Chapter 42

Zhang Xianyang gritted his teeth and decided to go all in. "Dad, actually—"

"Yangyang." Zhang Linmo patted Zhang Xianyang's shoulder and said gravely, "When you're in this line of work, remember one thing: if you don't kill a snake, it'll strike back. But if you want to uproot it completely, you need the most thorough plan. Acting on a moment of impulse won't do. A single move can affect the whole situation. Before you do anything, you must fully consider its consequences, what others will think, and how it will affect you. The higher your position, the greater your responsibility. You can't just do whatever you want because of your temper. Even if you want to destroy the Li Family, you must make sure they have no power to fight back."

Zhang Xianyang froze.

Zhang Linmo continued, "Take our conflict with the Li Family, for example. Because the Li Family's initial actions failed to fully account for the Zhang Family's strength and the Old District's specific circumstances, we are currently the disadvantaged side receiving public sympathy. That is an undeniable fact. The reason the Li Family brought women from their inner household here to apologize was nothing more than an attempt to show weakness. They wanted to turn the public's sympathy toward themselves. After all, this world has always been more forgiving toward the weak. So the Li Family believes that if they put on a pitiful act, even if they can't overturn the image of having used public power for private gain, they can at least lessen the public's disgust toward them. If we make things difficult for them out of righteous indignation at a time like this, the Zhang Family may end up looking like we refuse to let things go despite having the moral high ground, lacking tolerance and broad-mindedness. The Old District is at a critical juncture in opening itself to the outside world. If the Zhang Family, which clearly represents the Old District's power, is branded narrow-minded, it will be extremely harmful to our future development."

Zhang Xianyang was startled again. He had considered the Li Family's intention in showing weakness and submission, but he had not expected so many complications to follow. Yet the more that was the case, the less they could allow the Li Family to keep putting on this show.

Seeing his third son's fair little face wrinkled up like a steamed bun, Zhang Linmo comforted him, "Don't worry. If the Li Family likes playing the victim to win sympathy, let them. Whether they can actually achieve that effect, though, is anyone's guess."

Zhang Xianyang looked up at his father, whose face wore a tolerant and magnanimous smile, and blinked in confusion.

But it did not take long for Zhang Xianyang to understand what his father meant.

Looking out from the balcony of the Zhang Family patriarch's bedroom, he could see Old Zhang, the Old Zhang Family's butler, along with several servants responsible for cleaning the inner residence, carrying several heavy quilts out of the villa. Butler Old Zhang cleared his throat, aimed his lips at the speaker pinned to his chest, and said, "Our master says that while the grudges between the Kyoto Li Family and the Zhang Family did begin with Mr. Li Cunzhou concealing the truth and deceiving our young lady, followed by ordering people to spy on our secret passage, these matters are all disputes between men and have nothing to do with weak women. Therefore, Mr. Li Cunzhou, there is no need for you to drag your wife here to stand guard before our gate. Although your wife did send assassins to the Old District to silence our third young master when he was born, and standing here for a day as atonement would be only proper, our master is not helpless and incompetent. He managed to preserve the bloodline of the Old Zhang Family, so there is no need to bring up the past again."

At that, Butler Old Zhang handed the quilts in his arms to the Li Family members and continued, "With the wind and snow blowing like this, and it already being November, your wife deliberately dressed so lightly. Our master ordered me to bring several quilts to keep her warm. If she wishes to stand here, that is up to her. After all, you concealed the fact that you were married and deceived our young lady into bearing your child, causing her to die before she even reached twenty. Later, because you feared the influence of your wife's maternal family, you allowed your wife to attempt to assassinate our young master. Though she failed, it remains a blood debt you owe the Old Zhang Family. Forget standing here—even if you knelt to death here, it would be deserved. If your wife is willing to stand, then let her stand. But your two sons should go home. Though the grudges of the previous generation have nothing to do with the children, it is also a fact that your two sons led people to secretly investigate our family's secret passage. So don't leave them here to add to our irritation."

"Actually, our master originally hoped that the Li Family would stop wandering around before the Old Zhang Family. If our young lady had not returned to the Old District with a mysteriously swollen belly and ultimately died in childbirth, our old master would not have been so furious that he fell ill and eventually passed away. No matter how you put it, it is an indisputable fact that you harmed members of the Zhang Family. Therefore, neither our master nor our young masters wishes to see you jumping about before them. But on further thought, Mr. Li Cunzhou has his own calculations and considerations, and you may not take the Zhang Family's wishes seriously. So our master can only settle for the next best thing. In the future, could you perhaps stop dragging your entire family along whenever you do something? That is not how having numbers on your side is supposed to be used, is it?"

The speech was refined and devoid of even a spark of open hostility, yet every word was so cutting and vicious that even those outside understood the Zhang Family's dissatisfaction. Seeing shadows flickering behind the windows of the surrounding villas, Li Cunzhou knew that his attempt to play the victim and win everyone's sympathy was basically doomed to fail. He immediately forced a smile and said, "It was my fault. I only thought of accepting punishment for my own mistakes and forgot to consider the Zhang Family's feelings. Since Mr. Zhang does not wish to see us, we shall take our leave for now. If there is ever anything you need from me in the future, please give the word, Mr. Zhang. Even if I must pass through fire and water, I will not refuse."

Butler Old Zhang knowingly curled his lips. He knew Li Cunzhou still wanted to leave behind a few generous-sounding words before departing. Unfortunately, Old Zhang was not someone who would allow himself to be used. He switched off the miniature speaker pinned to his chest, nodded with a smile, and said, "As you wish. I will relay those words to our master exactly as you said them."

His words had not gone out through the speaker, and seeing Butler Old Zhang's meticulous action, Li Cunzhou blinked in slight disappointment. He smiled and said, "Then I must trouble Butler Zhang to pass them along."

Standing on the balcony and watching the Li Family return in defeat once more, Zhang Xianyang smiled until his eyes became slits. "Dad, you really are amazing. Just a few simple words, and you made them leave."

Zhang Linmo shook his head indifferently and smiled. "This is only the beginning. Just wait and see. How could the Li Family give up so easily? I have nothing better to do anyway, so I'll play with them."

Zhang Xianyang's eyes rolled about as he cautiously asked, "Dad, can I make a move too?"

Zhang Linmo glanced at Zhang Xianyang. Seeing the boy's ingratiating smile, he could only shake his head and say, "Be careful. Just don't let them catch anything they can use to make trouble."

Zhang Xianyang chuckled and patted his chest. "Don't worry, Dad. After all you've taught me, how could I rush to hand them ammunition?"

Zhang Linmo shook his head slightly and said nothing more.

A few days later, the breakfast shop Zhang Xianyang had carefully decorated according to his own designs officially opened for business. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Zhang Xianyang looked at his employees, most of whom were mothers around the age of those who had been laid off, and said with reddened eyes, "People say maternal love is the greatest love of all. Women become strong when they become mothers, so no matter how cruel this competitive society may be, mothers must work hard to support their children and care for their families. For children, a mother's love may be a bowl of porridge simmered for hours, waiting for them when they rise in the morning. It may also be the simple act of tucking in a corner of their blanket at night. Yet these things embody a mother's unconditional love. Therefore, from the first day of opening onward, Feng's Congee Shop under Zhang Corporation will provide two large barrels of plain congee free every morning for mothers who must do housework and care for their children after work, then rush to work again in the morning and may not even have time for breakfast. We hope that in this cold winter, Feng's Congee Shop's gesture can drive away the winter chill for you. Mothers who toil and struggle for a living, we hope you will take good care of your health, so that when your children grow up and succeed, they can properly repay your kindness."

Zhang Xianyang's speech moved the employees attending the ceremony, as well as most of the ordinary people below, into applauding and cheering. Those who were well-informed immediately thought of Zhang Xianyang's mother, who had died young, and could not help sighing softly as they felt sorry for this child, still so young yet so considerate and sensible.

As usual, the Old District big shots who had come to show their support stood behind Zhang Xianyang, secretly admiring how the Zhang Family's third son had become increasingly skilled at winning people's hearts. Wang Zhaoyi, dressed in a suit covered in huge peony flowers, curled his lips in disdain and muttered, "What a fine calculation. How much could two barrels of plain congee possibly cost? After taking a free bowl of congee, they'll still have to pay for buns and side dishes—"

Zhang Muyang, standing beside Wang Zhaoyi, turned back to glance at him. Zhang Xiyang, beside Zhang Muyang, leaned forward and poked his head out, whispering through gritted teeth, "Say another word of nonsense, and I'll really show you why flowers are so damn red."

Wang Zhaoyi awkwardly rubbed his nose and fell silent.

Damn it, they would not even let him speak the truth. Life really was becoming impossible.

So, as long as Zhang Xianyang did not become muddleheaded in this life, no one in the Old Zhang Family would be muddleheaded either. And then...

Why did writing more make Eighth suddenly want to change the short description to The Rebirth of a Fool? Hehehe~~

Thanks—

Demeter threw a landmine at 2013-09-09 19:13:35.

Gongde Jun threw a landmine at 2013-09-09 19:47:15.

Maozi threw a landmine at 2013-09-09 21:25:55.

tut threw a landmine at 2013-09-09 23:26:26.

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Less than three days after the breakfast shop opened, Director Zhang Chaofan arrived in the Old District with his regular production crew. Half a month later, the military personnel Gu Zhaohuan had invited to take part in the production also arrived. As the host, Zhang Linmo treated them all generously, while the gang's celebrity chasers got to enjoy the privilege of meeting famous stars up close. Perhaps because the Old District's fearsome reputation was simply too widespread, these big-name stars were especially approachable and smiling. Even Su Man, the queen of the screen notorious in the media for throwing her weight around, was so gentle and quiet that she hardly seemed like herself.

In contrast to the stars' restraint, the Old District Gang brothers were far more enthusiastic and open. Wang Zhaoyi in particular, who had always been unable to move whenever he saw a beauty, stuck to Su Man like a bee to honey. To get close to her first, the kid had even managed to snag himself a role in the production.

The character was named Sun Liancheng. Born into a scholarly family, he had gone to Russia to study in his youth. After graduating, he became an outstanding surgeon and an internationally renowned rising writer. Filled with fervor, he politely declined the Russian government's invitation and resolutely returned to China. Upon returning and seeing his homeland ravaged and its mountains and rivers shattered, he abandoned his pen for the army in a fit of anger. He was an underground operative who had come to the Old District during the early stages of the resistance war. He made tremendous contributions while facilitating contact between the local Old District forces and our Party. During a secret operation, his identity was exposed. The Japanese captured him and hung him from the city tower as bait to lure the Old District militia into a rescue attempt. Unwilling to needlessly weaken the Old District's resistance forces, he shouted out the intelligence he had gathered regarding the Japanese invaders' plans for the Old District when the militia came to rescue him, then bit off his tongue and committed suicide.

He was an immensely righteous positive character, possessing a powerful sense of national dignity, pride, and responsibility. To highlight the Party's lofty image and curry favor with the Yanjing powers, Zhang Xianyang placed great importance on shaping this character. He had practically written him as a Chinese 007 who was both intelligent and brave. He needed a scholar's cleverness and a military officer's fighting skills, while also being elegant, courteous, humorous, quick-witted, adaptable, flexible, decisive, and resolute. He was an exceptionally idealized character.

Thus, when Zhang Xianyang learned that the idealized hero he had painstakingly created had been snatched away by the unreliable Wang Zhaoyi, his mixture of laughter and tears was easy to imagine.

"There are so many roles in the script. Why couldn't you pick another one? In my opinion, you could play Feng Shidao, or Wang Chengming. They're both from your own family, so you could definitely play them true to life. Can you please stop ruining my Sun Liancheng?"