“This young gentleman, hold on!”
A sharp shout came from behind, followed by the clatter of armor and the sound of hurried footsteps.
Old Mo paused and looked at Bai Zhao.
Bai Zhao also turned around with a cold expression. He saw a middle-aged general around forty years old, leading more than a dozen armored soldiers as he hurried in from inside the city, his face filled with anxiety.
Before Bai Zhao could even speak, Wang Li, still held in Old Mo’s grip, lit up the instant he saw the middle-aged general. He shouted, “Gu, quickly! Arrest these bastards! They even dared to threaten to break this young master’s limbs!”
“Catch them! I want this Bai Zhao and that old bastard dead!”
“Oh, and leave this bitch to me. I’ll take her back and have some proper fun. Hehe.”
As he said that, he stared at Chuntao with a filthy grin.
Hearing this, Bai Zhao narrowed his eyes and looked at the Gu-named general.
Chuntao also stared coldly at him, wanting to see how he would handle it.
Although she had returned to the capital’s Prince’s Residence from the Northern Border with the princess consort two years ago, she did not often leave the residence, so she was not very clear on what relationship Wang Li had with this general.
Gu Chuan felt exhausted just hearing Wang Li’s words.
“You’re already in someone else’s hands, and you still don’t know how to keep that arrogant mouth shut? Brainless fool! Damn it, if my sister weren’t your father’s concubine, I wouldn’t care if you died!”
He cursed inwardly, but he could not really ignore the situation. Otherwise, if this brat really had his limbs broken, his father would never let him and his sister off lightly.
Looking at the commoners standing far away, he finally let out a breath of relief. There were many people here, and loose lips could make trouble, but luckily they were far enough away; the matter was still within a controllable range.
He raised a hand and first ordered his subordinates in a low voice, “You few, go disperse the commoners outside the city gate. Don’t let them gather here! Tell them to enter the city through another gate!”
After four or five soldiers behind him took the order and left, Gu Chuan ignored Wang Li’s shouting and said in a low voice, “This general is the commandant of the Left Brave Guard, responsible for the security of Mingde Gate. Would this young gentleman mind first putting down Young Master Wang?”
“After all, he’s just a child. He may be talking nonsense, but you’ve already dealt with the servants. There’s no need to make things too tense, right?”
“This child’s father is the current Minister of Rites, and his grandfather is none other than Duke Dingguo. If you break his limbs, that would be a disaster of the highest order, wouldn’t you agree, young gentleman?”
After saying that, he glared at Wang Li, who was still shouting, warning him to behave.
Wang Li was unconvinced and was about to keep spewing filth when a cold sword blade suddenly pressed against his neck, and Old Mo’s icy voice reached his ear.
“Say one more insult to my young master, and your head will hit the ground.”
Wang Li was instantly choked silent. Pale-faced, he stared at Old Mo but did not dare say another word.
He was usually used to being overbearing, but after all he was only a brat of thirteen or fourteen. With a blade at his throat, he was still scared stiff.
“A child? General Gu, that’s not quite right, is it? Does saying he’s a child make this whole thing go away?”
“And what do you mean, ‘just talking nonsense’? He harassed me, insulted my young master, and threatened to break people’s limbs and violate women at every turn. Are those things only counted after they happen?”
“Or are you, General Gu, in league with this little beast, or afraid of the brat behind him and trying to cover for him?”
Chuntao’s little face was cold as she looked at Gu Chuan, her words dripping with sarcasm.
Wang Li had repeatedly insulted and threatened her young master and had also harassed her. She had already been close to exploding.
Gu Chuan’s tiger eyes flashed with anger at her words. A servant dares to question me? Who gave you the guts? You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!
Thinking this, Gu Chuan’s face darkened too. Looking at Bai Zhao, whose expression remained as calm as ever, he said in a low voice, “So there’s nothing left to discuss? Kid! When face is given, you should take it! If you refuse face, then don’t blame me!”
“Men! These three injured the soldiers of the Left Brave Guard and the Duke’s residence servants at the city gate, and they are holding the young master of the Duke’s residence hostage. They are resisting stubbornly and show no respect for the law. Take them down! Kill anyone who resists without mercy!”
At Gu Chuan’s sharp order, the soldiers behind him shouted their assent in unison and quickly closed in with long blades in hand.
Seeing this, Chuntao was shocked and furious. She could not help but scold him in a sweet, sharp voice, “Gu, do you know who my young master is? How dare you act like this? Are you seeking death?”
Hearing that, Gu Chuan raised a hand. The soldiers stopped and surrounded the trio, long blades pointed at them as they glared like tigers.
“Oh? Interesting. Who exactly is your young master? In Chang’an City, I may not know every son of the noble families, but I’ve seen most of them. How is it that I don’t remember someone like your young master?”
“Could he be some family’s illegitimate son, wandering outside, now being brought into Chang’an to enjoy life?”
“If he’s an illegitimate son, then I have even more reason to deal with him. You haven’t even entered the city and you’ve already brought great trouble to your bargain-bin father. I’ll teach you the rules of Chang’an City, haha.”
Gu Chuan laughed loudly while looking at Bai Zhao, his face full of contempt and mockery.
Chuntao was so angry that her chest heaved. She was about to take out the Prince’s Residence token from her waist when Bai Zhao gently held her hand.
She looked up at her young master, her bright, round eyes full of indignation on his behalf.
Bai Zhao gently held Chuntao’s small hand, shook his head slightly, and gave her a reassuring look.
Then he suddenly turned back to look at Gu Chuan. A trace of anger appeared on his usually calm features as he said softly, “I only wanted to enter the city quietly and keep a low profile. You really should not have provoked me.”
Then he took a jade token from his waist and flung it at Gu Chuan, laughing arrogantly as he shouted, “Ha, who am I? Look carefully! I am the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei! Did I give you too much face? Trying to act tough in front of me? Bullying this heir?”
“Eight years ago, who in Chang’an City didn’t know I was the biggest wastrel around?”
“What? After eight years, a mere young master from Duke Dingguo’s residence and a mere commandant guarding the city gate think they can treat this heir like this?”
“You keep saying I should take the face you give me. In this heir’s eyes, you don’t have any face at all!”
Gu Chuan reached out and caught the jade token. After looking at it clearly and then hearing Bai Zhao’s words, his legs instantly went weak and darkness flashed before his eyes.
“Damn it, Wang Li, you cursed brat, you’ve ruined me! Of all people, you had to provoke Bai Zhao, the capital’s number one wastrel from back then! It’s over, I’ve kicked an iron wall this time!”
At that moment, the woman in the carriage outside the scene heard Bai Zhao’s words. Her phoenix eyes widened, her heroic brows lifted sharply, and her heart surged. She murmured softly, “So it really is you? After all these years, why have you suddenly changed your nature?”
“And you even have martial arts now. Weren’t you crippled and unable to practice martial arts back then? It looks like you have quite a few secrets. Interesting…”
After saying that, her delicate lips curled into a meaningful smile.
“Ningxiang, let’s go. We’ll enter the city through Anhua Gate instead. Don’t miss the time!”
“Aren’t we watching anymore, young lady? It’s too far away to hear what they’re saying. I wonder what will happen to this young gentleman and that little sister. Sigh… Young lady, why don’t we help them?”
Ningxiang looked at the woman in front of her with wide apricot eyes and slightly pouted red lips as she spoke pitifully.
Hearing this, the woman merely rolled her eyes, her mouth twitching slightly, and said softly, “No need. He doesn’t need help; he can handle it himself. That man is the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei. Do you think he needs our help?”
“Ah? He’s the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei? Your servant heard that when he was in Chang’an back then, he was the biggest wastrel in the capital. He doesn’t look like the kind of person who bullies men and abuses women. He’s so gentle to his maidservant,” Ningxiang exclaimed.
The woman frowned, her majestic phoenix eyes turning to Ningxiang. Her delicate red lips parted slightly as she said in a deep voice, “Today, you saw nothing. Understand?”
Ningxiang was startled. Her little face instantly turned pale, and she immediately lowered her head in reply, “Your servant understands. Today, this servant and young lady entered Chang’an through Anhua Gate.”
The woman gave a slight nod and softly said, “Let’s go.”
…
The scene returns to Wang Li in the center.
Hearing Bai Zhao’s words, then seeing Gu Chuan’s ugly expression and the soldiers around them sheathing their blades and falling back, how could Wang Li not know that he had lost this time?
Looking again at the servants lying on the ground, who had been crying out in pain but suddenly fainted after hearing Bai Zhao’s words, he did not know whether they were pretending…
Seeing Wang Li and Gu Chuan’s ugly expressions, Bai Zhao said with contempt, “What’s wrong, you two? Not acting anymore? Weren’t you going to take this heir down?”
“Kill without mercy if this heir resists?”
“And you, you dog whelp, break this heir’s limbs? Call this heir a pretty boy? Make this heir beg you? And call this heir’s woman a bitch, saying she should serve you? Are you tired of living?”
“Oh, right, I almost forgot. General Gu, you said I was an illegitimate son, called my father cheap, and wanted to teach me the rules? I don’t know what the rules of Chang’an City are. Please, enlighten me!”
Gu Chuan could no longer hold back after hearing this. With a thud, he dropped to his knees in terror and said, “This general deserves death for offending Your Highness, the Heir. I did not know Your Highness’s identity today; it truly was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!”
“I beg Your Highness, the Heir, to be magnanimous and not lower yourself to my level. Please spare this lowly one!”
Wang Li also put on a flattering, ingratiating smile and said, “Brother Bai, I’m sorry. I was blind. Today was my fault. I shouldn’t have run my mouth and harassed your woman. But she’s only your servant; there’s no need to make such a big deal of it, right?”
“As for insulting you and saying those damned words, it was all a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! This is just a case of the flood washing into the Dragon King’s temple; we’re all family here.”
“Do you remember Wang Xiao, who used to follow behind you back then? He’s my big brother.”
“Brother Bai, don’t take it to heart. We’re all one family. How about this: once we get into Chang’an City, I’ll treat you to the Entertainment Bureau! My treat!”
…
Wang Li was still smiling as he spoke, but Chuntao interrupted him with a frosty expression.
“Shut your filthy mouth! Who is family with you? Are you trying to lead my heir astray? Do you really want to die?” As she spoke, she shot a glare at Bai Zhao beside her with her clear, beautiful eyes.
Bai Zhao gave her an innocent look back, but inside he was full of fury toward Wang Li and Gu Chuan.
The two of them kept saying they had offended him and Chuntao, but not once did they mention the little girl who had almost been trampled to death.
Right, perhaps in their eyes that life was no different from an ant’s.
Bai Zhao was not a saint. As a former assassin agent, his nature had always been cold. The world was like this; he did not want to meddle, and he could not.
But when that little girl had been in his arms just now, looking up at him with her ignorant, innocent eyes and saying, “Thank you, big brother,” his heart had trembled violently.
He thought of his sister.
Fine then. Since neither of them cared about that little girl’s life at all, he would take the opportunity to make a scene, using the excuse that these two had offended him and Chuntao to tell the people of Chang’an something.
He, the number one wastrel of Chang’an eight years ago, was back! Stop fucking with me!
That would also perfectly achieve his goal of lying low. With these two as a warning, his days should be much calmer.
Thinking of this, Bai Zhao looked at the two people in front of him, curled his lips into a contemptuous smile, and slightly raised his sharp brows.
In an intentionally cocky tone, he said, “Heh, Wang Xiao? I know that bastard. With him, you think you’re qualified to say we’re family? What a joke!”
“I look down on brats like you. Your big brother is even more of a slippery bastard!”
“Today you harassed my maidservant. Even if she’s only a maidservant, in my eyes she’s still ten thousand times nobler than you!”
Hearing this, a flash of venom suddenly surged in Wang Li’s eyes.
“Damn it! Damn it! You just have a good father! What’s so amazing about you?”
“Damn bastard, she’s nothing but a lowly bitch. Fine if she cursed my brother, that bastard, but now she insults me like this? I’ll tear you to pieces!” Wang Li thought bitterly, but he did not dare say it aloud.
Because the Prince of Zhenbei really was stronger than his Duke Dingguo residence, much stronger.
After all, that was a prince of Great Qian with military power, and the only prince of a different surname.
“Huh? Not convinced? Today I’ll give you two choices!”
“Oh, right, and you too, Gu Chuan. Same for you! I know you both hate me deep down.”
Bai Zhao looked at the two of them. The peach blossom eyes that were usually full of tenderness were now cold as ice, and a tiny curve appeared on his delicate lips. In their eyes, it looked like a demon’s smile.
Then he held up one long, fair, well-boned finger.
“The first: you two kneel down and kowtow ten times. While kowtowing, you must also say, ‘I was wrong. I was outrageously bold to offend His Highness the Heir’s maidservant. I deserve ten thousand deaths. Please forgive Miss Chuntao!’ And you must slap yourselves as well. If you don’t knock your own teeth out, Old Mo will help you.”
Then he held up a second finger.
“The second: this heir will have Old Mo break both your legs and hang you from the city wall as a public example! Choose for yourselves!”
After saying that, his left arm extended and wrapped around Chuntao’s delicate willow-like waist. He stroked her gently and said in a warm voice, “Chuntao, don’t be angry. Young master will avenge you.”
Chuntao, seeing the look Bai Zhao gave her, understood.
She cooperatively leaned into Bai Zhao’s arms and whimpered softly, “Wuwu, thank you, Your Highness, the Heir. Today Wang Li spoke to your servant like that. Your servant was so scared, wuwu.”
Hearing Chuntao’s words, Bai Zhao’s mouth twitched. Way too much acting. Little Chuntao. Women really are all drama queens.
“Bitch! Bastards!”
Both Gu Chuan and Wang Li had the same roar in their hearts, but their choices were utterly different.
Hearing Bai Zhao’s two options, Gu Chuan suddenly raised his head. Bai Zhao, however, only looked at him with a smile on his lips and cold eyes.
Seeing this, Gu Chuan had no choice but to grit his teeth secretly. His bloodshot eyes opened wide as he said in humiliation, “This general chooses the first!”
After saying that, he began kowtowing to Chuntao and Bai Zhao, cursing himself with every bow, begging Miss Chuntao for forgiveness while slapping himself hard.
“Damn it, if it weren’t for that dog Wang Li, how could I have provoked this guy? How could I, this general, be so humiliated today? That dog deserves to die too!”
Gu Chuan’s anger soared to the sky. In his humiliation, he also came to hate Wang Li.
Seeing Gu Chuan choose the first option, Bai Zhao turned his gaze to Wang Li, whose eyes were practically spewing fire while still in Old Mo’s grip.
“What? Not convinced? Little brat, what’s with that look? You want to eat me up?”
“I’m so scared~ I don’t care how you usually bully other people, but if you bully my Chuntao, then you’re not giving me face. If I step on you, you’ll have to take it. Choose!”
No matter how much rage Wang Li had in his heart, he couldn’t vent even a bit of it now. That Uncle Mo behind him was not someone he could deal with!
In the end, his brat nature got the better of him. He could no longer hold it in and said bitterly, “Surname Bai, just because of a lowly slave girl, you really have to go this far? If you insist on tearing faces apart, my Duke’s residence is not to be trifled with. Be careful you won’t be able to bear the consequences!”
Hearing this, Bai Zhao lifted his sword-like brows. His cold eyes fixed on Wang Li, the curve of his mouth widening as he forced out a frosty voice through his teeth:
“Bold! Even now you still dare threaten this heir! And you still dare spout nonsense and insult this heir’s woman! Today, this heir will give you, this foul-mouthed brat, a proper lesson!”
“You don’t need to choose. This heir will choose for you! Uncle Mo, break his legs and knock out all his teeth. Hang him on the city wall!”
Uncle Mo heard his heir’s order and did not even give Wang Li a chance to regret it. He simply kicked Wang Li in the leg.
With a crack, Wang Li’s legs bent into a grotesque angle.
“Ah! You bastard, you deserve to die! Bai Zhao, how dare you… ptooey!”
Wang Li let out a miserable howl, his eyes bulging as he glared at Bai Zhao and cursed him. But before he could get out two curses, Uncle Mo slapped him twice, sending blood and broken teeth spraying from his mouth, and he passed out from the pain.
“Blind dog! Still daring to curse His Highness, the Heir? If His Highness had not spoken, this old man would have crushed you long ago. Ptooey! What a piece of trash.”
Old Mo threw Wang Li to the ground, spat, and said fiercely.
Gu Chuan, who had just finished slapping himself and kowtowing, saw this scene and his eyes shrank. This was big trouble.