A Prophet - Chapter 15 (Part 3)

Chapter 3 - Grandfather Eliminates Huang Farong

Following a heavy snowfall, the year 1937 arrived.

Early spring was still bitter. One morning, the magpies in the courtyard branches chattered incessantly. Huang Farong smiled and said to Grandfather, "Grandfather, we're going to have some good news today. Look at how joyfully those magpies are calling!"

Grandfather was also quite happy, a long-absent smile blooming on his face.

Around the si hour (9–11 AM), the housekeeper reported, "The Southern Faction's Grand Master has arrived! Third Master, Fourth Master, and Fifth Master have also returned!"

Jiang Feiyan's sudden visit, accompanied by Third Boss Ba, Fourth Boss Ba, and Fifth Boss Ba, left Grandfather greatly astonished, and he hurried out with quick strides to welcome them.

The moment they stepped through the door, Third Boss Ba, Fourth Boss Ba, and Fifth Boss Ba knelt down before Grandfather one after another, kowtowing and weeping bitterly as they cried, "Grandfather, we've finally found you!" Heartache gripped Grandfather as he hastened to help them up.

"Is Grandfather well?" Jiang Feiyan asked with concern, looking at Grandfather's emaciated frame.

"Everything is well, all is well. Sister Yan, hurry inside."

Once inside, after an exchange of pleasantries between Grandfather and Jiang Feiyan, Third Boss Ba took the lead in recounting the process of how they had been separated from Grandfather. Huang Farong clutched Jiang Feiyan's arm, resting her head softly on Jiang Feiyan's shoulder as she quietly listened in.

That day on the island, Third Boss Ba, Fourth Boss Ba, and Fifth Boss Ba had run fast enough, but just as they reached the rendezvous point, artillery shells rained down. Watching the rescue boats get blasted to smithereens, the three bosses were also knocked senseless by the concussive force of the shells. Fifth Boss Ba, in particular, had been struck squarely on the forehead by a piece of flying timber kicked up by an explosion, swaying a few times before collapsing.

Immediately afterward, the Japanese devils arrived from behind. While the two bosses were at a loss for what to do, several more artillery shells struck nearby. The three of them pressed themselves flat together, managing to dodge the massive shockwave. Not far away, a few Japanese devils who failed to hit the dirt in time were instantly mowed down by their own side's artillery fire.

At that critical juncture, Third Boss Ba was struck by a flash of inspiration and ordered Fourth Boss Ba to strip off his clothes immediately. Stripping off his own clothes as well, he then tore the uniforms off the corpses of dead Japanese soldiers. "Quick! Put them on!" he urged, sliding into one set while tossing the other Japanese military uniform to Fourth Boss Ba. Next, he wrestled yet another uniform onto the unconscious Fifth Boss Ba, patting the latter's cheeks as he dressed him. "Old Five, wake up! Wake up!"

Fortunately, Fifth Boss Ba had only been knocked out by the wooden plank and quickly regained consciousness. Supporting him between them, Third Boss Ba and Fourth Boss Ba hurried back.

Roughly a quarter of an hour later, the Japanese warships arrived. The remaining Japanese troops and the ringleaders of the various "sectarian secret societies" scrambled aboard the vessels.

As soon as they stepped onto the deck, the Japanese separated their own men from the leaders of the "sectarian secret societies." The members of the "sect" were driven to the stern of the ship, given neither clothes to wear nor food and water to consume. The Japanese had already figured out that this disaster was undoubtedly engineered by this bunch from the "sect"; though they did not yet know who was responsible, none of them were getting away.

After a headcount, the ringleaders of the "sectarian secret societies" were driven together into the hold to await interrogation upon landing.

Wearing Japanese military uniforms, Third Boss Ba, Fourth Boss Ba, and Fifth Boss Ba mingled tremblingly among the ranks of the devils, following the troops into the cabin where they drank sake and ate sashimi.

By the third watch of the night, the warships were on the verge of docking. Glancing around at the soundly sleeping Japanese soldiers, Third Boss Ba gave a hand signal, and the three of them stealthily slipped onto the deck, leaping one by one into the water when no one was looking.

Due to his nervousness, Third Boss Ba practically belly-flopped straight down. With his entry posture botched, the moment his body hit the water surface, the buoyant water slapped viciously against his stomach and testicles. Third Boss Ba was nearly knocked unconscious, but he gritted his teeth against the pain and swam toward the shore.

Once ashore, Fourth Boss Ba and Fifth Boss Ba supported him as the three quickly vanished into the curtain of night. Limping along for forty or fifty li, the sky began to grow pale with dawn. Catching sight of a village ahead, they saw a threshing floor at the edge of the hamlet, surrounded by numerous stacks of wheat straw. The three found a wind-sheltered giant straw stack, hollowed out a large nest, crawled inside, and huddled together for warmth.

Third Boss Ba unbuckled his belt to carefully inspect his testicles. Both had been slapped swollen, and his scrotum was puffed up like a large steamed bun.

Fifth Boss Ba took a look and asked, "Third Brother, does it hurt?"

Third Boss Ba glared at him. "What do you think?"

"It hurts."

"I'll fuck your mother! If I hadn't saved you, you would've been blown to bits on the island ages ago! And you're still sitting there making sarcastic remarks!" Third Boss Ba cursed furiously.

Fourth Boss Ba also struggled to suppress a laugh. "Third Brother, calm your anger. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the scrotum connects directly to the three burners; you must on no account fly into a rage right now, or it will swell up even larger!"

"Oh, is that so..." Third Boss Ba's temper instantly fizzled out.

"Pfft—" Fourth Boss Ba finally failed to hold it in and burst out laughing.

"You bastard was playing me for a fool too!" Realizing what had happened, Third Boss Ba let loose a torrent of abuse.

"Third Brother, calm down... What should we do next?" Fourth Boss Ba asked with a heavy heart.

Third Boss Ba raised his head to gaze into the fog-shrouded distance. "Alas... Who knows when this condition of mine will heal? We'd better find a place to lie low and dodge the wind first."

"Why don't we return to Shanghai, find a quiet spot to hide out, and wait for Grandfather's summons?" Fourth Boss Ba suggested with a hint of sorrow.

"Sigh... We still don't know if Grandfather is even..." At this point, Third Boss Ba abruptly swallowed the second half of his sentence. That was a remark of supreme disrespect.

"Yeah," Fifth Boss Ba chimed in gloomily. "Those venomous snakes were darting everywhere, and artillery shells were flying all over the sky. If the few of us hadn't run fast, we'd have been turned into meat stuffing long ago! Who knows how Grandfather and the other brothers are doing."

"And who knows how Farong is..." Fourth Boss Ba suddenly felt a wave of sadness. Only at this moment did he deeply feel a sense of guilt; he felt that ever since Huang Farong had married him these past few years, he had failed to cherish and love her properly, failing in his duties as a husband. Now, feared he... it was far too late.

"Third Brother, let's go back to the city. Maybe in a few days Grandfather will issue a secret signal..." Fourth Boss Ba said this aloud, but his heart was filled far more with thoughts of Huang Farong.

Third Boss Ba sighed and said, "Fourth Brother, you know your older brother. I was originally just a petty street swindler who was shown grace by Grandfather when he allowed me to join our 'Jiangxiang Faction,' finally giving me a chance to showcase my skills. Nobody misses Grandfather more than I do, but... in my current condition, I can neither walk away nor run. The devils have suffered such a massive loss, they're bound to conduct a citywide search. If the devils trap us in a room, I won't even be able to run! And by then, I'd only drag down you two brothers!"

Fifth Boss Ba grasped the underlying implication in Third Boss Ba's words, cleared his throat, and said, "Third Brother speaks the truth. We should stay far away from Shanghai, as far as possible. Once Third Brother's injuries heal, we'll immediately come back to find Grandfather and the brothers."

Fourth Boss Ba was clever all his life, but at that exact moment his mind was consumed entirely by Huang Farong, and he utterly failed to realize that these two brothers were plotting to "break away from the wind" (abandon the faction).

"Fine, we'll listen to Third Brother." Fourth Boss Ba nodded.

And so, after daybreak, the three of them hired an ox-cart in the village and headed straight south all the way to Fujian.

Later on, the three of them found an elderly quack doctor to treat Third Boss Ba. The old practitioner prescribed a topical ointment. Every day after steaming his lower body with a hot towel, Third Boss Ba applied the ointment. After about a week, the swelling in Third Boss Ba's lower body began to recede, and the pain gradually subsided, replaced by an itch—an excruciating, unbearable itch. This itch was far more tormenting than the pain; he could neither scratch nor rub it, leaving Third Boss Ba with no choice but to clench his fists tightly, bite down hard on his teeth, and endure.

A month passed. Fourth Boss Ba asked anxiously, "Third Brother, are you healed yet? Can we go back to Shanghai?"

"Mn, let me try, let me try." With that, Third Boss Ba took a few steps back and forth. "Still no good, it still hurts somewhat..."

Third Boss Ba was waiting, waiting for his unspoken scheme to gradually materialize. If months passed without any news, perhaps Grandfather really had kicked the bucket, making everything that followed much easier to handle. For this, he had also paid a huge price: he had to fake the pain. As long as it hurt, he couldn't patronize brothels, or his ruse would be exposed. Because of this, every night he had to fantasize in his mind about his past brothel visits and then jerk off into oblivion all by his lonesome. The next day, he would still shuffle along with a hunched gait and continue to cry out in pain.

Fourth Boss Ba finally grew impatient. "How about... how about I go back to Shanghai first to take a look, and you guys wait for my news?"

Fifth Boss Ba gave a slight smile. "Fourth Brother, 'pluck the gourd without splitting the shoulder'—that's an underworld rule! Right now Third Brother is carrying injuries; how can we as sworn brothers abandon him and leave?" Anxious, Fifth Boss Ba dragged out all the underworld jargon. The "gourd" referred to the head, and "plucking the gourd" meant losing one's head, implying that walking the rivers and lakes required loyalty, and one must never betray a brother even if it cost them their head.

Fourth Boss Ba looked at the two of them and fell silent. In a flash, Fourth Boss Ba finally understood: these two were singing the same tune and seemed intent on "breaking away." If he argued any further at this point, disaster would likely ensue. When Grandfather was around, no one dared to act recklessly; now that Grandfather was gone, the group was leaderless, and the bosses were all ruthless individuals. Fourth Boss Ba dared not think any further and could only nod. "Fifth Brother is right. I've figured it out—since Grandfather isn't here right now, Third Brother is... the boss. I'll listen to Third Brother."

"Ah—that's more like it! Grandfather has always taught us to have rules. Fourth Brother, I appreciate you most! If... I'm saying if, mind you, if Sister-in-law meets an unfortunate end... rest assured, Third Brother guarantees he'll find you an even better one!" Third Boss Ba said with an air of arrogant triumph.

Fourth Boss Ba felt an exceptional wrenching in his chest. He suddenly felt extraordinarily lonely and terrified. The brothers of ordinary days had suddenly turned into completely different people, their words grating harshly on his ears, yet outwardly he could only reply, "Thank you, Third Brother."

"Right now, our remaining travel funds are running low. A man's gotta live, after all. For Grandfather's sake, and for the sake of the 'Jiangxiang Faction,' we've gotta survive. I reckon..." At this, Third Boss Ba looked up at Fifth Boss Ba. "I reckon we might as well go out on the streets tomorrow to run some scams..." Here, Third Boss Ba glanced back at Fourth Boss Ba. "Though... though, would this count as 'breaking away'?"

Fourth Boss Ba's face flushed red, and he remained silent. Fifth Boss Ba looked at Fourth Boss Ba and said, "Fourth Brother, say something at least."

Fourth Boss Ba still said nothing.

Fifth Boss Ba raised his head and said, "Old Five here entered the trade late. If I've said anything wrong, my two older brothers are welcome to beat or scold me. The so-called 'breaking away' refers to running scams elsewhere while the Grand Master is present, deliberately violating the ancestral laws of the 'Jiangxiang Faction'—that is an act of heinous treason punishable by death. But... the situation is different now. We have to eat somehow, and we have to stay alive to go look for Grandfather. Therefore, this does not count as 'breaking away'! If Grandfather finds out in the future, he will understand us!"

"Mn, Fifth Brother makes sense. What does Old Four think?" Third Boss Ba pivoted his tone, his eyes locking straight onto Fourth Boss Ba.

Fourth Boss Ba's heart felt as though it were being sliced by knives. After a moment of silent reflection, he said, "I... think... it makes sense."

Third Boss Ba chuckled. "Sigh, we'll do as the two brothers say then! Being an older brother is truly hard, sigh..." From his tone and demeanor, he had already completely cast himself in the role of the faction leader.

And thus, the three of them reorganized their forces in Fujian and opened up shop anew.

After the Spring Festival, Fourth Boss Ba grew increasingly homesick for Huang Farong and Grandfather, and he wanted to find a chance to slip away. Yet Fifth Boss Ba seemed to keep a tight watch on him, sticking almost as close as a shadow.

Heaven had eyes. At the critical moment, Jiang Feiyan appeared. After settling down in the outskirts of Shanghai, Grandfather had written a letter to Jiang Feiyan during the Spring Festival and sent it via a pawn. Only then did Jiang Feiyan learn of Grandfather's whereabouts. This Grand Master—who had fallen desperately lovesick over Grandfather, harboring a complex mix of love, pity, and hatred—hurriedly rushed toward Shanghai after hastily wrapping up the Spring Festival and putting the hall's affairs in order.

Passing through Fujian, she suddenly spotted Third Boss Ba and his crew running a street scam. Jiang Feiyan thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, and had Fourth Boss Ba not rushed forward to call her "Godmother," she truly wouldn't have dared to recognize them.

That single cry of "Godmother" brought tears streaming down Fourth Boss Ba's face as countless bitter grievances welled up in his heart. At the same time, that cry of "Godmother" shattered the grand pipe dreams of Third Boss Ba and Fifth Boss Ba.

Now, standing before Grandfather, although Third Boss Ba tried his utmost to conceal his original intentions, cherry-picking only pleasant things to report to Grandfather, Grandfather was a man of supreme intelligence; from that very moment, Grandfather grew wary of Third Boss Ba.

Yet Grandfather remained outwardly unfazed. That was Grandfather for you: meticulous in his planning, he never let small matters jeopardize the big picture. Until you still possessed utility, he would not make a move against you. This was also why, when Fourth Boss Ba later secretly revealed the whole truth to Grandfather, Grandfather merely said, "Zizhan, even the Kuomintang and the Communist Party can cooperate to resist Japan. Can you understand what I'm saying?" Fourth Boss Ba nodded heavily.

That night, Fourth Boss Ba held Huang Farong tight. "Farong, I can't live without you, I can't live without you..." As he spoke, tears slipped unbidden from his eyes.

"I was wrong, I was wrong. All these years, I've wronged you..." Fourth Boss Ba cried as he spoke.

The greatest tragedy in life is when one person finally wakes up, only to find the other person's heart has already changed.

Huang Farong also wept silently, shedding tears for a long time. "Zizhan... perhaps we truly aren't suited for each other..."

Hearing this, Fourth Boss Ba wept even harder. "Farong, I was wrong, I was wrong! Hit me, scold me!"

Meanwhile, in another room, another woman was weeping as well.

"Grandfather, the business is done now, and we've done everything we needed to do. You know how Feiyan survived these past few months—waiting for your news every day, rushing to grab the first copy of the newspaper every morning, praying before the Buddha every day. Grandfather, are you tired? I'm tired too. Let's leave..." Jiang Feiyan said through sobs.

Grandfather lowered his head. "Sister Yan, do you know? It's not that I don't want to leave, but the Japanese are likely about to make a major move."

"Sigh, Grandfather, you can't manage all the affairs of China. We are merely the 'Jiangxiang Faction,' just common folks among the masses. The morning mushroom knows not the beginning nor the end of its day, the cicada knows not of spring and autumn. We cannot even preserve our own lives, let alone talk about those great affairs of spring and autumn."

"Sister Yan, Master Mei was right. Ever since ancient times, the 'Jiangxiang Faction' opposed the Qing and restored the Ming. Now that the Great Qing is gone, who are we opposing? When Patriarch Fang Zhaoyu founded the 'Jiangxiang Faction,' his purpose was to act on behalf of heaven, robbing the rich to aid the poor. The times have changed, but this foundational mission has not. Today, the Japanese invaders are pressing closer step by step, the Nationalist authorities are obsessed with civil war, and the common people are plunged into misery and suffering. If we walk away, how can our consciences bear it? Besides, these brothers are of uneven character; might they assist evildoers? We are just like an ox hitched to a yoke, unable to free ourselves for our entire lives."

That final sentence brought tears streaming down Jiang Feiyan's face. Indeed, taking over the hall from Qiaowumei, the bitterness and exhaustion involved were things only she truly knew. Wearing furs, eating bird's nest, wearing gold and silver, applying powder—none of these could offset the dull, lingering ache in her heart. Sitting in this position was like an ox pulling a plow, dragging it until death without a chance of release.

Grandfather gently wiped the tears from the corners of Jiang Feiyan's eyes, sighed, and said, "Sister Yan, I still have to do something that will make your heart ache even more..."

Jiang Feiyan blinked her eyes. "What?"

Grandfather fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, "I must eliminate Farong!"

"What?" Jiang Feiyan sprang up instantly, staring at Grandfather in horror.

"Farong is clever, but overly clever, and within her cleverness lies ruthlessness. If this continues, I'm afraid a major disaster will occur."

"Where is Grandfather getting this from?" Jiang Feiyan asked, uncomprehending.

Grandfather looked at Jiang Feiyan and said in a low voice, "She caused Pei Jinglong's death."

"What? Who said that?" Jiang Feiyan's mouth dropped wide open in shock.

"Sister Yan, the matter of deploying the gu on Zhoushan is known to you, to me, and to all the bosses. We knew the Japanese would inspect the belongings carried by everyone entering the island, and Japanese gu masters were present as well, leaving us no way to smuggle gu worms onto the island in normal jars or bottles. In the end, we had no choice but to take the risk and harbor the yin-type gu worms inside our bodies. Every single one of us kept an antidote under our gums, waiting for the moment the tides backflowed and venomous snakes invaded to bite down on the antidote, so that the yang-type venomous snakes swarming from the surrounding islands would not attack us. Yet Third Boss Ba told me he witnessed with his own eyes how Pei Jinglong was swarmed by dozens of venomous snakes, ultimately collapsing in despair into the seawater. Both the gu deployment and the antidotes were handled entirely by Farong. The only possibility is... that Farong tampered with Pei Jinglong's antidote, which was why he failed to escape. A talent of a generation died in such an obscure and unclear manner!"

"What? Why would Farong do such a thing?" Jiang Feiyan's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"Farong suffered hardships since childhood, enduring endless bullying, making her exceptionally defensive and jealous. I suspect she feared that in the future I would take Pei Jinglong in, which would threaten her position and Zizhan's. Sister Yan, just think about it: of the Eastern and Southern Factions, the one with the most genuine skill is Farong. She harbors immense ambition and absolutely will not tolerate anyone else with genuine skill joining the hall—as the saying goes, two tigers cannot share one mountain. Back during the contending of heroes in the Three Kingdoms, even Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong harbored jealousy toward each other, let alone people of our generation! That was why she lost her mind and went down this path..."

"Could there be a mistake?" Cold sweat beaded on Jiang Feiyan's brow.

"No mistake! Over these past few months, whenever I mentioned Pei Jinglong, her expression was always off, and she invariably tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. And there's more..."

"What more?"

Grandfather's face actually flushed red. "Furthermore, she and Zizhan are already finished. If things go on like this, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it will endanger the reputation of the 'Jiangxiang Faction.'"

Jiang Feiyan caught on immediately. "Farong mentioned to me before that she held feelings for Grandfather..." Jiang Feiyan couldn't go on either. "Sigh, this child truly ruined herself through her own cleverness! Grandfather... can I ask you to show mercy and spare Farong?" Jiang Feiyan realized the gravity of the situation.

Grandfather let out a mournful sigh. "Sigh! It's not that I never gave her a chance; I repeatedly warned her that a person cannot be overly clever, but she stubbornly refused to listen. Sister Yan, you cannot possibly be unaware of the rules of the 'Jiangxiang Faction': gossiping behind the backs of the hall's successors and wreaking havoc within the hall are both capital offenses. On top of that, she has now murdered Pei Jinglong. Younger Brother Pei had a sixty-year-old mother to support at home and a wife and children below; he lived an upright, honorable life and was a rare genius in I Ching studies. For the sake of national righteousness, he resolutely accompanied me onto the island. Perhaps he knew long before that misfortune outweighed fortune; before landing on the island, he once told me that if anything untoward happened to him, I should entrust his elderly mother to my care. Whose life is not a life? No one wants to die; Farong's life is a life, and Pei Jinglong's life is also a life. Farong must die to comfort the spirit of Younger Brother Pei in heaven!"

"Grandfather!" Jiang Feiyan grew frantic. "Grandfather!"

"Sister Yan need not plead for her any further!" With that, Grandfather flicked his sleeve and turned into the inner room.

"Grandfather, she is my daughter!" Jiang Feiyan said loudly, before suddenly letting out a cold laugh. "Heh, how calculating of Grandfather! So Grandfather wanted to eliminate Farong all along, yet sat back and held his hand, waiting until the Zhoushan setup was resolved before taking action. That way, he could stabilize military morale while letting Farong slave away without a single grievance, and now that Pei Jinglong just happens to be dead, Grandfather has finally found the perfect excuse!"

Grandfather paused, wanting to say something, but swallowed the words right back down. In the end, he shook his head helplessly. "If Sister Yan insists on thinking that way, I have nothing to defend myself with."

Late at night, the more Jiang Feiyan thought about it, the more grief-stricken she became. "No, I absolutely cannot let Grandfather kill Farong! Of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is the best!"

She secretly summoned her personal maid Yuling, whispered a few instructions in her ear, and the maid took her orders and departed.

At the fifth watch of dawn, Jiang Feiyan waited anxiously at the ferry dock. In the darkness, two figures hurried toward her.

Spotting Jiang Feiyan from afar, Huang Farong ran over quickly and asked with a smile, "Godmother, what's wrong? Sister Yuling said you wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with me—how did we end up chatting all the way out here?"

Jiang Feiyan marched straight up and slapped Huang Farong hard across the face. "You've brought a catastrophic disaster upon yourself!" With that, tears burst from her eyes.

Huang Farong's hair bun came undone across her forehead, and she asked tearfully, "Godmother, what is it?"

Jiang Feiyan lowered her voice and asked, "Let me ask you, was Pei Jinglong killed by you?"

Huang Farong bit her lower lip and nodded.

"My girl, you've gone mad! You've committed an unpardonable crime, and Grandfather is going to kill you!" Jiang Feiyan wiped the tears from her face as she spoke, turning back to tell the maid, "Quickly, take her on the boat! Go to Guangzhou first, pick up some gold and silver from the hall's branch, and then send her to Nanyang!"

"Godmother!" Huang Farong let out a heart-rending, agonizing shriek, dropping heavily to her knees as tears streamed torrentially. "Godmother!"

"My child," Jiang Feiyan pulled her into her embrace. "My child, listen to me, you must never return in this lifetime! Absolutely do not come back, Grandfather means what he says! Forget Zhang Zizhan, and forget Grandfather too!"

"Mother," Huang Farong buried her head deep in Jiang Feiyan's bosom, her tears soaking through the clothing. "Mother, I'm scared, I don't want to leave..."

"Good daughter, leaving is a blessing, leaving is a blessing! Listen to Godmother. Back when Fifth Grandmother (Qiaowumei) was around, it wasn't convenient for me to let you go, but now the opportunity has finally come. Godmother won't abandon you; someone will meet you on the other side. Remember, from this day forward you can no longer be called Huang Farong. Change your name, live a proper life, be a proper person!"

"Mother..." Tears flowed endlessly as Huang Farong cried out with all her might, "I was wrong, I was wrong!"

"Hurry and go! If you don't leave now, it'll be too late! Yuling, take her away quickly..."

Suddenly, Jiang Feiyan stopped speaking. She noticed a figure emerging from the darkness, carrying an immense, imposing aura and killing intent.

Jiang Feiyan's body trembled involuntarily. Huang Farong stopped crying as well; she too saw Grandfather slowly closing in through the darkness.

"Stop right there!" Jiang Feiyan suddenly heightened her tone. "Stop right there!" She drew a pistol from her bosom and aimed it squarely at Grandfather.

Grandfather continued walking forward.

"Stop right there!" Jiang Feiyan shouted at the top of her lungs, instantly swiveling the muzzle of her gun to point it at her own head.

Grandfather paused.

Huang Farong's legs grew weak, and she dropped heavily to her knees, sobbing in a low voice, "Grandfather, I was wrong."

Grandfather slowly raised his gun and aimed it at Huang Farong's head. The air froze; besides the sound of the river water, only the sound of heartbeats remained.

Grandfather's finger slowly squeezed the trigger. The moment the gun went off, Huang Farong would be finished.

Jiang Feiyan stared in despair at the merciless Grandfather, tears flowing unstoppably.

"Wrong! It's wrong!" At that critical moment, the little maid Yuling spoke up. "Sister Farong is Yan Niang's daughter. Even if internal family discipline is to be executed, it should be the Grand Master of the 'Crossing Begonia' who carries it out. Patriarch Fang Zhaoyu left behind ancestral injunctions stating that the four major halls must not interfere in each other's internal affairs. Grandfather, you are wrong, you are wrong!"

Grandfather paused once more.

At that moment, Jiang Feiyan also snapped out of her despair, instantly regaining the dignity and sharpness of a Grand Master. She whirled her gun around and pointed it at Huang Farong. "Fine! I shall execute family discipline! I shall execute family discipline!"

With that, she rapidly pulled the trigger. Two sharp gunshots rang out, and Huang Farong collapsed.

Grandfather stood there in a daze, uttering not a single word. The maid Yuling covered her mouth with both hands in terror, not daring to draw a heavy breath.

"Grandfather, are you satisfied now?" Tears burst forth from Jiang Feiyan's eyes. "Are you satisfied!"

Grandfather said nothing, turning around to walk back into the darkness.

A gust of cold wind swept past, causing Jiang Feiyan to shudder all over. Her mood had plunged to rock bottom.

"Get her on the boat. If she's lucky enough to survive the night, find a doctor for her once she docks. If she dies, it means her fate is bad..." Jiang Feiyan said coldly to the maid.

Dazed and hollow-eyed, Yuling dragged the bleeding Huang Farong onto the boat, and the boatman—who had long since pocketed several hundred yuan of legal tender from Jiang Feiyan—rowed away with all his might.

After composing herself for a moment, Jiang Feiyan shook the gun in her hand, gritted her teeth, and fired a shot directly into her own arm. Fresh blood gushed out, and she then emptied all remaining bullets into the sky. The gunfire shattered the stillness of the night, setting off a chaotic chorus of barking dogs and crowing roosters.

Jiang Feiyan sprinted frantically back to Grandfather's residence, bursting through the door with a shout: "It's bad, it's bad, the Japanese are coming after us!" Her outcry woke everyone up in a panic. Hurriedly throwing on their clothes, they rushed out into the courtyard.

Grandfather glanced at Jiang Feiyan and then announced to everyone, "Fall back, quickly!"

Everyone rushed out along the alleyways, running dozens of li in a single breath.

When daylight broke, catching sight of a village ahead, Grandfather's party came to a halt.

"Where's Farong?" Fourth Boss Ba suddenly asked.

Jiang Feiyan panted heavily as she explained, "Farong and Yuling were out for a walk with me when a squad of people suddenly approached. When we got closer, we saw they were devils, and one of them seemed to recognize Farong, shouting and rushing forward to grab people. We opened fire while retreating; Farong and Yuling stayed behind to cover our rear, and I ran ahead to report. Let's wait a bit—they should be arriving soon..."

An hour passed, two hours passed, a month passed, two months passed... Spring passed, and summer arrived.

"Where's Farong?" Fourth Boss Ba had already grown half-deranged. "Where's Farong?"

With neither a living person seen nor a corpse recovered, Farong and Yuling had simply "vanished."

Half a year later, Jiang Feiyan finally figured everything out. One night, she silently visited Grandfather and said to him, "Regarding Farong's matter, thank you, Grandfather."

Grandfather wore a blank expression. "Dead is dead, do not speak of it again."

Grandfather knew that on that night, Jiang Feiyan had perhaps not struck Huang Farong's vital organs. He had neither inspected the corpse nor fired a supplementary shot. In truth, he had hesitated at that moment as well; he simply could not comfort the spirit of Pei Jinglong in heaven. He sensed that the wickedness lay not solely in Huang Farong, but in himself, and in the entire "Jiangxiang Faction." Under the banner of acting on behalf of heaven, what was it that made everyone turn so ruthless? If a pack of soul-deprived, walking corpses gathered together to act on behalf of heaven, their "Dao" would be the Dao of ghosts, consuming human flesh and blood until they turned to devour one another. Grandfather's heart was filled with boundless confusion, and he dared not think any further.

The person most heartbroken over Huang Farong's "disappearance" was Fourth Boss Ba. Having just awakened and sworn to cherish Huang Farong for the rest of his life, he had already slipped into a state of semi-madness.

Immediately following this, July 7, 1937 arrived, and the full-scale War of Japanese Aggression against China erupted.