Chapter 98: The Madness of Jia Family
Translator: DragonRider
“There’s quite a long distance between Jiangzhou and Tanyang, and I’m pretty sure my grandfather is not the only one in the Great Yue who has the expertise in authenticating antiques. What was it that made you decide to co to Tanyang to ask my grandfather for help?”
Ling Zhang sat down in the left-hand seat without the courtesy to ask the guests to take a seat first, a bland look on his face, which made it difficult for people to gauge his mood. Unable to tell what Ling Zhang was thinking about, the two middle-aged n beca cautious.
“We admire Old Master Ling for his wide knowledge of antique authentication, and we also heard that Old Master Ling used to be in charge of the restoration work of sacrificial vessels of the last dynasty during his tenure as an assistant minister in the Ministry of Rites, which was why we took the liberty of coming here to trouble Old Master Ling to take a look. We know this is very impertinent, so we’ve prepared handso honoraria to express our gratitude.”
Handso honoraria? a cold look flashed across Ling Zhang’s eyes. “Just now you ntioned sacrificial vessels. Was it by any chance sacrificial vessels of the last dynasty that you acquired?” “Well, we are not sure, which is the very reason why we ca here to ask Old Master Ling for help.”
These two n had very sufficient reason. Either they had been preparing for this for quite so ti, or soone would intervene halfway to the end of this matter, which would lead to the eventual turn of events that happened in his last life.
In his last life, he suspected that there was sothing behind this antique authentication thing, because it was very unlikely that a man as discreet as his grandfather would make this kind of mistakes. It seed as if soone had taken advantage of this matter to undermine Ling family.
And it was not that difficult for him to guess who that person was.
As regards whether there was any kind of relation between these two rchants from another city and Jia family, it would only take a few inquiries to find that out.
Originally, he had had no ti to fix these two n. Now that they ca to him on their own account, they had only themselves to bla for what was going to happen to them.
“It has been years since the last ti that my grandfather authenticated any antiques for others. Besides, we don’t have the heart to let an old man go on such a tiring long journey. I hate to say this, but I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. Please go back.”
“Uh... Childe Ling, we’ve covered quite a good deal of ground to co here. Please at least let us have an audience with Old Master Ling.”
The two people were unwilling to be dismissed like this.
“Sobody co and see our guests out,” Ling Zhang ordered directly.
The two n had never expected that Ling Zhang would be so unfriendly to them. Not only had he been giving them the cold shoulder from start to finish, now he even ungraciously asked them to leave.
“You...”
“Surely you won’t be so ungracious as to insist on staying?”
“Co on. Let’s get out of here first.” The fat one gave the thin one a pull, forced a smile at Ling Zhang, said “Thank you for your ti” to him and then dragged the thin one out of the room.
“That Childe Ling was so rude. We ca here to invite his grandfather with total sincerity, but he didn’t even have the common courtesy to let us take seats. We had barely made any remarks when he asked us to leave?–?without even asking a single further question about who we are. This is unbelievable. They don’t seem like a literary family at all. As far as I can tell, they are even more ignorant of formality than country folks are!” observed the thin middle-aged man after they left Ling family.
“Next ti, let’s go and talk to Old Master Ling directly. By so unlucky chance, he’s not in today.”
After the two n walked far away, soone imdiately went out of the mansion of Ling family and followed them. There was also another person who imdiately returned to report to Ling Zhang.
“Find out where those two people stay and report to without delay.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Did Old Master say when he would co back from Lu family?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Inform when he returns.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Xia Feng ca back at around noon, saying that Jia Yin had an exceptionally sepulchral look on his face when he returned to the city. It was rumored that Zhang Chong’s n forced him to leave after he made a scene in the Prefecture Encampnt.
“After Jia Yin returned to Jia family, soone covertly sent word out that Jia family severed their business relationship with Zhang Chong and would never sell ore to him again, that they intended to find a new buyer and also said...” “Said what?”
“They said that from now on Ling family would be an implacable enemy of Jia family, and anyone who had contact with Ling family were also enemies of Jia family. There was also a lot of other bluster.”
Ling Zhang sneered, “When Jia family had Zhang Chong at their back, nobody dared to ss with them. But now, Zhang Chong is no longer their ally. Jia Yin really thinks people would still follow his orders like they used to? He has just dug his own grave.” ‘In no circumstances will Zhang Chong give up that mine. If Jia Yin keeps acting so arrogantly, ha...
But a dog will fight if cornered. Jia Yin is now like a rabid dog, which might launch an attack on us at any mont. I have to warn grandfather to try not to leave ho during the next few days so that Jia Yin won’t be able to grab any chances to hurt him,’ Ling Zhang thought.
“Young Master, is there anything we should do about it?”
“Of course there is. This is such a golden opportunity. It would be such a sha if we don’t take advantage of it and add so fuel to their conflict.”
After thinking for a while, Ling Zhang waved his hand gesturing for Xia Feng to co close to him, and then minutely whispered sothing into his ears.
“Rest assured, Young Master. I know what to do,” replied Xia Feng after hearing Ling Zhang’s words. “Shall I go and make arrangents right now?”
“Go ahead.”
Yuwen Tong walked over and happened to see this scene. He leisurely sized Xia Feng up with penetrating eyes.
Xia Feng inexplicably felt a cold shiver of fear. ‘Lord Yuwen seems to be sowhat displeased with .’
Ling Zhang didn’t notice this. On the sight of Yuwen Tong, he recalled the two remarks that Yuwen Tong had made beside his ears. As a result, when he spoke, his tone of voice was sowhat unnatural, “Why did you co here?”
“To talk to you about sothing, of course. I happened to see you guys whispering to each other. What was it that you were talking about? I’d like to hear it.”
“We were not whispering. I was giving Xia Feng an assignnt.”
“You could have just done it in your normal voice. There’s nobody else around to hear you anyway.”
“Well, you are here.”
“Rest assured. Your secret is safe with .”
“You’re so thick-skinned.”
“Sort of. Would you like to give a pinch and confirm it?”
Ling Zhang fell speechless.
He really felt an urge to pinch him to death.
Then he flicked a glance at Xia Feng.
Xia Feng took a hint and left. With that the alarm in him dissolved and he involuntarily gave a gasp of relief.
Xia Feng couldn’t help but turn his head back to glimpse at the house. He didn’t know if he was imagining things or not, but he kept having this feeling that the way his young master and Lord Yuwen communicated with each other was sowhat weird. ‘That Lord Yuwen’s background and identity have always been shrouded in mystery. Even Old Master acts respectfully in front of him. And there has been frequent spells of his mysterious absence during his staying in Ling family. Who is he exactly...’
“What is it that you want to talk about?” Ling Zhang asked Yuwen Tong in the room.
Yuwen Tong said with a serious look on his face. “I have to go out against tonight. Take the dicated bath two hours ahead of schedule, if it’s convenient for you.”
Ling Zhang was confused. “Go out again? Haven’t you already got everything figured out?” Yuwen Tong nodded. “There’s sothing else that I want to find out about, which is why I need to pay another visit to the Prefecture Encampnt.”
Ling Zhang held back the words which had sprung to his lips. After keeping silent for a while, he observed, “Just because your... your kung fu is good doesn’t an that you can go in and out of that dangerous place whenever you want. If they spot you, you’ll be in deep trouble.”
But Yuwen Tong was very pleased to hear this. “You’re actually worrying about , which is pretty rare, but rest assured, I won’t get spotted by Zhang Chong’s n.”
Ling Zhang replied. “What worries is that the big plan will be compromised if you get exposed.”
Yuwen Tong heaved a long sigh. “A couple of days ago, soone gallantly prepared all kinds of delicacies for . It’s been only such a short ti, but that person has already forgotten how good I’ve always been to him.”
Ling Zhang fell speechless.
‘This guy is acting as if I hurt his feelings. If it weren’t for that he made those frivolous remarks in the morning, I would never have been reduced to feeling uneasy even though I’m rely sitting in the sa room with him,’ Ling Zhang thought.
Maybe because the tense back of Ling Zhang lted Yuwen Tong’s heart, the latter said, “Fine. I’ll stop teasing you. You don’t really seem like any of those pedants who were spoon-fed with outworn knowledge in The Four Books( (The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the an, The Confucian Analects, and The Works of ncius) and The Five Classics(The Book of Songs, The Book of History, The Book of Changes, The Book of Rites and The Spring and Autumn Annals). How co you cannot even handle a couple of jokes?” Ling Zhang looked at him and disagreed with Yuwen Tong. “Do you joke this way with everybody you know?”
“If I tell you that you are the first one that I’ve joked with in this manner, is there any chance you will imdiately fall sulky again?”
“I...”
Yuwen Tong suddenly grew serious. “I won’t push you, so there is no need for you to be nervous.”
Ling Zhang was stunned and left at a loss for words by Yuwen Tong’s remarks.
“It has co to my knowledge that Jia Yin went to the Prefecture Encampnt and made a scene there. He’s gone too far, which made it very difficult for Jia family and Zhang Chong to trust each other like they used to. Zhang Chong has a strong demand for ore, and he won’t stand by and watch Jia family sell their ore to another buyer. It’s advisable for you to add so fuel to the flas of their rage and have them start a dog fight.” Yuwen Tong abruptly steered the conversation away from their relationship and started talking business. Ling Zhang, who was still in a trance, did a double take.
“So you actually heard what I said to Xia Feng just now?”
“I did. Would you like to help?”
“That won’t be necessary. I think Yao Yi and Guard Zhang have enough tasks to perform. And I have no intention of burdening them with my own problems.”
“I see. Anyway, if by any chance you need my help, don’t hesitate to let know. And in case of my absence... I assigned two of my subordinates to stay in the Green Bamboo Mansion. You can contact them when in need of help.”
“Okay.”
Yuwen Tong was indeed a very busy man. After staying in Ling Zhang’s place for only a short amount ti, he took his leave, saying that he would co over again to help Ling Zhang unblock his ridians at night.
Originally, Ling Zhang had had a lot of issues waiting for him to figure out, but it was not until he sat there for quite a long ti that he recalled this.
‘Exactly what did Yuwen Tong an by that remark? What is he going to do about our engagent?
I have already expressed my intention of breaking off the engagent, but after such a long ti, there has still been no sign of his agreent.
Does he really want to marry ?’
Ling Zhang hurriedly shook his head, believing that he must have been affected by the couple of frivolous remarks of Yuwen Tong’s, which was why, surprisingly, he was actually considering the possibility that Yuwen Tong really wanted to marry him. ‘Have I really been too close to Yuwen Tong recently?’ he wondered.
‘But currently, we’re allies. I need Yuwen Tong’s help to get revenge, and I can’t avoid eting him because of this petty matter of my personal feelings.
It’s been almost half a month and the deadline is drawing near. Soon Yuwen Tong will have to leave Tanyang. One way or another, this matter will surely co to an end. I might as well cross that bridge when I co to it.’
Ling Zhang put all these miscellaneous thoughts aside. In order to collect himself, he specially sat down and wrote two full pages of Chinese characters in Xiaokai(regular script in small characters, as used in Chinese calligraphy exercises).
“Young Master, Second Master returned and required your presence.” He had just finished writing when a servant called him from outside.
“I see.”
Ling Zhang believed that it must be about the matter of Jia family.
As expected, after Ling Zhang entered the study of Ling Zhaowen, Ling Zhaowen told him, “Stay at ho and don’t go outside unless you have to during the next few days. Jia Yin is like a rabid dog which bites everybody in its sight.”
This was the very advice that Ling Zhang had planned to give his family mbers. Ling Zhaowen anticipated him.
“Earlier today, a close colleague of mine had a minor disagreent with a mber of Jia family. A couple of servants of Jia family put a sack over his head and beat him up. While striking him, they also threatened to beat him every ti they see him if he keeps in contact with anyone of Ling family. Due to the absence of any definite proof, there is nothing he could do about it. Currently, he’s staying at ho recuperating from the injury.” Ling Zhang had anticipated that Jia Yin would do sothing crazy, but that person was rely a man who was relatively close to Ling family, yet Jia Yin still attacked him like a rabid dog?
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