Chapter 10: Don't Drag Me Into Your Bragging

Dim and low.

Only a flickering candle flame emitted a faint, weak light.

Inside the Imperial Prison of the Eastern Depot, gusts of cold wind blew, and a complex odor—dampness and rot mixed with a thick, bloody stench—drifted through the cells, drilling into Zheng Guotai's nostrils.

He was seen curled up, huddled in a corner filled with straw.

The green robe on his body was wrapped tightly around him, yet it could not hide the bitter cold in his heart. This was the Imperial Prison of the Eastern Depot; having been born in the capital, how could he not know the severity of the Eastern Depot?

Once you offend the Eastern Depot, you only enter standing up and leave lying down.

"Why am I so unlucky? I just said one thing to him, and they dragged me here. I'm a relative of the imperial family, after all. If my sister finds out, she definitely won't spare you animals." Thinking this, Zheng Guotai's face was full of grievance, and he reached out to wipe the tears from his eyes.

His family in the capital was originally well-off, operating two shops. Although life wasn't exactly wealthy or noble, it was quite decent, and as the only son in the family, he was naturally spoiled.

Last autumn, his sister was selected to enter the palace.

Zheng Guotai was ecstatic, showing off to everyone he met: "I am now a relative of the imperial family!" Others didn't expose him, just smiling and offering a few words of congratulation. Zheng Guotai became increasingly arrogant and bloated, wanting to pick a fight with anyone he met. And so, just last night, he ran into a hard nail.

He was immediately grabbed and brought to the Eastern Depot's Imperial Prison.

Just as he was thinking this, the iron door opened with a *clack*, and a beam of blinding sunlight shot in. In an instant, the entire prison became restless; the sleeping prisoners all propped themselves up and surged toward the front of their cells.

They pounded on the wooden doors while shouting loudly.

"Let me out, let me out!"

"If you have the guts, kill your grandfather! Come on, if I even frown, I'm the son of you dogs!"

"Master, spare my life! Spare this little one this time!"

Accompanied by the shouting, a middle-aged man walked in, accompanied by a youth and several Eastern Depot agents. The man in the lead was about forty or fifty years old, of medium build, with fish-eye eyes and a bulbous nose; he walked with a swaying gait, much like a duck.

Don't let his unremarkable appearance fool you; no one in the entire capital was unaware of his great name.

Xu Jue!

A crony of the Inner Prime Minister Feng Bao.

Upon entering the prison, Xu Jue ignored the prisoners on both sides and headed straight for Zheng Guotai. It was said that this morning, You Qi had come to find him, telling him to keep an eye on Zheng Guotai.

He was stunned at the time.

What Zheng Guotai?

You Qi smiled, and after a mouthful of explanation, he finally understood. This fellow had offended a steward under his command, and the steward had brought him to the Eastern Depot, intending to scare him a bit.

Was a person as small as a sesame seed worth his concern? He had originally prepared to wave his hand and release Zheng Guotai, but unexpectedly, You Qi hurriedly stopped him, saying, "My meaning is, don't release him yet; keep him locked in the cell for a few days first."

He also said this was the Chief Grand Secretary's intention.

At this, Xu Jue became even more curious about Zheng Guotai.

He hurriedly sent people to investigate Zheng Guotai's ancestors back eighteen generations and found that this person had no major background. He just had a sister who had entered the palace last autumn, that was all.

As for Zheng Guotai claiming to be a relative of the imperial family, he didn't believe it in the slightest.

The Emperor's palace maids were as numerous as ox hair; how many could truly stand out in the harem? Most people would likely never even see the Emperor's face in their entire lives. Even if they did, so what? His own master was the Emperor's childhood companion; let alone ordinary Concubines, even the Empress had to be polite when she saw him.

Originally, this matter should have come to an end, and he would have followed the Chief Grand Secretary's wishes and locked this fellow up for a few days. But just at noon today, Zhang Juzheng's two sons came to his door, telling him to release the person quickly.

The father and the sons—who should he listen to? He couldn't be sure, so he asked his master. After his master Feng Bao clarified the ins and outs, he only said one word: "Release."

Xu Jue was immediately puzzled and cautiously reminded him, "Master, Grand Secretary Zhang specifically said not to release him."

Feng Bao smiled and replied, "What do you understand? He doesn't want to owe me a favor, but I insist on having his sons remember this favor of mine. Grand Secretary Zhang is getting old; the future will surely belong to these young people."

"Could it be that I would really fall out with the sons?"

Xu Jue secretly marveled at his master's deep schemes, and so he came directly to this prison.

In a few strides, Xu Jue arrived at Zheng Guotai's cell door. Zheng Guotai, who was inside, had never seen such a display and thought they were dragging him out for torture, so he turned his head to the side, pretending not to see them.

"You inside, Master Xu has arrived, are you still playing dead?" Without waiting for Xu Jue to speak, an agent at the side shouted loudly.

Zheng Guotai woke up in an instant and jerked his head around.

Aided by the dim candlelight, Xu Jue finally saw Zheng Guotai's appearance clearly. He saw that he was about twenty years old, with a fair face and shifty eyes, his whole body exuding an air of sleaziness.

With just one glance, Xu Jue could tell this person was a dissolute youth.

"I heard you know Young Master Zhang?"

What Young Master Zhang?

Zheng Guotai was completely bewildered. Suddenly, he remembered that the day he was captured, some Young Master Zhang wanted to see him. So, acting on the principle of treating a dead horse as a living one, he shouted, "I know him! Just the other day, I was drinking flower wine with him."

"I'm not bragging, but he and I are brothers who wear the same pair of trousers."

"If you dare to touch me, my brother definitely won't let you off!"

As soon as the words fell, a youth behind Xu Jue twitched his mouth and stepped forward, revealing his face.

It was Zhang Yunxiu, who had rushed over in a hurry.

"Hehe... I didn't expect you two to have this kind of relationship." Xu Jue glanced at Zhang Yunxiu, then turned his head to look at Zheng Guotai and asked, "Do you know why you were brought here?"

"I don't know."

"Alright, go on then. Be careful with your words in the future, and don't say things that have no head or tail. Understand?"

He could just leave like this?

Zheng Guotai was ecstatic. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said with difficulty, "I can really leave? You aren't lying to me?"

"Didn't you say your brother was coming to save you? How would I dare to offend Young Master Zhang? Hahaha." Xu Jue laughed out loud.

"Steward Xu!" Zhang Yunxiu's cheeks turned red.

At this moment, Zhang Jianxiu, who had been silent, chimed in with a tease: "I didn't expect you to have drunk flower wine with Young Master Zhang. Very well, then tell us, which house's girl was it?"

Zheng Guotai didn't understand the situation and braced himself, saying, "It was at Minglan Pavilion! That night, the two of us fought from the Hour of the Rooster until the Hour of the Dragon the next day, all through the night. It was only after we added more money that those girls agreed."

He spoke with great animation, with vivid details; Zhang Jianxiu and Xu Jue at the side were already laughing until they were doubled over.

Zhang Yunxiu was so angry his face turned black. He glared at Zheng Guotai and barked, "If you want to get out, shut your mouth!"

"You still don't believe me?"

"I believe your mother's leg!"

(End of chapter)