Chapter 24: Shock
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Fang Zhengzhi's small fist tightened once again, and ran quickly towards Fang Houde. As he ran past Mrs Li, his stumpy leg "accidentally" stepped right onto her foot.
"Oww!..." Mrs Li screeched sharply.
Fang Zhengzhi instantly got a shock, turning around and losing his balance, his other leg once again "accidentally" landed onto Mrs Li’s backside.
"Plop!" Mrs Li lost her balance, sprawling on the floor, her four limbs spread out evenly.
"Pfft pfft… Owww, which blind little bastard…" Because of her screeching, sand entered her mouth. She hurried attempted to spit it out, then turning her head back, she realised there wasn't even a figure in sight.
At this time Fang Zhengzhi had already sped past Mrs Li and arrived in front of Fang Houde.
As he carefully scrutinised his dad’s injuries, he realised that other than the wound on his leg, the bleeding had stopped in the rest of the injured areas. But this wound on the leg, without almost a year of rest and recovery, he was afraid that it wouldn't be able to get better.
"Oh, Zhengzhi is here, actually daddy… daddy is fine, don't … don't worry, tell your mum … not … not to cry…" Fang Houde’s lips were slightly purplish, his body and face drenched in sweat, but he still strained to extend his left hand, patting Fang Zhengzhi on the head.
"Hmph! You seem to have a lot of energy, might as well go hunting in the mountain!" Mrs Li finally came to her senses, realising that the person who pushed her was likely to be Fang Zhengzhi.
"Mrs Li, that isn't something you should be saying! Zhengzhi is still a little boy, what he did wasn't even on purpose, he was just worried! How can you even suggest asking a kid to go hunting in the mountains?"
"Exactly! Your family’s Huer is even older than Zhengzhi by a month, why don't you ask him to go hunting?"
"Can't you see that old Fang is already injured? How can you bully people like that!"
When the villagers heard Mrs Li’s comments, they instantly couldn’t turn a blind eye anymore and one by one, began to voice out.
Mrs Li’s face flushed with redness, realising that she probably said something wrong. Glancing around at the indignant faces of the villagers, she swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth, and only mumbled lowly.
"Didn’t the Northern Mountain Village use to have a child who went up the mountains at nine years old, ain't that amazing…"
"Shut up!" Village Chief Meng Bai’s finally lost his temper. The hand in which he held his cigar trembled slightly and even his snow-white beard flared up.
"We will discuss the matter regarding the hunting squad after a few days, for now saving people is the priority! You few, carefully, help to carry home those whose bleeding has stopped. I will immediately depart to the capital and buy some herbs back. Everyone please contribute what you can!
"Village Chief, I have some copper pieces, you can have them!"
"My family has saved some broken silver pieces, please wait, I'll go retrieve them now!"
"Mrs Li, why not you contribute some as well?" Some villagers looked at Mrs Li.
"This… The two people in my family are still studying in the Hall of Dao, whether this hunting squad still can enter the mountains in the future is still a big question. The food and drink rations at home, shouldn't I be saving up on them…" Mrs Li immediately tried to conceal herself among the crowd.
When the villagers heard what she said, they all became somewhat infuriated.
"Forget it, it's voluntary! If the Li family really excelled in their studies in the future, that is also our Southern Mountain Village's blessing. My own family still has some money, we should be able to purchase a few…" Village Chief Meng Bai gave a sigh, and didn't say anything more.
"Did you all hear that? Even village chief said that the Southern Mountain Village has to depend on us in the future, education is now extremely valuable in the county!" Mrs Li instantly stood up straight when she heard his words.
While the villagers still remained slightly uncomfortable, they also didn't argue further. Ultimately, everybody saw that in the Divine Constabulary's previous examination held for the Southern Mountain Village, Li Zhuangshi was indeed the strongest in the entire village.
The Law of Dao examination in the capital does indeed test one’s understanding of the texts, but what's most important would be one’s physical abilities. Dao is accessed through texts, based on the Law of Dao, but the person most respected is always the one with the strongest physical abilities!
Fang Zhengzhi glanced at Mrs Li, her face filled with delight, then looked at his mum Qin Xuelian, looking down and sobbing, then at the surrounding infuriated villagers who dared not speak. He suddenly laughed out in his heart.
Afraid of being accused as possessed?
Does that mean that I can only endure?
Grow up slowly under a low profile?
Hmph...
The weaker I portray myself, others will only continue to look down on me, look down on the Fang family. Now that my dad Fang Houde has already become bedridden, who will manage this family?!
Am I going to wait until my own delicate mother Qin Xuelian collapse with fatigue?
Fang Zhengzhi suddenly started to hate himself. He hated himself for being too cautious, hating himself for always thinking too far ahead. In the end, he lost what was most valuable.
Even though he was only seven!
But so what?
At the moment, Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes flared with determination.
He felt that he was already capable, he must do something for this family!
I will support the whole family! Standing up suddenly, Fang Zhengzhi wordlessly strode towards a large stone in the village square.
The surrounding villagers couldn’t understand what he was trying to do.
"Zhengzhi, don’t do anything stupid!"
"What is he trying to do?"
"He must have been triggered, quick, stop him!"
As the villagers prepared to hold back Fang Zhengzhi, he has already raised his fist.
"Boom!"
A deafening sound resounded. The large stone began to shake furiously. Then, lines of web-like cracks began to spread quickly on the surface of the stone.
"Crack!" The stone shattered.
All the villagers, including Village Chief Meng Bai, and Mrs Li, and even Qin Xuelian, were stupefied, each of them staring at the young Fang Zhengzhi, completely unable to react.
"Pah!"
The cigar beside Village Chief Meng Bai fell to the floor, but, he completely didn’t notice this. Instead, he continued to stare unmoving with his eyes widened in shock.
What is this?
Are his eyes playing tricks on him?
A seven year old boy shattering a stone with one fist. This… this is completely unimaginable!
At this moment, all the villagers on the square were in a dream-like state, all unwilling to believe that they had just witnessed. But, this scene truly appeared right in front of their eyes.
Fang Zhengzhi’s gaze swept across the faces of every single villager. He saw Mrs Li’s dropped jaws, and Village Chief Meng Bai’s wide eyes.
Until his gaze stopped on Qin Xuelian, her face filled with shock.
Gazing at his mom’s tear-stricken face, he suddenly drawn out a long sigh. Then, on his young tender face, an expression of pure determination appeared!