Chapter 3

Bang, bang, bang, bang.

The patrolling night watchman was striking the rhythmic beats of his wooden clappers.

The sound reached the stilt house, and Fang Yuan opened his dry and sore eyelids, thinking to himself, "It's the fifth watch of the night."

He had lain in bed pondering for a long time last night, making many plans, and had only slept for a little over an hour.

This body had not yet begun cultivation, so its energy was not abundant, and a wave of fatigue and weariness still enveloped his mind and body.

However, over five hundred years of experience had forged Fang Yuan’s will as strong as steel. This drowsiness was nothing to him.

He immediately pushed aside the thin silk quilt and got up briskly.

He pushed open the window, and the spring rain had already stopped.

The fresh, damp air, mixed with the scent of soil, trees, and wildflowers, immediately hit him in the face. Fang Yuan felt his mind clear, and the heavy sleepiness was completely dispelled.

The sun had not yet risen, and the sky was a deep, somber blue, neither light nor dark.

Looking out, the stilt houses made of green bamboo and trees stood against the mountains, creating a scene of tranquil greenery.

The stilt houses had at least two floors, a unique structure for the mountain dwellers. Because the mountain terrain was uneven, the first floor was supported by large wooden posts, and the second floor was where people lived.

Fang Yuan and his younger brother Fang Zheng lived on the second floor.

"Master Fang Yuan, you’re awake. I’ll come upstairs to help you wash up." At this moment, a young girl’s voice came from downstairs.

Fang Yuan looked down and saw his personal maid, Shen Cui.

Her appearance could only be considered average, but she was well-dressed, wearing a green robe with long sleeves and pants, and embroidered shoes on her feet. She had a pearl hairpin in her black hair, exuding a youthful vitality.

She looked at Fang Yuan with delight, carrying a basin of water, and quickly ascended the stairs.

The water was lukewarm, used for washing his face. For rinsing his mouth, she used willow twigs dipped in snow salt, which could clean and whiten his teeth.

Shen Cui served him gently, a smile on her face, her eyes filled with spring. She then dressed Fang Yuan and fastened his buttons, occasionally brushing his arms or back with her ample chest.

Fang Yuan’s face was expressionless, his heart as calm as still water.

This maid was not only an informant for his uncle and aunt but also vain and cold-hearted. In the previous life, she had deceived him, and after his status plummeted at the Enlightenment Ceremony, she turned her back on him, giving him many cold looks.

When Fang Zheng arrived, he saw Shen Cui smoothing out the wrinkles on Fang Yuan’s chest, and a trace of envy and jealousy flashed in his eyes.

Over the years, living with his brother and receiving Fang Yuan’s care, he also had a servant to attend to him. However, it was not a young maid like Shen Cui, but a plump old woman.

"What would it feel like if Shen Cui could serve me like this one day?" Fang Zheng thought, both wanting to and not daring to imagine it.

His uncle and aunt favored Fang Yuan, which was well-known in the household.

Originally, he had no servant, but Fang Yuan had proactively requested one for Fang Zheng.

Though there was a master-servant relationship, Fang Zheng did not dare to look down on Shen Cui. This was because Shen Cui’s mother was Aunt’s personal maid, Shen Mama, who was also the household manager and deeply trusted by Aunt, wielding considerable power.

"Alright, no need to fuss anymore." Fang Yuan impatiently brushed aside Shen Cui’s soft little hand. His clothes were already smooth, and Shen Cui was mostly trying to seduce him.

To her, he had a bright future and a high chance of having top-notch potential. If she could become Fang Yuan’s concubine, she would rise from a servant to a mistress, a leap to the top.

In the previous life, Fang Yuan had been deceived and even fallen in love with this maid. After rebirth, he saw through everything clearly, his heart as cold as frost.

"You may step down." Fang Yuan did not even look at Shen Cui, adjusting his sleeves.

Shen Cui pouted slightly, feeling a bit strange and wronged by Fang Yuan’s lack of interest today. She wanted to say something to act coquettish, but was intimidated by Fang Yuan’s mysterious aura. She opened her mouth several times but finally said, "Yes," and obediently stepped down.

"Are you ready?" Fang Yuan looked at Fang Zheng.

His younger brother stood dumbly at the door, looking down at his toes, and softly nodded.

He had actually woken up at the fourth watch, too nervous to sleep, and had secretly gotten up early to prepare. His eyes were dark with lack of sleep.

Fang Yuan nodded. He did not know his brother’s thoughts in the previous life, but in this life, how could he not understand?

But pointing it out now would be meaningless. He gave a light command, "Let’s go."

So the brothers walked out of their residence. On the way, they encountered many peers, in groups of two or three, clearly heading to the same destination.

"Look, that’s the Fang brothers," a small voice whispered cautiously.

"The one walking in front is Fang Yuan, the one who writes poetry," someone emphasized.

"So that’s him. His expressionless, aloof demeanor is indeed as rumored, so arrogant," someone said with a sour tone, filled with jealousy and envy.

"Hmph, if you could be like him, you could be that arrogant too!" someone coldly retorted, hiding a sense of dissatisfaction.

Fang Yuan listened expressionlessly, having long grown accustomed to such comments.

He lowered his head, following his brother, walking silently.

The sky was already brightening, and Fang Yuan’s shadow fell on his face.

The sun was gradually rising, but Fang Zheng suddenly felt as if he was walking into darkness.

This darkness came from his brother, and perhaps for his entire life, he could not escape the shadow his brother cast over him.

He felt a wave of oppression in his chest, even a sense of breathlessness, a feeling that made him think of the word "suffocation"!

"Hmph, such comments, truly, when a tree stands out in the forest, the wind will surely try to bring it down." Fang Yuan thought, a cold smile on his face.

No wonder, after his potential was measured as average, he was surrounded by enemies and suffered harsh treatment, cold looks, and neglect for a long time.

The increasingly heavy breathing of his younger brother Fang Zheng behind him did not escape his ears.

What he had not noticed in the previous life, he now saw clearly.

This was the sharp insight brought by five hundred years of life experience.

He suddenly thought of his uncle and aunt, who were quite cunning. They had assigned Shen Cui to monitor him closely and an old maid to his brother. There were also other differences in living conditions.

All of this was done intentionally, to stir up his brother’s sense of injustice and to sow discord between them.

People do not mind poverty, but they mind inequality.

In the previous life, he had too little experience, and his brother was too naive and innocent, easily manipulated by his uncle and aunt.

Since rebirth, with the Enlightenment Ceremony approaching, the situation seemed irreparable, but with Fang Yuan’s demonic prowess and wisdom, it was not impossible to change.

His brother could be completely subdued and controlled, and Shen Cui, a mere maid, could be taken into the harem early. As for his uncle and aunt, the clan elders, there were hundreds of ways to deal with them.

"But, I don’t want to do it this way..." Fang Yuan sighed leisurely in his heart.

Even if he was his own brother, what was the point of talking about family ties? He was just an outsider, and if he had to, he would let him go.

Even if Shen Cui was beautiful, without love and loyalty, she was just a body. Into the harem? She wasn’t worthy.

Even if his uncle and aunt, the clan elders, were important, they were just passing figures in his life. Why should he exhaust his mind and energy to deal with these passersby?

Ha ha.

As long as they don’t hinder my path, let them play with their own balls, I won’t even bother to step on them.

{Piaotian Literature}