Fan Xian's Folding Fan Points at He Zongwei, Then Turns to Sang Wen: "Apologize."
"Ah?" He Zongwei looked up in a daze, a flash of astonishment crossing his swollen face.
Zhou Cheng's reaction completely exceeded his expectations.
"Didn't hear clearly? Do you want this prince to say it again?" Zhou Cheng's gaze was as sharp as a knife.
He Zongwei was very obedient to his heart and dared not hesitate. When he turned to Sang Wen, he gave a deep bow, his movements standard yet stiff:
"Miss, it was for a moment that I was muddle-headed, spoke without thinking, and offended you. Please forgive me."
Sang Wen gave a low response and slightly turned sideways to avoid the full bow.
From the moment He Zongwei slapped his own face until it swelled into a pig's head, the lingering anger in her heart had already completely dissipated.
Coming from a lowly background, she had long since possessed the mental preparation of being slighted by others' words. To be able to receive an apology at this moment entirely relied on Zhou Cheng, and she already felt quite content.
She instinctively wanted to return the bow, but Zhou Cheng reached out with a virtual press, stopping her movement.
Zhou Cheng gave her a gentle tap on the head with the ribs of his fan, slightly furrowing his brow with a tone carrying a hint of reproach: "What are you returning the bow for? They know they were wrong, but what about you? Do you know you were wrong or not?"
Sang Wen blinked and looked at Zhou Cheng in confusion: "Ah?"
Without waiting for her to dwell on it, Zhou Cheng continued: "Today's affair turned out so ugly, and you bear at least half the responsibility.
You still haven't gotten used to your own identity! You are this prince's woman, so you have nothing more to do with the lowly brothel registry.
As for this point, you should properly learn from our Compilation Officer Guo!"
Zhou Cheng's words moved Sang Wen deeply, yet she felt somewhat baffled by the very last sentence.
At this moment, Guo Baokun, who was kneeling on the ground, also covered his cheek, raised his swollen face, and looked over in a daze.
He couldn't figure out why it was still his turn in the spotlight at a time like this.
Ignoring everyone else's gaze, Zhou Cheng simply said to Sang Wen: "Do you still remember what Compilation Officer Guo did the moment he made his appearance?"
Sang Wen was stunned and blankly shook her head.
Zhou Cheng supported his forehead with the fan, shaking his head and sighing:
"The moment Compilation Officer Guo stepped out, he first shouted 'My father is the Minister of Rites', then introduced himself, and only lastly mentioned the banned book!
And you? When you encounter trouble, you stay silent! In that kind of situation, you should have first shouted that you are this prince's woman!
If you don't shout, someone can brush it off afterwards with 'momentary agitation, speaking without thinking'. If you had shouted, who would have dared to bark at you aggressively?
I didn't step out immediately because I wanted to see your awareness. As a result, I am very disappointed.
So, do you know you were wrong?"
Sang Wen was awakened as if from a dream. Of course she knew this wasn't blame, but rather protection, so she obediently lowered her head: "This humble woman knows she was wrong."
Only then did Zhou Cheng nod in satisfaction, his gaze falling back onto He Zongwei.
He Zongwei lowered his head without a word, listening to Zhou Cheng use the reprimand of Sang Wen to make veiled criticisms of him, yet his expression remained only respectful without a trace of unusual color.
[Negative emotion from He Zongwei +233!]
Zhou Cheng sneered inwardly.
This fellow was emotionally active and still a rich mine; letting him off simply would mean a loss.
Now only plot characters could provide him with effective emotional value, so no matter what, he had to find a way to squeeze this fellow dry!
Just as Zhou Cheng was pondering how to conduct sustainable development on the 'rich mine', another person parted the crowd and squeezed in.
Li Hongcheng, who had been hiding in the crowd watching the show for a long time, now piled a smile onto his face, stepped forward, and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Aigo, Third Brother, we've met outside again! What is going on here?" He strolled over to Guo Baokun's side, bent down to check, and feigned surprise: "Isn't this Compilation Officer Guo? How did he end up looking like this?" Then he looked at He Zongwei, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: "Young Master He's face... Could the two of you have offended Third Brother?"
There were not a few people around who recognized Li Hongcheng.
Hearing Guo Baokun shout 'Your Highness', they could only guess that Zhou Cheng possessed the identity of an imperial prince, just unable to confirm which one.
At this moment, with Li Hongcheng's cry of 'Third Brother', they instantly realized the person before them turned out to be the legendary 'Prince Cheng'!
Fan Xian's gaze flickered slightly. Prince Cheng... wasn't this that 'lying flat' imperial prince, that imperial prince with the least suspicion of assassinating him...
Looking at this style of conduct, it truly was unconventional and extremely interesting!
"Hongcheng is also out strolling? That really is a coincidence." Zhou Cheng's tone was flat as he pointed at He Zongwei: "You recognize this Young Master He?"
Li Hongcheng nodded, looking natural on the surface while secretly groaning inwardly in pain.
Today, Guo Baokun banned books on the street, which was originally instigated by the Crown Prince with the aim of testing Fan Xian.
He Zongwei was a retainer of Guo Baokun, which was why he aided Guo Baokun with his words.
Who could have predicted that at the start, Guo Baokun's itchy hands would snatch a book, unexpectedly dragging Zhou Cheng's concubine into it.
When he recognized Sang Wen in the crowd, he immediately felt a sense of foreboding. Wanting to stop it was too late, so he could only hide and watch from the sidelines.
At this moment, seeing that Zhou Cheng had almost finished dealing with the matter, he dared to come out and smooth things over, wanting to clean up the mess.
Li Hongcheng weighed his phrasing: "Young Master He is the top disciple of Jixian Hall Grand Academician Zeng Wenxiang. His literary fame is widespread, and he has broad friendships.
Third Brother knows, Younger Brother often holds poetry gatherings, and Young Master He is a frequent guest, producing fine works time and again. He rose from a humble background yet is steadfast and fond of study, with a brilliant literary talent. Remaining in the Capital is precisely to prepare for the upcoming spring examination. If there are no surprises, next year he will surely be on the roll of successful candidates."
Zhou Cheng looked He Zongwei up and down, as if seeing this person clearly for the first time, and also as if finding it strange that this pig's head possessed such literary fame. Then he smiled and shook his head at Li Hongcheng: "Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover. To be able to win such high praise from Hongcheng, it seems he is indeed a rare talent."
With that, he turned to He Zongwei with a genial smile: "I believe Hongcheng's words. It seems I had quite a misunderstanding about you. Young Master He possesses noble morals and outstanding literary talent. If you place high in the spring examination, do you have aspirations for any particular post?"
Through Li Hongcheng's form of address, He Zongwei naturally understood that the person before him was none other than that 'Why Not Eat Meat Gruel' Third Imperial Prince.
He breathed a sigh of relief. The more disdainful he felt in his heart, the more respectful he appeared on the surface, striving to make his articulation clear:
"Your Grace flatters me. As for the imperial examinations, who dares to speak presumptuously of certain victory? Zongwei only wishes to exhaust his meager strength. Even if I fail the examination, I will not spare this body of mine, wishing only to exert myself for the country and be loyal to His Majesty!"
A look of appreciation appeared in Zhou Cheng's eyes: "Good ambition! Even if you fail the examination, you still won't spare this body of yours to repay the country and show loyalty to Your Imperial Father. Truly a heart of a newborn babe!"
The people surrounding them looked at each other in dismay; the speed of Zhou Cheng's attitude shift was simply too fast for them to react.
Even with Li Hongcheng interceding, this attitude change was still far too fast!
Fan Xian's eyes flashed with a brilliant light, acutely capturing the trace of coldness that flashed across the depths of Zhou Cheng's eyes. For some reason, he always had a feeling-a feeling that beneath that changed, benevolent posture of this Third Imperial Prince, something malicious was being brewed...
Sure enough, the very next second saw Zhou Cheng change the subject, saying to Li Hongcheng: "Hongcheng, you should be familiar with all the various places within the palace, right?"
Not knowing what it meant, Li Hongcheng nodded and said yes.
Zhou Cheng's smile bloomed once more, yet it inexplicably caused people to feel a trace of chilliness: "What a coincidence. A few days ago, when I entered the palace, I accidentally heard that a batch of elderly eunuchs were retiring from the Imperial Study. I see that Young Master He has illustrious literary fame and commendable loyalty; not to serve the country for a day and not be loyal to His Majesty for a day would be a huge loss for our Qing.
At this point, there is still more than half a year until next year's spring examination, how can one idle away their time outside the palace? It is just right to enter the palace to serve Imperial Father, contributing to the country and to the sovereign father."
As soon as these words were spoken, they fit Fan Xian's conjecture, and he almost failed to hold back from laughing out loud.
Meanwhile, He Zongwei suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with terror, and he cried out in alarm: "Your Highness! This commoner... this commoner still needs to take the imperial examination to enter officialdom, truly cannot..."
Zhou Cheng's smile instantly vanished as he stepped forward, his momentum oppressive: "What? Look down on eunuchs? Being an official allows one to be loyal to Imperial Father, but being a eunuch does not?
You repeatedly claimed you would not spare this body, could it be that it was just empty talk? Before your life is even demanded of you, you raise all sorts of objections and delays. If the time truly comes for you to sacrifice your life, wouldn't you betray the country and surrender to the enemy?"
The surrounding crowd broke into an uproar.
Some secretly thought Zhou Cheng was ruthless; forcing someone to become a eunuch was even worse than directly taking their life!
Under the gaze of everyone, He Zongwei fell as if into an ice cellar. He could not voice resistance, for resisting would incur the charge of deceiving the ruler, yet he was absolutely unwilling to ruin his future just like this.
At the critical moment, he suddenly burst into tears, beating his chest and acting as if deranged: "Your Highness! This commoner has studied bitterly by the window for more than ten years, hoping only to serve the imperial court with essays, to serve the sovereign with a sincere heart, and to bring greater talent into play. I am truly not reluctant about the roots of my ancestors and grandchildren..."
Before his voice trailed off, he actually looked as if he had been struck by sudden anger and anxiety, rolled his eyes, and fell straight backward!
Clear-eyed people could all guess that he was faking it. Yet He Zongwei had no other way out at this moment.
With an "aigo," Li Hongcheng hurriedly took two steps forward, but did not reach out to support him, only urgently exchanging a look with Guo Baokun: "What are you still standing there for! Quickly save him! If Young Master He suffers any mishap, it will be a huge loss to the literary circles of Qing!"
Guo Baokun hurriedly stood up to apologize, and then summoned his servants to carry the 'fainting' He Zongwei away in panicked flight.
Zhou Cheng did not stop them again, only looking deeply at Li Hongcheng: "Hongcheng being here today is probably not a coincidence, right?"
Li Hongcheng cupped his hands and smiled apologetically: "Third Brother is perceptive! Younger Brother is just about to prepare a poetry gathering and came out to send out invitations to the talented men in the Capital. Younger Brother will keep in mind what Third Brother said last time, and the invitation will be respectfully delivered to your residence shortly."
Without speaking, Zhou Cheng gave a slight nod.
Li Hongcheng secretly breathed half a sigh of relief, adjusted his expression, put on an enthusiastic smile, and turned to Fan Xian, who had been standing quietly to the side for a long time.
This play's act was originally prepared for him, but as a result of Zhou Cheng's intervention, he had instead become a spectator.
Li Hongcheng cupped his hands in greeting, his attitude modest: "This must be Fan Xian, Young Master Fan? Your esteemed younger sister Ruoruo is the number one talented woman of the Capital; how could a poetry gathering fail to invite her. As an elder brother, Young Master Fan's literary talent must surely surpass that, please do us the honor!"
Fan Xian pondered for a moment, cupped his hands in return, and agreed to it.
He had long since seen that today's affair was aimed at him, and now he basically determined that Zhou Cheng had purely been accidentally dragged into it.
Li Hongcheng and the people behind him clearly harbored designs against him, and he also wanted to probe what their intentions were. Since Li Hongcheng had extended an invitation, he might as well go along with the plan.
Seeing Fan Xian agree, the heavy stone in Li Hongcheng's heart landed. He hurriedly bowed to Zhou Cheng, preparing to withdraw.
Just as he turned to leave, Zhou Cheng's unquestionable voice sounded from behind:
"Hongcheng, what this prince has said has never been empty words. When I said I would let He Zongwei enter the palace, I must see him in the palace. Feigning fainting can only help him avoid this moment. Since you are familiar with Young Master He, this matter shall be handed over to you to handle."
Li Hongcheng's footsteps paused. He slowly turned around and forced a smile: "Such a trivial matter, how could I dare trouble Third Brother. The next time Third Brother sees Young Master He, it will certainly be in the palace, nowhere else."
Only then did Zhou Cheng casually wave his hand. As if granted a great reprieve, Li Hongcheng hurried away.
Chapter 13: Fan Xian's Suspicions
As soon as Li Hongcheng left, Fan Ruoruo stepped forward lightly from the crowd and gave a graceful bow: "Ruoruo greets His Highness the Third Prince."
Zhou Cheng's smile was genial as he raised his hands in a virtual gesture: "Ruoruo, no need for formalities."
Following his words, Fan Ruoruo smiled, turned sideways, and pulled Fan Xian over: "Your Highness, this is my elder brother, Fan Xian, who arrived in the Capital from Danzhou yesterday."
Zhou Cheng gave a loud laugh, patting his palm with his folding fan, and unreservedly looked Fan Xian up and down: "The Fan Xian betrothed by Imperial Father-I have naturally heard of him long ago. To tell the truth, the moment Young Master Fan entered the Capital yesterday, I had people keeping an eye on him the entire time."
Fan Xian was startled, not expecting Zhou Cheng to speak so bluntly.
He immediately recovered his composure and could only cup his hands in greeting: "Thank you for Your Highness's concern."
Zhou Cheng stepped half a step closer, the tip of his fan pointing at his own chest, and smiled while shaking his head:
"I can't not be concerned. Imperial Father betrothed Cousin Wan'er to you, summoned you to the Capital, and it even concerns the financial power of the Imperial Treasury; in this Capital, who could possibly not pay attention to you, Young Master Fan?
Imperial Father regards you with such importance, which had me puzzled before. Today, having seen you..."
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