37 Both a compromise and a threa (2/2)
”What, it's really him?!” Mo Yan was extremely shocked as images of Fang Yuan showed up in her mind.
The first time she saw Fang Yuan, it was at the inn.
At that time, Fang Yuan sat near the window, quietly eating his meal. His facial features were bland and both of his eyes were dark and gloomy. His body was thin and his skin had the special paleness of a teenager.
He looked like such a normal and quiet youth. To think that he had done such a twisted and insane act!
After her initial shock came a furious rage. Mo Yan yelled, ”This Fang Yuan is too outrageous, who gave him the guts to do so! To dare to do such a thing, this is a provocation towards our Mo family! I will go ahead now and bring him here to question him for his crimes!” After she said this, she headed towards the exit.
”You scoundrel, stop right there!” Gu Yue Mo Chen was angrier than she was as he grabbed an ink slab on his study desk and threw it over.
The hard and heavy ink slab hit Mo Yan's shoulder and with a ‘bang' it fell to the ground.
”Grandpa!” Mo Yan held her shoulder as she called out in alarm.
Gu Yue Mo Chen stood up, his finger pointing at his granddaughter as he spoke with an extremely agitated tone, ”It seems like all these years of training were in vain. You have disappointed me greatly! Against a small Rank one initial stage Gu Master, not to mention you involving so many people, but even getting led by the nose by the other party. Now that you've let your rage get the better of you, at this point, do you still not understand the meaning behind Fang Yuan's actions?”
”What meaning?” Mo Yan was puzzled.
Gu Yue Mo Chen snorted, ”If Fang Yuan wanted to provoke us, he would have blown up this matter, so why did he place this box at the secluded back door instead of placing it at the front door where there are many people walking around?”
”Maybe he wants to reconcile with us? No, if he wanted to reconcile, wouldn't it be better to apologise face to face? Why must he send us this box of minced corpse, this is definitely a provocation!” Mo Yan said.
Gu Yue Mo Chen shook his head, then nodded. ”He wants to reconcile, but at the same time, he is also provoking us. Placing the wooden box at the back door is his intention to reconcile. Placing the corpse inside the box, that is a provocation.”
”You see,” The old man pointed at the box, and spoke, ”This wooden box is not big, and it cannot hold a complete corpse. Therefore there can only be a portion of the corpse inside. He is trying to tell us that he does not wish to blow up this matter and wants to settle this amicably. But if our Mo Family wants to pursue this matter, he will place the remainder of the corpse at our main entrance, thoroughly blowing up the issue. By that time, it would be a losing situation for both sides. The entire clan knows that our Mo family broke the rules first, and to our Mo Family’s future head, this would be seen as him being so weak since he actually required his elder's doting and protection.”
Upon hearing these words, Mo Yan was momentarily dumbfounded. She had never expected that Fang Yuan's actions would have such profound meaning.
”His method is really wise,” Gu Yue Mo Chen said with admiration, ”With just one action, he exercised both toughness and softness, capable of advancing and retreating safely. This is just a simple wooden box but it not only expresses Fang Yuan's intention to compromise but also his ability to pose a threat to our Mo family. And it so happens that he does hold onto the weakness of our Mo family. If the Mo family’s reputation is tarnished, what follows after will be the Chi family's attack as well as the assault from the clan leader's side.”
Mo Yan found it unbelievable. ”Grandpa, aren’t you thinking too highly of him? Are you sure that he's capable of this? He is only 15 years old.”
”Too highly?” Mo Chen looked at his granddaughter unhappily. ”Looks like you've had too smooth a life in these past few years. Fostering your arrogant attitude, you are unable to clearly see the reality. This Fang Yuan was unfazed towards danger and deceived you to enter the school. Next, he used his wisdom in the face of danger and hid within the dormitory to avoid trouble. No matter what insult you threw at him he did not respond, this is his ability to calmly endure. After you left, he killed Gao Wan immediately, this is his bravery and courage. Now he sent this box, clearly showing his wisdom and planning ability. Can you still say that I thought of him too highly?”
Mo Yan listened with wide eyes as she had not expected her grandfather to praise Fang Yuan so highly. Immediately she said indignantly, ”Grandpa, he only has a C grade talent.”
Gu Yue Mo Chen sighed deeply, ”Yes, he is only a C grade. Having such wisdom and yet only C grade talent, it really is a pity. As long as his talent was higher, even if it was just a B grade, he would certainly become an influential member of our Gu Yue clan. What a pity, he is only a C grade.”
The old man's sigh was full of emotion. His sigh held both regret and at the same time rejoice.
Mo Yan was silent and in her mind, Fang Yuan's image appeared once again. Under her psychological influence, Fang Yuan's frail expression was shrouded by a layer of mysterious and vicious shadow.
”This problem was created by you single-handedly. How are you going to settle it?” Gu Yue Mo Chen broke the silence as he started to test Mo Yan.
Mo Yan pondered for a while before she replied in a cold and aloof tone, ”Gao Wan was just a servant, so there are no implications even if he dies. Fang Yuan is just a C grade, so he is also a small matter. What’s important is maintaining my Mo family’s reputation. To appease this matter, we might as well kill Gao Wan's entire family to show the entire clan our attitude to protect the rules and regulations.”
”Mmm, you’re able to think of the big picture. Setting aside your personal emotions to defend the interests of family, this is very good. However, your method is still flawed.” Gu Yue Mo Chen analyzed her response.
”Please enlighten me, Grandpa,” Mo Yan implored.
Gu Yue Mo Chen said solemnly, ”This matter was instigated by you, so I shall punish you with seven days of confinement. From now on, do not find trouble with Fang Yuan again. Gao Wan defied his superiors - a servant who dares to offend his master deserves death, so he should have been executed for his crimes! Because he is a servant of the Mo family, we are responsible for our inability to educate our subordinate and thus we shall compensate that Fang Yuan with thirty primeval stones. As for Gao Wan's family members, give them fifty primeval stones as compensation and expel them from the clan.”
After a short pause, he continued, ”For the next seven days, rest well at home, do not go out. At the same time, think about the profound meaning of why Grandpa chose to handle the matter this way.”
”Yes, Grandpa.”