CHAPTER 545: CHAPTER 320: OH, IT’S STILL AN ACQUAINTANCE

Faced with Zhang Ze’s seemingly provocative behavior, which was indeed provocative, the two people reacted differently.

Brother Wang felt insulted and was quite indignant.

Brother Song, on the other hand, stood by and watched with cold eyes.

These two were named Song Yi and Wang Shan.

Although they had just exchanged compliments, seeming friendly, it was nothing more than an act for appearances.

In Song Yi’s eyes, a young master from a sect family, Wang Shan was just a filthy beggar from out of town.

It was merely due to his good looks and some talent that he had been fortunate enough to gain the favor of a noble and join the sect in Bianjing as a disciple.

Though his future seemed promising, compared to a genuine local of Bianjing like Song Yi, he was still nothing.

Seeing Wang Shan embarrassed over a few bags of spirit beans, Song Yi found it amusing. He backed up a step, adding fuel to the fire.

"Brother Wang, why get upset with a servant over a few bags of spirit beans? No big deal.

"I happen to have a stock of fine Golden Caterpillar Grass in the treasury. Lend it to Brother Wang in times of need. After all, why should we let our mounts suffer?"

Saying this, he generously looked at Zhang Ze, "Go fetch my Golden Caterpillar Grass, and apologize to my Brother Wang, and this matter will be over. After all, those who don’t know better aren’t guilty."

Zhang Ze tilted his head and feigned ignorance as he asked, "What Golden Caterpillar Grass?"

"It’s in the array of the treasury, stored in the gold bags. Be careful when you take it out," Song Yi commanded arrogantly.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ze bent down and took out a damp golden bag from under the old ox’s stone trough, shook it, and displayed it for Song Yi to see.

"You mean this one?" Zhang Ze looked innocent.

Song Yi exclaimed, "You scoundrel, where is my Golden Caterpillar Grass?"

Zhang Ze looked innocent as he replied, "Fed it to the ox, huh?"

"You rascal, I’ll tear you apart!" As Song Yi said this, he was about to make a move.

But just as he raised his hand, Wang Shan stopped him, "Brother Song, don’t act rashly, why get upset with a servant over a single bag of Golden Caterpillar Grass? No big deal."

Hearing Wang Shan use his own words to mock him, Song Yi felt a pang of frustration in his chest. But just as this feeling surged up, it was suddenly dispelled by a fierce aura.

The aura came from the Old Cyan Ox that had been eating voraciously earlier.

The Old Cyan Ox was now staring at him.

The Old Cyan Ox had come to terms with its fate, being defiant in its final days.

When an ox is about to die, that’s when it goes mad.

With its weather-beaten eyes, it wrote a short essay to the two men.

’All the Spirit Grass has been eaten by Grandpa Ox! And it’s all finished. What do you want? If you dare mess with the kid beside me, Grandpa Ox will stomp your heads to bits, stab your butts, and hang you both on my horns, one on each side.’

The Old Cyan Ox glared at the two men and regurgitated the Golden Caterpillar Grass it just ate, crunching it in its mouth while moistening its ever-reddening horns with its overly long tongue.

Seeing the ox’s aggressive nature, Song Yi lowered his hand.

Because the Old Ox had buried its head in food earlier, Song Yi hadn’t seen the ox clearly, but now he felt it looked familiar.

"That seems like Lord Liu’s ox," Wang Shan quietly reminded Song Yi.

Taoist Liu? What is that old man implying? Is it a warning to me, or...

Song Yi pondered.

Upon seeing Zhang Ze’s arrogant demeanor and the ox’s protective behavior, he tentatively asked, "Who ordered you to feed the ox here?"

Zhang Ze wasn’t aware of Taoist Liu’s name or position, but he thought for a moment, then hunched his back, squinted his eyes, opened his mouth slightly, drooped his face, and stuck a couple of bits of grass on his upper lip to imitate the appearance of an old man.

"It was this lord who asked me to feed the ox."

Seeing Zhang Ze mimic the man so vividly, Song Yi was first startled, then gave an awkward smile, "Then take good care of the feeding, and don’t delay the lord’s business."

Saying this, he walked towards the yamen with Wang Shan in tow.

After those two walked away, Zhang Ze didn’t pursue them. Instead, he looked at the two Dragon Steeds they left behind and said, "There’s still good stuff left over, do you two want to join in?"

The two Dragon Steeds glanced at each other, realizing they only had a working relationship with their owners and no deep ties, so there was no need to stand up for them.

Besides, the workday was done, and eating was more important.

With this in mind, the two Dragon Steeds snorted, walked into the animal pen on their own, and tied themselves up, signaling Zhang Ze to quickly serve the dishes.

After Zhang Ze poured all the good stuff from the back storeroom into the stone troughs for the three Spirit Beasts, he clapped his hands and headed towards the inner palace.

"Brother Niu, Brother Ma, eat and drink well, see you later."

While on duty at the yamen gate, Lu Chen somehow passed him a clever strategy.

The instructions on the note were simple.

Lu Chen told Zhang Ze to act as cocky as possible, as if he had significant backing.

Once he had acted enough, he should leave the yamen and take a stroll around the inner palace.

The note had already been consumed by the Old Cyan Ox along with some fodder. Now, with his head down and hands outstretched, Zhang Ze walked towards the inner palace, pondering Lu Chen’s plan.

"It seems like I must visit the inner palace to find clues to the Human Emperor Banner."

"That concubine just now seemed simple-minded, she should be easy to deceive."

...

Over at the yamen.

Wang Shan quickened his pace and quietly asked Song Yi, "Brother Song, what did you mean by that just now?"