Chapter 21: Too Strict, Yet They Won't Believe It
Page 1/3
Liu Wenxu stepped toward the pavilion, gazing into the distant azure horizon, like a crane descending from the clouds. That pale moonlit figure stood quietly between heaven and earth, cloaked in melancholy.
The figure, aware of the visitor behind, turned around, clutching two lotus buds. Dewdrops lightly blurred the pale moonlight hue. Though valuable, the buds were tightly closed—picked too early, unlikely to bloom, much like the tightly locked feelings in his heart.
Liu Wenxu sighed. Nuwa had poured her lifelong efforts into the person before him, making him the most remarkable figure in this world.
Yet upon entering the palace gates, he became the most useless thing.
Orders were given to brew tea for the guest. The mingling scents of coriander and celery filled the air. Jusi Fu remarked, “The tea of the Liu Prefecture’s magistrate is famed for its clean, lingering fragrance, but alas, it does not suit my palate.”
Waving the embroidered sleeve adorned with coriander, the attendant quietly served the tea and withdrew.
“I do not drink tea, but I intend to take the person with me.” Jusi Fu spoke plainly, setting down the two lotus buds.
The buds reflected in his eyes, his expression soaring with delight: “On my way here, I passed by a flower girl selling blossoms that were both unique and familiar. If these flowers were personified, plucking the lotus buds would be tantamount to killing their youthful radiance.”
Beneath the words lay a sharp edge, subtle yet incisive. Liu Wenxu, intelligent as he was, immediately understood—Song Ruzhao was the embodiment of those twenty years of youth.
If he did not release Jiu Yao, Jusi Fu would consign Song Ruzhao to share Jiu Yao’s fate.
“This case involves the Children’s Workshop and even ministers of the court. It must be reviewed jointly by the Three Departments...”
As Liu Wenxu spoke, a pair of clear eyes were suddenly blinded by a flash. The golden fish tally, symbolizing the emperor’s authority, was unstoppable.
The tally demanded the summon of nobles, regardless of status.
Jusi Fu’s imposing presence grew stronger. “If you cannot release him without charge, I will issue an imperial edict to free him. You know the sovereign’s temper—he punishes more than just one.”
He raised his right palm and tapped lightly. “Your father and mother, your three brothers with their three households, plus a recently come-of-age younger sister—six people in total. A perfect even number; the sovereign favors such things.”
“...”
His casual words cloaked a heavy threat. Gouya spat, “You’re despicable!”
“Oh? You imprison people, I rescue them. Who’s truly despicable? Me, or His Majesty?” Jusi Fu smiled faintly.
Not wishing to offend an imperial envoy, Liu Wenxu feigned remorse, blaming poor supervision of his servants, then smiled apologetically: “Please excuse the inner attendant. Judging by the time, the person should soon be released.”
Gouya beside him was puzzled:
Such a notorious villain, a henchman of dark forces, yet the lord actually agreed to release the prisoner?
A sudden wave of regret surged in Gouya’s heart—my lord is no longer pure! That man, once unsullied by worldly filth, that upright gentleman, had finally been bent by this cruel world!
His gaze shifted to Xu Chian.
Alas, that man remained selfish. Now that the lord was coerced by others, having forgotten his original purpose, Xu Chian still rubbed his own arm without a care!
Meeting Gouya’s resentful look, Xu Chian silently retorted: When I go fetch the wine and toil in silence, you don’t even leave me a cup of coriander tea. Clearly, Gouya is the one who truly manages this life!
After waiting a long while, a plume of black smoke rose from the direction of the prison, like a dark cloud pressing upon the city, the flames growing higher.
Someone reported, “There’s a fire in the prison—”
“The fire’s cause: Jiu Yao burned himself alive—”
A charred corpse was carried out, its features completely destroyed by fire. Identification could only be made by the prison cell number where it was held.
Page 2/3
It was indeed the remains taken from the cell where Jiu Yao was confined.
Xu Chian finally relaxed a taut nerve—his lord had kept his word and brought the person back.
Gouya: This fire was truly remarkable; I must be the legendary lucky son!
Jusi Fu glanced sideways at the remains, not angry but with a faintly mocking tone: “Magistrate Liu, as you said, your supervision of your servants is indeed lacking.”
“Better off dead. If I didn’t come here, how could he be reincarnated?”
Jusi Fu showed signs of departing, bowing in farewell.
Liu Wenxu said, “See him off.”
Gouya replied, “No!”
Lips parted in unison, voices sounded almost simultaneously as they both stepped down.
Not a conversation, but better than one.
Indeed, an onlooker snapped fingers with a smile: “Tsk tsk, such rebellious servants. When told their discipline was lacking, they refused to believe it.”
Gouya: “!!”
As the wind surged, the red and green leaves fluttered at will. Jusi Fu, content, retraced his steps. The tea of the Jingzhao Prefecture was unimpressive, but the wine was quite good.
It was a pity to use such fine wine to ignite fire.
By the pond, an elderly man had just returned from fishing and discovered the sky had fallen: “My thousand-petal lotus!”
“A thousand-petal lotus, one seed worth ten gold! My partner in fish farming!”
“Couldn’t even leave me a single blossom!”
Hearing this, Jusi Fu leisurely approached and kindly comforted: “No need for such sorrow. I saw there are still two blossoms left.”
Though slow, the lone seedlings had arrived. The old man wiped his tears and clasped hands in thanks: “May good men live in peace!”
He nodded toward the pavilion.
In his fifties, with early graying at the temples but eyes dark and bright, he looked far in that direction and precisely located the two lotus buds on the stone table.
But what use was this?
What he wanted was in the pond! The seedlings that could still reproduce!
Now he cried even louder.
Jusi Fu, walking away, puzzled: ??
Wasn’t one blossom enough? Why was the crying getting louder?
After the prison guards cleared the fire scene, they reported with confusion: “Magistrate, all prisoners are accounted for, no anomalies. But one guard brother is missing, nowhere to be found.”
Gouya waved irritably: “It’s so hot and there was a fire. He must be slacking off. No need to trouble the lord over such a small matter.”
“Brother, please also take away Jiu Yao’s remains. The features are all burned away, yet still terrifying.”
Page 3/3
...
Is it possible that the accounted-for ones are the guards, and the missing one is actually a prisoner?
Xu Chian gasped, looking incredulously at his lord.
The lord’s pupils trembled, silently gazing at the carried-away remains. His expression gradually calmed, but no emotion showed on his face.
“Wretch! Why did you pluck my lotus!”
Before the person reached him, the angry shout had already flown over.
“Because I wanted to,” came a calmly matter-of-fact reply.
Xu Chian’s worry deepened. Now the lord was too dispirited even to mention planting coriander or celery, clearly deeply shaken by today’s events.
A dignified lady also approached, calling out from ten meters away, “Make way!”
Like spring wind and gentle rain, soft and tender.
Gouya stood firmly in the middle of the path. Seeing the lady’s noble presence, he did not step aside, thinking if Jusi Fu were here, he’d surely scold him for being stubborn again.
But as Lady Liu drew near, she saw the rough man holding fishing gear. The gentle spring breeze turned into rolling thunder as she shouted, name and all: “Liu Rang!”
Gouya’s eardrums twitched—now he had to move!
Without the lotus leaves to hide them, the fish in the pond darted and competed fiercely. Lady Liu finally understood the situation.
Her red lips parted, sharp and fiery: “Liu Rang, why do you keep running off to the Jingzhao Prefecture for no reason? Turns out you’ve been secretly breeding fish here, not caring at all about this household!”
“Not done yet! Cui Lai, your son is amazing—he’s pulled up all my lotus flowers!” She stirred up a wave, pushing steadily into the other’s heart.
“Liu Rang, my son’s excellence comes from your good genes. If he errs, it’s because of my poor upbringing!”
“I really can’t stand you, Cui Lai. If one day my fish and I run away together, it’ll be because of you!”
“Liu Rang, I’ll give you what you want! When you die, I won’t dig a grave. Hey! I’ll just toss your body to the fish to feed them. You’ll be in the fish and the fish in you—perfect!”
“Cui Lai, you better mean it! And make clothes for me and my fish! Otherwise, it’s cold in the water!”
“Clothes for fish? Only you would think of that! You wouldn’t believe your son’s been fooling around outside, even stealing a married man’s underwear to wear!”
The child’s mother scolded fiercely, her finger directly jabbing Liu Wenxu’s forehead.
His father: “!”
Liu Wenxu: “?”
Xu Chian: “??”
Gouya, true to his name and more alert than a dog, sensed danger and vanished with a gust of wind.
At this point, Liu Wenxu truly believed Jusi Fu’s words: poor discipline indeed results in such insubordinate servants.