Chapter 57: Intimidation

Just as dawn was breaking, Clear Water Village was still draped in a thin layer of morning mist.

Wang Jinbao, already fully dressed, clutched a letter bearing the red wax seal of the prefectural post station inside his tunic, making his way with heavy and light steps along the dirt road leading to the Zhao Family's private school.

He walked with swift strides, a fire burning in his chest that flushed his dark-skinned face with a radiant glow.

Pushing open the familiar courtyard gate of the school, he immediately caught sight of Master Zhao seated in the middle of the main room.

"Master! Master!" Wang Jinbao shouted at the top of his lungs before he even reached the threshold, his voice brimming with uncontainable excitement and pride.

Hearing the call, Master Zhao looked up and, seeing it was Wang Jinbao, wore his habitual calm expression: "Brother Jinbao? So early, is something the matter?"

Wang Jinbao hurried forward in a few strides, brushing aside any polite formalities, and carefully drew the thick letter from his tunic, presenting it with both hands while his fingertips turned slightly white from the force of his grip: "Master! Sanlang... Sanlang's letter! The prefectural examination results have been posted!"

Master Zhao took the letter and pulled out the letter paper.

He did not read quickly, his gaze sweeping line by line. When his eyes landed on the phrases "First rank of the prefectural examination" and "Top scholar of the prefecture," the fingers holding the letter paused imperceptibly.

He raised his eyes, the corners of his mouth slowly curving upward into an extremely faint arc. Across his thin, slightly wrinkled face, something seemed to instantly smooth out before quickly settling back into tranquility.

Ultimately, it transformed into an almost imperceptible sigh, carrying a trace of release alongside a weighty sense of gratification.

"Good... good boy."

Master Zhao carefully folded the letter paper and handed it back to Wang Jinbao. His voice remained steady, yet it held a warmth greater than usual.

"Mingyuan is a boy of steadfast temperament and innate brilliance. That he has achieved this today is the result of walking step by step on his own. Top scholar... he has truly earned it."

He paused, his gaze growing profound. "On this path, he has truly taken his very first firm step. The subsequent provincial examinations, and even the metropolitan and palace examinations... the road is still long. May he remain humble and cautious, and never fail this heaven-sent talent."

Listening to the master's words, Wang Jinbao felt sweeter than if he had eaten honey. His dark face broke into a full bloom of smiles as he nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes! What the master says is true! It is all thanks to the master's excellent teaching!"

After conversing for a while longer, Master Zhao watched Wang Jinbao's hurried and fiery departing figure, then stood up to prepare for his lessons in the study, though his steps were noticeably lighter than before.

***

A hundred miles away, in Changan City, within the small courtyard of Wutong Lane.

Wang Mingyuan pushed open the courtyard gate, preparing to head to the prefectural academy as he did every day.

The morning air carried a hint of chill. He took a deep breath, and the moment he took his first step, he felt something was amiss.

At the mouth of the alley, several middle-aged women who had woken early to empty night soil or prepare for marketing were huddled closely together, whispering about something with their heads bent together.

Catching sight of him coming out from the corner of her eye, one woman's voice cut off abruptly as if her neck had been choked.

Several gazes swept over him in unison, laden with scrutiny, curiosity, and a trace of an unspeakable... dread?

Wang Mingyuan did not break his stride, merely casting a calm and detached glance back along their line of sight.

That gaze was utterly tranquil and unrippled, yet it caused a sudden jolt in the hearts of the women who had been stealing glances at him. Subconsciously, they shrank their necks, quickly lowering their heads and pretending to tidy the baskets or winnowing trays in their hands, no longer daring to meet his eyes.

Wang Mingyuan knew the score perfectly well.

Ever since the news of his passing as the top scholar of the county examination reached this alley two days ago, the gossip and idle chatter concerning the two brothers had never ceased.

Especially the neighboring Auntie Ma; that mouth of hers was like a floodgate with broken locks, endlessly spewing out phrases such as "black bear spirit," "bottomless pit for food," and "scarily terrifying physical strength."

His eldest brother, Wang Danyou, had been driven to fury, rolling up his sleeves several times to storm over and smash doors, only to be held back by Wang Mingyuan each time.

"Brother, let it be," Wang Mingyuan had persuaded him back then. "People have mouths, and we cannot control what they say. We are only staying here for a little over two months, and we'll leave right after the prefectural examination. Why stoop to their level? Making a big fuss and getting tangled in a lawsuit would delay our studies and exams, which simply isn't worth it."

Though Wang Danyou had breathed heavily with rage at the time, his knuckles popping as he clenched his fists, seeing his younger brother's calm yet resolute gaze ultimately forced that unruly fire back down. He had grunted in agreement: "Fine, I'll listen to you! I'm letting those gossiping hags off easy!"

Little did they know that no sooner had Wang Danyou stepped out of the alley than the deliberately lowered discussion behind him reignited, shifting its tone instantly to become even more venomous.

"Tsk tsk, did you see that? That's the pretty boy! He looks all refined and scholarly, but who knows..."

"Hush! Keep it down! Don't let him hear you!"

"What is there to fear? Is he going to eat us? I heard from Auntie Ma yesterday that his brother, that black bear spirit, feeds him good stuff every single day!"

"What kind of good stuff?"

"What else could it be? Soup boiled from human bones, draining people of their vital essence! Otherwise, how could a poor country boy like him place as the top scholar? It's downright eerie!"

"Oh, my goodness! Really? That's terrifying! No wonder..."

"Exactly! I said it all along, he doesn't look like a good person! Someone ought to find a Daoist priest to exorcise them!"

The foul language, like a venomous snake's tongue, slithered into the ears of Wang Danyou, who was just about to step outside.

Behind them, the courtyard gate of the small Wutong Lane residence creaked open with a violent wrench!

Wang Danyou's mountain-like, robust figure appeared in the doorway.

He was heading to the East Market's butcher stall to lend a hand today, having just finished tidying up and preparing to leave, still carrying a coarse cloth bag containing his tools.

Every single word of those malicious discussions poured unfiltered into his ears.

Talk about him? Wang Danyou had thick skin and a tough hide, so he could endure it!

Talk about his younger brother, Wang Mingyuan? Call his family's Sanlang a demon that feeds on human vitality?! And feed him human bone soup?!

A surge of blind fury rushed straight from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head!

Wang Danyou felt a buzzing roar in his brain, his eyes reddening with rage.

The words his younger brother had used to persuade him last night were still ringing in his ears, but at this moment, they were all burned to ashes by this towering blaze of anger!

"Go fuck your mother's dog bullshit—!"

A thunderclap of a roar made the entire alley ring and vibrate!

Those gossiping women jumped in fright, their baskets and winnowing trays nearly dropping to the ground.

They saw Wang Danyou's eyes wide and staring, the veins on his forehead bulging, his dark face looking somewhat ferocious with fury.

With a violent motion, he hurled his tool bag onto the ground, and his right hand flashed like lightning to his waist—a cold gleam flashed!

The tool of his trade—a heavy-backed butcher's knife with a mirror-bright, razor-sharp edge, ordinarily used for cleaving large bones—was now shockingly in his hand!

"Daring to wag your tongues about my Sanlang?! I'll chop you all to pieces!"

Roaring with rage, Wang Danyou charged forward like a thoroughly provoked black bear, brandishing the gleaming butcher's knife and taking great strides toward the paralyzed women!

The heavy footsteps slammed down on the ground with a rhythmic pounding that made onlookers' hearts tremble.

"Mom—!"

"Murder—!"

"Help! The black bear spirit has gone mad—!"

Those women had never witnessed such a spectacle in their lives!

Their gossip had merely been for the thrill of the tongue; who could have imagined this tower of a man would actually dare to draw a knife?

Each of them was scared out of their wits, shrieking and wetting themselves in terror. Some had their legs go weak and collapsed directly onto the ground, while others scrambled and crawled in frantic attempts to flee. The scene instantly descended into utter chaos, filled with endless wails and cries for help.

Wang Danyou reached the spot where they had been gathered in just a few strides, where an old wooden table used occasionally by neighbors for resting or playing chess sat.

The table was pieced together from several thick wooden boards and looked quite sturdy.

Without even glancing at the color-drained, petrified women, Wang Danyou needed an outlet for his overflowing fury!

His eyes flushed red, he violently swung his right arm, and the heavy-backed butcher's knife carried a chilling, terrifying gale as it viciously chopped down toward the wooden table!

"CRACK—!!!"

A teeth-grating, deafening crash!

Before the sharp blade and terrifying strength, that thick wooden table was as fragile as tofu!

The flash of the blade swept past, and the entire table split cleanly down the middle in response!

The fractured edges bristled with jagged wood splinters, and the massive impact caused the two halves of the table to collapse with a thunderous roar, crashing onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

The entire world fell instantly silent.

Every single person peering out to watch the commotion in the alley was frozen as if struck by a binding spell, their mouths agape, eyes widened to the size of marbles, staring fixedly at the table broken into two halves and the butcher's knife still trembling slightly in Wang Danyou's hand.

Those gossiping women were even paler than earth, paralyzed on the ground and trembling like a sieve, having completely forgotten how to wail.

Wang Danyou's chest heaved violently as he panted heavily.

He slowly turned around, his bloodshot, beast-like eyes sweeping one by one over the women collapsed on the ground, finally fixing upon Auntie Ma, whose face was drained of all color and shaking the most violently.

In a low, hoarse voice laden with undisguised viciousness, he hammered every single word into everyone's heart:

"Listen up, all of you!"

"I, Wang Danyou, am a rough man who doesn't understand any high-flown principles!"

"But if anyone ever dares to wag their tongue with idle gossip about my brother Wang Mingyuan again..."

He abruptly raised his hand, the tip of the butcher's knife, still stained with wood shavings, pointing straight at the two broken pieces of timber on the ground as his voice suddenly soared like a thunderclap:

"This table is your fate!"

"Next time, this knife won't be chopping wood!"

When the final syllable fell, the alley was struck by a dead silence, the sound of breathing itself clearly audible.

Everyone was cowed by this naked, violent threat and those terrifying eyes, a chill shooting straight up from the soles of their feet.

Having spoken, Wang Danyou no longer looked at the women who were on the verge of wetting their pants. He bent down, picked up his tool bag, tucked the butcher's knife back into his waist sash, and turned to walk away as if nothing had happened at all.

The heavy footsteps resounded once more—thud, thud, thud—each step falling like a hammer upon the onlookers' heartstrings, until his robust figure vanished around the turn of the alley.

After a long, protracted while, someone finally dared to draw a deep breath.

Those women scrambled and crawled to help each other up, too panicked even to gather their dropped belongings, and bolted straight home without looking back, terrified that the god of slaughter might turn back if they were slow.

Everyone else likewise retracted their heads, hastily bolting their doors and windows shut.

From this day onward, Wutong Lane fell into absolute, pristine peace.

Any news concerning the Wang family brothers became an absolute taboo.

No one ever dared to whisper half a sentence behind their backs again; even when passing by the gate of their small courtyard, people would subconsciously quicken their pace and hurry past with lowered heads.