“What?”
Xiao Jing’an wore a look of bewilderment, thinking he had misheard.
The steward had also thought he misheard at first.
After all, someone so grown up, how could they still manage to cause trouble.
“Master, Young Master Pei has caused trouble at the Imperial College.”
The steward repeated it in detail once more.
Xiao Jing’an was almost laughed into anger.
“How old is he, still acting like a child, able to cause trouble, and it’s only been three days since he entered the Imperial College.”
With that, he lightly flicked his sleeves.
“What does him causing trouble have to do with me? I’m not going.”
The steward pondered, “Master, judging by the expression of the person who delivered the message, the trouble Young Master Pei caused this time shouldn’t be small.”
Xiao Jing’an’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“The Libationer doing this is out of worry that I won’t go, not telling me what trouble Pei Yan actually caused, yet putting on such a severely serious attitude.”
The steward thought for a moment: “The trouble Young Master Pei caused seems too much for the Libationer to handle, and since Young Master Pei is the one you recommended to the Imperial College, he has no choice but to seek you out to resolve it.”
He added another sentence: “The Libationer is treating the master like Young Master Pei’s elder.”
The tip of Xiao Jing’an’s brow twitched slightly, a trace of displeasure welling up.
“I am of a similar age to him, how can he use such phrasing!”
Startled, the steward immediately dropped to both knees: “This subordinate deserves death for a momentary slip of the tongue, please punish me, master.”
Xiao Jing’an made no comment, standing up to walk around him and leave.
Sheng Nan and Sheng Dong had mostly recovered from the injuries and board beatings on their buttocks from their previous mistake, and they accompanied Xiao Jing’an to the Imperial College.
The reception hall of the Imperial College was spacious and solemn, with a magnificent carpet spread across the center of the hall, embroidered with exquisite patterns that gave off a luxurious feel.
The red wooden doors carved with auspicious patterns were pushed open by the guards.
Xiao Jing’an stepped inside with steady strides.
Sunlight streamed through the window lattice onto his slender figure, outlining a golden contour.
He was dressed in a black python robe, his sleeves fluttering, accentuating his noble and precious temperament even further.
Pei Yan’s gaze shifted toward him.
Right into those dark, deep black eyes of his.
The moment Xiao Jing’an saw Pei Yan, his gaze narrowed slightly, and a moment later, his brows knitted together tightly. He stared at Pei Yan, examining him closely.
He saw that Pei Yan’s white outfit was full of creases, one of the buttons on the collar was missing, his cuffs were torn, and his hair bun was also quite disheveled.
Most importantly, he had injuries on his face.
The corners of his lips were flushed red, a few bloodstains lingered on the bridge of his delicate and straight nose, and there was even a bruise on his temple.
The whole person looked rather disheveled.
“Prince Ye, please take a seat.”
The Libationer hurried over to receive Xiao Jing’an.
Xiao Jing’an slowly withdrew his gaze from Pei Yan.
Expressionless, he lifted the hem of his robe and sat down.
At this moment, Grand Tutor Zuo Heng stepped forward and bowed respectfully: “This subject pays respects to His Highness Prince Ye.”
After he finished speaking, he glared at Pei Yan, who was standing to the side, and with a trace of indignation toward Pei Yan, said to Xiao Jing’an: “This subject requests Your Highness Prince Ye to render justice for this subject. That unruly commoner Pei Yan was savage and impolite, beating and injuring my unworthy son Zuo Qi.”
Zuo Heng was an official of the primary first rank, while the Libationer was only from the subordinate third rank; an official of a higher rank crushes those below him, not to mention being higher by two ranks and more.
Moreover, Pei Yan was recommended by Xiao Jing’an, and the Libationer could afford to offend neither, so he could only invite Xiao Jing’an himself to handle this matter.
After Zuo Heng finished speaking, he waited for Xiao Jing’an to open his mouth.
The Libationer looked toward Xiao Jing’an, also waiting for him to speak on how to deal with this matter.
At the same time, he guessed that Xiao Jing’an would punish Pei Yan, since Xiao Jing’an had once declared that there was no need to show him any consideration regarding Pei Yan.
Yet even though Xiao Jing’an had stated this clearly, a mere minor Libationer like him still couldn’t arbitrarily punish someone without knowing the situation, requiring the principal himself to carry it out.
In this way, he wouldn’t offend anyone.
The fingers inside Pei Yan’s sleeves were gently twisting his cuffs.
At this moment, naturally he was also waiting for Xiao Jing’an to speak.
It was impossible to say he wasn’t nervous; this time no matter what, he had offended a primary first-rank minister of the imperial court.
Yet he did not regret it. If he hadn’t stepped in this time, his little dad probably would have continued to suffer bullying from that Zuo Qi.
As it turned out, Zuo Qi had gone to bully Pei Yuning again; if Pei Yan hadn’t stepped in, Zuo Qi wouldn’t have just torn Pei Yuning’s book and destroyed his knapsack, but would have picked up the tutor’s ruler to strike Pei Yuning’s hands.
Zuo Qi possessed martial arts skills and great strength; if a ruler struck Pei Yuning’s slender hands, a fracture would have been inevitable.
How could Pei Yan let his little dad suffer bullying and harm from others?
Thus, he stepped forward bravely to protect Pei Yuning.
At the same time, he had Zhou Hezhao pull Pei Yuning away.
To prevent Pei Yuning from having too frail a constitution and getting scared sick.
At this moment, Xiao Jing’an turned his face slightly, his lips pursed into a faint smile as he detachedly said to Pei Yan: “Standing so far away, are you feeling guilty?”
“I didn’t do anything wrong, I don’t feel guilty at all.”
As he spoke, Pei Yan walked over and stopped beside Xiao Jing’an.
Zuo Heng and the Libationer seemed not to have recovered yet from the shock of Pei Yan casually using the word “I” in front of a revered prince of the realm.
Xiao Jing’an raised his eyelids and sized up Pei Yan once more: “Tell me what happened.”
Pei Yan recounted the events that transpired one by one to Xiao Jing’an.
With his explanation, the party at fault became Zuo Qi.
Bullying a fellow student, Zuo Qi indeed was the party at fault.
However, how could this Zuo Heng let it rest.
He glared fiercely at Pei Yan, a look that wished it could slice Pei Yan into a thousand pieces.
“Prince Ye, he has only been at the Imperial College for a few days, yet he gets into a fierce brawl with my unworthy son. You must not lightly forgive this person brimming with base, inferior roots.”
Pei Yan parted his lips, just as he was about to argue with him, Xiao Jing’an raised a hand to signal him to be quiet.
Seeing this, Pei Yan could only obediently keep quiet.
The corners of Xiao Jing’an’s lips lifted, his expression carrying a smile, yet his gaze was extraordinarily dangerous, cold and piercing to the bone as if coming from the nethermost hell.
“Pei Yan was recommended by me to enter the Imperial College, he is my person. For you to hurl such insults at him is no different from hurling insults at me.”
Startled, Zuo Heng trembled all over and hurriedly bent over in a bow: “This subject wouldn’t dare, this subject didn’t mean that, this subject simply wanted to purely seek justice for my unworthy son.”
Xiao Jing’an sat upright upon his chair, his expression composed and steady.
“These words should be spoken by me. Your unworthy son relied on his power to bully others, bullying the descendant of a meritorious official who sacrificed his life for the country, while my person extended a helping hand out of a sense of justice, only to be falsely accused in return. If this matter were to reach the ears of His Majesty, have you ever considered the consequences?”
As if pinched at his fatal weakness, Zuo Heng this time directly swept the hem of his robe and knelt on the ground.
“Prince Ye, please show mercy. This subject was momentarily muddle-headed, please gloss over this matter and let the big issues become small ones.”
The Libationer smoothed things over from the side.
“Prince Ye, after all, the two of them are schoolmates, and young people tend to act more rashly. Please show mercy and do not pursue this matter further.”
Xiao Jing’an turned his side gaze toward Pei Yan.
“His injuries are not light.”
Zuo Heng hastily said: “This subject will compensate Young Master Pei for all medical expenses.” Adding immediately: “This subject guarantees that my unworthy son will no longer stir up trouble and bully others.”
The corners of Pei Yan’s mouth curved upward slightly, as he joyfully complained internally in his mind: [I didn’t expect the muddle-headed emperor to treat me pretty well this time!]
Hearing his inner voice, Xiao Jing’an knitted his brows slightly, seemingly reluctant to have Pei Yan think of him in that way.
“Compensation must also be given to Pei Ming’s orphaned descendant.”
The joy in Pei Yan’s heart was instantly doused by a basin of ice shards, vanishing without a trace.
Xiao Jing’an lowered his voice and spoke to him: “Do not smugly assume that I am doing this for your sake.”
Pausing slightly: “I am doing this for two reasons. First, Zuo Heng is the Third Prince’s man, and how could I allow myself to be led around by the nose by him; second is-”
“I understand.”
Pei Yan didn’t want this cut-sleeve to filthily bring up his little dad.
“No matter what, you helped me smooth things over today, and I am endlessly grateful for your great kindness.”
Xiao Jing’an did not pick up on Pei Yan’s words; his gaze fell upon Zuo Heng, who was still kneeling on the ground: “Get up. Today, since your son injured my person, I will not pursue the matter further.”
His words suddenly stopped.
His attention was drawn away by the person walking in.