Chapter 1206 – The Death of Zhao Shao (Part Four)
Before Jiang Pengji could “heartlessly betray” Wei Ci, Han Yu chuckled knowingly.
In a matter-of-fact tone, he said, “It must be Zixiao, right? I can’t think of anyone else.”
Jiang Pengji awkwardly replied, “Zixiao did remind me that if I want to recruit you, it’d be safer to target your strengths.”
Han Yu: “…”
The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward, akin to a few autumn leaves being swept up by a chilly breeze.
【Desperate for Attention】: The streamer is single for life.
【Xuan Yuan’s Mirror】: The streamer is a lone dog.
The idle audience’s daily routine consisted of roasting Jiang Pengji; missing a day of mockery felt like forgetting to clock in at work, leaving them utterly unsatisfied.
If roasting is also a form of love, then their adoration for Jiang Pengji was undoubtedly genuine.
To hit is to care, and to scold is to love—when feelings run deep, just kick her with your foot.
If you love her, roast her!
Thus, Jiang Pengji was inundated with a screen full of ridicule.
【Undercooked Beauty Wei】: Selling out the baby and still wanting to cook her? Heartless woman, just live your life with your right hand!
【Fairy Queen Rose】: Smiling on the surface, cursing internally.
【Night Dance Flame Spirit】: This story tells us the streamer still hasn’t made the beauty Wei willingly submit for a reason.
【Demon Shadow Yun】: I really want to support Beauty Wei! Let him see someone’s true colors.
Naturally, Han Yu didn’t have the vast emotional landscape of the idle viewers, but he felt quite sour himself.
“Lan Ting is rather straightforward—”
How could someone just bluntly say such a hard truth to the person in question?
Even lies should be kept under wraps! But here she was, openly confessing everything, leaving Han Yu uncertain on how to respond.
Wasn’t she worried that he would feel displeased and suspect that her words were all false?
“Being straightforward is my virtue,” Jiang Pengji stated. “This matter can’t be hidden forever. Zixiao did indeed assist me, so there’s no need to avoid it. What I said just now was heartfelt; whether it’s true or false, Wenbin can judge for himself. Why should I dig my own grave and sow distrust? We’ve laid our cards on the table; some things shouldn’t be hidden. Trust is important.”
Jiang Pengji was shameless to the core, overflowing with self-praise, boasting without even a draft to rely on.
Han Yu’s lingering doubt faded away, and he could only secretly chuckle.
He understood now why Xu Pei had lost to this woman.
In terms of scheming people’s hearts, Xu Pei was nowhere near her level. When it came to other matters, he was a complete disaster.
Losing to her wasn’t losing face.
After a moment of internal deliberation, as if struggling one last time, Jiang Pengji remained silent, sitting upright.
She anticipated Han Yu’s choice.
Sure enough—
Han Yu stood up from his mat, walked to Jiang Pengji, and bowed deeply, “Langya Han Wenbin greets you, my Lord.”
Jiang Pengji helped him up, and the audience in the live stream spontaneously sent congratulatory messages for them.
【Gold Joy】: Congratulations to Lord Jiang for successfully acquiring the limited edition【Han Yu·Maserati】.
【Cang Snow Washing Sword】: Congratulations to Jiang for successfully abducting the free laborer Han Yu, who works overtime without pay.
Jiang Pengji: “…”
Did these idle viewers feel itchy all over if they didn’t roast her a few times each day?
Fortunately, Jiang Pengji was a seasoned genetic warrior; if it had been someone else, they would have long since been thrown off balance by the idle viewers.
It was one thing to lose composure; what worried her was the fear of being thought to be possessed or followed by something unclean.
After pledging allegiance, Han Yu finally gained his freedom, and it was at that moment he heard the news of Cheng Xun’s suicide by wall.
“Poor Cheng Xun—ah, what a pity.”
Given Han Yu’s understanding of Cheng Xun, such an extreme choice wasn’t surprising.
Setting aside their rigid and outdated views, Han Yu actually appreciated Cheng Xun.
Even though Xu Pei had backed Cheng Xun and split his power, it didn’t impede Han Yu’s admiration for talent.
“A pity?” Jiang Pengji asked, “What kind of person was Cheng Xun? Does Wenbin admire him?”
“Putting aside positions and beliefs, Cheng Xun is indeed a person worth admiring. It’s a shame his family background held him back.” Han Yu’s gaze seemed calm, but a hint of sadness flickered in his eyes before disappearing, “Cheng Xun has long enjoyed the favor of his clan, so birth status is unavoidable. Yet, he fails to see the chaotic source of the world today. His ambitions are too high; he’s easily frustrated.”
Cheng Xun was a standard member of the gentry class, a reflection of that group as well.
“Birth status?” Jiang Pengji raised an eyebrow, “So he dislikes me?”
Jiang Pengji’s outside identity was that of a Liu clan scion from Hejian, her background neither top-tier nor bottom-tier, mingling daily with the common folks.
To the genuine gentry class, Jiang Pengji would be viewed as a contemptible outsider.
“You needn’t belittle yourself, my Lord. A ruler must possess a heart wide enough to embrace the river’s flow; being bogged down by the gentry will hinder great achievements.”
Jiang Pengji scoffed.
Belittling herself?
Cheng Xun didn’t have that right.
“Me, belittling myself? Cheng Xun dislikes me, let him dislike; he’s not the only one. It’s no extra trouble to have a few more or a few less. I can understand him; the gentry and the common folk are two distinctly different classes. To put it bluntly, the former are spoiled rich kids born with silver spoons in their mouths, while the latter are born into poverty, akin to beggars, worrying about their next meal. If one day, a beggar can rise to power alongside a rich kid, and the former is even more capable than the latter, wouldn’t that be a humiliation for the rich kid? Cheng Xun’s pride makes him unable to endure such humiliation, and I’m not surprised by his extreme actions.”
Han Yu also hailed from the gentry. He dared to transcend the limits of birth status because his ‘law’ was fair and just.
So—
Why was the person before him willing to abandon the advantages of the gentry and entangle with commoners?
Han Yu looked puzzled, and he voiced his question.
“Because of one saying: ‘Are nobles born to be so?’” Jiang Pengji replied. “I’ll ask you one thing: are there more gentry or commoners?”
Han Yu looked confused.
“Cheng Xun thinks it’s a disgrace to work with commoners, not realizing that they too harbor grievances—why do some people enjoy lavish lives while others can’t even get an education or fill their stomachs? That resentment is the source of chaos. There are vastly more commoners than gentry, yet the gentry, being the minority, holds around sixty to seventy percent of the country’s wealth.” Jiang Pengji sneered, “Being born is quite a skill; if you can’t outdo them by birth, can’t you resist or fight back later? The root cause of the turmoil is the unequal distribution of benefits. Only when the largest group is appeased can true peace be achieved. If the gentry keeps dominating, what’s the point of taming the chaos? In thirty to fifty years, someone from the common class will rise up again, and everything will start over!”
