Chapter 4.2: A Prisoner Can Earn Money Too!

All the cultivators looked at each other in dismay. Wang Ke is really using his prisoner to take a cut from them?I didn’t know money could be earned like this!Wang Ke is quite desperate for money!

“Come, this is ten pounds of spirit stones for you. I’ll go in first!”

One of the “touters” in the crowd walked up to a shopkeeper who had set up his stall along the fenced pathway. He paid the money and walked toward the backcourt, guided by a servant from the Wang Clan.

Someone led the way, and the others followed.

——

The Wang Clan. At the entrance of a great hall.

Wang Ke washed up. He suddenly met with a stupefied Zhang Zhengdao, right when he walked out with a fresh set of clothes.

“Brother Wang, are all the people from the Zhu Cultivation Town fools? Did they just spend ten pounds of spirit stones just to take a look at two prisoners? Are they nuts? They won’t get any benefits besides that… How… how come so many people are here?” Zhang Zhengdao cried out in confusion.

“They’re not here to look at the two prisoners, but at the five placement slots to enter the Golden Crow Sect!” Wang Ke shook his head.

“What do you mean?” Zhang Zhengdao asked. He still didn’t understand.

“You think they were intimidated back there, outside the gate just now? No, they’re not afraid, it’s just that it hadn’t been the right time to snatch her when everyone is looking. All the people who are buying the ticket have the same idea!” Wang Ke explained; his eyes were glowing with confidence.

“What idea?” said Zhang Zhengdao, still confused.

“Spend ten pounds of spirit stones so you can see Princess Youyue’s face. When the time comes, they will snatch her and head toward the Golden Crow Sect for the reward!” Wang Ke said confidently.

Zhang Zhengdao shivered and said, “They’re all here to snatch Princess Youyue?”

“That’s right! And that is why they were willing to pay just to memorize Princess Youyue’s face!” Wang Ke affirmed.

“To memorize Princess Youyue’s face?” Zhang Zhengdao swallowed his saliva.

His unrest was due to the fact that their “Princess Youyue” on display was the bearded big cousin-sister! That many people wanted to fight for her?Wouldn’t that make the situation the apex of her life?

“I have a Princess Youyue. She Tianba also has a Princess Youyue. What would it take for him to believe he has the fake one?” Wang Ke asked, smiling.

“What would it take?” Zhang Zhengdao asked.

“Did you know that a lie repeated over and over would make you believe in it?” Wang Ke asked, smiling.

“What do you mean?”

”No one would believe if someone were to say that my big cousin-sister is Princess Youyue! But how about two people telling him that? What if three people would have told him that? What if the entire town told him that?” Wang Ke explained.

“You mean that…?”

“To make She Tianba believe that the princess I have is the real one, I must first make the entire town believe that she’s the real deal. After that, everyone would tell She Tianba that the one I have is real. I would need to brainwash him and constantly destroy his confidence!” Wang Ke explained confidently.

“You’re putting this much effort, just for a show?”

“Why not?”

“You… What a waste of time!”

“This is not a waste of time! It’s called creating a movement!” Wang Ke elaborated with a steady demeanor.

“But… But all I see is you making money out of this!” Zhang Zhengdao said awkwardly.

“Hmm?” Wang Ke looked at Zhang Zhengdao with a frown.

“Ten pounds worth of spirit stones per person. I counted more than 100 people. You really know how to make money… Say what you will, Brother Wang, but I’ll also have a cut in this rescue mission, so I should also have a share in this ticket money. I want half of it!” Zhang Zhengdao demanded excitedly; his thick skin was used in full.

Wang Ke glanced at Zhang Zhengdao and chuckled “amiably.”

Zhang Zhengdao understood Wang Ke’s attitude and immediately pleaded with an anxious tone, “Wang Ke, don’t do this. I was the one who brought you the news. If not half, then how about 4:6? I get 4, and you get 6. How about that? Don’t be so wicked! …3:7? How about 3:7? Forget it. I’m willing to take a loss. 2:8! 2:8! I get 2! You’re too petty! 1:9! 1:9!”

“When have you seen anyone cheat money out of my hand?” Wang Ke asked with a chuckle.

As he spoke, Wang Ke walked toward the backcourt, leaving behind an enraged Zhang Zhengdao.

“Wang Ke, you’re going gobble down everything by yourself? That’s so unfair! We’ve been partners for so long, and you’re not even willing to share a single piece of spirit stone with me! How petty can you be! You should be called Petty Wang instead! Ptooey!” Zhang Zhengdao cried out in a fit of fury.

TL: The surname “Wang” also means “king”; Petty Wang is a pun for Petty King.

————-

The She Clan!

She Tianba heard endless reports from his She Clan members.

“Selling tickets?” She Tianba was astonished.

“Yes, all the major clans in the Zhu Cultivation Town went to take a look. Each of them paid ten pounds worth of spirit stones. Wang Ke is too vicious!” said an unhappy clan member.

“Humph, this is Wang Ke’s way of doing things. He risks his life for money! She Tianba said deeply.

“Clan Lord, I went to take a look. His Princess Youyue is too damn ugly. She’s definitely fake… Wang Ke must be crazy!” said the same clan member.

“Ugly?” She Tianba was stunned.

“Yeah. The one we caught is extremely beautiful, despite the scar on her face. On the other hand, Wang Ke’s princess is extremely ugly. What is he thinking!? Where did he find that imposter? How could the princess look like that?” that She Clan member exclaimed with disgust.

She Tianba’s looked a little grim. “Did others think the same way?”

That She Clan member remembered. “Uhh? Other people? They had not seen Princess Youyue before, so no one thought that she was fake. Quite the contrary, everyone was praising that princess’ honored face in amazement. All of them said that it wasn’t surprising that the Golden Crow Sect hadn’t provided a portrait before, Princess Youyue had no face to write home about!”

“But, we had never seen Princess Youyue before, either!” She Tianba said with a frown.

“Us? Didn’t we…!” that She Clan member came to a shocking realization.

“Clan Lord, don’t tell me you think ours is fake?”

She Tianba shook his head. “The one we have is definitely the real one. Humph, Wang Ke wants to fool the Golden Crow Sect. He’s seeking his own death!”

Although She Tianba sounded firm, a tinge of doubt somehow began to well up in his heart. He couldn’t understand why Wang Ke would produce a fake Princess Youyue to deceive the Golden Crow Sect. Based on what he knew, Wang Ke wasn’t that kind of a person. Could Wang Ke really have the real princess?

She Tianba was frightened by the thought.

“You! Send spies to collect more information!” he said deeply.

“Yes, sir!”

All the She Clan members went out to collect intel. Only She Tianba was left behind with a terrifyingly grave face.

“The one we have is the real one! Wang Ke’s princess cannot be real!” She Tianba clenched his fists. Beads of cold sweat were adorning his forehead.