Five days before the end of the month, Shi Qing and Yu Chen Nian left the palace together. Their destination was the brothel.
As Yu Chen Nian followed Shi Qing to the entrance of the brothel, his expression had already turned unpleasant. However, when he saw the young man's "I'm familiar with this place" expression and was enthusiastically welcomed by a group of young women who led him inside, his eyes became even colder.
"Oh my! Young Master Shi!"
As soon as Shi Qing entered, the brothel's madam approached him with a beaming smile, her tone extremely warm. "It's been days since you last came. Qing Qing and Cui Cui have been looking forward to your visit."
"It's too cold outside, so I haven't felt like going out," Shi Qing casually replied.
The young master was accustomed to such attention and waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Today, I've brought someone with me. Go and pick out some beautiful girls who can sing and dance well."
"Oh! Young Master, you can rest assured. We have plenty of fine ladies here," the madam replied with enthusiasm.
After Shi Qing went upstairs, the madam turned to Yu Chen Nian and grabbed his arm, asking, "Sir, you're a new face. May I ask which noble family you belong to?"
Yu Chen Nian raised his head, glanced at the young master who was nonchalantly walking upstairs without looking back, and coldly shook off the madam's hand.
"What are you doing, moving so slowly?" Shi Qing, standing at the top of the stairs, finally noticed that Yu Chen Nian hadn't followed him and impatiently urged, "Hurry up; I'm freezing."
Yu Chen Nian withdrew his cold gaze from the madam and silently climbed the stairs, following Shi Qing to his usual room.
As they entered, a strong fragrance filled the air, and Shi Qing couldn't help but cough several times. He fanned the air around his nose and complained, "This fragrance is too overwhelming. I've been meaning to say this; what kind of perfume are you using? It's suffocating. You should change it."
While pouring tea for Shi Qing, Yu Chen Nian asked in a calm tone, "Do you come here often?"
"Naturally," Shi Qing replied. "At my age, many young men are already engaged. Isn't it normal for me to have some fun?"
"Having fun," Yu Chen Nian repeated.
Hearing these words, Yu Chen Nian's grip on the teapot handle tightened, and he felt a burning sensation in his heart. That's right. Perhaps because Shi Qing had been constantly pestering him these days, he had forgotten about it. Shi Qing's reputation as a playboy had spread throughout the capital, and he had never hidden it, even taking pride in it. He had even mentioned wanting a pretty palace maid to serve him, not too long ago.
Ding! Yu Chen Nian's rejection level: 70
Ding! Yu Chen Nian's rejection level: 71
Ding! Yu Chen Nian's rejection level: 72
The system was on the verge of tears.
[Host, his rejection level is skyrocketing!]
Taking a sip of tea, Shi Qing reassured, [Don't worry.]
The door opened from the outside, and a group of young women entered, carrying with them a fragrant breeze. They surrounded Shi Qing and began chatting with him in a familiar and affectionate manner.
"Young Master Shi, it's been so long since you last visited."
"We missed you; how could you be so heartless and not come to see us for a whole month?"
Shi Qing was surrounded by the girls, and he seemed very pleased. He skillfully engaged with them, saying, "It hasn't been a whole month; it's just a few days. I didn't come because of the cold weather. Didn't I visit a couple of days ago?"
The girls playfully protested, "Young Master, you're just making excuses. We're talking about you not seeing us. You haven't requested our company for a whole month."
"Yes, Young Master, if you find it cold outside, our place is warm. This room was prepared according to your instructions, with a heating brazier burning for twelve hours a day."
At this moment, Shi Qing appeared completely captivated by their beauty, quite different from his previous arrogance. He replied amiably, "Alright, alright. You're all beautiful. Whatever you say goes."
Watching Shi Qing immersed in the company of these beautiful women, Yu Chen Nian's expression grew increasingly grim. He squeezed the teapot handle so hard that his knuckles turned white.
He had never imagined that Shi Qing, who spent almost every day in the palace until dusk, would have the time to visit this brothel.
"Click!"
The sound of the teapot handle breaking echoed in the room. Only then did Yu Chen Nian snap out of his daze. He silently placed the broken handle on the table.
He glanced over at Shi Qing, who was completely absorbed in the beauty around him, and was ignored by him.
Yu Chen Nian's face grew even darker.
He exuded an aura of suppressed anger, which scared away the few girls who had tried to approach him but dared not get too close.
Fortunately, Shi Qing had finished catching up with the girls. He raised his voice and said, "Seeing all of you today has put me in a good mood. Let's sing some cheerful songs."
"Sure!"
Shi Qing was generous, especially when he was in a good mood. The girls happily stood up and dispersed, some playing musical instruments, some singing, and some dancing.
The room instantly became lively.
The young master sat in his chair, looking extremely delighted. He watched, peeled peanuts, and occasionally looked around. He even called out, "Is anyone outside?"
"Yes, they're coming," a servant immediately replied.
For guests of Shi Qing's status, the brothel usually arranged attendants to wait at the entrance. When Shi Qing called out, a young servant quickly entered.
"Young Master, do you have any instructions?"
"You, go," Shi Qing ordered.
Shi Qing tossed a silver ingot at him and, as he caught it, raised his chin slightly. "Go downstairs and keep an eye out. If anyone I know shows up, come and inform me immediately."
"Yes, I'll do that," the servant replied eagerly, holding the silver. He left without saying another word, closing the door behind him and descending the stairs.
Once he was gone, Shi Qing tossed the peanuts he had been holding into a plate and complained, "What kind of peanuts are these? They're so hard to peel."
The young master spoke with an air of entitlement, "Yu Chen Nian, peel them for me."
Yu Chen Nian hadn't said a word since the group of girls had entered. Amidst the lively music and singing, his somber and silent presence stood out conspicuously.
A few of the girls had already cautiously avoided him as they passed by.
However, Shi Qing seemed oblivious and continued to enjoy the performances. When he noticed that Yu Chen Nian hadn't moved or spoken, his beautiful face revealed some dissatisfaction.
He directly grabbed Yu Chen Nian's long slender hand and placed it in the peanut plate, urging him, "Peel them for me; I don't know how."
Yu Chen Nian replied, "I don't know how either."
This was the first time he had refused Shi Qing's request. The expression on the young master's face immediately turned sour. He pulled his hand back, but surprisingly, he didn't lose his temper. Instead, he muttered to himself, "I'm taking you out to see the world, and this is how you behave? You won't even peel peanuts for me."
"Forget it, I don't need you. Hey, you there…" He called out to the dancing girls, "Can one of you come and peel these peanuts for me?"
A beautiful girl, who was quick to adapt, gracefully stopped and approached, saying with a smile, "Young Master, I'll peel them for you."
As she was about to reach for the peanuts, Yu Chen Nian suddenly picked up the entire plate.
The girl stared in confusion as Yu Chen Nian placed the plate in front of himself and started peeling the peanuts.
Shi Qing chuckled, "I thought you said you didn't know how?"
Yu Chen Nian remained silent, peeling the peanuts calmly.
The girl looked at him, then at Shi Qing. "Young Master?"
Shi Qing waved her away, and with an air of arrogance, he looked at Yu Chen Nian and said, "Peel them properly. Remove all the crispy skins too; I don't like them."
Yu Chen Nian continued peeling the peanuts in silence. When Shi Qing's attention returned to the group of girls dancing, Yu Chen Nian crushed the peanuts in his hand and placed them aside.
The young master, completely oblivious to the changing atmosphere around him, continued to enjoy the music and, even more proficiently, leaned against Yu Chen Nian's shoulder. His eyes were fixed on the performance, and his lips, red and plump, were open, waiting to be fed.
When he didn't receive any peanuts, he didn't bother to look at Yu Chen Nian. Instead, he lazily leaned on him, using his small, fair hand to push him. "Why are you so slow? Hurry up and peel."
Complaining about how slow Yu Chen Nian was at peeling peanuts, Shi Qing suddenly heard a knock on the door from outside.
Without getting up from his position beside Yu Chen Nian, he called out, "Come in."
The servant entered respectfully. "Young Master, Wu Er Gongzi is here."
Shi Qing sat up abruptly. "Alright, I got it. You can tell Wu Er I'm here. Continue watching."
The servant acknowledged the order and left. Shi Qing then turned to the girls who were still dancing and said, "Bring me two more."
Two girls approached, and Shi Qing had them sit down. He opened his arms and embraced them, all the while muttering, "Get closer to me, and be more intimate."
The girls, accustomed to such behavior, leaned in closer, giggling and flirting. "We're close enough to you, Young Master."
"Yes, Young Master, don't worry. Wu Er Gongzi won't suspect anything."
As Yu Chen Nian watched this scene, he couldn't help but feel puzzled. Shi Qing had been surrounded by girls before, but at that time, he had only been talking and hadn't made any physical moves. Now, he was acting more intimately. However, it didn't seem like he wanted to do something, but rather, he wanted to give the impression to this Wu Er Gongzi of something.
Without hesitation, Yu Chen Nian asked Shi Qing, "What are you doing?"
"Can't you tell?" Shi Qing replied.
The young master, still hugging two taller beauties, looked up at Yu Chen Nian with a sense of pride. Suddenly, he gave Yu Chen Nian a faint smile.
[Yu Chen Nian's rejection level: 65/100]
[Yu Chen Nian's rejection level: 60/100]
[Yu Chen Nian's rejection level: 53/100]
Shi Qing: [Lure and then withdraw, does that work?]
The system excitedly exclaimed, [Host, you're amazing! Just three more points to go!]
In Yu Chen Nian's eyes, Shi Qing looked puzzled, and his sudden smile seemed inexplicable. He nudged him with his elbow and said, "What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing."
Yu Chen Nian naturally wouldn't tell him what he was laughing at. Instead, he reached out and quickly peeled a peanut, offering it to the young master's lips.
Evidently, Shi Qing took this peanut as a gesture of appeasement, and he opened his mouth to eat it. As he chewed, a trace of smugness appeared in his beautiful eyes.
Wu Er Gongzi indeed came over to say hello, finding Shi Qing surrounded by girls as usual.
Once Wu Er Gongzi left, the young master immediately released the two girls he was holding. "What kind of fragrance are you using? It's suffocating."
The girls were accustomed to serving people and didn't have the same sense of propriety as young ladies from respectable families. They chuckled and replied, "We don't have much savings, so we can't afford the best incense."
Normally, speaking like this could provoke displeasure from a customer, but given their current situation, they were met with understanding. In fact, Shi Qing seemed rather sympathetic toward them.
Shi Qing took out a banknote and placed it on the table, saying generously, "Take this money and share it among yourselves. Next time I come, please don't use such overpowering scents. It's truly suffocating."
"Thank you, Young Master," the girl who spoke earlier said with a delighted expression.
The banknote was at least fifty taels, which was given as a tip. The madam would typically take half of it, and the rest would be shared among the girls, which still amounted to a considerable sum.
With money in hand, the girls became even more enthusiastic in their service. Their dance movements even appeared more graceful.
Everyone was in good spirits, and even Yu Chen Nian felt more comfortable knowing that the young master was just putting on a show for appearances' sake.
The atmosphere in the room couldn't be better.
As the young master peeled peanuts and fed them to Shi Qing, who was leaning against him, he noticed Shi Qing's unwavering gaze and casually asked, "You treat these women quite well."
The young master didn't bother to hide it. "Yes, I've always been fond of women. Isn't that known throughout the city?"
This time, Yu Chen Nian responded calmly. "But from what I see, your treatment of women doesn't seem to match the reputation."
At least, apart from their act earlier, Shi Qing hadn't taken any undue advantage of the women.
Shi Qing replied, "It doesn't matter. I don't care about that bit of reputation."
The two girls who were serving tea and water chimed in, "Among the many customers we've encountered, Young Master is the most kind-hearted. A few days ago, when you were here, if it weren't for your intervention, that girl who was being mistreated by a customer might have faced a severe punishment."
The young master waved his hand with a self-satisfied air. "It's nothing. I couldn't stand that old man's arrogance. He came here to find pleasure in our company, then complained about the girls being too revealing and even insulted them. He scolded them and wanted to fight with me. I had to step in."
The girl poured a cup of tea and said, "Most customers who come to the brothel treat us as playthings. But, Young Master, you were willing to step in and help. We sisters are truly grateful."
The young master became even more pleased with the compliments. "It's nothing. What I despise the most are men who don't respect women, especially those who have respectable wives at home but come to brothels for entertainment. If they find our girls too frivolous, why bother coming here? Adding one more to the list doesn't make any difference. Even my father, who is a prime minister, isn't as arrogant."
"That's right, Young Master."
The girl, in the presence of their benefactor, acted as though she had never heard of Shi Qing being the most arrogant and debauched dandy in the city.
The young master, encouraged by the praise, leaned even harder against Yu Chen Nian's shoulder.
"Why hasn't Liu San Lang come yet? I've been here for so long."
Shi Qing got up, and his clothes were slightly disheveled from leaning against Yu Chen Nian earlier. Yu Chen Nian naturally helped him straighten them.
The young master was still in high spirits as he complained, "I specifically made an appointment with him yesterday. Could it be that he overslept again?"
The girls who were serving tea chimed in, "Liu San Lang visited our establishment last night and only returned home this morning. It seems he truly overslept."
Shi Qing immediately frowned, his beautiful eyebrows furrowing. "This Liu San, he's always so unreliable."
"Never mind, everyone, take a break from dancing. I'll go out and take a look."
After saying that, he grabbed Yu Chen Nian and exited the room.
The two of them stood near the railing for a while, and then they saw two young men, quite drunk and chatting while approaching them.
Their conversation wasn't particularly loud, but due to the proximity, Shi Qing and Yu Chen Nian could hear their words clearly.
"Brother Chen, you've been staying at the brothel every night. Won't the princess be upset? Look at the Fifth Prince; he's even afraid to glance at women when he's out on the street."
The one called Brother Chen looked smug and waved his hand. "What's the big deal? The Second Princess is timid. Even if I bring back twenty concubines, she wouldn't dare to say anything."
As soon as Yu Chen Nian heard the phrase "Second Princess," his expression froze.
The Second Princess was his stepmother.
When he was just a few years old, his birth mother couldn't spare much time to take care of him due to her own precarious situation. Most of the time, it was the Second Princess who accompanied him as his half-brother.
Later, when he entered the cold palace with his birth mother, the Second Princess reached marriageable age and was married off to the eldest son of a third-ranked imperial official.
Their surname was Chen.
The two men continued chatting:
"Is that true? But she's a royal princess, and her temperament is not that great, is it?"
"I'm not lying to you. My mother keeps making her behave properly at home. She doesn't dare to move at all. Last time, when I brought a courtesan home, she said she wouldn't share a husband with a woman of pleasure. I slapped her, and she cried for days, but in the end, she still had to serve me."
The Chen family's young master, reeking of alcohol, spoke disdainfully, "Let me tell you, even if she's a princess, there's still a distinction between status. The Fifth Princess's birth mother is a noble concubine, while the one in my family is born of a deposed empress. She doesn't even have the palace pass to enter and exit the palace gates. Where does she get the confidence to confront me?"
Shi Qing turned his head and looked at Yu Chen Nian standing beside him.
Yu Chen Nian kept his head down, his expression hidden, but it was clear that his entire body was tense. His clenched fists rested on the railing so tightly that his arms trembled.
He didn't want to endure this, but he had to. Until he held significant power, he couldn't afford to offend even the son of a third-ranked official.
Taking a deep breath, the young man turned to Shi Qing and said softly, "Let's go back to our room."
"Just a moment," Shi Qing replied.
He stepped away from the railing and followed the two men. He waited until they were about to descend the stairs, then positioned himself behind them. In an instant, he kicked the Chen family's young master in the buttocks.
In the blink of an eye, the young man who had been chatting away moments ago tumbled down the stairs.
Seeing him fall, Shi Qing rushed down the stairs after him.
"Who!! Who dares?!! Do you want to die?!!"
The dizzied Chen family's young master, just as he was trying to utter some harsh words, was pounced on by Shi Qing, who came charging like a leopard. Shi Qing pressed him down and started beating him.
The people nearby who had initially considered intervening hesitated when they realized it was Shi Qing who was doing the beating. They tried to reason with him, saying, "Young Master Shi, how could you resort to violence? Please stop."
"I just want to beat him!" Shi Qing retorted, and he continued to deliver blows to the battered Chen's face.
Yu Chen Nian descended from upstairs and stopped Shi Qing, who was beating the young man mercilessly. "Alright, that's enough. Stop."
If this incident escalated and reached the Emperor's ears, with the knowledge that Shi Qing had intervened for the Second Princess's sake, the most the Chen family would face was a few reprimands. Ultimately, it would cost them face, and the beaten Chen family's young master would still seek revenge on the Second Princess.
"Fine, today someone interceded for you, so I'll let you off for now." Shi Qing stood up, and before leaving, he delivered a final, forceful kick to the bruised and swollen Chen family's young master on the ground.
The young man, in great pain, was helped to his feet by his attendants. He grimaced and threatened, "Shi Qing!! Don't think this is over! Today, I will report this to His Majesty!"
The young master, who had earlier declared himself unassuming, was now being carried away by attendants. He was still furious, his teeth clenched as he shouted, "You go ahead! You go ahead!!"
"I am Shi Qing, the son of the Prime Minister. Why should I fear a third-ranked official's son like you?!"
This statement was especially infuriating.
The Chen family's young master, still trembling with anger, pointed his finger at Shi Qing's arrogant face and said, "Alright!! Alright!! You just wait and see!!"
Seeing him leave, the madam quickly came down to mediate, "Oh my, gentlemen, don't gather around like this."
"Shi Young Master, calm down. What happened? Why did it escalate to a physical fight?"
"It's nothing," Shi Qing replied.
Yu Chen Nian held him around the waist and said, "He's probably going to report this to the Emperor."
"Let him go! I'm not afraid of him."
The young master grumbled, "If he goes, I have a way to deal with him."
"Okay, release me. He's gone, but you're still holding me."
Yu Chen Nian obediently let go of him.
"In fact, you didn't need to step in. His father is from the Imperial Censorate, and by hitting his eldest son, especially after saying those words, even if you have valid reasons, it's still not justified."
However, Shi Qing showed no fear and maintained his arrogant demeanor. He raised his chin and said, "I know what I'm doing. The Second Princess is your sister, and you belong to me. If he insults the Second Princess, he's insulting me."
"Anyone who bullies me won't get away with it!" Shi Qing added sternly.
Yu Chen Nian looked at him with a dark expression, even though he knew that the young master was unreasonable and fiercely protective. When the situation arose where "Shi Qing intervened for him," it softened his heart.
The young man spoke in a deep voice, "It's because of my own incompetence. If I could have been a support for my royal sister, the Chen family wouldn't dare to mistreat her like this."
"Oh, come on!" Shi Qing gave him a push. "As a man, why are you being so wishy-washy? You're the one by my side, and you've even picked up some of my wit. When you enter the court as a prince in the future, you'll definitely be stronger than those people who wouldn't even dare to catch a snake."
Having said that, the young master playfully patted Yu Chen Nian's head. "I believe in you. You will surely be better than them. When the time comes, I'll bring you out, and you'll have plenty of face."
With that, he turned and went back up the stairs. "Alright, let's go and continue watching the dance."
Yu Chen Nian looked at his departing figure at the foot of the stairs. The young man's steps were light and carefree.
He had said that he believed in him.
[Notification! Yu Chen Nian's Repulsion Level: 50/100]
[Notification! Yu Chen Nian's Repulsion Level: 49/100]
[Notification! Yu Chen Nian's Repulsion Level: 48/100]
The system popped up again, and it was so excited that it couldn't even speak coherently.
[Oh my goodness, Host!! Oh my goodness!!]
Shi Qing chuckled. [I told you, I'll be nice first and then tough.]
The system looked at the repulsion level records and thought, "Today is really too thrilling."
So, as it turns out, its host is indeed quite impressive!
The big shot, Shi Qing, was urgently summoned to the palace by a messenger sent from there, less than an hour after his previous encounter. He didn't hesitate and went along with a grand stride, accompanied by Yu Chen Nian.
Inside the grand hall, they indeed found the Emperor seated at the top, while the Chen family's young master sat below with a bruised and swollen face, shedding tears and snot. Beside him was an angry-looking old man in official attire, kneeling. When Shi Qing entered, the old man even glared at him.
Shi Qing didn't hold back and returned the glare, ignoring the Chen family's young master entirely. He knelt before the Emperor without ceremony.
"Shi Qing pays respects to Your Majesty."
Yu Chen Nian also knelt down and said, "Your child pays respects to Father Emperor."
"Hmm," the Emperor didn't start by addressing him. It was clear that the Chen family's young master and his father had already lodged a complaint.
He asked, "Shi Qing, do you know why I summoned you here?"
"I have a guess."
The young lad wasn't afraid at all. In fact, he even turned his head and gave the Chen family's young master a glance with a smile. "I made an appointment with Chen Young Master to play cloth games. Judging by his appearance, it seems he lost and is now resorting to complaining to Your Majesty."
"You're spouting nonsense!"
The Chen family's young master suddenly straightened up and said, "There's nearly a ten-year age gap between us. We've never played together, how could I play cloth games with you?"
"It's clear that you, without any reason, challenged me. Not only did you push me down the stairs, you even beat me relentlessly," he took a few steps forward and bowed to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I heard it with my own ears. Shi Qing said his father is the Prime Minister and he's not afraid of me, a third-ranked official's son. Your Majesty, please listen!! Shi Qing's arrogance is because of his father's position, which is truly disgraceful!"
Beside him, the Chen family's older gentleman also bowed, "Your Majesty! Although I am only a third-ranked official, my heart is devoted to Your Majesty. How can I tolerate this child's insults!"
The situation on-site wasn't favorable for Shi Qing.
The Emperor, however, wasn't in a hurry. He continued to inquire, "Shi Qing, do you have anything to refute?"
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The young lad had an exceptionally straight posture, and his expression was incredibly righteous. "Chen Young Master didn't tell the whole story, so allow me to provide some context."
"I said, regardless of whether one is the son of the Prime Minister or the offspring of a third-ranked official, we should all be loyal to our country and hold His Majesty in our hearts. When it comes to respecting His Majesty, I, as the Prime Minister's son, believe I am more respectful than Chen Young Master."
"I deeply respect Your Majesty and have taken cues from your preferences. If Your Majesty enjoys drinking golden broth, then I too enjoy it. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you've been diligent and never slack during the early morning court meetings. Therefore, I too rise early every day, enter the palace, and engage in studying. Your Majesty has a broad heart, and I am also kind and considerate toward others, never speaking out of turn. Your Majesty is honest and trustworthy in your dealings, and so am I."
It sounded like Shi Qing was genuinely respecting the Emperor, but in fact, he was lavishing excessive praise.
Unfortunately, the Emperor fell for it.
He had always believed himself to be diligent and magnanimous. However, no one had praised him for it. They all thought it was a basic requirement for an emperor. Now, with Shi Qing's flattery, he suddenly felt relieved and his expression softened slightly.
Chen Young Master interjected, "You're talking nonsense! You clearly said you weren't afraid of me!"
"Why would I be afraid of you when there's no reason to be?"
Chen Young Master protested, "You inexplicably beat me, fearing that I would complain to His Majesty!"
Shi Qing snorted, "Your argument makes no sense. We had an agreement to play cloth games, and how can it be 'inexplicable'? Did you forget why we decided to play cloth games? Allow me to remind you."
"I said that, regardless of whether one is the son of the Prime Minister or a third-ranked official, we should all respect the royal family. If a subject does not even hold His Majesty's children in high regard, it implies that they do not hold His Majesty in high regard. If such a person treats His Majesty's children the same as lowly individuals, isn't it equivalent to treating His Majesty the same way?"
Chen Young Master's forehead began to sweat profusely.
Shi Qing added, "Who wouldn't respect someone who doesn't hold His Majesty in high regard? Wouldn't that person be a traitorous rebel? If such a person really exists, and if I were to deal with them, I would surely have to cut off their hands and feet before sending them to the execution ground."
Chen Young Master's legs began to weaken, and cold sweat poured from him.
The Emperor, seated above, had slightly impaired vision, and from this distance, he couldn't clearly see the Chen family's young master's expression. Nonetheless, he nodded in agreement, "You make sense."
For instance, Yu Chen Nian, even if he didn't like this son, if someone bullied Yu Chen Nian, he would turn a blind eye to it. If he found out that a palace maid was mistreating the prince, he would undoubtedly be furious.
The Emperor's statement made the Chen family's young master's cold sweat flow even faster.
Shi Qing smiled obediently. "Chen Young Master and I had a disagreement over how to deal with such individuals. So, we decided to settle it through cloth games. The loser would listen to the winner."
The young lad turned his head, glanced at Chen Young Master, who had suddenly relaxed after hearing his last sentence, and sighed as if he regretted it. "Oh, before we played cloth games, we also agreed that if anyone disputed the outcome, they would voluntarily accept twenty strokes of the paddle."
Chen Young Master was infuriated by his fabricated narrative.
"You're talking nonsense! I was clearly beaten by you for no reason. Your Majesty, this matter must be investigated thoroughly, or else..."
"Shi Qing is right!"
The unexpected voice of Chen Young Master interrupted the older gentleman's speech.
Chen Young Master's father couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What did you say?"
Chen Young Master was in agony.
He didn't want to say this, but if he didn't, what if Shi Qing revealed the scandal of him keeping courtesans? Losing a hand, a foot, or being sent to the execution grounds – how could he endure such suffering?
"I... I said Shi Qing is right. It's... it's me who challenged him. The injuries on my face... they were all inflicted during our cloth game."
Chen Young Master's father was dumbfounded.
Nodding his head, he said, "Spank! It must be a spanking!"
The young lad had a pitiful expression on his face. "Are we really going to be spanked? Twenty strokes is no small matter, and this is inside the palace. We might end up with our skin torn and flesh exposed."
The Emperor at the head of the room sensed that there was something going on between the two. While he naturally leaned towards Shi Qing, he couldn't be too harsh on the son of Minister Chen.
"It's just a joke, no need to be serious."
Shi Qing chimed in, "Exactly, Your Majesty is right. We were just playing around. You can see my hands are all red from the earlier hits, and I didn't complain, did I?"
Chen Young Master remained silent.
"Oh, by the way, after we leave the palace, I'll pay a visit to Lady Chen at your residence. I've heard she's a gentle and amiable lady."
The young master raised his head and gave a soft smile to the Emperor. "My mother is strict with me, so I prefer to be close to kind-hearted ladies. Chen Young Master seems to be a horse-master; Your Majesty once said I should treat the royal children as my brothers, so the princesses are like my sisters. I've heard that Lady Chen treats the Second Princess even better than her own daughter. Perfect! I'll visit the Second Princess as well."
Chen Young Master was sweating coldly again.
Judging by Shi Qing's temper, if he really went to his residence, he might expose all those concubines. Currently, there was no evidence, so Shi Qing could freely make things up. But if there were evidence, he wouldn't spare him.
Shi Qing seemed oblivious to the beads of sweat on Chen Young Master's forehead. He tilted his head playfully and asked, "Chen Young Master, are we skipping the caning? I originally planned to visit your residence tomorrow if the caning happened. But if we're not caned, I can accompany you back now."
"No!"
Chen Young Master took a deep breath and looked up at the Emperor at the head of the room. "Your Majesty! A man's word is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Please grant this subject twenty strokes of the paddle!"
The Emperor actually wanted to punish him too. He had been awakened from his nap for this lawsuit, and it was still unresolved.
But he was ultimately a lenient Emperor, so he said, "It's not necessary, just a wager."
Shi Qing also looked benevolent. "Yes, just a wager. Let's not trouble Your Majesty any further. We'll go chat at your place."
This whole matter was essentially a blatant threat.
Chen Young Master forced a smile on his face that looked even uglier than crying. "No, please! Please spank me! Your Majesty, please order the caning!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Shi Qing clicked his tongue, making a soft sound that could be heard by Minister Chen and his son. He leaned in slightly and said in a low voice to Yu Chen Nian beside him, "I've never heard such a terrifying request. I'm usually soft-hearted, but he's scaring me a bit."
Chen Young Master was speechless.
He was on the verge of vomiting blood, but he had no choice but to watch Shi Qing put on an expression of "I'm so scared" and move closer to Yu Chen Nian.
The young lad whispered in a coquettish tone, "How scary!"
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- Early access to 100s of chapters before they go public.
- You also get access to all the novels I'm translating, you can find them here HERE.
- Your name will be featured on the "Wall of Gratitude".
- The power to vote on which novel I translate next.
- You Get Ad-free Chapters.
For $10
- You get to suggest a Novel for me to translate.
- You get access to Digital art.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in gold).
For $20
- You get to recommend a Novel and I will immediately start translating it.
- Your name featured on the "Wall of Gratitude" (in blue).
Plus, you can Cancel your membership at any time.
Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!
