As Ms. Chen spoke,

The few Fang clansmen, who had been aggressively pressuring them just moments before, now looked embarrassed.

Indeed, Fang Mu was a simple and honest man.

Many among the Fang clansmen had received favors from him.

The families of Fang Ming and Fang Zhi, for instance, owed him a life-saving debt—a favor of the highest order.

However, sometimes a small kindness earns gratitude, while a large one breeds resentment.

Far from being grateful to Fang Mu’s family, these two men were now joining the other Fang clansmen to pressure them.

This was a perfect example of repaying kindness with hatred.

But they were nearly shameless. Even after Ms. Chen exposed them, their shame was fleeting.

"Auntie, you can’t put it like that. We all remember your kindness. But we really can’t get by anymore. Please, show us some compassion."

Before the others who had received smaller favors could even speak, Fang Zhi—the one who had borrowed a hundred jin of life-saving grain—spoke up again.

"If we weren’t at the end of our rope, why would we come to you? We’re all clansmen. You have to help out at a time like this!" Fang Ming chimed in.

The others chimed in as well, adding to the pressure on Fang Mu’s family.

Just then, more Fang clansmen arrived at the gate of Fang Yue’s home. The man in the lead, his hair and beard already streaked with gray, leaned on a cane. It was the clan elder.

This man, Fang Suo, was from the same generation as Fang Mu’s grandfather.

As the eldest, he was revered as the clan elder, and it was his duty to mediate disputes within the clan.

"Ahem! What is the meaning of this? Crowding Fang Mu’s gate like this—have you no decency? You’re here to borrow grain to save your lives, yet you pressure him like this. Is this any way to treat a savior?"

Fang Suo rebuked them, then walked into Fang Mu’s courtyard.

Fang Mu immediately offered him a seat.

"Fang Mu," he began, "about this... What they’re doing is wrong, but given the circumstances, who would stoop to this if their families weren’t truly on the brink?"

"So you see, if you have any grain to spare, perhaps you could help them out. I’ll have them write you an IOU. The grain must be paid back in the future!"

Fang Suo said with a smile as he sat down.

The moment he finished speaking, all eyes turned to Fang Mu’s family of three.

A flicker of hope appeared in everyone’s eyes; it was clear they all wanted to borrow grain from Fang Mu’s home.

In truth, Fang Suo’s words sounded pleasant...

...but his approach was far more cunning than the blunt demands of Fang Ming and Fang Zhi.

He wasn’t forcing the issue or demanding anything outright. His words left the decision entirely up to Fang Mu.

If Fang Mu’s family truly had no grain to spare, that would be the end of it. But if they had even a little, this put them in a position where they had to lend it.

Otherwise, their reputation would be ruined.

"Fang Mu, everyone knows the situation in the village. If some families don’t get provisions, people are truly going to die!"

When Fang Mu remained silent, Fang Suo immediately placed another ’stone’ of pressure on his shoulders.

He never explicitly mentioned borrowing grain, but every sentence was a masterclass in trapping Fang Mu with appeals to sentiment and social obligation.

As long as they intended to keep living in Da Liushu Village, they couldn’t afford to ignore what others thought, nor could they disregard their reputation.

The power of gossip is a fearsome thing. Enough voices can melt gold, and enough slander can crush bone.

And so it was.

Fang Mu hesitated, silent. He was a simple and honest man, but he wasn’t a fool.

’The clan elder’s words sound fair, but he’s just pressuring me to lend out the grain in a different way.’

’But with so many Fang clansmen here, if I start lending, it will become a bottomless pit.’

"That’s right! Elder Fang Suo has a point. We can write IOUs; we won’t take it for free," a few of the Fang clansmen piped up.

But in times like these, if the grain was lent out, it would be a miracle if any of it ever came back.

After all, with land and poll taxes being so heavy, the annual harvest was barely enough to cover them. After a year’s worth of consumption, there was truly nothing left over.

"You people!"

Ms. Chen was furious. Pointing at the clansmen she had once considered family and neighbors, she couldn’t believe they could be so shameless.

Throughout history, moral blackmail has always been the most insidious and difficult attack to parry.

Fang Suo, however, sat there perfectly composed.

’Among the clansmen, only Fang Mu’s family is doing well these days.’

’In the past two years, I’ve heard people say many times that Fang Mu’s family eats meat at every meal, better than the landlord Master Liu’s family.’

’It might be an exaggeration, but judging from the healthy complexions of Fang Mu and his family, they were indeed living well. They certainly weren’t lacking for meat.’

’After all, everyone had seen Fang Yue’s fishing skills. Plus, Fang Yue had learned from Fang Hu and even went hunting with him.’

’The Fang Family’s life was even better than my own.’

’But he’d never seen Fang Mu show him, his elder, the proper respect with a gift or two.’

So, in truth, a part of Fang Suo wanted to force Fang Mu’s family to give up their grain.

It was the classic case of not wanting to see others do better than oneself.

After all, if he were truly thinking of the clan’s welfare...

...then why didn’t he, the clan elder, take the lead and provide grain? As the elder, he enjoyed the yields from the clan’s public fields. His life was countless times better than that of the average Fang clansman.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a minor landlord!

After a tense stalemate, Fang Mu was breathing heavily, clearly about to buckle under the weight of their demands.

Just then, the festive sound of pipes and drums drifted from the distance.

Soon, several government constables in red uniforms appeared, coming from the direction of the village entrance.

"Congratulations to Master Fang Yue on becoming a Martial Scholar!"

The resounding announcement stunned the crowd of Fang clansmen who had been gathered in front of Fang Yue’s home, pressuring his family.

"Fang Zhi, who became a Scholar? And what’s a Martial Scholar?"

Fang Suo’s face was a mask of disbelief. Though he was over sixty, his hearing was sharp and his eyes were clear. He was in better shape than many of the younger men who toiled in the fields.

He had heard it perfectly clearly; that was precisely why he couldn’t believe it.

’A Martial Scholar?’

’Since when was there such a thing as a Martial Scholar?’

’Doesn’t our Great Wei Dynasty only have Martial Scholars?’

’Could it be a prank? Did Fang Mu’s son hire actors just to foil our plan?’

"Congratulations to Master Fang Yue on becoming a Martial Scholar!"

Just then, the cry came again.

It was closer this time, and everyone heard it loud and clear.

There was no need to doubt it anymore.

Because the government constables, their faces beaming, had already arrived at the gate to Fang Yue’s home.

"Congratulations, Master Fang! Our heartiest congratulations! Your esteemed son has passed the examination this season and become a Martial Scholar!"

At the arrival of the government constables, the Fang clansmen, terrified, had already scattered to clear a path.

They might dare to morally blackmail Fang Mu, but they would never dare offend a government constable from the County Magistrate’s Office.

Offend them, and the Government Office could levy extra taxes that would make it impossible for them to survive.

They wouldn’t dare argue, wouldn’t dare resist.

But they had no qualms about pressuring their own clansman and trying to "forcefully borrow" grain from Fang Mu’s home.

Fang Suo, for his part, scrambled to his feet.

Never mind that he was a respected elder among the Fang clansmen whose words carried weight.

In the presence of an Official, he wouldn’t dare act high and mighty.

An Official wouldn’t give a damn if you were a clan elder or not. Offend them, and they would make you suffer the consequences all the same!

"What did you say? My Zhi’Er... he’s become a Martial Scholar?"