Chapter 128 - 93: The Gang Leader’s Daughter
Jiang Yun and Jiang Rongxuan knew perfectly well that when Wang Cong took a concubine, he always chose a young lady from a wealthy family so he could seize their assets afterward.
The father and daughter put their heads together and came up with a plan: Jiang Yun would play along and keep Wang Cong happy, convincing him to arrange for her to enter the Inner City Wang Family Martial Arts Hall to cultivate the Martial Dao.
Once Jiang Yun achieved some success in her cultivation, the Jiang Family might have a chance to protect its fortune.
Although Wang Cong’s family was a side branch of the Wang Family, one of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City, they were long past the fifth degree of kinship. Their standing within the clan was extremely low, so getting into the Inner City Wang Family Martial Arts Hall would not be easy.
Wang Li, however, was a disciple from a branch family within the fifth degree of kinship, so he had some influence. Thus, Wang Cong sought out Wang Li, with whom he was on reasonably good terms, to ask him for help.
"Cousin, you sure have all the luck with women. Taking an eighth concubine, are you?"
Wang Li raised his wine cup and took a small sip, offering no comment.
In his heart, he thoroughly looked down on this wastrel of a cousin, a man with seductive peach blossom eyes who spent all his time chasing women.
If it weren’t for the fact that Wang Cong’s family had money and was always respectful and generous toward him, he wouldn’t have bothered with him at all.
"Heh heh, Brother Li, you’re so focused on cultivating the Martial Dao that you don’t know its pleasures! Once you get married and have a woman of your own, you’ll understand."
Wang Cong chuckled, then turned and planted a kiss on Jiang Yun.
"Fine. If Jiang Yun wants to join the Inner City Martial Arts Hall, she can. Give me one thousand taels of silver, and I’ll arrange it," Wang Li said coolly.
"Done! Thank you, Brother Li!" Wang Cong said.
At the side, however, Jiang Yun and Jiang Rongxuan’s faces fell. Wang Cong had already told them that if Jiang Yun wanted to enter the Inner City Wang Family Martial Arts Hall, the Jiang Family would have to cover the cost.
"Young Master Wang, one thousand taels is far too much. I’m afraid my Jiang Family can’t raise that much silver on such short notice. Could it be less?" Jiang Rongxuan pleaded, his face grimacing as he held up five fingers. "Five hundred taels. How about five hundred taels?"
"You can’t even come up with a mere one thousand taels of silver, yet you want to enter an Inner City Martial Arts Hall?" Wang Li’s expression instantly turned cold and displeased.
Jiang Rongxuan never expected that these scions of Inner City Clans could change their expressions in a flash. He was so frightened that he couldn’t help but shudder.
Wang Li ignored Jiang Rongxuan and turned to Wang Cong. "Cousin, did you bring me here because you think I’m so idle you can make a fool of me?"
"Brother Li, how would I dare make a fool of you!" Fearing he had angered Wang Li, Wang Cong swung his hand and slapped Jiang Rongxuan across the face. "You old fool! You don’t even have one thousand taels? What good are you to me?" he snarled.
Jiang Rongxuan was dazed by the slap, and Jiang Yun was stunned into silence.
She knew Wang Cong was vicious and cruel, a truly rotten person, but she had never imagined he could be this heartless.
"Jiang Yun, you’re not like your father. You’re my little darling, and I adore you. You want to enter the Inner City Martial Arts Hall to cultivate the Martial Dao, and didn’t I agree to it?" Wang Cong said with a smile, reaching out to pinch Jiang Yun’s cheek.
"Cousin, I don’t have time to watch you train your woman. Are you going to get the one thousand taels of silver or not? Give me a straight answer," Wang Li said, growing impatient.
Before Wang Cong could speak, Jiang Rongxuan quickly forced a smile and said, "Young Master Wang, if you’ll allow me to sell some of our properties, I should be able to raise one thousand taels of silver."
Marrying Jiang Yun into the Wang family was tantamount to throwing her into a tiger’s den. Jiang Rongxuan had no other choice now; he could only swallow his pride and endure the humiliation.
"Then we’ll talk again when you’ve gathered the money!" Wang Li said, standing up to leave.
Wang Cong hurriedly said, "Brother Li, no rush! I had them prepare Spirit Fish. It’s an excellent supplement for a Martial Artist’s qi and blood. It won’t be too late to leave after you’ve eaten."
"Fine." Hearing there was Spirit Fish, Wang Li sat back down.
***
Meanwhile, in Room A, the group was drinking merrily, eating and drinking to their hearts’ content.
Through the conversation, Chen Cheng learned that the power behind the Drunken Immortal Tower was not one of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City, but one of the Jianghu Gangs, the Giant Shark Gang, which was based in Lishui District.
The Giant Shark Gang was said to be quite powerful. Its leader, Sha Xiangtian, was a Bone Forger Realm Martial Artist with several hundred members under his command.
The Giant Shark Gang was no ordinary Jianghu gang. It had started as a merchant guild, controlling the shipping trade and sourcing all manner of precious ingredients from various regions. It was only by leveraging these resources that the Drunken Immortal Tower had slowly made a name for itself.
But because their roots in Linji City weren’t deep, they were deeply wary of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City. This was why Shopkeeper Qiu had been so hesitant to offend Wang Cong, despite him being from a distant branch of the Wang Family.
From Su Chenglin, Chen Cheng learned the details about Wang Cong, as well as how the Zhou Family had lost its power, leaving Jiang Rongxuan without a patron and with no choice but to marry his daughter Jiang Yun to Wang Cong.
Chen Cheng felt nothing upon hearing this. ’Jiang Rongxuan and Jiang Yun are hardly saints themselves,’ he thought. ’Being bullied by the likes of Wang Cong just goes to show that the wicked will prey on the wicked. It has nothing to do with me.’
Just as the mood was getting lively and everyone was flushed from the wine, Shopkeeper Qiu returned to Room A.
With him was a stunningly beautiful woman of about twenty, dressed in a fitted, light purple martial uniform with a longsword hanging at her waist.
Shopkeeper Qiu introduced her with a deferential smile. "My lords, this is our establishment’s Young Master. Upon learning that you were here, she came especially to pay her respects."
"I am Sha Yu. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Liu!" Sha Yu said, clasping her hands in a salute toward Liu Yunfeng. She then turned and repeated the gesture to the others. "An honor to meet all of you, my lords!"
She had long legs, a lithe and powerful build, and her beautiful face held a hint of heroic spirit. A single glance told you she was a powerful expert in the Martial Dao.
The official document appointing Liu Yunfeng as Chief Constable had only been issued that morning; many people in Ruyi District were not yet aware of it.
Yet Sha Yu had recognized Liu Yunfeng’s status at a single glance. Clearly, the Giant Shark Gang must have considerable influence in official circles.
"So you’re the daughter of the Giant Shark Gang’s leader?" Liu Yunfeng asked.
"Lord Liu is acquainted with my father?" Sha Yu replied.
Liu Yunfeng said, "The Drunken Immortal Tower has become famous throughout the Four Outer City Districts in just a few short years. I am naturally aware of Gang Leader Sha’s reputation, though I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting him."
Sha Yu responded respectfully, "Should Lord Liu ever grace Lishui District with his presence, my father would be honored to welcome him."
These were, of course, just pleasantries. Liu Yunfeng simply smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
Sha Yu continued, "Shopkeeper Qiu was remiss in his duties earlier and nearly slighted you all. I sincerely hope that Lord Liu and all you other lords will not take offense."
As the saying goes, you can’t strike a smiling face. With Sha Yu being so courteous, Liu Yunfeng couldn’t possibly hold a grudge. He smiled magnanimously and said, "Shopkeeper Qiu has already explained everything. Miss Sha, please don’t trouble yourself over it."
"Thank you, Lord Liu!" Sha Yu offered another salute before continuing, "Lord Liu is truly magnanimous, and I am filled with admiration. Please allow the Giant Shark Gang to cover the expenses for this banquet as a small token of our respect. I hope you and the other lords will not refuse."
The food and wine at this feast were worth twenty to thirty taels of silver. Factoring in the twenty taels for the Spirit Fish, the total cost came to forty or fifty taels—not a small sum.
As expected of the young lady of a major gang, Sha Yu came across as quite magnanimous.
Liu Yunfeng knew this was the Giant Shark Gang’s way of showing goodwill to him as the new Chief Constable. He paused in thought for a moment before turning to Chen Cheng. "Ah Cheng, what do you think?"
Chen Cheng could see this was all a matter of showing respect to Liu Yunfeng, but being asked his opinion every single time left him not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He simply smiled and said, "Mr. Liu, I’ll defer to you."
"Very well. In that case, thank you, Miss Sha," Liu Yunfeng said.
"Lord Liu, you’re too kind," Sha Yu said, waving her hands dismissively. She then turned to Chen Cheng, a hint of surprise in her beautiful eyes. "You must be Chief Chen of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department?"
In truth, she had heard of Chen Cheng’s name long ago. Now, seeing with her own eyes how highly the Chief Constable Liu Yunfeng valued him, she was genuinely amazed.
Chen Cheng gave a slight nod. "I am."
Sha Yu studied Chen Cheng closely. He had refined features and a calm, composed, and steady demeanor—a far cry from the rumored image of a ruthless swordsman who would lop off heads without a second thought. This only made her more curious.
Seeing that the daughter of the Giant Shark Gang’s leader showed no signs of leaving, Chen Cheng had no choice but to make another polite remark.
"Why don’t you join us for a drink, Miss Sha?"
Sha Yu was inwardly delighted, but she feigned reluctance. "I came uninvited. Wouldn’t that be too forward of me?"
How could Chen Cheng have known she would actually take him up on the offer? He could only maintain an enthusiastic tone. "Not at all, Miss Sha! Please, have a seat!"
After all, he had originally planned to let Li Sheng foot the bill for this banquet. Now, he was freeloading off this Miss Sha instead. The least he could do was act enthusiastic about it.