My classmate Zhu Houzhao

Chapter 8 The Mysterious Man

Fang Xu was the son of Fang Hong and Liu Shi. He was raised by Fang Hong outside the home since he was a child, and he dared not let Fang Heng's mother know about it. Therefore, even when he gave money to Liu Shi and her son, he was very careful and gave very little.

Fang Xu's childhood was very impoverished, and he dared not say who his father was. As a result, he was looked down upon and even bullied by other children around him. Many children called him a bastard, so Fang Xu was very self-conscious as a child, extremely self-conscious, and even dared not go out for a time.

However, Liu Shi always instilled in him the idea that they would turn their lives around sooner or later. Because of this, after Fang Xu and Liu Shi entered the Fang family, both Liu Shi and Fang Hong doted on him. Fang Xu usually behaved very well, fearing that such good days would suddenly disappear one day.

But as time went on, Fang Xu's weaknesses began to surface one by one. He was even harsher on the servants of the Fang family than Liu Shi was, often beating and scolding them. The servants of the Fang family and Liu Shi and her son became increasingly estranged, and Fang Xu played a significant role in this.

Later, Fang Xu was no longer satisfied with bullying the servants in his household. He began to retaliate against Fang Heng. At first, Fang Heng did not tolerate Fang Xu at all. As long as the kid dared to bare his teeth, Fang Heng would beat him to death.

However, Fang Heng couldn't withstand Fang Hong and Liu's bias. After this happened several times, when Fang Xu caused trouble again, Fang Heng simply hid and didn't return to the Fang family for several days. At most, he would stay at Gou Dan's or other underlings' houses for a few days.

During these three years, Fang Xu reigned supreme in the Fang family mansion. Sometimes, when the servants couldn't bear Fang Xu's insults and abuse, they would go to Fang Heng for help. Fang Heng always had a way to deal with him and make him quiet for a while.

Therefore, the vast majority of servants in the Fang household had a very bad relationship with Fang Xu. Of course, some who couldn't beat him joined him, and a couple of servants took the initiative to become Fang Xu's lackeys, bullying the other servants together.

"Young Master, something terrible has happened! Madam has been bullied by the Eldest Young Master!"

Fang Xu was playing in the backyard when one of his lackeys rushed over in a panic, panting heavily.

Although Fang Heng was the second son in his family, the eldest son died young, so he naturally became the eldest son.

"What? He's gone too far!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Xu immediately perked up. He had been racking his brains for days trying to figure out how to teach his second brother a lesson, but he hadn't found a suitable reason yet. He knew that forcing the issue would only backfire, a lesson he had learned from countless experiences.

But things are different now. This Fang Heng is so reckless, daring to bully his mother. If he lets this go, he'll be riding on his neck and defecating on him in the future.

"Come with me. Today I'm going to show him who the boss of the Fang family is."

Fang Xu rolled up his sleeves as he walked towards the front yard.

Soon, he arrived at the front yard and saw Fang Xu exchanging pleasantries with Wang Mazi. He was immediately furious.

"You bastard Fang Heng, how dare you bully my mother! I'll teach you a lesson today!"

As Fang Xu spoke, he reached out to hit Fang Heng. Fang Heng glanced at Fang Xu, grabbed his raised arm with his left hand, and swung his right hand in a wide arc, slapping Fang Xu across the face.

"I used to be too lazy to argue with you, and you spoiled me."

Fang Xu took a solid slap, and his right cheek visibly swelled up. Liu Shi, who was standing nearby, was about to rush over when Fang Hong stopped her.

"Master, what are you doing? How can you just stand by and watch Xu'er be bullied?"

Liu looked at Fang Hong with disbelief.

"Don't be impulsive. It was Xiao Xu who started the trouble first. As his older brother, it's only right and reasonable for the eldest brother to teach him a lesson."

Fang Hong coughed and explained.

Upon hearing this, Madam Liu seemed not to recognize Fang Hong anymore, her face filled with disbelief.

"Whether Xiao Xu can enter Taiji Academy depends on the eldest brother. The eldest brother has a very good relationship with Lord Jiang. Isn't this a matter that Lord Jiang can decide with a single word?"

Fang Hong leaned close to Liu's ear and whispered an explanation.

Upon hearing this, Liu's anger vanished. Seeing Fang Xu's pleading eyes, she turned her head away with a heavy heart.

"This is for your own good. If you go to study in the capital in the future, with your temper, you might cause a lot of trouble for the Fang family."

Fang Heng looked coldly at Fang Xu, and after saying this, he ignored him and looked at Wang Mazi and the others.

"Now that it's over, let's go."

"Of course, please, Young Master Fang."

Wang Mazi gestured for Fang Heng to step forward.

Originally, Wang Mazi had only heard of Fang Heng's name and heard his underlings talk about him, and he only admired Fang Heng at most.

But after visiting the Fang residence with Fang Heng today and witnessing the attitude of the servants of the Fang family towards this young master Fang, as well as Fang Heng's methods towards Liu Shi and Fang Hong, Wang Mazi realized that the young master Fang in front of him was no ordinary person in the future, and that he was someone he could not afford to offend.

Or rather, not even considering the future, just in the present, given the relationship between this young man and that Lord Jiang, it wouldn't be too difficult for him, a local thug, to make things difficult for him.

Although Wang Mazi was illiterate, he was quick-witted and had a clear understanding of the situation.

Upon hearing this, Fang Heng didn't stand on ceremony and led everyone away from the Fang residence.

"Father, Mother, Fang Heng is bullying me like this, and you just stand by and watch?"

After everyone left, Fang Xu looked at Fang Hong and Liu Shi with a frustrated expression.

"He is your elder brother. This matter was your fault to begin with. You need to change your temperament. Your father has arranged a way for you to study at Taiji Academy in a few days. You can't be like you are at home. The capital is full of high-ranking officials and nobles. We are not a small family like ours to offend."

Fang Hong looked at Fang Xu and sighed.

Fang Hong was well aware of Fang Xu's behavior over the past few years, but out of guilt towards Liu Shi and Fang Xu, he simply let it go.

"Young Master Fang, the green hills remain unchanged, the clear waters flow on forever, until we meet again."

Wang Mazi spoke in a style of opera that he didn't know where he had learned it from. Facing Fang Heng, he felt he should be more refined, and he racked his brains to come up with these few words.

"Okay, goodbye."

Fang Heng suppressed a laugh and returned the greeting.

After saying this, Fang Heng parted ways with Zhao Huan and Wang Mazi's men and headed straight for Gou Dan's house.

When the two arrived at Gou Dan's house, they could already smell the aroma of mutton.

"Third Uncle, how's the mutton stew coming along?"

Fang Heng looked at Gou Dan's father, who was tending the stove, and asked.

"It's almost done, it's stewed until tender, you can take it out and remove it from the pot."

When Gou Dan's father saw Fang Heng and Zhao Huan, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did Wang Mazi give you any trouble?"

"He wouldn't dare. That Wang Mazi is like a grandson in front of my second brother."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huan looked smug.

"You better watch your mouth from now on, you can't say things like that outside."

Upon hearing this, Gou Dan's father glared at Zhao Huan.

"No, no."

Zhao Huan shrank his neck and said.

"Then let's dismantle it. Do we still have any chili peppers? We have quite a bit of mutton fat this time; we can make some mutton fat chili oil."

As Fang Heng spoke, he glanced at the eaves behind him.

The common people of the Ming Dynasty generally did not have the habit of eating chili peppers. Chili peppers have always been regarded as an ornamental plant. Fang Heng only knew that this thing was edible because of that person's memory. Last time, he and Gou Dan searched all over the mountains and picked a lot of them, which were all hung under the eaves of Gou Dan's house to dry.

"Yes, they're all dried. I've put them away, and I'll have Gou Dan's mother get them."

As he spoke, Dog Egg's father used chopsticks and a spatula to scoop the stewed mutton from the pot and place it in a yellow porcelain basin.

Fang Heng washed his hands and then began to butcher the mutton. Gou Dan and the others watched as Fang Heng tore off pieces of mutton, their mouths watering. Seeing this, Fang Heng handed a nearly torn mutton leg bone to Gou Dan.

"Eat."

Dog Egg took the lamb leg bone, first gnawing away the little bit of lamb meat left on it, then picked up a knife and used the back of the knife to crack the bone open, greedily sucking out the marrow.

The other boys couldn't help but swallow hard when they saw this, but no one said anything, since they were using Gou Dan's pot.

Soon, all the mutton was cut up. Fang Heng asked Gou Dan's father to ladle out the broth from cooking the mutton and set it aside. Then, he heated the oil in a pot again, put a large piece of mutton fat into the pot, and began to render the oil.

Under Fang Heng's guidance, a large pot of mutton soup was quickly cooked, along with mutton fat and chili oil prepared in advance.

In the end, the man's spice packet couldn't be saved; it was all used to make chili oil.

"Come on, one bowl each."

As Fang Heng spoke, he served mutton soup to the people in the courtyard. Gou Dan's family didn't have that many bowls and chopsticks, and everyone knew that, so they all brought their own bowls and chopsticks when they came.

Dog Egg's father took a bowl of mutton soup, added a lot of chili oil, then a lot of vinegar, and then took a sip, his face immediately filled with satisfaction.

"This mutton soup is absolutely delicious. With your skills, you could easily open a restaurant."

"Dog Egg's dad said half-jokingly."

The group chatted and laughed as they drank the mutton soup. Many people brought not only bowls and chopsticks, but also steamed buns. For them, drinking the mutton soup without eating the buns was too extravagant and wouldn't be filling.

"The mutton soup smells delicious, I want a bowl too."

A strange voice rang out, and everyone looked in the direction of the voice. A pale-faced, beardless man stood at the gate of Gou Dan's house. His clothes had been washed so much that they were almost white and their original color was no longer visible. However, he looked very clean, yet there was something strange about him. It was impossible to tell his age. You could say he was in his thirties or forties, or you could say he was fifty.

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Fang Heng, seemingly waiting for the young man to make a decision.

"Okay, I haven't drunk from this bowl yet, you can drink it."

Fang Heng glanced at the pot. He knew exactly how much he had ladled into each bowl, just enough for one person. At this point, there was no soup left in the pot.

Upon hearing this, the man didn't stand on ceremony. He went straight to Fang Heng, picked up the bowl of mutton soup, and started drinking. However, he drank the mutton soup differently from the others. While the others ate steamed buns and drank the mutton soup at the same time, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they wolfed it down, this man drank the mutton soup slowly and methodically, as if he wasn't in a hurry at all.

However, as the person got closer, Fang Heng smelled a faint odor of urine.

"You are extremely rude. Young Master Fang invited everyone to drink mutton soup, but he only had one bowl for himself."

A young man who was drinking mutton soup nearby couldn't help but speak up when he saw this person's behavior.

This young man was a scholar from the neighborhood, but he was a poor one. Fang Heng had been helping him out quite a bit over the years.

"It's alright. I already ate the steamed buns Uncle Jiang gave me. I'll go buy another one later. I won't go hungry."

Seeing that others were about to speak up for him, Fang Heng quickly stopped them.

The man in front of him didn't act like an ordinary person, but if he were someone of high status, his clothes wouldn't be like that. For a moment, Fang Heng was a little unsure of his identity.

Soon, the man finished the entire bowl of mutton soup, licking the rice noodles at the bottom of the bowl clean, and then looked like he wanted more.

"What excellent cooking! I have never tasted such delicious mutton soup before. The mutton soup I had back in Datong was not as good as this bowl."

After saying this, he placed the bowl in his hand on the stove and then looked at Fang Heng.

"I am penniless and have nowhere to go. I have heard that Young Master Fang is a generous man who often helps the people of Liangxiang. May I shamelessly follow Young Master Fang and ask for a meal?"

When he said this, Fang Heng finally understood what was strange about this person. His voice and tone were different from those of ordinary men, and were slightly effeminate.

"Of course, but I'm afraid I won't be able to stay in Liangxiang for more than a few days."

Fang Heng was somewhat embarrassed.

"It's alright, I'll follow wherever Young Master Fang goes."

The man said indifferently.

"You're shameless."

Upon hearing this, the scholar standing nearby could no longer hold back.

"Alright, this old gentleman must have had no choice in the matter, so there's no need to say more."

Fang Heng glanced at the scholar and said.

"Seeing is believing. Young Master Fang is even more magnanimous than rumored. I admire him greatly."

The man laughed.

"May I ask your honorable name, sir?"

Fang Heng couldn't help but ask.

"My surname is Wang. As for my given name, I haven't used it for many years, so I may have forgotten it. You can just call me Old Wang."

The man clearly didn't want to mention his name, and his eyes showed a hint of weariness.

"In that case, Mr. Wang will follow me from now on. I can't guarantee how good the food will be, but it shouldn't make you go hungry."

When Fang Heng said this, almost everyone else in the courtyard had finished eating and came to Fang Heng one by one to say goodbye.

"This mutton soup is so authentic, come to my house for dinner tomorrow."

Er Ya's father couldn't help but praise her.

"Why go to your house? Come to my house instead. I'll kill my chicken and make soup later."

Another person countered.

"Come on, you only have one laying hen, would you really be willing to kill it?"

When Dog Egg's father heard this, he looked disdainful.

"Go back, everyone. I've already made plans with this kid. He'll come to my house for dinner tomorrow. I have plenty of good stuff."

Soon, the crowd dispersed amidst laughter and chatter.

After everyone left, Fang Heng and Gou Dan's father started washing the pots and pans.

"This kid is good. No wonder Jiang Wenyi kept praising him to us the whole way."

Old Wang watched Fang Heng's busy figure and whispered.