Go play with eggs elsewhere.
Bang, bang-bang, bang, bang-bang.
The patrolling night watchman struck the rhythmic wooden clappers.
The sound carried into the high-stilted hanging tower. Fang Yuan opened his dry, weary eyes, thinking to himself, "It's the fifth watch."
He had spent much of last night lying in bed, contemplating and planning extensively, calculating that he had only slept a little over an hour.
This body had not yet begun cultivation, and its vitality was not robust. Therefore, waves of fatigue and drowsiness still enveloped his body and mind.
However, over five hundred years of experience had long forged Fang Yuan's will into something as deep and unyielding as steel. This bit of sleepiness was nothing at all.
Without hesitation, he pushed aside the thin silk blanket, rising cleanly and decisively.
He pushed open the window. The spring rain had ceased.
A fresh, damp breeze, mingled with the scents of earth, trees, and wildflowers, immediately greeted him. Fang Yuan felt his mind clear instantly, and the lingering drowsiness was entirely dispelled.
The sun had not yet risen, and the sky was a deep, profound blue—neither fully dark nor light.
Looking out, the high-stilted hanging towers constructed of green bamboo and timber harmonized with the surrounding mountains, presenting a scene of serene, verdant tranquility.
These high-stilted hanging towers were at least two stories tall, a distinctive dwelling structure of the mountain folk. Because the mountain terrain was rugged and uneven, the ground floor was built upon massive wooden piles, with the second floor serving as the actual living quarters.
Fang Yuan and his younger brother, Fang Zheng, lived on the second floor.
"Young Master Fang Yuan, you are awake. This servant will come up immediately to attend to your washing." Just then, a young woman's voice floated up from below.
Fang Yuan looked down. It was his personal maid, Shen Cui.
Her appearance could only be considered average, but she was well-dressed. She wore a green blouse with long sleeves and trousers, embroidered slippers on her feet, and a pearl hairpin in her black hair, all exuding a youthful vitality.
She glanced at Fang Yuan with delight, carrying a basin of water, and ascended the stairs with quick, light steps.
The water was pre-adjusted to a warm temperature, meant for washing his face. For rinsing his mouth, she used willow twigs dipped in fine salt to clean and whiten his teeth.
Shen Cui attended to him tenderly, a smile on her face, her eyes brimming with spring-like charm. She then helped Fang Yuan dress and fasten his clothes, occasionally allowing her ample bosom to brush against his arm or back during the process.
Fang Yuan remained expressionless, his heart as still as calm water.
This maid was not only a spy planted by his uncle and aunt, but she was also vain and fickle in nature. In his previous life, he had been deceived by her. After the Awakening Ceremony, when his status plummeted, she immediately changed her tune, giving him no end of cold shoulders and disdainful looks.
When Fang Zheng arrived, he happened to see Shen Cui smoothing out the wrinkles on Fang Yuan's chest clothing. A flicker of envy and jealousy unconsciously flashed in his eyes.
Living with his brother over the years and being cared for by Fang Yuan, he also had a servant to attend to him. However, it was not a young maid like Shen Cui, but a fat, bloated old nanny.
"If only Shen Cui could attend to me like that someday... what would that feel like?" Fang Zheng thought, feeling both desire and trepidation.
It was well-known throughout the household that their uncle and aunt favored Fang Yuan.
Originally, Fang Zheng had no servant at all; it was Fang Yuan who actively requested one for him.
Although there was a clear distinction between master and servant, Fang Zheng did not dare look down on Shen Cui in daily life. This was because Shen Cui's mother was Shen Momo, the aunt's trusted personal attendant and the household's head housekeeper, wielding considerable authority.
"That's enough, no need to tidy anymore." Fang Yuan impatiently brushed away Shen Cui's soft little hand. His clothes were already smooth; Shen Cui's actions were more about seduction.
For her, Fang Yuan's future was bright, with a high likelihood of possessing Grade-A aptitude. If she could become his concubine, she could transform from servant to mistress—a leap into heaven.
In his previous life, Fang Yuan had been deceived, even developing feelings for this maid. After his rebirth, however, he saw through her completely, his heart cold as frost.
"Leave now." Fang Yuan didn't even glance at Shen Cui, adjusting his own cuffs.
Shen Cui pouted slightly, finding Fang Yuan's lack of response today strange and somewhat aggrieved. She wanted to say something coquettish, but was subtly intimidated by his inexplicable aura. She opened her mouth several times but ultimately just said, "Yes," and obediently withdrew.
"Are you ready?" Fang Yuan looked towards Fang Zheng.
His brother stood dazedly at the door, head lowered, staring at his own toes, and gave a soft hum of affirmation.
He had actually woken up at the fourth watch, too nervous to sleep, and had risen early to prepare. Both his eyes were ringed with dark circles.
Fang Yuan nodded. In his previous life, he hadn't understood his brother's thoughts. But in this life, how could he not comprehend?
Yet pointing it out now was meaningless. He simply instructed, "Then let's go."
And so the two brothers left their residence. Along the way, they encountered many peers of similar ages, in twos and threes, clearly heading to the same destination.
"Look, those are the Fang brothers," came hushed, careful whispers to the side.
"The one walking ahead is that Fang Yuan—the one who wrote poetry," someone emphasized.
"So it's him. Expressionless, ignoring everyone around him—just as arrogant as the rumors say," another remarked, tone tinged with jealousy and envy.
"Hmph, if you could be like him, you could act that arrogant too!" someone retorted coldly, hiding a sense of resentment.
Fang Zheng listened expressionlessly; he was long accustomed to such whispers.
He kept his head down, following behind his brother, walking in silence.
By now, dawn light was breaking on the horizon, and Fang Yuan's shadow fell upon his face.
The morning sun was gradually rising, yet Fang Zheng suddenly felt as though he was walking into darkness.
This darkness emanated from his brother. Perhaps for his entire life, he would never be able to escape the immense shadow his brother cast over him.
He felt a growing pressure in his chest, almost as if he couldn't breathe properly. This wretched feeling even made him associate it with the word "suffocation"!
"Hmph, such talk—a tree that stands above the forest will indeed be broken by the wind," Fang Yuan thought with a cold laugh, hearing the murmurs.
No wonder, after his aptitude was tested as merely Grade-C, he had been surrounded by hostility, subjected to harsh treatment, disdain, and cold shoulders for a long time.
Behind him, his brother Fang Zheng's increasingly heavy and constrained breathing did not escape his ears.
What he hadn't noticed in his past life, he now perceived with crystal clarity in this one.
This was all thanks to the keen perception gained from five hundred years of life experience.
He suddenly thought of his uncle and aunt—they really did have some schemes. Assigning Shen Cui to monitor him closely, and giving his brother an old nanny. There were actually other differences in how they treated them in daily life.
It was all deliberate, meant to stir feelings of unfairness in his brother's heart and to sow discord between them.
All people do not fear scarcity, but rather inequality.
In his previous life, he had too little experience, and his brother was too naive and innocent, allowing their uncle and aunt's schemes to succeed.
Since his rebirth, the Awakening Ceremony was fast approaching. The situation seemed deeply entrenched, but with the methods and wisdom of Fang Yuan, a former grandmaster of the demonic path, it was not impossible to change.
This brother could certainly be suppressed and subdued. Shen Cui, that little wisp of a girl, could be taken into his harem even earlier. As for his uncle, aunt, the clan leader, and the elders—there were at least hundreds of schemes to discipline them.
"However... I simply don't wish to do so..." Fang Yuan sighed leisurely to himself.
What if it was his own flesh and blood brother? There was no familial affection to speak of—merely an outsider. Abandoning him would be just that—abandonment.
What if Shen Cui was even more beautiful? Without love or loyalty, she was merely a vessel. Take her into his harem? She wasn't worthy.
What if it was his uncle, aunt, the clan leader, or the elders? They were all merely passers-by in life. Why exhaust his efforts and waste his energy to discipline these strangers?
Haha.
As long as they didn't obstruct his journey, they could go play with themselves. They weren't even worth trampling.