Chapter 16: The Allure of Wealth

The early morning breeze could not dispel the sorrow of parting.

In front of the main gate of the Cao residence.

“Zining, come with me, please? Come with me, come with me!~” Cao Rong clung to Chen Cong’s arm, shaking it with a display of feminine frailty.

If no one mentioned it, who would have guessed that this very woman, who roared like a lioness from the east of the river, had just staged a dramatic scene at the Cuihong Brothel three days ago, catching her husband in the act?

Because of this, Chen Cong had become a public enemy of the pleasure district. He had even gotten Cao Cao and Cao Ang blacklisted from the brothel as well.

“Enough, I have business to attend to. Don’t make a fuss.”

“What business could you possibly have?” Cao Rong eyed Chen Cong warily, as if guarding against a thief. Suddenly, realization dawned on her.

She continued, “No way! If you won’t come with me, Zhihua will stay behind to keep an eye on you.”

Noticing the strange looks from bystanders, Chen Cong felt his dignity as a man was severely challenged. He raised an eyebrow and barked, “Go on! Don’t make trouble, I really have business to do.”

“Oh, Chen Zining, you dare shout at me!”

“…”

“You heartless man! You promised to marry me, yet every other day you—” Before she could finish, Chen Cong hurriedly covered Cao Rong’s mouth. If this woman kept blabbering, she would let all his secrets slip.

He could be careless about appearances in front of Cao Cao, but with Lady Ding present, he had to be more cautious about his reputation.

“Don’t shout. I’ll write you a poem later.”

“Bah, bah, bah!” Cao Rong pulled away with a disgusted face. “You? Write a poem? You can’t even—”

But this time, it wasn’t Chen Cong who stopped her, but herself. Her mother was watching nearby; she had nearly let something slip…

“Clouds think of her dress, flowers think of her face; spring breeze brushes the rail, dew glistens in grace. If not glimpsed atop the Jade Mountain, then surely met beneath the moon’s embrace at the Jade Terrace. What do you think?”

“Huh?” Cao Rong savored the lines, her beautiful eyes sparkling. If not for Lady Ding’s presence, she would have thrown herself into Chen Cong’s arms.

“Didn’t you last time—”

“That was then. I wanted to spend time with you as an ordinary man, but all I got was disdain. Enough of that, let me be honest: I am the Saint of Poetry of the Han!”

“Really?!”

Well, she believed it again. Chen Cong couldn’t understand why Cao Rong was so ready to trust him—it made tricking her feel a bit hollow.

“I really like your poems, so I’ll forgive you this time.” Cao Rong took out a jade pendant and pressed it into his hand. “But when you come back, you still owe me five more poems—no, ten, just like that one.”

Ouch! Toothache.

Indeed, being a literary genius was no easy fate.

Once you start, there’s no end.

As a proper modern university student, Chen Cong had nearly forgotten all three hundred Tang poems he’d memorized as a child. Where was he supposed to find another ten poems about beautiful women for her?

Should he recite “Goose, goose, goose” to pacify her?

Forget it.

At worst, he could spend some money and find someone to ghostwrite.

But he’d heard that ancient scholars were all rather stubborn—would this even work?

If only that good-for-nothing father-in-law of his was more capable, or had already produced a literary prodigy for a brother-in-law!

That would make things much easier…

Meanwhile, Cao Cao was cheerfully bidding farewell to Huang Zhong, discreetly slipping him a piece of silk where no one else could see.

“My lord?” Huang Zhong was puzzled.

Cao Cao shook his head, pointed at the silk, then drew his finger across his own throat in a slashing gesture.

Acting the part to the end.

If they openly separated the slaves rewarded by Dong Zhuo and left them in Luoyang, it would arouse suspicion. So, the group was actually mixed with many spies.

These people were all unstable elements and would have to be dealt with after leaving the city.

Huang Zhong understood, tightened his grip on his long blade, and nodded.

...

After sending off his family, Cao Cao turned to the Grand Tutor’s residence, using the excuse of handing over military affairs to stay a few more days.

As fate would have it, the new Commandant of Cavalry was Hua Xiong—what a curious twist.

Chen Cong, meanwhile, headed straight for Luoyang’s greatest gathering place for knights-errant.

......

......

Beyond the Upper Eastern Gate, the Heroes’ Tower.

The building stood three stories tall, grand and imposing. At the entrance stood a large stone inscribed: “Open the doors to welcome guests, gather heroes from all corners.”

Inside, it was much like any other tavern, except that most patrons carried weapons, each with a fierce, unfriendly look.

“Sir, the finest private room is on the second floor.”

“Waiter, I don’t want the second floor. I’d like to see your third floor.”

The waiter gave him a once-over: a gold crown upon his head, a jade belt at his waist—clearly a man of wealth and status.

Strangest of all was the large chest on his shoulder. From a corner peeking out, golden light dazzled the eyes.

Alone, unarmed, carrying a fortune in gold through the streets.

This was not someone to offend!

The waiter reached a quick decision, simply saying he would seek his master’s approval and slipped away.

Silence.

As Chen Cong entered the Heroes’ Tower, the previously lively main hall quickly quieted. The knights-errant all stopped their chatter, their hands drifting instinctively toward their weapons.

Men die for wealth as birds die for food; it has always been so.

If this place weren’t under Shi A’s protection, someone would have made a move long ago.

Chen Cong acted as though unaware of the tension, slung the chest onto a seat, and sat down at random.

He had nothing better to do—why not find some entertainment instead of waiting idly?

“Brother, mind if I share your table?”

The man in the bamboo hat gripped his sword and grinned. “Friend, would you mind parting with your fortune?”

Chen Cong leaned back. “Oh? So you make your living by robbing and killing, do you?”

The man shook his head with mock solemnity. “Not so. Gold and treasures belong to the worthy. I take from the rich and give to the people—I am an agent of Heaven's justice.”

Pfft!

Chen Cong couldn’t help but laugh.

Heroes’ Tower?

One could mistake this for a den of Black Song’s outlaws.

Looking around, he saw everyone wore an expression of “this is only right and proper.”

The stench—truly unbearable.

No wonder people said the so-called knights-errant of old were just bandits in sheepskin.

If you’re going to rob and kill, just admit it—why wrap yourself in a cloak of righteous justice?

Why?

Because standing on the moral high ground brings peace of mind!

Chen Cong simply opened the chest, revealing it brimming with gold, his gaze sweeping over each greedy face.

“If you all think the same way, then things become simple.”

The hall, already quiet, was now filled only with the sound of hurried breathing. Everyone was poised, ready to pounce and kill for the treasure.

Chen Cong smiled, unconcerned, and continued, “As the saying goes, a gentleman loves wealth but acquires it by proper means. Since fate has brought us together, you all want gold. As it happens, I want you.”

...What?

The knights-errant’s pupils shrank as if they’d seen a monster. Those farther away shrank their necks; those closer edged away. A chill seemed to pass over their backs.

Only the bamboo-hat man at Chen Cong’s table didn’t move. His gaze turned oddly coquettish.

“All right, no need to keep you guessing. The rules are simple: arm-wrestling. Whoever beats me can walk away with the chest. Whoever loses must kowtow, call me big brother, and obey my commands from now on. Line up—no one leaves—one by one!”

As soon as he finished, the bamboo-hat man leapt up, protesting, “Shameless! You go back on your word!”

What nonsense about going back on one’s word? Is he mad?

Chen Cong couldn’t be bothered. He walked over, slammed the man’s head—hat and all—onto the table.

Bang!

With a loud crash, the unlucky fellow’s head split open and he fell unconscious.

“Start lining up!”