Forced Me to Slap Your Face? Gladly!

Hearing the conversation between Shen Lang and Boss Lin, Tian Shisan, standing nearby, was both shaken and delighted.

Although his Foster Father, Tian Heng, had agreed to Shen Lang's proposal, he had held no hope at all. He was merely taking a gamble, and a reckless one at that. After all, he had promised the Xu Family he would kill Shen Lang within three days.

Yet he had never expected Shen Lang to actually pull it off. His Foster Father had truly obtained a thousand gold coins, and Tian Shisan, who had handled the matter, naturally deserved immense credit as well.

"Impressive. I'm convinced." Tian Shisan gave Shen Lang a thumbs-up.

Shen Lang went into the kitchen in the rear courtyard, shut the door, and began making the Dye.

"Boss Lin, wait for me one hour," Shen Lang said.

"Alright, I'll go prepare the gold coins now," Lin Mo said.

The process for making this Golden Yellow Dye was extremely simple. The 2001 publication Silk described it in detail, and the Silk Museum in Hangzhou even offered specialized hands-on courses.

Boil pagoda tree flower buds in water until the yellow liquid was extracted, remove the dregs, and the yellow Dye was ready.

Then add alum and continue boiling. This transformed the yellow into a magnificent, noble bright yellow—brilliant and glittering like gold.

Thus, in less than two hours, Shen Lang made half a bowl of Golden Yellow Dye.

Finally, Shen Lang threw the alum and the remaining pagoda tree flower buds into the fire and burned them clean, leaving behind no trace whatsoever.

Shen Lang pushed open the door.

Lin Mo, the owner of Brocade Pavilion, and Tian Shisan immediately rushed forward, their faces filled with eager anticipation.

Shen Lang directly handed over the half bowl of Golden Yellow Dye.

Lin Mo's hands trembled slightly as he carefully examined the brand-new Dye beneath the sunlight.

He could not help trembling. This was not merely Dye—it was the lifeline of the Lin Family's rise.

"This Golden Yellow Dye not only has an outstanding color, but its wet fastness on Silk is also exceptional. After dyeing, it will scarcely fade at all," Shen Lang said. "Boss Lin, have you prepared the two thousand gold coins?"

Lin Mo pointed at the table, where there was a chest with its lid open, filled to the brim with gold coins.

Each gold coin weighed more than half a tael. A thousand of them weighed dozens of jin.

Two thousand gold coins were an absolute fortune. After deducting the thousand coins for Tian Heng, there would still be a thousand left—enough for an entire family to live well.

In all his life on modern Earth, Shen Lang had never earned so much money.

"And the formula?" Lin Mo asked.

Shen Lang handed over the secret recipe he had written and tucked inside his robes.

Lin Mo opened it and saw only several dozen words. He could not help staring. "It's this simple?"

"Yes, it's that simple," Shen Lang said.

"The cost isn't high, either."

"Right, it's very low. Many things in this world become incredibly simple once the veil is pierced. Boss Lin, surely you don't think two thousand gold coins aren't worth these few dozen words?"

"No, it's worth it. Very much worth it." Lin Mo smiled.

"Boss Lin can personally verify the formula right now. In just over half an hour, you can make this Golden Yellow Dye yourself. Once you are done, I'll take the gold coins and leave."

Lin Mo did not have his servants do it. He personally prepared the materials, then personally went to the rear courtyard kitchen to verify Shen Lang's formula.

Only an hour later, Lin Mo had made the Golden Yellow Dye, and it was even better than Shen Lang's.

"It's done! My Lin Family is going to prosper!" Lin Mo burst into laughter.

"Then congratulations, Boss Lin. May you soon defeat the Xu Family and take their place. Farewell!" Shen Lang said.

Holding the two thousand gold coins, he turned to leave.

"Hold it!" At that moment, a familiar voice rang out from outside.

Then two figures entered.

One was his former Father-in-law, the Xu Family Head. The other was his former wife, Xu Qianqian.

Shen Lang's scalp instantly went numb.

The Xu Family Head looked at Shen Lang and said coldly, "Shen Lang, I cast you out of the family. I do not blame you for harboring resentment. But you should never have stolen the new Dye formula we developed. This is the lifeline of the Xu Family. What you did was not only theft, but also an offense against the Monarch. What crime should that be?"

Lin Mo, owner of Brocade Pavilion, said in surprise, "Xu Family Head, this formula was stolen by Shen Lang?"

The Xu Family Head said, "Brother Lin, surely you have heard of Shen Lang's former reputation. Stupid as a pig, greedy for food and lazy in work—utterly worthless. With his abilities, could he possibly develop Golden Yellow Dye? This formula was clearly created by my Xu Family after spending countless resources and fortunes. Yet this thief actually stole from the very household that housed him. Why did I cast him out of the Xu Family? Because he stole things and even molested the maids and serving girls in my home. Such vile character is unheard of. And now he has actually come to swindle you, Brother Lin."

Xu Qianqian said softly, "If my guess is correct, he must have rummaged through my drawers, seen this formula, and secretly memorized it. Shen Lang, I know you hate the Xu Family, but you should not have committed such a crime."

Lin Mo bowed and said, "My apologies, Xu Family Head. I nearly fell for this thief's trick! I had wondered how someone as foolish as Shen Lang could possess such an exquisite formula. So it was stolen—that explains everything. I'll report it to the authorities at once and have them come arrest this thief!"

The Xu Family Head fixed Shen Lang with an icy gaze. "Tell me the truth here and now. Did you steal this Golden Yellow Dye formula from the Xu Family? You have only one chance to speak!"

Xu Qianqian said gently, "Shen Lang, if you admit this crime, then for the sake of our former relationship, we will not pursue the theft. But if you stubbornly refuse to admit it, Father will become angry."

Every hair on Shen Lang's body stood on end. It took several seconds before his pores finally relaxed.

It was not as though he had never anticipated such a situation, but when it truly happened, it was still rather astonishing.

The Lin Family had always been the Xu Family's competitor. The enemy of one's enemy was one's friend, especially when the new formula Shen Lang had brought to the Lin Family was enough to deal the Xu Family's business a crippling blow.

So how had things turned into this?

Shen Lang calmed down as quickly as possible and said to Lin Mo, "Boss Lin, may we speak in private?"

Lin Mo nodded. "No problem."

Then Lin Mo and Shen Lang went to the rear courtyard.

Shen Lang asked bluntly, "You were the one who called the Xu Family Head and Xu Qianqian here?"

"Yes," Lin Mo said.

"Why?"

"I knew this formula could deal a devastating blow to the Xu Family's business, yet I still informed the Xu Family Head and had him come here to falsely accuse you."

Shen Lang did not ask why again. He simply waited for Lin Mo's answer.

Lin Mo said indifferently, "Shen Lang, for ordinary people like you, having money is enough. But for people like us, money is not the most important thing. Power and strength are what matter above all else. Without power and strength, no amount of money can be kept. You would only be pigs and sheep waiting for slaughter."

"If your Lin Family became the Monarch's Silk supplier, you would naturally gain power," Shen Lang said.

"No, that kind of power is too uncertain," Lin Mo said. "My son studies at Tiannan Martial Academy. His grades are excellent, and he will soon take the Martial Examination. His performance in the Martial Examination, as well as what official position he will hold in the future, is far more important than how much money my Lin Family earns. Do you know Zhang Jin, Xu Qianqian's new fiancé?"

A new fiancé? So soon!

The Xu Family had only just driven Shen Lang out, and they had already arranged Xu Qianqian's engagement to Zhang Jin?

Lin Mo said, "The Zhang Family's patron is the Zhu Clan. You should understand the weight the Zhu Clan carries in this kingdom."

The Zhu Clan was one of the Yue Kingdom's top aristocratic powers—the family of the Monarch's wife. Zhu Rong was even the Governor-General of Tiannan Province, his power towering to the skies.

But Zhang Jin's marriage to Xu Qianqian, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, was likely not merely for her beauty. He was probably even more interested in the Xu Family's wealth.

Lin Mo continued, "Zhang Jin's father has just become the Prefect of Nujiang Prefecture. Zhang Jin's Martial Arts are formidable, and he has just taken office as commander of the Xuanwu City Guard. If I use the new formula to seize the Xu Family's business, I will offend the newly risen Zhang Family. What will happen to my son then?"

"You could simply choose not to buy my formula and pretend none of this ever happened," Shen Lang said. "Why did you have to betray me?"

Lin Mo, owner of Brocade Pavilion, smiled. "You are just an insignificant little person, without the slightest value. Your only value lies in Lin Mo and the Xu Family's hatred for you. By betraying you, I can gain a favor from the Xu Family. Why wouldn't I? Besides, this new formula is now in my hands. I can simply share it with the Xu Family, and we can do business together."

"The Xu Family originally did not take me seriously at all. They saw me as nothing more than an ant, so their hatred was insufficient. But I sold the new formula to you and used it to bring down the Xu Family's business, so now their hatred has surged all at once."

"Exactly," Lin Mo said. "That makes the favor the Xu Family owes me even greater, and my son's future even more secure."

"Boss Lin is ruthless enough. I understand." Shen Lang then turned and walked out.

He returned to the Great Hall.

Several fighters from the Lin Family and several from the Xu Family had Shen Lang completely surrounded.

Tian Shisan stood off to the side as if asleep, his eyes closed.

Several officials from Xuanwu City had arrived as well.

One of them was a young official—the Chief Registrar in charge of criminal cases in Xuanwu City. Shen Lang could not help giving him an extra hard look. He had some memory of this man.

Xu Qianqian said softly, "Shen Lang, tell these officials: did you steal the formula for this new Dye? Did you do this because you could not accept being abandoned by me? If you confess now, we can choose not to pursue it, treating it as a moment of confusion. But if you remain stubborn and refuse to repent, do not blame the Xu Family for being merciless!"

Faced with the situation before him, Shen Lang carefully weighed his options. Then his gaze once again fell upon that Chief Registrar as he searched through his memories.

That was right. There should be a sixty to seventy percent chance.

"Hahahaha..." Shen Lang suddenly burst into loud laughter.

He had originally planned to secretly undermine the Xu Family first. He had not expected they would be tearing off all pretense so soon.

Note: Thank you, Of Course I Forgive Her, for the ten-thousand-coin reward.