Chapter 71: Kindred Spirits

"The table he snatched had only a young girl and two servants seated at it. The old man was eleven at the time, while the girl was a bit older, about thirteen or fourteen," Wang Meng continued. "The inn servants rushed over to throw him out, but perhaps out of pity, the girl let him stay. She ordered some extra food for him and, when leaving, gave him a little money to help him survive that harsh winter."

"It seems Lord Tailing didn't have it easy either," Ye Xin sighed.

"Once the old man made something of himself, he became obsessed—searching everywhere for that girl," Wang Meng curled his lip. "He wanted to marry my mother because her eyes and brows reminded him of that girl. He was much more honest then, but suddenly took a concubine, again because she reminded him of his past. He actually had the chance to command troops elsewhere, but insisted on entering Tailing Mansion; after that ordeal, he developed grand ambitions."

"What ambitions?" Ye Xin asked.

"To rid the world of thieves," Wang Meng replied. "He vowed to eliminate all bandits within the borders of the Great Zhao Kingdom! If he'd met Mo Yan at that time, he'd surely have fought him to the death. But over the years, his lofty ideals have faded; he's come to realize that some things are like wild grass—you can never truly eradicate them, cut one crop and another grows."

Ye Xin smiled knowingly; he enjoyed seeing the threads of logic come together. A youth suffers misfortune, enters Tailing Mansion, vows to quell banditry, acts with justice and rigor, and everything since has been determined by that fateful day of tragedy.

"He always dresses down and wanders about—who is he putting on that act for? Don't think I don't know what he's after; he's forever hoping to relive that day, to have another chance encounter! No, I must teach him a lesson!" Wang Meng suddenly slammed the table. "Waiter, come here!"

Soon, a waiter pushed open the private room door, smiling obsequiously. "Young Master Wang, how may I help you?"

"What are your most expensive dishes?" Wang Meng asked boisterously.

"The most expensive? Hmm... We have braised turtle, eight-treasure pork, wine-brewed red duck, eight-generation fish, crab meat soup, stewed mandarin duck..."

"Alright, that’s enough. Make them all," Wang Meng pointed below. "Then send them all over to that old fellow at once—understood? Put it all on my tab."

"Young Master Wang, these dishes are quite pricey..." The waiter clicked his tongue. "If you and the guest are acquainted, why not invite him up instead of going to such expense?"

"I have no ties with him, but I’m closer to his son than real brothers. Plus... I was an old flame of his daughter-in-law," Wang Meng gave a wicked grin. "I always felt guilty about it, so today I’m treating him openly. What, don’t you restaurant folks want to make money?!"

"Since you insist, I’ll go tell the kitchen right away," the waiter said, a flash of contempt in his eyes. What kind of people are these? As the saying goes: never fool around with a friend’s wife, and he claims to be closer than brothers, how shameless! These high officials, one filthier than the next...

The service at Xinyi Tower was beyond doubt; it wasn’t long before the expensive dishes were ready, and several waiters carried them to Lord Tailing’s table.

Lord Tailing was clearly bewildered; his calm, indifferent manner evaporated. He stared dumbfounded at the feast before him, then, as if suddenly realizing something, his face grew slightly excited and he stood, asking in a deep voice, "Who sent these?"

"Young Master Wang upstairs," the waiter who had served Wang Meng replied quickly.

Lord Tailing looked up. Wang Meng was leaning on the window sill, wearing a mischievous smile, swinging his hand in greeting, "Hey..."

Lord Tailing’s face fell again. He sat down slowly, said nothing, and simply ate in earnest.

His appetite was surprisingly good; his chopsticks moved briskly and he ate with relish. The nearby waiter was caught in a dilemma. He was a peripheral member of the Brotherhood Alliance, not long since joining. When Mo Yan established the Alliance, he put forth many slogans—brotherhood, unity, loyalty, and so on. Whether others believed them or not, the waiter was convinced, and at sixteen or seventeen, his sense of justice was in full bloom.

After much hesitation, he decided to give Lord Tailing a warning. Such sordid, ugly deeds had to be stopped!

"Sir, after this meal, you’d best go home and mind your household," the waiter said in a low voice.

"What’s happened in my household?" Lord Tailing was surprised.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch. If someone treats you, there’s a reason behind it," the waiter said. "But you must promise me—after hearing what I say, don’t make a fuss. Leave quietly and keep your household in order! He’s the Young Master of Tailing Mansion; neither you nor I can afford to offend him. Sometimes you just have to accept the loss. Sir, please don’t cause trouble for me!"

"Alright, I won’t make a scene. Go on," Lord Tailing’s curiosity was piqued; he wanted to hear what shocking revelation the young waiter had.

"The Young Master of Tailing Mansion and your daughter-in-law... are having an affair!" The waiter gritted his teeth, sweating all over. "Sir, please—don’t make a scene, just leave quietly..."

Even a seasoned man like Lord Tailing nearly choked. He drew a deep breath and glanced at the waiter, then said calmly, "Is that all? I’ve been sharing a bed with the Lady of Tailing Mansion for decades."

The waiter nearly collapsed on the spot. Truly, there is no bottom to shamelessness—only worse! What kind of people has he encountered today?!

Lord Tailing ate contentedly, muttering under his breath, "This is the first time you’ve shown filial respect to your old man... Alright... I’ll give you some face..."

Seeing how sweetly Lord Tailing ate, the waiter was dumbstruck. After a while, he slipped away, pondered for a bit, then climbed to the second floor.

As he went upstairs, his legs trembled. Wang Meng’s affair with the daughter-in-law was one thing, but a dignified Lord Tailing being cuckolded was another—his fury could be deadly!

More crucially, the secret had been revealed by him! He wanted to slap himself—why am I so clever? Why must I meddle? Now what?

After much thought, the waiter resolved himself. He was young and pure-hearted; he couldn’t stand filth in others. Earlier, he sympathized with the man downstairs and boldly told the truth. Now he sympathized with Wang Meng—if the Young Master learned this, how hurt he’d be... Such humiliation!

No, he had to inform Young Master Wang!

A moment later, the waiter slipped into Wang Meng and Ye Xin’s private room. Wang Meng glanced at him, saw his hesitance, and knew something was up. He frowned, "What did that fellow say?"

"He said... he said..." The waiter stammered, afraid to speak.

"Speak!" Wang Meng glared.

"He said... he and the Lady of Tailing Mansion have been together secretly for decades..." The waiter finally mustered the courage, though he discreetly changed the wording. To say they’d been rolling in bed together could have made Wang Meng furious—he might have been the first to die.

Wang Meng’s chewing became rigid, Ye Xin couldn’t help but laugh, and the waiter broke out in a cold sweat again. Who is this man? Knowing Lord Tailing’s been cuckolded, he dares laugh in front of the Young Master!

"I see. You may go," Wang Meng said, pointing toward the door.

"What..." The waiter was stunned. So calm? Is this how a son should react? Not a shred of shame?

"Go on, go," Wang Meng said impatiently.

The waiter left, standing dazed outside. He would probably never unravel this mystery in his life.

"You’ve never won a bout against your father, have you?" Ye Xin laughed.

"I’m still far from his level," Wang Meng craned his neck to look below, covering his face as if with a toothache. "Damn... he’s really enjoying himself..."

"Lord Tailing coming here... I doubt it’s just for leisure; he must have caught wind of something," Ye Xin said slowly.

"That’s your worry, not mine. As I said, I never win against him, and I can’t guess his thoughts," Wang Meng pondered. "Xin, I don’t know what you really intend, nor will I ask. If it’s something ordinary, I’ll help, but when it comes to big matters, I’ll steer clear—not because I lack loyalty, but because matters of the Wang family are not mine to decide. My abilities are meager, my mind not sharp, my experience shallow—I often make mistakes and muddle things. Right now, I can’t help the family much, but at least I won’t bring disaster upon it."

"Meng, I understand," Ye Xin said.

"Unless... you can persuade the old man. Then, as his younger brother, I’ll stand at your side without hesitation," Wang Meng said.

"Mm." Ye Xin nodded. "I was going to wait a couple of months, but perhaps I should pay my respects to Lord Tailing sooner rather than later."

What was Ye Xin’s status? What was Wang Fang of Tailing Mansion’s? The gap was immense, yet Ye Xin’s demeanor was perfectly natural, as if meeting Lord Tailing and discussing matters was the most ordinary thing.

Wang Meng looked long at Ye Xin. "Xin, you have a certain... hmm, I suppose it’s called bearing. You remind me, time and again, of Commander Wei, who strategized in the tent last month. It’s a bit unfair to compare you two, but I have a feeling... you and he are the same kind of man."