The Peerless Beauty Stuck With Me

Chapter 1326 - 1325: Swearing on a Handshake

"This is the reception room, do come in!"The housekeeper's change in attitude towards Tang Rao made him wary.

Even the housekeepers are smiling tigers; no telling what the people inside are like.

The Zhang Family doesn't seem easy to deal with.

"Even the elder of the Song Family waited for me at the door, but at the Zhang Family, I have to come in myself and face hostility. Do they think Tang Rao of the Kao Shan Sect is easy to push around? Then I might as well skip this meal!"

When the housekeeper heard Tang Rao say this at the door, he began to sweat profusely even in the dead of winter. Although the earlier difficulty was instructed by the master, if Tang Rao turned out to be valuable, these people would just become scapegoats for the master.

"The Tang Family Master is here; are all of your eyes eaten by dogs? Cannot even recognize an honored guest!"

The Zhang Family Patriarch indeed put the blame on the servants, even though they knew the Patriarch was just putting on a show for Tang Rao, they still had to bear the blame put on them by the master.

"Master, I was wrong, it was all our fault. We were blind and failed to recognize Taiyue, offending our honored guest!"

After repeated apologies, the Zhang Family Patriarch personally walked to the door to welcome Tang Rao, finally using the same hospitality that the Song Family had extended to treat Tang Rao.

"The Tang Family Master has arrived, forgive me for not greeting you from afar. It was my fault, please pardon me."

Seeing Tang Rao's demeanor, the Zhang Family Master's attitude towards him changed dramatically.

"Please, I'm just a poor lad here to mooch a meal, don't look at me with such esteem. Let's speak openly, so I can eat with peace of mind."

The Zhang Family Master didn't expect Tang Rao to be so blunt. After a moment's pause, he was delighted, thinking Tang Rao was just a face-sensitive poor boy, who understood nothing and only wanted to take some advantage.

Dealing with such a person was simple; give him some benefits and that would suffice.

"Zhou Yu, bring out everything we prepared earlier, don't neglect our honored guest!"

The Zhang Family Master, wealthy and ostentatious, showed even more disdain for Tang Rao when trying to save face.

He disdained to speak with a poor person like Tang Rao and scoffed at wasting time on him.

Such poor individuals were only to be discarded once their usefulness was expended.

"Items? Prepared for me?"

Tang Rao already knew the Zhang Family Master intended to bring out good things to entertain him and had already inquired about what the Song Family had given. The Zhang Family added to that but not excessively.

This was the shrewdness he possessed as a businessman.

"Yes, of course, they're prepared for you. See if you're satisfied with what's inside?"

The Zhang Family Master wore a smile full of cunning hidden beneath fatty flesh, making Tang Rao feel rather awkward.

"Zhang Family Master, these things you're offering, I, Tang Rao, can't afford to accept."

When Tang Rao looked, what were these things? They were all things he had bestowed upon his brothers. They were decent but not anything valuable in Tang Rao's eyes.

For someone like Tang Rao, who could offer anything, small acts of tokenism were not worth noting or remembering.

Saying he couldn't accept such grand gifts was just an excuse of his own.

"Tang Family Master, what do you mean by this? These are simply tokens of my sentiment, nothing more. If you could give me face, accept the items."

The Zhang Family Master nudged Tang Rao with words when he saw he was tempted, hoping to win him over with these items.

Tang Rao was tempted, but still did not accept.

At this point, Tang Rao, originally wanting to take the Zhang Family as his own, became interested in playing with the Zhang Family Master.

"The things from the Zhang Family are too precious; I think they're not really suitable for me. How about this: I appreciate your intentions, and I'll go back to discuss with the Song Family. Next time there's business, we can talk again. What do you think?"

Coming to the Zhang Family from the Song Family and then heading back without reaching any accord; how did that make the Zhang Family look? Tang Rao's departure would not only make the Zhang Family lose face but also make the Song Family laugh at their insincerity and incompetence.

The Zhang Family Master absolutely could not allow a mere pawn to ruin his reputation.

"Tang Family Master, let's discuss this properly. Are you unsatisfied with the items, or are there other requests? Just let me know!"

Now realizing he's not the decision-maker?

Finally understanding whose word counts!

"You tell me to speak freely? What if I say I find no value in any of these items; would you give me something more to my liking?"

Of course, this was just a test by Tang Rao. As long as the Zhang Family Master agreed to one thing, Tang Rao could extract everything one after another.

"I wonder what the Tang Family Master has taken a liking to in our Zhang Family. Whatever I have, please feel free to ask."

Wow, so generous?

But does Tang Rao know what treasures the Zhang Family has?

"Whatever is most valuable in your Zhang Family, that's what I want. Whatever you have, I want all of it."

Such audacity from Tang Rao was astonishing; wanting everything meant wanting the entire Zhang Family?

The Zhang Family Master hoped this was just a joke by Tang Rao, but unfortunately, his serious gaze revealed that this request might not be negotiable.

"The Tang Family Master wants the most valuable thing from our Zhang Family. Honestly, I have nothing. The Zhang Family isn't a great family; barely making it into the top twenty families, and that too at the bottom. What could I possibly offer?"

Though he didn't dare to show his anger openly, the Zhang Family Master's rage was rather subtle.

"I think you might have nothing to offer, but I know there's definitely something valuable in this house."

This was told to Tang Rao by Little Hedgehog. Little Hedgehog said it smelled something valuable nearby.

Since Little Hedgehog had never let Tang Rao down when it claimed there was something good, Tang Rao decided to trust Little Hedgehog once again, asking it to roughly identify the coordinates of the treasure.

The Zhang Family Master was thoroughly outmaneuvered by Tang Rao, now unable to advance or retreat, feeling tortured inside.

"Since you think I have valuable items, I'll let you search. Take what you fancy, just don't clean me out. How does that sound?"

Did he think Tang Rao couldn't find anything? Tang Rao was determined to show the Zhang Family Master what true fearlessness was.

"How could I be so bold with such words from the Zhang Family Master? How about giving me an hour: whatever I find appealing within that hour will be mine. After that, I won't trouble you. Whatever you want to collaborate on, I'll agree to. How's that transaction, isn't it great?"

It really is great; Tang Rao himself was quite moved!

"Alright, I'll give you an hour; when the time's up, you stop immediately."

Tang Rao and the Zhang Family Master sealed the deal with a handshake.