Chapter 7: Stakes and Interests

The situation shifted abruptly, leaving everyone present stunned. It wasn’t until the guards Wang Teng had brought subdued the unruly members of the Situ family that Sima Lingyun regained his composure.

“What is your meaning, Eunuch Wang?” Sima Lingyun asked, his tone tinged with accusation.

Wang Teng merely shot him a fierce glare and said, “Have I not made myself clear? This estate has already been sold to me by Young Master Liang!”

At this, Sima Lingyun and the Situ siblings were filled with a mix of anger and shock as they turned to Liang Xiao.

“Liang Xiao! How dare you betray me?!” Situ Yinghao’s face darkened as he shouted at Liang Xiao, though his bravado belied his inner fear.

According to their plan, even if the deed was in Liang Xiao’s hands, the Sima family could use their influence to pressure him into selling the estate at a low price and ensure no further harassment of the Situ family. Having been slapped several times by Liang Xiao only fanned the flames of this conflict, making the takeover of the estate an inevitability.

But now, the estate had already been sold to Wang Teng, the most favored confidant of the emperor himself.

The nature of their confrontation had changed entirely.

As a palace eunuch, Wang Teng was notorious for his ruthless efficiency.

“Enough noise!” Wang Teng snapped sharply, then stepped in front of Situ Yinghao and raised his right hand.

“Smack!”

Two resounding slaps landed; Wang Teng winced in pain, holding his hand. “How can your face be thicker than the city walls? And you’ve injured my hand!”

Faced with Wang Teng’s relentless authority, the once arrogant Sima Lingyun and his companions wilted, unwilling to defy him.

“If I hadn’t asked Young Master Liang to keep watch first, who knows how much chaos this estate would have been thrown into by you!” Wang Teng seemed still unsettled, turning to Sima Lingyun. “General Sima, you were just promoted to the Northern Commander of this dynasty. You ought to understand your responsibilities and not allow your subordinates to break the law so flagrantly.”

Caught off guard, Sima Lingyun stammered, “Eunuch Wang, there must be some misunderstanding. Another day, I’ll bring them to personally apologize to you, alright?”

Wang Teng pointed at Tang Da and the others. “Situ Yinghao and Situ Luoyue have meritorious service at the border, so I’ll let them off this time. The rest, all thrown into prison!”

At this, Tang Da and his companions fell to their knees begging for mercy, while the Situ siblings grew desperate.

These had only just been assigned to them by the Sima family!

Sima Lingyun looked down at his lover, tears welling up, his heart breaking. He comforted her, “It’s alright. I’ll arrange another group for you later.”

Situ Luoyue dared not offend Wang Teng further; through tears, she agreed, glancing back at Liang Xiao with eyes filled with resentment.

It was all his doing—causing the Situ family to offend Wang Teng and lose so many valuable retainers!

The troublemakers Tang Da and the others were immediately taken away by the authorities.

Sima Lingyun and the siblings slunk away from the estate in disgrace.

Liang Xiao bowed deeply to Wang Teng. “Thank you, Eunuch Wang, for stepping in to uphold justice.”

Wang Teng said nothing. He ordered his guards to dress the wounds of Liang Xiao’s protectors and rewarded each with two taels of silver before turning to Liang Xiao with a smile of approval.

“Liang Xiao, Young Master Zhuo, I have matters to discuss with you both.”

Liang Xiao immediately sent his guards back to the residence and, together with Zhuo Zifang, sat down with Wang Teng.

“Liang Xiao, you played your cards well,” Wang Teng remarked with a knowing tone.

Liang Xiao merely smiled wryly. “Eunuch Wang, whatever do you mean?”

Wang Teng’s gaze lingered on the two, a hint of admiration in his voice.

“I’m no naive newcomer to the bureaucracy. You invited Young Master Zhuo to persuade me to intervene here to maintain order at this estate. Otherwise, even if your men suffered a little loss due to the Situ family’s disturbance, I could have turned a blind eye. At worst, they would apologize afterward. You were confident I would come forward.”

Liang Xiao and Zhuo Zifang remained silent, awaiting what came next.

Wang Teng was right.

Indeed, this was a case of driving out one tiger only for another to swallow the wolf.

The speed with which Zhuo Zifang had convinced Wang Teng was almost unfathomable.

That young man truly possessed an unyielding silver tongue.

“Your reasoning is sound, Young Master Zhuo. Since the Situ family has intermarried with the Sima family, they will inevitably become our political rivals. Rather than waiting for them to create trouble, it is better we give them a warning first, and in doing so, we earn you a favor.”

Liang Xiao quickly pledged, “I will remember this favor deeply.”

Experience breeds cunning. Wang Teng was a seasoned veteran of the political arena; he understood these dynamics perfectly and had taken the measure of Wang Teng accordingly.

“Of course, even if your suggestion is reasonable, I would not have intervened so readily otherwise,” Wang Teng shifted gears and sighed.

“What truly swayed me was the loyalty of the entire Zhuo family to the Duke of Zhongwu. They are devoted to the emperor, as am I.”

“I have long dwelled in officialdom, making many enemies for the sake of His Majesty, including these great aristocratic clans. Now, you have offended the ascendant Sima family and bought your official title through me… Ultimately, I am indispensable to you, and you are a rare asset to me. I hope our cooperation continues to be fruitful.”

With just a few words, Wang Teng made clear to Zhuo Zifang the mutual benefits of his persuasion, much to Liang Xiao’s relief.

As a palace eunuch, Wang Teng was no stranger to taking advantage of his position, much like the Sima family and other aristocratic clans who sold official posts and titles. Everyone had their share of dirty dealings; none were more virtuous than the others.

It was only a matter of who fell first and who was purged thereafter.

However, Wang Teng’s loyalty to Emperor Wu was genuine. After all, as a eunuch, all his power stemmed from imperial favor.

Using eunuchs as shields to balance against court ministers was the emperor’s stratagem.

Because the aristocratic families engaged in factional struggles, loyal officers, in order to serve the country through military means, would temporarily align themselves with powerful eunuchs. Conversely, eunuchs would promote such loyalists to please the emperor. This was not uncommon in the Wu Dynasty.

Only with stable imperial power could their own safety be guaranteed.

Emperor Wu was unwilling to openly offend the powerful aristocratic families for Liang Xiao’s sake, but Wang Teng was different—he had nothing to lose and was unfazed by troubles.

Unfortunately, this political veteran miscalculated one thing.

Liang Xiao, as the heir to the Duke of Zhongwu, had long since lost all hope in this corrupt dynasty.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Since Wang Teng treated him fairly, a temporary alliance was not out of the question.

Wang Teng studied the two young men before him. Noticing their calm composure throughout, he was impressed and spoke earnestly.

“Young Master Zhuo, you are truly talented. If you are willing to work with me, I can help you rise swiftly. In time, you could protect Liang Xiao as well.”

Zhuo Zifang cupped his fists in thanks. “I appreciate your kindness, Eunuch Wang, but I still need to gain experience. Going with Liang Xiao to manage Pei County is a perfect opportunity to prove myself.”

Wang Teng refrained from further undermining Liang Xiao and instead praised them.

“Great heroes emerge in their youth! I look forward to your future achievements. As long as you offer sufficient benefits, everything is negotiable.”

Back in the deep courtyard of the Liang residence, Zhuo Zifang glanced at Liang Xiao, who was silently pondering, his brow furrowed. Quickly, he offered comfort.

“Those who accomplish great deeds don’t sweat the small stuff. Once you achieve great success, learned scholars will defend your legacy.”

Liang Xiao smiled faintly.

“Zifang, it’s not a mental burden. Today’s events simply gave me new insights.”

Zhuo Zifang looked hopeful. “So you have other thoughts?”

Liang Xiao nodded quietly.