Waste 07

What are you afraid of? It is only two hundred thousand taels of silver, and the Fang family is still around. Hearing his subordinate's report, Zhang Shizu did not care at all.

Another young noble looked shrewd. I just want to know what exactly he is smuggling that is so valuable.

It is best you do not know, and it is best I do not know either.

What do you mean?

A business with this kind of profit margin is probably... Zhang Shizu made a gesture, and the others' eyes widened in realization.

But it is none of our business. We are just investing money, Zhang Shizu said smugly. Besides, you all know the Fang family offended the Emperor. It is good for all of us to rake in as much as we can right now.

The crowd suddenly understood.

Let him do the beheading-worthy work; we just need to reap the ready-made rewards.

Fang Zhiyi, who had disappeared for a few days, showed up again, once more to notify them about dividing the profits.

Looking at their principal and the handsome profits, these second-generation nobles became excited. Someone immediately decided to add to their investment on the spot, but Fang Zhiyi refused. He said he was very tired and needed to rest.

The less anxious he was, the more anxious they became. Furthermore, the confidentiality they had originally agreed upon quickly leaked and spread within their circles. As a result, the next time Fang Zhiyi announced he was moving goods, almost all the second-generation nobles in the capital showed up.

Fang Zhiyi immediately stated that it was not a matter of the more money the better; there was only so much stock available. He then started driving people away right then and there.

However, when night fell, Zhang Shizu came secretly and threw down two million taels in bank notes. He had opened his family's treasury without permission and stolen it.

He was closely followed by another, then a third, a fourth...

Everyone was afraid that there would be no shares left by the time it was their turn.

Seeing Fang Zhiyi accept the money with a troubled expression, they actually breathed a sigh of relief.

Fang Zhiyi also made it very clear that it would take a bit longer this time, and he had to wait until his younger brother's wedding was over before setting off. It was perfectly reasonable, and no one raised any objections.

On the day of Fang Congyun's wedding, although both the Fang and Jian families sent out invitations, not many guests attended. After all, many people had learned that the Fang family had offended the Emperor.

No one wanted to implicate themselves at a time like this.

The desolate wedding scene was somewhat unacceptable to the proud and favored Fang Congyun. He did not understand how he had suddenly ended up getting married, and he understood even less why the Fang family seemed to be teetering on the edge of ruin.

After thinking it over, he blamed everything on Fang Zhiyi.

When he saw the shy and blushing Jian Xiaoyu, Fang Congyun felt no emotion at all, even a hint of disgust.

Fang Zhiyi was number one on his hate list, and this woman was number two. Who told you to blurt out everything in front of so many people?

The dreary wedding banquet ended. The two happiest people there were Fang Zhiyi and Jian Xiaoyu.

When Fang Zhiyi called her sister-in-law, Jian Xiaoyu laughed so hard she trembled like a flowering branch.

Meanwhile, looking at Fang Zhiyi's completely nonchalant demeanor, Father Fang nearly ground his teeth to dust. Just recently, this unfilial son had asked the family for a lot of money, claiming he was going into business, but he had not brought back a single cent in profit.

The more he looked at Fang Zhiyi now, the more his heart filled with murderous intent.

The next day, Fang Zhiyi left the capital with Peng Huan'er. Before leaving, he made a point to notify the shareholders. The second-generation nobles were all thrilled. Thinking about how they would soon hold their heads high at home, they could hardly suppress the joy on their faces. They had all agreed that once they made a killing on this deal, they would tell their families that they were not just useless dependents waiting to die!

Father Fang actually breathed a sigh of relief at Fang Zhiyi's voluntary departure.

He had already made up his mind: he would find a sparsely populated place and beat this unfilial son into a cripple! Especially to ensure his mouth could never spout nonsense again!

A day after Fang Zhiyi set out, Father Fang also made an excuse to leave the house.

He had already sent someone to tail Fang Zhiyi, waiting until he was further away before making a move. Along the way, he followed the trail of marks. As a martial cultivator, his speed was much faster than an ordinary person's.

But when he arrived at the location of his informant, he was completely stunned.

Where is he?

Master, he, he, they, they fell down. The informant pointed at the cliff in front of them.

Fell down? He looked at the informant with some suspicion.

The informant's heart tightened. He did not dare say that he had lost track of them until he heard someone scream, and by the time he rushed over, he only saw the carriage falling off the cliff.

Yes, I saw it with my own eyes! They fell down!

Facing the furious Master Fang, the informant chose the best possible answer.

Go down and search!

Yes!

After spending a day and a night, they finally found a shattered carriage at the bottom of the cliff. It looked as though the horse had been spooked and broken free of the carriage's restraints, causing the carriage to tumble uncontrollably. There were also two unrecognizable corpses, and... the ring bestowed by the Emperor.

It was a ring forged from profound crystal, exceptionally sturdy.

Fang Kui stared blankly for a moment, then turned and walked away. He had not expected that even the heavens could not stand it anymore, and that unfilial son had fallen to his death.

This certainly saved him a lot of trouble. Fang Kui's expression suddenly relaxed considerably.

However, when he returned to the capital, he found many people constantly sizing him up, and some even looked at him with profound disgust.

This left Fang Kui somewhat bewildered. When he stepped into his home, intending to tell his younger son and wife about the matter, Mother Fang ran out in terror. Master! You, you killed Zhiyi?

Huh? Fang Kui was taken aback.

It has spread all over the capital that you went to hunt down and kill Zhiyi...

At this moment, several imperial guards approached from behind.

Fang Kui, the Emperor wishes to see you.

Fang Kui followed them away in a daze. Behind him was a despairing Mother Fang; it was obvious she still had things left unsaid.

Looking at the Emperor sitting upright before him, Fang Kui inexplicably felt his legs go weak. As he stepped inside, the hall was already packed with people. The great noble families of the capital all glared at him with fierce intent as he entered.

This made Fang Kui unable to comprehend what was happening. Was it because Fang Zhiyi was dead? That was not right. He was not even sad about the death of his own son, so why were they all jumping up and down in a frenzy?

Your Majesty, your subject is here.

The Emperor slowly raised his head. Fang Kui. He did not call him Old Fang; this form of address made Fang Kui's heart tighten.

The surrounding patriarchs of the noble families began to clamor. The Emperor merely cast a sweeping glance, and they all fell silent.

I ask you, where is Fang Zhiyi?

Fang Kui was startled, then told the truth. That unfilial son of mine, that unfilial son... His carriage lost control and plunged off the mountain road. He himself had no battle aura, so he died. His face was full of grief; even if he had to fake it, he needed to put on a sorrowful appearance.

What a convenient loss of control! the Emperor sneered. Then how did you know the carriage lost control?

I, I... Fang Kui was somewhat speechless.

He fell off a cliff ahead of you, and you immediately knew about it. Is it really such a coincidence?

I...

Someone suddenly spoke up. Fang Kui, it has spread all over the capital! You harbored resentment because your son reported your arrogant and rebellious words to His Majesty, and so you formed murderous intent toward him! You left the city precisely to kill your own son, isn't that right!

Fang Kui was terrified. How is that possible!