Chapter 136: I Shall Perform for You

What kind of people are the Zhao Family of Xinzhou?

In formal settings, they are called Commissioner Zhao and the Xinzhou Army, but in private, they are referred to as the Zhao Clan.

They are warlords who have carved out a territory for themselves!

In this region, the old laws are ineffective; if you offend them, even if they slaughter your entire family, you have nowhere to seek justice.

But then again————

To put it another way!

Rules are being reshaped, power is being redistributed, and crises are accompanied by major opportunities!

Just look at the movements of those great noble families and you will know. Their Pang Family cannot compare to those great families, but they also have ambition!

Giving up because of those few concerns is absolutely impossible! Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent an invitation over there.

Therefore, upon learning that Wen Gu had replied to the invitation, seeing that there was a breakthrough, how could they be willing to give up? Pang Silang's father and mother immediately came over to dig Pang Silang out of bed, urging him repeatedly.

Seeing Pang Silang's eyes begin to glaze over, his father slapped him on the back: "What are you dazed for! Did you remember everything I just told you?"

Pang Silang stammered: "Ah? This————do I really have to go?"

His mother didn't strike him, but her gaze carried a hint of murderous intent: "Keep your mouth shut! Is the Zhao Family's cousin the same as those fox friends of yours? He looks like a proper man of letters! You must remember, use elegant language!"

"Don't go spouting off about every sordid little thing! Gossiping all day long, talking about this family's business and that family's affairs—are you eavesdropping on people behind their walls? Since you can only blabber, why don't you call yourself Pang the Blabbermouth?!"

Pang Silang scratched his head in distress.

This broken mouth of his is not something he can control just because he wants to!

His father and mother were still working hard to prepare. Knowing that Wen Gu was quite talented, they picked out a few questions related to poetry, literature, and painting, and urgently crammed them into Pang Silang.

Knowing that Silang was a straw bag, they didn't expect this fellow to remember everything, but he should remember as much as he could; he couldn't possibly fail to answer a single word if he were actually asked, right?

Pang Silang's eyes became even more sluggish.

Knowledge entered his brain in a way he couldn't refuse, yet it refused to stay, just like a stubborn mule.

His brain was similar to his broken mouth; both were leaky. As much as was stuffed in, that much slipped out.

Master Pang had done everything he could, including how to respond to every step and how to handle the etiquette, and they had even rehearsed it over and over again.

————Still, he was not at ease!

Master Pang specifically dispatched a capable servant from his side to follow him.

Master Pang wished he could take his place! If Wen Gu hadn't only invited Pang Silang, he would have thickened his skin and followed along.

Finally, the appointed time drew near.

Pang Silang couldn't care about his parents' complex gazes; he walked out the door with heavy legs.

He had never met Wen Gu. The evaluations of Wen Gu were mixed, and considering the Zhao Family's current power, those complimentary evaluations might have been issued only out of fear.

That Wen Gu might just be someone with a kind face but a black heart, hiding a knife in his smile!

Pang Silang became even more cowardly; he shrank his neck and simulated countless terrifying scenarios in his mind.

The servant beside him followed closely, dutifully whispering reminders.

Pang Silang silently recited the key points.

However, once he actually entered that large mansion and his gaze swept over the guards wearing armor and holding blades and spears, he was stunned————

It was just like feeling that you could recite everything before entering the exam hall, having made full preparations, only to have your mind go blank when facing the test paper.

It's all over!

Even if he were slaughtered here today, his family probably wouldn't dare to come and collect his corpse————

The servant could not follow into the reception hall and could only wait respectfully outside.

Fortunately, the Pang Family's last-minute cramming was still useful; Pang Silang seemed to have had a program temporarily installed, bowing mechanically and exchanging pleasantries mechanically.

However, this stiffness soon faded.

Under Wen Gu's sincere and approachable attitude, the color gradually returned to Pang Silang's pale face.

Huh?

This cousin————he actually looks quite sincere and friendly?

Wen Gu didn't talk about those elegant poems or paintings, but instead asked about the local customs of Shuo City, and then very naturally followed Pang Silang's lead to talk about the Gao Family.

Pang Silang went from being vigilant to relaxed, and then began to feel restless.

Ah, this————

His eyeballs rolled, and the seal on his mouth began to loosen.

He struggled bitterly in his heart.

The conversation had already reached this point; he was truly too interested, and there was so much he wanted to say!

Finally, he still couldn't resist the trigger of the keywords.

The person who had originally been shrinking his neck and answering cautiously perked up!

Outside the hall, the Pang Family's servant stood solemnly.

He pondered in his heart: It seems quite calm inside; Young Master Silang should be fine, right?

Just as he was praying, before a single prayer could be finished, a familiar voice suddenly came from inside the room: "I know way too much about that!"

The servant also gave a start, the same thought occurring to him: I know way too much about that!

Once Young Master Silang starts saying that, it means he is about to let loose!

The reminders from before they arrived were as good as forgotten completely!

Inside the room, Pang Silang's face was ruddy and glowing.

If Wen Gu had asked about anything else, he would definitely have been cautious and stammering, but if they talked about the Gao Family, he would get fired up!

As long as you give me a chance, I can trample on the Gao Family a few more times!

"You've asked the right person; I know way too much about what kind of thi—cough, I know a thing or two about their family affairs!"

A person like Pang Silang, once the keywords come out, is like being activated, spilling a whole string of words.

A playboy has a playboy's circle of friends and sources of information; although to decent people these tidbits aren't very proper, Zhao Shaozhu had already mastered the proper news, so Wen Gu wanted to hear the unconventional kind.

The Pang Family had been suppressed by the Gao Family for many years, and Pang Silang held a grudge, so he took this opportunity to frantically sow discord.

In places near the border, the wealthy families that made their fortunes were all much the same.

Pang Silang wanted to step on the Gao Family but didn't want to drag his own family into it, so he wouldn't say it outright.

"————Gao Laoda has wide-reaching sources of information and can learn of any movement in advance. Two years ago, when things turned chaotic, it was his family that moved first!"

"At that time, upon hearing of the turmoil, many wealthy families in the city actually intended to leave, but they didn't know what the situation was like outside, so there was some disagreement."

"My father said, if a crisis truly cannot be avoided, whatever the Gao Family does, our family will do the same!"

His family had always been guarding against the Gao Family; the moment they moved, his family knew.

Once they saw the Gao Family hiding away, the Pang Family didn't run out of the city to avoid disaster either—it was definitely worse outside!

They didn't know about the Gao Family's Storage Cellar, but many wealthy families had dug secret Cellars in their homes. Having lived in Xinzhou for generations, they were very experienced in dealing with war and turmoil.

At that time, once they saw the Gao Family was nowhere to be seen, they knew they had hidden underground.

Pang Silang was telling Wen Gu that the Gao Family must have deep ties with former imperial court officials; Zhao Shaozhu surely knew this, but that didn't stop Pang Silang from mentioning it again.

The ones in charge of Xinzhou now are the Zhao Family, not that bunch of officials from before!

His father had said that the Zhao Family had grievances against the former Xinzhou officials, as the grain and fodder transported to the border were often skimmed; the Zhao Family was being magnanimous by not retaliating now, so how could they possibly treat them well?

And as for the Gao Family, the deeper their involvement, the more the Zhao Family would be on guard.

Pang Silang blathered on for a while.

Powerful local gentry who have taken root in a place for decades or centuries have seen too many "unspeakable" things.

Inside and outside the mountain passes, Xinzhou's public trade routes and secret smuggling channels were all controlled by those big families and wealthy households.

Likewise, everyone knew that for these big families to last for decades or centuries and control these profitable avenues, it was impossible without a backer.

The Gao Family had one, and the Pang Family did too. Both had dabbled in open and secret businesses, and no one would ever reveal their own greatest backer.

Just like their Pang Family; everyone knew he, Pang Silang, had a loose tongue, so his father and brother absolutely never told him much about serious matters.

Therefore, Pang Silang felt no pressure talking about this; he didn't need to worry about revealing secrets because he truly didn't know them.

"Damn it—bandits! Right, I mean, those bandits! There are rumors that Gao Laoda knows those bandits, handles the payoffs, and while many merchant caravans are intercepted, his Gao Family's goods are always safe!"

Wen Gu listened and then asked: "Does the Gao Family only consist of the two brothers?"

Pang Silang immediately returned to this topic: "The only ones alive in the Gao Family are indeed Gao Laoda and Gao Lao Er; they were born to the same mother, and their relationship is considered harmonious."

Mentioning Gao Lao Er, Pang Silang's expression was very disdainful; he scanned his surroundings and pointed at his feet: "This residence is the Gao Family's ancestral property. Although the Gao Family has money, they didn't seek another place. The one in charge is Gao Laoda, and Gao Lao Er is just a spendthrift! Even more of a mess than me!"

"Gao Laoda cares for brotherly affection and lets his family continue to live in the ancestral home; if he really drove them out, Gao Lao Er would definitely be sleeping on the streets."

""

Wen Gu nodded: "This residence is large; it's more than enough for two families."

Pang Silang said: "Only the two brothers' families live here, but with wives, concubines, children, and servants, the number of people is large!"

His mood became more and more natural; old habits die hard, and as he spoke, he started gossiping, his eyes darting around: "Gao Lao Er has lovers outside, and more than one! That someone from the brothel, that someone from the teahouse, that widow from the alley————"

"Gao Lao Er's wife has caught him several times!"

Pang Silang sighed: "Sigh, that second wife comes from an official family; if her father hadn't been demoted and the family hadn't fallen on hard times, she wouldn't have ended up married to that scoundrel of the Gao Family."

"It's only been a few years, and the former refined young lady has become sharp-tongued and mean; I've seen them fighting in the street several times! Gao Lao Er even had his face scratched up!"

While speaking incessantly, although Pang Silang's gaze didn't look directly at him, his peripheral vision swept the four sides, keeping an eye on the surroundings at all times. Seeing Wen Gu about to pour tea, he hurried over, picked up the teapot, and filled all the cups.

He had at least that much awareness, otherwise, if his parents found out, he would be sealed in the ancestral hall upon returning!

After moistening his throat with tea, he didn't need Wen Gu to prompt him and continued speaking on his own.

He wasn't good at reading essays, but he was an expert at talking!

"That Gao Lao Er, he's a scoundrel himself, yet he looks down on others! Let me act it out for you, it's just like this————"

""

As long as the stage was set, Pang Silang could perform a good show all by himself.

Just as he was about to act, he realized he was facing Wen Gu directly, felt it was inappropriate, and shifted to the side, facing a vase, so that he could let Wen Gu see his expression clearly while continuing to perform with full emotion.

"Let's talk about a time a few years ago. That day, it was almost mealtime, and I was rushing home when I happened to run into Gao Lao Er going out. It was almost dark and he was still going out; you can guess what that was about! He was definitely going to see one of his old flames!"

"He's an arrogant one; before I even opened my mouth, Gao Lao Er glanced at me————"

Pang Silang replicated Gao Lao Er's posture at the time: a contemptuous smile, face filled with mockery, arrogant posture, as if looking at a lower-class animal; the only thing missing was the word "trash" labeled in his eyes.

He didn't say a word, but the silence spoke volumes.

Although much time had passed, Pang Silang remembered that scene clearly; every time he recalled it, his mood would explode a little.

"What I said before might have been slightly exaggerated, but this one just now, I swear, he really was just like that!"

"I have self-awareness; I know I'm mud, but how is he, Gao Lao Er, any better than me? Aren't we both just stinking mud from the same pond? I rely on my father to support me, he relies on his brother to support him; both of us are useless bags of trash, yet he looks down on me? Where does his sense of superiority come from?

Bah!"

"He walks around with his nose in the air all day, squandering the money his brother earned, and some of the items he plays with are even beyond the regulations!"

Pang Silang's emotions rose and he spoke too quickly, so that by the time he realized what he had said, it was too late to stop; he made an emergency stop, wanting to turn and change the subject.

Wen Gu took the opportunity to say: "Oh? The Gao family is secretly using palace items? I have indeed heard a little about this."

Pang Silang's attempt to change the subject failed.

Anything involving the imperial court and royalty was a taboo! Even though his mouth was prone to leaking, he didn't dare continue on such a topic; anyone would keep their mouth shut about that.

However!

Since the keyword had already accidentally slipped out, and Wen Gu had heard of it long ago, then————it wouldn't hurt to talk about it, right?

He didn't know Gao Laoda well and didn't have much to say about him. As the head of a family, many secrets were unknown to outsiders, and he acted with caution.

Gao Lao Er had more flaws, after all!

If one wants to speak ill of the Gao Family, one must start with Gao Lao Er!

Pang Silang continued to share old stories about the Gao Family.

"His older brother is especially protective of him. In my mother's words, Gao Laoda completely dotes on him. Whenever he gets anything good or any precious object, as long as Gao Lao Er takes a fancy to it, he takes it away to play with."

"We all say in private that while Gao Lao Er's study might not have many books, it certainly has no shortage of rare treasures!"

Wen Gu thought of that broken scholar's knife. He had already asked the person who packed up the items, and it was indeed found in a corner of Gao Lao Er's study.

Perhaps this small scholar's knife had been in Gao Lao Er's hands for a long time. After it broke, as time passed—and since Gao Lao Er had so many good things—he threw it in a corner and forgot about it. When the Gao Family packed up their things to leave Shuo City, they left this broken little object behind.

The noble the Gao Family clung to clearly isn't a small figure. How much does Cousin actually know? Has he really let bygones be bygones?

A new round of keyword activation began inside the room.

Pang Silang was also getting more and more enthusiastic as he spoke!

His consciousness split into two halves—

One half screamed, 【Shut your mouth!】

The other half was immersed in a desire to share that ten wild horses couldn't pull back.

The two strands of consciousness pulled to the limit, and every time his reason returned and he wanted to shut his mouth————

Wen Gu would chime in from the side: "Is that true?"

"How so?"

"There is such a thing?!"

"That makes sense," "You are absolutely right"————

Pang Silang was completely carried away by the conversation.

The Pang Family servant guarding outside the hall closed his eyes in grief, blaming himself in his heart: Master! This one is incompetent and has failed your heavy trust!

The Fourth Young Master has gotten carried away with his acting again!