Chapter 401: Gathering the Wind

"I still considered Imperial Attendant Tang and you, Young Master Dai, to be friends who could talk about anything, never expecting that you didn't even know about this!"

Wei Yuan's face was filled with unmistakable sarcasm.

Tang Anzhi and Dai Zhishang were not of the same age, yet they seemed to share a common language, their friendship was excellent, like a bond across generations.

If he didn't know what sort of person Tang Anzhi was, he might actually have believed it; Tang Anzhi liked befriending Dai Zhishang, not because he wanted to rely on Dai Zhishang to connect with Dai Tianli, nor to test his own worth, assuming Dai Tianli wouldn't see through his scheming and would pay attention to such a scoundrel.

In the past, he might not have said anything, after all everyone has their own calculations; if Tang Anzhi could truly link up with Dai Tianli, that would also be a good thing for him.

But not long ago, after experiencing the incident where Tang Anzhi almost used him as a stepping stone, he became even clearer about what kind of person Tang Anzhi was; to latch onto Wang Ruhai's connections, he disregarded his life and even planned to record his death as a merit on the achievement ledger.

He completely forgot that over all these years he had supplied abundant cultivation resources, and whenever Tang Anzhi had any request, he tried his best to fulfill it.

Tang Anzhi didn't even care about his life; why should he bother saving face for Tang Anzhi?

"County Magistrate Wei, Young Master Dai is a friend with whom I can talk about anything, but how could he possibly tell me about such a trivial matter?"

Tang Anzhi sneered.

He could see that Wei Yuan was deliberately mocking him; given his temperament over the years, he normally wouldn't care about such petty sarcasm, but when he thought of Dai Zhishang—a mere playboy who was so fortunate to have a line to the Nine Heavens Sword Sect yet remained indifferent—

How could he be like that, when he didn't even have the qualification to stay and cultivate in the Golden Tripod Hall, and now, with his end near, he seeks a breakthrough in cultivation by trying to latch onto the Nine Heavens Sword Sect line, even resorting to flattery before Dai Zhishang; they seemed to talk about everything, but whenever he deliberately mentioned Dai Tianli,

Dai Zhishang would always unintentionally change the subject.

Once or twice was fine, but three, four—countless times—how could that be unintentional?

It was clearly intentional on Dai Zhishang's part; he refused to discuss Dai Tianli and even more refused to let him connect with Dai Tianli.

How could there be no resentment in his heart?

Wei Yuan let out a cold laugh, about to continue mocking Tang Anzhi, when he saw Dai Zhishang approach with two guards who were clearly masters, and he hurried forward to greet him, saying:

"Young Master Dai, how could you have leisure and elegance to come to such a remote, desolate mountain?"

"County Magistrate Wei, you have leisure and elegance to come to this remote mountain; how could I possibly lack leisure and elegance?"

Dai Zhishang smiled, not waiting for Wei Yuan to speak, and continued to explain: "My nature, I think County Magistrate Wei knows, I am someone who loves traveling mountains and waters the most; upon hearing that Shizi Ling had a new Mountain God, I rushed here at once, wanting to see what the newly appointed Mountain God was like!"

"If you say you're a lecherous demon, I would believe you!"

Wei Yuan snorted softly to himself.

He despised a hundred times someone like Dai Zhishang, but the fact that he came from a good family made him overlook the Dai family behind him.

Although he is now stationed in Qingyang County, managing it requires assistance from one of Qingyang County's top families, the Dai family, he is not a nameless person, and he does have backing.

His enthusiasm toward Dai Zhishang stems from the same reasoning as with Tang Anzhi: it is because of Dai Tianli behind Dai Zhishang.

Nine Heavens Sword Sect.

In this region, it still holds great reputation and influence. "Young Master Dai, you came to see the newly appointed Mountain God; you aren't here to gather the wind, are you?"

Wei Yuan's face was full of mockery; he clearly knew that that scoundrel Dai Zhishang was not only lecherous but also loved drawing erotic paintings.

Moreover, the erotic paintings by Dai Zhishang were top‑notch; over the years he had often covertly obtained Dai Zhishang's erotic paintings for amusement, and even learned many new techniques from them.

It was unclear whether these techniques were created by Dai Zhishang himself through his rich imagination, or taught hand‑by‑hand by that courtesan.

Dai Zhishang gave an awkward smile.

This time he truly came after hearing that Shizi Ling had a new Mountain God, to gather the wind and prepare for a comic, but this time he planned to draw not an erotic painting but a proper portrait.

All his skills were devoted to the series of travelogue illustrations demanded by Hu Meiniang; each travelogue he painted left him drained again and again; if he kept painting, even before his essence was exhausted, his kidneys would fail, forcing him to stop and dare not continue.

However, after not painting for a long time, his hand itched, so he prepared to draw a proper picture.

Inspired by a novel and Hu Meiniang's travelogue ideas, he intended to create a ghost story illustration.

"Zhang Liehu, come over!"

This novel you...

Wei Yuan called out, and after Zhang Chengze came over, he pointed at Dai Zhishang and said, "Zhang Liehu, let me introduce you: this is Young Master Dai Zhishang. Young Master Dai is a renowned painter in Qingyang County; his portraits are priceless. This time he wishes to see your father's heroic bearing and paint a portrait of your father, so you must give him a warm reception!"

Dai Zhishang glanced at Wei Yuan with displeasure, unable to hide the sarcasm in his words; he knew that the County Magistrate Wei probably thought he wanted to draw an erotic painting of the newly appointed Mountain God of Shizi Ling.

He wanted to argue, but as the words reached his mouth, he recalled that over the years none of his paintings had ever been proper, and he had also heard that the County Magistrate Wei had collected many of his works; despite the magistrate having only one wife and seeming not lecherous, the maidservants in his household were each more beautiful than the last.

It is said.

These maidservants apparently have ambiguous relations with the magistrate, collecting his paintings merely for amusement.

Aside from a small portion of practical experience, the rest are erotic paintings drawn purely from imagination, yet this County Magistrate, using his paintings, can make a game of them.

Probably, no matter what, he himself would...

Dai Zhishang swallowed the words at his lips and, warmly, said: "Brother Zhang, hello, I wonder..."

"It's my father!"

Zhang Chengze said.

"So it is your father, Brother Zhang!"

Dai Zhishang's eyes lit up instantly, and he eagerly asked, "May I have a chance to meet him?"

(End of Chapter)