Chapter 65

Zhai Rang's face darkened as he stood up from his seat and began pacing back and forth in the hall marked with the three large characters “Assembly Hall,” remaining silent for a long while.

Wu Fan slightly frowned, flipped the wine bowl over on the table, and poured himself a bowl of wine, drinking it all in one go.

Standing up, Wu Fan clasped his hands and said with a smile, “Brother Zhai, the words ‘A true friend is one who knows the song in your heart and sings it to you when you have forgotten the words’ are written at the front of this Assembly Hall. I thought they were genuine! Now... it seems that not everything said about the world of martial arts is true! Or perhaps... I am not worthy to be called your brother? Tsk tsk! Well, well! Thank you for your generous hospitality, Brother Zhai. I'll take my leave now to save you the trouble!”

After saying this, Wu Fan lowered his head and was about to walk out.

Zhai Rang turned around, stretched out his hand to block Wu Fan's path, and with a gloomy smile, sighed, “Brother, you’re trying to corner me with your words! Sit down! Let’s talk, shall we? Why are you turning against me after just a few words? Are you a dog?”

Wu Fan also smiled but did not return to the table. Instead, he clapped his hands and began to complain, “Brother Zhai! I won’t hide anything from you, I’ll speak from the heart! This time, I came with orders from above! I don’t know much about what’s happening in the Zhengyang area, but I do know that things have gotten big! Even Chang'an has been alarmed! If I can’t handle it, not only will I lose my head, but who knows what other harsh measures might follow... Think about it!”

Zhai Rang licked his lips, his mind in turmoil.

He knew all the bandits and outlaws in the Zhengyang area, big or small. He knew about any disturbances, but knowing and speaking were different matters. Speaking to the wrong person, or to someone who truly understood, would be treated as a joke. Wu Fan? A “falcon” in the underworld, telling him would be tantamount to betraying his friends! How could Zhai Rang do that?

Seeing that Zhai Rang was still hesitating, Wu Fan rolled his eyes, poured a bowl of wine for Zhai Rang, and said with a smile, “Brother Zhai, yesterday on my way from Luoyang, I ran into some friends on the road! They seemed intent on killing me! Ha ha ha ha! It couldn’t be... that you sent them, could it?”

Zhai Rang was taken aback and said instinctively, “Nonsense! They were from Wild Wolf Gorge, the Peach Blossom Gang...”

Wu Fan smiled and nodded, as if he was waiting for Zhai Rang to continue.

Zhai Rang’s lips twitched, and he finished the bowl of wine in one go, unable to speak for a moment. Clearly, he was angry that Wu Fan was trying to trick him.

Wu Fan’s expression turned conflicted, and he began to exaggerate, “Brother Zhai! I’m really doing this for your own good! Things have gotten big! Really big! Think about it, what is the Grand Canal for? On the surface, it’s a convenient route for trade between the north and south, but in reality? Every time the empire launches a campaign against Southern Liang or Northern Yan, it’s through the Grand Canal! In the past, the empire’s focus was on Southern Liang, so your activities in the north went unchecked. But now that Southern Liang has fallen, the empire will shift its focus to Northern Yan! Think about it, ponder it. If you anger the top officials of the empire, tens of thousands of troops will be sent to suppress you... All the bandits in the Zhengyang area, tied together, wouldn’t be enough to resist them! Do you understand? Tell me what you know! Let me handle the situation! Can you do that?”

“Is the empire really going to launch a campaign against Yan?” Zhai Rang was startled. “Is it true?”

Wu Fan patted his chest and assured, “It’s almost certain!” He paused, then leaned in mysteriously and whispered, “I’ll tell you one more thing, you know what I did recently! Do you want to know why the empire is putting so much effort into eradicating the Maitreya Sect? Hmm?”

Zhai Rang nodded.

Wu Fan tsked and said, “The empire is moving the capital! From Chang'an to Luoyang! How can they settle down without wiping out the Maitreya Sect? Besides, the move of the capital, do you know what it means? It means that all the people and things in the counties around Luoyang that could pose a threat to the empire will be cleared out! At the same time, it means that the empire will launch a campaign from Luoyang, using the Grand Canal to move troops to the north to fight against Yan for control of the Central Plains! Think about it, in this situation, who dares to obstruct the empire’s progress will be... cut down!”

Wu Fan made a beheading gesture.

Zhai Rang shuddered, as if he had seen something terrifying.

In reality...

Wu Fan was just exaggerating! He didn’t even know what was really happening! It was all nonsense! However, two out of ten parts of his exaggeration were true, mixed together, making it hard to distinguish.

At least, he had convinced Zhai Rang to believe most of it.

“Brother! I’m not trying to make things difficult for you, nor am I trying to... I’m trying... to save you! Do you understand?” Wu Fan put on a pained expression, looking up at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle, his eyes slightly red, and his voice filled with sorrow, “As an official, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but... my mother taught me: the most important thing in life is... to have integrity!”

Seeing Wu Fan’s “sincere” display, Zhai Rang suddenly felt guilty, realizing he had been too slow to react, thinking that Wu Fan had come to betray others for personal gain. In fact, Wu Fan had come to do him a favor, a huge favor! Not only had he not reacted, but he had also hurt Wu Fan’s feelings!

Oh no!

Zhai Rang felt so guilty that he quickly stood up, clasped his hands, and said, “Brother! I misunderstood you! I’m petty... Don’t cry! Ah! I understand! I understand! I’ll tell you everything! Don’t cry!”

Wu Fan wiped his eyes and grinned, “Tell me!”

[Why do I feel something is off?]

Zhai Rang muttered to himself but said, “This has nothing to do with our Wagon Fort. We do business on land, while those who caused trouble are from Wild Wolf Gorge, the Peach Blossom Gang, who ‘live off the water.’ I’m not familiar with them, I’ve only heard a little about it. (‘Live off the water’: pirates.)”

Wu Fan pursed his lips and asked, “Who killed Zhou Ling, the commander of the Zhengyang Eagle-Brave Guard?”

“This...”

Zhai Rang began to stammer.

At that moment—

“Who’s here? Oh, it’s you!”

Zhai Lingling burst in, grabbed the wine jar from the table, and gulped down a large mouthful, not acting like a lady at all, more like a tough guy.

“What are you talking about?” Zhai Lingling asked, rolling her eyes. “Let me know too!”

Wu Fan glanced at Zhai Rang, who was giving her a meaningful look, and blurted out, “Who killed Zhou Ling, the commander of the Zhengyang Eagle-Brave Guard?”

Zhai Lingling, without much thought, admitted, “I did it, so what? Hmm...”

Zhai Rang quickly covered Zhai Lingling’s mouth, not knowing what to say.

Wu Fan looked at Zhai Rang with a strange expression, then clutched his heart and said, “Heartache! Heartache! Oh! ‘A true friend is one who knows the song in your heart and sings it to you when you have forgotten the words,’ oh! My heart... has been stabbed twice! The blood is gushing out! Oh! What you said... might not be true... Integrity is just a way to deceive people...”

[Why is he singing now?]

Zhai Rang’s face turned red with embarrassment, and he quickly said, “Brother... Brother... listen to me...”

“Pah!”

Zhai Lingling broke free from Zhai Rang’s hand and said, “What’s wrong? Why cover my mouth? If I can do it, I’m not afraid of others knowing!”

“You’re still talking!”

Zhai Rang was so angry that he reached out to hit her.

Zhai Lingling didn’t move, sticking out her face to let Zhai Rang hit her.

“You...!”

Zhai Rang was almost bursting with anger, but he couldn’t bring himself to hit her!

“Alright! Alright! We’re done talking, there’s nothing more to say!” Wu Fan’s face was filled with the hurt and anger of being deceived, “No more brotherhood, heartache! Oh! It’s freezing cold!”

“Oh—!”

“I understand! I understand!” Zhai Lingling looked at Wu Fan with a sudden realization, “Falcon! We’re not on the same path! You’re here to take my life!”

Turning to Zhai Rang, Zhai Lingling said eagerly, “Big Brother! Kill him! Once and for all!”

...

PS1: Please favorite, recommend, and like. The new book ranking is just one spot away, I can’t seem to make it!

PS2: Thank you to Huang Hun Xia for the 588-point donation, much appreciated.

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