WK Chapter 86.2

Since Miss Yuan was Concubine Xuan’s niece, her affairs were considered family matters. To investigate the conduct of the young masters from the Tong and Xiang families, the Xie family found it inconvenient, but it was very convenient for Qu Dubian.

 

So he called Xia Fuyang, brought along his sister, and transformed into a three-person investigation team, staking out at Chunfeng House.

 

Qu Dubian lowered the brim of his hat, “Xia Fuyang, are you sure you heard that the Xiang family’s young master frequents this place? We’ve been waiting for so long without seeing anyone.”

 

Now that Xia Hong had been enfeoffed as a marquis, people who flattered Xia Fuyang would call him Young Marquis, and he knew more and more young nobles. With just a few inquiries, he could find out clearly what anyone had done today.

 

Zhiyi: “I heard the Xiang family has strict family discipline. If the Xiang young master visits Chunfeng House, wouldn’t his legs be broken?”

 

Xia Fuyang snorted with laughter: “For noble families, ‘strict family discipline’ is sometimes just what they tell outsiders. They publicize one or two incidents, and over time, naturally gain a reputation for strict discipline.”

 

Zhiyi: “It can work like that?”

 

Xia Fuyang: “Look quickly, that’s him.”

 

Qu Dubian and Zhiyi looked in the direction he was pointing. A carriage had stopped outside Chunfeng House.

 

A young man in understated but luxurious clothing stepped out. As he got off the carriage, he raised his hand to pull up the hood of his cloak, covering half his face, appearing as if he was afraid of the cold.

 

Following the pulling of the courtesans, he skillfully entered Chunfeng House.

 

Zhiyi said indignantly: “He’s really no good! And isn’t he a bit too old?”

 

In the young girl’s mind, Miss Yuan was only fourteen, in the bloom of youth, and naturally should be matched with someone of a similar age. But she had just glimpsed that the Xiang young master getting off the carriage seemed to be around twenty.

 

Qu Dubian: “Brother Xiaoyuan, please keep an eye on Sister. I’ll go in with Xia Fuyang to take a look.”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan nodded: “Alright.”

 

Zhiyi knew what was important and didn’t insist on going in, “Be careful.”

 

“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Xia Fuyang said as he and Qu Dubian went to Chunfeng House together.

 

The sister guarding the door covered her mouth and smiled: “Oh my, such fresh-faced young masters coming to a place like this?” She looked them up and down in their common people’s clothes, “I hope you haven’t come to the wrong door.”

 

Xia Fuyang smiled and said: “We’re here without our family knowing. This is my younger brother, who insisted on coming to see the world.”

 

Qu Dubian also pretended to be curious: “Yes, I heard there are many beautiful sisters here, and I want to come in and see.”

 

“Hahaha, please come in, young masters~”

 

“They’re so fresh indeed, the sisters will love them.”

 

The two managed to enter, somewhat awkwardly, amid a cloud of fragrant powder.

 

–

 

Meanwhile.

 

The two countries were negotiating.

 

At a long table pieced together, officials from both countries sat facing each other.

 

Everyone skillfully went through the process of exchanging pleasantries, then began passionately bombarding each other. They politely asked if each other’s ancestors for eighteen generations were well and if they could eat four dishes during festivals.

 

The Third Prince was a bit uncomfortable. At the beginning, he could barely sit as upright as the Nanning prince opposite him.

 

The Left Vice Minister of Rites whispered in his ear: “Your Highness, something’s not right with Nanning. Why are they so agitated, as if we were the defeated country… We just want them to cede the six cities of Youyun and the twelve cities of Jiangzhou, is it worth fighting so desperately?”

 

The Third Prince also whispered: “Didn’t you tell me at the beginning it was just the six cities of Youyun?”

 

The Left Vice Minister of Rites said: “Does Your Highness understand haggling?”

 

Third Prince: “…”

 

An envoy from the opposite side glared angrily: “Your Great Zhou is simply too overbearing!”

 

After speaking, he suddenly stood up, grabbed the Left Vice Minister of Rites’ shoulders, and shook him: “Do you think we Nanning are afraid of you?!”

 

The Left Vice Minister of Rites expressionlessly wiped the spittle from his face and cursed loudly: “Yes, you’re not afraid, you’re not afraid. You’re so powerful that even your prince has been sent here. May I ask, is your prince here for sightseeing?”

 

It looked like they were about to start fighting.

 

Yu Ruo stood up worriedly, weakly pulling the two apart, “Alright, alright, let’s all discuss this calmly…” He looked at the Third Prince, pleading, “Noble Prince, please help persuade them too.”

 

The Third Prince sighed, feeling some sympathy for his future life as a hostage.

 

He stood up and joined the Nanning prince in separating the two, but as soon as his hand touched the Nanning prince’s hand, the latter cried out in pain: “Ah-! It hurts!”

 

Yu Ruo fell backward hard, his head hitting the ground, immediately bleeding.

 

He looked at the Third Prince, weak and incredulous: “You pushed me!”

 

The Third Prince looked at his own hand: “??”

 

Yu Ruo said with grief and indignation: “I… although I am to be a hostage in your Great Zhou, I am still a prince of Nanning! Your country humiliates me like this and proposes such an exaggerated peace treaty. How is this different from a villain taking advantage?

 

“Could it be that Great Zhou has no intention of negotiating peace and only wants to humiliate our Nanning?”

 

Both sides of the negotiation had imperial physicians on standby. Seeing someone injured, they came forward to diagnose and treat. After examining him, the Great Zhou imperial physician whispered in the Third Prince’s ear: “His pulse is weak, his heartbeat irregular. The injury is not light.”

 

The Left Vice Minister of Rites looked at the blood on Yu Ruo’s palm, his expression gradually becoming serious.

 

Even knowing they had fallen into a trap, it was difficult to continue the negotiations now.

 

–

 

Inside Chunfeng House.

 

Qu Dubian: “Didn’t you say you were a regular?”

 

Xia Fuyang insisted stubbornly: “I’m a regular at the tavern next to Chunfeng House, which also counts as being a regular.” He was afraid that if he really became familiar with such places, his mother would chase him with a stick for six blocks.

 

The two of them kept their eyes fixed on the back of the Xiang young master, bickering while making sure not to lose sight of him.

 

Until he went to a room in the corner of the second floor, with servants guarding the door, they finally stopped. When the servants looked at them suspiciously, they turned around and leaned on the railing. Qu Dubian deliberately raised his voice, “Brother, looking down from here, the red gauze curtains below are so beautiful.”

 

Xia Fuyang: “Beautiful, right? I didn’t lie to you.”

 

Qu Dubian leaned closer, lowering his voice: “Do we still wait for him to come out?”

 

Xia Fuyang: “No need. Just remember which room on the second floor it is. Later, I’ll ask someone to inquire with the girls here to see if he comes often.”

 

“The Xiang family knows that the Xie family is interested in their son, yet the Xiang young master still visits Chunfeng House,” Qu Dubian said. “It’s fortunate we came here to see for ourselves.”

 

Xia Fuyang: “We can’t make the decision. We need to explain the situation clearly to Master Xie and Madam Xie; they’re the ones who will decide.”

 

Qu Dubian: “What if they don’t believe us?”

 

“What can you do?”

 

Qu Dubian thought for a moment, then pulled him back out of Chunfeng House. They found the Xiang young master’s carriage and, avoiding others’ notice, used a small stone to carve a crooked five-petaled flower in an inconspicuous spot.

 

“His carriage doesn’t have a family crest, so it’s obviously his private vehicle. I’ve made a mark. If they don’t believe us, they can track the carriage themselves.”

 

Xia Fuyang applauded: “That flower is drawn quite distinctively.”

 

Qu Dubian glanced at him, not bothering to respond.

 

Having completed their task, the two were about to leave when they suddenly heard arguing at the entrance of Chunfeng House, accompanied by angry rebukes and a woman’s crying.

 

A large crowd had gathered outside.

 

Qu Dubian and Xia Fuyang squeezed through to see a burly, middle-aged man with triangular eyes and a mustache grabbing the wrist of a courtesan, trying to drag her onto a carriage.

 

Duke Lu: “It’s your good fortune that I’m buying you, don’t be ungrateful! A prostitute, yet pretending to be chaste? You’re unwilling to be redeemed? Do you think it would be lonely to be with just one person from now on?!”

 

The courtesan, named Yinlan, had tears in her eyes as she struggled desperately: “Even if I die in Great Zhou, I will not go back to Nanning with you! I, Yinlan, was born a Great Zhou person and will die a Great Zhou ghost!”

 

The surrounding crowd discussed:

 

“Ah, is he with the Nanning envoys?”

 

“I think I heard that the Nanning envoys have entered the capital…”

 

“They’re visiting Great Zhou’s Chunfeng House?”

 

“Can’t men be romantic wherever they go? What’s wrong with buying a person? They’re of lowly status; sending a few more wouldn’t matter.” Among the onlookers was a young man of about seventeen or eighteen, holding a hand warmer.

 

Qu Dubian turned his head to look at the person beside him who had said this.

 

The man with the hand warmer was startled by the coldness in his eyes, rubbed his arms, and after realizing what had happened, silently cursed himself for being frightened by a little brat. He said angrily: “What are you looking at! Stay away from me! My clothes are expensive. Could you afford to compensate if you damaged them?”

 

Xia Fuyang pulled Qu Dubian to another spot and said in a low voice: “His name is Xu Cheng. He’s actually related to you, but you two have never met.”

 

Qu Dubian rubbed his arms in disgust: “From the second branch of the Xu family, right?” No wonder his maternal grandfather and grandmother disliked them too.

 

What kind of people were they raising? They’d be better off as fertilizer for his flowers and plants.

 

Yinlan struggled, and Duke Lu laughed: “This is eye-opening. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a stubborn woman. When we return, you’ll be my thirty-sixth wife, enjoying the best of everything.”

 

He waved over two of his own strong men, then looked at the bouncers watching the commotion outside Chunfeng House: “I’ve bought a girl from your establishment. What, aren’t you going to escort her to my carriage? Bring a rope; she’s quite fierce.”

 

The madam of Chunfeng House nodded, and the bouncers came over with ropes.

 

Yinlan: “I won’t go! I won’t go! Let me go, I’d rather die than go!!”

 

Someone who couldn’t bear to watch stepped forward: “Even if she’s a courtesan, she’s still a Great Zhou citizen. How can she be sold to a Nanning envoy? Isn’t this like stepping on our faces and slapping us?”

 

Duke Lu snorted with laughter: “I am the Imperial Uncle of Nanning. My sister is the Nanning Empress. I come to your Great Zhou to negotiate, and I’m being criticized for buying a courtesan? Where is your hospitality?”

 

“Besides, it’s not like I haven’t paid. I’ve paid generously. It’s a transaction-money for goods. What’s wrong with that?”

 

The person who had spoken up was at a loss for words.

 

Xia Fuyang’s expression grew increasingly grim, his fists gradually tightening.

 

Yinlan had been bound with ropes, and despair gradually filled her eyes. Suddenly, she stopped struggling and said to Duke Lu: “Nanning will negotiate once, then there will be a second time, a third time! If you humiliate others like this, one day your country will also be trampled and humiliated by others!”

 

“Today you bind me, but one day you will also be bound. You will see the Nanning imperial city reduced to ashes, and all of you turned to dust!”

 

Duke Lu nodded, coldness spreading in his eyes, and looked at her for a moment with an ambiguous expression: “You certainly know how to talk. I wonder if you’ll still be able to talk without teeth.”

 

He pulled out the whip from his waist and lashed out.

 

Xia Fuyang’s eyes narrowed, and he was about to act when he saw someone dart out from beside him and firmly grab Duke Lu’s whip.

 

His spirits lifted. Good! Someone with backbone!

 

But when he saw who had grabbed the whip, his eyes nearly popped out, “Heavens above-!” Since when had Xiao Qi become so fast!

 

Xia Fuyang didn’t hesitate, taking a few steps over, “Is your palm alright?!”

 

The whip had been wielded with force, and he saw that Qu Dubian’s left palm, hanging at his side, quickly became red and swollen, slightly bleeding.

 

His anger immediately flared up.

 

Qu Dubian stared into Duke Lu’s eyes, violently throwing aside his whip, his voice cold and thorough for the first time.

 

“On Great Zhou’s territory, stray dogs like you have no right to run wild! Even courtesans are citizens of my Great Zhou. How dare a defeated nation like yours try to claim them?!”

 

Damn it, reckless or not, after nearly twenty years of patriotic education in his previous life, he really couldn’t tolerate this.

 

Xia Fuyang’s eyes widened, as if seeing him for the first time. A strange, subtle light kindled in his eyes.

 

In the distance, on a teahouse balcony, Xu Tingfeng, who had come to see what his nephew was doing, slowly frowned and said to Xue Letian beside him: “Push me down there, quickly.”

 

Duke Lu’s gaze fell on Qu Dubian’s shabby bamboo hat and ordinary coarse cloth clothes. Furious, he said: “You wet-behind-the-ears brat, who do you think you are? Do you know that for confronting an envoy, I can tell your Great Zhou Emperor about your disrespect!”

 

“Today I will take her away. What are you going to do about it?! Do you dare to beat me up to vent anger for this courtesan behind you? A common citizen assaulting a Nanning duke-that’s a capital offense!”

 

Qu Dubian rolled up his sleeves: “Today, this young master is going to beat you!”

 

He circulated his cultivation method once, hiding internal force in his fist, and threw a punch. But unexpectedly, halfway through the punch, the true qi that had accumulated in his meridians rushed toward his dantian point at a terrifying and uncontrollable speed, then with a boom-

 

His dantian point opened.

 

Qu Dubian: “?!”

 

His movement froze. Duke Lu grabbed his wrist, pushed him backward, and he fell.

 

He wondered puzzledly: “That’s it?”

 

Xia Fuyang caught Qu Dubian’s falling body, exclaiming in shock and anger: “Xiao Qi?!”

 

True qi was running wild inside his body, his blood and qi surging. Qu Dubian vaguely realized this wasn’t a bad thing, but rather a good one. However, the moment the true qi converged in his dantian, an intense yet gentle drowsiness overcame him.

 

“Xiao Qi!”

 

Qu Dubian lowered his head and spat out a mouthful of blood with a “wa” sound.

 

Xu Tingfeng, who had hurriedly entered avoiding the crowd, saw only that glaring red.

 

The gentle smile at the corners of Xu Tingfeng’s mouth gradually flattened, and a dark storm quickly brewed in his eyes. He reached Xia Fuyang’s side and gently patted Qu Dubian’s cheek with his palm: “Xiao Qi?”

 

By this time, Qu Dubian’s consciousness was already very unclear due to the drowsiness.

 

Even his sense of taste seemed delayed. Supported by Xia Fuyang, all he heard was a buzzing sound.

 

In the last second before being completely conquered by drowsiness and falling into a deep sleep, he looked up at Duke Lu and grinned:

 

“You… you’re finished.”

 

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