The man who had just mocked Zou Yunjian was now utterly confused. Though he had read a few books, he had never studied seriously.
Zou Yunjian deliberately quoted the classics, hoping to draw the attention of someone hidden in the crowd. As a result, the man couldn’t understand a word of Zou Yunjian’s rambling speech.
His servant, however, was sharp-eyed. “Master, he’s insulting you—saying you’re not even as good as a rat!”
The man immediately flew into a rage. Seeing Zou Yunjian already fallen to the ground, he raised his foot and kicked hard.
“How dare you curse me? You must be tired of living!”
The servant, brimming with righteous indignation, grabbed Zou Yunjian by the collar, yanked him up, and punched him viciously.
“You’re the one who’s beneath a rat! My master is noble and upright, unlike you, scheming and conniving!”
Zou Yunjian had purposely come without his own servant today. Now, beaten, he had no one to help him. He hadn’t expected this group to be so brazen as to start a fight right at the Princess Consort Pingnan’s banquet.
In the struggle, he shoved away the servant clutching his collar and shouted angrily, “Let go of me! You disgrace the dignity of scholars!”
The servant stumbled, his head striking a stone. Blood spread in a shocking crimson pool.
Zou Yunjian’s heart leaped into his throat—this was bad. Before he could think further, a sharp pain exploded in his stomach—someone had kicked him hard, sending him staggering backward.
“You dare harm my master’s man? You’ve got a death wish!”
At that moment, Zou Yunjian felt a brutal blow to the back of his knee. His bones seemed to crack, and he collapsed uncontrollably. By misfortune, his foot caught on a stone. A sharp crack rang out, and agony shot through his shin. The world spun, and he nearly fainted from the pain.
Neither the Crown Prince nor Zhuang Wanqing had expected matters to escalate so suddenly. By the time they rushed forward to save Zou Yunjian, it was already too late.
“Your Highness, this young gentleman’s shin bone is fractured. Some of the bone has shattered. Even if it heals, he will never walk properly again…”
When the accident befell Zou Yunjian, the Crown Prince immediately summoned the imperial physician, only to receive this grim verdict.
Looking at Zou Yunjian lying on the bed, now awake but turning ashen upon hearing the physician’s words, the Crown Prince felt only regret. At the poetry gathering, he had read Zou Yunjian’s verses. Though not as brilliant as Kang Xuan’s, they were still impressive among the many scholars present today. Moreover, seeing him struggle against others with such integrity had stirred a faint admiration. Who could have foreseen that he would suddenly break his leg? A crippled man could never pursue an official career.
The Crown Prince sighed. “Examine him again carefully. If there is any chance of treatment, do your utmost.”
Zou Yunjian suddenly struggled upright. “Your Highness, my fall was no accident. I distinctly felt something strike my leg. Please, physician, check if there is an injury!”
The Crown Prince gave no reply, but his impatience was already showing.
A disabled man was already wasting his time—granting him this much attention was more than generous.
Zou Yunjian, desperate about his leg, did not realize he had already been abandoned. Even if he had truly been plotted against, the Crown Prince would never investigate or punish those present. They were all sons of noble houses. For Zou Yunjian, it was not worth the trouble.
Dou Xueci had calculated this precisely—Lin Heyi was no benevolent ruler.
The physician examined him and indeed found a purplish bruise on his shin. Yet he could not determine whether it was caused by the fall or by a blow, as Zou Yunjian claimed.
Reporting truthfully to the Crown Prince, Lin Heyi outwardly remained composed, but inwardly grew more impatient, even weary of Zou Yunjian.
“With so many people present today, it is impossible to distinguish. Master Zou, focus on your recovery. Later, I will have someone escort you back to the Duke residence.”
Zou Yunjian’s clenched fists slackened helplessly, a shadow flickering in his eyes. “Yes… thank you, Your Highness…” His face grew paler, even his lips trembling faintly—whether from pain or from rage was unclear.
Zou Yunjian was convinced that someone had plotted against him today, taking advantage of the chaos to cause his injury. But without evidence, and with the Crown Prince clearly unwilling to pursue the matter, he was left powerless, his heart swirling with resentment.
After the Crown Prince departed, Zou Yunjian’s gaze turned venomous, like a poisonous serpent lurking in the dark. If he ever uncovered the mastermind, he would grind them to dust.
Outside, Zhuang Wanqing had been waiting. Seeing the Crown Prince emerge, she hurried forward. “Your Highness, how is my cousin?”
Lin Heyi was in poor spirits, yet he still showed some patience toward Zhuang Wanqing. “His shin bone is fractured. In the future, I fear he will be unable to walk properly.”
Zhuang Wanqing staggered back half a step, as if struck by lightning. Her lips parted, but for a long time no words came. When she looked again, her face was already streaked with tears.
By the time Zou Yunjian was sent back to the Duke’s residence, night had fallen. Dou Xueci rushed to visit him. “Cousin, how are you feeling? Does your leg still hurt?”
Her eyes were red, gazing at his injured leg with deep sorrow, as though she had been crying.
“Cousin, I’ve only made you worry. I was already a broken body, and now my leg is ruined too. What hope do I have left…” Zou Yunjian gave a bitter smile, his eyes shadowed with despair, almost resigned to his fate.
“Cousin, your talent is unmatched. Even if you cannot take the imperial examinations or enter officialdom, you can still teach and nurture students. To have disciples spread across the land would be an achievement in itself.”
“Cousin, perhaps now only you still do not despise me.” Zou Yunjian looked at her, his gaze filled with tender yet sorrowful affection. He seemed like a wounded, pitiful little creature, pleading for the compassion of its master.
But Dou Xueci did not say the words Zou Yunjian longed to hear—he was only pretending to be pitiful.
“We are cousins. Naturally, I would never despise you. It’s late now, cousin, rest well. I’ll come again tomorrow.”
Zou Yunjian wanted to keep her, but Dou Xueci refused to give him a chance and turned to leave.
Once she was gone, Zou Yunjian suddenly revealed a cold, sinister smile. In the flickering candlelight, he looked almost like a ghost. So now that his leg was ruined, she thought she could abandon him? Dou Xueci—she shouldn’t even dream of it!
Leaving Zou Yunjian’s courtyard, Dou Xueci asked, “Has Zhuang Wanqing returned to the residence?”
Yuxuan replied, “Not long after Young Master was injured, Miss Zhuang went back to the women’s quarters. Somehow she stumbled into misfortune—she fell straight into the pond. In this bitter cold, when they pulled her out, she was frozen speechless. And it was in front of everyone—she fainted on the spot. She’s just been carried back into the residence. I fear she’ll fall ill.”
A single outing had left one crippled and one sick.
As for what kind of misfortune she stumbled into—that was naturally the ‘ghosts’ of Prince’s household.
Dou Xueci and Princess Langhuan had played their parts in harmony, first ensuring Zhuang Wanqing gained a reputation for seduction in the eyes of the crowd.
Princess Consort Pingnan already disliked such women. Yet that fool Lou Yuanduo, instead of avoiding suspicion, rushed to present the golden phoenix to Zhuang Wanqing. Was he not hastening her downfall? The moment he gave her the prize, it was destined that the Princess Consort would never let her leave unscathed. Which only proves: sometimes fools are more dangerous than villains.
“Send word to Eldest Madam, both of them are her darlings—how could she not be concerned?”
Yuxuan smiled wickedly. “Yes, I’ll have someone deliver the message at once.”