Actually, I am a kind person
Shang Ya Zi flips the stone table in anger. Fang Yuan dodges it and tells him to calm down, reminding him that the poison vow states he cannot harm Fang Yuan, while two traces of blood run from Shang Ya Zi’s nose. Bai Ning Bing warns him to shut up or be thrown out, saying the internal affairs hall has started investigating and he does not have many days left. Shang Ya Zi sees that he is going to lose his young master position and that saving it is crucial. The only way is to ally with Fang Yuan, announce his innocence and deny any fake accounting, which was his original reason for coming to Nan Qiu garden. ch. 311
Fang Yuan says he is actually a kind person who repays kindness with gratitude and hatred with revenge. He lists how Shang Ya Zi caused him trouble many times, even snatching the bitter strength Gu at the auction. He admits the poison vow did contain a loophole, but says that in two years he has not used it. He had the guards let Shang Ya Zi in to tell him that Fang Yuan cannot afford to offend strong Shang clan but is not afraid of a mere young master. Then he tells him to leave. ch. 311
Shang Ya Zi does not leave but stands motionless, in great conflict with himself. Fang Yuan’s words show him the relationship is not yet at its worst and can be salvaged, and remind him that the bitter strength Gu is the root of the trouble. He weighs the shame of giving up the Gu he paid eight hundred and ten thousand for and concludes that his young master position matters more. Fang Yuan, seeing it is time, says he heard Ju Kai Bei and Yan Tu are fighting on the battle stage today, signalling Bai Ning Bing. She stands and pretends to leave. ch. 311
Shang Ya Zi asks them to stay and holds out the bitter strength Gu with shaking arms as an apology. Fang Yuan laughs, says he could obtain the Gu himself if he persevered, and asks whether Shang Ya Zi means to humiliate him. Shang Ya Zi swears to create no more problems from today and offers primeval stones, Gu worms and refinement material from the shops he is in charge of. Fang Yuan relaxes but keeps the Gu, saying he needs time to think. Shang Ya Zi, thinking Fang Yuan is too proud and angling for more, rejoices and privately vows to make him die horribly. ch. 311
After he leaves in a better mood, Fang Yuan tells Bai Ning Bing to report the case at the internal affairs hall. She nods, resolving to reread her own vow with Fang Yuan word by word that night. A few days later Shang Yan Fei reads the hall’s findings on the fake accounting of Shang Ya Zi, his second son. He revokes Shang Ya Zi’s young master status and sends him to the slave capturing group, not to return for three years. Shang Yan Fei is not finished: two young outsiders schemed against Shang Ya Zi, and though they once saved Shang Xin Ci, his bloodline is closer. He sends a bright red paper crane Gu as punishment and a test. ch. 311
In a secret room Ju Kai Bei and Yan Tu, rank four initial stage Gu Masters, read a letter in which the clan leader wants them to forcefully challenge Fang Zheng and Bai Ning Bing. They dominate the battle stage as rivals who swore not to leave unless one defeats the other. In truth they are Shang Yan Fei’s secret pawn pieces. Any Gu Master who dominates the battle stage and reaches Wei Yang’s level is promoted to external clan elder, and the two are Shang Yan Fei’s way of controlling the stage. ch. 311
