Chapter 3: Tian Baiwu's Quick Wit

  After eating a few mouthfuls of food, Wang Tong put on his mourning clothes and knelt beside the coffin, where he thanked the guests for their condolences. This has been the custom since ancient times.

  At the entrance, the usher loudly announced the names of the guests as they came in to pay their respects. Wang Tong knelt on the grass mat with a wooden expression, kowtowing and returning the courtesy. Without the silver left by his father, without this mansion, how long could he survive? Would he have to go to the blacksmith's shop? But if the other party had schemed to take away their family property, would they still let him wander outside and become a future trouble?

  The sorrow of his father's passing was overwhelmed by fear and worry, and with great difficulties ahead, Wang Tong thought about how to avoid them and survive.

  King Li's prestige is mighty, he dominates the streets, but King Li is still a kind-hearted person, on this street he never bullies people with his power, instead often helps others with what little strength he has, and Wang Tong doesn't cause trouble either.

  The father and son had a good reputation on this street, so when Wang Li died of illness, the funeral parlor was set up, and the first to come were some neighbors from the same street. Those who came in to pay their respects all sighed and comforted with a few words. Seeing Wang Tong's absent-minded appearance, they didn't think much of it. Although Wang Tong was mature for his age, he was still just a child after all, and it was inevitable that he would be dazed by such an event.

  It wasn't long before the neighbors stopped coming over, because Wang Li's colleagues from the Imperial Guard had arrived. Wang Li was a kind and honest man, but it couldn't be said of the others, so it was better to avoid them early on.

  "Brother Tian Ronghao, Commander of the Imperial Guard and Director of the Hundred Households, and Brother Liu Xinyong, Commander of the General Flag, have arrived with their entourage to pay their respects!!"

  This white-clad person who sang the dirge was just a rough fellow from the streets, yet he could speak such refined and elegant official language; it's really quite rare. However, his voice did tremble slightly, probably due to extreme fear.

  At this time, the mourning hall was empty and there was no one on this side. The two men in charge of taking care of the mourning hall and leading guests had all hidden themselves away. "The common people are like pigs and sheep, while those in power are like tigers and wolves" - this saying isn't just an empty phrase.

  The sound of footsteps was dense, and a group of people had already walked into the mourning hall. Although Wang's house was old, it was once a wealthy family's mansion, with spacious halls and courtyards. Even with so many people coming in, it didn't feel too crowded.

  Tian Ronghao, this name Wang Tong had heard from his father's side, was exactly his father Wang Li's immediate superior. As soon as he entered the door, he didn't even bother to look around and said in a hoarse voice:

  "Thank you all for your concern."

  Then he bowed his head in return, but Tian Ronghao was a dark-faced robust man with not many whiskers on his face, looking lean and mean. When he entered the house from outside, this superior officer came to pay his respects, but the courtyard was empty and there was no one to greet him, which made him somewhat displeased. However, seeing the spirit tablet in front of him also made him feel a little sentimental. He went forward and lit an incense stick, sighed and said to the people behind him:

  "Wang Li is a kind-hearted person, what a pity."

  A chorus of assenting voices rose up behind him, and as he heard them praising his own father, Wang Tong's tears flowed out uncontrollably. Tian Baihou's attention turned to him, saying:

  "What business are you in now, Wang Tong?"

  Jinyiwei originally had the function of intelligence gathering and investigation, so it's not surprising that Tian Baihu can say these things. Wang Tong raised his head and said respectfully:

  "In response to your question, Wang Tong is thirteen years old this year and has no occupation."

  Wang Tong's response was so proper that Tian Baiyu couldn't help but appreciate it, and upon hearing the words "thirteen years old", he jumped in fright and couldn't help but say:

  "He's grown so big and tall, just like a grown-up."

  However, when Wang Tong looked up, he saw a group of people behind Tian Ronghao and couldn't help but feel shocked in his heart. The two people they had met on the road earlier were actually among them. It turned out that "Liu Tou" was Liu Xinyong, the chief flag bearer, and beside him stood the burly man.

  There were over a dozen people in the Jin Yiwei who came together, some with expressionless faces and others with a hint of sadness. However, these two individuals did not show any signs of mourning, instead whispering to each other and looking around. The king's expression seemed familiar, just like the real estate agents evaluating house values nowadays.

  That hundred households this time came, just to satisfy his superior's heart, he also didn't have any interest in continuing to stay here, turned his head and said to his subordinate:

  "You also burn a stick of incense, if you have some silver coins on you, give a share..."

  Everyone nodded in unison, stepped forward one by one. Wang Tong hesitated for a moment, bowed his head according to the rules, and his forehead kept knocking against the grass mat, but his mind was racing.

  Wang Li's wife died young, and his child Wang Tong was precocious. He often brought back some anecdotes and stories from the Jin Yiwei guards to tell his son, who would sometimes come up with a few silly opinions that made him laugh. This was also a happy time for the father-son duo.

  These not warm stories, now clearly floating in Wang Tong's mind, usurping family property and driving out the widowed mother and orphan, such stories also exist, but what follows is not the widowed mother and orphan taking revenge, but rather these people who usurped the family property taking drastic measures to eliminate them.

  If you act recklessly like wearing brocade and wielding a sword, if you want to plot against the property of your deceased colleagues, you will definitely be more ruthless in the end, and you will inevitably be silenced.

  Wang Tong looked up at Liu Xinyong and the person next to him, their faces filled with greed, which further confirmed his thoughts.

  He was lost in thought, Tian Ronghao and his group finished worshiping and burning incense, nodded at him, turned around and were about to leave, just as they were about to walk out of the hall, Wang Tong suddenly reacted and shouted loudly:

  "Master Tian, please wait a moment, my late father has something to return to you!!"

  Baihutian Ronghao suddenly turned around, Wang Tong didn't care about the mourning attire on his body, hastily stood up and quickly said:

  "Just now I was dazed and almost forgot this matter, please wait a moment, sir."

  Tian Ronghao's face was shocked, he and Wang Li didn't have much of a relationship, how could there be something to return? Tian Baihu's followers, Liu Xinyong and his companions, exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised. If it were an old friend of the hundred households, it would be difficult to take action on the plot, but they had never heard of it before, so they just took a look.

  Wang Tong hastily ran back to his bedroom, opened the secret compartment under his father's bed, pulled out a small wooden box, took out the key from his body and unlocked it, revealing the neatly stacked gold bars and the flintlock pistol placed on top.

  After a glance at the short gun, Wang Tong quickly threw the gun and several gold bars into the secret compartment, picked up the box and turned around to run towards the main hall.

  In this era, being a Brocade Guard is an existence that transcends the law. To protect oneself and live a better life, becoming one of them is the best way.

  When Wang Tong rushed back to the mourning hall, Tian Ronghao's face already had an impatient expression. He thought that this kid was so impudent and reckless, speaking wildly. If it weren't for being in the mourning hall, he would have turned around and left early.

  On the other side, Wang Tong held a box and respectfully came before Tian Baihu, saying in a low voice:

  "Governor Tian, my father's last words entrusted me with this matter. I had planned to send it to your mansion within these few days, but household affairs have been busy and delayed..."

  Thank you everyone, thanks to all friends who collected, thank you for the rewards from Bing Feng Tian Zi and awake book friends.