Chapter 28: Bluffing One's Way Through (Part 2)

Zhang Wunan made no comment on the opinion of his little companion and grandson.

"I don't care whether Tong San stole it or not.

Either way, it gave that Zhang Yan a chance to pull a vicious move.

Tsk tsk tsk tsk, letting a few hundred Zhang family members of mixed quality learn the Zongheng Flying Kick Knight, Zongheng Flowing Fire Fist, Zongheng Wind-Seizing Hand, and Zongheng Finger Crossbow Master—four techniques that go straight into Fourth Rank, Upper Grade C cultivation methods.

What a sacrifice, what a scheme!

And with so many people involved, loose lips are inevitable; you can't plug the leaks unless you kill them all.

In the end, he really used a feather to lift a cauldron, tricking the Family Head into falling from power.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

"That's true.

But if there were fewer people, the matter would have been buried.

In that first half-month or so after we arrived at Giant Snake Head Island, those Stewards and Shop Assistants who escaped from Blackwood Town—

they were interrogated in a rush by Inner Affairs Elder Zhang Wuren, your External Affairs Elder Zhang Qilong, and our Firm's Owner, Zhang Baqi.

How many died, how many went mad..."

"Oh, my dear old man, don't cause more trouble—are you drunk or what?

We're still working under their command right now; talk about distant things and avoid the near."

"Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Those two grandsons—no, plus Inner Affairs Elder Zhang Wuren, that makes three grandsons in total.

They're using us as their guns right now, don't you know that?

Can we really avoid it?"

Zhang Wunan was also frustrated hearing this. He drank a cup of wine, let out a long sigh, and said:

"Whether the higher-ups use us as guns or not, it'll all blow over soon enough.

The matter of the *Zongheng Book* couldn't be covered up no matter what, and along with losing the 'Heavenly Creations,' it exposed the Family Head.

The Great Young Master overthrew his father and is about to take over.

Next, the east wind will overpower the west wind.

The Inner Affairs Elder faction, who sided with the Great Young Master, will inevitably suppress us, the External Affairs Elder faction.

They'll slowly try to win over your 'Four Seasons Trading Firm,' that big moneybag.

But no matter what, that's a matter for later.

The Blackwood affair is over.

Once the Family Head steps down, the Great Young Master's faction certainly won't keep fanning the flames; instead, they'll do their utmost to protect the old Family Head's reputation.

Everyone will join forces and play dumb."

"That's true too.

Once the Great Young Master becomes the new Family Head, he naturally has to protect his father's reputation; otherwise, his position would be unstable from the start."

"Right.

So now the higher-ups have all quieted down, watching the situation—better to stay still than to move.

They're forcing us to be the ones to stick our necks out."

In this kind of situation, the more you do, the more mistakes you make; the less you do, the fewer mistakes; do nothing, and you make no mistakes.

But they had to act.

The two men drank, complained, and ate crabs in frustration, and ended up forgetting that someone was still waiting outside to be questioned. They stayed up until the dead of night.

They passed out drunk on the table.

And so, Zhang Gui and that thick-eyebrowed young man waited outside the house the whole night.

It wasn't until the sky turned pale and the summer heat rose that the now-awake Zhang Wunan and Zhang Qihui called them in for questioning.

How could such an interrogation be serious?

Zhang Qihui hastily asked Zhang Gui about his experiences from the time he set foot on Giant Snake Head Island to the present, then had him sign and fingerprint the statement.

Afterward, he circled around the topic and said: "Judging by your experience, you shouldn't be a traitor from Zhang Yan's faction, but your position is definitely gone.

In the future, remember this lesson and serve loyally.

Also, about that *Zongheng Book*.

Ahem, the rumor is that you all have seen it, but that might not be true.

But if it is true, and it spreads from you again, that would be betraying the family and seeking your own death—you must be extremely careful.

Also, if you achieve something from your studies, the family certainly won't treat you poorly, understand?"

"Your instructions, sir, this humble one will keep firmly in mind."

He hadn't expected reality to be even easier than the most relaxed outcome he had imagined. Zhang Gui was overjoyed inside, but on the surface, he spoke with lingering fear.

Zhang Wunan, upon hearing this, exchanged a glance with Zhang Qihui, waved his hand, and said:

"You may go."

Zhang Gui cupped his hands, turned around, and slipped out of the big house.

Having been questioned and not arrested on the spot meant he was in the clear.

When Zhang Gui appeared outside the house in one piece, the thick-eyebrowed young man who had led him there relaxed his tense face.

The two of them had spent the whole night blowing in the wind on the beach, so they had formed a small bond.

Now that Zhang Gui was fine, there was no need to keep up a stiff front.

"Good that you're fine.

My name is Zhang Tangchun. Like you, I'm a Nine-Character Generation descendant of the Pingyang Zhang Family without a 'Beifen Character.'"

"It wasn't convenient to tell you yesterday. My apologies."

"Brother Tangchun is a straightforward man.

No need for apologies. If I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn't have given my name either."

"Hahaha, that's a fair point.

Come on, I'll take you back to the ship and arrange a place for you to stay.

These big, bright houses on the dock aren't places where people of our standing can linger long."

As he spoke, the two returned to the seagoing ship.

Zhang Tangchun seemed to have a plan in mind already; without a moment's hesitation, he led Zhang Gui straight to the bottom hold, into a cargo room.

"Our clan rarely has passenger ships—mostly cargo vessels.

In times like these, we have to rough it a bit.

Brother Chun, please bear with it."

The bottom cargo hold was dark and lightless.

The ceiling was a good man's height above, and in the three-zhang-square room, over a dozen floor pallets were laid out, so it didn't feel cramped.

But in the height of summer, everyone was drenched in sweat, and the pungent sour stench was still somewhat inhumane.

Thankfully, there was no confinement; when it became unbearable, you could go out for a stroll.

Yet everywhere inside the ship was as stifling as a steamer.

On deck, you'd be roasted alive by the sun, so it was actually more comfortable to just lie limp in the cargo hold.

After his berth was assigned, Zhang Gui did the same—grabbed a hemp mat by the door, found an empty spot, spread it out, and collapsed onto the floor.

Everyone here was a beast of burden from Heimu Town implicated by Zhang Yan; they were all half-familiar faces in the same predicament.

With a newcomer arriving, common courtesy demanded they at least greet each other.

But the heat dispensed with formalities.

In this steam-oven weather, no one had the energy to live, let alone the leisure for pleasantries—stripping naked and fanning your bare ass wasn't even enough.

And so they endured until noon.

The food deliverer brought a large basket of white flour cakes, lukewarm water mixed with sour vinegar, and two basins of long radish pickles.

"These cakes are freshly made; they'll go sour by afternoon. Don't waste them, everyone."

"I say, Ke Si, we've been bobbing around seeing each other for half a month now.

We're all descendants of the Pingyang Zhang Family—can't you improve the grub a bit?

Not to mention anything else, just boil a bucket of mung bean water, chill it in the cool well at the dock, and let us brothers cool off—that shouldn't be too hard, right?"

Everyone knew this was just a joke, a complaint; no one took it seriously.

But the kitchen helper who brought the food had a sharp tongue.

"Mung bean soup chilled in a cool well? What are you dreaming about?

Think you're still a shop assistant in Heimu Town, with three silver taels a month lining your pockets?

Right now, you're lucky to get sour soup, flatbread, and pickles.

Once we're back on shore and the job's over, you'll be drinking the northwest wind."

"I'll fuck your grandmother—such a sharp tongue for a kid your age!"

Hearing the kitchen helper's harsh words, the burly man who had complained earlier jumped up from his mat stark naked, and with a lightning-fast kick, sent the helper tumbling into the corner.

Zhang Gui recognized at a glance that the burly man's kick was clearly a move from the 'Zongheng Feizhu'.

He just didn't know if it was something he'd learned before, or a lucky pick-up from Zhang Yan's recent mass distribution of techniques.

"Kid, remember—there are capable people everywhere in the Human Realm."

(End of this chapter)