Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Public Fury
The villagers’ gazes grew even more furious. Phoebe Huxley had easily fanned the flames of their rage, and they started hurling stones of all sizes at Phoenix Golding. Preston Thorne had already moved aside, not caring in the least whether Phoenix Golding lived or died. He even wished the villagers would be a little more vicious!
Phoenix Golding shielded her head and tried to dodge, but the stones were as dense as raindrops, making them impossible to avoid. Her head and body were struck repeatedly. Blood trickled from her temple, splattering her clothes, but the villagers’ anger hadn’t subsided. Some people even ran up to attack her directly.
A few furious women grabbed Phoenix Golding, punching and kicking her, cursing with every blow. Phoebe Huxley was, of course, one of them—and she was hitting the hardest.
Tang Xiao’nan watched the chaotic scene, secretly admiring her mother. ’Her performance tonight was brilliant. With just a few words, she’d turned everyone’s fury on Phoenix Golding. At this rate, even if Phoenix Golding doesn’t die, she’ll be beaten half to death!’
In truth, Phoebe Huxley wasn’t that silver-tongued. It was all thanks to Shane Thorne, with Adrian Hawthorne contributing plenty of ideas as well. Preston Thorne had given the Thorne family a heads-up about holding a big meeting today, so Byron Thorne had invited Shane Thorne over to help strategize. As it happened, Adrian Hawthorne came by to give Tang Xiao’nan some candy and ended up offering his own advice. When it came to plotting against others, the old man and the young boy were truly kindred spirits who appreciated each other’s cunning.
In terms of scholarly knowledge, Shane Thorne couldn’t hold a candle to Old Master Tate. But when it came to cunning, especially when it came to scheming against people, Shane Thorne left Old Master Tate in the dust. If Old Master Tate had been a bit more shrewd, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state.
Shane Thorne had thrived during the war-torn years precisely because he was a master of playing all sides, exceptionally slick in his dealings, and always knew which way the wind was blowing. That was how he was able to live out his later years peacefully on Millstone Peak. Otherwise, he might have ended up in a worse state than Old Master Tate—he might not have even survived.
Adrian Hawthorne’s life experience was, of course, nothing compared to Shane Thorne’s, but he had practical experience. For him, the past four years were worth ten for an ordinary person. The harsh environment had honed Adrian’s mind to be exceptionally sharp, tempering his thoughts into something ruthless and unfeeling. It was a true shame he and Shane Thorne hadn’t met sooner.
Last night, the old man and the young boy had spent the entire evening coaching the mother- and daughter-in-law duo, Raina and Phoebe Huxley. They taught them exactly what to say to fan the flames, as well as how to establish their authority on Millstone Peak. All their talk had not been in vain; the results were remarkably effective. Phoenix Golding was on the verge of being beaten to death by the furious villagers.
"Stop it! Stop hitting her! You’re going to kill my mom..."
Jacqueline Spann screamed, but her voice was instantly drowned out. More people, all women, rushed forward to beat Phoenix Golding, surrounding her completely. The scene was utter chaos.
Vernon Spann pulled his daughter back and whispered, "Stay out of it!"
’It’d be for the best if they beat her to death. Better to be a widower than to get a divorce.’
Jacqueline Spann gave her father a cold look, her heart filled with disappointment. She had originally thought her father could help her scheme and strategize, but the events of the past several days had left her feeling more and more let down by Vernon Spann.
’All Vernon Spann could think about was freeing himself from Phoenix Golding to live a happy life. He didn’t spare a single thought for her. Without Phoenix Golding, with only Vernon Spann’s meager abilities, she wouldn’t be able to survive on Millstone Peak. Her grandparents on her mother’s side wouldn’t take care of her, either.’
’Until she got into university, Phoenix Golding had to stay alive and well, and her reputation couldn’t be tarnished.’
"If you still want to live on Millstone Peak, you’ll go and save Mom. Otherwise, you won’t even be able to feed yourself!" Jacqueline Spann warned in a low voice.
Vernon Spann’s expression faltered, and irritation stirred within him. It was one thing for Phoenix Golding to look down on him, but now even his own daughter was treating him with contempt.
"You might not like to hear this, but I have to say it. If something happens to Mom, are we supposed to live on air with only your meager work points?" Jacqueline Spann’s expression was placid, her eyes cold.
