Painful Regret Beyond Redemption, Damn It All

Tian Heng clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

He was even filled with grief and indignation.

Why?

I, Tian Heng, had trained desperately for decades and fought for decades to achieve what I had today.

Yet this pretty boy before him had been like an ant just two days ago, someone Tian Heng could crush at will.

And now, this pretty boy had actually come straight to his doorstep to slap him in the face.

Was it just because he was handsome? Every minute, Tian Heng felt a hundred urges to smash Shen Lang's face to pulp.

But he could not! So Tian Heng feigned anger. "Tian Shisan actually offended Young Master Shen? What monstrous disrespect! When he returns, I will definitely break both his legs!"

Shen Lang frowned. "He isn't here?"

"That's right, he just happens to be away." Tian Heng smiled. "I sent him to White Ling City on short notice last night. He probably will not return for another month or two."

"Heh heh!"

What a coincidence. Shen Lang did not believe a single punctuation mark of it.

But since Tian Heng said he was not here, Shen Lang could hardly search the place.

"If he is not here, then forget it. But when he returns, you must remember to notify me." Shen Lang said, "I will definitely break both his legs. Until I vent this foul breath, I will never let it go!"

"Certainly, certainly." Tian Heng replied with a placating smile.

"I'm leaving." Shen Lang turned and departed.

The Earl's Manor warriors behind him looked at the chest of gold coins on the table, unsure whether they should take it away.

Shen Lang said, "Take the gold. This is a debt Tian Heng owes me; it has nothing to do with the Earl's Manor."

An Earl's Manor warrior stepped forward, picked up the chest of gold, and followed Shen Lang out.

As they were leaving, the two Earl's Manor warriors exchanged a look. They vaguely felt that perhaps their young lady had chosen the wrong husband. Such shameless bearing utterly ruined the Earl's Manor's family traditions.

After Shen Lang left, Tian Heng, leader of the Black Clothes Gang, could no longer restrain himself. He smashed every teacup on the table, then ground the cup Shen Lang had used beneath his foot until it became porcelain dust.

"Someone, split apart the chair he sat in and burn it."

At once, two Black Clothes Gang warriors entered, took out their blades, and chopped the chair Shen Lang had sat on into firewood before carrying it to the rear kitchen to burn.

"Foster Father, there is no need to be angry. That trash Shen Lang is acting so tyrannically. The Xuanwu Earl loves the people as his own children and treasures his reputation. He will surely punish that garbage harshly. Perhaps before long, we will hear news of Shen Lang dying suddenly in the Earl's Manor."

Tian Shisan emerged.

Of course, he had not gone to White Ling City.

Tian Heng said, "I simply cannot believe it. How could a useless coward transform into a dandy so quickly, so naturally? Did he learn it without a teacher?"

Of course, he knew Shen Lang was not useless, but saying it soothed his anger.

"He is merely a foolish man, someone who was suddenly rich after long poverty. He will never amount to much." Tian Shisan sneered. "Just look at that shameless face of his. He has no great future."

Tian Heng said, "Do not go out these days. Stay in the gang and work. Do not show your face in public."

Tian Shisan hated it beyond measure, but could only nod. "Yes."

However...

At that moment, Shen Lang, who had already left, suddenly rushed back at high speed, returning after his departure.

Tian Shisan was startled and hurriedly tried to hide.

"Don't hide. I saw you." Shen Lang sneered. "Tian Shisan, you move so fast. You returned from White Ling City in an instant—traveling a thousand li in a second."

Tian Heng was truly about to explode with rage. You bastard Shen Lang, not only shameless but crafty as well.

He had clearly left, yet he had actually doubled back like a cavalry charge?

Shen Lang looked at Tian Shisan. "You brought more than a dozen men to my home, broke through the door, and tried to seize my parents and Younger Brother. Had Jin Zhong not arrived, who knew how miserably they might have suffered? I am only breaking both your legs. Is that excessive?"

Tian Shisan's face twitched violently as he stared coldly at Shen Lang.

When dealing with someone as vindictive as Shen Lang, begging for mercy was already completely useless. Thus, Tian Shisan no longer bothered to conceal his venomous hatred.

Shen Lang said mildly, "Gang Leader Tian, you said it yourself. As long as Tian Shisan returned, you would definitely break both his legs to vent my anger. Now do it."

Tian Heng closed his eyes.

He did not want this.

Moreover, after seeing Shen Lang truly become a Live-in Son-in-Law at the Earl's Manor last night, Tian Heng, gripped by a powerful sense of crisis, had immediately found himself a great patron.

Prefect Lord Zhang Chong.

Naturally, he had spoken with Zhang Jin.

He had used thirty-five percent of the earnings from five casinos in exchange for the Zhang Family's protection.

When he agreed to those terms, his heart bled.

Because more than sixty percent of his annual income came from the casinos.

But this gave him the power to protect himself—and the courage to turn hostile—even when facing the Earl's Manor.

He did not wish to completely tear off the mask with Shen Lang.

But this wretch did not know when to stop.

Tian Heng's expression abruptly changed. His gaze turned icy, and he slammed his fist down on the table.

Bang!

In an instant, the incomparably sturdy rosewood table shattered into pieces.

At the same time, the two Earl's Manor warriors abruptly drew their Great Swords and stood before Shen Lang.

No matter what they thought of this son-in-law inwardly, as long as Shen Lang was in danger, they would still fight to the death.

"Shen Lang, do not go too far!" Tian Heng roared.

Of course, he could not personally break Tian Shisan's legs. It was not because he felt any deep affection for this adopted son, but because it concerned his own dignity.

Tian Shisan had acted under his orders when he went to seize Shen Lang's family.

If he broke Tian Shisan's legs under Shen Lang's pressure, his authority would be swept away. Who would dare work for him afterward?

He would lose all prestige throughout Xuanwu City.

"Gang Leader Tian, you clearly promised it yourself. How did it become me going too far?" Shen Lang sneered.

Tian Heng said, "Young Master Shen, it is better to dissolve enmity than to forge it; where mercy can be given, give mercy."

Shen Lang said coldly, "When I was weak and helpless, when you wanted to kill me and wipe out my entire family, did you ever think of giving mercy where mercy could be given?"

Tian Heng stared at Shen Lang and said word by word, "But you are not truly powerful. You are merely borrowing a tiger's might to flaunt yourself!"

Now that they had torn off the mask, Tian Heng no longer hid anything. "That is right, you became the Earl's Manor's son-in-law, so I do not dare touch a hair on your head. But you are only a Live-in Son-in-Law of the Earl's Manor. Your status is merely a little higher than a servant's. You cannot do anything to me."

Tian Shisan said from the side, "Besides, the Earl loves the people as his own children. You have only just become the Earl's Manor's son-in-law and are already running wild and tyrannical. The Earl will not spare you. To set his household in order, he may even uphold righteousness by sacrificing kin. You will not be smug for long."

Tian Heng said, "The Earl is a man who follows rules closely. My forces are not within the Earl's Manor's territory. I am a Thousand Commander of the Xuanwu City Militia, under the City Lord's Manor. As long as I do not offend the Earl, he will not do anything to me. Shen Lang, my unwillingness to provoke you does not mean I fear you!"

In some respects, Tian Heng could not have been more right.

The Yue Kingdom was now carrying out the New Policy, so the Xuanwu Earl had become even more low-key and rule-abiding. He generally did not interfere in matters beyond his authority, much less meddle in local military or government affairs. Otherwise, he would only invite disaster.

The Prefect's Manor and even the Governor's Manor had countless eyes watching, waiting for the Xuanwu Earl's Manor to make a mistake.

Tian Heng said, "Shen Lang, I had originally wanted to give you some face. We might even have become friends. But you push your luck and refuse what is offered to you. Then do not blame me for tearing off the mask."

Shen Lang also withdrew the smile from his face and said mildly, "Gang Leader Tian, I will ask you one final time. Are you willing to break Tian Shisan's legs?"

Tian Heng sneered. "If you want to do it, do it yourself. Or have the Earl's Manor warriors behind you do it."

Shen Lang doing it himself?

How could that be possible? With that little strength of his, how could he possibly defeat Tian Shisan?

Have the Earl's Manor warriors do it?

Even less possible!

The two warriors would protect Shen Lang with their lives, but they would absolutely not obey his command to beat someone.

Shen Lang looked toward the two men, merely testing them.

The two Earl's Manor warriors immediately averted their eyes. Their meaning was crystal clear: Shen Lang could not command them at all.

"Shen Lang, things were peaceful enough. Why turn them into this?" Tian Heng sneered. "A person's dignity is always thrown away by themselves."

MuLan had said that Shen Lang could go slap Tian Heng in the face, and Tian Heng would not resist. He might even helplessly offer up his face.

But breaking Tian Shisan's legs was equivalent to cutting off Tian Heng's arm. It exceeded the limit of what he could endure.

So Tian Heng had turned hostile! Shen Lang's face tightened, then he suddenly broke into a broad smile.

"Gang Leader Tian!"

"Young Master Shen!"

Shen Lang glanced at the sky outside. "It is getting rather late today. I still need to visit my parents. Tomorrow, then."

"And what of tomorrow?" Tian Heng smiled.

Shen Lang said, "Tomorrow, I will make you break Tian Shisan's legs before my eyes, and make you obediently swallow every word you said today."

"Hahahaha..." Tian Heng laughed loudly. "What outrageous boasting. You are merely a Live-in Son-in-Law of the Earl's Manor, so stop blowing such hot air. Borrowing a tiger's might has made you think you are someone important? You want to crush me? Daydreaming!"

Shen Lang said, "Tomorrow will arrive soon enough. Then we will see who is right. Do not be impatient, Gang Leader Tian."

Tian Heng said, "Then I will wait and see!"

With a smile on his face, Shen Lang said warmly, "Gang Leader Tian, see you tomorrow."

What had today even been? Tomorrow, Tian Heng would learn what pain that sank into the bones truly was—regret so bitter he would vomit blood!

Note: Thank you to Baiwei Suixin once again for the ten-thousand-coin reward, and thank you to Book City reader 1553288853 for the ten-thousand-coin reward.