Great Tang Idyll

m prepare a bit.
Divide the talks into several times.” Having met a swindler, Zhang Xiaobao didn’t want to just let him go, either.
Since he’d arrived, then they’d entertain him thoroughly.
The benefit of having Wang Juan going back first with the news and to divide the talks up into several times was that they could have time for discussion.

“All right, I’ll have Shiliu walk quickly.
You’re not making preparations? Looking at the jade ornament8 hanging from his waist, you can guess that he probably succeeded many times.” Wang Juan nodded slightly as she asked.

“Go on your way.
I prepare for what? How many tricks does he have? Compared to me, he’s not even on the same level.
I’ll definitely let him experience who exactly is the ancestor of swindlers.
Unh, this question is a bit profound.”9 Zhang Xiaobao was completely open today too as he joked around with Wang Juan.

After hearing the words Wang Juan spoke in her ear, Shiliu increased her speed, almost running as she left first.
Song Jing-gong didn’t know what issue had appeared and wanted to chase her but he also wanted to follow this little boy.
While he was still unsure as to how to decide, Zhang Xiaobao spoke up.

“Lie, liar.”10 When these three syllables popped out of Zhang Xiaobao’s mouth, Zhang Xiaobao even accompanied them with a gesture by using a finger to point at Song Jing-gong.

“Little Mister, I’m not a liar.
I’m a good person.” Song Jing-gong was really scared now.
He wasn’t scared of the two maid servants talking on their return.
He trusted in his own ability to get the person managing the affairs of that manor to listen to his great money-making plan.
But he was afraid of this kid speaking—especially since he was a small boy.
He had already found out from the mouths of the people of that Mu Manor that the Zhang Manor on this side only had one boy in this generation.

What does a boy mean? All of the adoration is placed on this kid’s person.
At that time, not to mention if he really did want to go swindling, even if he didn’t swindle, one word from this kid could let those who were his parents change their minds.
There was an aphorism that was the most convincing for people and that was that when kids looked at people, they could see good and bad, especially with kids that still didn’t have any comprehension as they said that it was when the kids’ hearts were purest, their eyes the cleanest.

Song Jing-gong didn’t wish to have his previous work come to naught just because of one kid so he inwardly deliberated on how to let this kid come to like him as that would make things easy.
He thought and then took out a little toy sword made out of peach wood11 from his sleeves.
There was even a red string on top.
Using his hand to grasp one end of the string, he swung the sword in front of Zhang Xiaobao’s eyes.

Zhang Xiaobao gave a “he-he” in laughter and didn’t look at that toy sword.
Instead, he pointed at Song Jing-gong as he said: “Money, money.”

If Wang Juan were here, she’d definitely be laughing to the point of gasping for air.
This Zhang Xiaobao was really too ruthless.

Song Jing-gong wasn’t Wang Juan so he naturally didn’t know what he was about to face.
Hearing such a little kid call for money, he felt that it should have been taught by the adults in his family.
To start having kids know about money from such a small age, he definitely had to swindle this kind of family.
Unh, he must pass the obstacle of the kid he was facing.
He wanted money? Fine, he’d give money.

Thinking this, Song Jing-gong took out a copper coin from within his sleeve.
On it was written ‘Kaiyuan Tongbao.’ He laughingly gave it to Zhang Xiaobao.

Upon seeing that it was only 1 wen, Zhang Xiaobao didn’t even think and waved a small hand to knock this coin down to the ground as he continued pointing at Song Jing-gong to say: “Silver, silver.”

Yingtao hugged Little Mister—she’d originally intended to directly and quickly leave but she had listened to Little Mister’s words just now telling her to slowly hang about in back and to not mind anything else, so she could only endure the ‘harassment’ of this Great Swindler Song.

Song Jing-gong picked up that copper coin that had been knocked down while he cursed inwardly.
This little bit of a kid had already started recognizing silver, could it be that the masters of the manor had nothing to do but throw the kid on a pile of money? Gritting his teeth, he dug out the 1 tael or more of silver pieces and reluctantly placed it in front of Zhang Xiaobao.

Zhang Xiaobao wasn’t modest, either, freely accepting it as he continued calling for silver.
Then, seeing that helpless gaze of Song Jing-gong’s and feeling that he didn’t seem to have any more silver, began to call for money.
Song Jing-gong still had money.
Not much—only 100 wen [cash] as too much would be too heavy.
He took that out too, handing it over to Zhang Xiaobao.

Now, this was heavier than the silver from before.
Zhang Xiaobao struggled to use both of his hands to hold onto the money string, placing it in between himself and Yingtao, sandwiching it just right, before his eyes locked onto the jade ornament at Song Jing-gong’s waist.
The string of the jade ornament was tied to the waist with the jade falling at the thigh to weigh down on the clothing.12

Zhang Xiaobao just stared at it intently, not speaking at all.
Song Jing-gong suddenly felt uncomfortable inside and not knowing why, he followed the kid’s gaze to see the jade ornament.
If Zhang Xiaobao had stared at the jade ornament from the start, then Song Jing-gong would definitely not give it away.
After all, it was bought for 5 guan [strings of cash]—no matter how bad the jade was, it was still not cheap.

Zhang Xiaobao was currently using psychology.
This was called gaining a cun [inch] to advance a chi [foot],13 getting it bit by bit.
You already gave a bit anyway; you still lack the other bit? This was only because Zhang Xiaobao’s age was too small.
If he were slightly bigger, he could have used gaining a chi [foot] to gain a cun [inch].14 Open up by asking for a bit more.
If you don’t give it, then ask for a bit less to let you feel like you couldn’t keep on rejecting and so, comply with the latter relatively smaller request.

How could Song Jing-gong know these things, ~ah? He was furthermore unable to realize what kind of person the kid in front of him was.
So resolving his heart, he took off the jade ornament, too.
He was roughly panting as he handed it over, thinking that this time if he didn’t swindle hundreds of silver taels, then he would not desist at all.