Castle of Black Iron

Soon after Zhang Tie took a seat, the servants of Jiang Mansion had started to serve dishes.

Generally, on this occasion, after the dishes were served, Master Jiang would wash his hands in the gold basin and say something. After that, he would get off the hathpace and sit in the chief seat of the main table. After toasting each other, this ceremony would come to a successful end.

The moment the dishes were served, Zhang Tie had started to enjoy them with chopsticks, splashing soup and oil everywhere.

”Come on, they’re turning cold!” With braised venison in the mouth, he told those on his side while moving his chopsticks across the table.

He was the first one who moved his chopsticks among the over 200 tables.

All the others were gazing at Zhang Tie. They didn’t know whether Zhang Tie was an idiot or really didn’t know about the rite. On this occasion, Master Jiang should be the first one to move his chopsticks. How could a guest move his chopsticks first and watch Master Jiang to wash his hands on the hathpace? Did he really take it as a performance?

When the two servants wanted to walk towards him, Zhang Tie threw a glance at them. They then stood still at once.

At the sight of this scene, those on the neighboring tables who wanted to stand up and give Zhang Tie a lesson became silent at once. ’Now that people in Jiang Mansion don’t care about him, if I steal Master Jiang’s thunder, people in Jiang Mansion may think that I’m playing an act with him to destroy the atmosphere here.’ Therefore, when Zhang Tie was enjoying his dishes, the others just watched him while forcefully swallowing their saliva by moving their throats.

Especially those who sat at the same table with Zhang Tie. Watching Zhang Tie messing up the entire table of good dishes, they all glared at him while swearing him ”b*stard” tens of thousands of times inside.

The dishes tasted really good. Besides the cooks in Jiang Mansion, some cooks from famous boîtes in Youzhou City were also giving a hand in the kitchen of Jiang Mansion. Of course, the dishes were perfect in color, fragrance and taste.

Zhang Tie was really hungry. From the time he left home last night to now, he had not eaten anything. At first, he traveled 2,000 miles; later on, he made an arrangement in the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province and distributed jobs to his subordinates. Now that the dishes had been served, how could he wait until Master Jiang finished washing his hands in the gold basin? Because he knew that Master Jiang could not wash his hands in the gold basin forever.

Zhang Tie had made the arrangement well. His forces could have started work one hour ago; however, Zhang Tie felt that it would be more effective when Jiang Mansion became more boisterous.

Why would he choose this moment? Because there were more people in the Jiang Mansion at this moment. If Master Jiang was taken away silently, how could Zhang Tie publicize that Zhang Mushen the dean of the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province crackdown Heavens Reaching Church? Additionally, the box on the ears of Gobbling Party would not be loud enough. The greater part of these guests at present were my best witnesses.

Zhang Tie felt that he had grown more and more insidious. So what? There were many insidious people in this world!

After thinking about it carefully, Zhang Tie was actually a bit afraid about that. ’If the Heavens Reaching Church rose in revolt closely after the memorial that Gobbling Party used to impeach me, my crime would be confirmed. If so, not only me, even the entire Huaiyuan Palace and Commander Cheng who was on my side might be involved.’

’The time when Heavens Reaching Church rise in revolt in Youzhou Province really coordinates well with the time when Gobbling Party impeached me.’ If having not gotten the evidence, Zhang Tie almost thought that Gobbling Party and Heavens Reaching Church had reached an agreement in advance. However, he could only think about it instead of revealing it to the public. Even though the top three chancellors in Taixia Country dared not blame that Gobbling Party colluded with Heavens Reaching Church. Because this would arouse a big chaos in Taixia Country.

’However, every coin had two sides. Heavens Reaching Church could work as Gobbling Party’s dagger towards me and my sharp bolt towards Gobbling Party. The memorial that Gobbling Party used to impeach me could be farsighted words of concerning about the safety of the country and the countrymen and the insidious words for framing me.’

’The property of the memorial could not be determined by the memorial itself, but the result of the wrestle between Heavens Reaching Church and me in Youzhou Province.’

The change in Youzhou Province being hundreds of thousands of miles away could influence the decision-making of Xuanyuan Hill and disturb the public opinions across the country. This was how politics ran! Zhang Tie could not imagine this since he had just come to Taixia Country for a few months. ’Taixia Country was a bigger quagmire than Waii Sub-continent. Now that I’ve fallen into it, I have to face a lot of uncertainties.’

...

When Zhang Tie was enjoying his food, Master Jiang’s old friends and disciples had gone up onto the hathpace and praised the meritorious deeds and achievements that Master Jiang had made these years as the prelude and pavement to this ceremony. Later on, even that official from the Provincial Construction Administration of Tongzhou Province spoke highly of Master Jiang’s meritorious deeds and achievements on the hathpace on behalf of the Administration.

’I wonder whether these guys would like to swallow their words when they knew the real status of Master Jiang as the altar head of Heavens Reaching Church.’ Zhang Tie thought.

Knights always had a good appetite. Additionally, Zhang Tie ate fast. When Master Jiang went up onto the hathpace under the gaze of so many people at present and prepared to wash his hands in the gold basin, Zhang Tie had almost finished 2/3 of the dishes on the table.

”Erm”, Zhang Tie burped as he touched his belly with a satisfied look and watched the others at the table who were glaring at him, ”Come on, it’s getting cold!”

’F*ck!’ Those guys’ eyebrows jumped as they even wanted to spring up and cover the remaining dishes onto Zhang Tie’s head, ’Since how long has this b*stard been starving? He’s definitely here for food...’

...

On the hathpace, Master Jiang bowed towards all directions with a kind look before straightening up his body.

”My fellowmen, thanks to your favor, I was born in a poor family and had been diligent in my work for over 100 years. I’m already very satisfied with my current achievements. After washing my hands in the gold basin today, I will be free and immerse myself in a landscape. Before washing my hands in the gold basin, according to the custom, I have to ask whether there’s any resentment between you and me? If there is, in front of so many friends, we can end it now. Otherwise, after I wash my hands in the gold basin, I don’t want to mention it anymore!”

Actually, these were just words out of rite. Of course, he had already ended his resentment with others before this ceremony.

However, he had to ask about it.

Finding that nobody responded below, Master Jiang was very satisfied. With a big smile, he then walked towards the gold basin which was filled with fresh water. When he wanted to put his hand in the gold basin, an abrupt and loud voice sounded among the crowd below in a lazy way.

”Master Jiang, wait a minute please, there’s a resentment that you’ve not ended yet!”

After hearing this voice, Master Jiang frowned as he glanced over the guests. With a ”buzz”, all the guests turned around and threw their eye lights towards the origin of the voice.

On the edge of the banquet, a guy slowly stood up as he touched his belly.

Of course, he was Zhang Tie.

Watching Zhang Tie standing up leisurely, all the people at the table widely opened their mouths like seeing a ghost in the daytime.

’Is...is...this guy...making...making trouble here? How dare he make trouble in the ceremony of Master Jiang?’

Feeling the eye lights from Master Jiang and the guests at over 200 tables, those at the same table with Zhang Tie twisted their bodies like sitting on a piece of red-hot iron. It would be too inauspicious if they were mistaken by Master Jiang as the accomplices of Zhang Tie. If they left there right away, under the gazes of over 200 tables of guests, they would look too timid.

Therefore, they felt extremely embarrassed as their faces turned as dark as coal.

Nobody dared to use chopsticks anymore on this occasion.

”Friend, you look a bit strange. Sorry for my poor vision, I don’t remember that I met you before. I wonder about the resentment between you and me?”

As he had experienced many big scenes, only after being silent for a couple of seconds, Master Jiang had opened his mouth in a calm pattern like a king. Given his calm look, many guests at present hailed him.

On this occasion, thousands of guests could only widely open their eyes while pricking up their ears.

”There’s no resentment between Master Jiang and me. But at the request of others, I have to make trouble here!” Zhang Tie let out a sigh.

”I wonder who told you to do that, my friend?” Master Jiang asked with a big smile.

”It’s 2700 million commoners across Youzhou Province. Now that Master Jiang wants to kill them, I have to kill you as a compensation!”

Soon after Zhang Tie’s words, a cold breeze had blown over the entire Jiang Mansion. At the same time, the temperature in Jiang Mansion dropped below zero at once.

Closely after that, with a boom, the courtyard wall in the length of over 300 m outside this banquet venue collapsed at once...

All the elite forces of the Provincial Court of Youzhou Province poured inside like a black tide...