Chapter 633: Traversing the Jianghu for Over Twenty Years
Xi'an.
The highest-ranking leader dispatched by Gao Family Village to Xi'an Prefecture was, surprisingly, not Headmaster Wang's adopted son Wang Tang, who was proficient in both civilian and military arts, but Padi Tu. This caught everyone by surprise.
Padi Tu had no education and little combat prowess. Among the heroes of Gao Family Village, he was, quite simply, the weakest link.
What's more, he frequently defied military orders, and being disciplined by the Heavenly Lord was a regular occurrence.
That he was the top leader, Wang Tang found somewhat unacceptable.
Wang Tang was one of Gao Family Village's first middle school graduates, possessing extensive cultural knowledge and exemplary political acumen. Furthermore, after joining the army, he consistently achieved outstanding results in military training, with first-rate skills in combat and marksmanship. While his shooting wasn't quite as exceptional as Bai Yuan's, he was still a top-tier marksman.
As one of the third wave of orphans resettled in Gao Family Village and adopted by Headmaster Wang, his background was impeccable.
How could he possibly be inferior to Padi Tu?
As Wang Tang strolled through the streets of Xi'an Prefecture, he couldn't help but ponder this thought.
Wang Tang raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You recognize me?"
The man smiled. "You are the second manager dispatched by the Li family to Xi'an Prefecture, and you oversee all of the Li family's assets in Xi'an. Who among those of even slight standing in the city would not recognize you?"
Hearing this, Wang Tang felt a secret pleasure. The feeling of being valued was truly pleasant.
The man continued, "I am the steward for Master Zheng Qing, a contractor specializing in various construction and decoration projects here in Xi'an Prefecture."
"Zheng Qing, the contractor?" Wang Tang didn't know the man personally, but he was aware of the profession of a contractor. These contractors knew many artisans and craftsmen. When wealthy families wanted to build a courtyard, erect a building, or create a garden, they would seek out such a contractor.
The contractor was responsible for finding various craftsmen to help the employer construct houses, courtyards, and the like.
In Chengcheng County, there used to be a contractor named Teng Yifeng, who later joined Gao Family Village and became the director of a cement factory.
Wang Tang was a little perplexed. "What does this fellow want with me?"
The steward's face showed a peculiar smile. "My master wishes to cultivate a closer relationship with Shopkeeper Wang and befriend you. Here is a small token, a humble offering."
With that, he presented a delicate small box with both hands.
Wang Tang subtly opened the box a crack. A peek inside startled him. It contained a jade lion, exquisitely carved, and appeared quite valuable.
Wang Tang began, "I cannot accept gifts without merit..."
The steward, however, chuckled. "It's merely an offer of friendship, not for any particular service or reward. My master simply admires Shopkeeper Wang's abilities. Rest assured, he intends no impropriety whatsoever."
Hearing this, Wang Tang lowered his guard and, rather pleased, said, "I see, then."
The steward cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. "The gift is delivered, so I shall take my leave now. When you have a moment, my master would be honored if Shopkeeper Wang would join him for a drink and some music. We hope you will grace us with your presence."
Wang Tang chuckled, "Excellent, excellent."
The steward departed promptly after speaking, without, indeed, making any requests.
Wang Tang felt a little lightheaded with pride. Holding the gift box, he walked with a more confident, almost swaggering, stride.
After circling the city a couple of times and purchasing some daily necessities, he suddenly spotted Padi Tu emerging from a tavern that Gao Family Village had recently acquired. His ancestral sword hung diagonally at his waist, and he walked with an exaggerated swagger, appearing even more imposing and arrogant than Wang Tang himself.
Wang Tang pondered. "Should I greet him?"
"No, best not."
As a young, educated intellectual, he really didn't quite 'mesh' with the first generation of Gao Family Village leaders. They had nothing in common to talk about. They moved in entirely different social circles.
Wang Tang simply ducked behind a nearby vegetable stall and hid.
Just then, Wang Tang suddenly noticed the same steward who had just presented him a gift now approaching Padi Tu.
The steward, using the same opening line, said, "Greetings, Master Rabbit."
Padi Tu squinted at him. "Who are you?"
The steward hastily introduced himself. "I am the steward for Master Zheng Qing, the contractor."
"Oh? A contractor?" Padi Tu asked curiously, "What's that?"
Wang Tang secretly chuckled to himself. "Master Rabbit truly is a paragon of ignorance; he doesn't even know what a contractor does. He must have met Teng Yifeng before, so how could he forget what that man did? It's quite laughable, really."
The steward felt a little awkward. However, he was here to make a request, so he had to suppress his embarrassment and maintain a polite smile. "A contractor, sir, is..."
He rambled on, explaining the role of a contractor in detail.
Padi Tu nodded. "Oh, I see, so that's what it is. Quite impressive, actually."
The steward smiled. "My master, Master Zheng, has a good deal of influence. He knows people from all walks of life in this city. He has extremely wide connections, and he loves making friends."
As he spoke, he produced a gift box and offered it to Padi Tu, repeating the same words he'd used with Wang Tang: "My master wishes to befriend you. Rest assured, he will make no demands and there will be no impropriety."
Wang Tang himself had accepted the gift box based on that very rhetoric.
He thought to himself, "Surely Master Rabbit will accept it too?"
But...
He immediately realized his mistake.
Padi Tu didn't even reach out to take the box. Instead, he took three swift steps back, a strange expression on his face. "Whoa, you trying to set me up, kid?"
The steward stammered, "Oh? Not at all! Just hoping to make a friend."
"Cut it out!" Padi Tu snorted. "Do you take Master Rabbit for some naive child? I've been traversing the Jianghu for over twenty years! What petty tricks and schemes haven't I seen? You think I don't understand what your master means by 'making friends' with me? Today it's making friends, tomorrow it's attending a play together, and after that, we'll be doing business, won't we? The Li family's enterprises in Xi'an—if there's a store expansion, a renovation, land to buy for a factory... all these many, many projects should naturally go to a 'good friend,' right?"
The steward was speechless.
Padi Tu continued, "And what's more, Master Rabbit and his 'good friends' can't be too mercenary, can they? We can't haggle over prices, right? Work that another contractor would do for fifty taels of silver, your master would then need a hundred taels to complete, wouldn't he? And of that extra fifty taels, I'd get half, and your master would get half, wouldn't that be right?"
The steward remained silent.
Padi Tu swiftly drew his ancestral sword and pointed the tip at the steward's face. "Dammit, you look down on Master Rabbit, don't you? I've been upholding justice and righting wrongs for over twenty years! Do you think I'm someone who can be swayed by a mere bit of wealth? Get lost, and don't let me see you again! Otherwise, with one stroke of my sword... *cough*... No, the Heavenly Lord said that a knight-errant cannot use martial arts to violate prohibitions, and indiscriminately using a sword to chop people is bad."
He sheathed his sword with a flourish and raised a fist the size of a rice bowl. "Punching people, however, that's perfectly fine."
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