Chapter 20: A Single Flame, Reborn from the Ashes

"Salt!"
"Is it salt?"
"It must be!"
"So the eldest Su has been gone these past few days just to get salt."
"Hahaha, we have salt! We're saved!"
"Quick... hurry and find the village chief, we need to divide the salt!"
The villagers grew agitated. Several people immediately rushed off to find the village chief.
The group that had been clamoring to burn the "Snow Ghost" saw their dull, clouded eyes suddenly ignite with greed the moment they caught sight of the salt.
Aunt Zhang was beside herself with fury. Tears streaming down her face, she pounded on her son's arm repeatedly.
"You fool!"
"Why bring the salt out at a time like this?"
"You're courting death!"
Su Yanwen watched the crowd with icy detachment. Instead of showing any anxiety, he began to laugh uproariously.
"He's a lunatic!"
"Ignore him, he's just a madman."
"Hmph, we'll make sure everyone gets a good share of what he brought back."
The villagers outside looked at him with nothing but contempt.
"Share? Share what?" Su Yanwen laughed.
He shook the salt in his hand, then glanced at the roaring bonfire. Suddenly, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the salt directly into the flames.
The fire hissed and hungrily consumed it, the salt merging into the blaze.
"Ah!"
Screams erupted.
"That madman threw the salt in!"
"Quick, get it out!"
As the salt burned, people lunged forward, trying to snatch it back. But they were reaping what they had sown. The fire was now so intense—fueled by the very malice they had intended for Zhao Yue'e and Cao'er—that no one dared to get close.
"It's salt I brought back; why should I give it to you?"
"Why? Don't you see how many people are sick?" Su Cuilan shrieked, jumping in frustration.
Looking at this opportunistic sister, Su Yanwen fixed his gaze on her stomach. He grinned, a smile that sent chills down her spine.
"What... what are you looking at?" Su Cuilan's voice faltered with sudden panic.
Su Yanwen nodded. "You're a mother too; how can you be so utterly shameless?"
"Is it that my slaps aren't loud enough, or my fists aren't hard enough?"
Su Cuilan had not expected Su Yanwen to speak to her this way. She retreated two steps, inexplicably chilled, and managed only to stammer, "You're a lunatic, you're rotten to the core."
"Are you even a man? Hitting women?"
Su Yanwen grinned. "What? Didn't you teach me that?"
Su Cuilan and Miao Qin fell silent immediately. The memory of those beatings was still fresh; it was more than they could endure.
The villagers, seeing this, shouted angrily, "That is our life-saving medicine!"
"If you don't get it out, we won't let this go!"
"Give it to your grandmother!" Su Yanwen retorted on the spot.

After hurling that insult, he added, "Stop your damn whining. This is my property, and whether I share it or not depends on my mood."
"What? Are you going to try and take it by force?"
Some moved as if to step forward.
Su Yanwen brandished his knife and lunged. The man in the lead was fortunate enough to be wearing thick clothing and moved quickly; Su Yanwen’s strike was shallow. Even so, it tore a large hole in his clothes, letting the biting, freezing wind cut through to his skin.
"Ah!"
The crowd scattered in terror.
"He... he actually dared to use a knife."
They were terrified. It wasn't that a dozen of them couldn't overpower one man, but no one wanted to be the first to taste the blade.
"The village chief is here!"
Someone shouted.
An old man approached, surrounded by a crowd. He had a white beard, a face etched with deep wrinkles, and eyes that held the hard-earned wisdom of a long life. Most notably, he wore a thick, new cotton-padded jacket draped with a heavy cloak.
He was the chief of Wenlun Village. A patriarch of the Zeng family, the father of Zeng Tianba. His son was not with him, and he was supported by a group of villagers.
Seeing Su Yanwen, the village chief let out a cold snort through his nose. He hated the sight of this man, blaming him for the pain of his son, Dahuang.
As he stood at the doorway, the villagers fell silent, moving to the sides to clear a path. Even Aunt Zhang closed her mouth, bowing her head in subservience, not daring to act up.
Zhao Yue'e was terrified. Trapped on the ground, bound by hemp ropes, she couldn't move. Tears tracked through the dust on her face as she pleaded.
"Husband, I beg you, just kneel and apologize to the village chief!"
"Otherwise... otherwise not even you will be spared."
At these words, Su Yanwen, who had been standing with a slouch, suddenly stood as straight as a spear. Facing the old village chief, he remained unyielding, showing no fear.
This posture only fueled the old chief's resentment.
"Eldest Su, the village is in trouble. You have life-saving salt; why won't you share it?"
The crowd glared at Su Yanwen, their eyes burning with fury.
Su Yanwen covered his mouth and chuckled, his expression mocking.
"Old Village Chief, your family is the wealthiest in the village, aren't they?"
"The villagers are starving—why don't you take out some of your grain and share it?"
"The villagers are freezing to death—why don't you share your stockpiles of cotton?"
"The villagers are sick from a lack of salt—why don't you share the salt in your home?"
After a pause, Su Yanwen stepped forward, his voice rising to a roar. "As the village chief, you don't even lead by example, so why should I?"
"Have I ever been shown respect by this village, or has anyone ever cared for my family?"
The old village chief’s face turned dark, his cheeks twitching with rage.
Su Yanwen continued, "Or perhaps I should be like the village chief—generous enough to lend to everyone?"
"And when they can't pay it back or afford the interest, just take their daughters to settle the debt?"
As he spoke, Su Yanwen intentionally rubbed his shoulders, feigning a look of lingering fear.
At the mention of this, even those who had respected the village chief couldn't hide the hatred on their faces. Whose family didn't owe him money?
"Villagers, I have some salt, but it's only a tiny amount. Even if you stole it, not one of you would even get a taste."
"But do you know about the village chief's granary?"
Su Yanwen’s words were heavy with implication. The village chief's expression shifted instantly.
He slammed his cane against the ground and roared, "Shut your mouth!"
"Stop trying to stir up trouble."
"Su Yanwen, you’ve wounded a man with a knife. Someone, tie him up and send him to the authorities!"
"Go to hell! Are you saying that because you tried to burn my wife and daughter, I’m not allowed to fight back?"
"Send me to the authorities? Let's send this lot first and ask the officials who the hell belongs in jail!"
He glared at the chief. "Guess what the officials will think then? What exactly is it that you do as a village chief?"
The chief was livid, hammering his cane against the ground incessantly. Ignoring Su Yanwen, he barked at Miao Qin, "A father's fault if he fails to teach his son! Su Tan, get out here!"
"Tell me how you raised such a son!"
"Village Chief, greetings," Miao Qin said, fawning as she emerged. She pointed at Su Yanwen and said, "His father said that I am the master of all matters in this household."
"Such an unfilial, rebellious son! Get him out of here!"
"Get out? You want me to get out of the house I built?" Su Yanwen laughed.
"Yes! Everything here belongs to me and your father. You have nothing! You've grown wings now, so get out!"
"Your house? What house do you have?"
Su Cuilan rushed over as well. Emboldened by the village chief's presence, she attacked Su Yanwen, clawing and screaming. "My mother raised you, and you have the audacity to be unfilial! You have food but don't know how to show respect."
"You won't leave? Fine, I'll make sure you can't stay."
Su Cuilan was beside herself with rage. She grabbed a burning piece of wood and threw it onto the thatched roof.
"Ah! Fire!"
"Our house! Husband, put it out!" Zhao Yue'e screamed in panic.
Twenty people stood around watching, but not a single one helped. Though it was a dilapidated shack, it was the last shelter the family had.
"Retribution," Miao Qin cursed.
Watching the thatched roof catch fire, Su Yanwen laughed.
"What home? This isn't a home!"
Su Yanwen shouted, grabbing a burning log and throwing it onto the roof, one after another. The fire roared, turning into a dragon of flames.
"He's lost it!"
"Su Yanwen has gone mad!"
"He's burning down his own house!"
"Let's go... let's get out of here."
"Right, heaven knows what this madman will do next. Don't provoke him."