Five days later, when Shen Zhao and the other two arrived in Yangzhou, they found the disaster situation was even more severe than in Yunzhou.
All along the way, they saw refugees and bandits everywhere. Even human trafficking was openly being conducted on the streets.
Su Yunying dealt with several groups of bandits and human traffickers, but still couldn't change the local order.
"Young Master Shen, it seems this place is worse. Everywhere we go, we see troublemakers; not a single decent person."
"Shen, what are we going to do this time? Who's the wealthiest in Yangzhou? These groups just keep coming, endlessly. Though, my Cloud Palm has improved quite a bit."
In response to their questions, Shen Zhao simply replied, "The city lord of Yangzhou is a relative of Grand Tutor Pang, named Pang Hu. This time, our target is Pang Hu's residence."
Su Yunying: "Is Pang Hu similar to the Shi Family?"
"Except for the money, they're nothing alike. Corruption, bribery, bullying merchants, forcing women into prostitution, seizing farmland, colluding with foreign enemies... anything that involves people, the Pang family wouldn't do it."
Ding Buer immediately chimed in: "Shen-ye is absolutely right. That Pang fellow is no good. I heard that the Pang family once had a son-in-law, whose surname was He. He embezzled over nine hundred million spirit stones in his lifetime. The money was more than ten times the size of the national treasury at the time?"
Shen Zhao perked up at the mention of this: "You mean that Official He, the one who said the disaster victims weren't human, and swapped relief grain for bran, and even put sand in the porridge?"
Ding Buer: "That's the one! What, one jin of relief grain for three jin of bran? In reality, it was just fooling the emperor and those who didn't know better. The relief grain was all japonica rice.
If you were to swap it, one jin of japonica rice could be exchanged for five jin of coarse grains, and one jin of coarse grains could be exchanged for five jin of bran. Official He made a killing from it.
And yet, there were still a bunch of people saying that Official He was a good and capable official. Ugh, it's so embarrassing I want to bang my head against the wall. They even said that putting sand in the porridge was to prevent the relief grain from falling into the hands of the wealthy?
Give me a break! He said that and people actually believed it. It was purely to cover up his embezzlement of the relief grain."
"They mixed sand into the remaining grain to deceive the Emperor. That kind of trickery only fools those who don't understand anything, the illiterate who believe marketing campaigns.
Go ask anyone with a bit of common sense if they'd believe it?"
"Master Ding, we're of one mind."
"Young Master Shen isn't an ordinary person, of course he wouldn't believe such nonsense."
"That's true. After all, Official He doesn't even treat the disaster victims like people. Don't tell me he'd actually speak up for the commoners?"
"If he really cared about the people, why did the Emperor chop off his head and confiscate his family's possessions? The Pang family at the time desperately tried to distance themselves, acting like dogs."
"So, the Pang family is just..."
The two men exchanged a look and smiled, then spoke in unison:
"Just despicable!"
"Hahahaha!"
Listening to their inexplicable conversation and the equally inexplicable laughter, Su Yunying felt like she couldn't keep up with the thought processes of these two weirdos.
"Shen Zhao, Ding Buer, what exactly are you two talking about?"
Shen Zhao glanced at Su Yunying and then asked, "When we enter Jinling City, I'll take you to see a good show. The roles we need to play are, shall we say, sunshine and cheerful big boys."
"Sunshine and cheerful big boys?"
Su Yunying was even more confused, not understanding what Shen Zhao was saying at all.
But Ding Buer directly interrupted her thoughts, "Miss Su, don't overthink it. Just remember one thing: there isn't a single good person in the Pang Mansion. Just follow Shen Zhao's instructions."
"Oh..."
Su Yunying responded blankly, clearly unsure what Shen Zhao and Ding Buer were scheming now.
"Tang Ran, hurry up and pour out the foot bath water, what are you spacing out for?"
"Tang Ran, you good-for-nothing, why haven't you washed your mother-in-law's underpants yet? Go fetch some water quickly!"
"Tang Ran! Where did you run off to? My period has started, hurry up and get me some sanitary pads."
In Jinling City, inside the Pang Manor, a group of Pang family members were constantly yelling, ordering a young man just over twenty to do all sorts of chores.
The young man was named Tang Ran, a discarded son of the Tang Clan, the third child in his family, also known as Tang Thirteen.
Following his mother's dying wish to repay the Pang family's life-saving grace, Tang Ran had no choice but to marry into the Pang family and become the husband of Pang Feiyan, the young miss.
For three years, Tang Ran's life in the Pang family was worse than that of a servant. He was bullied and humiliated, and hadn't even shared a bed with Pang Feiyan. He had to endure Pang Feiyan seeking other men and even making intimate gestures in front of him.
In fact, after being abandoned by his family at a young age, Tang Ran had secretly joined the Dragon King Hall founded by his mother, and had established his own power.
But to fulfill his mother's final wish, and fearing harm from the Tang Clan, he could only choose to endure everything he suffered in the Pang family.
"Child, endure!"
These were the words his mother had repeatedly emphasized before she died, and he had firmly engraved them in his heart.
For three years, Tang Ran worked diligently and patiently, concealing his identity while also playing the role of a son-in-law.
However, looking at the dozen or so buckets of clothes, the dozens of buckets of dishes and chopsticks, and some other filthy things that needed to be cleaned, Tang Ran was filled with resentment and anger.
The surrounding servants saw Tang Ran silently washing his mother-in-law's underclothes and couldn't help but snicker.
"Our son-in-law is really diligent. We've been a lot more relaxed since he came."
"Just a live-in son-in-law. Really thinks marrying into a wealthy family can change his fate."
"Exactly. It's just that he's a bit handsome, otherwise, how could our young miss have taken a liking to him?"
Ignoring the whispers around him, Tang Ran could only silently tell himself: "Tang Ran, you must endure!"
Just then, a maidservant from Pang Feiyan's side came to find Tang Ran: "Tang Ran, are you done? The miss wants you to go over quickly; she has something to say!"
"Alright, I'll be right there!"
Even a maidservant looked down on him, and Tang Ran felt aggrieved and uncomfortable.
But he'd survived three years already, so what did it matter if he endured this moment?
He arrived at Pang Feiyan's room and, seeing his wife meticulously getting ready at her vanity, Tang Ran couldn't help but swallow.
He had to admit, Pang Feiyan was quite attractive and knew how to make herself presentable. It would be a lie to say Tang Ran, as a man, wasn't moved.
"What are you staring at? I'll dig your eyeballs out if you keep looking!"
Seeing Tang Ran's gaze fixed on her, Pang Feiyan flung a powder compact at him, which landed squarely on his face.
"Suppress it!"
Tang Ran forcefully suppressed his fury, striving to maintain a humble posture. He lowered his head and asked, "What does my wife require of me?"
Pang Feiyan said, "In a few days, it will be Old Madam's eightieth birthday. I've arranged to go with Young Master Wang of the Wang Family in the city's west to select a birthday gift for her. I won't be returning tonight."
Tang Ran clenched his fists, suppressing the green light that was rising on top of his head. He tried to control his emotions and said, "Feiyan, that Young Master Wang is not a good person. He's been trying to take advantage of you repeatedly. How can you be with him?"
Pang Feiyan said angrily, "Tang Ran! I'm informing you, not discussing it with you! Know your place!
Who do you think you are to judge Young Master Wang? Don't you even look at yourself to see how you compare to him!"
Tang Ran trembled with anger, "Feiyan, I am your husband. Can you consider how I feel? Have you forgotten? If it weren't for me arriving in time last time, you would have already been..."
"Shut up!" Pang Feiyan said angrily, "If it weren't for you interfering last time, I would have already become a couple with Young Master Wang. I haven't even settled accounts with you, and you have the nerve to bring it up?"
"What! Feiyan, do you know what you're doing? I've sacrificed so much for you and the Pang Family these three years. You're completely ignoring it?"
"Hmph, if it weren't for the fact that you're still obedient, I would have kicked you out of the Pang Family long ago and left you to roam the streets. Be grateful, Tang Ran. You and we are not from the same world. The Pang Family is willing to take you in, and you should be grateful."
Tang Ran was about to explode with anger. He never expected that after sacrificing and enduring for the Pang Family for so many years, this would be the result.
"Feiyan, are you really going with that Wang today?"
"Heh, Tang Ran, who do you think you are? You dare to meddle in my affairs!"
"I..."
As he spoke, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a fat, big-eared young master strode in: "Sister, are you ready? Young Master Wang has already had the carriage prepared and is waiting outside."
As he spoke, he glanced at Tang Ran and said sarcastically, "Oh, brother-in-law, you're here too? Sorry, I didn't notice you just now, please forgive me."
"Brother, why bother with this trash?" Pang Feiyan said, getting up and glaring at Tang Ran with a look of disdain. Then she said to Pang Yang, "Let's go, brother."
Watching the two walk past him, Tang Ran's heart grew increasingly displeased.
"Just you wait, one day, I'll pin you down and rub you hard on the table to wash away the humiliation I've suffered all these years!"
After speaking, he went to the mirror and stood there for a long time. Suddenly, the corner of his mouth twitched, revealing a "?".
This was the smile he thought was the most charming. To perfect this smile for future flirting, he had spent a lot of spiritual energy practicing in front of the mirror for many years.
"At the Old Madam's birthday banquet in three days, I will make you all pay for what you did to me in the past!"
While he was fantasizing, the butler suddenly rushed to the door and shouted at him angrily, "What are you staring at? Have you finished washing the clothes and dishes?
If you haven't, hurry up and go. Remember to fill the water tank in the backyard. If I don't see you finish it tonight, see if I don't tell the Master and Madam."
Tang Ran's face was gloomy, staring fiercely at the butler.
"When I return as a king, the first person I'll take down will be you, this arrogant dog servant!"
Suppressing his anger, Tang Ran lowered his head and continued to wash the clothes and dishes.
"Also, remember to scrub those chamber pots clean!"
The butler left with a look of disdain.
On the other side, Shen Zhao finished telling Ding Buer and Su Yunying about the Pang Family, which immediately shocked Su Yunying.
"Shen, are you serious? That Tang fellow is too pitiful. What man could bear this kind of grievance? Isn't this even more miserable than that person from the Shi Family?"
Shen Zhao was startled by her words.
Yes, what man could bear such an injustice?
What Tang Ran was experiencing now was so similar to his own past life.
But he was ultimately different from Tang Ran.
"Forget about it. You think that Tang Ran is any better? The Pang family are a bunch of scoundrels, and he's no different. In short, we're taking the Pang family down this time."
Shen Zhao knew Tang Ran's character inside and out. This guy also had the blessing of the heavens, but he was definitely not a good person.
In his previous life, when he took down the Pang family, Tang Ran's psychological distortion was appalling, only slightly less than Lin Feng's.
Tang Ran's deeds were no less than Lin Feng's, a complete beast, and his hypocrisy was even greater than Lin Feng's.
-----------------------
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