Yang Zhen looked at the Hanwu City Lord with a blank expression and asked in surprise, "Um... fellow villager, are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?"
Fellow villager...
The surrounding crowd stared in disbelief, their faces turning to stone upon hearing the name, like terracotta warriors with their mouths agape.
Yang Hongye looked equally bewildered. She exchanged a glance with Aunt Lian, whose confusion was even more pronounced than Aunt Lian's. Upon hearing Yang Zhen's address to the city lord of Hanwu City, Aunt Lian was greatly surprised and hurriedly tugged at Yang Zhen's sleeve.
The city lord of Hanwu City was also stunned for a moment, and said, "Are you Yang Zhen, the Shameless Yang, the Yang the Skinflint, a disciple of the Wutuo Gang?"
After this series of pronouncements, everyone gasped, almost bursting out laughing, staring wide-eyed at Yang Zhen, their expressions as varied as could be.
" Shameless Yang, Yang the Skinflint, Disciple of the Wutuo Gang?" Han Yan'er muttered to herself, forcing a smile, and said blankly, "What kind of lousy title is this?"
Yang Zhen laughed heartily, took the hand of the Hanwu City Lord, and said, "Indeed, indeed, so you really are one of us. But... fellow countryman, I don't think I really recognize you."
Upon hearing Yang Zhen utter such absurd words, everyone's eyes began to tremble.
Who cares if you know the City Lord or not? Since the City Lord knows you and is being so friendly with you, you should just go along with it. If the City Lord has mistaken you for someone else, that's understandable, but he's already used so many different titles for you, so he's clearly not mistaken. Under these circumstances, why are you being so 'honest' and saying something that puts both of them in an awkward position?
Yang Hongye was getting anxious. Seeing the puzzled look on Yang Zhen's face, she wished she could pinch Yang Zhen's face and force a smile out of him.
Everyone stared at Yang Zhen Yang Zhen with bewildered expressions, finding his unwavering honesty both amusing and exasperating.
Sure enough, the old flesh on the city lord's face trembled incessantly, and his smile gradually disappeared. Just as everyone's hearts skipped a beat, the city lord suddenly forced a smile and said, "Haha, it doesn't matter if you don't recognize me. We can become friends after a few times. Young friend Yang, do you know Mo Xueling, the successor of Ink Pool Peak?"
Upon hearing the name Mo Xueling, everyone present gasped, especially the members of the Han Household. After exchanging bewildered glances, Han Jingtian took a deep breath, gave Yang Zhen a long look, and said with lingering fear, "Fortunately, I didn't offend Yang Zhen in a moment of impulsiveness. I never expected that Yang Zhen, at such a young age, would have connections with the successor of Ink Pool Peak."
Han Yan'er gave Yang Zhen a strange look, and was about to speak when Han Jingtian suddenly turned around and said to Han Yan'er with a serious expression, " Yan'er, you will be going to Ink Pool Peak to cultivate in a few days. You should spend more time communicating with Yang Zhen these next few days."
Upon hearing this, Han Yan'er paused, a hint of reluctance flashing across her face. Then, as if remembering something, she nodded and said, "Okay!"
Han Jingtian nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly burst into laughter, drawing everyone's attention to him before striding towards Yang Zhen and the city lord of Hanwu City.
"Oh..." Yang Zhen's voice came from behind. "Don't know her!"
Upon hearing that he didn't recognize those three words, Han Jingtian, who was still laughing heartily, almost stumbled and fell to the ground, staring blankly at Yang Zhen.
Damn it, don't you recognize me?
This is... a little awkward.
I was hoping to build a rapport with you, and you dare say you don't know me?
With most of the people around still focused on Han Jingtian, who was about to greet Han Jingtian Yang Zhen, he was completely dumbfounded when he suddenly heard someone say "I don't know him".
However, Han Jingtian was, after all, the patriarch of the Han Household. After a moment of bewilderment, he burst into laughter, subtly changing direction and walking towards the city lord of Hanwu City. He said loudly, "Your Excellency, you know such a talented young man as Young Friend Yang, yet you didn't tell this old man. Could it be that you look down on this old man?"
The city lord of Hanwu City was having a headache caused by Yang Zhen when he saw Han Jingtian arrive. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and laughed heartily, saying, "Not at all, Brother Han is highly respected. How could I possibly forget Brother Han?"
As he spoke, the Hanwu City Lord's eyes suddenly lit up, and he turned to Yang Zhen, saying, "Young friend Yang, do you know the Spirit Maiden Hua, or perhaps a two-legged cat, or maybe a haughty-looking chicken?"
Yang Zhen's eyes narrowed, a hint of joy flashing in them, and he asked, "Has the City Lord met them?"
Seeing the expression on Yang Zhen's face, the city lord of Hanwu City breathed a sigh of relief and laughed heartily, saying cheerfully, "Not only have I seen them, but they were also guests at my residence just five days ago."
"Oh?" Yang Zhen smiled and said with a grin, "That's really one of us, one of us."
Seeing Yang Zhen's attitude change so quickly, the Hanwu City Lord was overjoyed and said with a smile, "Since that's the case, if young friend Yang doesn't mind, then come back to the manor with me. I'll make all the arrangements for the trip to North Isle. What do you say?"
Yang Zhen looked tempted, but said, "Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Seeing Yang Zhen's hypocritical behavior, most of the people present wanted to curse, but then they all understood why Yang Zhen had such a strange nickname.
That Shameless Yang... he really is despicable!
"Young friend Yang, you're too kind. Since you're a friend of Miss Mo, you're a friend of the entire Hanwu City. There's no need for you to stand on ceremony with me."
Yang Zhen laughed and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, City Lord. However, my title of 'Friend of Hanwu City' is somewhat undeserved."
Upon hearing this, the Fang Household patriarch's expression changed drastically. For some reason, seeing the heartbroken look on Yang Zhen's face, he suddenly felt extremely uneasy.
As expected, the Hanwu City Lord suddenly shifted his gaze to the Fang Household, and his expression gradually turned cold.
"Young friend Yang, are you referring to the Fang Household family?" the city lord of Hanwu City asked in a deep voice, clearly enraged.
Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and they looked at the Hanwu City Lord with expressions of surprise and uncertainty.
Since the arrival of the Hanwu City Lord, things have taken an unexpected turn. Originally, everyone thought that the Hanwu City Lord was alarmed because Yang Zhen was too arrogant and he intended to personally kill Yang Zhen as a warning to others.
However, the Hanwu City Lord's attitude suddenly reversed. Not only did he slap his most trusted Hanwu Guard leader twice, leaving him stunned, but he also treated Yang Zhen with utmost courtesy. Now, he not only invited Yang Zhen to the City Lord's Mansion as a guest but also arranged many things for Yang Zhen's trip to North Isle. It seems he's going to cause trouble for the Fang Household?
Is a mere youth who knows a disciple of the Ink Pool Peak more important than a prestigious Aristocratic Clan from Hanwu City?
Seeing Yang Zhen nod slightly, Yang Hongye and Honglian exchanged a glance, their expressions filled with shock as they covered their mouths tightly, tears streaming down their faces.
Yang Zhen was clearly planning to continue standing up for them; how could the two not be grateful for such a favor?
Seeing this, the Hanwu City Lord snorted coldly, turned to look at Yang Hongye and her companion, and said in a deep voice, "Little girl from the Yang Household, you tell me, what exactly is going on?"
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized something was wrong and looked at Yang Hongye with complicated expressions. Since Yang Zhen appeared, everyone's attention had been focused on Yang Zhen, but they had ignored Yang Hongye and Honglian, the two members of the Yang Household. However, now that such a big commotion had broken out, there were not many people from the Yang Household coming over, which was really a bit strange.
Did the Yang Household and the Fang Household have some kind of conflict?
Thinking of this, everyone's heart skipped a beat, and they looked hesitantly at Yang Zhen, then at the Fang Household.
Although the situation had become increasingly complicated, even now, people still found it hard to believe that the Hanwu City Lord would make an enemy of the Fang Household for the sake of Yang Zhen.