Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 843 – A Tong Cottage Set Ablaze

The activity in the ancestral hall and the events currently taking place in the houses and stores of Wenshui City were being reported, one by one, to the old estate.

The person responsible for giving the reports was that steward of the old estate. He spoke very quickly, but also very clearly, ensuring that everyone in the room could understand.

Besides the Tang Old Master and Chen Changsheng, Zhexiu and Nanke were also in the room. They were also telling stories, having just finished retelling the stories of the snowy mountain range and the stone mountain.

“The three people that were first called over by him to the ancestral hall don’t seem like much on the surface, but in truth, they are actually my second son’s important arms.”

The Tang Old Master spoke to Chen Changsheng like he was a storyteller. “I didn’t expect that though my grandson has been locked up for three years, there are still people sending him information, and his eyes are quite vicious. His methods are also quite straightforward. First, he covers up my second son’s eyes, mouth, and nose, and then surprises him with the force of a thunderclap. However, it’s still too conventional.”

Chen Changsheng didn’t know what to say. He didn’t have much understanding of such matters, much less any skill.

In a short while, the steward once more stood outside the room and described what had happened in the ancestral hall.

“What did you say he’s doing? Playing mahjong in the ancestral hall?”

The Tang Old Master slightly narrowed his eyes, and it was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry.

After a few moments, he suddenly smiled at Chen Changsheng. “Does Your Holiness the Pope have any interest in playing a few rounds with me?”

Chen Changsheng had no interest in playing mahjong. He didn’t even know how to play.

Fortunately, however, as someone who had become well-versed in the Daoist Canon as a child and developed his sword heart very quickly, he only needed a short amount of time to learn, and certainly not two hours.

Four people were needed to play mahjong, so Nanke and Zhexiu also sat down.

Zhexiu also needed to learn first, and although Nanke had played mahjong with a few of her older sisters in Xuelao City, she was no expert.

It could only be expected that this mahjong game moved very slowly.

As they were shuffling and stacking the tiles, news from the ancestral hall and Wenshui City was continuously being sent into the old estate, to the mahjong table.

“Young Master had the Maple Hall go to the Bamboo Garden.”

“The Cloud Organization went to the Quiet Residence. Apparently, they found several maps.”

“The River Hall went to Hesi, but they were never able to find the account books Young Master requested. The snow behind the building showed signs of being scorched.”

There were two mahjong tables in the snowbound Wenshui City.

One was in the ancestral hall and the other was in the old estate.

In reality, today’s mahjong game was being played by just two people.

Tang Thirty-Six and that person who had no mahjong table, the Tang Second Master.

As more and more information was reported, the Tang Old Master played slower and slower, the expression on his face turning more and more complex.

There was gratification, regret, wariness, unease, and also a nigh undetectable resolve.

At some point, an emaciated elder dressed in a gray robe had silently appeared outside the room.

This thin elder had a gentle expression, looking like a retired official aloof from the world.

But Zhexiu and Nanke both felt an intense danger. Even though the Tang Old Master was sitting near him, Zhexiu still readied himself to transform.

Linghai Zhiwang and An Lin also paid no regard to the objections of the Tang clan and forced their way into the small courtyard outside the room.

Because they had also sensed this extreme danger.

Despite all these experts, no one knew when this emaciated elder had appeared or how he had managed to silently enter the old estate.

Linghai Zhiwang saw the profile of the withered elder and felt it rather familiar. He felt like he had seen it before, but could not remember where.

Even the Tang Old Master was surprised at this elder’s appearance.

“With such heavy snow, why did you come? Is your rheumatism okay?”

The elder shook his head to indicate that everything was fine, but said nothing. Either he could not speak, or he treasured his words as much as gold.

The old estate’s steward gave the thin elder an uneasy glance. Wiping cold sweat off his brow, he said in a trembling voice, “Young Master wants to use the Torture Hall.”

Hearing this, the Tang Old Master fell quiet, drawing back the tile that he was prepared to discard.

“Let him use it. It’s just two hours. As long as he doesn’t burn the ancestral hall down, he can do as he pleases.”

The steward’s body shivered. It was evident that he had not expected the Tang Old Master to agree to Tang Thirty-Six’s request.

Chen Changsheng glanced out the door at Linghai Zhiwang, wanting to know what the Torture Hall was. Linghai Zhiwang gave an imperceptible shake of his head, indicating that the Li Palace had no information on this place.

The elder bowed to the Tang Old Master, nodded to Chen Changsheng, and then left the old estate. He had not spoken a single word.

The mahjong game in the ancestral hall was probably continuing, and the mahjong game in the old estate began once more. Just when the Tang Old Master won the first round, the steward returned.

His forehead was now covered in even more sweat, his voice trembling even more.

“Young Master… wants to use Fivekind Man.”

The old estate suddenly became abnormally quiet.

The Tang Old Master’s complexion slightly changed. He slapped a tile to the table and roared, “Does he really plan to tear down the ancestral hall!”

It had been many years since the steward had last seen the Old Master so furious.

As for Chen Changsheng and the rest, they had never seen such a thing before. Besides their shock, they were also very curious. The name ‘Fivekind Man’ was very strange; just what was it?

The Tang Old Master’s rage gradually subsided. With a serene expression, he said, “Let him use it.”

After another short interval, the steward returned, his clothes now completely drenched in sweat.

“The Tong Cottage… the Tong Cottage has been completely burned down. Young Master ordered Fatty Son-in-Law to personally set the flame.”

“The Tong Cottage is my second son’s most beloved study. Inside are many paintings that he used his private money to buy.”

The Tang Old Master explained to Chen Changsheng.

Strangely, though Tang Thirty-Six had dispatched someone to set the Tang Second Master’s study ablaze, the Tang Old Master’s reaction was very calm.

It was obvious that in his view, Tang Thirty-Six’s act which could possibly incite conflict and ignite the second branch’s rage was far less important than the Torture Hall and Fivekind Man.

Another piece of information was sent to the ancestral hall.

This news was somewhat insignificant, just a trifling matter.

The steward said, “Young Master says that his stomach isn’t too comfortable, so he sent someone to Chicken Crow Nunnery outside the city to bring back a vegetarian meal.”

The Tang Old Master’s fingers began to tremble. He seemed to think of something, falling into a long silence.

Ultimately, he pushed over the tiles in front of him and said to Chen Changsheng, “Let’s stop playing.”

The mahjong game in the old estate came to an end, but no one knew when the game in the ancestral hall would end.

Chen Changsheng suddenly understood something.

It was not Tang Thirty-Six and the Tang Second Master that were playing a mahjong game, but Tang Thirty-Six and the Tang Old Master.

Everything that had happened was Tang Thirty-Six showing that he knew all the tiles in the Tang Old Master’s hand, and that he could use these tiles very well.

Like the Torture Hall and Fivekind Man.

But what was going on with the vegetarian meal from Chicken Crow Nunnery?