Within 4 hours, Jia Family, promising and powerful in Tanyang, fell down. Even Zhang Chong didn’t dare to save it.
Considering the sequence of events, people would find that Jia Family was destroyed by one person–Ling Zhang.
At this time, all people who were not stupid clearly realized one thing. That Ling Zhang was not a man to be trifled with.
The young man used to be moderate and feeble. But suddenly, he became a person who took actions quickly in a ruthless way. It made many people complain in their hearts that they had misjudged him.
As the old saying went, “A man of substance doesn’t like to flaunt his true worth.”
Ling Zhang was praised by almost all people who went to congratulate Ling Zhaowen that Ling Family had won a lawsuit.
“Childe Ling is a talented young man. He is stable and decisive when he does things. I really admire him.”
“I just participated Childe Ling’s Puberty Rite a few days ago. But he soon makes us see the adult’s bravery. Zhaowen, your Ling Family has gotten a qualified successor.”
Hearing different kinds of praises, the Second Uncle of Ling Family was still a little confused. He knew well about his nephew. How could he not realize Ling Zhang’s change? He now looked like a different man. The Second Uncle of Ling Family was, at one hand, happy about his nephew’s positive change, but also worried that such change might have derived from something terrible his nephew had been through.
Ling Zhaowen just thought about it in his heart and didn’t show that on his face. Decent and polite, he accepted people’s congratulations and praises.
Standing next to Ling Zhaowen, Ling Zhang was not glad nor sad on his face. His movements were deliberate. However, if someone could see the emotion in his eyes, he would be shocked by the indifference and coldness.
Before Ling Zhang was reborn, these people who congratulated him had avoided Ling Family and some even had added insult to injury. Only few of them had showed kindness to Ling Family.
Ling Zhang disliked their praises. To put it simply, their praises were like the sugar that was stuck by shit, which made him feel nauseated whenever he smelt or saw it.
“Childe Ling, you impressed me today. You’re definitely the grandson of Shilang (Vice Minister) Ling. It can be expected soon that Ling Family will rise to power again.” Tongpan came over and said.
Ling Zhang replied as coldness flashed across his eyes, “You overpraised me. What I did is just to seek justice for myself. I don’t have enough ability to manage Ling Family. Besides, Ling Family always does its duty and remains indifferent whether granted favors or subjected to humiliation. In my view, Ling Family never declines. Naturally, there is no such a thing as to rise to power again.”
Ling Zhang of course knew what Tongpan really meant.
The tenure of his grandfather was very short. His grandfather got that position because of an accident, which rendered him a laughingstock for quite a while in the capital. Even now people in capital still teased his grandfather when they talked about his name.
This Tongpan used to be an official in capital. How couldn’t he know what had happened in those years?
So he wasn’t praising Ling Zhang when he said Ling Zhang was like his grandfather.
It was also a joke in Tongpan’s eyes that Ling Family would be powerful again. Because they always looked down upon Ling Family. So ‘rise to power again’ apparently wasn’t some sort of compliment.
Disputed by Ling Zhang softly, Tongpan wore a sullen look when he left.
After Tongpan went away, other people also gradually left.
With no one by the side to disturb them, Second Uncle decided to talk about what had happened with his nephew and asked his nephew what made him change a lot. However, Tao Yi came over at that time.
Tao Yi was the son of Tao Feng, Ling Zhaowen’s immediate supervisor, so Second Uncle of Ling Family had to give him face.
“What you did today gladdens people’s hearts. Jia Yuanling is unscrupulous. He dares to frame you in a dirty way and even acts so arrogantly. People like him should be put in prison and banished,” Tao Yi said smilingly.
Ling Zhang’s attitude to Tao Yi was a little better, because Tao Yi helped him a lot today.
“Thank you and your father for helping me today. Otherwise Ling Family can’t win easily.”
“Such a bad thing happened in my father’s term of office. My father, as the magistrate of Tangyang, would never turn a blind eye to it. As for me, it’s no bother for me to help you. I dislike Jia Yuanling. If Jia Family hadn’t frequently invited us over for today’s gathering, I and my father wouldn’t even be there.”
“I’m glad that you and your father went and helped me,” Ling Zhang said with a grateful look.
“Don’t be so polite. No one wants to miss such an exciting thing. But… you should pay more attention to Zhang Chong. He won’t leave the matter at that. Today you exposed him to public disgrace. He will try to revenge you one day,” Tao Yi said seriously.
Ling Zhang also looked serious. He said, “I know. I’m prepared. Jia Yuanling said that Ling Family blocked their way. Jia Family is close to Zhang Chong. I’m afraid our Ling Family has already been Zhang Chong’s eyesore. If today’s thing doesn’t happen, they will surely scheme something else against us. If I were really wronged today, I could imagine how difficult Ling Family’s situation would be.”
“It’s good that you’re psychologically prepared. In Tanyang, the power of Prefecture Guards is too much. Even my father can’t control Zhang Chong.”
Although people didn’t talk about it openly, everyone was clear in their heart. But Tao Yi dared to speak it out today. What did he mean?
“According to our dynasty’s laws, no one could be more powerful than Zhizhou, the chief of a prefecture. The situation of Tanyang is very dangerous now. Didn’t Lord Tao present memorial report to the royal court to deal with it?” Ling Zhang followed Tao Yi’s words to say.
Tao Yi shook his head and said, “He has done it. But you know, banditry is a serious problem in Tanyang. So Tanyang’s Prefecture Guards keep more soldiers than other places. Many things… Alas, I believe you understand it even if I don’t say much.”
Tao Yi’s tone was… Was it a gesture of being friendly? Did it mean what he himself did in front of Tao Feng took effect?
Ling Zhang thought about it quickly in his heart. Then he sighed, “It will be better if the royal court sends massive forces to destroy the banditry around Tanyang.”
Tao Yi forced a smile, “I’m afraid no one wants to take this trouble except Marshal Yuwen.”
Marshal Yuwen?
Ling Zhang frowned secretly for a while and his focus was immediately distracted, “Marshal Yuwen?”
“Yes. Have… Have you ever heard about Yuwen Family in capital?” Tao Yi asked.
Ling Zhang nodded. His eyes became cold for a moment. Then he said, “Yes.”
He knew him so much!
Tao Yi continued, “Marshal Yuwen is the model of men in capital. No. Not only in the capital, he is also the example of the whole country’s men. He totally changed the declining tendency of Great Yue’s war against the enemies within ten years. And he even forced the enemy country to beg for peace by ceding territory many times. Without Marshal Yuwen, Great Yue will… Ahem, in short, Marshal Yuwen can do anything. He is invincible. It’s said that army of Great Yue always advances triumphantly when fighting with Wan Country. The capital must have gotten the good news of victory by now.”
Tao Yi’s eyes were shining. He grew more excited as he spoke. Now he couldn’t calm down at all.
However, Tao Yi didn’t notice that Ling Zhang looked calm all the time and he was even a little indifferent.
“Really? It sounds that he is excellent,” Ling Zhang said perfunctorily.
When news about his engagement with Yuwen Family had spread out from Tanyang, they instantly sent a written breach of engagement with a tough attitude. In case that other people didn’t know it, they even publicized it in Tanyang’s street, which had brought disgrace to Ling family and ridded his family of the last hope to survive. Did the Marshal Yuwen come from that Yuwen Family?
In his last life, only the servants from Yuwen Family had come to break off the engagement. Ling Zhang still remembered the servants’ arrogant faces. The way they looked at Ling Family was like they were looking at some dirty things.
Ling Zhang understood why Yuwen Family wanted to break off the engagement with him. But he couldn’t understand the way they did it.
That year, it was Yuwen Tong’s grandfather who had proposed to engage because Ling Zhang’s grandfather had saved him. Ling Family didn’t get it by begging them doggedly and shamelessly.
In fact, Ling Family had helped Yuwen Family. But they didn’t want to admit it and even tried to disassociate themselves from Ling Family. When they heard of the engagement, even though it was the time that Ling Family was going to be destroyed, they still came to break off the engagement without any delay. Ling Zhang could accept all that. But he couldn’t forgive that Yuwen Family distorted truth and mocked his grandfather in an arrogant way.
‘So, Marshal Yuwen? Bah, he’d better not show up in front of me, or…’
The author has something to say:
Ling Zhang: Marshal Yuwen? Bah! Hate him forever!
Yuwen Tong: …Last time only my back got a chance yet this time I only appeared in other’s conversation?
