In the face of everyone’s strange looks, Tang Fan acted like nothing was wrong, turning to say to Peng Yichun, “Old Peng, go send someone to the Brocade Guard’s Capital Envoy Office, and tell them that Court rebels were discovered here. Have them send people over.”
Pitiful Peng Yichun, in spite of being a Minister, was shocked into a stutter by that. “Wh… what Court rebels?”
Tang Fan pointed to the woman hugging his thigh. “I suspect that she’s connected to the last dregs of the White Lotus Society. If that isn’t treachery, what is? Why is no one heading out?”
“Sir, this humble official will go!” He Xuan stood out to say.
Glancing at him, Tang Fan nodded. “Quickly, then.”
He Xuan cupped his hands, hurrying downstairs without another word.
Yin Qi watched He Xuan’s back as he left, astonished. He only reacted after a good minute, saying angrily, “Tang Fan, this is slander!”
“Hm, no eyes on the law. You’re a peon, yet you called a Court official by his taboo name — that’s another level of offense.”
Tang Fan’s hands were behind his back, neat and orderly. Were it not for the person hanging off of him, that posture would be extraordinarily elegant and confident.
As was natural, the pretty woman hugging his thigh right now was also in a daze.
“Don’t you change black into white! She’s clearly a courtesan from Fragrance! How could she be a White Lotus leftover?!” Yin Qi said, raising his voice.
Tang Fan gave an oh. “So, she’s a Fragrance courtesan. You seem to know that quite well, when even I didn’t!Idiot nephew — Solon Yin lives a clean life, and if he knew that you were embracing a brothel woman while you played around here, you’d likely anger him to death!”
Whether he would anger his dad to death or not, Yin Qi had no idea, but he definitely was about to rage to death from Tang Fan, himself!
This guy was not even two years older than him, yet he was using his status to play the role of his elder! Also, people had only ever called him ‘good nephew’; what was this ‘idiot nephew’ crap?!
And yet, Tang Fan wasn’t done scolding him, saying frostily, “The White Lotus Society has harmed the nation and its people. Its leader has long been executed, but there are still some subordinates that slipped the net and scattered in all directions. Take this woman that uses a brothel as a false background; in reality, she colluded with the Society, specially exploiting you, an official’s son, as an identity shield while she secretly conspired for mutiny!”
Mysteriously saddled with the charge of mutiny, the woman immediately looked frightened. With no care for her previous mission, she let Tang Fan go at once, and got up in a desire to escape.
His eyes and hands were quick — he grabbed her bun and hauled her backwards!
She shrieked in pain, but he didn’t have the slightest bit of pity. His actions were extremely quick, contrarily giving one the impression of poise.
Everyone was dumbstruck seeing this, their scalps similarly aching faintly.
Yin Qi was flustered. He had been ordered by his father to dump a basin of filth onto Tang Fan so that the censors could denounce which, which he had believed would be a cinch. Unexpectedly, it had not been so simple; he had clearly underestimated Tang Fan, getting challenged instead.
Now, everyone’s attention was entirely drawn to the topic of rebellion. Upon seeing how roughly Tang Fan treated that woman, who would believe that he was vying for her love?
Thinking of so, Yin Qi felt all the more anxious. If he could not complete his task, then when he back, his father’s face would probably be a hundred times uglier than when he usually heard that he had gone out to be dissolute. “Tang Fan, you’re obviously just embarrassed that I saw right through you! You’re still holding on to her right in front of me!”
Tang Fan sized him up a few rounds, looking doubtful. “With how you defend her… are you also associated with the Society?”
“Why are you saying that she’s connected to it?! Do you go grabbing random people on the road and saying that they’re from the Society, too?!”
“It’s because I crossed swords with the Society many times, then personally eliminated them, that I am qualified to speak about them,” Tang Fan answered leisurely, “I only need to look at each and every person here once to know who’s colluding with the Society.”
Saying so, he looked up to scan the bustling crowd.
Wherever his eyes went, people would subconsciously take a few steps back without fail. Some, not wanting to incite trouble, had already begun to turn and leave.
Everyone knew the Society had been a great bunch of traitors that the Court had wiped out. Who wanted to be implicated as one?
Furthermore, Tang Fan hadn’t been doing nothing over these years. He wasn’t wearing his official’s uniform right now, his expression was mild, and no anger was displayed on him, yet the look in his eyes still held a deterring power that could not be clearly described. Few were brave enough to look directly at them.
Even Yin Qi’s companion had gone from high spirits to cowing back, quietly tugging on his robe as he whispered, “Brother Yin, how about we just go?”
Yin Qi was livid. He hadn’t realized that under Tang Fan’s imposing aura, he himself had already started to go a little weak, only thinking that everyone else was a cowardly punk. “If you all want to leave, do it! I’m not!”
Don Yin’s competitive mindset was only aroused by them, shoving the guy away. He raised his chin slightly, peering at Tang Fan provocatively, full of a ‘What can you even do to me?’ air.
“Who isn’t leaving?” said a cold voice from the stairs.
Following a proclamation of “The Brocade Guard is on a case, none are allowed to leave,” the expressions of everyone watching the excitement changed to nervousness.
Some individual wanted to slip out, but they had unfortunately missed the opportunity from not leaving before. The front and back entrances of Immortal Cloud were blocked by knife-wielding Brocade Guards, who were sizing each and every person like they were dead, enough to cause them terror.
Anyone that could afford to spend money at Immortal Guest was generally not any sort of impoverished, but even Peng Yichun’s group shuddered a bit upon hearing the name ‘Brocade Guard’, to say nothing of them. It was because their shadow was too profound, really.
Brocade Guards belonged to the Emperor’s personal troops, and had always had the power to arrest first, send a memorial later. The fearsome name of the Bastille went without saying. However, with Tang Fan’s understanding of them, regardless of whatever bureau had good and bad people mixed in, the real Brocade Guards like Sui Zhou and Xue Ling were still ordinary humans of flesh and blood. At times, they were even more particular about camaraderie than the average person, but that did not diminish the fear most people had of them.
Of course, they had no interest in clearing up their names to anyone else. In life, it was enough to know oneself guiltless at heart; if one wanted perfection in all pursuits, it would be much too exhausting.
Sui Zhou stepped out from the crowd. His eyes first fell upon the woman that Tang Fan had caught by the hair, then imperceptibly across Tang Fan’s face, until it landed accurately on Yin Qi, ice-cold and murderous. “Was it you who reported the case? There’s dregs of the White Lotus Society here?”
“N-no dregs here! The Society isn’t here!”
Despite forcing himself to pull together his grandeur, Yin Qi’s grandeur was really not anything in front of Sui Zhou, instead making him more short of breath and guilty. Were someone to be watching carefully right about now, they might discover that his legs had already begun to shake.
“Bastion Envoy Sui, I reported it. This woman was incited by someone to act errantly. I suspect that she’s related to a White Lotus follower,” Tang Fan said, expression calm.
When he said this, he let go. The woman sat weakly upon the floor, collapsing into a wail. “It wasn’t me! I’m not in the Society! It was Don Yin that ordered me to keep watch there and run into you when you passed by, then act like we were having an affair! He wanted to use that to sully your reputation! It has nothing to do with me! Please see reason, Sir!”
Those not aware of the truth had an epiphany at that, but those that were aware didn’t need her explanation. They had long noticed the oddity.
“Don Yin is Solon Yin’s son. Why would he do something like this? You shouldn’t slander people. It would be better for you to be forthcoming, so that you don’t continue to suffer.” Tang Fan looked towards Yin Qi with a false smile. “Am I right, Don yin?”
Yin Qi jolted, hurried saying, “Yesyesyes! Uncle Tang, that woman is connected to the Society! She not only wanted to assassinate you, but wanted to pour filth onto me! You should arrest her now!”
He had just said ‘Tang Fan’ so derisively, yet not that had changed to Uncle Tang.
The woman hadn’t anticipated that she would instantly become a cast-off pawn, beyond stunned. She wanted to grab on to the life-saving stick near her again — Tang Fan.
However, before she could throw herself forth this time, her collar was firmly grasped from behind, and she was towed straight back as Sui Zhou tossed her at his subordinate next to him.
Continuing off of Tang Fan, there was another who was unaffected by beauty.
No one dared to open their mouth and speak for her, because no one wanted to be called a rebel.
The Brocade Guard’s vicious reputation really was useful. No matter how many people were present, they were all scared into silence, not making a peep.
Seeing that circumstances were not promising, Yin Qi wanted to turn and sneak away. His actions were too obvious to onlookers, though, and he was quickly blocked by two Guards that showed up out of nowhere.
“You’re Yin Qi?” Sui Zhou asked.
Yin Qi strove to straighten up and look a bit more imposing within the other’s frigid scrutiny. “Yes! My father is the Minister of War, Grand Protector of the Crown Prince, Yin Zhi.”
Sui Zhou seemed to not hear his implication, saying to his subordinates, “Take him away, too.”
“Hold on!” Yin Qi’s expression changed. “What sovereign law have I broken?! You don’t have the right to arrest me!”
“Since the woman is related to the Society and you were the one that brought her in, who can verify that you have nothing to do with the Society yourself?” Sui Zhou asked coldly.
With that, he didn’t feel like speaking more nonsense, waving his hand. The Brocade Guards stepped forth, ignoring Yin Qi’s struggle as they firmly grabbed him.
Of his companions, not a one was let go.
“Sui Guangchuan, you crony! You dare to arrest people on your own?! I’m going to tell my dad, just you wait! You’ll never stop suffering from this!” he shouted out.
The Wan party had made Yin Qi do this. From the beginning, it couldn’t be labeled a mistake.
Had Tang Fan been a little less quick-witted, or had a moment of non-response, a basin of filth water would very likely be dumped on his head by now. When tomorrow came, everyone in the capital would have known that Tang Fan fought over a woman with Yin Zhi’s son. Yin Zhi, at most, would be scolded with a failure to teach his son properly, while Tang Fan would be flamed as a disgrace to refinement, with an outside that didn’t match the inside.
Thing had developed in an unsuspected way. No one could have known that Tang Fan would have such a speedy counterattack.
“Brother, do you want me to stuff up his mouth?” Xue Ling asked quietly.
“No. Let him keep yelling. It’s his father that’ll lose face, in any case,” Sui Zhou answered similarly.
“Then that’s that. I’ll make him scream some more things out!” Xue Ling laughed, his tone filled with schadenfreude. He stepped up and smacked Yin Qi on the back of his skull. “What are you yelling about?! How could Solon Yin have a son like you?! You’re even trying to steal someone’s identity! Let’s walk over to the Bastille before we talk more — take him away!”
The second Yin Qi heard ‘Bastille’, his soul was scared out of him, and sharply shrieked. “I really am Yin Zhi’s son! If you don’t believe me, go ask the Yin Estate!”
The Ministry of Justice group stood at the side, entirely unable to intervene. All they could do was observe until the end, watching as Yin Qi and the rest were taken away. A trap that had likely been aimed for Tang Fan had turned into a true farce, with no need to continue watching it.
Peng Yichun sighed in relief at last, apologizing, “Sir, everything that happened tonight was because of me. If I hadn’t invited you over, this wouldn’t have…”
Tang Fan waved him off. “If it wasn’t tonight, it would be another night. I just cost them face, so why would they give up?”
A wave of anger rushed into Peng Yichun’s heart. Even an inoffensive man like him had to say out of annoyance, “The Wan part is much too—“
Tang Fan stopped him from saying the rest. “Danchen, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t get mixed up in it.”
Peng Yichun’s was over sixty, while Tang fan was not yet thirty. The age difference between them was massive. Listening to his chiding now, contrarily being the one instructed, actually gave Peng Yichun no dissatisfaction at all. He knew that Tang Fan had the qualifications to do so.
However, it was also precisely because of that that Peng Yichun felt this to be all the more unfair to Tang Fan.
“Sir,” he said, calming down a bit, “if someone tells the censors to send memorials denouncing you, I wish to use my own innocence and this black hat on my head as a guarantee that I will come forward and testify for you.”
“Sir, this humble official is also willing to use my life and innocence to testify.”
The speaker was Lu Tong’guang. Back when Tang Fan had been in the Ministry of Justice, their friendship had been decent, but the other had been gutless and mediocre in his typical behaviors, too afraid to assume responsibility. Being able to stand up and speak on his own initiative was pretty commendable.
“Sir, I will do the same as Minister Peng!” He Xuan stated.
“SIr, so will I!”
“Sir, so will—“
The officials spoke up in succession. Perhaps they were only following the lead, but Tang Fan was still quite moved.
Although the Wan party was domineering, it could never be all-powerful. In this world, those righteous-minded ultimately took up a majority of people.
He cupped his hands. “Thank you, everyone, but this isn’t that dire of a plight. If I do need help, this Tang will certainly say so on my own. Thank you again!”
Everyone quickly returned the courtesy. “No need for such politeness, Sir! This is what we ought to do!”
After sending them all off, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou left Immortal Guest.
“The woman ought to be blameless. After interrogating her, let her go. The Bastille will scare it out of Yin Qi,” Tang Fan said.
Sui Zhou nodded. “I know. Will what happened tonight affect you?”
“Hm?” Tang Fan cocked his head, not understanding what he was referring to.
His confused look only made Sui Zhou grab his hand, then go to bite his lower lip.
Mister Tang let out a yelp of pain, taking two bodily steps back. The faltering candlelight lit up a semi-mad, slightly embarrassed face.
“Sui Guangchuan!” he raised his tone slightly, with some warning undertones.
“Just like how you can’t restrain yourself when seeing food, I can’t restrain myself when seeing you,” Sui Zhou said quietly, smiling.
Mister Tang rolled his eyes, but didn’t use any effort to shake off the other’s hand, allowing him to lead him forth.
“You need to be careful,” Sui Zhou said. Almost half of his figure was hidden in darkness. The lantern’s faint light elongated their shadows, becoming inseparable in truth. “With that ending, the Wan party won’t be letting this go.”
Tang Fan sighed. “Frankly, I was just passing by. Their real aim is to depose the Crown Prince. It was only because I humiliated Wan Tong last time that he would instruct Yin Qi to plot against me. Every day the Crown Prince is still in the East Palace is a day they can’t spare much thought for me; it’s the Crown Prince that really needs to be careful.”
Sui Zhou hummed, gripping his hand tightly. “To be short, I don’t want anything to happen to you. Sometimes…”
Tang Fan didn’t hear him clearly, pricking his ears up. “What?”
“Sometimes, I really want to tie you to my belt.”
Tang Fan laughed. “Wouldn’t your pants fall off?”
“Just like that woman holding on to your thigh tonight? Did your pants fall off then?”
“Did you see them do that?”
“No, I heard people nearby saying so. Too bad I was a step too late.”
Tang Fan grinned, saying composedly, “That’s a real shame. As it was, that lady’s looks were pretty good. Had it not been for Yin Qi mucking things up terribly, I might have actually pushed the boat along the water to have a casual fling with her.”
Sui Zhou hummed again, as if he didn’t hear him. “After we get back, take off your pants so I can check whether she left any marks behind.”
Tang Fan’s mouth twitched. Was it too late to say that he hadn’t had any physical contact with her at all?
When tang Fan went to the Cabinet the day after, everything appeared to be no different than usual. Even though Yin Zhi ducked away when he saw him, looking like he didn’t want to talk, it had stopped there, not going a single act further.
In line with Tang Fan’s guess, his son had still not yet been released from the Bastille yet. Even though his life wasn’t in danger, he was certainly enduring no lack of torment. Those Brocade Guards especially did not regard him as important, itching to mess with a dandy like him.
However, Yin Zhi’s reaction was much too calm.
Out of a desire to probe, Tang Fan took it upon himself to say, “Brother Yin, you surely know of the incident with your son and I at Immortal Guest last night?”
“Isn’t he still with the Brocade Guard now?” Yin Zhi stated coldly. “A Prince that breaks the law is treated the same as a commoner. My unfilial son has always been a troublemaker, and it isn’t rare for him to do all sorts of preposterous things. I should be thanking you for helping me disciple him.
He cast everything off of himself in just a few words, leaving Tang Fan unable to say anything.
At that time, people arrived in succession. Head Vizier Wan An alone was slow to arrive, after everyone had been waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour.
“His Majesty just summoned me, which is why I was late,” he said. “Today’s meeting will be pushed aside for later. Everyone, come with me to meet with His Majesty.”
They all exchanged looks, unsure of what was going on. The Emperor wanted to summon them? Why had no prior notice been given?
Still, since it was his command, no one said anything further, stepping out of the Pavilion and heading for the Palace of Heavenly Clarity.
Liu Jian purposefully lagged a few steps behind, grabbing Tang Fan to whisper, “Do you know why His Majesty is summoning us?”
Tang Fan shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything.”
Xu Pu also came in close, saying quietly, “I heard a little something.”
Tang Fan and Liu Jian stayed their mouths, waiting for him to follow-up. Xu Pu said nothing, however, instead reaching out his palm, then drawing the character for ‘Crown’ on it.
The Crown Prince was related? Was His Majesty going to make a real move this time?
Tang Fan and Liu Jian looked at each other in shock, both becoming somewhat apprehensive.
In the face of everyone’s strange looks, Tang Fan acted like nothing was wrong, turning to say to Peng Yichun, “Old Peng, go send someone to the Brocade Guard’s Capital Envoy Office, and tell them that Court rebels were discovered here. Have them send people over.”
Pitiful Peng Yichun, in spite of being a Minister, was shocked into a stutter by that. “Wh… what Court rebels?”
Tang Fan pointed to the woman hugging his thigh. “I suspect that she’s connected to the last dregs of the White Lotus Society. If that isn’t treachery, what is? Why is no one heading out?”
“Sir, this humble official will go!” He Xuan stood out to say.
Glancing at him, Tang Fan nodded. “Quickly, then.”
He Xuan cupped his hands, hurrying downstairs without another word.
Yin Qi watched He Xuan’s back as he left, astonished. He only reacted after a good minute, saying angrily, “Tang Fan, this is slander!”
“Hm, no eyes on the law. You’re a peon, yet you called a Court official by his taboo name — that’s another level of offense.”
Tang Fan’s hands were behind his back, neat and orderly. Were it not for the person hanging off of him, that posture would be extraordinarily elegant and confident.
As was natural, the pretty woman hugging his thigh right now was also in a daze.
“Don’t you change black into white! She’s clearly a courtesan from Fragrance! How could she be a White Lotus leftover?!” Yin Qi said, raising his voice.
Tang Fan gave an oh. “So, she’s a Fragrance courtesan. You seem to know that quite well, when even I didn’t!Idiot nephew — Solon Yin lives a clean life, and if he knew that you were embracing a brothel woman while you played around here, you’d likely anger him to death!”
Whether he would anger his dad to death or not, Yin Qi had no idea, but he definitely was about to rage to death from Tang Fan, himself!
This guy was not even two years older than him, yet he was using his status to play the role of his elder! Also, people had only ever called him ‘good nephew’; what was this ‘idiot nephew’ crap?!
And yet, Tang Fan wasn’t done scolding him, saying frostily, “The White Lotus Society has harmed the nation and its people. Its leader has long been executed, but there are still some subordinates that slipped the net and scattered in all directions. Take this woman that uses a brothel as a false background; in reality, she colluded with the Society, specially exploiting you, an official’s son, as an identity shield while she secretly conspired for mutiny!”
Mysteriously saddled with the charge of mutiny, the woman immediately looked frightened. With no care for her previous mission, she let Tang Fan go at once, and got up in a desire to escape.
His eyes and hands were quick — he grabbed her bun and hauled her backwards!
She shrieked in pain, but he didn’t have the slightest bit of pity. His actions were extremely quick, contrarily giving one the impression of poise.
Everyone was dumbstruck seeing this, their scalps similarly aching faintly.
Yin Qi was flustered. He had been ordered by his father to dump a basin of filth onto Tang Fan so that the censors could denounce which, which he had believed would be a cinch. Unexpectedly, it had not been so simple; he had clearly underestimated Tang Fan, getting challenged instead.
Now, everyone’s attention was entirely drawn to the topic of rebellion. Upon seeing how roughly Tang Fan treated that woman, who would believe that he was vying for her love?
Thinking of so, Yin Qi felt all the more anxious. If he could not complete his task, then when he back, his father’s face would probably be a hundred times uglier than when he usually heard that he had gone out to be dissolute. “Tang Fan, you’re obviously just embarrassed that I saw right through you! You’re still holding on to her right in front of me!”
Tang Fan sized him up a few rounds, looking doubtful. “With how you defend her… are you also associated with the Society?”
“Why are you saying that she’s connected to it?! Do you go grabbing random people on the road and saying that they’re from the Society, too?!”
“It’s because I crossed swords with the Society many times, then personally eliminated them, that I am qualified to speak about them,” Tang Fan answered leisurely, “I only need to look at each and every person here once to know who’s colluding with the Society.”
Saying so, he looked up to scan the bustling crowd.
Wherever his eyes went, people would subconsciously take a few steps back without fail. Some, not wanting to incite trouble, had already begun to turn and leave.
Everyone knew the Society had been a great bunch of traitors that the Court had wiped out. Who wanted to be implicated as one?
Furthermore, Tang Fan hadn’t been doing nothing over these years. He wasn’t wearing his official’s uniform right now, his expression was mild, and no anger was displayed on him, yet the look in his eyes still held a deterring power that could not be clearly described. Few were brave enough to look directly at them.
Even Yin Qi’s companion had gone from high spirits to cowing back, quietly tugging on his robe as he whispered, “Brother Yin, how about we just go?”
Yin Qi was livid. He hadn’t realized that under Tang Fan’s imposing aura, he himself had already started to go a little weak, only thinking that everyone else was a cowardly punk. “If you all want to leave, do it! I’m not!”
Don Yin’s competitive mindset was only aroused by them, shoving the guy away. He raised his chin slightly, peering at Tang Fan provocatively, full of a ‘What can you even do to me?’ air.
“Who isn’t leaving?” said a cold voice from the stairs.
Following a proclamation of “The Brocade Guard is on a case, none are allowed to leave,” the expressions of everyone watching the excitement changed to nervousness.
Some individual wanted to slip out, but they had unfortunately missed the opportunity from not leaving before. The front and back entrances of Immortal Cloud were blocked by knife-wielding Brocade Guards, who were sizing each and every person like they were dead, enough to cause them terror.
Anyone that could afford to spend money at Immortal Guest was generally not any sort of impoverished, but even Peng Yichun’s group shuddered a bit upon hearing the name ‘Brocade Guard’, to say nothing of them. It was because their shadow was too profound, really.
Brocade Guards belonged to the Emperor’s personal troops, and had always had the power to arrest first, send a memorial later. The fearsome name of the Bastille went without saying. However, with Tang Fan’s understanding of them, regardless of whatever bureau had good and bad people mixed in, the real Brocade Guards like Sui Zhou and Xue Ling were still ordinary humans of flesh and blood. At times, they were even more particular about camaraderie than the average person, but that did not diminish the fear most people had of them.
Of course, they had no interest in clearing up their names to anyone else. In life, it was enough to know oneself guiltless at heart; if one wanted perfection in all pursuits, it would be much too exhausting.
Sui Zhou stepped out from the crowd. His eyes first fell upon the woman that Tang Fan had caught by the hair, then imperceptibly across Tang Fan’s face, until it landed accurately on Yin Qi, ice-cold and murderous. “Was it you who reported the case? There’s dregs of the White Lotus Society here?”
“N-no dregs here! The Society isn’t here!”
Despite forcing himself to pull together his grandeur, Yin Qi’s grandeur was really not anything in front of Sui Zhou, instead making him more short of breath and guilty. Were someone to be watching carefully right about now, they might discover that his legs had already begun to shake.
“Bastion Envoy Sui, I reported it. This woman was incited by someone to act errantly. I suspect that she’s related to a White Lotus follower,” Tang Fan said, expression calm.
When he said this, he let go. The woman sat weakly upon the floor, collapsing into a wail. “It wasn’t me! I’m not in the Society! It was Don Yin that ordered me to keep watch there and run into you when you passed by, then act like we were having an affair! He wanted to use that to sully your reputation! It has nothing to do with me! Please see reason, Sir!”
Those not aware of the truth had an epiphany at that, but those that were aware didn’t need her explanation. They had long noticed the oddity.
“Don Yin is Solon Yin’s son. Why would he do something like this? You shouldn’t slander people. It would be better for you to be forthcoming, so that you don’t continue to suffer.” Tang Fan looked towards Yin Qi with a false smile. “Am I right, Don yin?”
Yin Qi jolted, hurried saying, “Yesyesyes! Uncle Tang, that woman is connected to the Society! She not only wanted to assassinate you, but wanted to pour filth onto me! You should arrest her now!”
He had just said ‘Tang Fan’ so derisively, yet not that had changed to Uncle Tang.
The woman hadn’t anticipated that she would instantly become a cast-off pawn, beyond stunned. She wanted to grab on to the life-saving stick near her again — Tang Fan.
However, before she could throw herself forth this time, her collar was firmly grasped from behind, and she was towed straight back as Sui Zhou tossed her at his subordinate next to him.
Continuing off of Tang Fan, there was another who was unaffected by beauty.
No one dared to open their mouth and speak for her, because no one wanted to be called a rebel.
The Brocade Guard’s vicious reputation really was useful. No matter how many people were present, they were all scared into silence, not making a peep.
Seeing that circumstances were not promising, Yin Qi wanted to turn and sneak away. His actions were too obvious to onlookers, though, and he was quickly blocked by two Guards that showed up out of nowhere.
“You’re Yin Qi?” Sui Zhou asked.
Yin Qi strove to straighten up and look a bit more imposing within the other’s frigid scrutiny. “Yes! My father is the Minister of War, Grand Protector of the Crown Prince, Yin Zhi.”
Sui Zhou seemed to not hear his implication, saying to his subordinates, “Take him away, too.”
“Hold on!” Yin Qi’s expression changed. “What sovereign law have I broken?! You don’t have the right to arrest me!”
“Since the woman is related to the Society and you were the one that brought her in, who can verify that you have nothing to do with the Society yourself?” Sui Zhou asked coldly.
With that, he didn’t feel like speaking more nonsense, waving his hand. The Brocade Guards stepped forth, ignoring Yin Qi’s struggle as they firmly grabbed him.
Of his companions, not a one was let go.
“Sui Guangchuan, you crony! You dare to arrest people on your own?! I’m going to tell my dad, just you wait! You’ll never stop suffering from this!” he shouted out.
The Wan party had made Yin Qi do this. From the beginning, it couldn’t be labeled a mistake.
Had Tang Fan been a little less quick-witted, or had a moment of non-response, a basin of filth water would very likely be dumped on his head by now. When tomorrow came, everyone in the capital would have known that Tang Fan fought over a woman with Yin Zhi’s son. Yin Zhi, at most, would be scolded with a failure to teach his son properly, while Tang Fan would be flamed as a disgrace to refinement, with an outside that didn’t match the inside.
Thing had developed in an unsuspected way. No one could have known that Tang Fan would have such a speedy counterattack.
“Brother, do you want me to stuff up his mouth?” Xue Ling asked quietly.
“No. Let him keep yelling. It’s his father that’ll lose face, in any case,” Sui Zhou answered similarly.
“Then that’s that. I’ll make him scream some more things out!” Xue Ling laughed, his tone filled with schadenfreude. He stepped up and smacked Yin Qi on the back of his skull. “What are you yelling about?! How could Solon Yin have a son like you?! You’re even trying to steal someone’s identity! Let’s walk over to the Bastille before we talk more — take him away!”
The second Yin Qi heard ‘Bastille’, his soul was scared out of him, and sharply shrieked. “I really am Yin Zhi’s son! If you don’t believe me, go ask the Yin Estate!”
The Ministry of Justice group stood at the side, entirely unable to intervene. All they could do was observe until the end, watching as Yin Qi and the rest were taken away. A trap that had likely been aimed for Tang Fan had turned into a true farce, with no need to continue watching it.
Peng Yichun sighed in relief at last, apologizing, “Sir, everything that happened tonight was because of me. If I hadn’t invited you over, this wouldn’t have…”
Tang Fan waved him off. “If it wasn’t tonight, it would be another night. I just cost them face, so why would they give up?”
A wave of anger rushed into Peng Yichun’s heart. Even an inoffensive man like him had to say out of annoyance, “The Wan part is much too—“
Tang Fan stopped him from saying the rest. “Danchen, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t get mixed up in it.”
Peng Yichun’s was over sixty, while Tang fan was not yet thirty. The age difference between them was massive. Listening to his chiding now, contrarily being the one instructed, actually gave Peng Yichun no dissatisfaction at all. He knew that Tang Fan had the qualifications to do so.
However, it was also precisely because of that that Peng Yichun felt this to be all the more unfair to Tang Fan.
“Sir,” he said, calming down a bit, “if someone tells the censors to send memorials denouncing you, I wish to use my own innocence and this black hat on my head as a guarantee that I will come forward and testify for you.”
“Sir, this humble official is also willing to use my life and innocence to testify.”
The speaker was Lu Tong’guang. Back when Tang Fan had been in the Ministry of Justice, their friendship had been decent, but the other had been gutless and mediocre in his typical behaviors, too afraid to assume responsibility. Being able to stand up and speak on his own initiative was pretty commendable.
“Sir, I will do the same as Minister Peng!” He Xuan stated.
“SIr, so will I!”
“Sir, so will—“
The officials spoke up in succession. Perhaps they were only following the lead, but Tang Fan was still quite moved.
Although the Wan party was domineering, it could never be all-powerful. In this world, those righteous-minded ultimately took up a majority of people.
He cupped his hands. “Thank you, everyone, but this isn’t that dire of a plight. If I do need help, this Tang will certainly say so on my own. Thank you again!”
Everyone quickly returned the courtesy. “No need for such politeness, Sir! This is what we ought to do!”
After sending them all off, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou left Immortal Guest.
“The woman ought to be blameless. After interrogating her, let her go. The Bastille will scare it out of Yin Qi,” Tang Fan said.
Sui Zhou nodded. “I know. Will what happened tonight affect you?”
“Hm?” Tang Fan cocked his head, not understanding what he was referring to.
His confused look only made Sui Zhou grab his hand, then go to bite his lower lip.
Mister Tang let out a yelp of pain, taking two bodily steps back. The faltering candlelight lit up a semi-mad, slightly embarrassed face.
“Sui Guangchuan!” he raised his tone slightly, with some warning undertones.
“Just like how you can’t restrain yourself when seeing food, I can’t restrain myself when seeing you,” Sui Zhou said quietly, smiling.
Mister Tang rolled his eyes, but didn’t use any effort to shake off the other’s hand, allowing him to lead him forth.
“You need to be careful,” Sui Zhou said. Almost half of his figure was hidden in darkness. The lantern’s faint light elongated their shadows, becoming inseparable in truth. “With that ending, the Wan party won’t be letting this go.”
Tang Fan sighed. “Frankly, I was just passing by. Their real aim is to depose the Crown Prince. It was only because I humiliated Wan Tong last time that he would instruct Yin Qi to plot against me. Every day the Crown Prince is still in the East Palace is a day they can’t spare much thought for me; it’s the Crown Prince that really needs to be careful.”
Sui Zhou hummed, gripping his hand tightly. “To be short, I don’t want anything to happen to you. Sometimes…”
Tang Fan didn’t hear him clearly, pricking his ears up. “What?”
“Sometimes, I really want to tie you to my belt.”
Tang Fan laughed. “Wouldn’t your pants fall off?”
“Just like that woman holding on to your thigh tonight? Did your pants fall off then?”
“Did you see them do that?”
“No, I heard people nearby saying so. Too bad I was a step too late.”
Tang Fan grinned, saying composedly, “That’s a real shame. As it was, that lady’s looks were pretty good. Had it not been for Yin Qi mucking things up terribly, I might have actually pushed the boat along the water to have a casual fling with her.”
Sui Zhou hummed again, as if he didn’t hear him. “After we get back, take off your pants so I can check whether she left any marks behind.”
Tang Fan’s mouth twitched. Was it too late to say that he hadn’t had any physical contact with her at all?
When tang Fan went to the Cabinet the day after, everything appeared to be no different than usual. Even though Yin Zhi ducked away when he saw him, looking like he didn’t want to talk, it had stopped there, not going a single act further.
In line with Tang Fan’s guess, his son had still not yet been released from the Bastille yet. Even though his life wasn’t in danger, he was certainly enduring no lack of torment. Those Brocade Guards especially did not regard him as important, itching to mess with a dandy like him.
However, Yin Zhi’s reaction was much too calm.
Out of a desire to probe, Tang Fan took it upon himself to say, “Brother Yin, you surely know of the incident with your son and I at Immortal Guest last night?”
“Isn’t he still with the Brocade Guard now?” Yin Zhi stated coldly. “A Prince that breaks the law is treated the same as a commoner. My unfilial son has always been a troublemaker, and it isn’t rare for him to do all sorts of preposterous things. I should be thanking you for helping me disciple him.
He cast everything off of himself in just a few words, leaving Tang Fan unable to say anything.
At that time, people arrived in succession. Head Vizier Wan An alone was slow to arrive, after everyone had been waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour.
“His Majesty just summoned me, which is why I was late,” he said. “Today’s meeting will be pushed aside for later. Everyone, come with me to meet with His Majesty.”
They all exchanged looks, unsure of what was going on. The Emperor wanted to summon them? Why had no prior notice been given?
Still, since it was his command, no one said anything further, stepping out of the Pavilion and heading for the Palace of Heavenly Clarity.
Liu Jian purposefully lagged a few steps behind, grabbing Tang Fan to whisper, “Do you know why His Majesty is summoning us?”
Tang Fan shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything.”
Xu Pu also came in close, saying quietly, “I heard a little something.”
Tang Fan and Liu Jian stayed their mouths, waiting for him to follow-up. Xu Pu said nothing, however, instead reaching out his palm, then drawing the character for ‘Crown’ on it.
The Crown Prince was related? Was His Majesty going to make a real move this time?
Tang Fan and Liu Jian looked at each other in shock, both becoming somewhat apprehensive.
In the face of everyone’s strange looks, Tang Fan acted like nothing was wrong, turning to say to Peng Yichun, “Old Peng, go send someone to the Brocade Guard’s Capital Envoy Office, and tell them that Court rebels were discovered here. Have them send people over.”
Pitiful Peng Yichun, in spite of being a Minister, was shocked into a stutter by that. “Wh… what Court rebels?”
Tang Fan pointed to the woman hugging his thigh. “I suspect that she’s connected to the last dregs of the White Lotus Society. If that isn’t treachery, what is? Why is no one heading out?”
“Sir, this humble official will go!” He Xuan stood out to say.
Glancing at him, Tang Fan nodded. “Quickly, then.”
He Xuan cupped his hands, hurrying downstairs without another word.
Yin Qi watched He Xuan’s back as he left, astonished. He only reacted after a good minute, saying angrily, “Tang Fan, this is slander!”
“Hm, no eyes on the law. You’re a peon, yet you called a Court official by his taboo name — that’s another level of offense.”
Tang Fan’s hands were behind his back, neat and orderly. Were it not for the person hanging off of him, that posture would be extraordinarily elegant and confident.
As was natural, the pretty woman hugging his thigh right now was also in a daze.
“Don’t you change black into white! She’s clearly a courtesan from Fragrance! How could she be a White Lotus leftover?!” Yin Qi said, raising his voice.
Tang Fan gave an oh. “So, she’s a Fragrance courtesan. You seem to know that quite well, when even I didn’t!Idiot nephew — Solon Yin lives a clean life, and if he knew that you were embracing a brothel woman while you played around here, you’d likely anger him to death!”
Whether he would anger his dad to death or not, Yin Qi had no idea, but he definitely was about to rage to death from Tang Fan, himself!
This guy was not even two years older than him, yet he was using his status to play the role of his elder! Also, people had only ever called him ‘good nephew’; what was this ‘idiot nephew’ crap?!
And yet, Tang Fan wasn’t done scolding him, saying frostily, “The White Lotus Society has harmed the nation and its people. Its leader has long been executed, but there are still some subordinates that slipped the net and scattered in all directions. Take this woman that uses a brothel as a false background; in reality, she colluded with the Society, specially exploiting you, an official’s son, as an identity shield while she secretly conspired for mutiny!”
Mysteriously saddled with the charge of mutiny, the woman immediately looked frightened. With no care for her previous mission, she let Tang Fan go at once, and got up in a desire to escape.
His eyes and hands were quick — he grabbed her bun and hauled her backwards!
She shrieked in pain, but he didn’t have the slightest bit of pity. His actions were extremely quick, contrarily giving one the impression of poise.
Everyone was dumbstruck seeing this, their scalps similarly aching faintly.
Yin Qi was flustered. He had been ordered by his father to dump a basin of filth onto Tang Fan so that the censors could denounce which, which he had believed would be a cinch. Unexpectedly, it had not been so simple; he had clearly underestimated Tang Fan, getting challenged instead.
Now, everyone’s attention was entirely drawn to the topic of rebellion. Upon seeing how roughly Tang Fan treated that woman, who would believe that he was vying for her love?
Thinking of so, Yin Qi felt all the more anxious. If he could not complete his task, then when he back, his father’s face would probably be a hundred times uglier than when he usually heard that he had gone out to be dissolute. “Tang Fan, you’re obviously just embarrassed that I saw right through you! You’re still holding on to her right in front of me!”
Tang Fan sized him up a few rounds, looking doubtful. “With how you defend her… are you also associated with the Society?”
“Why are you saying that she’s connected to it?! Do you go grabbing random people on the road and saying that they’re from the Society, too?!”
“It’s because I crossed swords with the Society many times, then personally eliminated them, that I am qualified to speak about them,” Tang Fan answered leisurely, “I only need to look at each and every person here once to know who’s colluding with the Society.”
Saying so, he looked up to scan the bustling crowd.
Wherever his eyes went, people would subconsciously take a few steps back without fail. Some, not wanting to incite trouble, had already begun to turn and leave.
Everyone knew the Society had been a great bunch of traitors that the Court had wiped out. Who wanted to be implicated as one?
Furthermore, Tang Fan hadn’t been doing nothing over these years. He wasn’t wearing his official’s uniform right now, his expression was mild, and no anger was displayed on him, yet the look in his eyes still held a deterring power that could not be clearly described. Few were brave enough to look directly at them.
Even Yin Qi’s companion had gone from high spirits to cowing back, quietly tugging on his robe as he whispered, “Brother Yin, how about we just go?”
Yin Qi was livid. He hadn’t realized that under Tang Fan’s imposing aura, he himself had already started to go a little weak, only thinking that everyone else was a cowardly punk. “If you all want to leave, do it! I’m not!”
Don Yin’s competitive mindset was only aroused by them, shoving the guy away. He raised his chin slightly, peering at Tang Fan provocatively, full of a ‘What can you even do to me?’ air.
“Who isn’t leaving?” said a cold voice from the stairs.
Following a proclamation of “The Brocade Guard is on a case, none are allowed to leave,” the expressions of everyone watching the excitement changed to nervousness.
Some individual wanted to slip out, but they had unfortunately missed the opportunity from not leaving before. The front and back entrances of Immortal Cloud were blocked by knife-wielding Brocade Guards, who were sizing each and every person like they were dead, enough to cause them terror.
Anyone that could afford to spend money at Immortal Guest was generally not any sort of impoverished, but even Peng Yichun’s group shuddered a bit upon hearing the name ‘Brocade Guard’, to say nothing of them. It was because their shadow was too profound, really.
Brocade Guards belonged to the Emperor’s personal troops, and had always had the power to arrest first, send a memorial later. The fearsome name of the Bastille went without saying. However, with Tang Fan’s understanding of them, regardless of whatever bureau had good and bad people mixed in, the real Brocade Guards like Sui Zhou and Xue Ling were still ordinary humans of flesh and blood. At times, they were even more particular about camaraderie than the average person, but that did not diminish the fear most people had of them.
Of course, they had no interest in clearing up their names to anyone else. In life, it was enough to know oneself guiltless at heart; if one wanted perfection in all pursuits, it would be much too exhausting.
Sui Zhou stepped out from the crowd. His eyes first fell upon the woman that Tang Fan had caught by the hair, then imperceptibly across Tang Fan’s face, until it landed accurately on Yin Qi, ice-cold and murderous. “Was it you who reported the case? There’s dregs of the White Lotus Society here?”
“N-no dregs here! The Society isn’t here!”
Despite forcing himself to pull together his grandeur, Yin Qi’s grandeur was really not anything in front of Sui Zhou, instead making him more short of breath and guilty. Were someone to be watching carefully right about now, they might discover that his legs had already begun to shake.
“Bastion Envoy Sui, I reported it. This woman was incited by someone to act errantly. I suspect that she’s related to a White Lotus follower,” Tang Fan said, expression calm.
When he said this, he let go. The woman sat weakly upon the floor, collapsing into a wail. “It wasn’t me! I’m not in the Society! It was Don Yin that ordered me to keep watch there and run into you when you passed by, then act like we were having an affair! He wanted to use that to sully your reputation! It has nothing to do with me! Please see reason, Sir!”
Those not aware of the truth had an epiphany at that, but those that were aware didn’t need her explanation. They had long noticed the oddity.
“Don Yin is Solon Yin’s son. Why would he do something like this? You shouldn’t slander people. It would be better for you to be forthcoming, so that you don’t continue to suffer.” Tang Fan looked towards Yin Qi with a false smile. “Am I right, Don yin?”
Yin Qi jolted, hurried saying, “Yesyesyes! Uncle Tang, that woman is connected to the Society! She not only wanted to assassinate you, but wanted to pour filth onto me! You should arrest her now!”
He had just said ‘Tang Fan’ so derisively, yet not that had changed to Uncle Tang.
The woman hadn’t anticipated that she would instantly become a cast-off pawn, beyond stunned. She wanted to grab on to the life-saving stick near her again — Tang Fan.
However, before she could throw herself forth this time, her collar was firmly grasped from behind, and she was towed straight back as Sui Zhou tossed her at his subordinate next to him.
Continuing off of Tang Fan, there was another who was unaffected by beauty.
No one dared to open their mouth and speak for her, because no one wanted to be called a rebel.
The Brocade Guard’s vicious reputation really was useful. No matter how many people were present, they were all scared into silence, not making a peep.
Seeing that circumstances were not promising, Yin Qi wanted to turn and sneak away. His actions were too obvious to onlookers, though, and he was quickly blocked by two Guards that showed up out of nowhere.
“You’re Yin Qi?” Sui Zhou asked.
Yin Qi strove to straighten up and look a bit more imposing within the other’s frigid scrutiny. “Yes! My father is the Minister of War, Grand Protector of the Crown Prince, Yin Zhi.”
Sui Zhou seemed to not hear his implication, saying to his subordinates, “Take him away, too.”
“Hold on!” Yin Qi’s expression changed. “What sovereign law have I broken?! You don’t have the right to arrest me!”
“Since the woman is related to the Society and you were the one that brought her in, who can verify that you have nothing to do with the Society yourself?” Sui Zhou asked coldly.
With that, he didn’t feel like speaking more nonsense, waving his hand. The Brocade Guards stepped forth, ignoring Yin Qi’s struggle as they firmly grabbed him.
Of his companions, not a one was let go.
“Sui Guangchuan, you crony! You dare to arrest people on your own?! I’m going to tell my dad, just you wait! You’ll never stop suffering from this!” he shouted out.
The Wan party had made Yin Qi do this. From the beginning, it couldn’t be labeled a mistake.
Had Tang Fan been a little less quick-witted, or had a moment of non-response, a basin of filth water would very likely be dumped on his head by now. When tomorrow came, everyone in the capital would have known that Tang Fan fought over a woman with Yin Zhi’s son. Yin Zhi, at most, would be scolded with a failure to teach his son properly, while Tang Fan would be flamed as a disgrace to refinement, with an outside that didn’t match the inside.
Thing had developed in an unsuspected way. No one could have known that Tang Fan would have such a speedy counterattack.
“Brother, do you want me to stuff up his mouth?” Xue Ling asked quietly.
“No. Let him keep yelling. It’s his father that’ll lose face, in any case,” Sui Zhou answered similarly.
“Then that’s that. I’ll make him scream some more things out!” Xue Ling laughed, his tone filled with schadenfreude. He stepped up and smacked Yin Qi on the back of his skull. “What are you yelling about?! How could Solon Yin have a son like you?! You’re even trying to steal someone’s identity! Let’s walk over to the Bastille before we talk more — take him away!”
The second Yin Qi heard ‘Bastille’, his soul was scared out of him, and sharply shrieked. “I really am Yin Zhi’s son! If you don’t believe me, go ask the Yin Estate!”
The Ministry of Justice group stood at the side, entirely unable to intervene. All they could do was observe until the end, watching as Yin Qi and the rest were taken away. A trap that had likely been aimed for Tang Fan had turned into a true farce, with no need to continue watching it.
Peng Yichun sighed in relief at last, apologizing, “Sir, everything that happened tonight was because of me. If I hadn’t invited you over, this wouldn’t have…”
Tang Fan waved him off. “If it wasn’t tonight, it would be another night. I just cost them face, so why would they give up?”
A wave of anger rushed into Peng Yichun’s heart. Even an inoffensive man like him had to say out of annoyance, “The Wan part is much too—“
Tang Fan stopped him from saying the rest. “Danchen, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t get mixed up in it.”
Peng Yichun’s was over sixty, while Tang fan was not yet thirty. The age difference between them was massive. Listening to his chiding now, contrarily being the one instructed, actually gave Peng Yichun no dissatisfaction at all. He knew that Tang Fan had the qualifications to do so.
However, it was also precisely because of that that Peng Yichun felt this to be all the more unfair to Tang Fan.
“Sir,” he said, calming down a bit, “if someone tells the censors to send memorials denouncing you, I wish to use my own innocence and this black hat on my head as a guarantee that I will come forward and testify for you.”
“Sir, this humble official is also willing to use my life and innocence to testify.”
The speaker was Lu Tong’guang. Back when Tang Fan had been in the Ministry of Justice, their friendship had been decent, but the other had been gutless and mediocre in his typical behaviors, too afraid to assume responsibility. Being able to stand up and speak on his own initiative was pretty commendable.
“Sir, I will do the same as Minister Peng!” He Xuan stated.
“SIr, so will I!”
“Sir, so will—“
The officials spoke up in succession. Perhaps they were only following the lead, but Tang Fan was still quite moved.
Although the Wan party was domineering, it could never be all-powerful. In this world, those righteous-minded ultimately took up a majority of people.
He cupped his hands. “Thank you, everyone, but this isn’t that dire of a plight. If I do need help, this Tang will certainly say so on my own. Thank you again!”
Everyone quickly returned the courtesy. “No need for such politeness, Sir! This is what we ought to do!”
After sending them all off, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou left Immortal Guest.
“The woman ought to be blameless. After interrogating her, let her go. The Bastille will scare it out of Yin Qi,” Tang Fan said.
Sui Zhou nodded. “I know. Will what happened tonight affect you?”
“Hm?” Tang Fan cocked his head, not understanding what he was referring to.
His confused look only made Sui Zhou grab his hand, then go to bite his lower lip.
Mister Tang let out a yelp of pain, taking two bodily steps back. The faltering candlelight lit up a semi-mad, slightly embarrassed face.
“Sui Guangchuan!” he raised his tone slightly, with some warning undertones.
“Just like how you can’t restrain yourself when seeing food, I can’t restrain myself when seeing you,” Sui Zhou said quietly, smiling.
Mister Tang rolled his eyes, but didn’t use any effort to shake off the other’s hand, allowing him to lead him forth.
“You need to be careful,” Sui Zhou said. Almost half of his figure was hidden in darkness. The lantern’s faint light elongated their shadows, becoming inseparable in truth. “With that ending, the Wan party won’t be letting this go.”
Tang Fan sighed. “Frankly, I was just passing by. Their real aim is to depose the Crown Prince. It was only because I humiliated Wan Tong last time that he would instruct Yin Qi to plot against me. Every day the Crown Prince is still in the East Palace is a day they can’t spare much thought for me; it’s the Crown Prince that really needs to be careful.”
Sui Zhou hummed, gripping his hand tightly. “To be short, I don’t want anything to happen to you. Sometimes…”
Tang Fan didn’t hear him clearly, pricking his ears up. “What?”
“Sometimes, I really want to tie you to my belt.”
Tang Fan laughed. “Wouldn’t your pants fall off?”
“Just like that woman holding on to your thigh tonight? Did your pants fall off then?”
“Did you see them do that?”
“No, I heard people nearby saying so. Too bad I was a step too late.”
Tang Fan grinned, saying composedly, “That’s a real shame. As it was, that lady’s looks were pretty good. Had it not been for Yin Qi mucking things up terribly, I might have actually pushed the boat along the water to have a casual fling with her.”
Sui Zhou hummed again, as if he didn’t hear him. “After we get back, take off your pants so I can check whether she left any marks behind.”
Tang Fan’s mouth twitched. Was it too late to say that he hadn’t had any physical contact with her at all?
When tang Fan went to the Cabinet the day after, everything appeared to be no different than usual. Even though Yin Zhi ducked away when he saw him, looking like he didn’t want to talk, it had stopped there, not going a single act further.
In line with Tang Fan’s guess, his son had still not yet been released from the Bastille yet. Even though his life wasn’t in danger, he was certainly enduring no lack of torment. Those Brocade Guards especially did not regard him as important, itching to mess with a dandy like him.
However, Yin Zhi’s reaction was much too calm.
Out of a desire to probe, Tang Fan took it upon himself to say, “Brother Yin, you surely know of the incident with your son and I at Immortal Guest last night?”
“Isn’t he still with the Brocade Guard now?” Yin Zhi stated coldly. “A Prince that breaks the law is treated the same as a commoner. My unfilial son has always been a troublemaker, and it isn’t rare for him to do all sorts of preposterous things. I should be thanking you for helping me disciple him.
He cast everything off of himself in just a few words, leaving Tang Fan unable to say anything.
At that time, people arrived in succession. Head Vizier Wan An alone was slow to arrive, after everyone had been waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour.
“His Majesty just summoned me, which is why I was late,” he said. “Today’s meeting will be pushed aside for later. Everyone, come with me to meet with His Majesty.”
They all exchanged looks, unsure of what was going on. The Emperor wanted to summon them? Why had no prior notice been given?
Still, since it was his command, no one said anything further, stepping out of the Pavilion and heading for the Palace of Heavenly Clarity.
Liu Jian purposefully lagged a few steps behind, grabbing Tang Fan to whisper, “Do you know why His Majesty is summoning us?”
Tang Fan shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything.”
Xu Pu also came in close, saying quietly, “I heard a little something.”
Tang Fan and Liu Jian stayed their mouths, waiting for him to follow-up. Xu Pu said nothing, however, instead reaching out his palm, then drawing the character for ‘Crown’ on it.
The Crown Prince was related? Was His Majesty going to make a real move this time?
Tang Fan and Liu Jian looked at each other in shock, both becoming somewhat apprehensive.
In the face of everyone’s strange looks, Tang Fan acted like nothing was wrong, turning to say to Peng Yichun, “Old Peng, go send someone to the Brocade Guard’s Capital Envoy Office, and tell them that Court rebels were discovered here. Have them send people over.”
Pitiful Peng Yichun, in spite of being a Minister, was shocked into a stutter by that. “Wh… what Court rebels?”
Tang Fan pointed to the woman hugging his thigh. “I suspect that she’s connected to the last dregs of the White Lotus Society. If that isn’t treachery, what is? Why is no one heading out?”
“Sir, this humble official will go!” He Xuan stood out to say.
Glancing at him, Tang Fan nodded. “Quickly, then.”
He Xuan cupped his hands, hurrying downstairs without another word.
Yin Qi watched He Xuan’s back as he left, astonished. He only reacted after a good minute, saying angrily, “Tang Fan, this is slander!”
“Hm, no eyes on the law. You’re a peon, yet you called a Court official by his taboo name — that’s another level of offense.”
Tang Fan’s hands were behind his back, neat and orderly. Were it not for the person hanging off of him, that posture would be extraordinarily elegant and confident.
As was natural, the pretty woman hugging his thigh right now was also in a daze.
“Don’t you change black into white! She’s clearly a courtesan from Fragrance! How could she be a White Lotus leftover?!” Yin Qi said, raising his voice.
Tang Fan gave an oh. “So, she’s a Fragrance courtesan. You seem to know that quite well, when even I didn’t!Idiot nephew — Solon Yin lives a clean life, and if he knew that you were embracing a brothel woman while you played around here, you’d likely anger him to death!”
Whether he would anger his dad to death or not, Yin Qi had no idea, but he definitely was about to rage to death from Tang Fan, himself!
This guy was not even two years older than him, yet he was using his status to play the role of his elder! Also, people had only ever called him ‘good nephew’; what was this ‘idiot nephew’ crap?!
And yet, Tang Fan wasn’t done scolding him, saying frostily, “The White Lotus Society has harmed the nation and its people. Its leader has long been executed, but there are still some subordinates that slipped the net and scattered in all directions. Take this woman that uses a brothel as a false background; in reality, she colluded with the Society, specially exploiting you, an official’s son, as an identity shield while she secretly conspired for mutiny!”
Mysteriously saddled with the charge of mutiny, the woman immediately looked frightened. With no care for her previous mission, she let Tang Fan go at once, and got up in a desire to escape.
His eyes and hands were quick — he grabbed her bun and hauled her backwards!
She shrieked in pain, but he didn’t have the slightest bit of pity. His actions were extremely quick, contrarily giving one the impression of poise.
Everyone was dumbstruck seeing this, their scalps similarly aching faintly.
Yin Qi was flustered. He had been ordered by his father to dump a basin of filth onto Tang Fan so that the censors could denounce which, which he had believed would be a cinch. Unexpectedly, it had not been so simple; he had clearly underestimated Tang Fan, getting challenged instead.
Now, everyone’s attention was entirely drawn to the topic of rebellion. Upon seeing how roughly Tang Fan treated that woman, who would believe that he was vying for her love?
Thinking of so, Yin Qi felt all the more anxious. If he could not complete his task, then when he back, his father’s face would probably be a hundred times uglier than when he usually heard that he had gone out to be dissolute. “Tang Fan, you’re obviously just embarrassed that I saw right through you! You’re still holding on to her right in front of me!”
Tang Fan sized him up a few rounds, looking doubtful. “With how you defend her… are you also associated with the Society?”
“Why are you saying that she’s connected to it?! Do you go grabbing random people on the road and saying that they’re from the Society, too?!”
“It’s because I crossed swords with the Society many times, then personally eliminated them, that I am qualified to speak about them,” Tang Fan answered leisurely, “I only need to look at each and every person here once to know who’s colluding with the Society.”
Saying so, he looked up to scan the bustling crowd.
Wherever his eyes went, people would subconsciously take a few steps back without fail. Some, not wanting to incite trouble, had already begun to turn and leave.
Everyone knew the Society had been a great bunch of traitors that the Court had wiped out. Who wanted to be implicated as one?
Furthermore, Tang Fan hadn’t been doing nothing over these years. He wasn’t wearing his official’s uniform right now, his expression was mild, and no anger was displayed on him, yet the look in his eyes still held a deterring power that could not be clearly described. Few were brave enough to look directly at them.
Even Yin Qi’s companion had gone from high spirits to cowing back, quietly tugging on his robe as he whispered, “Brother Yin, how about we just go?”
Yin Qi was livid. He hadn’t realized that under Tang Fan’s imposing aura, he himself had already started to go a little weak, only thinking that everyone else was a cowardly punk. “If you all want to leave, do it! I’m not!”
Don Yin’s competitive mindset was only aroused by them, shoving the guy away. He raised his chin slightly, peering at Tang Fan provocatively, full of a ‘What can you even do to me?’ air.
“Who isn’t leaving?” said a cold voice from the stairs.
Following a proclamation of “The Brocade Guard is on a case, none are allowed to leave,” the expressions of everyone watching the excitement changed to nervousness.
Some individual wanted to slip out, but they had unfortunately missed the opportunity from not leaving before. The front and back entrances of Immortal Cloud were blocked by knife-wielding Brocade Guards, who were sizing each and every person like they were dead, enough to cause them terror.
Anyone that could afford to spend money at Immortal Guest was generally not any sort of impoverished, but even Peng Yichun’s group shuddered a bit upon hearing the name ‘Brocade Guard’, to say nothing of them. It was because their shadow was too profound, really.
Brocade Guards belonged to the Emperor’s personal troops, and had always had the power to arrest first, send a memorial later. The fearsome name of the Bastille went without saying. However, with Tang Fan’s understanding of them, regardless of whatever bureau had good and bad people mixed in, the real Brocade Guards like Sui Zhou and Xue Ling were still ordinary humans of flesh and blood. At times, they were even more particular about camaraderie than the average person, but that did not diminish the fear most people had of them.
Of course, they had no interest in clearing up their names to anyone else. In life, it was enough to know oneself guiltless at heart; if one wanted perfection in all pursuits, it would be much too exhausting.
Sui Zhou stepped out from the crowd. His eyes first fell upon the woman that Tang Fan had caught by the hair, then imperceptibly across Tang Fan’s face, until it landed accurately on Yin Qi, ice-cold and murderous. “Was it you who reported the case? There’s dregs of the White Lotus Society here?”
“N-no dregs here! The Society isn’t here!”
Despite forcing himself to pull together his grandeur, Yin Qi’s grandeur was really not anything in front of Sui Zhou, instead making him more short of breath and guilty. Were someone to be watching carefully right about now, they might discover that his legs had already begun to shake.
“Bastion Envoy Sui, I reported it. This woman was incited by someone to act errantly. I suspect that she’s related to a White Lotus follower,” Tang Fan said, expression calm.
When he said this, he let go. The woman sat weakly upon the floor, collapsing into a wail. “It wasn’t me! I’m not in the Society! It was Don Yin that ordered me to keep watch there and run into you when you passed by, then act like we were having an affair! He wanted to use that to sully your reputation! It has nothing to do with me! Please see reason, Sir!”
Those not aware of the truth had an epiphany at that, but those that were aware didn’t need her explanation. They had long noticed the oddity.
“Don Yin is Solon Yin’s son. Why would he do something like this? You shouldn’t slander people. It would be better for you to be forthcoming, so that you don’t continue to suffer.” Tang Fan looked towards Yin Qi with a false smile. “Am I right, Don yin?”
Yin Qi jolted, hurried saying, “Yesyesyes! Uncle Tang, that woman is connected to the Society! She not only wanted to assassinate you, but wanted to pour filth onto me! You should arrest her now!”
He had just said ‘Tang Fan’ so derisively, yet not that had changed to Uncle Tang.
The woman hadn’t anticipated that she would instantly become a cast-off pawn, beyond stunned. She wanted to grab on to the life-saving stick near her again — Tang Fan.
However, before she could throw herself forth this time, her collar was firmly grasped from behind, and she was towed straight back as Sui Zhou tossed her at his subordinate next to him.
Continuing off of Tang Fan, there was another who was unaffected by beauty.
No one dared to open their mouth and speak for her, because no one wanted to be called a rebel.
The Brocade Guard’s vicious reputation really was useful. No matter how many people were present, they were all scared into silence, not making a peep.
Seeing that circumstances were not promising, Yin Qi wanted to turn and sneak away. His actions were too obvious to onlookers, though, and he was quickly blocked by two Guards that showed up out of nowhere.
“You’re Yin Qi?” Sui Zhou asked.
Yin Qi strove to straighten up and look a bit more imposing within the other’s frigid scrutiny. “Yes! My father is the Minister of War, Grand Protector of the Crown Prince, Yin Zhi.”
Sui Zhou seemed to not hear his implication, saying to his subordinates, “Take him away, too.”
“Hold on!” Yin Qi’s expression changed. “What sovereign law have I broken?! You don’t have the right to arrest me!”
“Since the woman is related to the Society and you were the one that brought her in, who can verify that you have nothing to do with the Society yourself?” Sui Zhou asked coldly.
With that, he didn’t feel like speaking more nonsense, waving his hand. The Brocade Guards stepped forth, ignoring Yin Qi’s struggle as they firmly grabbed him.
Of his companions, not a one was let go.
“Sui Guangchuan, you crony! You dare to arrest people on your own?! I’m going to tell my dad, just you wait! You’ll never stop suffering from this!” he shouted out.
The Wan party had made Yin Qi do this. From the beginning, it couldn’t be labeled a mistake.
Had Tang Fan been a little less quick-witted, or had a moment of non-response, a basin of filth water would very likely be dumped on his head by now. When tomorrow came, everyone in the capital would have known that Tang Fan fought over a woman with Yin Zhi’s son. Yin Zhi, at most, would be scolded with a failure to teach his son properly, while Tang Fan would be flamed as a disgrace to refinement, with an outside that didn’t match the inside.
Thing had developed in an unsuspected way. No one could have known that Tang Fan would have such a speedy counterattack.
“Brother, do you want me to stuff up his mouth?” Xue Ling asked quietly.
“No. Let him keep yelling. It’s his father that’ll lose face, in any case,” Sui Zhou answered similarly.
“Then that’s that. I’ll make him scream some more things out!” Xue Ling laughed, his tone filled with schadenfreude. He stepped up and smacked Yin Qi on the back of his skull. “What are you yelling about?! How could Solon Yin have a son like you?! You’re even trying to steal someone’s identity! Let’s walk over to the Bastille before we talk more — take him away!”
The second Yin Qi heard ‘Bastille’, his soul was scared out of him, and sharply shrieked. “I really am Yin Zhi’s son! If you don’t believe me, go ask the Yin Estate!”
The Ministry of Justice group stood at the side, entirely unable to intervene. All they could do was observe until the end, watching as Yin Qi and the rest were taken away. A trap that had likely been aimed for Tang Fan had turned into a true farce, with no need to continue watching it.
Peng Yichun sighed in relief at last, apologizing, “Sir, everything that happened tonight was because of me. If I hadn’t invited you over, this wouldn’t have…”
Tang Fan waved him off. “If it wasn’t tonight, it would be another night. I just cost them face, so why would they give up?”
A wave of anger rushed into Peng Yichun’s heart. Even an inoffensive man like him had to say out of annoyance, “The Wan part is much too—“
Tang Fan stopped him from saying the rest. “Danchen, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t get mixed up in it.”
Peng Yichun’s was over sixty, while Tang fan was not yet thirty. The age difference between them was massive. Listening to his chiding now, contrarily being the one instructed, actually gave Peng Yichun no dissatisfaction at all. He knew that Tang Fan had the qualifications to do so.
However, it was also precisely because of that that Peng Yichun felt this to be all the more unfair to Tang Fan.
“Sir,” he said, calming down a bit, “if someone tells the censors to send memorials denouncing you, I wish to use my own innocence and this black hat on my head as a guarantee that I will come forward and testify for you.”
“Sir, this humble official is also willing to use my life and innocence to testify.”
The speaker was Lu Tong’guang. Back when Tang Fan had been in the Ministry of Justice, their friendship had been decent, but the other had been gutless and mediocre in his typical behaviors, too afraid to assume responsibility. Being able to stand up and speak on his own initiative was pretty commendable.
“Sir, I will do the same as Minister Peng!” He Xuan stated.
“SIr, so will I!”
“Sir, so will—“
The officials spoke up in succession. Perhaps they were only following the lead, but Tang Fan was still quite moved.
Although the Wan party was domineering, it could never be all-powerful. In this world, those righteous-minded ultimately took up a majority of people.
He cupped his hands. “Thank you, everyone, but this isn’t that dire of a plight. If I do need help, this Tang will certainly say so on my own. Thank you again!”
Everyone quickly returned the courtesy. “No need for such politeness, Sir! This is what we ought to do!”
After sending them all off, Tang Fan and Sui Zhou left Immortal Guest.
“The woman ought to be blameless. After interrogating her, let her go. The Bastille will scare it out of Yin Qi,” Tang Fan said.
Sui Zhou nodded. “I know. Will what happened tonight affect you?”
“Hm?” Tang Fan cocked his head, not understanding what he was referring to.
His confused look only made Sui Zhou grab his hand, then go to bite his lower lip.
Mister Tang let out a yelp of pain, taking two bodily steps back. The faltering candlelight lit up a semi-mad, slightly embarrassed face.
“Sui Guangchuan!” he raised his tone slightly, with some warning undertones.
“Just like how you can’t restrain yourself when seeing food, I can’t restrain myself when seeing you,” Sui Zhou said quietly, smiling.
Mister Tang rolled his eyes, but didn’t use any effort to shake off the other’s hand, allowing him to lead him forth.
“You need to be careful,” Sui Zhou said. Almost half of his figure was hidden in darkness. The lantern’s faint light elongated their shadows, becoming inseparable in truth. “With that ending, the Wan party won’t be letting this go.”
Tang Fan sighed. “Frankly, I was just passing by. Their real aim is to depose the Crown Prince. It was only because I humiliated Wan Tong last time that he would instruct Yin Qi to plot against me. Every day the Crown Prince is still in the East Palace is a day they can’t spare much thought for me; it’s the Crown Prince that really needs to be careful.”
Sui Zhou hummed, gripping his hand tightly. “To be short, I don’t want anything to happen to you. Sometimes…”
Tang Fan didn’t hear him clearly, pricking his ears up. “What?”
“Sometimes, I really want to tie you to my belt.”
Tang Fan laughed. “Wouldn’t your pants fall off?”
“Just like that woman holding on to your thigh tonight? Did your pants fall off then?”
“Did you see them do that?”
“No, I heard people nearby saying so. Too bad I was a step too late.”
Tang Fan grinned, saying composedly, “That’s a real shame. As it was, that lady’s looks were pretty good. Had it not been for Yin Qi mucking things up terribly, I might have actually pushed the boat along the water to have a casual fling with her.”
Sui Zhou hummed again, as if he didn’t hear him. “After we get back, take off your pants so I can check whether she left any marks behind.”
Tang Fan’s mouth twitched. Was it too late to say that he hadn’t had any physical contact with her at all?
When tang Fan went to the Cabinet the day after, everything appeared to be no different than usual. Even though Yin Zhi ducked away when he saw him, looking like he didn’t want to talk, it had stopped there, not going a single act further.
In line with Tang Fan’s guess, his son had still not yet been released from the Bastille yet. Even though his life wasn’t in danger, he was certainly enduring no lack of torment. Those Brocade Guards especially did not regard him as important, itching to mess with a dandy like him.
However, Yin Zhi’s reaction was much too calm.
Out of a desire to probe, Tang Fan took it upon himself to say, “Brother Yin, you surely know of the incident with your son and I at Immortal Guest last night?”
“Isn’t he still with the Brocade Guard now?” Yin Zhi stated coldly. “A Prince that breaks the law is treated the same as a commoner. My unfilial son has always been a troublemaker, and it isn’t rare for him to do all sorts of preposterous things. I should be thanking you for helping me disciple him.
He cast everything off of himself in just a few words, leaving Tang Fan unable to say anything.
At that time, people arrived in succession. Head Vizier Wan An alone was slow to arrive, after everyone had been waiting for nearly a quarter of an hour.
“His Majesty just summoned me, which is why I was late,” he said. “Today’s meeting will be pushed aside for later. Everyone, come with me to meet with His Majesty.”
They all exchanged looks, unsure of what was going on. The Emperor wanted to summon them? Why had no prior notice been given?
Still, since it was his command, no one said anything further, stepping out of the Pavilion and heading for the Palace of Heavenly Clarity.
Liu Jian purposefully lagged a few steps behind, grabbing Tang Fan to whisper, “Do you know why His Majesty is summoning us?”
Tang Fan shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything.”
Xu Pu also came in close, saying quietly, “I heard a little something.”
Tang Fan and Liu Jian stayed their mouths, waiting for him to follow-up. Xu Pu said nothing, however, instead reaching out his palm, then drawing the character for ‘Crown’ on it.
The Crown Prince was related? Was His Majesty going to make a real move this time?
Tang Fan and Liu Jian looked at each other in shock, both becoming somewhat apprehensive.
