Chapter 48: The Reborn Golden Thigh

What else could Fang Ning say?

That was a golden-thigh character who had been reborn; only a fool would go against him!

It wasn't easy for the family to survive, and Fang Ning didn't want them to be wiped out entirely once again.

"Deal. Then what I said about sponsoring the village road construction still stands, right?"

"Hmm."

"Good. From now on, your people will be the ones buying the materials!"

"Fang Ning, don't you have any formidable weapons?"

Fang Ning raised an eyebrow.

He was starting to negotiate conditions again!

"When it comes to weapons, I could talk to you for three days and three nights and still not finish! But Young Master, even if I told you how to make those weapons, with the current scientific technology of Great Liang, they couldn't possibly be manufactured."

"Why?"

"Because many of the materials cannot be produced by you."

"Just how formidable are these weapons?"

"They should be called armaments, actually. A tiny bomb can raze the entire Changping County to the ground. Can you imagine that?"

Siu Yuheng scrutinized Fang Ning, trying to find any sign of boasting on her face.

Yet he could detect nothing at all.

This proved that what Fang Ning said was true!

Siu Yuheng remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "That is a miracle."

"It's not a miracle; it's the selfless dedication of countless people." Fang Ning sighed, paused, and then said with a serious expression, "Why am I even telling you this? Young Master, I don't like it when my partners constantly doubt me."

"It wasn't doubt, merely disbelief," Siu Yuheng denied.

If he had truly suspected her, Fang Ning would already be dead.

"Then just pretend I was bragging," Fang Ning said with a smile. "Alright, Young Master, after breakfast, I need to make a trip to the town."
"To buy what?"

"Cloth. After much thought, I still feel that chess pieces are best made out of cloth. Wood paint chips off easily, and using lacquer is bad for children—if they accidentally swallow it, that would be a huge problem."

"Why are you always teaching children how to play?"

This was the part Siu Yuheng could not comprehend.

"Because that was how my childhood went, so I hope they too can have happy and unforgettable memories. A childhood should look like a childhood. Young Master, wasn't your childhood happy?"

"I have already forgotten it."

Fang Ning gave him a look of pity: "Sigh, I understand."

Siu Yuheng felt his hair stand on end. What on earth was she pitying him for?

Seeing this, Fang Ning burst into hearty laughter.

Siu Yuheng walked past her with a completely expressionless face.

"Young Master, are you blushing?" Fang Ning poured fuel on the fire.

"Say one more nonsense word, and see if I don't throw you up onto the roof," Siu Yuheng said in a slightly chilling tone.

"I was just joking..."

Before Fang Ning could finish her sentence, Siu Yuheng's figure flickered, and he vanished right before her eyes.

Fang Ning: "..."

So what if you know martial arts lightness skills?

After breakfast, Fang Ning took Fang Ling and the other three young ones with her to the town.

Today was market day.

Siu Yuheng, who had originally intended to ignore Fang Ning, saw her taking four children who had never left Futian Village out to town, and ended up following along anyway.

He was still just a youth himself, so walking alongside them did not look particularly out of place.

"When we get to town in a moment, I'll hold Feifei's hand. Eldest Sister, Second Brother, Third Brother, you must all stick close to me, okay? There are a lot of people at the market," Fang Ning instructed them along the way.

Fang Ling and the others were extremely excited, as they had never been there before.

"Ningning, is the town fun? Are there lots of delicious things to eat?" Fang Hong had his heart entirely set on food.

"Then do you have any copper coins?"

"I do. Mother gave me ten copper coins to buy myself some food."

"I have them too," Fang Feifei raised her hand.

Fang Ling and Fang Yu also patted the copper coins hidden inside their clothes.

"Young Master, would you treat us to a meal at All-Flavor Tower later?" Fang Ning asked Siu Yuheng with a beaming smile.

"Alright."

Siu Yuheng didn't care about the cost of a single meal.

"Young Master, you're so kind," Fang Hong's eyes sparkled. "When I grow up, can I go work as a waiter at All-Flavor Tower?"

Fang Ning: "..."

She slapped him across the back of the head.

"Can't you be a bit more ambitious and become the owner instead?"

Fang Hong rubbed his struck head and pouted: "Being a waiter is great. You just serve tea and bring out dishes every day, and you get paid wages."

"Stay away from me. I don't want to admit I know you," Fang Ning gave him a sideways glance.

Fang Hong looked aggrieved: "Is being a waiter bad? I just want to be a floor runner."

"In a couple of years, I hope you won't say those words anymore," Fang Ning said solemnly. "It's not that being a waiter is lower than others, but a person should strive for higher things."

Fang Hong lowered his head and muttered, "Then what do you want to do?"

"I want to study, take the imperial examinations, enter officialdom, and become an official."

"B-become an official?"

"Yes."

Fang Hong drew in a sharp breath: "Can you even do that? I heard that Scholar Xu started studying at age five and only passed the exam to become a scholar at thirty-five. You're already ten years old; how long are you going to be studying?"

Fang Ning smiled faintly: "Do you believe that next year I'll pass the scholar examination and bring the title back?"

"Braggart!"

"We'll see."

...

Upon arriving in the town, Fang Ling and the other three were quickly captivated by the bustling liveliness of the market.

Fang Ning led them from one end of the town to the other, letting them sample every single street snack along the way.

Fang Ling was already thirteen years old and budding into a little beauty. Before long, she caught the eye of someone. Realizing that the companions accompanying Fang Ling were all children, the person began tailing them with the intention of snatching her away.

That man was Zhang Fu, a local bully in Shichuan Town. Relying on his family's wealth and the fact that his maternal uncle was a secretary to the county magistrate, he was notorious for bullying the market, committing all sorts of outrages, and ruining many commoner maidens.

Country folk were simple and honest; frightened by his threats of dragging them before the magistrate, they would swallow their bitterness and endure it in silence, which was why he remained unpunished and at large to this day.

The moment Fang Ling was targeted, Fang Ning noticed.

Zhang Fu's gaze filled Fang Ning with disgust.

"Young Master, who is that person following behind us? Do you know him?"

Siu Yuheng, much like Fang Ning, had spotted him long ago.

"Zhang Fu, the son of Squire Zhang in town."

"You mean that little bully?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I'm not going to do anything. I'm a good person."

"You?"

"Don't believe me? Then why don't you watch whether I make a move or not?"

Pausing for a moment, Fang Ning said to Fang Ling, "Eldest Sister, shall we go eat at All-Flavor Tower?"

"I'm not hungry anymore." Having eaten so many snacks, Fang Ling felt quite full and didn't want to go to All-Flavor Tower, lest she put Siu Yuheng to great expense.

She had a thin skin and disliked owing favors to others.

"But I'm hungry." Fang Ning rubbed her belly.

"I'm hungry too." Fang Hong had his heart set on eating at All-Flavor Tower and was determined not to miss this chance.

"Would this be improper?" Fang Ling glanced at Siu Yuheng and asked Fang Ning in a low voice.

"Well, he didn't feel embarrassed eating at our house, so why should we stand on ceremony? Right, Young Master?"

"Mm."

Siu Yuheng wanted to see how Fang Ning intended to deal with Zhang Fu.

Fang Yu and Fang Feifei wanted to go as well, so Fang Ling could no longer object.

Entering All-Flavor Tower, Fang Ling reserved a private room and asked Fang Ling to take off her outer garment and hand it to her.

"Ningning, I'm a young lady!" Hearing this, Fang Ling flushed crimson with anger, on the verge of tears. "How can you be so outrageous and bully me like this?"

Fang Ning pushed open the window, pointed outside, and said, "Look over there!"