Taohua instinctively covered his mouth with her palm, glancing around furtively like a thief. “Have you lost your mind? What if someone overheard such talk?”
Mu Wuxia blinked, removing her hand. “There’s no one else here, and I wasn’t speaking loudly. What’s the concern?”
“You don’t even guard against me, Your Highness?” Taohua pointed at her nose, eyes wide. “We haven’t known each other long. How can you be sure I won’t repeat this?”
Tilting his head, Mu Wuxia asked innocently, “Would you tell others?”
“…No.”
“Then there’s no problem,” he smiled. “I’m an excellent judge of character. I know who’s good and who’s bad. Don’t worry.”
Taohua nodded slightly. Compared to the blind Prince Jing, the young Prince Nan was indeed perceptive. His cautious yet friendly attitude toward Shen Zaiye proved he was no ordinary royal.
As for the throne… The path to succession was always treacherous. If this child refused to follow Shen Zaiye’s carefully laid plans, what dangers awaited him?
The carriage approached the slums. They had intended to pass through quickly on their way back to the Prime Minister’s residence. However, their ornate vehicle clearly indicated noble passengers. Seeing it, the poor lying by the roadside stood up, hoping to follow.
“This isn’t good,” Taohua said, lowering the curtain fearfully as piercing gazes fell upon them. She frowned at the driver, “Hurry through!”
“Yes,” the driver replied, whipping the horses into a gallop.
Prince Nan started to ask what was wrong when he felt the carriage collide with something, producing a muffled thud.
The driver reined in the horses as the guards tensed. One went to investigate and reported back, “Your Highness, we’ve hit someone.”
Pupils constricting, Mu Wuxia immediately lifted the curtain and dismounted. Taohua frowned but had no choice but to follow.
A person lay far ahead of the horses, coughing up blood. The terrified driver, face pale, explained from behind the prince, “Your Highness, he suddenly darted out. I couldn’t stop in time…”
Mu Wuxia strode forward to look. The guards barely held back the surging crowd of poor, leaving a small clearing.
The victim was a boy about the prince’s age, face dirty and eyes lifeless. He waved weakly, trying to grasp Mu Wuxia’s clothes but was blocked by a guard. The boy looked up at Mu Wuxia, his gaze falling on the golden crown and brocade robes. His eyes surged with envy and resentment as he tried to speak.
Taohua pursed her lips and bent down closer. “What are you trying to say?”
“He… looks rich,” the boy said, both hopeful and bitter. “If he kills me, he must give my mother one tael of silver. Otherwise… I’ll haunt him as a ghost!”
Mu Wuxia crouched down, looking at him angrily. “You ran out to get hit on purpose, just for one tael of silver?”
Was human life so cheap? This boy was about his own age, yet only worth one tael?
Frightened by Mu Wuxia’s expression, the boy softened his tone. “Then… half a tael? Or… or… two steamed buns for my sister…”
Taohua’s heart jolted. She turned to look at Mu Wuxia, whose eyes had reddened. He grasped the boy’s wrist and asked, “Where are your mother and sister?”
The boy paused, seeming relieved. He coughed up more blood, struggling to continue. Mu Wuxia stared at his mouth, but after opening and closing twice, the stick-thin wrist in his hand suddenly went limp.
Taohua sharply inhaled and quickly felt for a pulse.
There was no response.
The clamor of the poor surrounded them, but Mu Wuxia’s mind went blank. He stared at the body before him, motionless and silent for a long time.
Taohua pressed her lips together and called out with concern, “Your Highness?”
His legs perhaps numb from crouching, Mu Wuxia tried to stand but fell sitting on the ground. After a while, he looked at her and asked dazedly, “Why did he die while I live so well?”
“Because you’re a prince, son of the emperor, while he was just a commoner, or rather, a lowborn,” Taohua said, helping him up. Though her eyes roiled with emotion, she only smiled and added, “Nobles and officials are indeed born of noble seed.”
Mu Wuxia trembled slightly, giving her a complex look. Unable to face the corpse again, he ordered the guards, “Bury him. Find his mother and sister and give them each two steamed buns!”
With that, he pulled Taohua back to the carriage.
Outside, the poor rioted. Someone shouted, “The royals don’t see us as human! A man dies and they only give a few buns?”
“Murderers! You’ll face retribution!”
People began throwing stones at the carriage, creating a chaotic din.
Taohua watched the prince for a while before saying softly, “Your Highness truly has my admiration.”
“What’s there to admire?” Mu Wuxia’s hands still shook. “That I paid for a life with four steamed buns?”
“Yes,” Taohua nodded.
Mu Wuxia frowned, looking at her with bloodshot eyes. Taohua smiled gently, as if comforting him. “If you truly paid one tael of silver, I fear more poor would try to be hit by nobles’ carriages in the future. More would die. Your actions seem cold, but your heart is incredibly kind.”
The young prince’s throat tightened, his expression suddenly vulnerable. He opened his mouth to speak but turned away in the end.
For the first time, someone understood him without calling him crazy. He wasn’t insane; his ideas were just different. Why did different ideas have to be wrong? He wasn’t wrong, and he would gradually prove it to Shen Zaiye and his father.
As the angry mob made the carriage immobile, a guard urgently asked, “Your Highness, shall we go to the magistrate’s office for help?”
“No,” Mu Wuxia frowned. “Just send someone to the Prime Minister’s residence for assistance.”
Going to the magistrate would mean the poor would be punished for the capital’s unrest. None would fare well.
The guard hesitated but obeyed. Listening to the pounding on the carriage, Taohua smiled and crossed her arms. “Your Highness is truly magnanimous and kind.”
“Those who don’t know better aren’t at fault,” Mu Wuxia said, lowering his gaze. “I’m sorry to have involved you in this.”
Shaking her head, Taohua replied, “This is quite an interesting experience.”
Half an hour had long passed, but given today’s events, even if she returned late, Shen Zaiye likely wouldn’t blame her.
The messenger relayed the situation to the Prime Minister’s gatekeepers. Instead of informing Linwu Court, they quickly reported to Linghan Court.
“Talk about choosing an unlucky day to go out,” Qin Jieyu said, standing in Linghan Court’s courtyard with her eyes darting about. “No need to tell the master. Just send some guards to help.”
“Yes,” the servant complied and withdrew.
Jiang Taohua had left at 3-5 PM and now it was almost 5-7 PM. Returning an hour late violated the Prime Minister’s orders, so she would face punishment upon return.
In Linwu Court, Shen Zaiye checked the time and asked Zhanlu, “She’s not back yet?”
Zhanlu lowered his head. “Please don’t be angry, sir. Miss Jiang has always been close to the prince. Perhaps they played a bit longer.”
“Close?” Shen Zaiye scoffed, tossing a book of household rules at Zhanlu. “Read what it says there.”
Zhanlu sighed. He had it memorized already. “Miss Jiang has never followed these rules with you before, sir. You’ve never minded in the past…”
“So she’s become lawless!” Shen Zaiye rubbed his brow in displeasure. “Wait for her at the gate. When she returns, take her directly to Jingye Hall.”
Zhanlu was surprised. “Confine her again?”
Shen Zaiye looked at him and nodded. “You’re right. Last time’s confinement didn’t teach her anything. This time, not only confine her, but don’t give her any food. Let her go hungry for two days before releasing her!”
“…Yes, sir.”
Earlier Zhanlu had worried the household was depriving Miss Jiang of food, but now it was the master himself withholding meals. What was he thinking? Zhanlu pressed his lips together but could only follow his master’s orders.
As darkness fell, Taohua and Prince Nan were finally rescued from the slums by the Prime Minister’s people. The two bid farewell at the residence gates. Taohua smiled at the prince, “Don’t overthink things when you return, Your Highness. Just keep doing what you believe is right.”
Gripping the carriage curtain, Mu Wuxia gave her a deep look and nodded seriously.
As the carriage departed, Taohua turned to enter the side gate. But as soon as she stepped inside, Zhanlu arrived with men who seized her.
“What’s going on?” Taohua asked, startled and frowning at him. “What are you doing?”
“My apologies, Miss Jiang,” Zhanlu said reluctantly. “The Prime Minister is in a foul mood. He says you’ve violated household rules and must reflect for two days in Jingye Hall.”
“What rule did I break?” Taohua asked, bewildered.
“Disobeying the Prime Minister’s orders is breaking the rules,” Zhanlu explained quietly. “Your actions today all went against his wishes.”
Taohua considered this. He hadn’t wanted her to go to the garden, but she went. He likely didn’t want her leaving the residence, but she did. She was supposed to return in half an hour but was late.
But all of these had reasons! He couldn’t blame everything on her without considering the circumstances, could he?
“May I explain myself to the Prime Minister?” Taohua asked.
Zhanlu shook his head and had her confined in Jingye Hall. The doors were locked, leaving her alone inside. Last time at least Qingtu was here, but she was still in Zhengchun Palace, probably unaware of Taohua’s confinement.
Shen Zaiye was truly an unreasonable man!
(End of Chapter)