Gou Hang was very satisfied with Song Wen’s humble attitude.
The anger on his face immediately disappeared, and after sizing up Song Wen, he asked,
“You can read?”
He had seen clearly just now that after Song Wen pushed through the crowd, he carefully read the notice, then turned around and left in disappointment.
At that time, no one explained the content of the notice.
From Song Wen’s series of reactions, it was not difficult to deduce that Song Wen could read.
Song Wen was startled when he heard this; he hadn’t expected to be noticed because of this.
Numerous thoughts instantly flashed through his mind, weighing the pros and cons of how to answer.
After repeatedly weighing the pros and cons, Song Wen decided to answer truthfully.
This Gou Ye’s observation skills were very sharp, and he was probably not that easy to fool.
After making his decision, Song Wen bent his back even lower, and the fawning smile on his face grew wider.
“Replying to Gou Ye, I attended a private school for a few years when I was young and can read some characters.”
Song Wen’s face remained unchanged, and his heart didn’t skip a beat; lies flowed from his mouth, and outsiders would never detect anything unusual.
Gou Hang nodded; he was very satisfied with Song Wen’s attitude and answer. His gaze towards Song Wen already carried a hint of appreciation.
The scholars he usually interacted with always liked to act self-righteous, even when they couldn't afford food. They would ignore his recruitment offers, simply because he was just a low-level leader in the Tian Sha Gang.
Today, he finally met a sensible scholar who treated him very well, and even in such a public setting, which greatly satisfied Gou Hang’s inner vanity.
Gou Hang held his head high, maintaining his arrogant persona.
“How old are you this year?”
“16 years old.”
To avoid being looked down upon, Song Wen deliberately reported his age a bit older based on his physical condition.
“What is your name?”
“Song Wen.”
Gou Hang nodded and continued to ask,
“How do you make a living?”
“I write letters for people and earn a meager income, just enough to get by,” Song Wen continued to fabricate.
Subsequently, Gou Hang asked some more about Song Wen’s family situation.
Song Wen described himself as someone from a fallen family, with deceased parents, and no relatives or friends.
“From now on, just follow me, Gou Ye. With my recommendation, you can smoothly join the Tian Sha Gang and receive a monthly salary of one tael of silver.”
It must be said that in Gan Country, where literacy was extremely low, the treatment of scholars was quite good.
At the current prices in Gan Country, one tael of silver was already enough for a family to eat and drink for a month.
A look of hesitation appeared on Song Wen’s face; he instinctively felt some resistance towards the sudden kindness from a stranger.
This Gou Hang clearly didn't look like a good person; could everything really be as good as he said?
“What? Do you look down on my Tian Sha Gang!” Gou Hang’s displeased voice rang out.
Song Wen put on a fake smile, apologizing and explaining.
“Gou Ye, you’ve misunderstood. It’s just that I am truly untalented and don’t know many characters, so I’m afraid I’ll delay your important matters.”
“If I, your great lord, am not afraid, what are you afraid of! You boy, don’t be ungrateful.”
Seeing the threatening tone in the other party’s voice, Song Wen could only go along with it, and a grateful smile immediately appeared on his face as he replied,
“Thank you, Gou Ye, for your promotion. I will definitely obey you in everything from now on and go through fire and water for you.”
Song Wen’s eyes were filled with intense gratitude, as if he had met his adoptive parents; the eagerness and adoration in his gaze made Gou Hang feel lightheaded. He hadn’t felt so revered by others in a long time.
Gou Hang reached into the arms of his subordinate behind him, and half an oiled pancake appeared in his hand.
“You look pale, you probably haven’t eaten your fill in a long time. Here’s half a pancake I had left from this morning, take it and eat.”
“Thank you for the reward, Gou Ye.”
Song Wen took the oiled pancake and devoured it ravenously.
The reason for this was, firstly, he was indeed very hungry, and secondly, to continue satisfying Gou Hang’s vanity.
As he ate the pancake, he silently calculated in his mind.
It seems the treatment for Tian Sha Gang members isn’t as good as imagined, otherwise Gou Hang wouldn’t have kept half an oiled pancake, unwilling to throw it away.
However, thinking carefully, if it was truly as Gou Hang said, joining the Tian Sha Gang wouldn’t be a loss for him.
The Tian Sha Gang was the largest dark force in Yan City, and he was joining as a scholar. He figured they wouldn’t make him fight and kill, so his life safety would be somewhat guaranteed, and at the same time, it would solve his food and clothing problems. For his current situation, it was already the best choice.
All of this was thanks to this Gou Ye in front of him. Although this Gou Ye didn’t seem to have much brains, he did solve his most pressing survival problem at the moment.
Gou Hang came to this street precisely to post and announce the Tian Sha Gang’s recruitment of children. He loudly proclaimed the content on the notice.
Of course, he was illiterate, but someone had informed him of the notice’s content beforehand.
Then, he left with Song Wen.
After passing through the strict defenses of numerous Tian Sha Gang disciples, the few people entered the Tian Sha Gang’s headquarters.
The Tian Sha Gang occupied a vast area. Led by Gou Hang, they took many turns before arriving outside a row of houses.
Entering a room, Gou Hang respectfully said to an old man,
“Elder Yan, I found a newcomer, a scholar who can read.”
Elder Yan was over fifty years old, which was considered a high age in these turbulent times with a lack of medicine.
He opened his cloudy eyes, sized up Song Wen, and then threw a small booklet to Song Wen.
He spoke in an unquestionable tone,
“Read the content of the booklet aloud.”
Song Wen caught the booklet, knowing this was a test for him.
‘This is an ancient job interview!’ Song Wen secretly thought to himself.
He opened the small booklet and began to read aloud.
“Heaven and Earth are black and yellow, the Universe is vast and desolate. The sun and moon wax and wane, the stars are arranged. Winter comes and summer goes, autumn harvest and winter storage...”
“Alright, that’s enough.”
Elder Yan did not let Song Wen finish reading; he interrupted Song Wen after he had read a hundred or so characters.
Elder Yan turned to Gou Hang and said, “You’re lucky. Ji Yin Elder is recently recruiting a group of literate young people, and this kid is just right.”
Gou Hang rubbed his hands, giving a somewhat constrained, dry laugh,
“Elder Yan, I heard that Ji Yin Elder offers a reward for recruiting scholars. You see...”
Elder Yan smiled, “Your news is quite well-informed. I thought you were just lucky and stumbled upon it, but it turns out you came prepared. Go to the accounting office and claim ten taels of reward money.”
“Thank you, Elder Yan.” Gou Hang bowed deeply, a fawning smile on his face.
Song Wen, watching from the side, was somewhat bewildered.
What was going on? Why was there a reward of ten taels of silver for recruiting a scholar?
In Yan City, ten taels of silver was enough to buy two pretty young girls.
He had a bad premonition in his heart that he seemed to have been sold.
Earlier, he had been somewhat smug, thinking he had tricked Gou Hang completely, but it turned out the fool was himself.
Looking at Gou Hang who had turned and walked out, Song Wen, with his last remaining sliver of hope, called out,
“Gou Ye, weren’t you going to take me to enjoy a good life?”
Gou Hang looked at Song Wen with complex eyes, with pity, guilt, but more so with indifference and mockery.
Then, he turned and left without a word, quickly disappearing from sight.
“He’s just a small-time hoodlum, how could he give you a good life? Going to Ji Yin Elder is something many people beg for and can’t get; that’s an immortal opportunity. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Elder Yan’s cold voice sounded behind Song Wen.
“Someone, take this boy to Ji Yin Elder.”
Two burly men walked in from outside. Both men had three-foot-long steel sabers tucked at their waists.
“Clang!”
Half of a steel saber was unsheathed, its gleaming blade emanating a deep, cold glint that made Song Wen’s eyes ache.
“Boy, I advise you to be honest and not make any rash moves,” one of the burly men said coldly.
Song Wen’s heart was filled with anger and unwillingness; he didn't believe a single word of the ‘immortal opportunity’ Elder Yan spoke of.
If it truly was an immortal opportunity that everyone envied, would they still recruit people through abduction and coercion?
However, with the chilling steel saber, he could only reluctantly accept reality.
The weak had to be at the mercy of others!
But as he followed the two strong men, his fists were clenched very, very tightly.
