Chapter 152: Seeing Su Yuqing Again

"Prince, should the punishment be carried out now, or wait until we return to the Ministry of Revenue..."

"Carry it out immediately. Let everyone watch. This is what happens to those who do things they shouldn't. It will also let certain restless hearts weigh whether they can withstand two hundred military strikes from This Prince's men."

The Black Feather Guards were different from soldiers in other military camps.

Every one of them was trained in martial arts, their arm strength tremendous. A single strike of the rod produced an effect even more severe than two or three blows from a yamen runner.

An ordinary person would struggle to survive fifty or eighty strikes in a yamen, let alone endure two hundred military strikes at the hands of the Black Feather Guards.

Before long, the sound of rods striking flesh mixed with wails and pleas for mercy, as though a 360-degree surround sound had been activated, echoing ceaselessly through the street.

"Ah! Spare my life! Prince, spare my life!"

"We little ones know our wrongs, we'll never dare again!"

"Prince! Prince!"

……

"Too noisy." As Mo Junyan's words fell, the Black Feather Guards carrying out the punishment all stuffed things into their mouths to gag them.

Only the sound of rods remained on the street.

The common folk watched the runners carrying out the punishment with burning eyes, without the slightest pity in their gaze, feeling only immense satisfaction.

These people were not coming to their neighborhood to extort and scrape for the first time.

They came several times nearly every month.

They dared to behave this outrageously right under the Son of Heaven's feet. The people had gone to the prefectural yamen to file complaints, but it was of no use—the next time, the extortion would only be more ruthless.

Now, watching them receive their retribution, their hearts and eyes were filled with nothing but joy.

"Previously I only felt that His Highness Prince Li had a bad temper, taking people's lives at the slightest disagreement. Before, I only wanted to stay away. Now I actually feel that Prince Li is quite domineering."

Just then, someone shouted: "Thank you, Prince, for upholding justice for us common folk."

As the man's words fell, several thousand common folk on the street all knelt down.

"Thank you, Your Highness Prince Li."

Chi Nan Yi watched this scene and chuckled softly. This man certainly knew how to win the people's hearts.

Using thunderous measures to punish corrupt and law-breaking officials and runners would instantly elevate his standing in the common folk's hearts.

Those runners—let alone enduring two hundred military strikes—most of them didn't even survive fifty before breathing their last.

The people on the street watched with trembling hearts yet incomparable satisfaction.

Yun Shan pushed Mo Junyan into the private room. Chi Nan Yi looked at his legs and chuckled softly, saying in a low voice: "Prince, how long do you plan to keep pretending with these legs?"

Mo Junyan smiled: "Not for much longer."

"Did the Prince come specifically today to pick up vegetables?"

"No, This Prince was merely passing by."

By now, Yun Shan and Yun Shui had already hung the back baskets containing the vegetables on the horse. The common folk on the street all saw this clearly and couldn't help feeling curious—what kind of extraordinary thing was it that required the Prince to come fetch it in person?

Some bolder ones cast glances in that direction.

Upon seeing that it was several baskets of vegetables, they couldn't help but freeze in astonishment.

His Highness Prince Li made a special trip here, just for a few baskets of vegetables?

Just how delicious were these vegetables?

"I heard someone died in the Palace last night?" Chi Nan Yi said softly. "I wonder if the Prince has heard about it?"

"Heh, what day does someone not die in the Palace?" Mo Junyan looked straight into Chi Nan Yi's eyes. "No need to probe This Prince. I know what you want to say. If This Prince wanted to kill someone, I wouldn't bother being sneaky about it."

Thinking of the corpses the Black Feather Guards were handling on the street, Chi Nan Yi touched the tip of her nose and gave an awkward smile. It did indeed seem to be the case.

"However, these past two days Jingcheng has indeed been less than peaceful. Be careful as well. Now that the year's end is approaching, many parties are making unusual moves. You must stay alert in all matters."

"Thank you for the reminder, Prince."

Just then, Yun Shui walked in, looking as though he wanted to speak but hesitated. Seeing this, Chi Nan Yi very perceptively turned to leave.

Before she could take a few steps, she heard Mo Junyan say to Yun Shui: "It's fine, go ahead and speak."

Hearing this, Yun Shui coughed twice and said: "Prince, Miss Su has arrived."

"Miss Su?"

"The Right Minister's granddaughter, Su Yuqing, Miss Su."

"What is she here for?"

"This subordinate doesn't know either. Miss Su only said that upon seeing the residence's carriage, she wanted to come and offer a greeting."

Mo Junyan's expression was indifferent, his emotions unreadable, but Yun Shui sensed from his Prince a trace of anger interlaced with killing intent.

He couldn't help feeling a bit guilty.

Just then, a soft, delicate call came from the doorway: "A-Yan."

Hearing this form of address, Chi Nan Yi's brow twitched.

A-Yan—she called him quite intimately.

Su Yuqing walked into the private room, her face full of smiles: "A-Yan, you really are here."

"This Prince seems to have once warned you about what you should call me when you see This Prince."

Su Yuqing twisted her fingers, her face full of grievance and sadness.

This scene looked exactly like a young wife meeting a faithless lover.

Ever since entering the private room, Su Yuqing's gaze had been fixed on Mo Junyan and she did not recognize Chi Nan Yi, who was disguised as a man. But to prevent complications, Chi Nan Yi kept her head slightly lowered and said softly: "This commoner will pour tea for the Prince."

Chi Nan Yi left the private room and hurriedly put on her mask. Seeing her so perceptively taking the hint, the smile on Su Yuqing's lips deepened.

Now, in the private room, only she and Mo Junyan remained.

At present, the matter of the Su family's broken engagement with the Crown Prince had not yet spread abroad, but paper cannot wrap fire. Regardless, she had to cling to the great tree that was Mo Junyan before this matter became known to all. By then, people would only assume that Prince Li had fallen desperately in love with her and forcibly destroyed her engagement with the Crown Prince.

This way, not only would she preserve her reputation, but her status and position would also rise accordingly. Having earned Prince Li's favor, no one in all of Jingcheng would dare look down on her.

"Prince." Su Yuqing gently bit her lower lip, her eyes brimming with tears, and said as she wept, "Prince, I know you still resent me."

Mo Junyan was all but writing his impatience across his face.

"Get out."

"Prince, becoming the Crown Prince's side consort was truly not what I wished. It was my parents... they insisted I marry into the Crown Prince's Residence. It was never what I wanted." Su Yuqing looked at Mo Junyan haltingly, her eyes shimmering with moisture—just looking at her aroused pity.

In her view, Mo Junyan was also a man, and no man could be immune to such things. As long as she appeared pitiable enough, he would be moved by her. After all, among the noble daughters of prominent families in Jingcheng today, none could compare to her in beauty, talent, or status.

As for Meng Qinghe, who was likewise a daughter of the Minister's Residence, she had never regarded her at all.

She was nothing but an uncultured country bumpkin, falling far short of even the former Meng Nanyi—not by just a little.

Su Yuqing tentatively took a few steps forward and said softly, "Prince, if I do not marry the Crown Prince, could the two of us be as we once were?"

"Miss Su." Mo Junyan looked at her with indifferent eyes and said coldly, "Have you lost your mind?"