The yamen constable didn't dare to accept the money from the steward. When he saw the chief steward take out the money bag, cold sweat broke out on his back. What if the superiors misunderstood him as a bribe taker? How could he continue working at the yamen in the future?
Seeing that the chief steward didn't insist on handing the money to him and instead looked towards the entrance, the yamen constable breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his head and glanced at the person standing at the door. He came with the officials from the Ministry of Justice, but his identity was unknown. The Deputy Minister of Justice, Pei Daren, was courteous to him, so he might be a wealthy young man who came along for the fun.
In the capital city, some wealthy and influential young mans had peculiar hobbies. Some liked to pretend to be beggars, some liked to go to teahouses to tell stories, and some liked to practice Taoism and stay inside Taoist temples. Among these wealthy people who only enjoyed the excitement, this kind was considered relatively normal.
This investigation was particularly strict, even the Deputy Minister of Justice personally took action. It could be seen how much importance the Emperor attached to the spiritual and cultural construction of the capital city.
It was unfortunate that this music hall had bad luck. With the Deputy Minister of Justice leading the investigation, their inspection would definitely be more stringent than the other teams.
"Report, the names on the roster do not match the actual number of people."
"Report, two dancers, one attendant, and two musicians have issues with their household registration."
"Daren, this establishment is hiding prohibited drugs."
"The income and tax payments are unclear, with suspicions of tax evasion."
Within half an hour, Jin Ling Garden had been found to have several problems. Some things wouldn't be apparent without a thorough investigation, but with the skilled investigators from the Ministry of Justice personally involved today, they could easily identify those who were suspicious.
Those who could work at the Ministry of Justice were all skilled in their own right. Having them investigate a music hall like this was a waste of their talents.
Pei Jihuai sat in a chair, pretending not to see the Crown Prince's attendant wiping the stool back and forth three times before the Crown Prince finally sat down, "Young Master, this music hall has quite a few issues. It may take us some time. You're busy with affairs, would it be an inconvenience for you to stay here?"
"I just came to have a look. Deputy Minister Pei, continue with the investigation, you don't need to worry about me," the Crown prince smiled, appearing very accommodating, but Pei Jihuai knew that this person was not someone who could be easily dismissed.
Seeing that the Crown Prince didn't want to leave, he didn't insist and continued to listen to the report.
"Daren, most of the people living in the establishment have arrived, except for one musician and a few dancers who live outside the establishment."
"That qin player also lives outside?" Pei Jihuai raised an eyebrow.
"Daren, the qin player lives inside the establishment."
"Then why hasn't he come down?" Pei Jihuai slammed the teacup heavily on the table, "The Ministry of Justice is conducting an investigation. Those who don't cooperate will be treated as suspects and brought back to the Ministry of Justice for further questioning."
The musicians and dancers, who were brought out by the yamen constable and were complaining incessantly, immediately fell silent when they heard this. They were skilled at reading people's expressions, and seeing that this official was truly angry, none of them dared to provoke him.
The dancers and musicians stood crowded together on the stage, bowing their heads and shrinking their shoulders, afraid of becoming the scapegoats.
"Apologies, I overslept and made the officials wait for a long time," a man slowly walked up from the corridor. He was dressed in loose plain clothes, with his hair untied. He looked at the people below with a half-smile, "I wonder what business the officials have that requires my presence."
"The safety of the people in the capital concerns every citizen. I came here to ensure the safety of every citizen, not to intentionally trouble you all," Pei Jihuai looked at the person whose hair was disheveled and frowned. He was followed by a petite servant.
Seeing Pei Jihuai frown at his disheveled hair, Yunhan smiled and said, "Apologies, I came out in a hurry and didn't have time to tidy up. I apologize for my rudeness."
The chief steward saw the money tree come down and quickly gave him a signal with her eyes. The people sitting here today had extraordinary identities, so they had to be careful with their words and actions to avoid causing trouble.
Yunhan didn't pay attention to the steward's signal and swept his gaze over the people in the hall. Finally, his gaze fell on a man dressed in luxurious clothes with a jade crown and tied-up hair, but the man completely ignored his gaze and didn't even lift his head.
"Please present your household registration, we need to verify them one by one."
The servant glanced at Yunhan upon hearing this and Yunhan nodded to his servant. The servant took out two sets of household registrations from the bosom, quickly went downstairs, and handed them to an official of the Ministry of Justice.
The official took the household registrations but didn't open them yet. He said, "Chief Steward, how can you let a little girl dress up as a servant here?!"
"What little girl?" The chief steward was momentarily stunned. Seeing that the official was staring at the servant girl, she suddenly understood. Feeling somewhat unhappy about being ignored by Yunhan, she turned her head and looked at the qin player, "Yunhan, I wanted you to stay in the establishment to entertain the honored guests, not to keep a little beauty by your side for pleasure."
The servant girl looked surprised. She didn't expect the official to say such words, "Daren, I am a man, I just happen to look somewhat like a little girl."
The staff member ignored him and opened the household registrations. After a quick glance, he raised his hand and had someone grab the servant girl, "Whether you are a man or a woman, I can tell at a glance. There's no need for explanations. Pretending to be a daughter while using the household registration of a son, you will be taken back to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation."
After spending so many years in the Ministry of Justice, if he couldn't even tell if someone was a man or a woman, he wouldn't have any face to stay in the Ministry of Justice.
"What? You're actually a girl?" Yunhan seemed surprised that his servant turned out to be a girl. He looked at her with a mixture of anger and a sense of being deceived.
"Young Master, I admired you, and I tried to get close to you in the guise of a servant. Please forgive me," the servant girl tried to break free from the yamen constable's grip and knelt down to apologize to Yunhan, but the yamen constable exerted a great force and held her firmly.
"Daren, this is a fake household registration," the official handed the household registration to Pei Jihuai.
"It's a household register issued by Yongzhou Prefecture," Pei Jihuai glanced at the fake household register and said, "I once traveled to Yongzhou Prefecture for studies in my early years, so I have fond memories of the place. Could you tell me about the mountains and rivers of Yongzhou, little girl?"
The servant girl stammered as she described a few places, while Pei Jihuai tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his tone cold, "Take her back to the Ministry of Justice."
After the servant was dragged away, Pei Jihuai looked up at the qin standing on the corridor, his expression indifferent, "This qin player, take him with you as well."
"Daren, does my household register also have issues?" Yunhan descended the stairs slowly and bowed deeply to Pei Jihuai, "Daren, I am also a victim."
Although the chief steward was displeased with Yunhan, she didn't want any trouble to fall on this money tree, so she quickly said, "Please, Daren, understand. This servant girl has been working in the music hall for two to three years, while Yunhan only arrived in our establishment three months ago. There is no possibility that they are accomplices."
"Tsk," the well-dressed young man, who had remained silent until now, glanced at the qin player with disdain and said impatiently, "If there are no issues, the Ministry of Justice will deal with it fairly and release him. If everything is to be decided by you, what's the point of having the yamen?"
"Daren, while that is true, we are in the business of running the music hall. If we lose our star performer, how can we continue?" the Chief Steward quickly tried to appease him with a smile, "Daren..."
"Still want to continue running the business?" The well-dressed young man stood up, "Jin Ling Garden has violated several laws of Great Jin. Until this matter is thoroughly investigated, it must be closed for rectification."
The steward's heart tightened. She turned to look at Pei Jihuai and, when she realized that the official didn't refute the young mans's words, a sense of foreboding crept into her heart. She hurriedly said, "Daren, two Junzhus issued an order yesterday, saying they wanted to listen to Yunhan's music. If you take Yunhan away and close the establishment, and when the Junzhus ask, I won't be able to explain to them."
When the well-dressed young man heard her mention "Junzhus", his gaze fell on Yunhan, and his eyes, filled with coldness, carried a hint of scrutiny, "Two Junzhus were interested in him?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" the steward, thinking that the well-dressed young man wouldn't dare offend the Junzhus, quickly said, "The Junzhus were quite satisfied with Yunhan. Before they left, they even paid him a substantial amount of silver and forbade him from playing for anyone else."
"Since it's the two Junzhus who were interested..." The well-dressed young man pondered for a moment, and when he saw hope flicker in the steward's eyes, he continued, "We mustn't let this person get close to the Junzhus without any investigation. The Junzhus are highly regarded and precious. If this person harbors ill intentions, it could harm the Junzhus, wouldn't it?!"
"Deputy Minister Pei," the well-dressed young man turned to Pei Jihuai, "Take him to the Ministry of Justice and investigate thoroughly."
"Yes," Pei Jihuai cupped his fist in response.
Yun Han looked at the well-dressed young man, his face turning very ugly. He was confident in his outstanding appearance and thought he was unmatched by anyone else. However, now there was someone even more outstanding than him, which ignited a raging jealousy in his heart that couldn't be extinguished.
"Who are you?" Yunhan stared at the well-dressed young man, wishing to know his identity immediately.
"What kind of thing are you? How dare you question Young Master's identity?" the attendant accompanying the well-dressed young man looked at Yunhan with disdain, "You're just a lowly musician who played a few songs for the Junzhus. You're nothing more than a jumping clown, it's laughable."
Upon hearing his attendant's words, the Crown Prince raised his eyelids slightly but didn't speak to stop him.
"There are countless people in this world who want to associate with Young Master. You don't even deserve to be in line. If I were you, standing in front of Young Master, who is like an immortal in the sky, I would already be ashamed and not dare to lift my head."
"What kind of lowly thing are you? How dare you look at Young Master with eyes filled with jealousy? Get away quickly and don't disgust my Young Master with your ugly face."
The whole room fell silent. Pei Jihuai silently glanced at the attendant beside the Crown Prince. He had heard that the Crown Prince had all sorts of talented people around him, but he didn't expect to find an attendant who excelled at insulting people.
If there were a competition for insulting people in the capital, this attendant by the Crown Prince's side would surely be in the top three.
Yunhan was almost infuriated by the attendant's words. How could a mere attendant dare to call him ugly?
He had been good-looking since childhood and had captivated countless women. How could he be ugly? He almost couldn't hold back his composure and wanted to confront the attendant, but before he could move, the people from the Ministry of Justice acted swiftly and detained him.
"Why is it so quiet here today?"
A young lady's voice came from outside the door.
"Isn't the music hall supposed to be open by now?"
"Young Miss, something seems off today. Why are there yamen constables guarding outside?"
The Crown Prince said to his attendant, "Bring the young lady inside."
"Yes," the attendant bowed and went out, quickly returning with a young lady and her servant. Yunhai took a glance at the newcomers. It was Miss Yao, the girl who had left first last night.
However, Miss Yao didn't look at him. She walked obediently to the Crown Prince's side and greeted him respectfully, "Greetings, Young Master."
"Last night, did you see this person play the qin for Liuli?" the Crown Prince's expression was calm as he pointed at Yunhan.
Miss Yao nodded obediently.
"Liuli was quite fond of him?" the Crown Prince furrowed his brows slightly but quickly relaxed them.
"She should be quite fond of him," Miss Yao saw the Crown Prince's expression turn ugly in an instant and immediately changed her words, "Actually, she doesn't like him that much. We just listened to his music, nothing else happened."
She had intended to buy the qin player before Hua Liuli returned to teach her a lesson. But she didn't expect to encounter the Crown Prince and the officials from the Ministry of Justice right at the door. She was too scared to say anything else.
Did this qin player commit a major crime?
Otherwise, why would the Crown Prince be here and have the attendant warn her in advance not to reveal the Crown Prince's identity?
While she was thinking about this, suddenly she heard a young lady's voice from outside and her heart was filled with joy. Hua Liuli had also come to the establishment. She secretly glanced at the people from the Ministry of Justice and Yamen. If someone had to die, they should all die together. They had all visited this establishment. Why was she the only one who was caught by the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Justice on the scene?
"I feel that something is amiss in the establishment," Hua Liuli said as soon as she stepped through the gates, sensing that the atmosphere here was off. It was too quiet, not like a pleasure quarter, but more like a study.
Jiamin Junzhu, who was forcibly dragged out by Hua Liuli, looked around, "What's wrong?"
Hua Liuli glanced at Jiamin Junzhu and then turned around to leave.
"Junzhus, please wait."
Hua Liuli was called back before she could even step out of the gate. She turned her head to see the person chasing after her, who looked somewhat familiar, like the eunuch attendant by the Crown Prince's side.
"Junzhus, as the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Justice are conducting investigations inside, why don't the two Junzhus join them to witness the excitement?" the eunuch attendant smiled and invited both of them into the main hall.
Hua Liuli's mood was somewhat complicated. She had just experienced the thrill of pursuing a beauty for the first time, but the next day she was surrounded by officials from the Ministry of Justice. How could she ever freely enjoy the sight of a beauty in the future?
Jiamin Junzhu gritted her teeth and whispered in Hua Liuli's ear, "If you hadn't dragged me out so early in the morning, we wouldn't have embarrassed ourselves here."
"If you hadn't competed with me for someone last night, I wouldn't have brought you along specifically," Hua Liuli retorted in a low voice, "Shouldn't we share good fortune together?"
"Ugh, it's clearly sharing hardships together," Jiamin Junzhu rolled her eyes.
"Junzhus, please come in," the eunuch attendant turned back and saw Jiamin Junzhu giving Hua Liuli a disdainful look. However, Fushou Junzhu, instead of getting angry, smiled gently at Jiamin Junzhu and reminded her, "Please."
"Sister Jiamin, you go first," Hua Liuli stepped aside, gesturing for Jiamin Junzhu to go ahead.
"You're not well, I'll support you," Jiamin Junzhu reached out and held Hua Liuli's arm, whispering in her ear, "Please."
The officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Yamen all lowered their heads upon seeing the two elegantly dressed Junzhus coming in together, not daring to look directly at their beauty.
As soon as the two entered, the first thing they saw was the Crown Prince sitting next to Pei Jihuai. It could be said that as long as the Crown Prince was present, people would subconsciously take notice of him.
Good-looking people seemed to emit their own light, making others appear dull and colorless.
"Young Master," Hua Liuli and Jiamin Junzhu both spread their hands and greeted the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince pointed to an empty seat beside him, "Sit down and let's talk."
"Junzhu, I heard that you've been appreciating a qin player in this establishment?" as soon as Hua Liuli took her seat, the Crown Prince asked the question.
Although there were two Junzhus present, in the eyes of the Crown Prince, there was only one Junzhu.
"Which qin player?" Hua Liuli looked around and only then noticed the qin player whose arms were being held by the officials from the Ministry of Justice. After casually glancing at him, she turned her gaze back to the Crown Prince, "What did he do?"
"His servant disguised herself as a man, falsified her household registration, and we suspect that he is an accomplice in the recent major crimes," Pei Jihuai explained, worried that Hua Liuli would blame them for taking away the qin player. So, he made the situation sound more serious.
"Junzhu, I am not an associate of any criminal. I implore you to help me seek justice," Yunhan raised his head, revealing his handsome eyes and nose, his gaze filled with melancholy and helplessness, "Junzhu, Yunhan is merely a homeless qin player. Please see through this, Junzhu."
With the Crown Prince's captivating presence, Hua Liuli couldn't pay much attention to Yunhan's handsome appearance. She took out a handkerchief and covered her mouth with a slight cough, "Deputy Minister Pei is the most skilled investigator in the Ministry of Justice. With him here, the truth will be revealed. You don't need to worry."
"Doesn't Junzhu believe me either?" Yunhan drooped his head dejectedly, "I thought Junzhu was different..."
The Crown Prince turned to look at Hua Liuli, who quickly shook her head. She hadn't done anything with this qin player.
"Deputy Minister Pei, I will leave this to you," The Crown Prince stood up and said to Hua Liuli, "Junzhu, come with me."
"Sure," Hua Liuli stood up and followed him.
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
So, what was the point of her being here? Was it to prove how biased the Ji family was and how little presence the Crown Prince had his cousin in his heart?
"Junzhu..." Yunhan looked at Jiamin mournfully, as if she were his last hope.
Unfortunately, Jiamin Junzhu, who was busy cursing the Ji family's bias in her mind, completely missed Yunhan's gaze. It wasn't until Yunhan was dragged away that she stood up with a blank expression, "I won't disturb your investigation; I'll go back too."
As the saying goes, "A beautiful appearance can take you thousands of miles". She could understand and accept that.
But why did they all favor Hua Liuli so much?!
Did they know what lay beneath Hua Liuli's delicate appearance?! They were all blind and ignorant.
"Luckily, that qin player didn't harm you," the Crown Prince said to Hua Liuli, who was slowly riding on horseback, "If he had taken the opportunity to assassinate you while getting close, how dangerous would it have been for you?"
"Thank you for the reminder, Your Royal Highness. I will be more careful next time," Hua Liuli replied, glancing back in the direction of Jin Ling Garden with clear and bright eyes.
"And there will be a next time?" the Crown Prince frowned.
"What, what's wrong?" Hua Liuli sensed that the Crown Prince seemed unhappy.
"There are people outside with unknown intentions. As a Junzhu, your status is noble. Don't let petty individuals take advantage of it," The Crown Prince paused for a moment and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth, "If Junzhu enjoys listening to music, there are many musicians and dancers in the palace. Benwang can take you to see them."
"The musicians in the palace have different identities. How can I approach them?" Hua Liuli said.
"What did you say?" the Crown Prince turned to look at Hua Liuli, his expression calm and eery.
Hua Liuli stared at the unfamiliar Crown Prince blankly and inexplicably felt guilty. She turned her head, avoiding eye contact with the Crown Prince, "As I am with a weak constitution, it is not suitable for me to marry. I don't want to bring disaster to any legitimate young master by marrying into their family. It's better to keep a few companions, seek some pleasure, and live out my remaining days.."
"Are you suggesting that you are unsuitable for marriage, or that you don't want to marry anyone?" the Crown Prince asked.
"In this world, who wouldn't want to marry a beautiful and ideal spouse? And who wouldn't want to marry a beloved husband?" Hua Liuli lowered her eyelids slightly and switched the hand holding the reins, "But I am physically unfit, so I don't want to burden others."
"If there is someone in this world who doesn't mind Junzhu's condition, would Junzhu marry that person?"
Hua Liuli laughed and looked at the Crown Prince in confusion, "Your Royal Highness, why are you suddenly asking this question?"
Could it be that the woman the Crown Prince liked had passed away due to her frailty, so he suddenly had such thoughts?
Understanding this, Hua Liuli said, "Your Royal Highness, if I fall in love with someone and know that it would bring them pain, I would rather they forget me, hate me, but I wouldn't want to be a burden to them."
What a joke!
If she were that frail girl, she wouldn't have so many concerns. Even if they couldn't be together, she would make sure the Crown Prince understood her feelings. At least she wouldn't have any regrets before her death.
For someone like her, with a violent temper and grudges, it was a good thing not to have anyone she liked. Whoever she liked would suffer for their entire life.
"I understand," the Crown Prince smiled, "If you ever fall in love in the future, be sure to tell me."
"Is Your Royal Highness going to help me take possession of him?" Hua Luli asked.
The Crown Prince chuckled softly without saying a word.
"How can I let Your Royal Highness do such a thing?" Hua Luli thought the Crown Prince had tacitly agreed to her words and quickly said, "Forcing oneself onto someone is not right. I don't mind, but it would damage Your Royal Highness's reputation."
"If it can make you happy, it's not impossible," the Crown Prince sighed lightly, "After all, my reputation is not that great either."
"All those are just baseless rumors spread by others," Hua Luli felt indignant at the slander against the Crown Prince, "Your Royal Highness is clearly a talented and handsome Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince, upon hearing this, turned his head and stared at Hua Luli with a gentle smile.
Enchanted by the Crown Prince's charming smile, Hua Luli felt a tinge of regret. How good would it be if he weren't the Crown Prince?
Even if he wasn't the Crown Prince, she would spend a fortune to bring such a peerless beauty to her personal estate and treat him as her most beloved lover.
What a pity. What a pity.
Under the strict crackdown by the Ministry of Justice and the Yamen, the appearance of the capital city changed greatly within just three days. There were no more men and women parading along the streets in revealing attire, the prices of the pleasure quarters had also significantly decreased. However, even though the prices were lower, fewer people dared to spend money in these places.
Some outsiders who had just arrived in the capital marveled at how different the common people in the capital were. They knew that during the recent Spring Examination period, in order not to affect the examinees' performance, the pleasure places had become quiet. Even thieves couldn't be seen. If someone accidentally dropped money on the ground, someone would pick it up and return it to the owner.
One foreign merchant even wrote travel notes, describing Great Jin as a prosperous, elegant, beautiful country where nothing could be lost.
Emperor Changlong noticed that his most beloved son had been acting strangely in the past few days, sometimes even spacing out while reading an incredibly boring memorial.
On the day before Spring Examination was about to end, Emperor Changlong couldn't help but ask the Crown Prince, "Yuansu, why have you been absent-minded these past few days?"
"Father Emperor, Erchen has just realized that Erchen might be a beast," the Crown Prince looked up at Emperor Changlong and shamelessly said, "Erchen needs Father Emperor's help in this matter."
Emperor Changlong was taken aback and his face turned pale when he heard these words, "What? Have you been forcibly seizing commoner women outside?!"
The yamen constable didn't dare to accept the money from the steward. When he saw the chief steward take out the money bag, cold sweat broke out on his back. What if the superiors misunderstood him as a bribe taker? How could he continue working at the yamen in the future?
Seeing that the chief steward didn't insist on handing the money to him and instead looked towards the entrance, the yamen constable breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his head and glanced at the person standing at the door. He came with the officials from the Ministry of Justice, but his identity was unknown. The Deputy Minister of Justice, Pei Daren, was courteous to him, so he might be a wealthy young man who came along for the fun.
In the capital city, some wealthy and influential young mans had peculiar hobbies. Some liked to pretend to be beggars, some liked to go to teahouses to tell stories, and some liked to practice Taoism and stay inside Taoist temples. Among these wealthy people who only enjoyed the excitement, this kind was considered relatively normal.
This investigation was particularly strict, even the Deputy Minister of Justice personally took action. It could be seen how much importance the Emperor attached to the spiritual and cultural construction of the capital city.
It was unfortunate that this music hall had bad luck. With the Deputy Minister of Justice leading the investigation, their inspection would definitely be more stringent than the other teams.
"Report, the names on the roster do not match the actual number of people."
"Report, two dancers, one attendant, and two musicians have issues with their household registration."
"Daren, this establishment is hiding prohibited drugs."
"The income and tax payments are unclear, with suspicions of tax evasion."
Within half an hour, Jin Ling Garden had been found to have several problems. Some things wouldn't be apparent without a thorough investigation, but with the skilled investigators from the Ministry of Justice personally involved today, they could easily identify those who were suspicious.
Those who could work at the Ministry of Justice were all skilled in their own right. Having them investigate a music hall like this was a waste of their talents.
Pei Jihuai sat in a chair, pretending not to see the Crown Prince's attendant wiping the stool back and forth three times before the Crown Prince finally sat down, "Young Master, this music hall has quite a few issues. It may take us some time. You're busy with affairs, would it be an inconvenience for you to stay here?"
"I just came to have a look. Deputy Minister Pei, continue with the investigation, you don't need to worry about me," the Crown prince smiled, appearing very accommodating, but Pei Jihuai knew that this person was not someone who could be easily dismissed.
Seeing that the Crown Prince didn't want to leave, he didn't insist and continued to listen to the report.
"Daren, most of the people living in the establishment have arrived, except for one musician and a few dancers who live outside the establishment."
"That qin player also lives outside?" Pei Jihuai raised an eyebrow.
"Daren, the qin player lives inside the establishment."
"Then why hasn't he come down?" Pei Jihuai slammed the teacup heavily on the table, "The Ministry of Justice is conducting an investigation. Those who don't cooperate will be treated as suspects and brought back to the Ministry of Justice for further questioning."
The musicians and dancers, who were brought out by the yamen constable and were complaining incessantly, immediately fell silent when they heard this. They were skilled at reading people's expressions, and seeing that this official was truly angry, none of them dared to provoke him.
The dancers and musicians stood crowded together on the stage, bowing their heads and shrinking their shoulders, afraid of becoming the scapegoats.
"Apologies, I overslept and made the officials wait for a long time," a man slowly walked up from the corridor. He was dressed in loose plain clothes, with his hair untied. He looked at the people below with a half-smile, "I wonder what business the officials have that requires my presence."
"The safety of the people in the capital concerns every citizen. I came here to ensure the safety of every citizen, not to intentionally trouble you all," Pei Jihuai looked at the person whose hair was disheveled and frowned. He was followed by a petite servant.
Seeing Pei Jihuai frown at his disheveled hair, Yunhan smiled and said, "Apologies, I came out in a hurry and didn't have time to tidy up. I apologize for my rudeness."
The chief steward saw the money tree come down and quickly gave him a signal with her eyes. The people sitting here today had extraordinary identities, so they had to be careful with their words and actions to avoid causing trouble.
Yunhan didn't pay attention to the steward's signal and swept his gaze over the people in the hall. Finally, his gaze fell on a man dressed in luxurious clothes with a jade crown and tied-up hair, but the man completely ignored his gaze and didn't even lift his head.
"Please present your household registration, we need to verify them one by one."
The servant glanced at Yunhan upon hearing this and Yunhan nodded to his servant. The servant took out two sets of household registrations from the bosom, quickly went downstairs, and handed them to an official of the Ministry of Justice.
The official took the household registrations but didn't open them yet. He said, "Chief Steward, how can you let a little girl dress up as a servant here?!"
"What little girl?" The chief steward was momentarily stunned. Seeing that the official was staring at the servant girl, she suddenly understood. Feeling somewhat unhappy about being ignored by Yunhan, she turned her head and looked at the qin player, "Yunhan, I wanted you to stay in the establishment to entertain the honored guests, not to keep a little beauty by your side for pleasure."
The servant girl looked surprised. She didn't expect the official to say such words, "Daren, I am a man, I just happen to look somewhat like a little girl."
The staff member ignored him and opened the household registrations. After a quick glance, he raised his hand and had someone grab the servant girl, "Whether you are a man or a woman, I can tell at a glance. There's no need for explanations. Pretending to be a daughter while using the household registration of a son, you will be taken back to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation."
After spending so many years in the Ministry of Justice, if he couldn't even tell if someone was a man or a woman, he wouldn't have any face to stay in the Ministry of Justice.
"What? You're actually a girl?" Yunhan seemed surprised that his servant turned out to be a girl. He looked at her with a mixture of anger and a sense of being deceived.
"Young Master, I admired you, and I tried to get close to you in the guise of a servant. Please forgive me," the servant girl tried to break free from the yamen constable's grip and knelt down to apologize to Yunhan, but the yamen constable exerted a great force and held her firmly.
"Daren, this is a fake household registration," the official handed the household registration to Pei Jihuai.
"It's a household register issued by Yongzhou Prefecture," Pei Jihuai glanced at the fake household register and said, "I once traveled to Yongzhou Prefecture for studies in my early years, so I have fond memories of the place. Could you tell me about the mountains and rivers of Yongzhou, little girl?"
The servant girl stammered as she described a few places, while Pei Jihuai tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his tone cold, "Take her back to the Ministry of Justice."
After the servant was dragged away, Pei Jihuai looked up at the qin standing on the corridor, his expression indifferent, "This qin player, take him with you as well."
"Daren, does my household register also have issues?" Yunhan descended the stairs slowly and bowed deeply to Pei Jihuai, "Daren, I am also a victim."
Although the chief steward was displeased with Yunhan, she didn't want any trouble to fall on this money tree, so she quickly said, "Please, Daren, understand. This servant girl has been working in the music hall for two to three years, while Yunhan only arrived in our establishment three months ago. There is no possibility that they are accomplices."
"Tsk," the well-dressed young man, who had remained silent until now, glanced at the qin player with disdain and said impatiently, "If there are no issues, the Ministry of Justice will deal with it fairly and release him. If everything is to be decided by you, what's the point of having the yamen?"
"Daren, while that is true, we are in the business of running the music hall. If we lose our star performer, how can we continue?" the Chief Steward quickly tried to appease him with a smile, "Daren..."
"Still want to continue running the business?" The well-dressed young man stood up, "Jin Ling Garden has violated several laws of Great Jin. Until this matter is thoroughly investigated, it must be closed for rectification."
The steward's heart tightened. She turned to look at Pei Jihuai and, when she realized that the official didn't refute the young mans's words, a sense of foreboding crept into her heart. She hurriedly said, "Daren, two Junzhus issued an order yesterday, saying they wanted to listen to Yunhan's music. If you take Yunhan away and close the establishment, and when the Junzhus ask, I won't be able to explain to them."
When the well-dressed young man heard her mention "Junzhus", his gaze fell on Yunhan, and his eyes, filled with coldness, carried a hint of scrutiny, "Two Junzhus were interested in him?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" the steward, thinking that the well-dressed young man wouldn't dare offend the Junzhus, quickly said, "The Junzhus were quite satisfied with Yunhan. Before they left, they even paid him a substantial amount of silver and forbade him from playing for anyone else."
"Since it's the two Junzhus who were interested..." The well-dressed young man pondered for a moment, and when he saw hope flicker in the steward's eyes, he continued, "We mustn't let this person get close to the Junzhus without any investigation. The Junzhus are highly regarded and precious. If this person harbors ill intentions, it could harm the Junzhus, wouldn't it?!"
"Deputy Minister Pei," the well-dressed young man turned to Pei Jihuai, "Take him to the Ministry of Justice and investigate thoroughly."
"Yes," Pei Jihuai cupped his fist in response.
Yun Han looked at the well-dressed young man, his face turning very ugly. He was confident in his outstanding appearance and thought he was unmatched by anyone else. However, now there was someone even more outstanding than him, which ignited a raging jealousy in his heart that couldn't be extinguished.
"Who are you?" Yunhan stared at the well-dressed young man, wishing to know his identity immediately.
"What kind of thing are you? How dare you question Young Master's identity?" the attendant accompanying the well-dressed young man looked at Yunhan with disdain, "You're just a lowly musician who played a few songs for the Junzhus. You're nothing more than a jumping clown, it's laughable."
Upon hearing his attendant's words, the Crown Prince raised his eyelids slightly but didn't speak to stop him.
"There are countless people in this world who want to associate with Young Master. You don't even deserve to be in line. If I were you, standing in front of Young Master, who is like an immortal in the sky, I would already be ashamed and not dare to lift my head."
"What kind of lowly thing are you? How dare you look at Young Master with eyes filled with jealousy? Get away quickly and don't disgust my Young Master with your ugly face."
The whole room fell silent. Pei Jihuai silently glanced at the attendant beside the Crown Prince. He had heard that the Crown Prince had all sorts of talented people around him, but he didn't expect to find an attendant who excelled at insulting people.
If there were a competition for insulting people in the capital, this attendant by the Crown Prince's side would surely be in the top three.
Yunhan was almost infuriated by the attendant's words. How could a mere attendant dare to call him ugly?
He had been good-looking since childhood and had captivated countless women. How could he be ugly? He almost couldn't hold back his composure and wanted to confront the attendant, but before he could move, the people from the Ministry of Justice acted swiftly and detained him.
"Why is it so quiet here today?"
A young lady's voice came from outside the door.
"Isn't the music hall supposed to be open by now?"
"Young Miss, something seems off today. Why are there yamen constables guarding outside?"
The Crown Prince said to his attendant, "Bring the young lady inside."
"Yes," the attendant bowed and went out, quickly returning with a young lady and her servant. Yunhai took a glance at the newcomers. It was Miss Yao, the girl who had left first last night.
However, Miss Yao didn't look at him. She walked obediently to the Crown Prince's side and greeted him respectfully, "Greetings, Young Master."
"Last night, did you see this person play the qin for Liuli?" the Crown Prince's expression was calm as he pointed at Yunhan.
Miss Yao nodded obediently.
"Liuli was quite fond of him?" the Crown Prince furrowed his brows slightly but quickly relaxed them.
"She should be quite fond of him," Miss Yao saw the Crown Prince's expression turn ugly in an instant and immediately changed her words, "Actually, she doesn't like him that much. We just listened to his music, nothing else happened."
She had intended to buy the qin player before Hua Liuli returned to teach her a lesson. But she didn't expect to encounter the Crown Prince and the officials from the Ministry of Justice right at the door. She was too scared to say anything else.
Did this qin player commit a major crime?
Otherwise, why would the Crown Prince be here and have the attendant warn her in advance not to reveal the Crown Prince's identity?
While she was thinking about this, suddenly she heard a young lady's voice from outside and her heart was filled with joy. Hua Liuli had also come to the establishment. She secretly glanced at the people from the Ministry of Justice and Yamen. If someone had to die, they should all die together. They had all visited this establishment. Why was she the only one who was caught by the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Justice on the scene?
"I feel that something is amiss in the establishment," Hua Liuli said as soon as she stepped through the gates, sensing that the atmosphere here was off. It was too quiet, not like a pleasure quarter, but more like a study.
Jiamin Junzhu, who was forcibly dragged out by Hua Liuli, looked around, "What's wrong?"
Hua Liuli glanced at Jiamin Junzhu and then turned around to leave.
"Junzhus, please wait."
Hua Liuli was called back before she could even step out of the gate. She turned her head to see the person chasing after her, who looked somewhat familiar, like the eunuch attendant by the Crown Prince's side.
"Junzhus, as the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Justice are conducting investigations inside, why don't the two Junzhus join them to witness the excitement?" the eunuch attendant smiled and invited both of them into the main hall.
Hua Liuli's mood was somewhat complicated. She had just experienced the thrill of pursuing a beauty for the first time, but the next day she was surrounded by officials from the Ministry of Justice. How could she ever freely enjoy the sight of a beauty in the future?
Jiamin Junzhu gritted her teeth and whispered in Hua Liuli's ear, "If you hadn't dragged me out so early in the morning, we wouldn't have embarrassed ourselves here."
"If you hadn't competed with me for someone last night, I wouldn't have brought you along specifically," Hua Liuli retorted in a low voice, "Shouldn't we share good fortune together?"
"Ugh, it's clearly sharing hardships together," Jiamin Junzhu rolled her eyes.
"Junzhus, please come in," the eunuch attendant turned back and saw Jiamin Junzhu giving Hua Liuli a disdainful look. However, Fushou Junzhu, instead of getting angry, smiled gently at Jiamin Junzhu and reminded her, "Please."
"Sister Jiamin, you go first," Hua Liuli stepped aside, gesturing for Jiamin Junzhu to go ahead.
"You're not well, I'll support you," Jiamin Junzhu reached out and held Hua Liuli's arm, whispering in her ear, "Please."
The officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Yamen all lowered their heads upon seeing the two elegantly dressed Junzhus coming in together, not daring to look directly at their beauty.
As soon as the two entered, the first thing they saw was the Crown Prince sitting next to Pei Jihuai. It could be said that as long as the Crown Prince was present, people would subconsciously take notice of him.
Good-looking people seemed to emit their own light, making others appear dull and colorless.
"Young Master," Hua Liuli and Jiamin Junzhu both spread their hands and greeted the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince pointed to an empty seat beside him, "Sit down and let's talk."
"Junzhu, I heard that you've been appreciating a qin player in this establishment?" as soon as Hua Liuli took her seat, the Crown Prince asked the question.
Although there were two Junzhus present, in the eyes of the Crown Prince, there was only one Junzhu.
"Which qin player?" Hua Liuli looked around and only then noticed the qin player whose arms were being held by the officials from the Ministry of Justice. After casually glancing at him, she turned her gaze back to the Crown Prince, "What did he do?"
"His servant disguised herself as a man, falsified her household registration, and we suspect that he is an accomplice in the recent major crimes," Pei Jihuai explained, worried that Hua Liuli would blame them for taking away the qin player. So, he made the situation sound more serious.
"Junzhu, I am not an associate of any criminal. I implore you to help me seek justice," Yunhan raised his head, revealing his handsome eyes and nose, his gaze filled with melancholy and helplessness, "Junzhu, Yunhan is merely a homeless qin player. Please see through this, Junzhu."
With the Crown Prince's captivating presence, Hua Liuli couldn't pay much attention to Yunhan's handsome appearance. She took out a handkerchief and covered her mouth with a slight cough, "Deputy Minister Pei is the most skilled investigator in the Ministry of Justice. With him here, the truth will be revealed. You don't need to worry."
"Doesn't Junzhu believe me either?" Yunhan drooped his head dejectedly, "I thought Junzhu was different..."
The Crown Prince turned to look at Hua Liuli, who quickly shook her head. She hadn't done anything with this qin player.
"Deputy Minister Pei, I will leave this to you," The Crown Prince stood up and said to Hua Liuli, "Junzhu, come with me."
"Sure," Hua Liuli stood up and followed him.
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
So, what was the point of her being here? Was it to prove how biased the Ji family was and how little presence the Crown Prince had his cousin in his heart?
"Junzhu..." Yunhan looked at Jiamin mournfully, as if she were his last hope.
Unfortunately, Jiamin Junzhu, who was busy cursing the Ji family's bias in her mind, completely missed Yunhan's gaze. It wasn't until Yunhan was dragged away that she stood up with a blank expression, "I won't disturb your investigation; I'll go back too."
As the saying goes, "A beautiful appearance can take you thousands of miles". She could understand and accept that.
But why did they all favor Hua Liuli so much?!
Did they know what lay beneath Hua Liuli's delicate appearance?! They were all blind and ignorant.
"Luckily, that qin player didn't harm you," the Crown Prince said to Hua Liuli, who was slowly riding on horseback, "If he had taken the opportunity to assassinate you while getting close, how dangerous would it have been for you?"
"Thank you for the reminder, Your Royal Highness. I will be more careful next time," Hua Liuli replied, glancing back in the direction of Jin Ling Garden with clear and bright eyes.
"And there will be a next time?" the Crown Prince frowned.
"What, what's wrong?" Hua Liuli sensed that the Crown Prince seemed unhappy.
"There are people outside with unknown intentions. As a Junzhu, your status is noble. Don't let petty individuals take advantage of it," The Crown Prince paused for a moment and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth, "If Junzhu enjoys listening to music, there are many musicians and dancers in the palace. Benwang can take you to see them."
"The musicians in the palace have different identities. How can I approach them?" Hua Liuli said.
"What did you say?" the Crown Prince turned to look at Hua Liuli, his expression calm and eery.
Hua Liuli stared at the unfamiliar Crown Prince blankly and inexplicably felt guilty. She turned her head, avoiding eye contact with the Crown Prince, "As I am with a weak constitution, it is not suitable for me to marry. I don't want to bring disaster to any legitimate young master by marrying into their family. It's better to keep a few companions, seek some pleasure, and live out my remaining days.."
"Are you suggesting that you are unsuitable for marriage, or that you don't want to marry anyone?" the Crown Prince asked.
"In this world, who wouldn't want to marry a beautiful and ideal spouse? And who wouldn't want to marry a beloved husband?" Hua Liuli lowered her eyelids slightly and switched the hand holding the reins, "But I am physically unfit, so I don't want to burden others."
"If there is someone in this world who doesn't mind Junzhu's condition, would Junzhu marry that person?"
Hua Liuli laughed and looked at the Crown Prince in confusion, "Your Royal Highness, why are you suddenly asking this question?"
Could it be that the woman the Crown Prince liked had passed away due to her frailty, so he suddenly had such thoughts?
Understanding this, Hua Liuli said, "Your Royal Highness, if I fall in love with someone and know that it would bring them pain, I would rather they forget me, hate me, but I wouldn't want to be a burden to them."
What a joke!
If she were that frail girl, she wouldn't have so many concerns. Even if they couldn't be together, she would make sure the Crown Prince understood her feelings. At least she wouldn't have any regrets before her death.
For someone like her, with a violent temper and grudges, it was a good thing not to have anyone she liked. Whoever she liked would suffer for their entire life.
"I understand," the Crown Prince smiled, "If you ever fall in love in the future, be sure to tell me."
"Is Your Royal Highness going to help me take possession of him?" Hua Luli asked.
The Crown Prince chuckled softly without saying a word.
"How can I let Your Royal Highness do such a thing?" Hua Luli thought the Crown Prince had tacitly agreed to her words and quickly said, "Forcing oneself onto someone is not right. I don't mind, but it would damage Your Royal Highness's reputation."
"If it can make you happy, it's not impossible," the Crown Prince sighed lightly, "After all, my reputation is not that great either."
"All those are just baseless rumors spread by others," Hua Luli felt indignant at the slander against the Crown Prince, "Your Royal Highness is clearly a talented and handsome Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince, upon hearing this, turned his head and stared at Hua Luli with a gentle smile.
Enchanted by the Crown Prince's charming smile, Hua Luli felt a tinge of regret. How good would it be if he weren't the Crown Prince?
Even if he wasn't the Crown Prince, she would spend a fortune to bring such a peerless beauty to her personal estate and treat him as her most beloved lover.
What a pity. What a pity.
Under the strict crackdown by the Ministry of Justice and the Yamen, the appearance of the capital city changed greatly within just three days. There were no more men and women parading along the streets in revealing attire, the prices of the pleasure quarters had also significantly decreased. However, even though the prices were lower, fewer people dared to spend money in these places.
Some outsiders who had just arrived in the capital marveled at how different the common people in the capital were. They knew that during the recent Spring Examination period, in order not to affect the examinees' performance, the pleasure places had become quiet. Even thieves couldn't be seen. If someone accidentally dropped money on the ground, someone would pick it up and return it to the owner.
One foreign merchant even wrote travel notes, describing Great Jin as a prosperous, elegant, beautiful country where nothing could be lost.
Emperor Changlong noticed that his most beloved son had been acting strangely in the past few days, sometimes even spacing out while reading an incredibly boring memorial.
On the day before Spring Examination was about to end, Emperor Changlong couldn't help but ask the Crown Prince, "Yuansu, why have you been absent-minded these past few days?"
"Father Emperor, Erchen has just realized that Erchen might be a beast," the Crown Prince looked up at Emperor Changlong and shamelessly said, "Erchen needs Father Emperor's help in this matter."
Emperor Changlong was taken aback and his face turned pale when he heard these words, "What? Have you been forcibly seizing commoner women outside?!"
