Chapter 57: Schemes and Motives

Qingmei looked up at Yang Can, suddenly recalling a previous conversation between them.

"Manager Yang, you have consistently avoided taking action against Master Zhang’s immediate family. Was it to wait for them to make a move?"

"Precisely."

"But will they... actually make a move?"

"The Young Master and Zhang Yunyi have never been a father and son of filial piety and paternal love. If Zhang Yunyi remains alive, he poses a threat to the Young Master. By eliminating Zhang Yunyi, the Young Master secures his own chance of survival. He will take action."

"Their relationship is that terribly strained? Did the Leopard-Head tell you this?"

"No, Zhu Weipeng told me."

"Who is Zhu Weipeng?"

"He is a cook—a cook in Feng'an Fortress, and also Cheng Dakuan's brother-in-law."

"I see."

"As for that Zhang Xiaomi, he is Zhang Yunyi's uncle. In his younger days, Zhang Xiaomi was merely a desperate wanderer of the martial world. He didn't own an inch of land or a single tile of a roof, living a precarious existence from hand to mouth. Today, he has houses and fields, living a life of boundless joy, all thanks to the patronage of Zhang Yunyi after he made his fortune. However, in recent years, as Zhang Yunyi grew older and surrounded by children and grandchildren, he paid less attention to his uncle."

Yang Can said meaningfully, "There are some people in this world who truly embody the proverb: 'A handful of rice breeds gratitude, a bushel breeds enmity.' When you can no longer infinitely satisfy their demands, they will not remember your kindness; they will only hate you to the bone."

"I understand. Therefore, they will... certainly follow the path you have laid out for them, won't they?"

"Indeed!" (Yang Can snapped his fingers.) "I have already dug the irrigation canals for them, how could the water not flow?"

"Yet, will Zhang Yunyi follow your arrangements?"

"Zhang Yunyi has always regarded himself as the patriarch of the Zhang family. He is arbitrary, tyrannical, and overbearing, but he has also shouldered all the responsibilities of the Zhang family. The entire Zhang family is parasitic upon him, and he believes that every member of the Zhang family is deeply grateful to him. If he suddenly discovers that, in order to continue possessing all of this, the members of the Zhang family would not hesitate to murder him, what do you suppose Zhang Yunyi would think at that moment?"

Yang Can looked at Qingmei and smiled slightly, "There is a kind of emotion in this world known as: 'Deep love turns into bitter hatred.' Once extreme devotion and sacrifice are met with betrayal, it destroys far more than just trust. At that point, a person's emotions undergo an extreme transformation. He will doubt everything he has done in the past, everything he has sacrificed, everything he has gained... Consequently, he will thoroughly repudiate his former self."

Yang Can tilted his head, pondered for a moment, and smiled, "To use a simpler term to describe this transformation of his, I call it... 'Corrupted Darkening'!"

"Corrupted Darkening?"

"Precisely. Of course, should Master Zhang fail to reach this realization on his own, I shall kindly lend him a hand, guiding his successful descent into darkness, transforming the chrysalis into a butterfly."

What a terrifying... man!

The previous tactic of "pulling bricks from the pagoda" merely involved escalating pressure step by step until the opponent's psychological defenses were utterly shattered. That still fell within the realm of psychology, but now he had ascended to the understanding and manipulation of human nature.

Little Qingmei raised her hand, rubbed her nose with the back of her palm, and the corners of her lips curved up gently.

This bad man possessed not even the strength to truss a chicken, yet people's hearts were practically tied to him beyond release.

On the tall granite base, Yang Can pressed firmly against the stone platform with both hands and stood up straight and tall.

"Fire the sentry arrow!"

The granary was circular, with its foundation protruding outward by more than two feet, forming a walkway for people to walk on.

At Yang Can's command, Leopard-Head walked over from the base, nocked an arrow, and fired it straight up into the empty air.

The arrow plunged into the night sky, vanishing from sight instantly.

Yet the ghost-like, sharp whistling sound it emitted instantly pierced through the stillness of the night.

In the darkness, numerous hazy figures stood solemnly across the threshing floor.

These were the three hundred foot soldiers assembled there by Kang Zhengyang on standby.

Since everyone came from the same estate, Kang Zhengyang could not guarantee that none of them had been bought off by Zhang Yunyi. Therefore, after gathering them here, he issued no orders, simply waiting in the gloom without even lighting a torch.

Suddenly, a piercing whistle cleaved through the air, and two of Kang Zhengyang's trusted aides immediately lit torches.

The torches flared up abruptly, illuminating Kang Zhengyang's face.

With his hand resting on the hilt of his saber, Kang Zhengyang shouted in a stern, chilling voice, "Manager Yang, acting under the estate lord's command, is thoroughly investigating the affairs of Feng'an Estate. Now, some villains have been driven to desperation and intend to burn Manager Yang, Master Zhang, and all the stewards to death. All of you, obey my command now! The first and second squads, follow your squad leaders to secure all exits of the estate. Allow people in, but no one out! Anyone who tries to force their way through is to be executed on the spot!"

The squad leaders under his command were not as difficult to manage as Leopard-Head's subordinates. While Leopard-Head was indeed glorious when serving as the chief of bodyguards, he operated under the estate lord's direct gaze and faced severe restrictions. On the other hand, the commanders of the estate's foot soldiers had to be granted genuine authority, otherwise appointing them would be pointless. Therefore, the foot soldier commanders wielded absolute power over the estate's troops.

The squad leaders under Kang Zhengyang were either his brothers or his relatives. At worst, they were loyal followers who had stood by him for years. Kang Zhengyang wielded them as smoothly as moving his own fingers.

"Third squad, follow me!"

Kang Zhengyang drew his ring-pommel saber and shouted sharply, "Follow me to Feng'an Fortress and secure all exits!"

While the signal arrow shrieked through the night sky, the ambushers from the Su family made their move.

They ran out with looks of feigned panic, shouting at the top of their lungs as they sprinted, "Fire! There's a fire! Don't let the flames spread!"

This act created a false impression among the guards and martial artists who had first set the fire and then pretended to put it out: These people had come to fight the fire.

Consequently, they lowered their guard completely.

As a result, these Su family guards showed no martial virtue whatsoever. Charging right up to their targets without a word, they drew their blades and struck.

"Kill!"

"Puff!"

Sharp blades slashed toward the unsuspecting guards and martial artists.

Blood splattered before the martial artists realized something was amiss. But by the time they hastily mounted a defense, nearly half of their number had already been hacked to death.

"Kill, kill, kill!"

These Su family guards had been dispatched to Su Chanzhi by the Su family. The Su family had counted on utilizing Su Chanzhi, the young mistress of the main branch, to infiltrate the Yu family. Naturally, the personnel assigned to her were of exceptional caliber.

Compared to the estate guards of Feng'an Fortress, the martial prowess of these Su family guards was only superior, never inferior.

Outnumbering their foes, possessing superior martial arts, and seizing the initiative, how could the Zhang household guards possibly fend them off?

While the Su family guards dealt lethal blows with every stroke, Leopard-Head rushed over with more men and plunged into the fray.

With the addition of this fresh reinforcement, the morale of the Su family guards soared even higher. Like slicing melons and vegetables, they swiftly slaughtered the dozen or so Zhang family guards until none remained.

The estate guards that Zhang Yunyi had painstakingly cultivated were now reduced to a mere handful of stragglers. A batch of them had been wiped out by Qingmei on the road to Fenghuang Estate, and another batch had now been slaughtered by Leopard-Head and his men at the fire scene.

The Zhang family members who had rushed over to fight the fire turned pale with fright at the flashing swords and glinting blades.

They dared neither flee nor fight back, standing rigidly in place, one by one.

At that moment, the Young Master of the Zhang family rushed over, making a great fuss.

He was naturally boisterous by nature, and now, driven by a guilty conscience, his reactions were exceptionally dramatic.

"Put out the fire, quick! Father! My father is still inside the fire! Father... my dear... huh?"

The Young Master had deliberately neglected to put on his shoes. Dressed only in his undergarments, barefoot, with his hair disheveled, he had hurried over in a flurry.

Yet his mournful wails screeched to an abrupt halt the moment he saw a Su family guard wiping blood off the sole of his boot with a blade.

"Wh-what is happening here?"

The Young Master’s expression changed as he asked, sensing a vague wrongness in the air.

He spoke while slowly retreating, then suddenly spun around, intending to leave.

A large hand suddenly reached out from beside him, blocking his path.

Leopard-Head grinned broadly, "Young Master Zhang, your esteemed father’s fate remains unknown. Where are you off to?"

...

The massive fire at the Zhang estate shocked the entire Feng'an Estate.

However, the villagers found it difficult to participate in rescue efforts because they were barred from entering the Zhang manor at night. Moreover, many among them had only come out of reluctant obligation—who among them possessed the inclination to risk their lives for Master Zhang?

Not to mention that Kang Zhengyang had already locked down Feng'an Fortress to prevent anyone from fishing in troubled waters.

Fortunately, when the manor was constructed, fire prevention measures had been fully considered. Large, independent courtyards were separated from one another by high walls, effectively serving as firebreaks.

By dawn, the guest quarters in the left courtyard had been burned to a white wasteland.

Along with them, three granaries separated only by a wall had also been reduced to ashes.

Those three granaries were precisely the storehouses where Zhang Yunyi and the various stewards had been detained.

The entire east wing of the guest quarters had turned completely to ash.

The ashes on the ground appeared white, but whenever a faint breeze blew, a hint of reddish glow would rise from them.

Once approached, the temperature remained exceptionally high.

Even with wet towels pressed over mouths and noses, it was difficult to endure such a harsh environment for long.

Therefore, the members of the Zhang family could only stand outside this desolate wasteland.

Some wept bitterly, some wailed aloud, and some cursed furiously, yet none dared to approach.

Zhang Xiaomi arrived tremblingly, leaning on his walking stick.

He had already witnessed the towering flames over Feng'an Estate from his home, naturally assuming that the grand scheme had succeeded.

Yet dawn had broken, and not even one of his three grandsons had returned to report the news.

Unable to contain his impatience any longer, the old man leaned on his cane and hurried over personally.

By this time, Feng'an Fortress had been completely secured by Yang Can's men.

Having received notification from Yang Can, Kang Zhengyang permitted the estate's villagers to enter and leave the fortress. Consequently, before the fire scene, not only members of the Zhang family were present, but also numerous commoners of Feng'an Estate.

"What is the meaning of this? Where is Yunyi? Is our master unharmed?"

Arriving with trembling steps, Zhang Xiaomi immediately asked with anxious urgency.

Scanning the area with his aged eyes, he felt a surge of secret delight upon noticing that three large granaries were missing from the storage zone.

It seemed the great undertaking had succeeded. Using so many lives as sacrifices to the heavens meant this calamity had finally been averted.

Master Zhang's wives, concubines, and children were paralyzed with anxiety.

Upon seeing the eldest surviving patriarch of the family arrive, they felt as though they had found their backbone and immediately swarmed toward him.

Meanwhile, Master Zhang—whose inner demons had been successfully elicited by Yang Can, leaving him thoroughly corrupted and dark—was also making his way toward this spot from the direction of the granaries...