Chapter 27

Twenty minutes later—

Wang Zhaoyi, beaten to the point of tears once again, lay miserably on the floor, pounding the boards and howling, "You're cold, heartless, and unreasonable! Didn't you say you wouldn't fight back?"

Having changed out of his training clothes, Zhang Muyang fastened his buttons and replied innocently, "I didn't 'fight back.' Didn't I kick you with my feet the whole time?"

Wang Zhaoyi: "..."

Though Zhang Muyang had once again left him aching all over and covered in bruises, Wang Zhaoyi—who considered himself loyal and trustworthy, though he was really just bored out of his mind—still joined in their double-agent game. Thus, Zhang Xianyang, who knew absolutely nothing about their deal, immediately blew up when he saw that one of Wang Zhaoyi's countless brothers-in-law dared to bring a group of people to cause trouble at the clothing flagship store.

With the mindset of "If you won't let me have peace, then I won't let you have peace either," Zhang Xianyang sent a crew of men to smash up two casinos and a nightclub under Wang Zhaoyi's name. Though the losses were not significant, the blatant slap in the face stirred up a bit of real anger in Wang Zhaoyi. He promptly sent men to wreck the Old Zhang Family's West Street Casino, several teahouses, and hotels. Even Zhang Xianyang's clothing factory in the West District was smashed up.

When Zhang Xianyang rushed to the clothing factory, all he saw was wreckage everywhere and groups of female workers hiding in corners, their faces pale as they trembled in fear. Sun Wanshan, the factory manager, had been beaten black and blue by Wang Zhaoyi's men while trying to protect the machinery. Clutching Zhang Xianyang's sleeve, he cried, "They came in without saying a word and started smashing everything with iron rods! Those machines cost me thirty million to import from the United States, and they smashed them all to pieces! Third Young Master, you have to help us get even!"

Watching Sun Wanshan howl, wipe away tears, and grieve as though his heart had been torn out, Zhang Xianyang felt a blaze of fury shoot up inside him. Though the clothing factory was not his most profitable business, it was the venture he had poured the most effort into since his rebirth. It was also a model example he used to persuade the big shots of the underworld to go legitimate. Now Wang Zhaoyi had smashed it to bits. Never mind the money lost—Zhang Xianyang simply could not swallow this insult.

Unable to swallow that insult, Zhang Xianyang no longer wanted to play this childish game of "you hit me, I hit you, then you hit me again, and I hit you again." So he chose a method that even toothless toddlers would scorn to punish Wang Zhaoyi's reckless actions—he actually went crying to the elders.

Wang Qi and Feng Daoxin were at home enjoying time with their grandchildren when a servant announced that the Zhang Family's Third Young Master had come calling. They had not realized the boy had come to tattle. Thus, when Zhang Xianyang tearfully complained to Feng Daoxin that one of Wang Zhaoyi's nameless, unknown-numbered brothers-in-law had led people to attack the flagship store, Feng Daoxin became furious. Then Zhang Xianyang told Wang Qi that Wang Zhaoyi resented being an illegitimate son and had even accused Wang Qi of being irresponsible in front of outsiders. Wang Qi, who had always felt guilty about the matter, became furious as well.

So when Wang Zhaoyi returned home after smashing up the clothing factory in high spirits, he was greeted by the astonishing fury of the two old men. Before his old and new injuries had even healed, Wang Zhaoyi was whipped another thirty times by his two fathers.

Wang Zhaoyi felt that his life was truly miserable, while Zhang Xianyang went home perfectly satisfied and had dinner.

Feeling that he had given so much without receiving any understanding from the people involved, Wang Zhaoyi lay on the bed while his wife Feng Mianmian applied wound medicine to him. He felt rather wronged too. When it came down to it, wasn't this all Zhang Muyang's fault for roping him in? Now, before he had even done much, he had been beaten half to death. If he really got in touch with the Li Family, Zhang Xianyang might just torment him to death.

After listening to Wang Zhaoyi ramble through the whole sequence of events, Feng Mianmian tapped his forehead and said helplessly, "No one forced you to do this. Zhou Yu was willing to strike, and Huang Gai was willing to take the beating."

Wang Zhaoyi grunted twice. Seeing that his wife had no sympathy for him whatsoever, he pursed his lips and fell silent. He felt there was already a generation gap between him and his wife, but this matter was too confidential to chatter about with his mistress or brothers. He could only call out to Feng Mianmian, who had finished applying the medicine and was about to go downstairs to cook, "Go bring me that new spirit turtle I bought."

Feng Mianmian gave Wang Zhaoyi a sharp knock on the head, both annoyed and amused. "That's the only trick you know!"

The next day, Wang Zhaoyi, who had suffered endless torment yet could not explain that he was an undercover agent, decided to take all his pain out on the Li father and son. After all, this whole matter had begun because of them. If they had not been greedy and come to stir up trouble in the Old District, Zhang Muyang would never have noticed them. If they had not approached Wang Zhaoyi first to discuss cooperation, Zhang Muyang would never have asked him for help. If he had not needed to earn the Li father and son's trust, he would not have used Zhang Xianyang's clothing flagship store as a target. If he had not attacked the flagship store, Zhang Xianyang would not have exploded... So no matter how one looked at it, it was all the Li father and son's fault!

Having figured out the cause and effect to his own satisfaction, Wang Zhaoyi immediately sought out the Li father and son to propose joining forces against the Old Zhang Family. The Li father and son found it rather strange that Wang Zhaoyi, who had sternly rejected them one moment, had come knocking the next to ask for cooperation.

Wang Zhaoyi knew that his change in attitude was too drastic, so he immediately recounted the tragic tale of how he had become an innocent victim of the Old Zhang Family. His expression was calm, but his tone could not conceal his resentment and grief. Though some of it was an act, Wang Zhaoyi, who had just been viciously beaten by his two fathers, truly felt aggrieved—more wronged than Dou E herself. His emotionally charged account more or less earned the Li father and son's trust. Of course, that also depended on the miserable reality that they had been struggling for so long without making any progress. Under those circumstances, anything was better than nothing.

They had the Old District's narrow-minded local attitudes and extreme hostility toward outsiders to thank for allowing Wang Zhaoyi, a novice whose acting barely deserved a passing grade, to successfully infiltrate the Li father and son's inner circle.

To gain the Li father and son's further trust, and also to cooperate with Zhang Muyang's next move, Wang Zhaoyi laid the groundwork with a lot of nonsense before revealing the Zhang Family's greatest and most widely known secret in the Old District, one that even three-year-old children had heard of—the Old District Zhang Family Secret Passage.

After listening all morning to Wang Zhaoyi's bitter tale of humiliation and suffering, the Li father and son were already dizzy-headed. When they suddenly heard this news, they did not react at first. Only after a long while did they come to their senses and ask, "The Zhang Family Secret Passage?"

Wang Zhaoyi nodded and said meaningfully, "That's right. This is the greatest secret behind the Old Zhang Family's enduring prosperity."

Li Cunzhou and Li Mobei exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding wildly. Back in Yanjing, they had vaguely heard about the Zhang Family Secret Passage. Yet after investigating the Old District for so long, they had not uncovered the slightest clue. The people of the Old District were too tight-lipped. The moment they saw outsiders, they became wary. Even hotel waiters would not say much to them.

Of course, the Li father and son did not know that the hotel they were staying in was also secretly supported by the Zhang Family.

Seeing the two Li men instantly perk up, Wang Zhaoyi happily stretched lazily and said at an unhurried pace, "Over the past century, there have been plenty of people who wanted to replace the Zhang Family, but most of them died beneath the Zhang Family's blades. If you want to deal with the Old Zhang Family, you first need to know what cards they hold."

Li Cunzhou blurted out, "What cards does the Zhang Family have?"

Wang Zhaoyi lifted his teacup and drained it in one gulp. The tea soothed his parched throat. Across from him, the Li father and son's expressions shifted from casual indifference to steady gravity. Folding his arms, Wang Zhaoyi raised a brow and said, "Most of the gangs in the Old District formed after the war of invasion. Over the past century, their strength has waxed and waned, constantly changing. Yet throughout all that, the Zhang Family has always remained in the leading position. The reason is the Zhang Family Secret Passage. As long as the Old Zhang Family's secret passage remains, their living forces will not be wiped out. And every scheme against the Old Zhang Family will fail. That is because when you move against them, you can never be sure whether the Zhang Family will use the secret passage to escape, or whether they will hide afterward and wait for a chance to destroy their enemies."

"Of course, there are also rumors that the Zhang Family Secret Passage contains a stash of treasures looted by the Zhang Family's ancestors, meant to ensure that their descendants can rise again even after a great disaster. But whether that is true, no one knows."

Li Cunzhou and Li Mobei looked at each other. Finally, Li Mobei asked, "Then what should we do now?"

At that, Wang Zhaoyi picked up the teapot and filled the empty cups on the table. Watching a few scattered tea leaves drift through the light brown liquid, he said meaningfully, "First, we need to find out exactly where the Zhang Family Secret Passage is."

At the same time, Zhang Muyang looked over the information his men had gathered from Yanjing and smiled meaningfully as well.

Author's note: First update after going VIP~ (≧▽≦)/~ La la la

Thanks to Gulu Little Moon for tossing a landmine ╭(╯3╰)╮

29

Inside the hotel room, Wang Zhaoyi sprayed spittle as he introduced the importance of the Old Zhang Family's secret passage to the Li father and son. Li Cunzhou, who understood the intricacies involved, felt that Wang Zhaoyi's sincerity was considerable. Thinking of the useless efforts he and his son had made in the Old District these past few days, he could not help sighing. "The Old District is truly closed-off and hostile to outsiders. When we ask around about the Zhang Family, most people ignore us. Even if we offer a fortune for information, we cannot buy anything useful."

Wang Zhaoyi was secretly pleased, and he looked quite smug on the surface as well. "Of course. The brothers of the Old District are the most loyal and united. Not one of them would betray their own or side with outsiders."

The Li father and son looked at Wang Zhaoyi strangely.

Wang Zhaoyi immediately remembered that he was supposed to be an undercover agent. He coughed awkwardly twice and explained, "I'm only doing this because... the Old Zhang Family has gone too far."

Li Cunzhou promptly nodded in agreement. "The Old Zhang Family has always been arrogant and overbearing. I experienced it myself at the ancestral worship ceremony that day."

Wang Zhaoyi also thought of how Zhang Xianyang had tormented Li Cunzhou that day, and an odd sense of pleasure rose in his heart. He chuckled to himself and said no more.

Li Mobei asked, "Boss Wang, you still haven't told us where exactly the Old Zhang Family's secret passage is."

A strange flush rose to Wang Zhaoyi's rough, greasy face. He shifted awkwardly and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Well... as for the exact details... I don't know either."

The Li father and son's faces darkened.

Wang Zhaoyi immediately defended himself with perfect justification. "Not just me. Other than the successive heads of the Zhang Family, no one in the Old District knows where the Zhang Family Secret Passage is. Otherwise, why would it be called the foundation of the Old Zhang Family's enduring prosperity?"

After hearing that, the Li father and son had to admit it made sense. If everyone on earth knew where the passage was, then it could not be called a secret passage.

Well then, after circling around the subject all morning, they were back where they started. They had listened to a whole basketful of nonsense for nothing and still gained no useful information. Watching Wang Zhaoyi gulp down tea with a dry throat, Li Mobei deeply suspected that the guy had not come to discuss cooperation at all—he was just playing them for fools!

Li Cunzhou was also becoming restless. Somewhat dissatisfied, he accused, "If that's the case, what was the point of Boss Wang talking for so long?"

People accustomed to comfort really could not endure even the slightest setback or hardship.

Wang Zhaoyi snorted. Just as he was about to speak, Li Mobei beside him said apologetically, "Please do not take offense, Boss Wang. My father merely wishes to ask what we should do next; he means nothing else. I am sure Boss Wang knows our current situation. The people of the Old District have always been united, and we are newcomers unfamiliar with the place, so we cannot gather any information. If even Boss Wang does not know where the secret passage is, then we certainly will not know either."

Wang Zhaoyi looked at Li Mobei, then at Li Cunzhou, whose face showed faint regret after hearing his son's words. He shook his head and smiled. "I, Wang Zhaoyi, am not that petty. The reason I brought up the Zhang Family Secret Passage is because I am confident that I can find out exactly where it is. I simply need your cooperation."