Chapter 14
Chapter 14
“Little beauty, are you drinking tea here all alone?”
The chubby young man dropped onto the bench and propped up his chin, leering at Xie Chengze. “Have you come to Zhuolu for pleasure? My father is the County Magistrate, and I’m his son, so I know this place inside and out. Why don’t you visit my residence? This young master can take you, hehehe… take you around and show you a good time. What do you say?”
Whatever delightful prospect the chubby young man imagined, he actually broke into a lecherous chuckle halfway through his sentence.
Xie Chengze set down his teacup and feigned interest. “My lord is the County Magistrate’s son?”
At the sign of interest, the chubby young man instantly straightened his back and declared smugly, “Of course! Ask anyone you please. Hey, you there. Tell him – isn’t this young master Zhu Xiaobiao, son of County Magistrate Zhu?”
The chubby young man kicked a patron at the neighboring table.
The patron hurriedly answered, trembling as he said, “Yes. My lord is indeed the County Magistrate’s son.”
The saber-carrying yamen runners crowded closer and stood behind Zhu Xiaobiao, laughing brazenly at Xie Chengze. “Little beauty, follow our young master home and you’ll eat and drink only the finest. A life of luxury is waiting for you!”
As though frightened, Xie Chengze rose with visible unease. “I arranged to meet someone and will leave the city tonight. Still, many thanks for my lord’s kind offer.”
At his refusal, the chubby young man’s face instantly soured. He slapped the table and shot to his feet. “I thought you knew what was good for you, but it seems you’re determined to suffer. Men, tie him up and take him back to the residence for this young master!”
The yamen runners beside him had long been itching to act. They stepped forward and pinned Xie Chengze in place. When their hands touched his waist, they could not help marveling that the brat’s waist was fucking soft – more exciting than a woman’s.
Unable to break free, Xie Chengze glared furiously at Zhu Xiaobiao. “Release me! Do you know who I am? How dare you bind me?”
“Hmph! This young master is the County Magistrate’s son, and my younger maternal aunt is the wife of the Prefect of Jizhou! Judging by your clothes, you’re no more than a merchant’s son. Commoners don’t fight officials. Don’t you understand even that?” Zhu Xiaobiao smugly tilted up his chin, then patted the long whip at his waist and put on a threatening expression. “I advise you to behave. Then you’ll suffer a little less later!”
Xie Chengze’s face paled slightly. “If you dare touch me, you’ll regret it!”
“Regret?” Zhu Xiaobiao said disdainfully, waving for the yamen runners to take him away. “This Zhu Xiaobiao has never known how to write the word ‘regret’ in his life!”
…
“Father! I regret it – !”
Inside the county yamen, Zhu Xiaobiao knelt on the floor and wailed. His tears splashed onto the ground and formed the word “regret.”
Xie Chengze sat behind the magistrate’s bench, leisurely savoring the fragrance of his tea – and the drama playing out below.
County Magistrate Zhu knelt trembling to one side, cautiously watching Xie Chengze’s expression. “Your Highness, this lower official failed to discipline his son! I beg Your Highness to spare his life on account of his youth!”
After speaking, he kicked Zhu Xiaobiao viciously and cursed, “Idiot! You even dared abduct His Highness the Second Prince! Hurry up and beg His Highness for mercy!”
If the Second Prince had not failed to appear at their appointed meeting time, prompting Wuhen to appear and announce that the prince was in Zhu Xiaobiao’s room, County Magistrate Zhu would never have known that his son – usually no more than a wastrel – had now committed a capital offense!
Kicked to the floor, Zhu Xiaobiao wept pitifully. “Your Highness, this lowly one knows he was wrong! I truly didn’t know you were a prince. If I had a hundred lives’ worth of courage, I still wouldn’t have dared!”
“Is that so?” Xie Chengze slowly sipped his tea and gave him a half-smile. “So if this prince were not a prince, you would have dared seize him and make him your beautiful concubine?”
Zhu Xiaobiao hurriedly shook his head. “No, no, I wouldn’t dare! Didn’t we discuss this inside? Only you could possibly deserve the place of my principal husband – ow!”
Before Zhu Xiaobiao could finish, County Magistrate Zhu smacked him hard on the forehead. “What nonsense are you saying?” he cried in terror.
Did he have a death wish? Every scholar and official in the realm knew that His Highness the Second Prince despised relations between men above all else and hated nothing more than being told he looked like a woman.
Clutching his head, Zhu Xiaobiao sobbed, “Your Highness – I know I was wrong! I’ll dismiss every one of my beautiful concubines and send them home right now! Boohoohoo – ”
“This prince doesn’t believe you. Who knows whether you’ll knowingly commit the same crime again after this prince leaves?” Xie Chengze set down his teacup, his smile turning increasingly playful. “There is, however, one way to convince this prince that you will never again abduct an innocent woman.”
Zhu Xiaobiao felt his crotch clench. Terrified, he threw himself flat on the floor and wailed, “Your Highness! Your Highness, I don’t have a son yet! I haven’t fathered a child! Could you wait – let me, let me father a daughter before I die, at least – ”
Xie Chengze: “…”
Wow, he was *so* noisy.
No wonder the original host had simply sentenced him to death.
Xie Chengze rummaged through the command-stick holder beside him, pulled out a red slip, and tossed it to the floor. “What a dilemma. This prince is more inclined to believe that only the dead keep their promises.”
Zhu Xiaobiao’s legs went weak. He crawled forward two steps, weeping. “Your Highness, spare my life! This lowly one may have abducted innocent women, but I never mistreated them! In the end, they all chose to stay of their own free will! Those who didn’t want to stay were never forced – ”
Xie Chengze arched a brow.
Seeing him appear to waver, Zhu Xiaobiao hurriedly wiped his nose and rattled off, “Your Highness, Your Highness, if you don’t believe me, go ask them! This lowly one may have detained them for several months, but that was only to cultivate affection. I never touched them during that time. I even served them fine food and drink!”
“Every beautiful concubine in this lowly one’s household stayed willingly. You know that, Your Highness. Didn’t they even try to persuade you…” Zhu Xiaobiao abruptly stopped. He cautiously glanced at Xie Chengze and continued only when he saw no anger on his face. “This lowly one merely knew his outward charms were lacking and hoped to win hearts with his own…”
Beside him, County Magistrate Zhu stared at the ceiling in despair.
“Hmm…” Propping up his chin, Xie Chengze regarded the kneeling father and son with keen interest.
Zhu Xiaobiao had not lied. Those women had indeed been treated very well.
Moreover, customs in the Jian’an Dynasty were liberal, and little importance was placed on a woman’s chastity. Although Zhu Xiaobiao had forcibly taken them to his residence, he had supplied them with good food and drink. Otherwise, so many would not have chosen to stay.
In fact…
Recalling the plot of the original novel, Xie Chengze’s gaze flickered. Zhu Xiaobiao’s crimes did not warrant death, but he would not escape punishment entirely.
“It isn’t impossible for you to live.” Xie Chengze cupped his face in both hands and gave Zhu Xiaobiao a malicious smile. “This prince will soon travel south to Yizhou and lacks someone skilled at serving others. If you return alive, this prince will spare your life.”
Zhu Xiaobiao froze.
County Magistrate Zhu panicked at once. “Your Highness, this lower official was blessed with a son late in life, and he is my only one. He has never endured hardship since childhood, much less learned how to serve anyone…”
“Are you implying this prince has endured hardship?” Xie Chengze’s face abruptly chilled, and his cold, imperious gaze shot toward County Magistrate Zhu. “If this prince can go down to Yizhou, why can’t your son?”