novelExecution In The Courtyard
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Chapter 165: Execution In The Courtyard
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
This room in the living quarters was chosen by Ping Yang because it was only a courtyard away from the birthday banquet location.
This room was specifically selected by her. The purpose for the distance was so that when Fang Zhengzhi screamed in pain, she would throw open the doors.
So when Ping Yang was wailing in trauma within the room, those guests sitting down at the banquet could hear everything.
For example, King Duan, Lin Xingjue. Another one was the Chief Imperial Messenger of the Imperial Academy, Han Changfeng.
Even Chi Guyan who was studying in another courtyard could hear Ping Yang's cries. Those starry eyes looked towards Ping Yang's room in curiosity.
"That shameless thief... What did he do to Ping Yang now?"
Her first thought was Ping Yang probably suffered some misfortune orchestrated by Fang Zhengzhi. This was within the realms of her predictions. It was just that what kind of misfortune caused Ping Yang to cry out in such distress?
When King Duan and Han Changfeng heard Ping Yang's voice, they swiftly shared a glance. Both could see the killing intent radiating in the other's eyes.
As for the other guests, all eyes were on the opposite living quarters.
There, they could see in the courtyard in the living quarters was covered with kneeling guards, handmaidens and servants.
They did not know what was going on.
But...
They did indeed hear the princess shouting, "Fang Zhengzhi, I'm going to kill you!"
Therefore, their eyes naturally focused on the young man clad in a blue changshan, who was currently standing at the door to the living quarters. That man was Fang Zhengzhi.
...
The Fang Zhengzhi that just escaped from the living quarters also heard that exclamation. He was really curious. Who exactly was that lady in the room?
Why did she know his name?
Did he know her?
As he was thinking about this, he once again tried to recall the image of the lady in the room. He could not shake off the feeling that he met her before. Those eyes that were as clear as spring water seemed especially familiar.
Of course, Fang Zhengzhi did not have the time to ponder on such matters.
A more pressing issue was emerging in front of him.
He saw the courtyard full of handmaidens, guards and servants.
These people were definitely not kneeling for him.
Then...
There was only one other possibility. They were kneeling for the lady within that room.
This deduction was simple. After wandering around Yan Capital for the past few days, he realised that the people in this world had a strong belief in their caste system ideals.
Remembering what happened at the front gate, when the lady dropped from her horse, every one of them was unusually startled. After the lady ran towards the living quarters, all chased like their lives depended on it.
At that time, he did not think much of it. He simply assumed that the acrobat lady was embarrassed after falling off her horse. Those handmaidens were probably just busy preparing for the banquet.
Thinking back on it, suddenly, he achieved some clarity on the situation.
That lady was not an acrobat. She was the true mistress of the Ping Yang Residence!
That was the only explanation for what was happening in front of him.
Therefore the exact situation must be that after these people saw the lady fell from her horse and getting drenched, they chased after her in total panic. After reaching the living quarters, they all kneeled down, not daring to get up.
They did not immediately disperse after this.
Such a pose and practice meant that all these people were waiting for the punishment for their failure of protecting their mistress.
The mistress fell down in her own courtyard?
As her attendants, they failed to protect her at a critical moment.
This was the crime!
In this world, even if it was due to the mistress' own carelessness that she fell off the horse, the servants and handmaidens would still kneel for forgiveness. The purpose of this was to take responsibility for the mishaps that befell their mistress.
This was the separation between the low-class and the high-class.
Fang Zhengzhi was not fond of this caste society. In this kind of society, even the best servants might lose their lives because of their master's displeasure.
There was no need for a reason.
Similarly, he was someone born to mountain villagers.
Despite the raw talent that he might possess, those noble families and high ranking officials would never recognise him. They were more fond of those of equal standing as them. It was an arrogance that seeped into their bones.
Never will there ever be someone in the noble family that would declare that a mountain villager was of equal standing.
Just like how humans view dogs. No matter how smart a dog is. It is but a dog. To humans, it would just be a very smart dog. They would never treat it like a human.
In the eyes of those noble families, mountain villagers born in poverty was no different than a dog.
Different eras create different worlds.
Fang Zhengzhi understood this law. The Southern Mountain Village's former Village Chief Meng Bai and Li Zhuangshi also understood this law, that was why they fought tooth and nail trying to get into the Law of Dao Examinations.
They want to fight against their own fate.
Through the Law of Dao Examinations, enter the Imperial Halls, to rise above all men!
Of course, Fang Zhengzhi's mindset was different from Li Zhuangshi and such people. He understood this law but that did not mean he approved of it. The competitive Imperial Halls were filled with sinister intentions, and there was darkness within the Official Courts.
Those are not something that he needed to experience to understand.
Therefore...
From the beginning, Fang Zhengzhi's plan was to pass the Law of Dao Examinations, get one of the so-called "titles" in this world, find a wife and live out the rest of his life back at home in peace.
An easygoing and relaxing life.
These had always been his dream. For the sake of this dream, he needed a lot of things. For example, money...
However, now he was faced with a problematic situation.
His life might be a forfeit.
Because...
After the voice rang out from the room, Fang Zhengzhi could see those guards that were kneeling suddenly stood up in unison. Following after this was a "Shiiing!", a crisp and synchronized sound of swords being drawn.
The cold unforgiving swords shimmered under the sun.
Fang Zhengzhi's first thought was to run.
However, this thought was extinguished just as fast as it bubbled out because other than the guards within the courtyard, outside of here were even more of them pouring in like ants.
Those guards wore the same as the guards within the courtyard but their weapon was different. On their backs were quivers full of arrows with pure white fletchings.
"Shua!"
The whole unit's bowstring sounded off.
In a blink of an eye, three rows of archers that their bow's pulled fully. The courtyard walls and gates were all occupied by even more archers.
Too fast...
Almost as if these soldiers were already outside prepared for this. This change of scene was unbelievably quick. Furthermore, these soldiers' training was famous for being intricately complex.
The atmosphere was suffocating. The killing intent in the air permeated the air like a sea of fog.
In the distance, the roaring of footsteps could be heard. It was clear that reinforcements were rapidly heading in this direction.
What Fang Zhengzhi did not know was that these guards were already prepared in advance by Ping Yang.
It was just that the situation did not go according to plan. Originally, these guards were supposed to grab him from the room after he jumped out of the bathtub, and serve him a few hard paddlings in front of the guests.
But now...
Their mission now was to surround and execute Fang Zhengzhi.
Fang Zhengzhi was in the dark about this but he knew that even with this Heavenly Reflection State power, trying to escape from this was all but nought.
...
Those officials and noble family members sitting down at the banquet had an unobstructed view to all of this.
Yet, no one stepped forward or even moved from their seats. They were all used to such rapid transformations of a scene because they too had such an amount of soldiers in their own residences.
Although their soldiers were not as highly trained as the Ranger Squad.
This did not affect their boisterous mood at all.
Everyone had their own thoughts about the current situation. They suddenly remembered the rumours not too long ago. Princess Ping Yang was ordering people to send silver taels every day.
Now...
She wanted Fang Zhengzhi dead.
Was she purposely luring him into Ping Yang Residence with silver taels?
With the power that Ping Yang Princess had, was it necessary for her to spend so much time and resources on such a trivial matter? What was in their past that led to such a contrasting treatment within the span just a few days?
No one understood but if Ping Yang was able to kill Fang Zhengzhi, this might greatly please the majority of the guests.
King Duan was squinting his eyes slightly. He was really looking forward to this scene.
Han Changfeng also had an almost undetectable smile on his face. If Ping Yang was able to get rid of Fang Zhengzhi, then he would not have to be concerned with the Imperial Examinations.
To him, this would definitely be safer.
...
Would Fang Zhengzhi really surrender without a fight?
Of course not.
Although he was unsure whether these soldiers with the swords and bows would really charge to eliminate him, he was not comfortable with his fate being in another's hand.
God knows if someone's hand just twitched...
A torrential rain of arrows would descend upon him. He would not be able to block them all no matter his skill level.
Especially those white fletching arrows. The frost aura from those arrows could be felt even from such a distance. Those were definitely not normal arrows that were found in his village.
The path forward was totally blocked.
Escape was no longer an option. Then, the only other option was to turn back in.
Hence, under the bewildered eyes of officials and nobles at the banquet, and the soldiers holding their swords and bows, Fang Zhengzhi did a one- eighty and dived back into the living quarters...
...
Ping Yang had always thought that Fang Zhengzhi was shameless but never in a million years would she had expected that he would be shameless enough to return back here.
She did not even have time to jump back into the tub.
The two pairs of eyes once again met.
Ping Yang saw the desperation on Fang Zhengzhi's face, ready to perish together with her. Then, her mind inexplicably flashed to the conversation she had with Brother Jiu.
"I'm going to kill him!"
"But you can't beat him. He's already a Heavenly Reflection."
Yes, Fang Zhengzhi was already at Heavenly Reflection and she was only at Star Conglomerate.
More importantly...
The two handmaidens behind her had not even accessed Dao.
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