However, his work only lasted two days before he was seized by the soldiers and thrown into the county jail's dungeon.
The reason was that someone had seen him kill a man.
Nian'an remembered that man, and his heart instantly turned cold.
In truth, the man had frozen to death, but since someone had witnessed him fighting with the man, he was naturally pinned with the blame.
He felt this winter was bitterly cold, and once again, resentment towards the West Suburb welled up within him.
In contrast, Lin Yanqing was wrapped in thick furs, warming herself by the fire. From behind the screen came the voices of her father, Lin Kunyuan, conversing with the County Magistrate.
"That piece of land, I wish to acquire it to expand my business..."
"But I've heard that recently, that so-called Mianyue Brothel has become quite famous, with those lottery tickets. Quite a few people in the city are buying them."
"Magistrate Hu, although that place is a refugee settlement, it still falls under your jurisdiction, does it not?"
"But those people... they are all vicious characters. If this official wishes to do something, he must have some substantial evidence, no?"
"Eliminate evil completely, for the sake of the people—isn't that reason enough?" Lin Yanqing could listen no longer and rushed out from behind the screen.
The County Magistrate was taken aback.
Lin Kunyuan frowned. "Outrageous! When the Magistrate and I are speaking, what right do you have to interrupt? Go inside!"
"But it's only right! When dealing with those bullies who oppress the common people, what use is reasoning? Don't tell me you're actually afraid of those villains?" Lin Yanqing felt she was entirely in the right.
Magistrate Hu felt somewhat awkward. He truly was afraid—a man only has one life. If he were to arrest people without evidence and those fierce refugees resisted, trouble would surely ensue.
"Enough! Magistrate Hu, my apologies. My daughter is truly unruly." Lin Kunyuan offered his apologies.
Lin Yanqing pouted. "Fine, I'll leave. You're no better than me. That son of Fang Zhiyi followed me around, and didn't I turn my back on him without a second thought?"
At these words, Magistrate Hu's eyes widened, and Lin Kunyuan also exclaimed in surprise, "What did you say?"
Lin Yanqing turned back, puzzled, her face full of confusion. "What? What do you mean?"
Nian'an never expected that just as he was about to freeze to death, the jailer took him out. Facing the Magistrate's interrogation, Nian'an's mind was now solely focused on survival, so he poured out everything he knew.
"Are you willing to atone for your crime by performing a meritorious service?" The Magistrate squinted at this young man.
Nian'an nodded repeatedly, then asked, "Doing what?"
The Magistrate smiled. "Identify Fang Zhiyi as the one who robbed official grain! Oppressing the people, wreaking havoc in the region!"
Nian'an was stunned for a moment, then nodded without hesitation. "Of course I'm willing! For justice! For the people!"
The Magistrate looked at him, thinking to himself, This kid is even more shameless than I am.
But never mind. With this kid's testimony, he could request some manpower from his superiors to assist in the arrest, which would make things much safer.
Lin Yanqing never expected to see Nian'an again, and in her own home, no less.
"You... you scoundrel! What are you doing here again?" she exclaimed, agitated.
Lin Kunyuan remained silent. Nian'an hurriedly explained, "Listen to me! Qing'er!"
This form of address made Lin Kunyuan glance at him sideways from where he stood.
Nian'an didn't notice, only anxiously continuing his explanation.
"Listen to me."
"I won't listen, I won't listen."
"Let me explain."
"I won't listen, I won't listen."
Heavy snow fell.
The Magistrate needed to submit a document to his superior explaining the situation, then await reinforcements before taking action. Coupled with the heavy snow, the operation was essentially postponed until after spring.
Nian'an was driven by the steward to live in the stable. Unbeknownst to him, his behavior was observed by Lin Kunyuan. Unlike the original course of events, this time he had committed violence in public, making him just as vicious as Fang Zhiyi. Then, to save his own skin, he betrayed his sworn father. Therefore, Lin Kunyuan did not think highly of him; instead, he guarded against him as if he were a thief.
Fortunately, Lin Yanqing forgave him, especially when she heard he was going to turn against his own kin for the greater good. Lin Yanqing was delighted.
Fang Zhiyi held a warming brazier, reclining on a lounge chair. The expanded main hall was filled with many people. Some were drinking and eating meat, others playing cards or finger-guessing games. At several tables, groups of girls chatted and laughed merrily. While entertaining guests with conversation and poetry, they had to maintain a certain decorum, but now during their break, they had all become much livelier.
Someone opened the main door, letting in a gust of cold wind. Everyone glanced over but then returned to their amusements.
That person hurried to Fang Zhiyi. "Big Brother, the snow is too thick. The roads are blocked."
Fang Zhiyi nodded. This way, they would have enough time.
"Let the music play on! Let the dancing continue!"
The hall erupted in jubilation.
Winter passed quickly. That winter, the West Suburb created a miracle. While dozens had frozen to death in the city, not a single person in the West Suburb died that winter. During the coldest days, Fang Zhiyi had arranged for the residents to be grouped, several households together in one room. This arrangement conserved firewood and crushed charcoal while also pooling body heat for warmth.
Except for one fool who sealed the doors and windows, nearly killing himself and his neighbor's entire family. Fortunately, the patrol noticed something amiss, averting the tragedy.
On the day the snow began to melt, Fang Zhiyi sent out a letter and continued planning the year's arrangements, including holding mobilization and production meetings for his subordinates and resident representatives.
The Magistrate also made his move. As the snow melted, he sent out his request for troops.
Right at the start of the year, the Mianyue Brothel had a joyous event. A young gentleman from a wealthy family was determined to marry one of the brothel's girls, even going so far as to seek out Fang Zhiyi. Fang Zhiyi merely asked for the girl's opinion, then took the young man into the back hall. No one knew what they discussed, but when they emerged, the young man looked hesitant. However, upon seeing the girl again, his resolve solidified.
"I want to marry her!"
He declared resolutely.
Fang Zhiyi led the applause, and everyone joined in. Fang Zhiyi had simply told him about the Mianyue Brothel's past. Such matters couldn't be hidden; anyone who inquired diligently could find out. He had no desire to be a deceiver.
Starting from that day, a new wall appeared in the Mianyue Brothel. At the very top were written two names—the newlywed couple's names, written by their own hands.
Fang Zhiyi's meaning was clear: If you want to live your lives together, then live them well. Your names are right here for all to see. The Mianyue Brothel's reputation is growing. If the two of you fight all the time, then prepare to be shamed before all the talented scholars and beauties of the land.
Soon after, another girl married a scholar as his concubine. Fang Zhiyi did not intervene. This was the way of the times. After separately inquiring about both parties' thoughts, Fang Zhiyi simply nodded. He wasn't their father; he couldn't control everything.
Right after this event concluded, someone came running, panting heavily, to report.
"Master Fang! It's bad! A large group of government soldiers is heading towards the West Suburb!"
Instantly, the surroundings fell silent.
Fang Zhiyi slowly stood up, touching the scar on his face. "Heh, we have guests."
Chen Huaimin's face was grim. He had long been worried. Now that the West Suburb was developing so well, it was bound to attract the attention of the powerful and wealthy.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
