Chapter 6: The Strange Servant's Gloomy Errand

  After finishing speaking, he put down the water bucket and picked up the broom to sweep the floor. His good intentions were misunderstood as arrogance. Wang Tong was a bit angry and said to him:

  "Kindly helping out, where did all these rubbish words come from? Give me the broom, or else I'll pretend I didn't say this!"

  The old man looked Wang Tong up and down, discovering that this Jin Yiwei was tall and sturdy, but had a childish face, and couldn't help but chuckle, handing the broom in his hand over to him.

  A thirteen-year-old, no matter how robust, is still just a doll-faced kid, which was also Wang Tong's helplessness.

  Taking over the tools, Wang Tong moved with practiced ease to sweep up. As a father-son duo dependent on each other for survival, he had started doing household chores from a young age, not to mention his modern experiences.

  "Old man, at your age, let the young people do these heavy tasks... it's not easy for you either..."

  The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the streets were very quiet. Wang Tong's mood was unusually relaxed, and he chatted idly as he worked. The old man didn't respond, but instead used a wooden ladle to scoop water from the bucket and sprinkle it around.

  After finishing sweeping here, the servant at home took over the broom and nodded, without saying thank you, and went straight in and closed the door again.

  It was still a good intention to help, how did he get such treatment? Wang Tong almost cursed out loud, but still endured it. After all, this was the front door of the hundred households, and the old man might have a strange temper. Besides, helping wasn't for his thanks anyway.

  Yesterday, as soon as he arrived, he was taken to the Western City Administration Office. Today, he came early and waited, but Wang Tong only realized that he had come too early when he finished sweeping the floor. He stood for nearly half a watch before the first person who came to report for duty finally arrived.

  The sun has risen high, and the front of the Tianbaihu Gate is also bustling with people gathering gradually, despite everyone wearing flying fish robes and carrying embroidered spring knives, military attire, but without any discipline, each scattered and extremely casual, three or five gathered there chatting and discussing family matters, neighborhood gossip, if you close your eyes, you might mistake this place for a market.

  Wang Tong stood silently in the corner, from a young age his father rarely let family and colleagues interact with each other. Among these people, except for Zhang Shiqiang standing beside him, two others had also been to Macau, so they were acquaintances. However, after seeing Wang Tong, their expressions were very cold, without any intention of greeting him.

  At first there were still some people staring at Wang Tong and making a few comments, but later everyone ignored this newcomer and chatted and laughed to themselves.

  When almost everyone had gathered, General Liu Xinyong arrived on horseback, and the burly man followed closely behind.

  Their status is different, and the treatment they receive is naturally completely different. As soon as Liu Xinyong appeared, most of the Jin Yiwei who arrived were smiling and greeting him loudly, and General Liu Xinyong also smiled and nodded in response, showing great prestige.

  No matter how leaders treat you, as a subordinate, you must always smile and face them. Wang Tong, who naturally understands this principle, is thriving in the modern workplace.

  He could smile and fawn on a superior who would come to grab his family property even after his father's death, and take away his home as well.

  Wang Tong raised his head, his face devoid of any smile, and gazed coldly ahead, only to meet Liu Xinyong's gaze directly. The smile on Liu Xinyong's face froze at that moment.

  Wang Tong lowered his head, and Liu Xinyong's face was smiling again, continuing to nod and greet others.

  The general flag has fifty people, is the deputy of the hundred households. Liu Xinyong's timing for coming over here was just right. After he finished calling out, the large gate of Tian Baohu's residence creaked open and Tian Baohu walked out.

  The noisy gate immediately quieted down, Liu Xinyong had already dismounted his horse and bowed respectfully:

  "See Lord Baihu, Lord Baihu is well."

  Tian Ronghao stood in front of the door and swept his gaze over his subordinates, his eyes inadvertently lingering on Wang Tong for a brief moment before he raised his voice to say:

  "The emperor's benevolence is vast and profound; all of you should be diligent in your duties and carefully maintain your positions."

  "Awesome!!"

  "Did you have something on yesterday?"

  "It's nothing!"

  "Everything is normal today!"

  "Obey the adult's orders!"

  It was all a very ritualized ceremony, Wang Tong mechanically followed the crowd and bowed to answer, just a few words, Tian Baihu's personal attendant led him to his horse, and Tian Baihu rode away.

  As soon as the superior left, everyone started making a fuss again, surrounding Liu Xinyong, who was now in the highest position, and chatting with him. Before long, they all dispersed.

  They said they had something to do on duty, but eight or nine out of ten were just strolling around for fun. As for the ones who stayed behind, there were only Wang Tong and Zhang Shijiang. "Isn't this an icebox?" Wang Tong muttered, leaving Zhang Shijiang confused.

  Two people walked silently to a small, independent courtyard house. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary residence, but upon entering, they found that the layout was somewhat different. The ground of the small yard was paved with stone slabs, and the partitions between the main hall and the living room had been removed. In the corner were some half-used weapons, and in the center of the main hall was a square table with several wooden stools.

  Wang Tong remembered that he had been to a similar place with his father before, which was where the various hundred officials of the Brocade Guard worked under their command. However, the conditions here were simple and crude, and except for the occasional visit from a high-ranking official, no one wanted to stay here.

  Left to wait on standby, they had nothing to do. Zhang Shijiang was a taciturn person, and the two of them stared at each other with nothing to say, it was really boring.

  Although there are still several hundred taels of silver stored at home, and life is not worrying, but staying here, without any contact with the outside world, I'm afraid that if we continue to stay, nothing will ever change. It's really being put in cold storage here. When the time comes, they'll find some fault with you, even if they don't let you go, you'll have to leave on your own initiative.

  Wang Tong thought so in his heart, but didn't show it, and even took the initiative to help Zhang Shiqiang clean up the yard.

  Fortunately, it was soon lunchtime, and going back to eat naturally saved money. The two of them returned to their respective homes, walking out of the small courtyard, Wang Tong let out a sigh of relief, feeling stifled inside.

  This side is not far from his home mansion, walking out of the alley and onto that street full of shops, heading east along the street will take you back home.

  The weather was cold, but the sun was good at noon, and there were quite a few people on the street. Wang Tong walked among them, feeling much more comfortable than he had in the desolate morning.

  In modern times, Wang Tong came to Beijing many times for various reasons and naturally knew that the house prices near the Forbidden City, now known as the Palace Museum, were staggering. The price of a quadrangle courtyard had reached hundreds of millions, and there was no market for it.

  It was completely different during Wanli's reign. Not to mention the scale of the Forbidden City, which was much larger than it is today, but also the real estate near the Imperial City was not as valuable.

  For example, in Wang Tong's two-story courtyard, standing in the yard can see the towering city wall of the Imperial City behind, of course, there is still a distance from the foot of the city wall, but it is just separated by several rows of houses.

  Of course, there is a piece of open space between the residential area and the city wall, where soldiers often patrol. The east, west, and north sides are all protected by moats, but not this side.

  The Wang family's mansion would not have been able to sell for a good price if it weren't for the many shops on the adjacent street. Firstly, the palace walls were too high and blocked out the sunlight, secondly, there were often soldiers and horses passing by, and at night it was too noisy.

  If this place were in modern times, it would be sold for a sky-high price. Every day, you can see the Forbidden City so new and shiny. Wang Tong walked while thinking wildly, his depressed mood improved a lot.

  Thank you everyone