“It was blown down by the wind.”
Pei Xiao walked over, his expression sincere, his words utterly calm. “I saw it with my own eyes, Magistrate Xu.”
Xu Lai snorted coldly. “In broad daylight, is Magistrate Pei telling lies with his eyes wide open?”
Pei Xiao pressed his palms together, perfectly serious. “The Registry of Monks and Daoists are all Buddhist monks who have purified the six senses. Those who have left home do not speak falsely. Amitabha!”
You dare give me ‘Amitabha’?
Xu Lai sneered. “Magistrate Pei should pray more to Buddha to protect the Ji family womenfolk. This time their virtue was preserved, but next time in the Office of Music, won’t they still be spreading their legs for men?”
Striking at the vital point.
Pei Xiao instantly became mute, only blazing fury remaining in his eyes.
Xu Lai’s words were like thunder exploding over the heads of the Ji residence womenfolk. Everyone burst into tears.
Women in this world married whomever their fathers chose, following chicken if wed to chicken, dog if wed to dog. Their entire world for life was confined to that one rear courtyard; their entire life’s concerns were their men and children.
Nothing else.
Now heaven and earth had changed, their men had fallen, and they themselves were about to become playthings beneath other men’s hips. In such wretchedness, what could they do but cry?
Amid the weeping, Assistant Minister Xu looked at Xie Zhifei with satisfaction.
“Third Master calls her a sworn sister, so I’ll give Third Master face—turn a blind eye and let her go. However…”
Xie Zhifei remained good-natured, smiling slightly. “However what, Magistrate Xu?”
Xu Lai’s eyes oozed malice. “However, Third Master should straighten his tongue before speaking.”
How could Xie Zhifei, who frequented pleasure houses, not understand what this Xu meant? He simply played dumb and refused to take the bait.
But that fool Zhang Fei, upon hearing this, immediately became excited, pointing at Li Buyan and laughing uproariously.
“‘Sworn sister’ and ‘fuck sister’ are just one character different! Third Master, you should take it easy!”
“Easy your ass!”
Li Buyan couldn’t stand by when the Ji family young lady was insulted, much less let those beasts drag Yan Sanhe into it.
She leaped up, flying before Zhang Fei, her hands striking left and right.
“Slap!”
“Slap!”
“I’ll fuck your eighteen generations of ancestors!”
As Zhang Fei cursed furiously, he drew his blade and slashed at Li Buyan.
Li Buyan would hardly be Li Buyan if she let this grandson touch even a thread of her clothing. Moreover, she still had one person to deal with.
Her body retreated nimbly, and she was already before Xu Lai.
Xu Lai never imagined this woman’s movements could be so swift. His face paled in fright.
Just as Li Buyan’s foot lifted, she suddenly sensed something whistling toward her from behind.
Her eyes split wide as she flipped with lightning speed. The object grazed her cheek and struck into a tree root with a thud.
It was an arrow.
Li Buyan turned, blazing fire clustering in her eyes.
The archer was a man in his early twenties, powerfully built. He lowered his bow and stepped aside, clearing the stone path.
In the profound silence, someone walked slowly from the end of the stone path.
The courtyard, which had just been crying and wailing, instantly fell so quiet a pin could be heard dropping. Even breathing sounds ceased.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
What kind of person approached?
Pure white scholar’s robe, jade crown and black boots, his face bearing a calm yet gentle smile. His entire being was like mountain stream water, bamboo at forest’s edge—extremely pure, extremely refined, extremely noble.
All those phrases about gentlemen like jade, peerless in the world; about cutting and polishing, carving and grinding…
All the most beautiful words in the world were inadequate, insufficient to describe him.
Drawing near and stopping, he smiled gently, his features instantly radiant as flowing light and color.
“What great commotion here!”
“Rustle rustle…”
Everyone immediately knelt in salute. Only Yan Sanhe and Li Buyan stood like two fools, staring at him motionlessly.
Yan Sanhe: Who is he?
Li Buyan: An immortal!
The immortal clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the two, his voice gentle. “Unfamiliar faces. Which family’s young ladies are you?”
“Your Imperial Grand Grandson!”
Kneeling Xie Zhifei quickly raised his head. “They are relatives of the Xie family, just arrived from the wilderness of Yunnan Prefecture. They’ve never learned proper etiquette. You two—quickly kneel and pay respects to His Highness.”
The Imperial Grand Grandson?
Yan Sanhe’s heart jumped. Not only did she not kneel, her gaze darkened considerably.
The Grand Grandson was the legitimate son of the Crown Prince. The additional character for “Imperial” meant this person was the Emperor’s designated heir apparent, destined to inherit the throne.
Ji Lingchuan belonged to the Crown Prince’s faction. With the Ji family being confiscated and the Emperor sending the Imperial Grand Grandson to oversee the matter—was this deliberately slapping the Crown Prince’s face?
Or did it have some other purpose?
Zhao Yishi sensed Yan Sanhe’s gaze, his lips curving slightly. “No etiquette, but quite bold.”
“Quickly pay respects!” Xie Zhifei nearly went mad with anxiety, fire seeming to shoot from his eyes and smoke from his nostrils.
Yan Sanhe came back to herself and, together with Li Buyan, clasped her fists toward Zhao Yishi.
This was paying respects?
Xie Zhifei was too embarrassed to look and could only pretend to scold. “Didn’t learn proper behavior at home before running out to embarrass yourselves. What am I to say about you!”
“Never mind.”
Zhao Yishi waved his hand. “All of you may rise!”
“We thank the Imperial Grand Grandson.”
Everyone scrambled to their feet.
Zhao Yishi half-closed his eyes, seeming somewhat puzzled. “If they’re Xie family womenfolk, why would they be at the Ji residence?”
Yan Sanhe lightly patted Li Buyan’s shoulder, then stepped forward.
“We were passing by the Ji family’s back gate when someone insisted we were Ji family womenfolk and brought us inside.”
“Oh?”
This exclamation was so bland one couldn’t detect any joy or anger in it.
Xu Lai’s heart trembled slightly as he quickly stepped forward.
“Your Imperial Grand Grandson, this young lady was carrying a soft sword in broad daylight. Your servant brought them to the Ji residence intending to question them carefully.”
He pointed at Li Buyan.
“Who knew that upon entering, this person injured a Brocade Guard.”
“Oh?”
Another sigh whose flavor couldn’t be discerned. Xu Lai thought of this person’s status and position, his heart pounding like thunder.
“Your servant, considering Third Master Xie’s position, had already decided to let her go. Who knew this person would commit violence again? Your servant regrets showing favoritism and bending the law. I beg Your Highness’s punishment.”
“Ah!”
Li Buyan suddenly burst out laughing. “What did Magistrate Xu eat last night? Why does shit spray out whenever he opens his mouth?”
“Your Highness, look at this, listen to this.”
Xu Lai’s face was full of grievance. “Extremely bold, extremely arrogant, with no regard for the Great Hua’s laws.”
“I have no regard for you! You look like a slab of pork belly—frying, stir-frying, braising, stewing, roasting, deep-frying, boiling in soup, too worthless even to feed dogs.”
Li Buyan planted her hands on her hips, raised her eyebrow.
“Using your official position, you indulge your son in molesting respectable women. When my young lady acted righteously, you threw her in prison. If all officials of Great Hua were like you, this country would be finished sooner or later.”
“Outrageous!”
Several officials who had come with the Imperial Grand Grandson shouted in unison.
Li Buyan pointed at Xu Lai’s face without the slightest fear.
“What? He’s allowed to do it but I’m not allowed to speak? Is there no place left under heaven for reason? Your Highness, you judge this matter!”
Zhao Yishi’s gently smiling face finally darkened.