Chapter 85: Clear Weather Day Chapter 64: Stripping Clothes in Public

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

A Ya knelt on the bed, combing and arranging Shaowei's hair, her movements extremely nimble.

A He took out the items from the box, covering the few remaining bruises and fine scabs on Shaowei's face, powdering over her excessively pale complexion that showed at a glance she was injured and ill.

Shaowei watched A He's movements and the bottles and jars in the box, and surprisingly found his makeup technique even more practiced than Jiang Fu's; the items in the box were even more novel and varied than anything she had ever seen.

And Shaowei only felt her face had become like a Taishi wall in a government office, for people to paint on at will; what scene was painted was unknown. A He's movements were anxious, and he had not bothered to fetch a mirror for Shaowei to look at.

With no mirror to examine herself, Shaowei's gaze and attention could only settle on what was near; she looked at A He before her, and saw this youth had delicate features, and on his fair, clean face was a vermilion mole, born at the corner of his right eye.

He also had shoulders not thick but broad, and a narrow waist and long legs; this figure at first glance was quite similar to Liu Qi, only the temperament was vastly different.

For instance, at this moment this youth was stared at by Shaowei for a while; even amid anxiety and busyness, he still found time to redden his face, his eyes dodging, fearing eye contact, his eyelashes like the wings of a butterfly fluttering uneasily.

Shaowei did not know what she was pondering; when she came back to herself and saw his face flushed red, she only found it inexplicable.

At the same time, Shaowei heard faint sounds approaching this place; concentrating to distinguish them, her whole body went on alert.

Everything ready, rising from the edge of the bed to leave, Shaowei leaned forward and reached toward the pillow side, quickly grabbing that short knife and hiding it in her sleeve.

Her movements were fast, but still seen by A Ya at her side; A Ya's eyes were shocked — that was clearly Sixth Prince's short knife that never left his person, how could it be stolen and hidden under the pillow by this person?!

A Ya, startled, grabbed one of Shaowei's shoulders, her eyes full of questioning; however Shaowei did not even bother to meet her gaze, only treating that grabbing hand as meant to support her, so the caught shoulder and arm circled from behind and quickly hooked onto A Ya's shoulder, borrowing A Ya to support half her body, while urging: "How to do this? Quickly."

A Ya, mistakenly treated as a kindly crutch, had her face distort for a moment, but now was indeed not the time to argue; she could only support Shaowei, who lifted her right foot, to walk forward.

Although Shaowei's legs had many abrasions, her bones were unharmed; only her right-side ribs were injured, and walking, if the same-side foot landed too heavily, it would easily aggravate the rib injury, so she walked tiptoeing and hopping on her right foot.

At the same time, this Ju Yuan and the entire Wuling Commandery Prince's Mansion were already in a state of shocked chaos.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards arrived suddenly, fully a hundred men; half surrounded the Commandery Prince's Mansion, half surged inside to search.

The event was sudden; Tang Jia was shocked to the extreme, and angrily stepped forward to block: "This is the Wuling Commandery Prince's Mansion, not a place you lot can barge into at will!"

The leading Embroidered Uniform Guard was Zhu Zhi's confidant, named Huang Jie; last year he had just been promoted to Deputy Zongling of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

At this moment Huang Jie looked at Tang Jia trying to block him, the contempt in his eyes unconcealed, his voice deep and cold, full of pressure: "We hold the Son of Heaven's credentials; within the four seas there is no place we cannot enter. You, a mere Fifth-Rank Changshi, also dare obstruct the Embroidered Uniform Guards in their duty?"

This Changshi who looked like he couldn't truss a chicken showed not the slightest retreat: "Even with the Son of Heaven's credentials, there must be a just cause; know that the Commandery Prince is an Imperial Prince! Without a proper pretext or His Majesty's explicit edict, you have no right to overstep and offend!"

Huang Jie stared at this Changshi who, not knowing the heights of heaven and depths of earth, dared protect his charge; a moment, then suddenly drew his blade from its scabbard, and simultaneously raised his voice, to all around: "Wuling Commandery Prince Liu Qi laid an ambush in Yundang Mountain, attacked and severely wounded the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and harbored the rebel Ling Ke's son Ling Congnan! This is a grave crime! Anyone who dares obstruct the search shall be treated as an accomplice!"

Officials, eunuchs, and servants in the mansion were all greatly shocked and pale.

Tang Jia froze on the spot, knocked stumbling several steps by Huang Jie who strode forward and heavily collided with his shoulder, only then barely recovering his senses.

Last night an incident occurred in Yundang Mountain; as the Commandery Prince's Mansion Changshi, he naturally had already heard the news, only he did not know what madness Zhu Zhi was up to...

But now these Embroidered Uniform Guards come to the door, yet claim Sixth Prince laid an ambush in Yundang Mountain to attack and severely wound the Embroidered Uniform Guards? Harbor the rebel's son Ling Congnan?!

Absurd!

Not to mention that child of the Ling family died long ago; even taking ten thousand steps back, even if that child were still alive... these things could absolutely not be Sixth Prince's doing!

He actually hoped these ghostly words were true!

If Sixth Prince truly had such scheming ability and means, he Tang Jia would die with eyes closed today, and could gladly descend to the nine springs smiling!

But last night Sixth Prince was clearly still drunk and not sober; let alone killing or saving people, standing up and walking two steps out the door were difficult, where would the conditions for a premeditated ambush come from?

The Sixth Prince he raised, how could he not know this child's measure? Though full of hate, he could not muster a single punch's worth of strength!

In his view, clearly Zhu Zhi suffered a loss in Yundang Mountain, botched the job, and fabricated this absurd pretext to seek Sixth Prince's displeasure!

Zhu Zhi was a participant in the Deposed Crown Prince's calamity of that year; this thief's fangs are mad and vicious, his thief's heart undying; now come to the South, he intends to stir up trouble and bully Sixth Prince...

Tang Jia trembled all over with anger.

These people truly bully too much; do they still find this child, exiled so far away, not miserable enough, not pitiable enough?

Sixth Prince's nature is originally extreme; if he endures such fabricated framing and humiliation, he will likely act in a disgraceful, radical way... then no fault becomes fault!

Today he absolutely must not let these malicious dogs with ulterior motives succeed!

Tang Jia, for the first time in his life, ran wildly like this, chasing and blocking those arrogant, outrageous Embroidered Uniform Guards.

He had boundless anger, but the other side did not put him in their eyes at all.

He alone had only a pair of hands; how could he stop these fierce god evil spirit Embroidered Uniform Guards? Tang Jia was frantic with anxiety and anger, calling out to all officials and eunuchs along the way, but those people simply did not obey this Changshi's command; no one dared step forward to block.

"Bullying too much, bullying too much! Today this official, even if I die, will absolutely not allow Sixth Prince to suffer your humiliation!" Tang Jia lunged to block, but was kicked by Huang Jie, face full of impatience, into the side pond.

The few fish in the pond, scolded by Lord Tang for eating for free, scattered in fright.

Several eunuch guards hurriedly ran to rescue him.

Embroidered Uniform Guards surged into every part of the mansion, searching extensively, not even sparing the woodshed, just short of digging three feet into the ground.

Huang Jie personally led ten Embroidered Uniform Guards into Liu Qi's Ju Yuan, met with resistance from guards led by Deng Hu; both sides drew blades in unison.

At the moment swords drawn and crossbows tensed, a youth's figure walked out from the room.

Huang Jie looked over, and saw that youth's figure and outline were superior; walking, his left leg showed abnormality, like flawed fine jade, making one feel pity at the sight.

It was already noon, yet this youth seemed to have just risen; his robes were loose, hair knot untidy, several strands of loose hair hanging at his forehead; as he stepped out the door, paused under the corridor, and looked toward them, his eyes held only cold gloom.

But Huang Jie knew this was an illusion.

Last night in Yundang Mountain, the Zongling and this person personally exchanged blows... on the spot he had already identified the other's identity!

Clearly already seen through, yet at this moment he still dares feign disguise, attempting to muddle through?

Imperial Prince again how, merely a pitiful relic who long ago lost the Emperor's heart; today just need to confirm his crime of harboring the Ling family's descendant, and no one can save him.

Huang Jie's gaze swept over those guards, then settled back on Liu Qi, asking: "We hold credentials and come to search for rebel remnants; Sixth Prince's subordinates yet draw blades against us, could it be there truly is something unseeable hidden in this courtyard?"

Huang Jie fixed his gaze on that youth's reaction.

On the stone steps, the youth beneath the corridor spoke: "Deng Hu, let them search."

As his words fell, he slightly raised his chin, bearing an air of disdain, exchanging a silent gaze with Huang Jie.

Huang Jie raised his hand without changing expression to give the order, and the Brocade Guard immediately dispersed and surged into every corner.

Huang Jie also stepped onto the stone steps to enter and inspect personally; passing beside Liu Qi, he smelled a trace of wine and an unknown faint fragrance of plants on the youth's body.

Stepping into the house, Huang Jie's gaze swept over everything inch by inch.

It was not necessarily required to find Ling Congnan; any trace could serve as evidence, and... the Zongling had specifically instructed him to also pay attention to the movements of that girl with strange martial skills, for she had injured the Zongling and should be cut into ten thousand pieces.

Although even if Liu Qi were even more arrogant, he probably would not dare to leave such a glaring piece of evidence of the crime beside him, but paying more attention could do no harm.

The Zongling gritted his teeth and carefully repeated to him the girl's age, appearance, and features in detail, his words like knives, wishing he could immediately flay her alive.

Huang Jie swept his gaze over the people in the room in turn, seeing only a young servant standing with bowed head beside the book desk, timid and reserved, not daring to raise his head, and two maidservants dressed alike kneeling beside a low table, upon which wine vessels were placed.

Noticing Huang Jie's probing gaze, Shaowei silently gripped the short knife in her sleeve.

Not long after, a string of curses came from outside; Huang Jie turned to look outside the room, and it was Tang Jia, who had been fished out and then came chasing without a moment's pause.

Huang Jie glanced again at the two maidservants, then strode away to personally search whether there were any mechanisms or secret chambers inside the room.

He was extremely meticulous and well-versed in mechanism placement, but found nothing.

Tang Jia comforted Liu Qi a few words, then rushed into the house, only to see everything in disarray from being searched; just as Tang Jia was furious beyond endurance, his gaze seemed to be suddenly caught by something—

He stared intently, his gaze falling on one of the two maidservants.

Not right...

He recognized A Ya, but who was the other one?

The Sixth Prince was moody and unpredictable; although the eunuchs and maidservants serving in the courtyard often changed, he remembered every maidservant, great and small, in the entire Commandery Prince's Mansion clearly, guarding against someone secretly smuggling women in behind the scenes, lest they lead the Sixth Prince astray again early on.

Therefore, although others could not notice anything, he, Tang Jia, was absolutely certain that this maidservant was definitely not from their Commandery Prince's Mansion!

Noticing yet another gaze falling on herself, and that it seemed to have already discerned something amiss, a trace of killing intent surfaced in Shaowei's lowered eyes.

But the next moment, that gaze suddenly shifted away, and that person hurried off, shouting angrily without cease: "... You all act wantonly and overstep your bounds; this official will surely report today's matter to His Majesty!"

Huang Jie snorted disdainfully and lifted his foot to walk out.

After such a strict search several times with nothing found anywhere, people came one after another in quick strides, reporting in a low voice to Huang Jie: "Deputy Zongling, nothing at all has been discovered..."

Huang Jie stood below the stone steps, looking at the youth on the steps.

Because too much time had passed, an attendant had long since brought a Hu bed for him; the youth sat on the Hu bed, coldly watching all of this.

Tang Jia, soaked through, did not bother to change clothes, and although he himself was so angry he wished to fight these people to the death, at this moment he was still comforting Liu Qi by his side, turning ten thousand words into one sentence: "Good child, do not fall for the scheme, stay calm, do not go mad; afterwards, this subordinate will surely ask His Majesty to make a decision and seek justice for Your Highness."

Seeing that the Brocade Guards had found nothing, Tang Jia spoke with a stern countenance to drive them away.

Several officials from the mansion also gathered around; seeing the situation, they also plucked up courage to shout at Huang Jie and the others.

In addition, a scholar in a blue-green robe arrived in quick strides; he was the guest Tang Jia had sent someone to invite to the door, named Zhuang Yuanzhi, who had served as a Advice Daifu in the court, but had recently been demoted to the South for offending imperial majesty.

Tang Jia had no friendship with this man, but because he was known as the "First Scolding God of Great Qian," he was somewhat moved and tried to send someone to deliver a letter, intending to invite him to discuss the matter of the Sixth Prince's education.

Unexpectedly, the man really came, but the timing was clearly wrong.

An ordinary person seeing many Brocade Guards surrounding the outside would, even if he came, surely turn back immediately.

But Zhuang Yuanzhi was different; his spirits were even lifted, he strode in, inquiring about the situation along the way, and at this moment his face was full of solemnity, his gaze like a torch, as if a judge had descended from heaven.

Huang Jie knew this man Zhuang Yuanzhi; court censors and the Brocade Guard had never gotten along, but Huang Jie felt at this moment that Zhuang Yuanzhi's presence was a good thing.

Tang Jia shouted from above: "Enough of this commotion, why don't you leave quickly!"

"It seems the Sixth Prince indeed made preparations early." Huang Jie completely ignored Tang Jia, looking directly at Liu Qi, and said: "That is reasonable; since harboring a traitor, one would naturally hide them extremely secretly, and how could one be so foolish as to remain in the mansion to be searched..."

Tang Jia flew into a rage, pointing at Huang Jie and the others: "Without evidence, you dare to slander with empty words! By that logic, is everyone in the world suspected of harboring? I see that you all are too!"

Since the other side was determined to stir up a mess, then let's splash it back while it's hot!

Huang Jie suddenly smiled, raising his hand to signal this Changshi sir not to be agitated, saying: "Without evidence, where would we get the gall to come to the door and give offense? If the Sixth Prince wishes to prove his innocence, it is also simple."

He looked at the youth sitting before the door: "That night in Yundang Mountain, Zongling Zhu once fought with someone who resembled the Sixth Prince, causing the other party's arm to be injured—if that person was not the Sixth Prince, can you now remove your clothes for identification?"

Inside the room, Shaowei, kneeling, silently raised her eyes, looking at Liu Qi sitting outside the door.

In Shaowei's sight, Liu Qi slowly stood up.

The voices in the courtyard boiled; Tang Jia had never been so furious as at this moment.

Ordering a prince to strip and be examined in public—what an humiliating act!

The Sixth Prince's heart was already very sick; did these people have to drive him completely mad!

"Forcing a prince to strip and be examined in public, you are far from qualified!" Tang Jia shouted sternly: "If you insist on examining, then bring the imperial edict!"

"It is several thousand li to Chang'an; by the time the edict arrives, the injury will have healed, so how can it be made clear then?" Huang Jie looked at Liu Qi: "This humble official is also thinking for Your Highness, giving Your Highness a chance to prove himself."

Tang Jia was about to speak again, but was interrupted by the youth who had been silent all along.

The youth standing straight smiled meaningfully and counter-questioned Huang Jie: "If I prove my innocence, what crime should you suffer?"

Huang Jie did not fear these empty threats at all; he slightly lowered his head, but his eyes still looked up at the Sixth Prince, cupping his hands and saying: "This humble official is willing to accept the crime of overstepping and giving offense."

Inside the room, Shaowei was similar to Huang Jie; although she slightly lowered her head, her eyes remained raised, watching Liu Qi.

She saw Liu Qi, ignoring the officials beside him trying to dissuade him, actually begin to raise his hand and remove his clothes.