A few grown men drinking alone was no fun.
Wu Hao, with his considerable influence, invited a troupe of exotic dancers from the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to entertain everyone with their performances.
In Mountain Chasing City, there weren't many nighttime entertainment options.
It was mostly just wine, meat, and women.
For the poor, a day of bliss consisted of drinking strong liquor, eating a few bites of pig ears, and then collapsing drunkenly onto their beds.
But for any Martial Practitioner or Martial Master, wine, meat, and women often came hand in hand.
The drinking went on until dawn, half-drunk and half-sober.
Everyone fell into a deep sleep in the Beast Taming Garden.
Tang Wen also decided not to go home. He found a mat, listened to the snoring around him, and promptly fell asleep.
"Open the door!"
"Open up! Is Tang Wen here?"
"The Gang Lord has ordered us to bring him along!"
At noon, the gate of the Beast Taming Garden was banged open by a squad of black-armored guards.
Wu Hao stepped out and recognized them as the Gang Lord's personal black-armored guards.
Instantly, he was fully awake.
He clasped his hands behind his back, signaling to Tang Wen behind him, and smiled:
"Brothers, what's the matter?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a hundred-tael silver note from his pocket.
With two fingers, he flicked it and swiftly tucked it into the chest armor of the black-armored guard in front of him.
The black-armored guard glanced at him and shouted:
"Who is Tang Wen? The Gang Lord has ordered us to bring Tang Wen to the Council Hall. If there's any resistance, he'll be taken down on the spot."
Everyone was stunned.
Involuntarily, their eyes turned to Tang Wen.
Tang Wen, who was rubbing his eyes, looked utterly confused: "Me? Wait, brother, I'm the Beast Tamer for the gang. Is the Gang Lord really looking for me? Could it be a case of mistaken identity?"
"That's right, it's you!"
The black-armored guards swarmed in and surrounded Tang Wen.
Wu Hao and the others didn't dare move.
These were the Gang Lord's personal guards.
Each one of them was at the level of a Martial Master.
If a conflict broke out,
Wu Hao and his men would die for nothing.
Once surrounded, the leader of the black-armored guards suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Think about what you did yesterday."
Tang Wen: "I ate, trained, and then went out drinking."
Wu Hao and his subordinates all nodded in agreement.
The black-armored guard remained expressionless: "Tell that to the Gang Lord. Take him away!"
Though they said "take him away," they were relatively polite, not using any force.
They merely surrounded Tang Wen symbolically and escorted him out.
Wu Hao hurried off in the direction of Elder Li's residence.
On the way, Tang Wen appeared both puzzled and calm, even attempting to ask a few questions.
However, perhaps because he didn't offer any silver notes,
the black-armored guards demonstrated the discipline of the Gang Lord's personal guards.
They didn't say a single word to him.
At the Blackwater Gang's headquarters, in the Council Hall.
Two deputy gang lords, three elders, and the Gang Lord were all present.
Deputy Gang Lord Lin immediately accused:
"Tang Wen, kneel and confess your crime!"
Tang Wen looked at him, his eyes filled with confusion.
Deputy Gang Lord Lin pressed on, applying more and more pressure.
Tang Wen kept retreating until he was backed into a corner. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "How do I confess? Why don't you show me how, Deputy Gang Lord Lin? Let me learn from you!"
"You're asking for death!"
"Enough! Old Lin!"
The Gang Lord's deep voice rang out.
Deputy Gang Lord Lin paused mid-step and quickly stepped back.
The Gang Lord looked at Tang Wen, his dark eyes seemingly able to see through a person's soul.
Tang Wen didn't dare meet his gaze and respectfully lowered his head, clasping his fists in salute.
The Gang Lord said calmly, "Tang Wen, tell me everything you did yesterday, no detail too small."
"Huh?" Tang Wen looked utterly bewildered, at a complete loss.
Vice Leader Zhao's face darkened. "What are you all standing around for?!"
"Alright! Esteemed leaders, please listen."
Tang Wen wore an expression of resolve.
The people present had varied expressions.
This operation had encountered an unexpected mishap.
As a Beast Tamer, Tang Wen knew he would inevitably be suspected.
Moreover, he had only recently joined the Blackwater Gang.
There might be some hidden background or secrets.
Therefore, it was highly likely that he would be pulled aside and interrogated.
Anticipating this, Tang Wen had already prepared a countermeasure in his mind:
"Yesterday morning, I woke up and put on a pair of black boxer shorts.
I then wore a black training robe over them.
First, I went to the restroom for about fifteen minutes.
Then I washed my hands with floral-scented soap..."
"Enough! What nonsense are you spouting in front of the Gang Lord? Clearly, you have something to hide," Vice Leader Lin interjected.
Tang Wen glanced at him and retorted loudly, "What nonsense? Does Vice Leader Lin not wash his hands after using the restroom?"
As he spoke, he gave a look of disdain.
He pinched his nose with his right hand!
The senior members turned their gaze toward Vice Leader Lin, their eyes tinged with slight disgust.
Although they sometimes didn't wash their hands either.
"You're the one who doesn't wash! I—"
"Old Lin!" Vice Leader Zhao stopped him again, then turned to Tang Wen. "We asked you to elaborate, but there's no need to mention washing hands after using the restroom."
Tang Wen, looking aggrieved, continued:
"After training for a while, I got hungry and went to the kitchen to instruct the maid on cooking."
Just as he said this.
Vice Leader Lin sneered, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Tang Wen, as if insulted, jumped up and said:
"The dish I instructed her to make was shrimp tofu.
First, take a block of tofu, peel both sides, and cut it into eighteen small pieces, then let it dry.
Heat it with lard and sprinkle a bit of salt.
After flipping it, add a cup of tiger bone and deer antler wine, along with eighteen large shrimp..."
The vice leaders and elders were stunned.
At first, they thought Tang Wen was playing dumb.
You, a Beast Tamer, know how to cook?
What kind of man knows how to cook?
That's servant's work.
But having been in high positions for many years, even if they weren't experts in eating, drinking, and whoring, they had picked up some knowledge of cooking over time.
As Tang Wen went into more and more detail, "hearing about the slow simmering,"
they actually began to feel the urge to taste the dish.
The Gang Lord frowned. Why hadn't he ever tried this dish?
He interrupted, "Enough! Although there were some troublemakers during yesterday's operation,
overall, it was a success.
You performed well in taming the beasts, so you should be rewarded!
But before that,
I have something to ask you."
Tang Wen's heart tightened. He knew this question might not only determine whether he would be rewarded but could even decide his life or death.
He immediately focused all his attention and clasped his fists. "Please ask, Gang Lord."
The Gang Lord's eyes gleamed slightly as he spoke word by word:
"Since joining the gang, why have you always been wearing a disguise?"
This!
Tang Wen hadn't expected this question.
He knew the disguise was a potential issue.
He had planned to reveal his true face after seclusion.
He hadn't anticipated the Gang Lord would expose him now.
Tang Wen leaned back slightly, not hiding his surprise.
"You little bastard, let's see how you explain this!" Vice Leader Lin sneered darkly.
The others also looked displeased.
Elder Li and Vice Leader Zhao frowned as well.
Not daring to show one's true face.
Either you're hiding from something, or you have a dark secret.
Judging from Tang Wen's demeanor, it was clear that he had indeed disguised himself.
Unexpectedly, Tang Wen raised his head, his voice tinged with surprise:
"Is this what the Gang Lord wishes to ask?"
He continued, "This subordinate did indeed apply a disguise to his face."
"Well! He admits it." Deputy Gang Lord Lin, seated in his chair, slapped his thighs repeatedly. "Gang Lord, it seems the traitor who leaked our gang's actions is him."
By all accounts, someone of Deputy Gang Lord Lin's age and status should not be so impatient.
But those familiar with him knew that Old Lin had always been this way.
For him, not being hasty or rash would be abnormal.
Tang Wen paid him no mind and spoke casually, "The Gang Lord asked why I disguised my appearance. There's no need for me to explain. Bring a basin of water, and once I wash my face, everyone will understand naturally."
(End of Chapter)