Chen Shen and his men altogether add up to a hundred and twenty seven people but he only bought a hundred and twenty six sets of silk clothing. He set his own share aside and the remaining money was returned to Liu Mang. The money he set aside and also some of his savings were then used to buy food for his men.
Since then, hooligans were seen walking around Xiangyang. As they were not used to it, they walked extremely carefully in fear of tearing the silk cloth. This caused them to have a funny appearance.
Jin Pangzi was assigned to go to the Cai Family. He had a ridiculous appearance of wearing his silk clothes on the inside but normal clothes on the outside.
“This is the Cai residence?” Jin Pangzi looked at the large building. It was one of the top three buildings in terms of size, showing off the position of the Cai Family.
Jin Pangzi took out his outer clothing and put it aside. He then took out the letter and walked towards the Cai Family residence with little confidence. The Cai Family was such a huge colossus that if hooligans like them even farted, they would be killed.
As the Cai Family was influential and Cai Mao was the military advisor, it was natural for there to be soldiers guarding the house. There were a few of them leisurely guarding the house. They could just idle around as they were in the middle of Jingzhou where it was extremely peaceful.
One of them yawned because he did not sleep well the previous night. Yet, he did not dare to just lie down on the floor for a nap as he would be punished for making the Cai Family lose face. This soldier could only yawn and look around in his boredom. As he was looking around, he spotted Jin Pangzi.
“Liu Li. Look over there. That noble over there look hilarious. He is wearing silk clothes but he look like a mess with how fat he is. What a waste of good silk.” The soldier said to his companion. Conversing with each other was their way of staying awake.
The other soldier took a look and also laughed. “Haha. That is a wild boar!” The silk clothes became worthless when worn by Jin Pangzi. The soldiers looked in envy as they themselves had to work hard to survive. They could not afford silk clothes. Meanwhile, nobles could just obtain things like these with their parent’s money. On top of that, Jin Pangzi don’t even look good in those expensive silk clothing.
“Quiet. He is coming this way!” The other soldier quickly said. While they could make remarks on a person’s appearance, they could not let others hear it. They may work for the Cai Family but they were only soldiers. They could not offend other nobles and so, they quickly kept quiet. However, their eyes still showed that they were looking down on this person.
“Not good! Did he hear us?” The soldier panicked when they saw Jin Pangzi approach. If they were heard, it would mean that they have offended a noble. The Cai Family would also not offend other nobles just to protect them.
“You guys!” Jin Pangzi called out while being subdued by the Cai Family residence. The signboard was so big that he and his three brothers would not even be able to fully cover up the sign.
“Young Master! We did not speak those words intentionally. Young Master is magnanimous, please don’t bother yourself with us!” The soldiers quickly cupped their fists towards Jin Pangzi before he could say anything.
“Hm?” Jin Pangzi felt confused by their words. “Is this the Cai Family’s residence?”
“Yes. Yes.” As the signboard was big, the soldiers became even more nervous thinking that Jin Pangzi was criticizing them. They could not have known that Jin Pangzi asked this question because he was illiterate.
“I want to meet with the Cai Family members.” Jin Pangzi replied. He came here for the purpose of delivering a letter.
“Sir, we really did not do it intentionally, please spare us! Please let us go!” The soldiers continued to beg. Not many people could meet directly with the influential Cai Family. So they believed that Jin Pangzi also had an influential background.
“What’s the matter? Are you letting me in? I said I want to meet with people from the Cai Family.” Jin Pangzi was in a hurry. There were two other more families to deliver the letters to.
“Sir. We already admitted our mistake! What do you want from us before you let us go?” The soldier smiled bitterly. He now understood the meaning of loose tongue causing troubles. If only he knew that Jin Pangzi was so good he would not have gossiped needlessly. If Jin Pangzi lodged a complaint, they would be dead. They might be sent to the frontlines and would no longer be able to enjoy their safe high paying job of guarding the Cai Family residence.
In the end, the soldiers tried to buy Jin Pangzi’s silence with a heavy bag of money. Jin Pangzi was confused but happy. He thought he was simply being paid for delivering the letter. However, he was a principled man. He would still try and finish his job, so he asked for the soldiers to call for the one managing the residence to come out.
Hearing this, the soldier gritted his teeth and took out another bag. As he feared that he would get pickpocketed, he played it safe by keeping his money in two locations.
“More money?” Jin Pangzi commented as he pocketed the money. Who wouldn’t want money? Delivering letters is a good job.
“I still need to see housekeeper of the residence because I have things to tell him!” Jin Pangzi said again.
“Sir. We know we have offended you but we already have no more money!” The head of the soldiers was about to cry. Even after accepting the money, this person still would not let them go.
“I know you don’t have money, it is okay. I don’t want anymore. I am just here to deliver something!” Jin Pangzi knew how people took care of their money. He knew that the soldiers were now broke.
“A delivery?” The soldiers asked. They did not see what Jin Pangzi was going to deliver but they did not care as long as it would not bring them trouble. “Please wait for a moment. We will go and inform them.”
One soldier went in. A short while later, the housekeeper Cai Ye, came out. “Who is the one looking for the Cai Family?” Cai Ye was a disciple of a branch house of the Cai Family. Knowing it was hard for him to become successful, he chose to become the housekeeper of the Cai Family. Now he is doing well.
When Cai Ye came out, he was smiling. It was a welcoming smile that made others feel comfortable. He was smiling as he was wondering who the noble with the delivery was.
However, when he came out he immediately saw someone he could not recognize. After all, as the housekeeper of the Cai Family, he could recognize all the influential people in Jingzhou and knew who he could not offend. Even then, he continued to treat Jin Pangzi politely as the man was wearing clothes made from the highest quality silk.
“Who are you?” Cai Ye smiled as he asked for Jin Pangzi to introduce himself.
Before Jin Pangzi could say anything, one of the servants beside Cai Ye suddenly asked in surprise. “Jin Pangzi! Why are you here?”
“Jin Pangzi?” Cai Ye turned around and frowned. How could this servant address a noble this way? He would definitely have to teach this servant later.
This servant noticed Cai Ye’s admonishing gaze and panicked as Cai Ye was very capable at administering the Cai Family. Even the servants all feared him.
“Housekeeper Cai! This one knows his mistake! This one only called out because he recognized this man!” The servant explained and knelt. He knew he would suffer if he did not give Cai Ye a good explanation.
“Cai Zhong?” Jin Pangzi looked back at the servant with hatred.
“The two of you know each other?” Cai Ye asked.
“That’s right. This person is a knight-errant that collected tax in Xiangyang. I recognize him because we’ve had conflict!” Cai Zhong explained. Even as a servant of the Cai Family, their salary was not quite enough to live their lives. That was why the servants collect tax and gifts from the many people that want obtain the protection of the Cai Family. However, Chen Shen’s men already collected the tax and so there was conflict.
Cai Zhong used the Cai Family’s name to have these people arrested. They could have been exiled if Chen Kang did not intervene. That was why Jin Pangzi also hated Cai Zhong.
“A knight-errant?” Cai Ye raised his lips in disdain. Basically, the man was just a hooligan, people of the lowest status. How could such a person ask to personally meet Cai Ye when even small nobles had to be respectful to him?
“Ah! This one didn’t know!” The soldiers were stunned. They even bribed him and reported his arrival to the housekeeper.
“Hmph!” Cai Ye harrumphed. His smile was gone.
“Arrest him!” The leader of the soldiers immediately ordered once he saw Cai Ye’s cold gaze. The other three guards immediately advanced to grab Jin Pangzi. This man took their money and caused them to get rebuked. Naturally, they would hate him. They have already decided that they are going to throw Jin Pangzi into the torture chamber.
“What are you doing?” Jin Pangzi was immediately surrounded. The money was not yet taken as Cai Ye was still there.
“For pretending to be a noble, throw him into the torture chamber and beat him to death! Then feed his corpse to the dogs!” Cai Ye immediately ordered. Nobody would bat an eye that they killed a hooligan. “The rest of you, subject yourselves to twenty strokes!”
“Understood!” The soldiers replied as their hatred for the fatty grew.
“Let me go!” Jin Pangzi panicked. He was wrongly accused and was about to be beaten to death. When did he even pretend to be a noble?
“I came here to deliver something!” Jin Pangzi shouted.
“Drag him away!” Cai Ye furrowed his brows and ordered. As Jin Pangzi had shouted loudly, he attracted the attention of those passing by.
“Our Boss, Chen Shen, asked me to deliver this!” Jin Pangzi quickly explained. This had no effect as Cai Ye did not know who Chen Shen was. Jin Pangzi then brought up Chen Kang but he did not know Chen Kang’s name and even if he did, Chen Kang was only at Cai Ye’s rank in status.
“Right! It is Lord Kuai!” Jin Pangzi finally shouted the name of his savior.
“Who cares about your Lord? You are definitely dead this time!” The soldiers hated him so they berated him without caring about the man’s backing.
“Wait!” Cai Ye suddenly said just before the soldiers threw Jin Pangzi into the torture chamber.
“Grandfather Cai?” The four soldiers questioned.
“Grandfather Cai! This person here is a hooligan!” Cai Zhong objected.
Cai Ye ignored him and asked. “Who is this Lord Kuai?” There weren’t that many people named Kuai in Jingzhou. If someone was named Kuai, they likely belonged to the Kuai Family.
“The Lord Kuai that lives at the outer city!”
“Grandfather Cai! Didn’t I already say that this person is lying? The Kuai Family live in the inner city!” All nobles generally live in the inner city especially if they were as influential as the Kuai Family.
“It is Lord Kuai Qingtian (upright)!” Jin Pangzi was about to cry. He came here to deliver a letter, not to die.
“Kuai Qingtian!” Cai Ye finally understood. This was what the common people refer Kuai Liang as. This is because Kuai Liang was strict and upright when he served as judge. All attempts at bribery or request for leniency is rejected regardless of who the criminal is. Many nobles had been executed by Kuai Liang, one of which was a child from a close branch of the Cai Family. Kuai Liang executed that person even though Cai Mao and Kuai Yue had pleaded for leniency. His method of doing things was more terrifying to the nobles compared to Cao Cao’s multicolored stakes.
Cai Ye himself had a personal connection to the Cai Family child that got executed. He also knew that Kuai Liang had moved out after arguing with his brother.
“So it is Master Zirou. Let this person go!” Cai Ye ordered. He could not afford to offend Kuai Liang as the Kuai Family and the Cai Family were currently allied. Even though Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue got into an argument, they were still brothers.
“Let me go!” Jin Pangzi said again as he praised his own quick wit the moment he saw heard Cai Ye’s words and saw Cai Ye’s smile return. Jin Pangzi then took a peek at the bags of money with given to him while the four soldiers looked at him with killing intent.
“I was sent here by Master Zirou!” Jin Pangzi quickly said. As a hooligan, he knew how to use powerful connections.
“Apologies for the offense earlier.” Cai Ye cupped his fist in reply.
“Grandfather Cai! This person is a hooligan!” Cai Zhong still could not let it go.
“Shut up!” Cai Ye angrily replied back to Cai Zhong. Regardless of whether Jin Pangzi was a hooligan or not, Cai Ye could no longer kill him. At the very least, he need to receive the delivery from Jin Pangzi as it was very likely that Jin Pangzi was telling the truth. After all, the silk clothes Jin Pangzi was wearing is something Cai Ye himself could not wear.
“But…”
“Do I need you to teach me how to do things?” Cai Ye asked coldly.
“Understood!” Cai Zhong lowered his head and stopped speaking.
Cai Ye looked back at Jin Pangzi. If Jin Pangzi was really sent by Kuai Liang, then Cai Ye would respond with a smile. Otherwise, he would have both Jin Pangzi and his family killed.
“Master Zirou said Cai Zhong has offended him and asked for the Cai Family to discipline him!” Jin Pangzi said in retaliation.
“Huh? How did I offend Master Zirou?” Cai Zhong replied rashly as though he was just reacting to Jin Pangzi’s words. It was obvious that Jin Pangzi simply wanted to bully him.
“What Master Zirou says, goes!” Cai Ye smiled back and slapped Cai Zhong. After the resounding slap, he ordered for Cai Zhong to be sent to the torture chamber. Cai Zhong was only an insignificant servant. Even if Cai Zhong did not offend Kuai Liang, Cai Ye could do anything he wanted to Cai Zhong without repercussions.
“Grandfather Cai! I was accused wrongly!” Cai Zhong wailed as he was dragged away.
Jin Pangzi shuddered as he listened to Cai Zhong’s screams. He simply wanted to reprimand Cai Zhong, not have him killed.
“Young sir, is that all from Master Zirou?” Cai Ye asked with a smile as he watched with sharp eyes. If Jin Pangzi were to say that was all, he would join Cai Zhong in the torture chamber.
“No! There is something else!” Jin Pangzi quickly replied in fear. He wanted to quickly leave this place as a single word was enough to kill.
“Master Zirou asked me to deliver this!” Jin Pangzi took out the invitation letter.
“Hm?” Cai Ye looked at the invitation letter which came as a common envelope. He then tore it open.
“This is an invitation letter?” Cai Ye looked at the letter. Written on it was the invitation to the wedding celebration that would happen at the Kuai Residence at the outer city. The people invited were Cai Mao along with the second Lord and third Lord.2
“Young sir. Can you wait for a moment? Men! Escort him to the hall for him to rest!” Cai Ye wanted to make sure that the letter was genuine so he acted diplomatically. Jin Pangzi was not given the chance to refuse even though he really did not want to stay at the Cai Residence any longer.
Cai Ye then quickly disappeared into the residence while the soldiers escort him in.
“Sir, please come in.”
“Boss! Please take care of yourself!”
Jin Pangzi felt like crying. He felt like he was going to die soon.
__
“Who sent this?” Cai Mao asked. The war in Jiangxia had been going smoothly because of Zhuge Liang. Though there were no major victories, there were plenty of small victories. As a result, both Liu Biao and Cai Mao were happily relaxing at home. Cai Mao did not expect this sudden invitation.
“A knight-errant.” Cai Ye replied. Cai Ye had Jin Pangzi investigated after receiving the letter and discovered that yes, Jin Pangzi was just a hooligan.
“A knight-errant?” Cai Mao furrowed his brows. “Why is it a knight-errant?” Kuai Liang was the one in charge of keeping the peace in Xiangyang. He was like the chief of police. On the other hand, knight-errant and hooligans collect protection fees in the name of tax. These two groups should not have been able to get along.
“The boss of this Jin Pangzi is Chen Shen! This Chen Shen is the nephew of Kuai Liang’s housekeeper!” Cai Ye explained. He even had Chen Shen investigated.
“That housekeeper?” Cai Mao recalled the housekeeper as he came to an understanding.
“Milord. Is this invitation a fake?” Cai Ye asked carefully. If it was a fake, Jin Pangzi is dead.
“The invitation is real.” Cai Mao shook his head. He recognized the handwriting on the letter as he was acquainted with Kuai Ran and Kuai Liang since before they became influential in Jingzhou. Kuai Liang had even laughed at Cai Mao for having lousy handwriting.
He could understand everything now since Jin Pangzi was the housekeeper’s men. Kuai Liang moved out after having a quarrel with Kuai Yue. Since Kuai Liang was rigid and would not accept assistance from his brother, he had no choice but to use a hooligan. It was fortunate that Cai Ye was patient enough. If Jin Pangzi was killed, there would be a big problem.
“Are you going?” Cai Ye asked. He would need to prepare a carriage and other things if Cai Mao was going to accept the invitation.
“Of course! Why would I not go?” Cai Mao’s reply came immediately.
Cai Mao then laughed to himself. “Kuai Liang. You cannot hold it in anymore?” Everyone knew that Kuai Liang was a widower. Kuai Liang himself did not take a second wife or a concubine because he loved his wife and continued to remain single, raising his two daughters alone even after her death. Now, Kuai Liang was finally going to marry another person.
Rather than going with his blessings, he wanted to ridicule Kuai Liang. After all, there were not many chances to do so.
“Cai Ye. Go and take out one White Tiger Whip3! We cannot go empty handed!” Cai Mao said with a laugh.
