Chapter 1216 – The Death of Zhao Shao (12)
“Anal prolapse and incontinence?”
Yang Tao took a moment to register the scene in his mind, crinkling his nose with a disgusted expression.
Yang Si seemed oblivious to Yang Tao’s reaction and proceeded to apologize for Jiang Pengji, explaining that he hadn’t managed to bring Zhao Shao before Yang Tao right away. Not to mention, the beauty of the talented individuals under Jiang Pengji’s command was above average, even Yang Si, the duplicitous guy, managed to put on a facade of a refined gentleman, making people unconsciously lower their guard—after all, humans are visual creatures.
With allies showing such good intentions and even sending their trusted confidants to personally escort Zhao Shao, any grievances Yang Tao felt dissipated into thin air.
He waved his hand, saying, “This cannot be blamed on Lan Ting. Zhao Shao is exceedingly cunning; capturing him alive was no small feat.”
If it weren’t for Zhao Shao’s unparalleled escape skills, would Yang Tao even have the chance to avenge his father now?
Throwing Zhao Shao into a pot of scorpions eight hundred years ago and letting him be devoured by a million poisonous bugs would have been an idea!
But Yang Si didn’t follow the usual script; instead, he displayed a strange expression as if he had something further to say.
Yang Tao asked, puzzled, “Is something wrong?”
Yang Si smiled bitterly, replying, “Indeed, there are some things that are hard to speak about… Zhao Shao is certainly cunning, but he’s also a self-important fool. On the day Shanweng City fell, he loot a stash of money and planned to disguise himself as a refugee to escape amidst the chaos. Unfortunately, his disguise was overly ridiculous, leading a bunch of nefarious miscreants to mistake him for an unaccompanied beauty, and he ended up in a wolf’s den, effectively ruining himself. Had it not been for that, my master would have found Zhao Shao sooner and presented him to Zheng Ze. Who would have thought such unforeseen setbacks would delay the timing?”
One must admit, Yang Si’s subtle “ruining oneself” was masterfully put, showcasing the sophistication of an experienced veteran.
Yang Tao paused, momentarily missing the undertone, while Yan Lin beside him understood, sporting a strange expression.
Yang Si mentioned Zhao Shao’s anal prolapse and incontinence, and now he’s caught in a wolf’s den, what part of his situation is even intact?
Hmm, interpretations vary depending on the observer, I suppose.
Yang Tao took a moment to grasp the implications of Yang Si’s words and nearly choked on his own spit.
“That Zhao Shao—has truly encountered such a tragic fate?” Yang Tao said, astonished, a trace of revulsion flashing in his eyes. “If I remember correctly, Zhao Shao is not far off in age from my father; how could he at this age—cough cough, it’s truly poetic justice.”
Yang Tao was curious about the brave souls who mistook a man in his forties for a beauty.
Even if one were to dismiss it, male companionship isn’t that rare! But how on earth did they mistake Zhao Shao for a delicate beauty?
An old man in his forties… a beautiful lady?
Yang Tao’s imagination was severely limited by his environment.
Yang Si chimed in, “Right? Who wouldn’t say so—”
His mission this time was to solidify the friendship with allies and to test the waters, so the allies could see their sincerity.
Seeing how much Yang Tao despised Zhao Shao, why not go along with his emotions and stomp on Zhao Shao a little more?
It would not only vent frustrations but also solidify good relations, a win-win situation.
The two chatted happily, completely unaware that Zhao Shao was feeling thoroughly humiliated and furious, wishing he could find a wall to slam his head against.
Earlier, the female doctor had mentioned that Zhao Shao’s condition was due to “the door not locking, unable to hold the rubbish in the intestines,” which basically translates to the lack of elasticity in his backside; a little exertion could lead to involuntary leakage, causing uncontrollable waste to spill out.
He was well aware of his troubles and had been carefully avoiding any sudden movements, desperately maintaining his final appearance of dignity.
But alas, Yang Si was just too devious; as he revealed his true intentions during Zhao Shao’s tense moment, it startled Zhao Shao enough to lose control, resulting in a foul, damp mess that soiled his clothing. Zhao Shao would never forget Yang Si’s mocking smile before he left—absolutely outrageous!
However, Zhao Shao quickly found that he had no time to hate Yang Si, for he was about to face a life-and-death crisis.
Zhao Shao had seen Yang Tao when he was just a kid, trailing after his father Yang Jian.
Years later, that little brat had grown up enough to threaten his life, which darkened Zhao Shao’s expression a bit.
Despite being mentally prepared, Yang Tao was taken aback by how disheveled Zhao Shao appeared; all the exposed skin was covered in unhealed bruises.
“Zhao Shao?” Yang Tao held a big knife and cautiously called out.
Zhao Shao snorted derisively, refusing to engage in conversation with Yang Tao.
Yang Tao remarked, “On the verge of death, and you’re still stubborn?”
Only then did Zhao Shao respond, sneering, “Would you let me go if I were to beg for mercy?”
Yang Tao shook his head, “Of course not! The revenge for my father’s murder is a matter of life and death. You dared to commit such beastly acts back then; you should know the outcome today.”
Zhao Shao gave a heavy snort, scoffing, “Your father Yang Jian had it coming; even if not killed by me, his days were numbered. A mere maggot thought he could challenge a stone—such reckless creatures were bound to die a violent death sooner or later—”
Yang Tao’s fury surged again, and he raised his knife, but just as he was about to strike, he stopped.
Father Yang Jian had suffered for a full day and night before succumbing to pain; if he killed Zhao Shao with one blow, wouldn’t that be an easy way out for this scoundrel?
Zhao Shao also broke into a cold sweat, losing control again, causing more foulness to escape.
That reaction left Zhao Shao both furious and terrified—
Yang Tao also caught a whiff of the odd smell and looked at Zhao Shao with a half-smile.
Zhao Shao felt utterly humiliated, regretting that Yang Tao hadn’t struck him down a moment earlier.
If he had died, he wouldn’t have to endure this boy’s ridicule.
Trying to save face, Zhao Shao blustered, “You think I’m lying? Your father’s background, what of it? Entering officialdom through military service, what’s that? Just a lowly captain, with shallow roots, no standing to speak of. Such a petty person thinks he can ride on the coattails of the king to seize control of the Eastern Gate District of Zhangzhou. Who gave him that face? He thinks he matters, but he has no idea how many interests he’s hindered. Even if I hadn’t acted, your father Yang Jian wouldn’t have escaped other dangers. You should thank me; had I not helped hasten Yang Jian’s demise, could you still be alive? It was his death that quelled the restless spirits; thanks to him dying, you could still breathe—”
Zhao Shao might be despicable, but being well-known in the Eastern Gate District indicated he had some skills.
Yang Tao’s anger flared anew, shouting, “You old bastard—”
Just as he was about to charge forward, Yan Lin raised a hand to stop the seething Yang Tao.
“Shaoyang!”
Yan Lin cautioned, “Calm down, don’t let him influence you.”
Yang Tao obeyed swiftly and regained his composure, although he still felt unyielding anger inside.
“This man is a silver-tongued deceiver, twisting the truth—”
Yan Lin replied, “What he says isn’t entirely untrue; the situation back then was indeed dire.”
He had warned Yang Jian numerous times to be cautious, but Yang Jian had been overly trusting and confident in others, leading to his downfall.
Yang Tao stood there, gripping the hilt of his knife anxiously, seemingly unable to accept this line of reasoning.
Yan Lin watched him with a mix of sympathy and helplessness.
