The world is like a prison, my body is holy

Chapter 11 A loving father and a filial son
"Snapped."

Wang Wen placed a bowl of boiled water in front of Huang Xingde and said unhappily, "This is the condition here, just make do with it."

"You kid..."

Huang Xingde glanced at him and said angrily, "Can't you give me a good face?"

Wang Wen crossed his arms and said with a sour face, "It's just a trivial matter. You took so long to settle it, and you still expect me to be nice to you? You are dreaming!"

The way these two get along with each other was not formed after Wang Wen came to Da Zhou.

Three generations of the Huang and Wang families are all descendants of the Cao Gang. Huang Xingde and Wang Erhu's father Wang Qiang are not only childhood friends, but also sworn brothers.

The two brothers have been hanging out together at the Twenty-Four Bridges in Yangzhou since they were teenagers. Back then, they were the most outstanding young heroes among the younger generation of the Yangzhou Cao Gang.

Later, when the Giant Whale Gang, a local tiger in Hangzhou, was about to cross the river, the two brothers were ordered to ambush and kill Wu Dahai, the leader of the Giant Whale Gang's Yangzhou branch.

The result is clear at a glance. Huang Xingde returned alive, but Wang Qiang did not.

Over the years, that stupid bastard Wang Erhu has always felt that Huang Xingde was hypocritical and betrayed his brothers... Why is it that when the two brothers went to do business together, you, Huang Xingde, came back alive, but my father died?

The higher Huang Xingde's status in the Cao Gang, the more unbalanced Wang Erhu felt, and the more he felt like there was a fire burning in his heart!

How could the gang leader's godson sound as good as the gang leader's biological son?

When Wang Erhu reached the age of rebellion, he could no longer maintain the appearance of a loving father and a filial son. He would either spend his days drinking and partying outside, causing trouble, or fighting cockfights and dogs in the hall...

Anyway, he tried his best to find different ways to entertain his adoptive father Huang Xingde.

Until three months ago, Wang Wen became Wang Erhu and climbed out of the canal...

Wang Wen has memories of Wang Erhu. Although those memories are as distant and vague as childhood memories, he can still recall them as long as he tries hard.

Those memories, of course, also include the father-son relationship between Huang Xingde and Wang Erhu, which lasted for more than ten years and involved many ups and downs.

In Wang Wen’s opinion, it is hard to say what exactly happened between Huang Xingde and Wang Qiang back then.

But Huang Xingde really treated Wang Ergou as his own son.

It can even be said that even if he is a biological father, there are probably few people who can do what Huang Xingde has done... Just look at the bad things that Wang Erhu has done, even if his biological father came, he would have been beaten to death ten times!
From this perspective, Wang Wen, the guy who took over everything from Wang Erhu, should indeed kowtow to Huang Xingde respectfully and call him dad.

But Wang Wen had lived two lives and was in his thirties, so he felt uncomfortable when he was suddenly asked to call a stranger "Dad".

Besides, he was afraid of causing unnecessary trouble if he suddenly returned to the right path without any reason...

So, he happily continued the way Wang Erhu and Huang Xingde got along.

This is also why when he got into trouble before, he didn't even think of fighting with Huang Xingde... For the "battle-hardened" Huang Xingde, the little trouble he caused was just enough to make him suffer.

……

"Is the trouble you caused this time small?"

Huang Xingde was so angry at Wang Wen's shamelessness that he laughed: "If I hadn't shamelessly begged for mercy everywhere, you would have been beaten to death ten times!"

"is it?"

Wang Wen suddenly laughed and said, "Do you dare to say that you have not accepted the benefits from the Beggars' Sect?"

"Cough cough..."

Huang Xingde choked on his saliva and looked up at him in surprise: "Who told you that?"

Wang Wen pointed to his head and said, "Do I need someone to tell me this?"

How to impersonate Wang Erhu without revealing any flaws?
Answer: Be a little more arrogant, be a little more sincere, and play it straight!

Huang Xingde stared at his head, tilting it back and forth for a long time before saying, "I thought you were just doing it by accident, but I never thought... you really have a brain."

Wang Wen crossed his arms and said, "Tell me what conditions the Beggars' Sect has offered this time to save their face!"

Huang Xingde pondered for a few breaths, then reached out and pulled out a yellowed martial arts manual from his arms. He gently placed it on the low table and pushed it in front of Wang Wen: "Take a look!"

Wang Wen glanced at him, frowned, and asked, "Iron vest? You're embarrassing yourself by showing off this commonplace thing?"

"A fool who can't recognize gold and jade!"

Huang Xingde slapped him and knocked him off balance: "This is the real Shaolin tradition, not some fake fragment used in street performances!"

"what?"

Wang Wen grabbed the secret book and flipped through it briefly. He saw dozens of thick pages of meridian acupoint diagrams and medicinal bath prescriptions. He was shocked and said, "It really is the real thing!"

But the next second he threw the secret book back onto the low table and asked cautiously, "The Beggars' Sect has invested so much money, what do they want?"

Huang Xingde looked at him and said slowly, "Don't be anxious. Listen to what I have to say..."

Wang Wen almost couldn't hold it in: "Lao Deng, you're not really selling me out, are you?"

Huang Xingde glared, his carrot-like index finger tapping the low table, making a 'bang bang' sound. "Can you please listen to what I have to say first?"

Wang Wen glanced at the long, red-tasseled spear standing in the center of the courtyard and said perfunctorily, "Okay, okay, go ahead and tell me what you want!" Huang Xingde exhaled softly and said slowly, "You've really caused quite a bit of trouble this time. Everyone from top to bottom wants an explanation from me, and I'm under a lot of pressure..."

Wang Wen sneered silently, mocking the old man for taking advantage of the situation!
Huang Xingde continued with a stern face, "But can I be held captive by a bunch of stinky beggars?"

Wang Wen couldn't bear to see the old man pretending to be so arrogant, so he sighed and said, "Just tell me what's going on. I understand what you're saying."

Huang Xingde finally lost his composure and tried to hide his embarrassment by drinking water. "The Beggars' Sect is determined to get us to hand over our man, and the headquarters is unwilling to break up with them over such a small matter."

Wang Wen finally frowned: "And then?"

Huang Xingde said with a gloomy face: "My response is... I will expel you, Wang Erhu, from the Qinghe Gang."

Wang Wen frowned and pondered for a long time before suddenly saying, "Don't those stinky beggars know about the 'Si Tian Jian'?"

Huang Xingde laughed out loud: "How would they know?"

Wang Wen was puzzled and asked, "You're playing with them like this, aren't you afraid that they'll become desperate and do something desperate?"

Huang Xingde suppressed his smirk. "How can you say that? Have I failed to fulfill a single word of what I promised? They themselves are too cowardly to dare to go against the court, so how can they blame me?"

Wang Wen was so angry at his shamelessness that he laughed: "Well done, Lao Deng, you put a lot of thought into getting me a job at the government office."

That day at the Guangji Bridge Wharf, when he saw that the gang had not sent anyone to the wharf for support, he had already guessed what Lao Deng was planning.

I didn't expect that the matter has come to this point, and Lao Deng can still make it right!
Huang Xingde: "You don't want to go?"

Wang Wen: "Didn't I tell you I didn't want to go?"

Huang Xingde: "Why don't you want to go?"

Wang Wen: "With your wisdom, it's hard for me to..."

Huang Xingde interrupted: "Speak human language!"

Wang Wen covered his head and leaned back, sighing and saying sternly, "Don't you understand me? I have no ambition, I'm lazy and I just want to live a life of luxury, beautiful women, fine wine, and a carefree life!"

"With my personality, if I became an official..."

"You say I'm not greedy, but I definitely can't live a life of meager food."

"You say I'm greedy, but it's not worth it to do those filthy things that go against my conscience just for a few bucks."

"You're a lowly official, but you have to obey his mother's orders in everything. Everyone, whether human or dog, has to call him 'Sir'."

"You're a high-ranking official, but you're always busy with this and that, and you're always tied up. Even if someone appreciates your kindness, it's not certain."

"You say we men are not short of money and are not afraid of being bullied in Yangzhou City... What's the point?"

Huang Xingde looked at the brat in front of him in shock, unable to believe that he had actually considered these things seriously.

Wang Wen met his gaze and proudly waved his hand in front of his eyes: "Do you think what I said makes sense?"

Huang Xingde quickly came to his senses, and after a moment's hesitation, he said, "I agree with what you said, but you might as well think about it from another perspective."

"We are well-off, so even if you don't do anything shameful and dishonest, you can still live a carefree life with plenty of food, beautiful women, and fine wine."

"Besides, who in Yangzhou doesn't know that you, Wang Erhu, are my adopted son, Huang Xingde? If you become an official again, and we join forces, who in Yangzhou would dare to give you a hard time? What do you need to be restrained in doing?"

"If you want to make progress, with our Qinghe Gang here, Yangzhou is full of merits, and we can easily help you rise to the top!"

"If you don't want to make progress, how can you live the same way as before? You have the government and our Cao Gang as your two tiger skins, but aren't they enough to make you a tiger master?"

He extended his calloused hand, patted Wang Wen's shoulder heavily, and said earnestly, "Your father and I had no choice. We were born into the Cao Gang. If we want to eat a full meal, we have no choice but to follow this path. The best we can do in our lives is to be a half-baked coolie. Not only are we ordered around like servants by those respectable people, but they also think we are filthy and not presentable enough."

"You have a choice now. I don't want you to follow our old path..."

"If you go to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, you can get promoted, make a fortune, and bring honor to your family. If you retire, you can return to the Cao Gang and become a rich man with no worries about food and drink."

"I'm still in good health. I can still sit on the Qinghe Gang leader's throne for at least another ten years."

"Ten years should be enough time for you to figure out what you want to do with your life, right?"

He spoke with great sincerity.

Wang Wen also listened very carefully.

If he remembered correctly, this old man Deng had only been to school for a few years, and he usually acted straightforwardly, and would try not to argue if he could get physical.

This time, in order to get him to go to the Imperial Observatory, he has thought things through to this extent... It's really hard for him!

Wang Wenqiang laughed and said, "You talk nicely, but why don't you just go through the motions and let me choose for myself."

Huang Xingde understood the meaning behind his words and raised his chin towards the martial arts manual on the low table with a smile on his face. "Isn't this the one you chose yourself?"

Wang Wen lowered his eyelids and whispered, "Don't kick me out of the gang later. It'll be bad for my reputation if word gets out. Just say I'm a snobbish person and went to the Imperial Observatory on my own... Also, I want to take Xu Ergou with me. I have a good handle on him, and taking him to the Imperial Observatory will give him some company."

Huang Xingde stroked his beard with great satisfaction and said, "Okay, if you like it, just take it away!"

(End of this chapter)