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Chapter 460
The Huang Family was not on good terms with the Kuai Family and the Cai Family. However, they still needed to show their face as they weren’t full blown enemies yet. Huang Zu himself was not able to attend but he was still able to send Huang She. Following Huang She was the two brothers Huang Kai and Huang Chen.
“So it is Huang She. Is your father not here?” Cai Mao nodded and asked. There were two military groups in Jingzhou. One was the Huang Family and the other was the Cai Family.
“My father wants to come personally but there was not enough time for him to do so. Besides that, the situation at the border is not that peaceful. So he had me come to give his congratulations in his place!” After Huang She failed to assassinate Liu Mang, he became afraid that his actions of secretly mobilizing the troops would be exposed. The punishment for this would be death. So he ran all the way to Changsha where people won’t come after him as long as the Huang Family did not betray Liu Biao.
This time, he returned not just to congratulate Kuang Liang. He returned because he had become impatient and had not heard any news of his actions being exposed.
“It is not peaceful again?” Cai Mao asked. As Huang Zu was currently stationed at Changsha, it would mean that the Wuxi barbarians were attacking. Naturally, Cai Mao was not worried about Huang Zu himself. In fact, he would be celebrating if Huang Zu was killed in action. If Huang Zu is dead, the Jingzhou Army would become his. He did not consider Wen Pin and Zhuge Liang at all. Even though Wen Pin was currently the commander, he had no governing privileges and their provisions all still came from Jingzhou. Once Jiangxia is stable again, he and Zhuge Liang would be recalled and replaced. In short, Wen Pin and Zhuge Liang were only doing a part time job while Huang Zu and Cai Mao had actual shares in this business.
Cai Mao frowned at the fact that the barbarians attacked because this gave Huang Zu an excuse to ask for provisions. As Cai Mao was the one managing this, it meant digging provisions out of his own pocket.
“Sirs. There is no need to discuss military matters at the entrance! Today is a joyful day for Kuai Liang. Do you want to discuss important things here?” One man spoke up. This person held a walking stick and wore simple clothes. His gift was just a calligraphy scroll. Yet, nobody dared to belittle him. This man, was Pang Degong.
“Lord Pang!” Huang She and Cai Mao quickly bowed towards the man. This was not just because of the man’s fame. Huang She may bowed respectfully because of the man’s seniority in age. On the other hand, Cai Mao was roughly the same age as Pang Degong. He bowed because Pang Degong was the representative of the Lumen Academy.
The Lumen Academy was like the best university for Jingzhou. All of their graduates become officials. Even the weaker graduates could become first class military officers while the better students could end up like Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang. The ones that don’t have jobs are the ones that failed in their studies or were simply not in the mood to find a job. As Pang Degong’s was as influential as Liu Biao in Jingzhou, Cai Mao bowed halfway.
“Pang Degong is also here?” Liu Mang stared blankly. They had never invited Pang Degong. Although Pang Degong and Liu Biao were people with prestige, they were not invited. For Liu Biao, he would not be able to participate because as a Lord, he would restrain the others present. The leading role would be stolen from the couple being wed and Liu Biao would become the main focus. On the other hand, Liu Mang invited Pang Tong but Pang Degong ended up showing up as well.
“Haha! Chen Kang. This old one came uninvited. I am sure your master wouldn’t mind!” Pang Degong said. He had good memory and was able to remember Chen Kang’s name.
“No of course not! In fact, my master would greet you personally had he been aware that you were coming!” Pang Degong was so well known that even Chen Kang panicked a little when talking to him.
“That is good! Come! Accept this old one’s calligraphy. It is unpresentable but please accept it as a congratulatory gift!” Pang Degong said as the youth beside him presented the scroll. This youth was Pang Shanmin.
This was Pang Degong’s handwriting. Pang Degong stopped writing as much after he became old so the calligraphy of a person as reputable as him became valuable. When Chen Kang received the scroll, he saw a lot of words of encouragement on it. Altogether, the entire scroll was invaluable.
“Military Advisor. Lord Pang has arrived.”
“I know.” Pang Tong frowned from his hiding spot as he wondered why his uncle was present. Pang Degong was usually aloof and would not move even if he was invited. Yet now he turned up uninvited.
Liu Mang was also surprised by this. Although the two wondered why Pang Degong was here, the man was simply here to pave a way for his son.
After thinking for a long time, Pang Degong was convinced that Pang Shanmin could no longer live under his wing. Although Pang Shanmin was doing well now, what would happen after Pang Degong was gone? It was not possible for him to shelter Pang Shanmin forever. There was also the matter with Tang Yun. Eventually, Pang Shanmin would end up having a falling out with Pang Tong and Pang Tong is not one to take opposition kindly. Pang Degong did not want the two to start fighting but he still needed to protect his son or he would end up having an early reunion with his son in the afterlife.
As a result, Pang Degong came to the Kuai Family’s celebration to help Pang Shanmin find a career.
“Military Advisor. Should we go with them?” Pang Tong’s subordinate asked.
“No need.” Pang Tong replied as he continued to watch. He did not receive any information that Pang Degong wanted to come. On top of that, it would have been better if Pang Degong came together with him but instead, Pang Degong disregarded him. “Uncle. Is this really good?”
“Has the Fake King Liu Mang set out?” Pang Tong asked. He wanted to rope in the nobles and form a connection with the Kuai Family. One of the prerequisite for that is that Liu Mang had to be absent.
“Don’t worry! The Fake King would definitely not be able to leave the inner Xiangyang district!” Pang Tong’s subordinate replied confidently.
“Then it is good!” Pang Tong nodded and continued to wait as insurance.
Meanwhile, Liu Mang felt that something was odd and asked. “Jia Xu. Did you notify Zhou Cang and Guan Hai?” He intended for the both of them to join him for this celebration since the two of them had been staying indoors for quite a while.
“Milord. I have already sent people to notify them!” Jia Xu replied. He also thought that something was odd as those two had been given an invitation by Chen Shen’s men as well. Based on the time, the two of them should have already arrived.
Little did they know that Zhou Cang and Guan Hai were stuck. They intended to take a carriage but the entire street was filled with people. Even walking would have been a difficult task so their carriage was not able to move at all. They were stuck in the world’s first traffic jam.
“Forget it. If they come, tell them to wait for me at the backyard!” Liu Mang shook his head. He planned for them to come so that they could enjoy themselves for a moment but it looks like they would miss this chance.
“Understood.” Jia Xu nodded and the two went to the backyard.
“Seems like the Fake King Liu Mang would not be here.” Pang Tong said to himself as he looked at the time. All the ones that should be present were already here and anybody that still wasn’t here would probably be absent. It was getting dark and the feast was about to start.
“Let’s go!” Pang Tong sneered as he thanked Liu Mang for gathering the nobles for the sake of others.