Emperor Qing and Count Sinan were childhood friends. Surely he would not kill him over breaking off an engagement.
As for any other punishment, he had grown up in the remote backwater of Danzhou anyway. If he could not stay in the Capital, he could always return home.
Besides, he was now an eighth-rank expert. In this vast world, where couldn't he go?
After Zhou Cheng agreed with a nod, Fan Xian left, feeling both nervous and hopeful.
Sang Wen watched Fan Xian's figure disappear.
Although she had initially scorned his plagiarism, his devotion to love had changed her opinion of him.
For an unknown girl, he was willing to give up a commandery princess and power, even going so far as to write an Engagement Cancellation Letter. How many men in the world were that devoted?
She silently hoped his devotion would lead to a happy ending.
Seeing that no one else was around, she leaned closer to Zhou Cheng and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, who exactly is that Drumstick Girl?"
Zhou Cheng replied casually, "Lin Wan'er, of course."
"Huh?" Sang Wen froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Isn't Lin Wan'er Young Master Fan's fiancée?"
"Yes." Zhou Cheng nodded, then added, "On Fan Xian's first day in the Capital, Father arranged for him to meet Wan'er. Neither of them knew who the other was, that's all."
Sang Wen's expression went through a remarkable series of changes. She wanted to ask why Zhou Cheng had "deceived" Young Master Fan, but thinking back over his words, she realized that not a single one had been false.
"Your Highness, you're far too... wicked!"
Zhou Cheng laughed, utterly unconcerned. "Relax, I'm only teasing them. They're in love, and Father has already arranged their marriage. They'd have a hard time not ending up together. I'm helping their romance along, adding a few obstacles to deepen their feelings."
Sang Wen rolled her lovely eyes helplessly, gaining a deeper understanding of her prince's shamelessness and mischievous tastes.
"All right, we've seen enough of the show. Bring Fan Xian's Engagement Cancellation Letter. We're going home."
Zhou Cheng gave Sang Wen her instructions.
He intended to give the Engagement Cancellation Letter to Li Yunrui.
He had already promised Li Yunrui that he would make Fan Xian voluntarily cancel the engagement, but nothing had happened all this time.
He had also disrupted her arrangements when Fan Xian entered the Capital. Although he had helped her a little, the benefit had been limited.
If he did not start taking real action and delivering results, he would have trouble getting into Guangxin Palace again.
Meanwhile.
After leaving the rear courtyard, Li Chengze saw Li Hongcheng pacing outside the moon gate, looking anxious.
Hearing footsteps, Li Hongcheng saw Li Chengze emerge looking reasonably composed. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over to explain, "Somehow, Third Brother found out you were in the rear courtyard, Second Brother. I tried to stop him, but couldn't. He didn't cause you any trouble, did he?"
Li Chengze glanced at him. "It's fine. What trouble could there be between brothers?"
Despite his words, he could not quell the anger in his heart.
The moment Zhou Cheng arrived, he had started making insinuations and veiled insults, thoroughly infuriating him.
He wanted revenge, but could not immediately find a weakness to exploit.
Suddenly, he remembered Sang Wen at Zhou Cheng's side. In all these years, this seemed to be the first time Zhou Cheng had kept a woman close to him.
He immediately asked Li Hongcheng about Sang Wen's background.
Li Hongcheng had paid for Sang Wen's freedom himself, so naturally he knew all about her.
Li Hongcheng hesitated for only half a second. Since Li Chengze had asked, he told him everything he knew.
"A courtesan from the Drunken Immortal Residence who only entertained guests?"
Li Chengze narrowed his eyes. Soon, something else occurred to him.
"Didn't the Drunken Immortal Residence recently have a new top courtesan who rejected Third Brother, claiming she admired poetic talent?"
Li Hongcheng nodded. "That's right."
Li Chengze chuckled softly. He had thought of a way to make Zhou Cheng squirm.
Hadn't Zhou Cheng and Fan Xian hit it off immediately?
And Fan Xian just happened to have composed a magnificent poem that could be called peerless!
Chapter 17: Compassion Creates Complications
Stepping through patches of light on the bluestone paving, Fan Xian returned to the poetry gathering with an almost skipping gait.
Under everyone's gaze, Fan Xian returned to his seat with a smile on his lips, his eyes and face glowing with the brightness unique to youth.
His thoughts drifted elsewhere. Silently grateful to Zhou Cheng, he eagerly hoped to receive news of that "Drumstick Girl" as soon as possible.
Little did he know that the very man he was thanking had interfered, robbing him of the chance to reunite with the girl he longed for in the rear courtyard.
After saying goodbye to Zhou Cheng, Lin Wan'er had quietly slipped into the poetry gathering. She had not found Fan Xian, only the poem he had left behind, "Climbing High."
Afraid of being recognized and sparking gossip, she had taken only a hurried look before turning to leave.
As a result, Lin Wan'er had barely left when Fan Xian stepped through the hall's doors.
Inside Silver Peace Hall, the talented young scholars crowded around him again, showering him with praise and asking for advice.
Their enthusiasm left Fan Xian rather embarrassed. His smile grew strained and his ears burned. Finally, unable to take any more, he seized an opportunity to grab Fan Ruoruo and flee the gathering.
It was still early when he returned to Count Sinan's Residence. There, he encountered Wang Qinian climbing over the wall to deliver Teng Zijing's file as promised.
Fan Xian's hopeful good mood was shattered the moment he opened the file.
The stark black writing reported that Guo Baokun had slaughtered Teng Zijing's wife and child.
Fan Xian's first reaction was disbelief.
He had met Guo Baokun twice, and both times the man had struck him as someone with a screw loose.
Although arrogant and spoiled, he seemed nothing like a man capable of ruthlessly exterminating an entire family.
Fan Xian's grave expression gave Teng Zijing, standing beside him, an ominous feeling.
Teng Zijing suddenly snatched the file away. One glance turned his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging at his temples as the hand gripping the pages trembled uncontrollably.
"Teng Zijing, calm down! There has to be something suspicious about this!" Fan Xian pressed down on his shoulder and spoke urgently.
But how could Teng Zijing listen?
"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?"
He violently brushed Fan Xian's hand aside and forced him back with a palm strike. When Fan Xian dissipated the force and tried to approach again, he hurled two throwing knives to block his path.
Teng Zijing turned and left Count Sinan's Residence, intent on killing Guo Baokun himself to avenge his wife and child.
Fan Xian knew that hatred had blinded Teng Zijing. There was no stopping him now.
Guessing that Teng Zijing would be unable to restrain himself and would act that very night, he hurriedly called Fan Ruoruo over to ask about Guo Baokun's whereabouts.
From their first meeting downstairs at the One Stone Residence, Fan Ruoruo had noticed that Guo Baokun was deliberately targeting Fan Xian.
She had therefore already made discreet inquiries during that day's poetry gathering.
Fan Ruoruo told Fan Xian that Guo Baokun was a womanizer who regularly frequented the brothels and pleasure boats along the Glazed Crystal River. However, his family was extremely strict, so he dared not stay out overnight and always returned home before midnight.
"A strict family... he doesn't even dare stay out overnight?" Fan Xian murmured, his suspicions deepening.
Would a spoiled young man like that really have the nerve to kill people so readily?
Worried that someone was using Teng Zijing, Fan Xian resolved to help him uncover the truth.
He also knew that countless eyes might be watching him from the shadows in the Capital.
Just as he was fretting over how to evade those eyes that night, the gatekeeper suddenly came with a message.
"What? The Heir of Prince Jing has invited me to tour the Glazed Crystal River with him tonight?"
Listening to the messenger, Fan Xian could not help blinking.
Someone's handed me a pillow just as I'm getting sleepy... he marveled inwardly, quickly forming a plan.
Before long, darkness had fully fallen.
Lights began to glow along the Glazed Crystal River, their reflections forming an unbroken sweep of color across the water. Music and laughter drifted from the exquisite pleasure boats.
Dressed as a young male scholar, Fan Ruoruo looked around excitedly, exclaiming again and again, "So this is the Glazed Crystal River at night? It's even prettier than people say!"
"You've never been here before?"
"Of course not." Fan Ruoruo lowered her voice. "How could someone of my standing come here? I only got the chance this time thanks to you, Brother."
"This is a pleasure district. Take a look, then hurry home." Fan Xian gently patted her back. "You're a young lady. You shouldn't stay here long."
"No! I still want to see the Drunken Immortal Residence's top courtesan! I heard their newest top courtesan even turned down Prince Ch-" Before Fan Ruoruo could finish, Fan Xian interrupted her.
"What prince? All right, enough!" He had already spotted Li Hongcheng and his guards not far away.
"Ruoruo, go home first. I have something important to do tonight. Having you here will distract me."
"Fine, fine."
Fan Ruoruo pouted, but seeing her brother's serious expression, she could only nod.
After sending Fan Ruoruo away, Fan Xian soon joined Li Hongcheng, who warmly led him into the Drunken Immortal Residence.
Rich fragrance filled the Drunken Immortal Residence, and women in red sleeves beckoned enticingly. Although Fan Xian's expression remained unchanged, he inwardly marveled at the eye-opening scene.
Just then, Li Hongcheng suddenly said with a smile, "Brother Fan, I've already sent your poem, 'Climbing High,' to the pleasure boat."
Fan Xian looked puzzled. "The pleasure boat?"
"Miss Si Lili, the newly crowned top courtesan, has quite a reputation. She loves poems by talented scholars." Li Hongcheng gave him a meaningful look but said no more.
At that moment, inside the pleasure boat, Si Lili was staring absently at a copy of "Climbing High." It was a fine poem, a truly peerless work, yet she could neither accept nor reject its author.
Everyone knew she was the woman Prince Cheng had taken a liking to.
If she accepted now, she would offend Zhou Cheng.
But if she refused, the carefully crafted image of a woman who loved poetry would crumble, and that too would offend Zhou Cheng.
Her fingertips dug into her palm as she paced a few steps through the cabin, a bitter smile on her face. "The man who wrote this poem is practically forcing me to my death!"
After a long hesitation, she finally decided to meet him.
Before you continue