Wang Chong could discern from his big uncle’s expression what he was thinking of. To be honest, Wang Chong did not really like this big uncle of his. He tended to put on airs and often used his authority to put down his family members.
He always acted haughtily before Wang Chong’s parents and looked down on them.
Wang Chong did not like him, and Wang Chong also knew that he didn’t like him, his parents, his big brother, his second brother, his little sister… His entire family!
If possible, Wang Chong would rather have his big uncle never appear before him.
However, putting aside his hateful attitude, the Wang Family didn’t really have any conflict with him, needless to say, grudge.
Most of the time, everyone’s interests were aligned with one another.
Taking this incident for example, if Wang Chong’s father ended up falling for Yao Guang Yi’s ploy, not only will Wang Yan lose his official position, big uncle and the entire Wang Clan would be implicated by the matter as well.
Thus, even though big uncle hated his parents, he still rushed here anxiously. At such a timing, he wouldn’t rub salt into their wounds. Rather, he would try all means possible to help his father.
This was the truth of the Wang Clan. Even though there were a few dark dealings within, everyone came from the same bloodline and everyone was the descendant of the Wang Clan. They were operating on the same boat and if something happened, everyone would be affected.
Thus, regardless of whether Wang Chong liked this big uncle of his or not, as long as Wang Chong wanted to change the destiny of the Wang Clan, as well as the destiny of the Central Plains, Wang Chong needed to persuade his big uncle and receive his assistance.
“I’ve been acquainted with Ma Zhou for quite a period of time, and while I was hanging out with him, I treated him as a soulmate, treating him with my utmost sincerity. However, I never thought that he would betray me; he raped a lady under broad daylight and claimed that I was the one who ordered him to bring that lady to me. Eventually, I found out that he was under Yao Feng’s commands and he intentionally got close to me to do me in.”
Wang Chong said with an ‘indignant’ expression. At the same time, his mind was flying about the place, thinking of the words he should say:
“This was the first time I opened my heart to make some friends, and I didn’t expect that it would end like that!”
“To think that Ma Zhou was commanded by Yao Clan gongzi Yao Feng to do such a thing. I didn’t know that there was such a backstory. If so, it’s no wonder that you would head to the Vast Crane Pavilion to cause a ruckus.”
Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang nodded her head. She was a female and after marrying out, she could only be considered as half a member of the Wang Clan. As such, she didn’t really bother herself much with the affairs of the clan.
Wang Chong and Yao Feng’s conflict had been reported to the emperor, so it was natural she knew it, but she wasn’t aware that there was such a background to the matter.
“What’s your main point?”
Big Uncle Wang Gen said indifferently.
He already knew all of these earlier on, and that was including the background of Ma Zhou. He had investigated them properly after the matter happened, and if not for him blocking the matter, Wang Chong would have been arrested and locked in jail for the crime of raping a female civilian.
However, he didn’t say all of these.
Wang Gen wasn’t bothered about whether Wang Chong was a victim of the matter or not. It didn’t matter to him whether Yao Feng was the one who intended to inflict harm on Wang Chong first or not. He was only bothered that the uproar Wang Chong caused in the Vast Crane Pavilion and his beating up of Yao Feng had been reported by the Yao Clan’s Old Master to the emperor.
In this conflict, the interests of the Wang Clan had been adversely impacted!
This was what he was concerned with!
The ending was more important than the process!
This was also the reason why he angrily stomped to the Wang Family right after the meeting at the royal court ended. Whether Wang Chong was framed or not was not even of importance.
Sitting by the side, Madam Wang was listening into the matter with an embarrassed look. Her mouth moved, but she didn’t feel like it was her place to say anything at this point.
“It was after this matter that I woke up and realized that I had committed a lot of mistakes in the past.”
Wang Chong could discern the thoughts of Wang Gen, but he paid it no heed and continued on with his story.
Wang Zhu Yan and Wang Ru Shuang nodded their heads. They could sense Wang Chong’s changes, but they didn’t know the reason behind the change before this.
Wang Chong’s words were acceptable by them. Even though Wang Chong had suffered a setback in the hands of Ma Zhou, he was able to wake up before it was too late. This was something that for the Wang Clan to be delighted about.
Taking this into sight, Wang Chong was satisfied with the impact of his words and continued on:
“Yao Feng had treated me like this, and naturally, I was unsatisfied ending the matter just like this. Thus, I intentionally got close to him with the intention to deal with him so as to vent the hatred within. Just that, I didn’t expect that I would unintentionally overhear the news that Yao Guang Yi’s invitation to my father for a gathering at the Vast Crane Pavilion was actually a ploy to divide father from King Song!”
In the main hall, Wang Chong’s Big Uncle Wang Gen, Big Aunt Wang Ru Shuang, Uncle Li Lin, and Cousin Wang Zhu Yan’s bodies trembled. Even astonishment was reflected on Wang Chong’s mother’s face. Clearly, this was the first time they were hearing of the ‘truth’ behind Wang Chong’s matter.
Yao Feng had sent Ma Zhou to deal with Wang Chong, and Wang Chong was furious at him for that, so he ran over to look for Yao Feng to question him. But while doing so, he unintentionally overheard the shocking secret of the Yao Clan wanting to deal with the Wang Clan. This was a rational explanation that everyone here could accept.
If the Yao Clan had fallen because of this, it was truly the decree of fate. Yao Guang Yi’s loss wasn’t really that surprising anymore.
Taking their reactions into sight, Wang Chong nodded his head with satisfaction within. This was the excuse that he had squeezed his brain juice out to come up with.
If he had said that he had heard the news from some other scion that he hanged out with, big uncle would only think that it was luck on his part and that it had nothing to do with his own abilities.
However, if he had headed over to exact vengeance on Yao Feng and overheard the Yao Clan’s plan, this made the entire event different. ——At the very least, this was the result of ‘diligence’ on his part rather than sheer luck.
“… Yao Guang Yi is a cunning person, it was impossible for him to have any good intention at heart inviting father for a gathering. I knew that I had to mess up their meeting no matter what, but the Vast Crane Pavilion was tightly guarded by the experts of the Yao Residence. It was nearly impossible for outsiders to get in. Thus, considering that it was a nearly impossible task for me to barge in, I decided to work on Ma Zhou instead.”
Then, Wang Chong recounted what that had happened between him and Ma Zhou after that. Everyone knew of the matter with Ma Zhou, so there was no need for him to lie on that aspect.
“That makes sense. For you to be able to think of making use of that Ma Zhou, seems like you have some wits.”
Big Uncle Wang Gen nodded his head and offered a rare praise to Wang Chong.
Bizarre expressions appeared on the faces of Wang Chong’s big aunt, uncle, and cousin. On the other hand, Wang Chong’s mother was delighted.
Everyone knew that big uncle was an austere man who rarely smiled, needless to say, compliment others. Having married into the Wang Clan for so many years, this was the first time Madam Wang was hearing him compliment her own son.
Clearly, Wang Chong’s actions in the Vast Crane Pavilion had received his approval.
“Such a weird feeling!”
Wang Chong saw his cousin Wang Zhu Yan winking at him. He couldn’t help but find this situation amazing. From a long time ago, he and his big uncle shared a mutual dislike for one another and listening to the compliments of someone you dislike was a bizarre feeling.
Regardless, blood is thicker than water. They came from the same bloodline, and Wang Chong was still delighted to receive the approval of an elder. However, before Wang Chong could relish in the sensation, big uncle’s authoritative voice sounded once more:
“I won’t ask you about the matter in the Vast Crane Pavilion then. Since you were able to overhear about the matter in the Vast Crane Pavilion from Yao Feng, I reckon that it should have been the same for the matter of King Song summoning your father. However, what about the incident by the borders? Did you overhear that as well?”
“I have known Yao Guang Yi for many years, and I have crossed blows with him in the royal court multiple times. I understand his means and personality very well. Vast Crane Pavilion and King Song are both in the capital, and Yao Feng often walked to and fro the Vast Crane Pavilion, so it wasn’t really bizarre for you to happen to overhear a few things from him.”