Fang Bin stood outside Tingfeng Pavilion, facing off against the two Silver Armored Guards, his face burning with humiliation.
He was the dignified Minister of War, a Second Rank Official, and yet two guards had managed to hold their ground against him. If word got out, it would be the height of disgrace.
The constables from Shuntian Prefecture he'd brought along were all cowering and didn't dare step forward, making him lose even more face.
"You... Are you trying to rebel?!"
Fang Bin trembled with rage. Pointing at the two guards, he barked, "I am a Second Rank Official of the Imperial Court, entrusted by imperial decree with command over the armies of the realm! You dare block me with weapons? That's a grave crime!"
He tried to cow them with his official authority and the laws of the Imperial Court.
Yet the two Great Snow Dragon Rider Guards didn't even raise an eyelid.
Their duty was to protect Zhu Zhanjun.
They obeyed Zhu Zhanjun's orders alone. Even if the emperor himself showed up, they would still dare to draw their blades.
In their eyes, a mere Minister of War was no different from a stone by the roadside.
Such blatant disregard humiliated Fang Bin more than any argument could have.
"Father! Father! Why are you wasting your breath on them?"
Fang Cheng, pinned to the ground, was still recklessly shouting.
"You're the Minister of War! Just send in the troops! Flatten this place! Arrest every last one of them and behead them! Torture them to death!"
Hearing his son's words, Fang Bin was so furious he nearly spat up blood.
Send in the troops?
Did he think the capital's army belonged to their family?
Moving even a single soldier without the emperor's decree was a grave crime of treason!
That wretched son was good for nothing but ruining everything!
Just as Fang Bin was caught between a rock and a hard place, with no way to save face, unhurried footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Zhu Zhanjun came into view.
With his hands tucked into his sleeves, he strolled downstairs with the lazy air of someone who hadn't fully woken up.
"Well, this is lively."
He glanced over the crowd outside, bristling for a fight, then let his gaze settle on Fang Bin.
"Minister Fang, why are you out so late instead of sleeping? Did you bring all these people to Tingfeng Pavilion to enjoy a meal?"
"Zhu Zhanjun!"
When Fang Bin saw the man himself appear, the fury he'd been bottling up all night finally found an outlet.
"And you still have the nerve to say that!"
Pointing at Zhu Zhanjun, he demanded, "My son merely came to your restaurant for a feast. Why did you let your men assault him, injure him, and unlawfully detain him? Do you have any regard for the law?"
"The law?"
Zhu Zhanjun laughed.
"Minister Fang, you're talking to me about the law?"
He pointed at the scattered tables and chairs on the ground, and at the two injured waiters.
"Your son brought people to Tingfeng Pavilion to cause trouble, beat my staff, and smash up my establishment. Does that comply with the law?"
Then he pointed at Fang Cheng on the ground.
"He openly threatened to tear Tingfeng Pavilion down. Does that comply with the law?"
"As the proprietor, I stepped in to stop him and acted in self-defense. Does that comply with the law?"
Zhu Zhanjun's rapid-fire questions rang out like blows, leaving Fang Bin speechless.
The onlookers around them nodded one after another.
That was right. From beginning to end, Young Master Fang was the one who'd started it.
Wasn't it only natural for the proprietor to fight back?
"Silver-tongued fool!"
Fang Bin's face reddened as he forced out a defense. "Even if my son was in the wrong, you shouldn't have gone so far! You've badly injured more than a dozen of my household servants! And you've detained my son here and demanded an exorbitant ransom!"
"This is setting up a private court! It's contempt for the Imperial Court! It's a serious crime!"
"Gone so far?"
Zhu Zhanjun laughed.
"Minister Fang, you seem to have a misunderstanding about what 'gone so far' means."
He walked over to a household servant who was still groaning on the ground, crouched down, and patted the man's face.
"Look, his hands are still there, and so are his legs. They're just broken. They can still be used once they're set."
"Does that count as going too far? It's just a little sparring. Understand?"
"As for your son..." Zhu Zhanjun rose and walked over to Fang Cheng, looking down at him. "Have I even laid a finger on him?"
"No, right?"
"I merely asked him to stay and cooperate with us while we discussed compensation."
"How can that be unlawful detention? It's a friendly negotiation."
Listening to Zhu Zhanjun's twisted reasoning as he turned black into white, Fang Bin was so angry his lungs nearly burst.
He'd seen shameless people before, but never anyone this shameless!
Breaking someone's hands and feet and calling it sparring?
Detaining someone and demanding five million taels, then calling it a friendly negotiation?
"You... you..."
Fang Bin pointed at Zhu Zhanjun, too furious to get the words out.
"What about me?"
The smile vanished from Zhu Zhanjun's face, and his eyes suddenly turned cold.
"Minister Fang, I'll make this perfectly clear."
"Five million taels. Not a single one less."
"The moment the money arrives, you can take your son away."
"If the money doesn't arrive..."
He glanced at Fang Cheng's legs.
"Then I'll have no choice but to handle things according to the rules here."
The icy look made Fang Bin's heart turn cold.
He had no doubt that if he refused to pay, the madman before him really would break his son's legs!
"You dare!"
Fang Bin shouted, his bluster belying his fear.
"Just watch me."
Zhu Zhanjun didn't give an inch.
The atmosphere froze in an instant.
The onlookers didn't dare so much as breathe.
On one side stood the Minister of War, a Second Rank Official of the Imperial Court.
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