing arrogantly at her door and almost laughed aloud. According to Ma Fu, the magistrate had left men behind at the yamen. Those poor fools thought they were being entrusted with responsibility, never realizing they were merely abandoned pawns.

Why waste time with fools…