Chapter 429 - 203: The Actor
Chapter 429: Chapter 203: The Actor
Miao Feichan figured this was likely the whole story.
But she was still confused about something.
"Back at dinner, you must have checked on Landlord Chen.
"He doesn’t know any Martial Arts, does he?"
Fang Shuwen nodded.
"That’s right, he doesn’t know any Martial Arts."
"Then what’s really going on?"
Miao Feichan remained calm, but she was completely baffled.
Fang Shuwen smiled.
"If we don’t know, we just have to ask. Come on, let’s find someone who does."
As he spoke, he hauled Chen Zhong up from the ground and led Miao Feichan out of the courtyard.
Despite the rainy night, maids and servants were still walking about within the Chen Residence. Fang Shuwen casually hailed one and told them to take him to see ’Chen Zhong’.
The maid didn’t know why Fang Shuwen was dragging a person along, but Chen Zhong’s hair was so disheveled that his face was obscured.
So she didn’t grow suspicious.
She just nodded and led Fang Shuwen to find ’Chen Zhong’.
As the steward of the Chen Residence, ’Chen Zhong’ had his own small, private courtyard.
Fang Shuwen didn’t stand on ceremony. He kicked the main gate right open.
’Chen Zhong’s’ angry voice came from inside the room.
"Who dares be so insolent?"
He emerged, throwing on an outer robe and grabbing an umbrella as he spoke.
His aggressive demeanor evaporated the instant he saw Fang Shuwen.
His heart skipped a beat.
"He... Hero Fang, what is the meaning of this?"
Fang Shuwen grinned.
"Oh, it’s nothing. I just remembered something and wanted to have a little chat with your Landlord Chen.
"I don’t know where he lives, though, so I was hoping you could show me the way."
’Chen Zhong’s’ face was instantly filled with difficulty.
"The master is already asleep—"
Before he could finish, Fang Shuwen waved a hand dismissively.
"I don’t want to have to repeat myself."
’Chen Zhong’s’ face went pale, and he nodded quickly.
"Yes, yes, of course! Please don’t be angry, Hero Fang. I’ll... I’ll take you right now."
He immediately started leading the way, taking Fang Shuwen to find Landlord Chen.
’Chen Zhong’s’ quarters weren’t far from Landlord Chen’s to begin with. After passing through a few moon gates, they arrived at Landlord Chen’s door.
’Chen Zhong’ was about to announce their arrival.
But Fang Shuwen had already kicked the door in. With a swift motion, he grabbed ’Chen Zhong’ as well.
Amid cries of alarm, he burst into Landlord Chen’s room.
Landlord Chen didn’t seem to hear the earth-shattering noise in the slightest. He was lying in bed, fast asleep and snoring like thunder.
Fang Shuwen walked over and casually delivered two hard slaps across his face.
Caught completely off guard, Landlord Chen shot bolt upright, shrieking:
"Who dares strike this troupe leader?"
Fang Shuwen raised an eyebrow.
"Not a landlord? Since when did you become a troupe leader?
"Don’t tell me... you’re an actor?"
’Chen Zhong’s’ face contorted with anxiety. He wanted to speak but didn’t dare, looking like he might start beating his chest and stamping his feet in frustration.
’Landlord Chen’, however, looked at Fang Shuwen, and his eyes glazed over once more.
"Yo... Young Hero Fang? How strange... I was just dreaming... I dreamed that... Young Hero Fang came to watch... watch me perform..."
Miao Feichan raised a delicate eyebrow, while Fang Shuwen almost laughed in exasperation.
As someone from the Jianghu, he naturally shouldn’t lay a hand on common folk. At this moment, however, he seized ’Landlord Chen’ by the front of his robe and yanked him right out of bed.
As the world spun around him, ’Landlord Chen’ let out a series of terrified screams.
"No, no, no! Spare me! Spare my life!
"Young Hero Fang, I... I just treated you to dinner..."
Fang Shuwen’s mouth twitched. ’Where the hell did he learn that line?’
Though he was grumbling internally, he let out a cold sneer.
"’Landlord Chen,’ I’ll only ask you this once. If you don’t answer me honestly, I’ll smash you to death on this floor.
"Who are you, really?"
"I... This lowly one is named Chen Jinwang. I’m the leader of the Iron Pipa Opera Troupe."
He saw how Fang Shuwen was holding him high in the air with just one hand; the display of strength was truly horrifying.
He had no doubt the man could smash him into a pile of mangled flesh.
So he hastily confessed his identity.
Hearing this, Fang Shuwen slowly lowered him to the ground.
After Chen Jinwang’s feet touched the floor, his legs gave out and he collapsed into a kneeling position.
’So his surname really is Chen?’
Fang Shuwen sat down on the edge of the bed in a commanding posture, his eyes fixed on Chen Jinwang.
"If you’re the leader of an opera troupe, why are you here impersonating Landlord Chen?"
"It... it was someone. A master from the Jianghu... they, they captured us and brought us here.
"They’re making us... perform a play..."
Trembling, Chen Jinwang spilled the whole story.
It wasn’t just Chen Jinwang’s Iron Pipa Opera Troupe that had been captured. The perpetrators were incredibly resourceful and had rounded up many actors.
They were forced to play the roles of the villagers here.
Chen Jinwang’s Iron Pipa Opera Troupe was the largest and most skilled of the acting troupes, so they were given the primary roles, with him playing Landlord Chen.
And their task was simple: make Fang Shuwen and Miao Feichan believe.
That they were the characters they portrayed—a group of ordinary people. As long as they could accomplish that, it would be enough.
Hearing this, Miao Feichan frowned slightly.
"So, they considered you all in the Chen Residence the most important part of the act. That’s why they put their best actors here.
"How were they so sure we would come here?"
Fang Shuwen shot Miao Feichan a look.
"Did you forget what happened outside the village?"
His reminder made it all click for Miao Feichan.
There was an assassination attempt right outside the village. With the village so close by, how could Fang Shuwen not be suspicious of it?
If he hadn’t been suspicious, he might have just sought lodging at any random villager’s home. But once doubt took root, he was much more likely to go straight for the most prominent target. The eye-catching Chen Residence was bound to attract his attention.