Yet however fiercely the urge to kill surged within him, what little reason he had left fought desperately to restrain him.
He knew he was not alone. If he truly threw that punch, everyone in the Fan Residence would be dragged into an abyss of eternal ruin.
[Negative emotions from Fan Xian +99... +54... +11...]
The values in the system notifications ringing in his ears were already about to fall into single digits.
Zhou Cheng knew he had squeezed Fan Xian's emotions to their limit.
Although his anger and murderous intent remained undiminished, the portion the system needed had dwindled to almost nothing.
He immediately lost interest in provoking him any further.
Ignoring Fan Xian, who had begun making furtive moves despite Teng Zijing's firm hold on him, Zhou Cheng turned to Si Lili beside them. Her face was pale, and the wounds on her fingers were still seeping blood.
"Rest and recover," he said evenly. "Apply the medicine carefully. Don't let those wounds leave scars. And... remember our agreement."
With that, he lingered no longer. He turned and walked unhurriedly toward the courtroom doors.
Just as one foot was about to cross the threshold, he suddenly stopped and turned his head slightly.
"Fan Xian, our agreement still stands. Tomorrow, between seven and nine in the morning, in the Heaven Room at the One Stone Residence. You can wait there. If that 'Drumstick Girl' is willing to see you... then you'll get to meet her."
With those words, he stepped over the threshold and left the Capital prefectural office.
Chen Quan was already waiting outside with the carriage.
Before getting in, Zhou Cheng circulated his true qi throughout his body and casually spat into a flower bed beside the road.
"Poison? Child's play!"
Having expelled all the poison from his body, Zhou Cheng climbed into the carriage. Instead of returning to Prince Cheng's Residence, he ordered, "Go to the prime minister's residence."
He had slapped the Second Prince in public today, so a summons to the palace and a scolding from the emperor were inevitable. Before that summons came, he intended to settle matters between Fan Xian and Drumstick Girl, Lin Wan'er.
He had wrung Fan Xian dry today, but tomorrow's Fan Xian... could still yield a little more!
Lin Wan'er was the illegitimate daughter of the current prime minister, Lin Ruofu, and the Eldest Princess, Li Yunrui.
Not long after her birth, Lin Ruofu and Li Yunrui had parted ways.
Lin Wan'er had grown up with her father, Lin Ruofu, at the prime minister's residence. Only a few times each year could she visit Guangxin Palace to see Li Yunrui.
The carriage came to a smooth halt before the imposing, solemn gates of the prime minister's residence.
The sharp-eyed gate servant recognized the insignia of Prince Cheng's Residence on the carriage and immediately hurried over, bowing in greeting.
Zhou Cheng stepped down and went straight to the point. "Is my cousin Wan'er home?"
After receiving an affirmative reply, he nodded slightly and motioned for the servant to announce his arrival, then walked straight through the gates of the Lin residence.
The prime minister's residence had deep courtyards and an austere air. Though it lacked the palace's magnificent splendor, every corner reflected the refined prestige of the foremost civil official.
At this hour, Lin Ruofu was still in the palace attending to affairs of state.
The steward respectfully escorted Zhou Cheng to the outer study reserved for distinguished guests.
Before long, hurried, light footsteps sounded outside the study. Then, before the visitor appeared, a fit of violent, uncontrollable coughing reached him.
At the sound, Zhou Cheng rose and went straight outside.
Under the covered walkway, Lin Wan'er was pressing a handkerchief tightly over her mouth, her slender shoulders shaking violently with each cough.
"Cousin Wan'er." Zhou Cheng took two steps toward her. "You're in poor health. Why hurry so much? It's not as though a stranger has come to visit!"
Lin Wan'er finally caught her breath. She inhaled deeply, then raised her eyes to Zhou Cheng and gracefully curtsied. "Greetings, Third Brother."
Zhou Cheng reached out as if to help her up. "You're being far too formal, Wan'er. There's no need for such ceremony when we're alone together as family."
Lin Wan'er followed Zhou Cheng into the warm study and sat in a cushioned pearwood chair. "Etiquette must be observed," she said softly. "Besides, neither Father nor my elder brother is home. I'm receiving you on behalf of the Lin household, so I mustn't neglect the slightest courtesy."
Zhou Cheng shook his head helplessly and did not press her.
After a maid served hot tea and withdrew, Lin Wan'er cradled the warm cup in both hands and asked softly, "What brings you here to see me today, Third Brother?"
Zhou Cheng took a sip of tea and set down his cup. "To be frank, someone asked me to come and ask you something."
"Someone asked you?" A flicker of confusion crossed Lin Wan'er's eyes.
"That's right." Zhou Cheng nodded. "Recently, I met a rather interesting... friend. He said he once happened upon a Drumstick Girl at the Divine Temple outside the Capital. He fell for her at first sight and hasn't been able to forget her since. When he described her appearance to me... I immediately thought of you."
Lin Wan'er's eyes widened. The moment she heard "Divine Temple" and "Drumstick Girl," she froze.
Meanwhile, Zhou Cheng continued, "After I confirmed several times that it was indeed you, he became desperate to see you again. But I didn't know how you felt and couldn't rashly promise anything. That's why I came here specifically to ask what you thought."
Lin Wan'er's hands tightened around her teacup.
Him! He wants to see me?!
He said he fell in love with me at first sight and has been thinking of me day and night... Haven't I spent these past few days tossing and turning too, reliving that brief encounter over and over, tormented by longing?
Emotion surged through Lin Wan'er's heart, and her expression grew terribly conflicted.
He had fallen for her at first sight, and she had felt the same. Only...
Seeing her shifting expression and prolonged silence, Zhou Cheng deliberately teased her. "You don't want to see him, Wan'er?"
"No!" Lin Wan'er blurted, her voice rising slightly in her haste. Realizing she had lost her composure, she flushed.
"Then you do want to see him?" Zhou Cheng pressed with a smile.
"That's... that's not it either..." Lin Wan'er lowered her head, her voice barely audible.
"So you want to go, but feel you shouldn't?"
Lin Wan'er looked up in distress. "Why ask when you already know, Third Brother? I... am still engaged. Even if I want to go, how could I actually do it?"
Zhou Cheng gave an "Oh" of apparent realization and smiled. "So you're worried about your engagement to Fan Xian. Well... you really needn't trouble yourself over that."
He lowered his voice as though sharing a secret. "As luck would have it, I spoke with Fan Xian at yesterday's poetry gathering. It turns out he already has someone he loves. He's actually quite opposed to the marriage Father bestowed upon him. In fact... he's rather unhappy about it."
He paused, watching Lin Wan'er's eyes suddenly brighten, then continued, "Fan Xian is quite a devoted fellow. For the girl he loves, he actually... wrote an Engagement Cancellation Letter."
"An Engagement Cancellation Letter?!" Lin Wan'er jerked her head up, her eyes filled with delight, but even more disbelief.
"Indeed." Zhou Cheng nodded firmly, then slowly drew a rolled sheet of paper from his sleeve and handed it over. "This is the Engagement Cancellation Letter Fan Xian wrote himself."
Lin Wan'er accepted it and unfolded it with slightly trembling hands.
One glance was enough for her to recognize Fan Xian's handwriting.
Although she had not seen Fan Xian at the poetry gathering, she had seen his handwritten copy of "Climbing High." His dreadful handwriting was truly unforgettable.
The chicken scratch before her matched her memory perfectly. There was no doubt that Fan Xian had written it.
The Engagement Cancellation Letter was earnest in its wording. It explained that he already loved someone else and did not wish to jeopardize the commandery princess's lifelong happiness, then implored His Majesty to rescind his decree.
By the time Lin Wan'er finished reading, she felt an enormous weight lift from her shoulders.
An indescribable mixture of aching emotion and relief brought tears to her eyes and a sting to her nose.
Zhou Cheng spoke at just the right moment. "Now, if you want to see that 'old acquaintance from the Divine Temple,' you shouldn't have quite so many reservations, should you?"
Lin Wan'er rubbed her eyes, then rose and bowed deeply to Zhou Cheng. "Thank you, Third Brother. This... truly... truly means so much to me."
She paused. "And... please thank Young Master Fan on my behalf too... for helping another find happiness."
Zhou Cheng accepted her bow without hesitation and smiled. "If you want to see him, go to the Heaven Room at the One Stone Residence tomorrow between seven and nine in the morning. He'll be waiting there. If you don't want to see him, it's perfectly fine not to go. I'll let him know."
Lin Wan'er nodded emphatically, her heart already filled with overwhelming joy and anticipation.
She hesitated, then asked quietly with a young girl's shyness and curiosity, "Third Brother, since you're delivering his message, you must know who he is... Could you tell me a little about him? So I can... prepare myself."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, and she almost buried her face in her chest.
Zhou Cheng chuckled and waved a hand. "No, I can't do that. I haven't told him who you are without your permission, so naturally, I shouldn't tell you who he is either."
Although a little disappointed, Lin Wan'er felt his reasoning was sound and nodded obediently.
Seeing this, Zhou Cheng slowly added, "Still... although I can't tell you his identity outright, I can give you a tiny hint. The two of you aren't merely a talented man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven. More importantly... your families are of equal standing. You're very well suited."
Lin Wan'er immediately understood his implication.
Families of equal standing meant that if they truly got together, they might face much less resistance. At the very least... a disparity in their backgrounds would not create unnecessary complications.
Much of her unease vanished, and Lin Wan'er's eyes filled with longing and anticipation for tomorrow's meeting.
After discussing a few more details of tomorrow's meeting with her, Zhou Cheng said he needed to take the Engagement Cancellation Letter with him.
Lin Wan'er hesitated, her fingers tightening around the paper.
Zhou Cheng explained patiently, "Wan'er, this Engagement Cancellation Letter serves no purpose in your hands. Only if we give it to Aunt and have her take it to Father will there be even the slightest chance of persuading him to rescind his decree and dissolve the engagement."
He looked at Lin Wan'er and said earnestly, "I have to visit the palace shortly anyway, so I can take this Engagement Cancellation Letter to Aunt. If everything goes smoothly, perhaps while you're meeting your sweetheart tomorrow, she'll be taking this letter to Father to plead your case."
"Third Brother!"
At the word "sweetheart," Lin Wan'er blushed scarlet and gave Zhou Cheng a reproachful look.
But her heart was so full of happiness and anticipation that she completely overlooked his words "the slightest chance."
Leaving the young girl immersed in shy, anxious, and sweet anticipation, Zhou Cheng departed the Lin residence with the Engagement Cancellation Letter.
The carriage had not gone far from the Lin residence and had yet to reach Prince Cheng's Residence when a palace eunuch stopped it in a side street.
"Your Highness, Prince Cheng, His Majesty has issued a verbal command. You are to enter the palace immediately and attend him in the Imperial Study."
Entirely unsurprised, Zhou Cheng straightened his robes and headed into the palace.
The Imperial Study.
"Your son pays his respects, Father!" The moment Zhou Cheng entered, he raised his voice and performed a perfectly proper formal bow.
Emperor Qing looked up from behind a mountain of memorials. His gaze flashed like lightning as he shot Zhou Cheng a cold look and snapped:
"Hmph! You're becoming quite something, Prince Cheng! You have no respect for your elders. You even dared slap your own elder brother in public!
"A few years of martial training, and now you think you're beyond anyone's control? You dared strike Chengze today. Will you strike the Crown Prince tomorrow? And the day after that, will you strike me too?"
Zhou Cheng immediately protested, sounding aggrieved. "Please judge fairly, Father! I've been wronged!"
"Wronged?" Emperor Qing tossed his vermilion brush onto the desk with a soft clack. "How have you been wronged? Did Chengze slap that handprint onto his own face?!"
"Father, Second Brother provoked me first!" Zhou Cheng argued. "If he hadn't secretly instructed Hongcheng to take Fan Xian to the Drunken Immortal Residence and present a poem to Si Lili, intending to humiliate me, why would I have acted so rashly? Second Brother tried to slap me in the face first. I had no choice but to strike back in self-defense!"
"No choice? Self-defense? What a fine 'no choice'!" Emperor Qing slammed a hand onto his desk. "So if you suffer a setback in secret, you must retaliate in public? No choice! And where have these choices of yours left the dignity of the imperial family and the honor of the throne?!"
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