Chapter 405: Few Advantages

"Relation—what relation could this household possibly have with the Wang Third Scholar's family?"

Dai Zhishang asked curiously.

Wei Yuan said with a hint of amusement: "Do you know that the Wang Third Scholar's mother is the sister of the man who just left this household, who is now the newly appointed Lion Ridge Mountain God?"

"Impossible!"

Dai Zhishang's face was full of surprise.

One must know that Shizi Ling is not close to Hutou Gou; marriages around Qingyang County are mostly local, and people rarely seek wives from far away, so it's hard to believe that the newly appointed Mountain God of Shizi Ling would have such a connection with Wang Ruhai's family.

"Don't believe it?"

Wei Yuan smiled. When he first learned of this, he was also startled; aside from coincidence, he was quite skeptical. The feng shui of the Zhang and Wang families—one produced a Third Scholar, the other a Mountain God—he gestured casually and said with a grin:

"Look over there, who is it? Young Master Dai, don't tell me you don't know them!"

"How could I not?"

Instinctively following the direction Wei Yuan pointed, Dai Zhishang walked over and immediately spotted the Wang family members in the crowd, apologetically saying:

"Wei County Magistrate, sorry, I'll go over to greet them!"

On the way there, his whole being was filled with hot blood; this was his first time preparing to act seriously.

Although he had drawn many comic strips before, they were all colored and proper; not a single page, let alone a whole story, was ever serious.

He said it was because drawing travelogues about Hu Meiniang had severely depleted his body.

If he kept drawing colored comics, his life would likely be forfeited here.

Thus he had no choice but to draw a serious comic!

However.

It was his first time drawing a serious comic, and for some reason he had to do it, yet he felt not the slightest resistance; instead, he was filled with excitement.

In his mind he kept pondering how to begin and how to weave it together.

From time to time, stories of gods and ghosts, celebrity biographies, and gossip he had read before floated up as references.

He hadn't even put pen to paper, yet his thoughts were already boiling with passion.

On the way there, he was only thinking about the serious comic, paying little attention to his surroundings; especially when he arrived at the Zhang family and was drawn to Yu Die, he had no mind for anything else.

So he failed to notice the Wang family members in the crowd; if Wei Yuan hadn't pointed them out, he truly wouldn't have realized they'd be here.

The Wang family had saved his life, and during this period he had given them many gifts in return, yet in his mind, no matter how many gifts, they could never fully express his gratitude. Now that he meets them again, how could he not go up to show his thanks?

"The Dai family is indeed fortunate; although the eldest son is a good‑for‑nothing dandy, at least he understands the principle that a drop of kindness should be repaid by a spring!"

Wei Yuan watched Dai Zhishang's departing back with envy and couldn't help remarking.

In the past he felt nothing for Dai Zhishang, besides looking down on this dandy; after a few failures in the imperial exams he gave up, turned into a dandy, indulging in the flower streets and willow alleys, at most feeling jealousy that this dandy had a brother like Dai Tianli.

If he had a direct relative like Dai Tianli, he wouldn't have had to fight his way through the exams, get on the golden list, then be dispatched to Qingyang County—a lowly county—to serve as County Magistrate for a dozen or two decades. In other words, his background was decent, his relationship with superiors was exceptional, he had many connections and promotion chances, but his most pressing matter was still grinding out seniority.

Otherwise.

He feared he would end up like that Tang Anzhi thing, being quietly expelled from the Qingyang County Magistrate post by the court.

If he had a direct relative like Dai Tianli, he wouldn't need to endure another dozen or two decades of seniority before a promotion; he'd probably have risen and become wealthy long ago.

It wasn't until then, when Tang Anzhi backstabbed him and almost became his stepping stone, that he realized Dai Zhishang possessed a few not many virtues.

No wonder Dai Zhishang, though a dandy, is liked by the clan heads and elders of Qingyang County.

Clearly they know that with Dai Zhishang's character, even if he's bad, he can't be that bad; the Dai family doesn't need him to uphold their reputation. He inherits his father's clan head position, and the only thing he may need to do is obey.

Listen to his younger brother, listen to the clan elders.

Afterwards.

When his younger brother gains momentum, the Dai family will naturally rise by cultivating more heirs.

"I just don't get why Young Master Dai, who used to be a close, ageless friend with my Tang Imperial Attendant, suddenly became so distant!"

This novel continues.

Wei Yuan was genuinely curious; perhaps before they would each receive fifty lashes, Tang Anzhi was at fault, but Dai Zhishang was also at fault. Yet seeing Dai Zhishang's grateful demeanor…

Watching Dai Zhishang now so enthusiastic before the Wang family members, lacking the aura of a great‑clan scion, he guessed that in this matter Dai Zhishang couldn't be wrong; the one at fault must be Tang Anzhi.

Wei Yuan, pondering, said: "Could it be that Young Master Dai isn't foolish, knows what kind of creature Tang Anzhi is, and after Tang Anzhi's failed attempt to use Dai to connect to his brother, he showed a poor attitude toward Dai, so Dai grew tired of dealing with Tang?"

In an instant, myriad guesses rose in Dai Zhishang's mind; he prepared to wait for Dai Zhishang to return and ask properly—not out of gossip, but to see if there was anything he could manipulate.

He really wanted to give that scoundrel Tang Anzhi a shove!

"Grandpa Wang, Auntie, Sister Dongzhu, long time no see!"

Dai Zhishang, accompanied by two guards, ignored the hostile gazes around him, hurried to the Wang family members, and greeted them warmly.

Li Ping, who had been wary, fearing Dai Zhishang's party might be ill‑intent, breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his words and asked, "Do you know each other?"

When Wang Lin didn't know how to answer, Dai Zhishang cut in to explain: "Auntie, to be frank, Grandpa Wang's family has saved my life!"

The one who saved his life was, precisely, the Wang family's spirit cat; but the spirit cat is essentially the Wang family, so saying Wang Lin's family saved his life is acceptable.

"Huh?"

Li Ping was startled, not expecting this, and asked curiously, "What on earth is going on?"

"It's like this…"

Dai Zhishang didn't hold back, stating the whole story plainly, though many details remained unsaid, summarized in a word. As soon as he finished, his gaze fell on Liu Dongzhu cradling Wang Ping'an, perhaps recalling something, and he breathed a sigh, asking:

"Grandpa Wang, these past days, Meiniang—no, Madam Hu hasn't come to your house to cause trouble, has she?"

(End of chapter)