"I've already said it. Our Governor of Jing Province wouldn't do something as ugly as a dark-skinned fatty like you!" Before the leader of the guards could say anything, a few of his subordinates had already started fooling around.
"How dare you humiliate our Military Advisor!" Although Pang Tong's guards had been disarmed, they were still glaring at the Jingzhou soldiers.
Pang Tong took a deep breath when he heard this. Normally, this person would have died many times over. However, Pang Tong had a favor to ask of them this time, so he could only suppress his anger.
"Behave yourself!" Pang Tong's guards still wanted to struggle, but they had already been disarmed and their arms were tied up. It was futile to struggle.
"You don't want to report it?" Pang Tong raised his head. His head only reached the soldier's chest. Only by raising his head could he meet the eyes of the leader of the Jingzhou Guards. His skin was dark and disgusting, but his eyes were filled with a cold glint.
"Humph!" The leader of the bodyguards of the Jing Province Army was a little angry because he unconsciously avoided the gaze of the dark-skinned fatty. This was a kind of cowardice. If it was a tall and handsome person, it would be fine, but it was such a short and ugly fatty. This immediately made the leader of the bodyguards angry. "Go back to where you came from!" The leader of the guards must have been warned by someone in the mansion if he dared to act this way. The leader of the guards waved his hand and was about to land it on Pang Tong's thorny face when he suddenly stopped.
"Yuzhou Magistrate, Left General Liu Bei, Military Advisor under Liu Xuande. You may not care about this position, but if you fall, the Lumen Academy will definitely not let you off!" The coldness in Pang Tong's eyes intensified. His words made the leader of the guards of the Jingzhou Army feel as if he was being targeted by a ferocious beast.
"Lumen Academy!" The leader of the guards of the Jingzhou Army suddenly remembered that this dark-skinned fatty was not just the Military Advisor of Yuzhou Liu Bei. Even if Yuzhou Liu Bei had the titles of Yuzhou Magistrate, Left General, or even Imperial Uncle, he did not care about the leader of the guards of the Jingzhou Army. After all, no matter how powerful Liu Bei was, he could not control Jingzhou! However, things were different now that Pang Tong mentioned the Lumen Academy. The Lumen Academy was a holy land for scholars in Jingzhou. The Lumen Academy represented the Pang Family of Jingzhou. If he offended the Lumen Academy, although these scholars could not directly kill him, the high-ranking scholars could really play with him. Pang Tong's slanderous words could easily make him lose his position as the leader of the guards.
"Wait!" The leader of the guards of Jingzhou glared fiercely at Pang Tong. Although he was very reluctant, he still had to go in and report for Pang Tong.
In the Jingzhou Mansion, Liu Biao, the leader of the Jingzhou Army, was sitting in a pavilion. The sun was shining down from the sky and shining on his body, making him feel very warm and comfortable. The surrounding flowerbeds and green trees surrounded the entire courtyard, making it seem like spring. This was the backyard of the Jingzhou Magistrate's Mansion.
Liu Biao was basking in the sun comfortably. When one was old, one naturally liked to enjoy the sunshine. Only then would one feel alive. The sun shining on one's body was very comfortable. Liu Biao was not alone in the pavilion. There was also a young woman dressed in a palace dress beside him. She was dignified and elegant. Her eyes and smile were full of indescribable beauty.
"Madam, look at this pot of Clivia. It is waving its hand in the breeze. Doesn't it look like a graceful gentleman?" Liu Biao pointed at the Clivia and said to the young woman dressed in a palace dress. There was no doubt that this woman was neither Liu Biao's daughter nor Liu Biao's daughter-in-law. She was Liu Biao's wife.
Madam Liu was extraordinary. She was only 30 years old. It could be said that she was in the budding age. She was one cycle away from the 60-year-old Liu Biao. However, she was able to sit firmly in the position of the head of Liu Biao's backyard. It was not only because of her beauty, but also because of her identity. She was not only Liu Biao's wife, but also the eldest daughter of the Cai Family, one of the four major families in Jingzhou. She was already married, but she still had a good relationship with her brother. Because of the Cai Family, Madam Liu Cai could be said to be the true first lady of Jingzhou.
"A graceful gentleman?" Lady Cai looked at the Kaffir Lily swaying in the wind and lowered her head. Although it was beautiful, it had no intention of competing with the other flowers in the spring. Instead, it hid its beautiful flowers among the leaves.
"No, no!" Madam Cai shook her head. She didn't like this kind of flower. So what if the Clivia was a gentleman? Flowers were like people who needed to eat. Flowers also needed to be nourished by sunlight and dew. If the Clivia raised its head, it would definitely be able to absorb more dew and sunlight. However, if it lowered its head, it would end up lacking dew and sunlight. If it wasn't for Liu Biao's deliberate cultivation, the Clivia would have withered long ago.
It couldn't even achieve the bare minimum of survival. It was better not to be a gentleman.
"Madam, look at the cactus over there!" Liu Biao pointed at the cactus and said to his wife, "This flower comes from the Western Regions and is incomparably thorny. However, this flower has a special characteristic. It can still grow normally even if it is not watered for a few days! It is evergreen and can be said to be the representative of perseverance! "
"Perseverance?" Madam Cai's gaze followed her husband's finger. When she saw the pot of flowers, her brows furrowed. It was too ugly. Women were naturally fond of beauty. How could they have a good impression of such a flower? It was just like the lotus flower. Although it was said to be untainted by mud, if one were to take it out by the roots, the girls would definitely fall in love with it.
"No, no!" So what if it was perseverance? It was covered in thorns and was so ugly that it couldn't live a wonderful life. It was called dragging out an ignoble existence. It was called survival, not living. Madam Cai wouldn't like such a flower.
"Then what kind of flower does Madam like?" Liu Biao originally pointed at the two flowers to get his wife's approval and praise her charm. However, Madam Cai didn't like either of them. Liu Biao didn't want to make wild guesses. He might as well let his wife do it herself.
"What kind of flower do I like?" Madam Cai muttered to herself. She looked around and saw that there were many flowers in Liu Biao's back garden. There were flowers that did not bloom in this season. Madam Cai looked around and saw a dazzling array of flowers. However, Madam Cai did not take a fancy to any of them. Finally, Madam Cai took a fancy to a flower and asked, "Husband, what is that flower called?" Lady Cai extended a finger and pointed at a huge flower in the garden that was emitting a delicate fragrance.
"That one?" Liu Biao looked along Madam Cai's arm. Her fingers were slender and smooth. He could even see a trace of her arm. It was reasonable to say that normal people would look at the beautiful scenery before looking at the flower. However, Liu Biao looked directly at the flower because he didn't have the strength to.
"Peony?" Liu Biao was a person who loved flowers. He was also a cultured person. So when Lady Cai pointed out the flowers, he immediately recognized them.
"That flower is called peony?" Madam Cai murmured. This flower wasn't the one that attracted her the most but it was big, colorful, beautiful, and luxurious. She didn't even think about it before choosing it. It was as if she was sitting on a flower. Especially women. Madam Cai's heart was filled with all kinds of emotions. She was in the age of budding. Which girl didn't yearn for love? But in the end, she married an old man who was already in his fifties for the sake of the family. Based on his age, he could be her father or even grandfather.
As such, Madam Cai's initial yearning for love was gone, replaced by a different attitude. Since there was no spring, she would no longer receive the best rain and sunshine from the heavens. She would fight for all the nutrients from the flowers around her. When the flowers bloomed, the petals would cover the other flowers and steal their sunlight. In the end, she would become the true king of flowers.
Liu Biao shook his head. The peony was also very beautiful but it was not Liu Biao's favorite. At this time, scholars were still modest and waiting to bloom. This was the most beautiful artistic conception. The peony's ostentatious appearance was not what they liked. However, since his wife was happy, Liu Biao naturally flattered her.
The two talked about how the madam had good taste and so on.
As the two continued to admire the flowers, the guard captain finally ran into the backyard and whispered something to the other guard in charge of the mansion's security.
Hearing the captain's words, the colleague nodded and let the captain into the backyard.
Liu Biao frowned. Since someone had stepped into the backyard, it wasn't appropriate for him to continue the conversation with his wife. Regardless of who it was, it was very annoying to disturb a married couple. "What's the matter?" His discomfort was immediately expressed through his words.
When the guard captain heard his boss's displeasure, he immediately cursed in his heart. It's all that darn fatty's fault. However, even though he was displeased, he still reported on Pang Tong's behalf. "Reporting to the Lord, Pang Tong, a subordinate of the Left General of the Yuzhou Prefecture, Liu Bei, requests an audience outside the Prefecture Overseer Mansion!"
"Pang Tong?" Liu Biao was even more displeased when he heard the name. It was this person who had almost caused a war between Jingzhou and Yangzhou. It was also this person who had distorted the truth and put him in a difficult position. Pang Tong wanted to seek benefits for Yuzhou but used Jingzhou as a tool. Liu Biao was surprised. If it wasn't for the fact that Pang Tong was the Second Young Master of the Pang Family, Liu Biao would have chased Pang Tong out and even handed him over to the King Of Shu, Liu Mang. "I'm not meeting him. Just say that I'm busy!" Liu Biao refused without hesitation.
Madam Cai didn't say anything but she was also thinking about Pang Tong.
"Yes!" The guard captain had no choice but to leave. Since his boss had spoken, he naturally had to carry out his orders.
Outside the Jingzhou Mansion, Pang Tong was still waiting for news. His guards had been arrested but he wasn't worried at all. Instead, he paid attention to the mansion's gate.
Soon, the guard captain walked out of the gate with an ugly expression. He pointed at Pang Tong and shouted, "The Lord is busy and has no time to meet you. You should leave quickly." This time, the guard captain didn't curse. He couldn't afford to offend the Pang Family. Although he was unhappy, he could only keep it in his heart.
"Leave?" How could Pang Tong leave? He had to see Liu Biao. Therefore, Pang Tong's expression didn't change. He went forward and cupped his fist at the guard captain. "General, please go and report again!"
"What's there to report? The Lord has already said that he doesn't want to see you!" The captain of the Jingzhou Guards said impatiently. Anyone who went in and was scolded would feel uncomfortable.
"General, please go and inform them again!" Pang Tong persisted.
"Don't push your luck! I've already reported for you. It's the Lord who doesn't want to see you. I can't do anything about it! " The guard captain said in disgust. How could he report again? Going in and being scolded by the Lord again? This wasn't something he had nothing better to do. Moreover, because of Pang Tong's identity, the guard captain had already reported for him. Whether or not he could see him had nothing to do with him.
Seeing that his words were useless, Pang Tong changed his approach. "General, do you have any children?"
"I have a son and a daughter!" The guard captain subconsciously told Pang Tong. "What are you doing?" After saying that, the guard captain reacted.
"Oh! Nothing! I just want to tell you that the Lord's son can only be a peddler for the rest of his life. As for the Lord's daughter, hehe! I'm afraid she'll be alone for the rest of her life! "Pang Tong said to the guard captain with a smile.
"What do you mean?" The guard captain frowned and was about to turn hostile.
"Nothing! It's just that the Lord's son is smart and has caught the eye of the Lumen Academy! "Pang Tong looked at the guard captain kindly.
"Caught the eye of the Lumen Academy?" This was good news. In Jingzhou, there were many poor children who studied. In the eyes of these scholars, the Lumen Academy was the holy land. To catch the eye of the Lumen Academy was a great honor.
Now, the guard captain's son was at the age of studying. Everything was inferior, but studying was the best. After all, being a peddler wasn't a long-term solution. As the guard captain, he seemed to be doing well and had entered the ranks of the mid-level military officers. However, he also knew that compared to the gentry, he was just a peasant. If he wanted to enter the core of Jingzhou and become a gentry, he had to study.
Therefore, for the guard captain, it was too late for him to study. Naturally, he wanted to pin his hopes on his son. He hoped that his son could study and get rid of the identity of a peddler and peddler. He even hoped that his son could become a civil official and become a gentry.
Catching the eye of the Lumen Academy seemed to be a good thing on the surface. However, how could Pang Tong be so kind? The guard captain thought about it carefully. Suddenly, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. If the second son of the Pang Family said that his son had caught the eye of the Lumen Academy, would the other academies still accept his son? No way! They wouldn't fight with the Lumen Academy for their son.
If the Lumen Academy didn't accept his son, everything would be over. His son wouldn't be able to get rid of the life of a peddler. If he was lucky, he could follow him into the army and become a sergeant. If he was unlucky, he might die on the battlefield.
"Your daughter has a virtuous heart. She should be the wife of a gentleman!" Pang Tong continued. The guard captain was really afraid of Pang Tong. Not only did Pang Tong cut off his son's escape route, but he also cut off his daughter's escape route.
Gentleman, gentleman. This was a title given to you by others. It was a form of respect. You couldn't call yourself a gentleman, could you? That would be arrogance. Once the Lumen Academy spread the word that his daughter was virtuous and a gentleman's wife, how many people would dare to marry her?
If you married her, it would mean that you were shameless. Calling yourself a gentleman was a big deal for the scholars of ancient times who valued reputation.
And those peddlers and pawns didn't dare to marry her. If they did, those scholars would be even more unhappy. We didn't get her, but you, a peddler and pawns, actually married her. Are you saying that we scholars aren't a better gentleman than you, a peddler and pawns?
If this continued, his son and daughter would be ruined.
"Young Master Pang, Military Advisor Pang, please be magnanimous and let me go. I'm just a messenger!" The guard captain was really panicking. Pang Tong was really vicious. He forced him into a dead end with just a few words. The guard captain's legs went soft. He almost knelt before Pang Tong.
"Let you go? General, you're wrong. I'm recommending your son and daughter. They're both talented people! " Pang Tong hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed the captain of the Jing Province Guards, not allowing him to kneel. If he really did kneel, both of them would be in trouble. What would people say if they saw a captain of the Jing Province Guards kneeling to the Yu Province Guards?
"Young Master Pang, Military Advisor Pang, it's all my fault. It's all my fault. Please let me go like a fart!" The guard captain, who was being supported by Pang Tong, also reacted. He quickly begged Pang Tong for mercy, hoping that Pang Tong would be magnanimous and spare his family.
"Hehe, it's not impossible for the general's son to enter the Lumen Academy! I, Pang, can also help the general find such a good son-in-law! It all depends on what you do! " Pang Tong had been threatening the captain of the Jingzhou Guards at the beginning, and now he was giving him sweets. Blindly threatening him would only force him into a dead end and end up in a life and death struggle. Once there was a negotiation of benefits, it was a very simple choice to choose between a life and death struggle or a happy ending for everyone.
"Young Master Pang, everything is fine!" After hearing the benefits Pang Tong offered, the guard captain of the Jingzhou Army immediately changed his attitude. It was the Lumen Academy. Anyone who graduated from there would be able to obtain an important position in Jingzhou. At the very least, they would have to be a county official. If they were lucky, they might even be able to become a county magistrate. It would be even better if they could find a good son-in-law who was a descendant of a landowning family.
"Go in and report! Tell him that I have something important to discuss with him. It's related to the survival of Jingzhou! "Pang Tong said to the guard captain with a smile.
"Yes!" Although the guard captain was in a difficult position, he still walked into the mansion.
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