Chapter 5: She’s Fierce

The north wind carried fine snow, the cold biting to the bone. Pedestrians on the street hunched their shoulders and tucked their hands into their sleeves, but Fan Changyu strode through the wind and snow with urgency, gripping a black iron bone cleaver. Veins stood out on the back of her hand.

At the entrance to the alley in the west of the city, a crowd had already gathered to watch the commotion. Shouting, smashing, scolding, pleading, and children crying all mixed together into a chaotic din.

Someone sharp-eyed spotted her and called out, “Changyu’s back!”

Seeing the cleaver in her hand, several people sucked in a breath.

“Is that girl really going to take a knife to her uncle?”

“Well, it’s not like Fan Da is any good. His younger brother and sister-in-law haven’t even been buried long, and he’s already trying to take the orphan girls’ house to pay off his gambling debts. Isn’t he afraid their ghosts will come for him at night?”

“Those gambling den people aren’t easy to deal with. Even with a knife, a young girl like her might not scare them off…”

The Fan household was already in complete disarray. Broken jars and overturned furniture littered the entrance and extended deep into the house. Several burly men were still inside smashing things and rummaging around, even tossing bedding from the bed onto the floor.

Changning clung to Aunt Zhao, crying hysterically. Aunt Zhao’s eyes were red as she cried out helplessly, “Stop smashing! Please stop!”

No one paid her any attention.

Fan Da stood beside a gambling house steward, bowing and scraping, clutching one hand and forcing a smile. “Master Jin, once we find the deed, I’ll transfer it at the government office. The house will be mine—I’ll have money to repay the debt, I will!”

The man called Master Jin didn’t even spare him a glance. He sneered, “If we don’t find the deed today, I’ll chop off that hand of yours and take it back.”

Fan Da tightened his grip on his hand. “We’ll find it, we’ll find it…”

A thunderous shout came from the doorway, loud enough to make ears ring. “Stop right now!”

The voice cut through everything, and all eyes turned toward the entrance.

The young woman stood there, wrapped in wind and snow, her gaze colder than the gleaming edge of the cleaver in her hand. Even the doorway seemed to shrink beneath her presence.

The moment Changning saw her, she burst into tears. “Sister…”

Fan Da avoided her gaze, shrinking behind Master Jin, not daring to speak.

Master Jin glanced at the cleaver in her hand and laughed dismissively. “Ah, the eldest daughter of the Fan family.”

Fan Changyu swept her eyes over the wreckage inside, her face tense. “Take your people and get out.”

Master Jin raised his brows, clearly finding her arrogance amusing. “The gambling house operates by rules. Fan Da says this house is his. We’re just here to take the deed as repayment. Your family matters are none of our concern.”

Fan Changyu’s gaze sharpened like a blade as it landed on Fan Da. “This house is yours?”

Fan Da didn’t dare meet her eyes. He switched tactics, playing the sympathy card. “Niece, your uncle has no choice. I owe the gambling house money. If I don’t repay it today, I’ll lose my hand. Your parents are gone, and you and Ning have no brothers. When you marry, you’ll need someone from your natal family to back you up. Help your uncle this once—hand over the deed, repay the debt, and I’ll treat you both like my own daughters. Your cousin will be like your real brother. You’ll have support when you marry…”

Fan Changyu let out a cold laugh. “If you want to pay off your debts, use your own house. What kind of logic is it to use mine? Your gambling-addicted son is no better than you—he’ll be lucky if he doesn’t lose his hands someday. And you think I’d rely on him?”

Fan Da flushed with humiliation. “How can you be so vicious? Cursing your own cousin? He still needs to marry—if you take this house, how will he find a wife? You and Ning are both girls—you’ll marry off eventually. What use do you have for this house?”

Fan Changyu laughed in anger. “My parents left this for me and Ning. What I do with it is none of your business.”

Seeing she wouldn’t give in, Fan Da dropped all pretense. “Your father had no sons. According to the law, his property belongs to me! What right does a girl like you have to fight for it? Planning to take it to your husband’s family?”

He sneered. “Or is it because you killed your parents, got dumped by the Song family, and now you’re afraid you won’t marry, so you’re hoarding it as a dowry? Your sickly sister won’t live long either, right? Who would dare marry a cursed star like you?”

No one saw her move.

By the time anyone reacted, the cleaver had already left her hand. It flew past Fan Da’s ear and embedded itself deep into the wall behind him, severing a few strands of his hair.

Fan Da’s face turned deathly pale. His legs trembled violently, his mouth opening but no sound coming out.

The gambling house men, who had been watching casually, finally grew serious.

Fan Changyu raised her eyes, staring at Fan Da. “Everything my parents left is for Ning’s medicine. Take your people and leave now—or the gambling house may only want one of your hands, but I’ll slaughter your entire family before I go meet my parents!”

“You—!” Fan Da shuddered, unable to meet her gaze. “Then… then let’s go to the authorities! We’ll see who the house belongs to!”

Turning back to Master Jin, he forced a smile. “Master Jin, could you give me a couple more days?”

Master Jin snorted. “The Huixian Gambling House doesn’t have that kind of precedent. Or would you rather repay with your right hand?”

Cold sweat broke out on Fan Da’s forehead. “No, no—but she…”

He glanced nervously at Fan Changyu.

Master Jin sneered. “If it’s really yours, my men will find it.”

Compared to taking a hand, he preferred taking the house. Turning to his men, he barked, “What are you waiting for? Keep searching!”

The men resumed smashing and rummaging.

Fan Changyu clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking.

Master Jin smirked. “Don’t blame us. These are the rules.”

Aunt Zhao, frantic, suddenly seemed to recall something and rushed out.

She pushed through the crowd and knocked on the Song family’s door. “Song Yan! Fan Da brought gambling house thugs to Changyu’s home to seize the deed! You’re a scholar—her parents treated you well. Come speak up for her! You’re a degree holder—they’ll show you some respect!”

Everyone in the alley knew what was happening, yet the Song family door remained shut. No matter how hard Aunt Zhao pounded, there was no response.

At last, she broke into curses. “Song Yan, what good is your learning? When your father died, you couldn’t even afford a coffin—who bought it for him? Aren’t you afraid your father will be crushed in his grave?”

Her voice rang through the alley.

Inside, Song Yan’s mother trembled with anger. “That shameless woman! You’ve already broken off the engagement—what does their mess have to do with you?”

“Mother,” Song Yan finally said.

She stopped. “Forget it. She’s trying to drag us into this. Don’t go out—you’re meant for great things. Don’t get entangled with them again.”

—

In the attic next door, Xie Zheng had heard everything.

The other side clearly had the advantage in numbers. The girl stood alone, with only the elderly couple, who couldn’t help much.

Outside, the clouds cleared, sunlight reflecting faintly off the frost. His face, illuminated by that light, remained cold.

Those scum were making too much noise.

He braced himself on a pair of crutches and slowly got up. They had been made for him that very day by Uncle Zhao.

His wounds weren’t healed. As he stood, fresh blood seeped through the bandages, but he didn’t care. Each step he took was steady.

If he didn’t deal with those troublemakers, he wouldn’t even be able to rest.

—

Back at the Fan house, everything had been turned upside down. Even the floor tiles had been tapped one by one.

Changning huddled behind Fan Changyu, sobbing. Fan Changyu stood silently, shielding her.

One thug overturned the ancestral tablet of her parents and stepped forward to smash it—

Before his foot could land, his collar was grabbed. In the next instant, he was hurled out the door, his head slamming against the threshold.

Everyone froze.

Fan Changyu stood there, looking at the fallen tablets, strands of hair lifted by the wind. Blood dripped from her palm—she had pierced it with her own nails.

“I’ll give you one last chance. Leave—or don’t.”

Her voice was calm, but chilling.

The gamblers hesitated. Fan Da had already retreated toward the door.

Master Jin, however, refused to back down. “Keep smashing!”

The men rushed forward together.

Fan Changyu didn’t even lift her head. She kicked up a wooden staff from the ground and swung it in a wide arc, sending several men flying.

She moved like a whirlwind—striking, sweeping, slashing. It looked less like a staff and more like a long-handled blade without an edge.

One by one, the thugs were beaten and thrown out of the house like sacks.

The crowd gasped.

Fan Da shrank into a corner, trembling.

Master Jin tried to run, but the cleaver flew again, embedding itself in the door in front of him, stopping him cold.

“Miss Fan… this is a misunderstanding…”

“Officials are here! Make way!”

At the arrival of the authorities, even the thugs felt relieved.

Uncle Zhao returned with them, shouting, “Broad daylight, bullying an orphan—have you no—”

He stopped when he saw the scene.

Xie Zheng, who had just come downstairs, also paused, surprise flickering in his eyes.

He had suspected she knew martial arts—but now he knew.

No one noticed him as he turned and left, his blood-soaked clothes hidden beneath his calm expression.

—

Inside, Fan Changyu knelt and picked up her parents’ tablets, carefully wiping the blood from them with her sleeve.

Her father had taught her those techniques—but had forbidden her from using them unless her life was in danger.

Today, she broke that rule.

Not for her life—but for her parents.

“Father… forgive me,” she whispered.

—

With the authorities present, things calmed quickly.

The gamblers were reprimanded and ordered to compensate her for damages. Fan Changyu bore no liability.

Fan Da dared not press further.

As the crowd dispersed, Fan Changyu thanked Captain Wang.

He sighed. “If your uncle takes this to court, you may not keep this house.”

Fan Changyu’s face was filled with deep exhaustion and despair. “I’ve tried every method I could think of. I even asked a legal clerk, and they all said I can’t transfer the property my parents left behind.”

Legal clerks specialized in drafting petitions and handling lawsuits; they were thoroughly familiar with the laws of the dynasty.

Having handled countless cases over the years, Captain Wang was experienced and knowledgeable. After a moment of thought, he said, “There might still be another way.”