Chapter 77: Gift

  The weather was fine, with golden light filling the courtyard. Chen Jiong walked in, his face against the light, making it impossible to discern his expression, yet he seemed exceptionally tall and majestic.

  And behind him followed Yang Zhiyou.

  Many people who have read books are familiar with the "Fox Borrowing the Tiger's Prestige" in the Strategies of the Warring States. However, at this moment, no one associates what is happening before their eyes with this allusion, nor do they suspect that Chen Xiang and Yang Zhihou are acting.

  Because Yang Zhi Zhou followed behind Chen Jing with utmost respect, the guests' eyes on Chen Jing were filled with surprise and reverence, and they all stood up spontaneously.

  Chen Jiong seemed oblivious and walked steadily to the first seat as if he was used to such scenes.

  His gaze was neither surprised nor nervous, and he looked at the crowd calmly without saying a word.

  Yang Zhi Zhou walked up to his side and whispered something in a low voice.

  Chen Jiong nodded at him and sat down first.

  Yang Zhi Zhou didn't sit down until he had taken his seat.

  Everyone present was a person from the official circles of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. People who mix in official circles are not lacking in careful thought. For a small matter, they will think a lot and make many conjectures. Yang Zhi Zhou's identity was clear, his respect for Chen Jing was genuine.

  So, officials all thought too much.

  One more thought, Chen Xuan's identity became mysterious and unpredictable.

  This move doesn't have much technical value. If it wasn't Yang Zhiou, but someone else, the effect would be completely different. So, the key to this move is that Yang Zhiou had a high and mighty status in the past.

  Chen Jiong took first place, Yang Zhi Zhou came in second.

  "Please take a seat." Yang Zhi Zhou said kindly and warmly to everyone.

  Everyone sat down one after another.

  The servant presented fine wine and food, the silk and bamboo on the stage were surrounded by music, and the banquet began.

  Yang Zhi Zhou raised his wine cup and first toasted Chen Jing with a cup.

  Chen Jiong accepted it, thanked him and drank it in one gulp.

  The people below, pretending to talk or watch the play, would occasionally glance at the chief seat. Seeing Yang Zhi Zhou first toast Chen Xing, they were even more convinced of Chen Xing's identity in their hearts.

  Are you from Beijing?

  Which young master of the royal family?

  I heard that Dong Wang in Beijing is the emperor's biological brother and is only 16 years old this year. He loves to have fun. Could it be...

  Some people get more and more off track in their minds.

  "When I didn't know the identity of that noble guest, I boldly went forward to offer him a cup of wine, said a few words with him, and listened to his accent, and my heart felt even more at ease." Someone thought.

  "Why don't you ask Yang Yun? He's always been filial to his parents, if you ask him, he should give some hints." someone calculated.

  Then someone really stood up, came forward and offered Yang Yun a toast, then asked Yang Yun: "That young gentleman, where is the noble guest from?"

  Yang Yun, this person, may not be as quick-witted as Chen Jing and Yang Zhi Zhou, but he's not stupid. He looks at Yang Zhi Zhou's behavior, thinks about his arrangements and reminders, now seeing Yang Zhi Zhou everywhere promoting Chen Jing, so he knows what Yang Zhi Zhou means, and says: "He is my uncle's noble guest, what qualifications do we have to ask questions?"

  His one sentence "not qualified" actually implies very clearly.

  The official heard this and understood in his heart, then retreated.

  Never thought they would have such an opportunity, meeting such a noble person!

  After this official returned to his seat, another person came forward and offered Yang Yun a toast.

  Yang Yun deliberately led them to think in a biased way.

  The officials all had a clear answer among themselves.

  There was an official, about the same age as Yang Zhiyou, with the highest rank. He held up his wine cup and came forward to toast Chen Jing.

  Chen Jiong followed Yang Zhiou's orders, only glanced at Yang Zhiou and didn't take the wine cup. His face was expressionless. That look seemed to say: You're not worthy of drinking with me yet.

  The more arrogant he is, the more it proves his status is not low.

  "Thanks for your concern, he's not good at drinking." Yang Zhi Zhou said, then added, "Let me drink on his behalf."

  The official hastily said: "I don't dare! It should be me, the old man, who drinks it."

  Then he drank the wine and slowly backed away.

  Others saw it clearly and didn't dare to come forward to toast again.

  It was Yang Zhi Zhou who had a few drinks with them.

  Chen Jiu was always self-entertaining. He only drank the wine offered by Yang Zhiqiang and spoke with Yang Zhiqiang. Except for when that official just now toasted him and he slightly revealed his displeasure, at other times, he was always calm and gentle.

  His gentle manner is sufficient proof of his upbringing.

  The people below looked at him and felt even more that he was born with a noble air!

  These officials originally came to fawn on Yang Zhi's family, but unexpectedly gained something and discovered that the Yang family had a noble person.

  "...I heard from their servant that they didn't know your identity, only knew you were staying at the East City Inn and were an honored guest of Mr. Yang."

  "Dongcheng Inn has been cleared, I heard that many sword-carrying guards are guarding it," someone said. In fact, there were no sword-carrying guards, they just couldn't get in either. There were a few of Yang's servants guarding the outside of Dongcheng Inn, and people made wild guesses, spreading rumors.

  After the banquet, Chen Jiong's identity was spread in a mysterious way.

  "What is Uncle Grandfather going to do? Why is he so supportive of Chen Shenyi?" Yang Shaoze asked his father.

  Yang Yun said: "Chen Shen Yi saved your grandfather's life, and that is a great kindness to our family. Whatever your uncle orders, you must follow without question."

  Yang Dizhou this vein, all rely on Yang Zhi Zhou.

  They dare not offend Yang Zhiou at all costs.

  Yang Dazhou did not attend today's banquet. He is still recuperating.

  After those officials dispersed, the more they thought about it, the more they felt something was off.

  The governor of Mingzhou was a clever and resourceful person with great courage. He heard that the Yang family was guarding the East City Inn, not allowing anyone to enter, and he already had an idea in mind. He told his subordinate: "Prepare a generous gift and send it to the East City Inn, just say it's for Chen Gongzi."

  The subordinate said, and hurried off to make preparations.

  The governor of Mingzhou wrote a clear and legible visiting card with his own name and official position.

  The gift was sent over and received by a young servant of the Yang family.

  The news spread like wildfire.

  Other officials heard this and had a bottom line. The governor of Mingzhou, after all, is the closest to Yang Zhiou, he has the best relationship with the Yang family, maybe it was someone from the Yang family who privately revealed information to him.

  That noble guest from the capital is of a higher status than Yang Zhiyou. If you can get on his good side, your future prospects will be even brighter.

  After all, Yang Zhi Zhou has already retired and returned to his hometown, while that noble guest is still young.

  "Perhaps Chen Gongzi is actually King Duan?"

  Thinking of this, those officials imitated the governor of Mingzhou and presented gifts one after another.

  The provincial governor of Mingzhou has sent them off, why can't they be sent away?

  The Dongcheng Inn was filled with gifts.

  Within three days, I received forty gifts, all sent by officials from Zhejiang Province.

  "What's with Lord Chen?" The officials who did not attend the Yang family banquet, and even some wealthy merchants, had no idea what was going on. But seeing so many officials paying their respects, they all felt that something was fishy.

  "I don't know, everyone has given some."

  So, the unknowing also followed suit and gave gifts. The people in the official circle are most skilled at following the wind, when others blow in one direction, they also follow, just to avoid making mistakes.

  Yang Yun's sons did not understand, only to see these people rushing to the East City Inn like crazy to send gifts. They asked Yang Yun: "Dad, have those officials gone mad? Why are they sending gifts to Chen Shenyi?"

  Yang Yun slowly came to understand.

  "Uncle's intention." Yang Yun sighed.

  "What does Uncle Zhang mean?" Yang Shaoze asked in doubt, "Why did he want people to send gifts? If they accepted the gifts and the capital found out, wouldn't they be blamed?"

  "Your great-uncle has also been confiscated, and the gifts haven't even entered the Yang family's door!" Yang Yun said with a smile.

  "Could...it be the same?" Yang Shaoze was puzzled. Sending gifts to Chen Cui, wasn't it for the sake of his uncle's face? Otherwise, why would those officials send things to Chen Cui for no reason?

  "It's the same, yet different." Yang Yun smiled and said, "This is a great play. At first, it's 'The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Might'. When things are exposed, it becomes 'A Willing Victim'".

  Yang Shaoze and his brothers still didn't understand.

  Yang Yun also didn't bother to say much, letting the children go to the East City Inn to take a look and sort out all the gifts.

  They were talking on this side of the father and son when Yang Zhi Chou sent Ming Feng to call them.

  "...go and sort out the gifts from Dongcheng Inn. You decide how to handle them. Since Yang is returning to Mingzhou, he can't bring those things with him, so exchange them for silver and give it to him, it will be more convenient for him to carry." said Yang Zhi Zhou.

  Yang Yun Dao is.

  Yang Zhi Zhou didn't ask Ming Feng to handle this matter, but instead handed it over to Yang Yun and his son. This clearly meant that they would get some benefits from it. When they saw something that suited their hearts, the father and son could secretly take it for themselves, dispose of the rest, and exchange it for silver.

  Give them some benefits, lest they speak ill of Chen Cong behind his back.

  "Yes." Yang Shaoze was overjoyed.

  Those in power, when they encounter festivals and holidays, give gifts to their families, which are all good things.

  This time for Chen Jing, it's probably not bad either.

  In two days' time, they had arranged all the gifts neatly.

  All of them were exchanged for silver notes and handed over to Yang Zhi Zhou.

  When handing it over to Yang Zhi Zhou, Yang Yun and Yang Shao Ze brothers were a bit nervous.

  Yang Yun had several sons, each of whom received a share, and nearly one-third of the gifts were divided among them. Children just like new and expensive things, and Yang Yun couldn't stop them either.

  Everything is still in hand.

  If Yang Zhi Chou had found out and blamed them for it, they would have brought it up again.

  Yang Zhi Zhou glanced at the gift list, then looked at the silver ticket and smiled: "Not many things. I didn't expect that nowadays, being an official in Liangzhe Road would be so unambitious."

  Yang Shaoze and his fellow grandchildren all lowered their heads.

  Yang Yun wanted to explain, but Yang Zhi Zhou waved his hand and smiled: "I know, when I instruct you to do things, you can't help but take a little profit. This time you took a bit too much, but that's okay. Just be careful what you say, this matter was originally muddled, it's better if everyone is muddled."

  Yang Yun has already explained the causes and consequences of this matter to his sons.

  Yang Shaoze and his brothers were just pretending to be their uncle's ancestors, helping Chen Jing earn some money from the officials.

  When the matter was exposed, the Yang family said: The reason why Yang Zhi Zhou is so respectful to Chen Xing is because Chen Xing saved Yang Dai Zhou's life, it's you who made wild guesses!

  Those officials can only blame themselves for being blind and cannot blame Yang Zhiqiang for setting up a plot.

  At that time, Yang Wei and his son need to speak more for Chen Jing, don't undermine him.

  The gift was hidden by them, and Yang Zhi Zhou didn't bother to ask much. Anyway, what Yang Zhi Zhou wanted had already been achieved.

  "Yes!" Yang Yun and Yang Shaoze and other brothers all replied. Having taken so many things, in this game, they were naturally involved and would not speak out of turn.

  Yang Zhi Zhou waved his hand and let them leave.

  He had someone invite Chen Jiong over.

  "This is the list of silver tickets and gifts, take a look." said Yang Zhi Zhou.

  Chen Jing casually glanced over the list a few times, finally fixing his gaze on the total amount: 120,000 taels of silver!

  "Wow, so much money!" Chen Jiong exclaimed.