Chapter 410 (1/2)

“What’s wrong? Is that what happens when the truth is spoken? Come to think of it, the corrupted Dong Zhuo is also your grandfather. Truly birds of a feather!” Pang Shanmin became rude and scolded Liu Mang. He even brought out the matter with Dong Zhuo.

“Pang Shanmin! Apologize to His Majesty and withdraw!” Liu Biao had also become angry. Pang Shanmin was not giving him any face at all. This was a welcoming banquet. Any enmity should have been put aside. Even Cai Mao was simply enjoying the banquet without saying a word. How did the usually calm Pang Shanmin become like this?

“Hmph! Liu Jingzhou! I, Pang Shanmin, have a sense of integrity and honor! I will not be humiliated by those who flatter eunuchs!”

“Pang Shanmin! Stop speaking nonsense! Marquis Wen may have guarded Dong Zhuo’s gates but he was simply waiting patiently for the chance to execute Dong Zhuo!” Kuai Liang quickly chided.

“No need to withdraw!” Liu Mang interjected. If Pang Shanmin were to withdraw, Liu Mang would really become someone who flatters eunuchs. He would become just as bad as the other corrupted officials like Dong Zhuo in the eyes of others.

“Pang Shanmin. Since you despise eunuchs, I will allow you explain yourself so that you can avoid your family’s name from being humiliated.”

“Hmph! We are all ears!” Pang Shanmin glared at Liu Mang with disdain. The surroundings turned tense.

“Pang Shanmin. Why do you hate the eunuchs?” Liu Mang asked as he laughed.

Pang Shanmin replied with hostility as he easily explained about the corrupt eunuchs during the Disaster of Partisan Prohibitions1. Many Confucian scholars and students tried to expose the corrupt eunuchs. Most of them eventually got arrested while some of them had their civil liberties stripped for life.

“Your Majesty. This is only during Emperor Huan’s reign. Do I need to personally tell everyone about what happened during Emperor Ling’s reign?” Pang Shanmin ridiculed. He wanted to say that Liu Mang was ignorant.

After being mocked, Liu Mang stood up. His gaze fixed on the youth. His hand had already let go of his cup as it moved towards his sword.

“Your Majesty! You must not do this!” Kuai Liang spoke anxiously. Does Liu Mang want to draw his sword here?

“Does Your Majesty want to kill me? That’s good. I was just thinking about going to join my Brother Qishan! Come!” Pang Shanmin was not afraid. He still believed that Liu Mang was the one that killed Tang Qishan.

“Brother Qishan?” Liu Mang did not know who this person is.

“Hm?” The other generals also went on alert when they saw that Liu Mang’s hand was almost at his sword. Kuai Yue acted as though none of it was his concern. On the other hand, Cai Mao was secretly cheering for Liu Mang to kill Pang Shanmin. To him, both Liu Mang and the Lumen Academy were not his friends. If Liu Mang were to kill Pang Shanmin, there would be a show to watch. He signaled for the soldiers to act slower as though he wanted to give Liu Mang the chance to act.

While everyone was getting tense, Jia Xu continued to drink his wine indifferently. He knew Liu Mang would not draw his sword and offend everyone during the banquet. Liu Biao would have no choice but to arrest Liu Mang if that were to happen. He knew Liu Mang would not act rashly in Liu Biao’s territory.

“Haha! Good! Good! Pang Shanmin is truly a talented individual!” Liu Mang suddenly laughed and patted Pang Shanmin instead. Instead of feeling grateful, Pang Shanmin ridiculed instead.

“I don’t dare accept the praise. I am merely higher cla.s.s compared to Your Majesty!” There were no grades in the past. So higher cla.s.s in this case meant being a master or parent. Pang Shanmin was humiliating Liu Mang by saying that he is teaching Liu Mang like a father teaching his son.

Of course, Liu Mang was angry. He would have already executed this person if this was not Jingzhou. Even Jia Xu would not dare to ridicule Liu Mang like this.

Liu Mang endured the anger in his heart and said, “There is no need for Pang Shanmin to teach me about what happened during Emperor Ling’s reign.”

Liu Mang then told the story of Cao Jie, a eunuch who was involved in a power struggle. He had Empress Dou placed under house arrest and installed the underage Emperor Ling on the throne as a puppet. He was one of the Ten Attendants2 and was Cao Cao’s non-biological grandfather3.

Pang Shanmin nodded. He felt that he had underestimated Liu Mang.

“Pang Shanmin, have you read ‘Records of the Grand Historian’?”

“Of course I have read it!” Pang Shanmin replied, feeling contented. Sima Qian’s Records of the Grand Historian was a banned book during the Han and Wei dynasties. Citizens, officials and even warlords did not have the right to read this book. The fact that Pang Shanmin could read it showed the power and influence of the Pang Family. As this was a chaotic era, the restriction was no longer as strict. As a result, the Kuai brothers and the Lumen Academy students could also read it now.

“Then do you know who wrote this book?”

“Does Your Majesty not know? It’s Sima Qian!”

“Oh. Then who is this Sima Qian? He is a eunuch!” Liu Mang spoke loudly. When he said eunuch, he said it as though it was a job instead of making it sound like he wanted to scold the person.

“You!” Pang Shanmin became speechless.

“Pang Shanmin. You use this paper freely for writing but do you know what paper this is?”

“Cai Hou paper.”

“And who made this paper?”

“Cai Lun!”

“This Cai Lun is also a eunuch!” Liu Mang started to speak more menacingly.