A Lifetime of Shame

Tian Heng was invited to Xu Guangyun's home once again.

The person he met was not Zhang Jin, but the Xu Family Head.

"Gang Leader Tian, I hear you've shut down several gambling houses?" the Xu Family Head asked.

"Yes," Tian Heng replied.

Just now he called me Brother Tian, and now it's Gang Leader Tian. How ruthlessly realistic.

Of course, the Xu Family Head was not asking for himself. He had no right to skim money from the gambling houses. He was asking on Zhang Jin's behalf.

After offending the Earl's Manor, Tian Heng had immediately offered Zhang Jin a thirty-five percent share of the gambling houses, throwing in his lot with Zhang Jin and the Prefect's Manor. Only then had he found the courage to protect himself before the Earl.

But before the gambling houses had even begun making money, he had shut them down.

Then wouldn't the Zhang Family get none of that money? Closing them meant he did not want to give them money. What, did he have a grievance against Zhang Jin? Against the Prefect Lord?

Zhang Jin could not possibly show himself, because the money had to pass through the Xu Family Head's hands to be laundered before being gifted to the Zhang Family in the name of a dowry.

"Why shut down perfectly good gambling houses?" the Xu Family Head asked.

"If I didn't close them, I'd lose everything," Tian Heng said.

The Xu Family Head's expression darkened. "Shen Lang's gambling skills are... that formidable?"

"Yes. Extremely formidable. I don't know why," Tian Heng replied.

The Xu Family Head fell silent as well.

Shen Lang was protected by the Earl's Manor. He could not be killed, or someone would have dealt with him long ago.

"You brought all this upon yourself," the Xu Family Head said.

Back then, Tian Heng himself had let Shen Lang go. Otherwise, he would have been buried alive long ago.

A cold gleam flashed through Tian Heng's eyes. "What if we deal with him in secret?"

"Is it worth it?" the Xu Family Head asked blandly. "Do you dare?"

That was right.

Was it worth it?

Warriors from the Earl's Manor guarded Shen Lang at every moment, so only an expert could kill him.

And once Shen Lang was killed, they would immediately have to bear the Earl's Manor's fury.

No matter how Shen Lang died, no matter who killed him, the Earl would vent his wrath upon Tian Heng and the Xu Family.

If his son-in-law was inexplicably assassinated, the Earl's Manor had every right to fly into a rage.

And once the Earl flew into a rage, blood would flow in rivers.

"What does Shen Lang want?" Xu Guangyun asked.

"He wants me to break Tian Shisan's legs. In public," Tian Heng said.

The Xu Family Head's face twitched several times. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Then agree to it. Break them. You have plenty of adopted sons anyway."

The moment those words left his mouth, even the Xu Family Head himself could scarcely believe them.

Tian Heng rasped, "Shisan is one of my finest adopted sons. Breaking his legs will chill the hearts of my men. My reputation will be utterly ruined."

Tian Heng was a man with backbone.

He would rather lose money than lose his reputation. That was the foundation on which he stood.

Yet a voice came from next door.

"Agree to it."

It was Zhang Jin. He represented the Prefect's Manor, and the Zhang Family.

He was Tian Heng's most direct patron.

"Don't delay," Zhang Jin said. "Every day of delay is money lost. Better to agree early than late."

Tian Heng's entire body trembled. He clenched his teeth so tightly that his gums burst and bled again, filling his mouth with froth and blood.

"I promise you," Zhang Jin said. "One day, I'll definitely kill Shen Lang. When that time comes, I'll let you carve him up with your own blade."

Tian Heng still said nothing.

"Shen Lang is an insignificant little character," Zhang Jin said. "Our target is the Earl's Manor. Once we bring down the Earl's Manor and successfully reclaim its territory and military authority, you will have rendered great merit. Then the position of Deputy City Lord will be yours."

Tian Heng rose to his feet. "Very well. I obey!"

Tian Heng came before Shen Lang once more.

"I... agree to it. I'll publicly break Tian Shisan's legs. Disperse now. Stop making trouble," Tian Heng said flatly.

Shen Lang shook his head. "No. That was the price just now. The price has changed. Your other adopted son, Tian Shisi, actually dared to shout at me just now. He even said he was going to hit me. Worst of all, he pointed a finger at my head. Break both his arms and both his legs."

Shen Lang, fuck your mother!

Why don't you just die? Upon hearing Shen Lang's words, Tian Heng felt a surge of hot blood rush straight to his head.

I'll kill you. I'll kill you...

He repeated those words over and over in his heart.

But... he could only say them in his heart.

"You won't agree?" Shen Lang sneered. "Then my price will change again. Not only will you have to break Tian Shisan's legs and Tian Shisi's arms and legs, every member of the Black Clothes Gang you sent to my home that day will have to have their legs broken..."

Tian Heng closed his eyes. His eyes were bloodshot, and waves of dizziness washed over his mind.

He truly wanted to tear Shen Lang limb from limb, but if he did, he would be finished. The foundation he had struggled for decades to build would be over as well.

He absolutely did not want to compromise, least of all with a wretch like Shen Lang.

But...

There was no other way. If he did not compromise, Shen Lang would bring hundreds of gamblers every day to win money.

Unless his gambling houses remained closed forever. Yet once they closed, the Prefect's Manor would never let him off.

Shen Lang, just you wait. Just you wait... Tian Heng repeated in his heart.

Opening his eyes once more, Tian Heng said word by word, "Fine. I will publicly break Shisan's legs and break Tian Shisi's arms and legs."

"Not only that," Shen Lang said. "You must completely expel them from the Black Clothes Gang. You may not visit them or send anyone to visit them. You may not send doctors to treat them, and you may not give them money. In short, you must leave them to fend for themselves. If I feel these two are not miserable enough, I'll come back again and slaughter my way through your gambling houses."

"I agree to everything. Everything..."

At the entrance to Prosperity Place.

Tian Shisan and Tian Shisi knelt on the ground, their faces filled with grief and indignation.

People had gathered in rings upon rings around them. There were already more than a thousand, and the crowd was still growing.

Something huge had happened.

Tian Shisan and Tian Shisi were Tian Heng's two finest adopted sons. They were also Hundred Commanders in the Xuanwu City Militia. Ordinarily, they swaggered through the streets in grand display, and no one dared provoke them.

Yet now the two of them were kneeling there ramrod straight. Just whom had they offended? Looking at the vast sea of people, Tian Heng truly wished the earth would split open so he could burrow into it.

But he could not. He still had to keep acting, or that bastard Shen Lang would not let the matter rest.

"Tian Shisan, Tian Shisi, you are my adopted sons. How greatly have I valued you?" Tian Heng declared righteously. "Yet because of a private grudge against Young Master Shen Lang, you secretly sought personal revenge behind my back and nearly caused a great disaster."

At this sight, the countless spectators watching the excitement began looking at Tian Heng strangely.

It was because of Shen Lang? Tian Heng felt as though a layer of skin had been torn alive from his face.

But he had to continue. The victor became king and the loser became bandit; there had never been much reason to argue.

"Young Master Shen Lang is not only the son-in-law of Xuanwu Earl's Manor, but also my, Tian Heng's, close friend. How could you two rebellious sons possibly offend him?" Tian Heng roared. "If I do not punish you severely, how can I uphold family rules? Come, bring me the club."

At once, another adopted son presented him with a thick, hard club.

Tian Heng took several deep breaths, then walked before Tian Shisan.

"Shisan, do not blame your foster father," Tian Heng said softly.

Tian Shisan did not respond. His expression was calm.

That enraged Tian Heng. You want to become estranged from me? You're unconvinced in your heart?

Tian Heng raised the club and smashed it down viciously upon his legs. Crack!

Tian Shisan's legs were broken.

"Mm!"

From beginning to end, he only let out a muffled grunt, without a single miserable scream.

Like a wounded beast, he only gave a low snarl and did not howl.

Tian Shisi, however, did not have such backbone. His entire body began to tremble.

He refused to accept this.

He had clearly offended Shen Lang for his foster father's honor and for the Black Clothes Gang's interests, yet now his foster father was going to break both his arms and legs? Was there... any justice left in this world?

It was clearly his foster father who had offended Shen Lang. It was clearly his foster father who had lost to Shen Lang. Why should he and Brother Shisan be sacrificed?

Foster Father, is this how you cherish your adopted sons? Where is the brotherhood you always talk about? Tian Shisi immediately shouted, "I refuse to accept this! I refuse to accept this..."

Tian Heng flew into a rage. Tian Shisi's cries had directly punctured the mask he wore to cover his shame. He immediately seized the club and smashed it viciously down upon Tian Shisi's legs.

"Ah..."

With a miserable scream, Tian Shisi's legs were broken.

Then Tian Heng brought the club down again with savage force.

His adopted son Tian Shisi's arms were smashed apart alive, reduced to comminuted fractures.