Chapter 236: Killing in a fit of rage
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"I said, make sure he..." The soldier unconsciously turned to his back. He realized that there was a youth standing by his side.
The youth was dressed in a blue long-sleeved shirt. He still looked quite immature and couldn't be more than 15 or 16 years old.
He had been staying in the Northern Mountain Village for more than a month but he had never seen this youth. This youth must be the "Zhengzhi" the villagers have been talking about.
Why would he be by my side all of a sudden?
He was clearly at the perimeter of the square just moments ago.
There were at least a few hundred meters between the edge and the middle of the square. More importantly, the square was filled with tables and villagers.
How did he manage to get here so quickly...
Just as the soldier was preparing to bellow, he felt his throat contract. When he looked down, he saw a hand gripping his neck. Then, he felt his legs lift off the ground.
This made him immensely uncomfortable. He was finding it difficult to breathe.
He wanted to move, but he was completely immobilized. He felt like there was an invisible force restricting his every movement. He could not even blink.
"Stop that!" The commander stood up ferociously and put his hand up. His face was flushed from all the drinking, but his eyes were filled with anger.
His hand was placed on the hilt of his sword. He was threatening to pull it out at any moment.
"Zheng Er, don't do it!" Qin Xuelian was completely shocked by the scene unfolding before her eyes.
"Ah, Zheng Er... release him quickly. Don't interfere in this. I am tough and can take a beating!" Fang Houde shouted from the side.
"Zhengzhi!" Zhang Yangping also chimed in. He quickly turned to the commander, "General Wang, this is a misunderstanding. Zhengzhi has just returned and doesn't know anything. I have some silver that I will use to procure better wine for you all. Please be merciful and let Zhengzhi off..."
"Uncle Yangping!" Fang Zhengzhi interrupted Zhang Yangping as he tightened his grip.
The soldier who was suspended in the air turned pale as his lips turned purple. His eyes were bloodshot and looked like they were about to pop out at any second. He was being asphyxiated.
"Young man, how dare you go against the army?" The commander looked on at his suffocating subordinate and tightened his grip on his sword hilt.
At this point, a white figure walked out from behind Fang Zhengzhi and approached Qin Xuelian and Fang Houde. It was Chi Guyan.
"Hello uncle and auntie!" Chi Guyan bowed slightly to Fang Houde and Qin Xuelian, almost like she was greeting her elders.
This seemed very normal to the people of the Northern Mountain Village.
However, if people who knew Chi Guyan saw it, they would be completely awestruck. Since when did the arrogant Chi Guyan ever bow to anyone?
This was something that even the Emperor did not have the privilege of experiencing.
"Ah? It's Guyan... you're here too? Ask Zhengzhi to put that man down!" Qin Xuelian looked at Chi Guyan in shock and embarrassment.
She was a guest who had travelled a great distance to be here. Furthermore, she was a guest that Qin Xuelian liked. It was quite an embarrassment to her for Chi Guyan to witness this.
"No worries, just let him settle this. Uncle, Auntie, let me accompany you over there." Chi Guyan pulled Qin Xuelian by the arm and led her to the side.
Qin Xuelian did not really understand what Chi Guyan was saying. However, she trusted Chi Guyan. She did not want to leave, but she was pulled to the side by Chi Guyan.
"Who are you?!" For the first time ever, the commander was being ignored. He was completely furious at being ignored by two people at the same time.
"Is it important?" Fang Zhengzhi replied.
"Oh please, if my guess is correct, you must be the little boy who passed the provincial examinations? I never expected you to be so young. Even so, do you know what you're doing now? Going against the army is the equivalent of rebelling! If you let the man go now and kowtow to us in apology, I will forget that this ever happened!"
The commander's eyes glowed icily. He knew that there was a youth who had passed the provincial examinations. But, so what?
They were ordered to set up camp at the Northern Mountain Village. They were in charge of the logistics at Cang Ling Mountain. Their orders had come from the headquarters. Who was this young man to question the army?
The army was a powerful entity!
"Kowtow and apologize?" Fang Zhengzhi smirked as his grip tightened even more. "You are merely taking advantage of your position in the army to bully the villagers. Scum like you deserve to be executed!"
"Executed?! Hahaha... you won't be so audacious! He is a soldier of the Great Xia Dynasty. Even if you passed the Imperial Examinations and was made an official, killing a soldier of the Great Xia Dynasty is punishable by death!" The commander chuckled icily.
He could feel the iciness in Fang Zhengzhi's voice. However, he did not believe that a youth fresh out of the provincial examinations would dare to kill a soldier.
"Zhengzhi, don't be brash!" When Zhang Yangping heard what Fang Zhengzhi said, he was completely stunned. He could understand what Fang Zhengzhi was feeling.
He must be enraged seeing his parents being bullied.
However, he would destroy his future if he killed this soldier. He was the pride and hope of the Northern Mountain Village. Zhang Yangping was not going to stand idly by and watch him destroy his own future.
All of the other villagers were in chaos. Fang Zhengzhi was only right to protect Qin Xuelian and Fang Houde. However, he was going against the Great Xia Dynasty Army.
He was going against a military order.
If Fang Zhengzhi really killed the soldier, what was going to happen to them?
"Let him go!"
"If you don't let him go, we will deal with you severely!"
All of the soldiers bellowed. They did not believe that Fang Zhengzhi would kill a soldier in a fit of anger.
Fang Zhengzhi was furious. However, having come from a peaceful world before, killing was always difficult for him. It was something that he did not want to do.
Right now, he did not think of killing the soldier either.
However, when he looked at the tables around him, the wave of fury consumed him.
He saw that the main table was given wine and meat, whilst the other tables were given measly dishes.
The dishes were clearly of different standards.
The discrimination was clear.
He had never felt such pure, unadulterated rage...
Everyone was supposed to be equal, but was that the case? In the face of the soldiers, the villagers were all prey, having to give up the best that they had to the soldiers.
They also had to be thankful for the 'privileges' that the soldiers accorded to them.
How ironic.
"This boy has an intent to rebel. He has attacked a soldier, capture him!" The commander laughed icily seeing that Fang Zhengzhi had ignored them. This fella dares to defy the army just because he passed the provincial exams?
Upon hearing the order, dozens of soldiers leapt into action.
All of them attacked Fang Zhengzhi.
Each soldier held a sword in his hand. Each of their swords glimmered with an icy glow. Their form of capture involved a vicious beating before handing Fang Zhengzhi over to the military courts.
They were too close.
The moment they took out their swords, the tip was already at Fang Zhengzhi's eyes.
Fang Zhengzhi had many ways to block their attack.
However, upon considering the views of the villagers, he suppressed his anger and subconsciously stepped back.
He also released his grip on the soldier.
Little did he expect that the soldier would lunge towards him, sword drawn, immediately after he was released.
Fang Zhengzhi suddenly remembered a phrase.
Nice people finish last!
He had only wanted to teach these bullies a lesson. However, he never expected that they would want to kill him when he did not want to kill them.
"Die!" Fang Zhengzhi could not hold it in any longer. In fact, he did not see a need to hold it in any longer.
A few hours ago, Fang Zhengzhi had met a similar problem at Huai An County.
He had barged through the blockade. He should have been beheaded there and then.
At that time, he had asked for Chi Guyan's opinion. However, this time, he did not. There was no need to.
Everyone had a pressure point.
Fang Zhengzhi included. His pressure point was Fang Houde, Qin Xuelian, and the Northern Mountain Village.
He could not stand idly by as his family and fellow villagers were bullied. No child in the world would watch his or her parents get bullied without doing anything.
Kill!
In that instant, Fang Zhengzhi moved forward.
His hand was outstretched.
"Snap!" A crisp sound rang out.
The soldier who was being strangled stared at Fang Zhengzhi. He had never expected that Fang Zhengzhi would have the audacity to kill him! Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had done it so openly and without hesitation.
He was a member of the Great Xia Dynasty Army!
He was a subordinate of the general!
Where did someone who had not even become an official get this courage from?!
He could not figure it out. However, his neck was already broken. He could no longer breathe and the life slowly faded from his eyes. Finally, his head cocked to one side and his eyes rolled into his head...
Fang Zhengzhi released his grip.
The soldier's body crumpled to the ground. His body was faced towards Qin Xuelian as it fell.
This was the second time Fang Zhengzhi had killed.
The first time was when he had used the Traceless Sword to kill Ying Shan. He had no choice then. This was the first time he had made a conscious decision to kill.
However, he had no regrets.
In that instant, all of the attacking soldiers stood rooted to the ground. Even the commander himself was in disbelief. Fang Zhengzhi had the audacity to antagonize the army?
He even killed a soldier?!
All of the villagers were stunned by what they saw.
"Zhengzhi killed someone!"
"He killed a soldier!"
"What are we going to do?!"
All of the villagers were at a loss.
The commander was furious.
"Shing!"
With a swift pull, he drew his blade. Never in his life had he been humiliated this way. Furthermore, he was being humiliated by a 15 year old.
"Shing!"
"Shing!"
"..."
All of the other soldiers drew their blades as their commander drew his. All of their eyes were filled with anger and shock.
They were taken aback by Fang Zhengzhi's actions.
Actions and words were completely two different things.
Fang Zhengzhi may have said it, but no one believed that he would do it. No one thought that he would kill a soldier in the face of hundreds more. Could anyone be more audacious?
"How dare you rebel!" The commander bellowed. He knew that there was no point asking Fang Zhengzhi to kowtow and apologize. The army's reputation and prowess must not be damaged.
If a teenager who had just passed the provincial examinations could kill a soldier in a fit of rage, what was the army for?
Now that Fang Zhengzhi had killed, he had to find a way to pin a charge on Fang Zhengzhi that would ensure his execution. Rebellion! That was the most severe charge!