Chapter 38: Do Not Covet, It Is Not Your Turn

"Stop coveting; it's not meant for you," Si Yuheng glared at her, his voice clipped and cold.

You An almost wept with gratitude. It would be even better if his master could just kick Fang Ning out of the carriage.

Fang Ning curled her lip. "I was just complimenting his looks; I’m not after him. Why are you so worked up, Young Master?"

Si Yuheng closed his eyes to rest, determined to ignore her. Fang Ning chattered on for a while, but seeing that Si Yuheng wouldn't even open his eyes, she finally gave up. Unable to pester him, she moved to the front of the carriage and began to annoy You An. You An kept his mouth shut tight, not even letting out a grunt.

Eventually, Si Yuheng, exhausted by her restlessness, ordered her back inside: "If you keep making noise, I’ll throw you off the carriage."

A flicker of a smile passed through Fang Ning’s eyes as she scrambled back inside. "Young Master, weren't you going to teach me to read? Since the journey is boring anyway, why not give me a lesson?"

Si Yuheng glanced at her, knowing she wouldn't stay still, and pulled two books from under the seat, tossing them to her. "Read through them first. Tell me if there are any characters you don't recognize."

To his surprise, Fang Ning began reading them aloud immediately. Si Yuheng was stunned. Are the characters the same even in different worlds?

Fang Ning sensed his thoughts. "Not entirely the same. To you, they probably look like they’re missing a limb or two."

She tipped a little water from her flask onto her finger and wrote her name on the small table. The character "Fang" was the same, but "Ning" was missing its middle components, simplified to "Ning." It was indeed missing a limb or two. Furthermore, Si Yuheng noticed that while Fang Ning’s calligraphy had strength and character, it was also delicate and graceful—a bit like a woman's handwriting. The thought crossed his mind, but he didn't dwell on it.

Seeing that she knew the text, he took the book and began to explain the contents. Si Yuheng had a pleasant voice, and he cited historical allusions with such ease that Fang Ning found herself fascinated, becoming completely engrossed in the lesson.

They were heading to Donglin County. It was further away than Guining, and the main road was sparsely traveled.

"This road is quite remote; it’s perfect for highway robbery," Fang Ning remarked casually as she peeked out the curtain when Si Yuheng called for a stop.

"This mountain is my domain, these trees I have planted! If you want to pass through this road, leave your road-tax behind!"

No sooner had she spoken than a dozen ragged men, women, and children leaped out from a bend in the road, wielding chipped wood-chopping blades and trembling as they attempted to rob them.

The sight left Fang Ning speechless. They had gotten the lines right, but why were the robbers shaking as if *they* were the ones being robbed?

"Hand over your silver quickly! O-otherwise, d-don't think about passing!" the leader, a man whose face was gaunt and sallow, looking for all the world like a starving ghost, stammered. Where was the menace of a bandit?

Fang Ning turned her head. "Has there been any natural disaster in the Great Liang recently? They look more like refugees to me!"

"There were floods in Bazhou," Si Yuheng said. "The imperial court should have already sent relief."

"Did you hear us? Hand over the silver!" the man on the other side barked, seeing that Fang Ning and Si Yuheng were ignoring them.

You An asked, "Young Master, shall I handle them?"

Si Yuheng looked at Fang Ning, curious to see how she would deal with this.

"Can you do any work?" Fang Ning stepped forward. "Highway robbery is a crime that carries heavy penalties under the law. You have the elderly and the young among you—do you really want to ruin your lives like this?"

The group exchanged bewildered glances. Si Yuheng frowned slightly. Was she really going to be this soft-hearted?

"D-don't talk nonsense! G-give us the silver!" the leader mustered his courage.

"I can give you work and pay you wages. Do you want to join me?" Fang Ning walked toward them step by step. "I have silver, and I can feed you until you're full. But if you dare to rob me of even a single copper today, I will make sure you rot in prison!"

Having said that, she looked back at You An. "Show them what you’ve got!"

You An pointed at himself. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Or do you expect the Young Master to do the labor for you?" Fang Ning raised an eyebrow.

You An: "..." He wasn't her bodyguard! Why should he take orders from her?

*Snap!*

You An flicked his horse whip, and a tree as thick as his arm collapsed with a thud. The dozen or so robbers were so terrified that they instinctively dropped their blades, their faces turning pale.

"If you can beat him, go ahead and try to rob us. If not, then either leave or stay," Fang Ning said, crossing her arms.

"Young Master, why are you taking them in?" You An asked, deeply puzzled. "They were trying to rob us!"

"No one chooses to risk their lives if they can survive. They don't look like vicious criminals to me; I just want to give them a chance to be good people for once," Fang Ning replied. "Are you willing to follow me?"

"Young Master, can you truly ensure we don't go hungry and have a place to stay?" the leader asked, his voice trembling.

"Yes. You’re all one family, aren't you?"

"We are."

"Very well. I can save you, but I require you to sign a contract of indenture—a permanent one."

At these words, Si Yuheng looked at Fang Ning with surprise. "Permanent?"

"That's right. I can save you, but I am no living Buddha; there is no such thing as a free lunch. It is your choice whether you want to sell yourselves to me, and I guarantee that the work I have for you will be nothing more than ordinary farm labor!"

"It's that simple?"

"Yes. Here is one hundred copper coins. Take this, go to Shichuan Town, eat, and wait for me. Of course, you can also choose to just take the money and leave."

Fang Ning pulled out her pouch, counted out a hundred coins, strung them together, and tossed them over. The leader caught them, staring at Fang Ning in disbelief.

"I have other matters to attend to; stay or leave as you please," Fang Ning turned around, climbed back into the carriage, and said, "Young Master, let’s go."

Si Yuheng and You An exchanged glances and climbed back in. As You An drove the carriage past the group, they stepped aside to make a path. They watched the carriage until it disappeared from view.

"Why did you give them the coins?" Si Yuheng asked.

"A balance of mercy and authority. Using one hundred coins to test them—I'm not losing out," Fang Ning replied.

"What do you need them for?"

"Young Master, do you intend to work the fields yourself? They have suffered through disaster and hardship. If someone offers them a way to survive, they will be loyal to that person."

"And how can you be sure they won't just take the money and run?"

"Young Master, that’s a pointless question. I don't believe for a second that you can't tell what kind of people they are!"

"I can't."

"Hmph..."

Fang Ning decided she didn't want to talk to him anymore. A mastermind reborn—would he really be unable to judge a person's character? She wasn't a saint, and she wasn't about to do good deeds without a return on her investment! Her hybrid rice experiments were beginning, and she needed hands. They were exactly the people she needed.