A Clash of Gods - Chapter 56

Chapter 56 Pay the Debt
Yang Ning opened his eyes wide. He had thought this guy didn’t mean what he said. Seeing that he was going to take off his pants, Yang Ning stated in a deep voice, “Your grandfather is the Minister of Rites. It will humiliate him if you take off your pants in front of others. If the news spreads, you will suffer more than having a wound on your butt next time.”

Since Yang Ning finally spoke, Yuan Rong tidied up his clothes and had a big smile. He moved closer to Yang Ning. “I know you won’t misunderstand me, brother.”

“Are you my sworn brother?” Yang Ning stared at Yuan Rong.

Yuan Rong guessed Yang Ning was satirizing him and thought such a dull guy actually knew how to say something sarcastic. But he pretended to smile bitterly. “Are you still blaming me? Alas, no wonder you are unhappy. After the Marquis of Honor passed away, I have never come to give you a hand. It’s my fault indeed.”

Yang Ning thought the rich men’s sons made friends and wouldn’t have any friendship. They just had dinner and played together, occasionally making use of one another’s resources.

The Marquis of Honor had died. Before his funeral, many nobles and high officials became distant to their family. Yang Ning didn’t feel angry. After all, that was the human nature. He didn’t need to criticize.

“What can I do for you?” Yang Ning asked indifferently.

Yuan Rong laughed. “Do you know there are several more new pleasure-boats on the Qinhuai River recently?”

“What does it have to do with me?” Yang Ning was calm. “You like playing with women. You can have a try.”

Yuan Rong was stunned and felt that Yang Ning was unusual today, totally different from the heir of the Marquis of Honor he was familiar with. He felt awkward. “You used to like playing in a boat, so I wanted to ask you to hang out. It turns out…”

“Yuan, my father has just gone, but you talk about romance with me. Don’t you think it is not the right time?” Yang Ning asked crossly. “We haven’t finished praying for his soul in the mansion. If I go out to play in a boat at this time, would I be a human?”

Yuan Rong was astonished. Then he patted his forehead and looked regretted. “I was wrong. It’s my bad. I was brainless. Please forgive me. I don’t have evil intentions. I thought you were frightened after being kidnapped not long ago, and you were too tired for the funeral these days. I just wanted to take you out to loosen up.”

“Let’s talk about it another day.” Yang Ning stood up. “If you have nothing to tell me, I will have to do something else.”

Yuan Rong hurriedly stretched out his hand to stop him. “Brother, don’t be anxious.”

“Anything else?”

“Something insignificant.” Yuan Rong smiled. “Have a seat and then let’s talk about it.”

After Yang Ning sat down, he asked, “Something insignificant? What kind of insignificant thing makes you come to me?”

“Uh…” Yuan Rong took out a fan from his pocket and shook it with his left hand to open it. “Did you meet an assassin in the villa of the Loyalty Cemetery?” Then he shook the fan gently and thought himself graceful.

Yang Ning thought, “It’s October now and getting cold. You still brought a fan to pretend elegant. Aren’t you afraid that you will get a cold?”

“You knew it?” Yang Ning glanced at Yuan Rong. “I hear that the villa of the Loyalty Cemetery is a royal villa, but it’s under control of the Ministry of Rites. And Lord Yuan in your family is the Minister of Rites…” His eyes got cold, and he expressed deeply, “Tell me. Does the assassination in the villa have something to do with your family?”

Yuan Rong changed his expression all of a sudden and sprang from his seat, answering in shock, “You can’t say that as you like. Dude, our family can’t take the responsibility for your groundless words.”

“Do you know that I almost lost my life there?” Yang Ning sneered. “No matter if you can take the responsibility, you have to. Before the real murderer is found, I have to ask the government in charge of the villa, and it’s the Ministry of Rites. In the end, it is your family.”

Yuan Rong asked in a sobbing voice, “Brother, did all people in your mansion say that? Do you think our family sent the assassin?”

“Everything is being investigated. Before the truth is found, everybody is a suspect,” Yang Ning replied nonchalantly. “Tell me. What’s the insignificant thing as you mentioned?”

Yuan Rong had sweat on his forehead and shook his fan more quickly. “I assure you with my reputation that our family knows nothing about the assassin. And you are clear that our family keeps a good relationship with yours. Don’t forget that my grandfather had taught your father to read poems. We are old family friends.”

“Oh?” Yang Ning realized that the family of the Marquis of Honor had such a relationship with the Yuan Family.

Seeing that Yang Ning looked unkind, Yuan Rong smiled bitterly. “I’ll tell you the truth. Chief Wu in the villa of the Loyalty Cemetery is a nephew of my maternal great-uncle’s concubine. You were almost assassinated in the villa this time and he was scared. Then he asked my mother for help, and she appealed to my grandmother to come, trying to minimize the problem.”

“Oh?” Yang Ning smiled faintly. “So you came to ask for mercy for Chief Wu?”

“I came to see you, of course,” Yuan Rong responded at once. “I just brought it up by the way.” He got closer to Yang Ning and whispered, “Chief Wu can be a head in the Ministry of Rites in one year, and he will stop suffering. But who knows that something like this would happen at this crucial time.” He shook his head and sighed. “My grandfather naturally wouldn’t come to your mansion for this matter. My mother knows that we are best friends, so…so she told me to talk with you.”

Yang Ning rubbed his chin. “I see.”

“Brother, I seldom ask you to do something for me,” Yuan Rong expressed seriously. “But this time my mother demanded me. And she said if we are close friends like brothers, I can finish this job. So I thought of our friendship, and it must be no problem.”

“Master Yuan, it’s easy to say. Do you know that I almost died because of their negligence?” Yang Ning questioned coldly. “Now you just say a few words, and you want it to come to an end. Are you joking about my life?”

“Don’t worry,” Yuan Rong noticed that Yang Ning was hesitant and then explained in a low voice. “It’s difficult for Chief Wu to get the current position. In order to become a head in the Ministry of Rites, he volunteered to suffer in the villa two years ago. He has to insist for only one more year, and then he can work in the Ministry of Rites. If he ruins his future because of this matter, what should he do? So…” He looked around and then whispered in Yang Ning’s ear, “If your family doesn’t report to the superior but lets it pass, and the Ministry of Rites makes some efforts to minimize the influence, Chief Wu and the guards wouldn’t be punished seriously. Of course, they are willing to comfort you.”

“Comfort me?” Yang Ning frowned. “What does it mean?”

Yuan Rong smiled slyly. “They are willing to offer you some silver to make you feel less frightened. Brother, what do you think?”

“Do they want to bribe me?” Yang Ning glanced at Yuan Rong who was close to him. “Don’t you know that my grandfather set a rule in our mansion? We are not allowed to…”

“I know. I know.” Before Yang Ning finished his words, Yuan Rong laughed. “You are not allowed to do business with other officials through money.”

“Since you know, why did you figure out such a bad idea?” Yang Ning looked leisurely but wondered how much sliver Chief Wu and his subordinates could pay.

Yuan Rong replied solemnly, “Brother, you misunderstand. They won’t bribe you but want to thank you for saving their lives. It’s said that the assassin is a martial arts master. If it weren’t for you, the guards in the villa would be in danger. Since the assassin would kill the guards, he wouldn’t leave one life but would kill Chief Wu, too, so you are the savior of them all. There is a rule for your Qi Family’s behavior. You will pay the debt in any case. Since they owe you, they should pay you.”

Yang Ning’s eyes widened. Yuan Rong’s serious nonsense was impressive.

Yuan Rong laughed and approached Yang Ning, saying softly, “What’s more, as long as you agree, I will give you the silver in secret. Nobody would know.”

“Pay the debt in any case…” Yang Ning nodded slightly. “We do have this rule in my family.” He leaned over. “Does Chief Wu know the rules of my family?”

Yuan Rong wondered why the heir of the Marquis of Honor seemed to have changed as they hadn’t seen each other for several days. This guy was not dumb but talked and behaved like an experienced man, and he spoke with hidden meanings. Yuan Rong was doubtful but didn’t have time to think more. He understood what Yang Ning meant and stretched out one hand to show five fingers but then put down two. “They are willing to offer so much.” He then added, “Three hundred taels of silver.”

“Our family is free from corruption for many generations,” Yang Ning announced coldly. “Since the old Marquis didn’t allow us to do business with other officials through money, I certainly stick to this rule. Somebody, see the guest off…”

“Five hundred taels!” Yuan Rong showed five fingers and sighed. “They will offer five hundred taels of silver.”

“Somebody?” Yang Ning looked outside. “Master Yuan will leave. See him off.”

Yuan Rong’s eyes twitched, and he reached out two hands. “Chief Wu will give five hundred taels, and the guards can give two hundred taels together…”

Yang Ning interrupted indifferently, “My father went to the battlefield but had rewards, and he gave them to his subordinates. Our family never has an interest in money… Master Yuan, do you know that I don’t care about money, but I have to protect the dignity of Marquis of Honor?”

“One thousand taels.” Yuan Rong gritted his teeth. “Brat, that’s what they have. Think about it. How much money does a chief in a villa have? It’s difficult for them to give out one thousand taels of silver. You will pay only one hundred taels of silver for sleeping with the most beautiful woman for one day in the best pleasure-boat on the Qinhuai River. And the common ones are half-priced. You can buy a nice house in the capital city with three or four hundred taels of silver. Don’t be greedy.”

Yang Ning looked Yuan Rong up and down and laughed. “Is this really what they can give?”

“It’s the maximum.” Yuan Rong didn’t look good. “Anyway, you need to give me some. I have to get some profits after talking so much.” He picked up a teacup and drank most of the tea in one gulp. Then he raised his hand and pointed at Yang Ning. “I have never expected that you are so sinister.”

Yang Ning understood that one thousand taels of silver was not a small amount of money. And the assassination had happened, and the murderer behind it must not be Chief Wu. Even if he reported to the imperial court to punish them seriously, it wouldn’t do him any good. On the contrary, in this way, he could get some silver and meanwhile do Yuan Rong a favor.

“Let’s talk about the silver later. Go somewhere with me.” Yang Ning stood up. “As long as you cooperate with me, I will help you.”