Chapter 36: Dying For A Cause Training Class Begins Seeking Monthly Tickets
Old Zhu had just reached the doorway of Zhu Yunteng’s side hall when a strong smell of alcohol hit him.
Inside the hall, it was a mess.
Food containers were overturned on the floor, with greasy pig’s head meat and several delicate side dishes scattered everywhere.
Several palace maids and eunuchs stood by helplessly, wanting to advise but not daring to approach.
On the floor inside the hall sat a half-grown youth, Zhu Yunteng himself.
He was also wearing mourning clothes, but his front was wide open, and his sleeves were rolled up high, stained all over with grease and alcohol.
His eyes were hazy, his cheeks flushed, clearly having drunk a lot. He mumbled incoherently, “Fake! It’s all fake! The pig’s head meat in the palace is fake. It doesn’t taste good at all! You liars.”
“Your Highness Yunteng!”
Consort Lü let out a scream, her voice changing pitch, as she tried to snatch the wine jar from his hand.
“Get lost!”
Zhu Yunteng, drunk, flung his arm, with considerable force, almost causing Consort Lü to stumble.
He let out a loud belch and, with bleary eyes, scanned his surroundings, only then suddenly seeing Old Zhu at the doorway, his face ashen, like a wrathful god descending!
Zhu Yunteng shivered all over, his drunkenness seeming to have half sobered up!
At this moment, the wine jar in his hand also fell to the ground with a ‘clatter’.
His face instantly turned as pale as paper, a great fear gripping him. His lips trembled, wanting to say something, but not a single word came out, only the sound of his chattering teeth.
Old Zhu stood there, motionless.
In the twilight, his face, not exactly handsome, showed no hint of joy or anger, only a chilling coldness that seemed bottomless.
He looked at the overturned food and wine on the floor, at Zhu Yunteng’s grease-stained body and his eyes filled with fear and despair, and then at Zhu Yunwen standing tall beside him, his eyes clear despite his red-rimmed eyes.
A immense disappointment and cold wrath gnawed at his heart like a viper.
This was Biao’er’s other son?
While Father King had just passed away, the nation mourned, Imperial Grandfather was heartbroken, and he was feasting and drinking amidst mourning clothes?!
Waste!
Good-for-nothing!
Incapable of achievement!
He couldn’t even be bothered to look at Zhu Yunteng again, as if another glance would soil his eyes.
His icy gaze swept over the terrified Consort Lü, then settled on Zhu Yunwen, the hope and resolve in his eyes firmer than ever.
There were no reprimands, no roars, not even a spoken word.
Old Zhu simply turned and left, extremely slowly, with a heavy weariness and indifference.
Consort Lü watched Old Zhu’s resolute retreating back, then looked at Zhu Yunteng slumped on the ground like mud, a faint smile briefly flickered at the corners of her mouth before she let out a mournful cry, “Yunteng!”
Immediately after, her body swayed, almost fainting.
Zhu Yunwen quickly stepped forward to support his mother. He looked at his dejected brother on the ground and then in the direction Old Zhu had disappeared. He tightly pursed his lips, but a flicker of disdain crossed his eyes.
He knew he had won completely.
No one could stop him from ascending that position; Zhu Yunteng couldn’t, nor could his uncles.
On the other side, Zhang Biao had just returned from buying some daily necessities from the street, preparing to arrange his shabby official residence.
After all, he would be living there frequently, and it wasn’t comfortable to live too shabbily.
Moreover, he wanted to try something he had never experimented with before.
That was, to change inanimate objects in this world, like tables and chairs, benches, and see if they would disappear when he returned each time.
Just like the people in this world, who didn’t remember he had died.
If the experiment succeeded, he could revive in a better house in the future.
If the experiment failed, then he wouldn’t bother with the fuss.
After all, no matter how he struggled, it would still be the shabby official residence of a Seventh Rank minor censor.
“Brother Biao!”
Just as Zhang Biao was carrying his bags and about to enter, Censor Shen’s voice from next door suddenly called out from behind him.
“Brother Shen?”
Zhang Biao was taken aback, still not quite used to it.
Before, this guy had always called him ‘Brother Zhang’. Ever since he helped him get back his owed salary from Old Zhu and redeemed his jade pendant for ten taels of silver, Shen had become exceptionally close to Zhang Biao, even changing his form of address.
He then heard Shen walk over with a smile, asking Zhang Biao conspiratorially, “Brother Biao, how about I treat you tonight?”
“Heh, an unsolicited favor means something is up! You’re either plotting something or selling something!”
Zhang Biao smiled, “Just say what you have to say!”
“Hehe, it’s just that I heard your profound words that day and found them very insightful! You haven’t been to court these past two days, and people in the office have been asking about you, so…”
“So you’ve become a social butterfly?”
“What’s a social butterfly?” Shen Lang looked confused.
Zhang Biao waved his hand indifferently, “That’s not important! Where are they?”
“You’re still the best, Brother Biao. They’re at Qing Ya Ju!”
Shen Lang blurted out, but quickly realized something was wrong, and looked surprised, “No, Brother Biao, how did you know?”
“With your shabby appearance, you’re going to treat me to dinner?”
Zhang Biao shot Shen Lang a look, then waved his hand, “Time waits for no man! Let’s go!”
“But… alright. This way, please.”
Soon, Shen Lang led Zhang Biao to a secluded teahouse west of the city.
“They’re here, they’re here! Lord Zhang is here!”
As soon as the teahouse door was pushed open, someone shouted, and the crowd immediately erupted.
“Lord Zhang! You’re finally here!”
“Censor Zhang, my family can barely make ends meet…”
“Zhang Jianxian, save us!”
The teahouse was packed with a crowd.
All of them were in green Seventh Rank and Eighth Rank official robes.
They all had sallow complexions and puffy eyes.
But their eyes emitted a nearly fanatical light, all staring at the doorway.
At the front of the crowd were the Fat Censor who had offered to buy Zhang Biao a coffin, several clean-handed Hanlin scholars from the neighboring Hanlin Academy, and several low-ranking officials from the Six Ministries who were clerks and directors.
There were at least dozens of them.
Zhang Biao looked at the faces filled with poverty before him and felt the overwhelming desire for survival emanating from them. His sense of mission instantly surged.
These weren’t just poor colleagues!
These were potential clients!
They were the best advertisement for promoting the “Dying for a Cause Training Class”!
Once these people were trained, more and more people would seek him out for training.
And then, hehe…
I don’t believe Old Zhu can still tolerate not killing me!
“Ahem!”
Zhang Biao cleared his throat, straightened his back, and instantly adopted a solemn expression befitting an industry leader.
He spoke loudly, with full of vigor, “Fellow colleagues! Please be patient! Listen to my words!”
Whoosh!
The entire place instantly fell silent!
Dozens of pairs of eyes stared intently at him, as if listening to a divine decree.
“Demanding salary is a science!”
Zhang Biao raised a finger, his gaze sharp as he swept over everyone, “It’s even more of a technical skill! It requires the right time, the right place, and the right people! And—”
He paused deliberately, then shifted his gaze to Shen Lang.
Shen Lang immediately understood and straightened his posture, adding, “And eloquence!”
“Precisely!”
Zhang Biao showed a look of a teachable student, then scanned the crowd again, beginning to impart his “Dying for a Cause Success Studies.”
“Firstly! Timing is most important!”
Zhang Biao’s voice suddenly rose, “You must pick a time when the Emperor is in the most complicated mood!”
“Zhang Jianxian, when is the Emperor in the most complicated mood?” the Fat Censor couldn’t help but ask.
Zhang Biao glanced at him and said, “For example, after the Emperor has just heard your wild talk about the princes rebelling, the official salary system being trash, and the Great Ming being finished, and he’s so angry he wants to execute you, but also thinks there might be some truth to it, and is holding back his anger with nowhere to release it!”
“?”
“Yes! Don’t doubt it, it’s exactly that time!”
Zhang Biao’s eyes were firm and unquestionable, “Immediately pull out your account book and cry to him about your hardships. Ah! Your Majesty, your humble servant doesn’t even have the strength to die for a cause! I’m starving to death! If you don’t give me something to eat, just give me a quick death! The effect will be twice as good with half the effort!”
“Hiss—!”
A collective gasp of cold air arose from below.
The lower-ranking capital officials, Hanlin scholars from the Hanlin Academy, and directors from various yamen were all stunned.
So Lord Zhang first stabbed the Emperor in the heart and then cried poverty?
This maneuver… was too audacious!
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