Chapter 14 – To Die Beneath a Beauty, Even as a Ghost One Finds Glory!

“Punishment wine? Go ahead and try!”

Her indifferent tone made Chen Li’s chest ache with rage.

They had agreed to collect taxes today. The three of them had gone door to door, but only her family’s gate was firmly shut. To finish the task assigned from above, they had no choice but to go hungry, waiting at her doorstep.

And this was all they got? Just two casual sentences?

If she wasn’t doing it on purpose, he’d chop off his own head and kick it like a ball!

So infuriating!

“Fang girl, are you sure you won’t pay? Once your names are reported, there’s no turning back. Your father will be thrown into prison, and you… are you really willing to be sent to the northern lands?”

Chen Dashan tried to “advise” her kindly.

“Not paying!”

“Fine then! I’ll be sure to write your names down!” He gave the father and daughter a pitying glance, then left with his fuming sons.

Bang! The registry book was slammed heavily onto the bed. With a dark face, Chen Dashan sat down hard, while his sons each grabbed a stool.

“Hmph! Never seen such arrogance!”

“Father, calm down. That girl probably thinks prison just means being locked up, without realizing the punishments inside. Once she’s in, she’ll be crying soon enough!”

Chen Ping quickly soothed him, his tone steady and analytical. “No need to ruin your health over her.”

Listening to his younger son’s calm reasoning, Chen Dashan’s fury finally eased a little.

“Shouldn’t we give that insolent girl a lesson?” Chen Li asked eagerly, itching for action.

“Don’t act rashly, brother. She’s still in the village, and with everyone watching, it’s not easy to move.”

“Then what do you suggest? Just let it go?”

“Doesn’t her family still rely on the village’s water? Tomorrow, we’ll cut them off. Let’s see if she dares keep it up. I don’t believe she won’t come crawling after two days without water.”

“Yes! That’s brilliant!” Chen Li slapped his hands together, agreeing excitedly.

The village was in drought. Water was already scarce, and that old well belonged to the Chen family. Anyone else wanting to drink had to ask their permission. Before, they hadn’t said anything, but now? With supplies dwindling, cutting off one family just meant more for everyone else. Surely no one would object.

He knew human nature better than anyone.

Watching his eldest son leave to arrange the matter, he turned his gaze onto his steady younger son, nodding with satisfaction.

Shrewd, calculating, knowing when to advance and retreat—such talents wasted in the countryside, truly a pity.

Thinking of the future he had been paving for him, Chen Dashan’s heart swelled with excitement again. The Chen family’s rise was near…

Meanwhile, Chen Ping lowered his eyes, hiding the deep thought flickering there.

What he hadn’t mentioned was this: he had noticed Fang Yu going up the mountain far too often lately.

It was normal enough for villagers to forage in the mountains. But to stay there for so long, so frequently—that was unusual.

And just earlier, he had observed something else: when the Fang father and daughter returned, their baskets were completely empty.

Going up the mountain to forage, yet returning with an empty basket—this was not normal.

Thinking of Fang Yu’s beautiful face, the one that haunted his thoughts, those suppressed desires in Chen Ping’s heart began to stir once more…

That night, Fang Yu slept well. Knowing that tomorrow she would finally leave this place, her mood was unusually light.

After waking, she tidied herself briefly and prepared to head for the mountain again.

Today, she chose not to bring anyone. She wanted to go to the back mountain alone, to find those two little creatures and ask them whether they were willing to leave with her.

Dealing with animals was far easier than dealing with people—she genuinely liked little animals.

After telling her father, she decided to first fetch some water from the village well. For the two of them, their water consumption wasn’t much; once every two days was enough.

Since they would be leaving tomorrow, she wanted to fill all the water gourds ahead of time, so they could depart without worry.

The first time she had carried these two wooden buckets, Fang Yu had nearly failed to even lift them—note: that was when they were empty.

Now, she could carry half a bucket in each, which was already a huge improvement.

But when she reached the well, she immediately sensed something wrong.

Two or three older women were standing by the well. They weren’t fetching water. Instead, they were watching her warily.

From the looks in their eyes, she could clearly see the malice. With a quick thought, she immediately guessed whose scheme this was. But she didn’t care in the slightest.

If they wanted to make trouble for her, they would need the ability to back it up.

Carrying her buckets, she stepped steadily to the well. Just as she set one down, a stocky woman suddenly gave it a kick—sending it rolling far away.

Fang Yu stared at the bucket for two seconds. Then, without warning, she lifted her carrying pole and struck directly at the woman’s leg.

The woman had been waiting for an argument, her attention fixed on Fang Yu’s face. She never expected Fang Yu to skip all words and attack straightaway.

By the time she realized Fang Yu was aiming for her legs, it was too late to dodge. The searing pain of the blow on her shin made her howl with fury as she lunged at Fang Yu.

But that was exactly what Fang Yu wanted. With the pole in her hands, she wielded it like a spear. The woman couldn’t even get close, and instead suffered blow after blow.

Frustrated, she screamed to her stunned companions: “What are you staring at? Help me! Beat this little bitch to death!”

Even with all three of them rushing together, they gained nothing. Fang Yu relied on just that one pole, striking fast and hard, until the three women were clutching their heads and shrieking in pain.

Tiring of the game, Fang Yu quickened her attacks. With several sharp strikes, she swept them all to the ground, leaving them unable to rise again.

She gave them another sound beating for good measure, until they begged pitifully for mercy, before finally stopping.

The commotion, of course, could not be hidden from the rest of the villagers.

Fang Yu picked up her bucket, her eyes sweeping coldly over the faces of those who seemed eager to intervene. Her gaze alone was enough to chill them, and no one dared take even a single step closer.

She filled her buckets and walked away briskly, never uttering a single word. Yet somehow, her silence carried only one message—ruthless.

By the time the Chen family men learned what had happened, she had already returned home.

All that was left were the groaning women by the well, and the stammering accounts of the villagers who had witnessed the scene.

Fang Yu didn’t mention a word of the water incident to her father. She merely told him to use the water sparingly, and to stay indoors for the day.

Carrying her basket, she set out again—just as the Chen family men, who had learned the full story, returned home.

Having once again been humiliated by that girl, Chen Dashan felt his patience wearing thin. He decided to let his two sons come up with a solution.

But their discussion ended quickly, yielding nothing useful.

The brothers exchanged a few words, then went their separate ways.

Chen Ping recalled that his father had said he’d visit the county today to inquire about his situation. Wanting to go along, he stepped out.

No one in the house noticed his movements; the women were all busy with chores.

He had only walked a short distance when he caught sight of a familiar figure heading toward the mountain path.

Just one glance, and he knew exactly who it was.

At the crossroads, he hesitated only for two seconds before decisively following.

He was deeply curious—what exactly did she do every day on that mountain?

Watching her figure from afar, the thoughts in his heart grew sharper, more dangerous.

He remembered the last time, when he had nearly succeeded. The heat in his chest rose again.

That smooth skin, that warm body beneath his hand—the sensations he thought he had buried now surged violently within him.

Now that Master Ma’s side had gone quiet, wouldn’t it be fine to simply keep her for himself?

All his life, he had never been obsessed with anything. But her—he could not let go.

He had restrained himself for so long, yet now, thinking of being alone with her, his heart throbbed with feverish excitement.

Last time, he had already tested it—she dared not make a big fuss. So today? He looked around carefully. No one else seemed to be heading up the mountain.

Ahead, her silhouette disappeared into the trees. He checked the path behind him once more. Indeed, no one had seen him.

Good. That way, even if something happened, no one would link it to him.

He quickened his pace, nearly stumbling in his eagerness.

He sneered inwardly at his own impatience—when had he ever been this lust-blinded? But then he laughed it off. To die beneath a beauty—what a glorious fate, even for a ghost.

“Tch, tch, tch… what death? What nonsense. Not an auspicious thought.”

He ridiculed himself for letting his mind run wild with such chaotic ideas.

Stepping quickly into the forest, he finally let out a long breath of relief. Hah! At last, no one had seen him!

What he completely failed to notice, however, was that just a short distance ahead, Fang Yu had crouched down, waiting.

Her eyes lowered, her lips curved with a knowing, meaningful smile—exactly as she had predicted, he had walked right into her sight…