Chapter 113 – Unexpectedly (1)
Qi Guanrang came from humble beginnings, but his experiences on the outskirts had made him quite capable at a young age. He had already learned how to navigate the treacherous waters of various factions with ease, his knowledge and experience far surpassing that of the theoretical young lad, Feng Jin.
Initially, Feng Jin found him a bit difficult to interact with, but after a few exchanges, he suddenly became interested.
After several sparring exchanges, it felt as if they were evenly matched in a game of chess.
During their conversation, their titles shifted from the distant “Young Master” to the more personal “Wenzhen.”
In ancient times, the friendships between men, particularly among scholars, often developed from that fleeting moment of connection.
→_→
“I just heard Wenzhen say something that sparked a wild guess in my mind… I wonder what that guess might be?”
Qi Guanrang lightly tapped his fan on his knee, his tone serious, “Do you know about the Cangzhou Meng Clan?”
Feng Jin was baffled as to how their discussion could possibly relate to the Cangzhou Meng Clan.
Before he could display his confusion, an audacious thought suddenly flashed through his mind, nearly causing him to lose his composure.
“Wenzhen, how can you…”
Qi Guanrang let out a cold laugh, his gaze growing colder and darker.
Feng Jin was skeptical; he had anticipated it, knowing that such a guess would be seen as an insult to any prominent noble family.
“Just because the ancestors were valiant and loyal, doesn’t mean the descendants can inherit their glory,” he said with a chilling smile. “The Cangzhou Meng Clan… Heh, from what I’ve heard from Huaiyu, you’ve left the capital for some reason and have little contact with your family. I guess you may not have heard about it?”
What sort of people were the Cangzhou Meng Clan?
The most famous member was their ancestor, praised by the founding emperor of the Xia Dynasty, who referred to him as the “White Dragon among Men,” Meng Jing. In later years, he earned the title of “War God,” with temples dedicated to him across the five nations, clearly showcasing his remarkable reputation.
With such an impressive ancestor, the Meng Clan had received immense favor from the royal family since the Xia Dynasty, possessing fiefdoms for generations, continuing even into the late Xia Dynasty.
Even now, with the five nations divided and Xia’s influence waning, the Meng Clan remained exalted.
Originally, Meng County did not have this name, but it was changed due to the prominence of the Meng Clan, taking on the surname “Meng.”
Of course, as Qi Guanrang sarcastically pointed out, having a powerful and remarkable ancestor does not guarantee the descendants will be equally impressive. Not only can they fail to elevate the family name, but they can also wallow in mediocrity, living off their ancestors’ legacy.
“The blessings of gentlemen may be severed after five generations.”
Feng Jin wasn’t foolish; he naturally understood Qi Guanrang’s implication.
The instigator of all the mischief involving many women of Meng County and even the troubles faced by the women of Hejian must have come from the Meng Clan.
“What haven’t I heard of?”
Feng Jin knew the character of some young rascals his age, but he still couldn’t believe Qi Guanrang’s conjecture.
“Of course, it’s about the Cangzhou Meng County patrol captain turning to banditry, setting fire to the governor’s residence,” Qi Guanrang observed Feng Jin’s expression, his tone harboring ill intentions. “The captain has always been loyal to the Meng Clan, yet now he has rebelled against his old master, burning down the governor’s residence, with no clear reason given so far. Interestingly, in that bamboo scroll, it seems there were names connected to the captain’s lawful wife and legitimate daughter… Huaiyu wonders if there could be any connection between them?”
Feng Jin’s lips moved; usually eloquent, his mind was now a jumble, unsure where to begin his rebuttal.
“Don’t say it, there’s definitely a connection.”
Just then, as Feng Jin was lost in thought, a cold voice from outside interrupted.
He instinctively turned his head to see Jiang Pengji striding into the room, her thin figure moving somewhat roughly as she knelt down. However, no one dared express dissatisfaction at that moment, as her face looked almost ashen, leaving them too afraid to mention it.
“Oh?” Qi Guanrang clapped his fan against his palm. “What has Lan Ting asked?”
Beside them, Wei Yuan had become entirely overshadowed, or rather, he was flabbergasted by the bombs dropped by both Qi Guanrang and Jiang Pengji.
In Dongqing, the four major noble families were the Feng family of Shangyang, the Wang family of Langya, the Xie family of Huanling, and the Cangzhou Meng Clan.
In the eyes of the common people of Dongqing, though the first three families had long lineages, none had the reputation equal to that of the Meng Clan, which boasted a War God ancestor.
Now, these two were revealing to him—his unfaithful companion was highly likely connected to the Meng Clan?
The information was overwhelming, too heavy for his brain to process.
“According to the disclosures, the one leading them was a little rascal named ‘Meng Liang.’ Do you recall anything about him, Huaiyu?”
Feng Jin replied, “I have some impression. I have a friend named Meng Heng, the legitimate eldest son of the Meng Clan, and his second brother is Meng Liang. However, Meng Heng is refined and courteous, a rare gentleman, showing how well their family is raised. How could he possibly have such a brother?”
It’s only natural that friends of the rich would also be rich themselves.
Similarly, those mixing with highborn heirs often come from similar backgrounds.
Jiang Pengji scoffed, “Huaiyu, I don’t like your reasoning. Dragons give birth to nine different kinds of offspring. Just because your friend is a good person doesn’t mean his brother is cut from the same cloth. Even with a shared upbringing, there can be differences in virtue.”
Feng Jin fell silent.
“That person claimed that Meng Liang has been mingling in the inner chambers since childhood, spoiled by his mother and doted on by his father. By the time he turned eleven, he had already laid hands on all the female servants in the household, and no one could escape. Notably, he grew bored easily, making it a habit to forcibly seize village girls.”
The audience in the live stream already knew some details, yet they were still stunned by this brazen young man.
【Hongjun Laozu’s Chrysanthemum】: #Crying, while others at eleven were already out and about, I’m still single.
【National Husband Diao Zhatians】: #Crying, single +1, is there a kind lady who can show some pity on me QWQ?
【At Your Service, Ye Liangchen】: I am genuinely impressed!
【At Your Service, Zhao Ritiantian】: I am genuinely impressed as well!
【At Your Service, Long Aotian】: I am genuinely impressed too!
Jiang Pengji: “…”
Can we at least unify the tone of this live stream? Not at such a grave and serious moment, nearly making her laugh.
Clearing her throat, Jiang Pengji gathered her emotions, “This Meng Liang also enjoys mixing with all sorts, having learned an outstanding skill in disguise from somewhere. With a feminine face resembling that of a girl, he could easily pass off as a delicate maiden with just a slight alteration, even his relatives might struggle to recognize him. Taking advantage of this, he thrived by tricking many naive girls into lowering their defenses, leading to tragic consequences.”
Perhaps it was too easy to deceive and too simple to succeed that he grew disinterested, developing other thoughts.
Playing alone could be dull; even with significant accomplishments, without an audience, it became a one-man show without spectators.
So, he made friends with a host of unruly companions, treating this as a competition for entertainment, shifting his targets from ordinary common girls to the daughters of wealthy merchants—danger mixed with excitement, pushing the boundaries, leading to escalating mischief.
