Yefutidaolu

Chapter 353 Fang Family
"Let's go." Gao Jian withdrew his gaze, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable power. He didn't look at Xia Youdu, but simply strode along the mountain path strewn with gold dust, heading towards the sunlit distance.

Xia Youdu stared blankly at his tall, pine-like figure walking in the sunlight, then looked blankly at her own pale hands, as if realizing for the first time the temperature of the sunlight on her skin.

That's brilliant; they're not afraid of the sun at all.

Gao Jian paid no heed to any of that; he simply continued forward, the mountain path winding and the forest breeze refreshing. Gao Jian walked with ease, his mind reciting the "Song of the Great Dao of Profound Transformation and Connection," which contained records about the Fang family of Youzhou.

After all, the Fang family had become a prominent family a hundred years ago, so there are records of it.

The Fang family of Youzhou were known for their heroic and unruly nature, and many scholars relied on them.

The head of the family, Fang Rong, whose original name was Er Gou, came from a humble background but had a very handsome appearance. His parents did not know where he went and he was orphaned at a young age. He wandered in the countryside and was found by Fang Chong, a local gentry. Fang Chong was amazed by his appearance and raised him as his son.

However, Fang's sons could not tolerate him, so he left home and joined the "Green Mountain Sect." The sect was full of martial artists, but Rong was studious, learned martial arts and etiquette, and returned home after completing his studies.

After completing his studies and returning home, his adoptive father, Fang Chong, often scolded his sons for being inferior to Rong. The sons were quite intolerant of this and once invited Rong to drink. They hid a swordsman to kill him, but Rong anticipated this and ran away, thus escaping the attack.

Later, Rong entered officialdom and drank at his home. He then plotted to harm him, but the servants in his household informed Rong of the plot. Rong then fled and was spared again.

The Fang family sons gave swords to Yan Ge, who then pursued and killed them. Rong was furious and slaughtered fourteen Fang sons. The adoptive father died of anger and then inherited the family property.

Upon assuming office, he encouraged himself to be diligent and frugal, and governed with kindness and benevolence, which earned him the people's praise. He governed the six villages under his jurisdiction with good policies. When his superiors visited him, they found that the treasury was full and the city walls were well repaired, so he was promoted to county magistrate.

He made great contributions in the three battles of Youzhou. Three hundred years later, his family rose to prominence and he became a military commander.

He often sent people to observe those in need who were struggling financially for weddings or funerals, and would often provide them with relief. He did not wear elaborate clothing, and whenever someone suggested this to him, he would refuse, saying, "The common people are already dressed in plain clothes, what use do I have for them?" As a result, the gentry and the common people had become quite proud of him.

Zhiyan: "The Fang family has seven families who have lived together for five generations, all of whom are of the same family. They are all outside the gate, and the clan has 1,200 members. Every meal is a large feast, and the young and old sit together to eat. They have more than 100 pet dogs, who share the same pens. If one dog is missing, the other dogs will not eat."

The brilliant idea was not only silently recited in his mind, but also read aloud.

Xia Youdu heard it clearly, but she didn't react in any particular way.

After reading it aloud, Gao Jian nodded slightly, seemingly moved: "No matter what kind of people aristocratic families do, those who can stand firm for hundreds of years must have their own way of making a living, whether it is through prestige, virtue, or a combination of kindness and righteousness. This ancestor Fang Rong is quite a figure."

After speaking, he glanced at the silent Xia Youdu beside him and asked, "What do you think?"

Xia Youdu was looking down at the stone path beneath her feet, which was slightly warmed by the sun. Upon hearing this, she looked up, a hint of confusion on her face: "What am I looking at?"

"Tell me your thoughts," Gao Jian said with a smile.

"No idea."

Gao Jian chuckled lightly, unconcerned: "Just chatting, don't worry about it. However, if you're not interested in idle talk, you could do me a favor." He stopped and looked at the crisscrossing paths in the forest before him. "I'd like to run into someone from the Fang family. Is there any shortcut?"

Xia Youdu remained silent for a moment, then closed her eyes. A very faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation emanated from her body, spreading out like invisible ripples.

A moment later, she opened her eyes, pointed to a relatively open road to the northeast that led to a lush mountainside, and said in a flat voice, "Go this way."

Gao Jian nodded: "Okay."

The two traveled about two hundred miles in the direction they were heading, and after passing through a dense forest, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before them.

Ahead lies a vast hilly meadow, lush with green grass and dotted with wildflowers.

A group of dashing young men, dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, were hunting here. They were dressed in brocade robes and tight-fitting clothes, some in blue and purple, some with gold belts, and they rode on extraordinary and rare steeds with their manes flying and their hooves whistling through the air.

"call out--!"

"middle!"

"Good archery!"

"Look at me!"

Cheers, the sound of horses' hooves, and the vibration of bowstrings mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Several teenagers were seen on horseback chasing after a few swift, wind-like antelopes that had been driven out of the forest.

With agile and swift movements, he drew his bow and nocked an arrow, his body rising and falling with the galloping horse, demonstrating his excellent horsemanship.

One of them, dressed in dark blue tunic robes and wearing a jade crown, had a face as fair as jade and eyes as sharp as an eagle's. He controlled his horse with effortless skill, and amidst the jolting gallop, he suddenly drew his bow. The bow was taut, the arrow like a shooting star! With a "thud," a fleeing antelope fell to the ground, struck squarely in the neck! This drew cheers: "Third Brother, what excellent archery!"

Not to be outdone, another youth dressed in a crimson brocade robe whistled, and his crimson steed suddenly accelerated, almost keeping pace with the other wind antelope.

In a flash, he turned and drew his bow. The arrow left the string and pierced through the weak spot behind the wind antelope's ear, killing it instantly! The technique was precise and ruthless! "Seventh Brother's 'Chasing the Wind' technique is becoming more and more refined!" someone praised.

The other boys also showed off their skills. Some shot down a falcon flying low overhead with two arrows in quick succession; some stopped their horses abruptly and turned to shoot a rabbit startled from the grass; and some even tried to imitate the third brother's composure and the seventh brother's cunning. For a time, the sound of bowstrings twanging and arrows piercing the air was deafening.

As the number of prey on the meadow gradually increased, arrows whistled through the air incessantly. Everyone competed, those who hit the target beaming with pride, while those who missed sighed in regret. They laughed and argued with each other, debating who had the most accurate shot, whose technique was the most skillful, and whose horse was the fastest. No one was willing to give in, and the atmosphere was lively and exhilarating.

But for a while,
The group reined in their horses and gathered around a makeshift enclosure containing their prey, their faces flushed with the excitement of exercise.

"If my 'Cirrus Cloud' hadn't forced that beast to the left and disrupted its pace, Third Brother's throat-piercing arrow might not have been so sure of success, right?" A young man in blue riding a green horse laughed, his words carrying a hint of defiance.

"Sixth Brother, you're mistaken!" Seventh Brother brandished the dragon-tendon bow in his hand, while the Crimson Flame Steed snorted impatiently. "The key lies in the stamina of my Crimson Flame! I drove it to exhaustion, forcing it to run blindly, which gave Third Brother the perfect opportunity! The credit goes to me!" "Ha! Seventh Brother, what a boastful tone!" Another youth in a moon-white robe pointed at the falcon on the ground, pierced by two arrows. "When it comes to speed and agility, it has to be me! How fast and high did that falcon fly? Who among you can fire two arrows in a flash from the swaying back of a horse, each piercing the eye?"

"Hmph, what kind of skill is it to be so close to the falcon?" another young man on a white horse scoffed. "If we're talking about accuracy and power, watch my arrow that pierced the wild boar's eye! So what if it's thick-skinned? It still killed him with a single shot!"

The boys argued heatedly, their faces flushed, each trying to outdo the other, debating who had the most accurate shot, whose horse was the fastest, whose tactics were the most ingenious, and whose prey was the most difficult to catch.

Pride was written all over his face, revealing the sharpness and competitiveness unique to scions of noble families. His fine clothes and fine horses complemented each other, making him look dashing and spirited.

Just as the debate was in full swing, with neither side able to gain the upper hand, and the teenagers' attention completely drawn to each other's sharp arguments, a clear and calm voice, neither too loud nor too soft, yet like a clear spring flowing over stones, clearly pierced through their clamor and reached everyone's ears:

"Gentlemen, your archery and horsemanship are truly admirable. However, with each of you sticking to your own opinion, it's unlikely to convince everyone. I have a method that might help you determine who is superior. Would you like to hear it?"

The sudden sound instantly drew everyone's attention.

The boys all turned to look at the sound, and saw a young man dressed in simple black clothes, but with an extraordinary temperament, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at them with a gentle smile.

The man was tall and upright, and although he was not dressed in fancy clothes, he had a calm demeanor and deep eyes, and was definitely not an ordinary passerby.

However, when their gaze swept past the scholar and landed on the figure half a step behind him, all the arguing, the pawing of hooves, and even the sound of the wind seemed to freeze instantly.

It was a woman.

Her skin was like jade, yet it exuded an abnormal, almost transparent fragility.

Her raven-black hair was loosely tied up, with a few strands falling down beside her cheeks.

Her face was exquisite, yet a layer of gloom and aloofness shrouded her eyes, as if she did not belong to this sunny world. She stood there quietly, like an ancient porcelain beauty lost in the wilderness, from the underworld. The sunlight falling on her seemed to have its warmth absorbed, leaving only cold light and shadow.

Amazed? Curious? Puzzled?

All the young men's eyes were fixed on this figure who had suddenly appeared, so out of place in the lively hunting scene before them, so out of place with the bright clothes and spirited horses. They couldn't look away for a second. The meadow, which had been so noisy and full of life just moments before, was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the rustling of the wind through the grass and the occasional restless snorts of the horses.

After that brief moment of distraction, the upbringing and composure of a scion of a prominent family ultimately prevailed.

The young man dressed in dark blue brocade robes, known as "Third Brother," was the first to regain his clarity. He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and quickly put on the reserved yet polite smile typical of scions of noble families.

He gently spurred his horse, and his magnificent black steed, Ta Xue Wu Zhui, moved with elegant and steady steps, stepping out from the crowd and stopping about ten feet in front of Gao Jian. He sat upright on his horse, looking down at Gao Jian with sharp, scrutinizing eyes, and then bowed respectfully, saying:
"Greetings, sir. I am Fang Qian, the third son of the Fang family of Youzhou." His voice was clear and melodious, carrying the composure characteristic of a scion of a noble family. His gaze swept over Gao Jian's simple blue robe without any disdain, but rather with some curiosity. "May I ask your esteemed name, sir? I would like to hear more about the method of 'distinguishing superiority and inferiority' that you mentioned earlier."

His demeanor appeared polite, but in reality, he firmly held the reins, asking about the background first and then discussing the methods, demonstrating excellent tact.

However, the most impatient and flamboyant young man behind him, dressed in a crimson brocade robe—"Seventh Brother" Fang Jun—had already lost his composure. The Crimson Flame Steed impatiently stomped a few steps on the spot, and almost as soon as Fang Qian finished speaking, he spurred his horse forward and stood side by side with Fang Qian.

He completely ignored Gao Jian's opinion; his eyes, filled with curiosity and eagerness, were fixed on Xia Youdu as if drawn by a magnet, his tone revealing the straightforwardness and undisguised interest characteristic of youth:

"Hey! Young lady!" His loud voice dispelled the last trace of silence on the meadow. "Who are you? Where do you come from? This outfit... tsk tsk, I've never seen anything like it before! Could you be a fairy from the mountains?" His words were so direct that they were almost presumptuous, carrying the confidence of a scion of a noble family, as well as the impulse to be strongly attracted by Xia Youdu's unique temperament.

Upon hearing this, the other Fang family youths also snapped out of their shock, their gazes lingering on Xia Youdu even more brazenly, and whispers began to rise.

"Seventh Brother!" Fang Qian frowned slightly and scolded Fang Jun for his rudeness in a low voice, but his gaze involuntarily turned to Xia Youdu again, clearly also full of questions about her identity.

Faced with that intense gaze and the blunt question, Xia Youdu remained expressionless, like a lifeless jade sculpture. Only her pale fingers, hanging at her sides, twitched almost imperceptibly, revealing that her heart was not entirely calm.

However, she didn't even look up at the boys who were staring at her.

Just then, Gao Jian made a move.

He did not answer Fang Qian's question, nor did he pay attention to Fang Jun's abruptness. He simply turned slightly to the side and took half a step forward, using his body to block Fang Jun's overly direct gaze and also protecting Xia Youdu in the shadow of half a step behind him.

The movement was subtle yet incredibly clear, instantly drawing everyone's attention. Fang Jun clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, while Fang Qian's gaze deepened.

Gao Jian's face still wore that gentle, harmless smile, as if his actions had never occurred. He first returned Fang Qian's greeting with a cupped-hand salute, his demeanor unhurried: "So you are the Third Young Master Fang. I have long admired the Fang family's reputation. I am Gao Jian, a mere scholar, not worth mentioning." He casually mentioned his identity, then changed the subject, his gaze calmly sweeping over Fang Jun, whose face showed curiosity and slight displeasure, before finally settling on Fang Qian. His voice was clear and steady as he introduced him:
"As for this one..." He turned his head slightly, gesturing to the figure behind him, "she is Xia Youdu, a true disciple of the Netherworld, Miss Xia."

Xia Youdu, a true disciple of the Netherworld, is also known as Miss Xia.

Fang Qian's reserved and composed smile froze instantly, and Fang Jun's curiosity and eagerness vanished completely.

“I’m afraid that to be able to travel hand in hand with this true disciple of the Netherworld, you must not be an ordinary person. Please show yourself. Why hide it from us?” a member of the Fang family immediately said.

Then Gao Jian smiled and said, "I come from the Imperial Academy and am just passing through here."

After hearing this, the people around him had no room to argue.

A top student of the Imperial Academy, accompanied by a leading disciple of a prestigious immortal sect.

how to say……

That's perfectly reasonable, absolutely reasonable.

With that, all hostility and arrogance vanished, and the Fang family members immediately greeted them with smiles on their faces.

(End of this chapter)