What An Audacious And Sly Servant! Chapter 31

Sorry, there's only one chapter this week. This chapter took triple the normal time to translate it. I‘m not sure myself why I just can't get the motivation to finish it faster though the end part of this chapter is another joke of the perfect Crown Prince. We got another new character introduced here (clue: it's a she).

By the way, I had changed some of the terms and they should be changed in the old chapters by this week. Crown Prince > His Highness Crown Prince in some lines since I took liberty of it previously.

Chapter 31 – Brought to a Temporary Close

Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator's hard work. Don't think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)

"Mei Qian Deng, next time before you move, can you please inform me in advance?"

Mei Qian Deng bowed her head as she bear Chu Xun's flip out.

"I'm the Crown Prince. The master. You're a subject, the henchman! It's only proper that you listened to me! Why do you have such huge gut, always act presumptuously, always not putting this Crown Prince in your eyes! Wei, look at me! Come and look at me right now. Now, you should have put me in your eyes right?!" Chu Xun's hands and feet danced around.

Mei Qian Deng raised her head and blinked her eyes. She was a person who didn't know how to quarrel the most. Plus, she felt the way Chu Xun stamped his feet as he bristled was very interesting. It was far interesting than when he put on an act and when he was shamelessly narcissistic.

Chu Xun obviously was the one with justice on his side but he got quite agitated by her clear black eyes' stare. He was unable to insist on lecturing her further. Instead, his face seemed to get hotter a little. He was much jittered of his own instinct reaction. No, it was irritated. Why is this Crown Prince blus.h.i.+ng because of this boor?!

"Wei, have you seen enough?! Who let you to keep staring at me?!"

He mumbled twice. Then, he turned his head to face other direction, making a haughty pose.

He changed the topic. "What is the connection between Bai Qiu Qu and Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel?" After experiencing these few matters, Chu Xun had finally accepted the truth. It seemed his Imperial Father intended to pa.s.s over the imperial family's most secretive gossip department to Mei Qian Deng. Now this boor had no experience yet had already liked to run wildly. By the time she had turned into a full fledge, Chu Xun was afraid that Mei Qian Deng would be just a giant kite. Obviously the thread was in his hands yet he couldn't control her and in the end was forcefully pulled around by the kite.

"In these few years, it was fuma Bai managing the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel."

The ringleader behind the scene of Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel was that Chu Xun's Imperial Uncle, Prince Chen. Although there was yet any concrete evidence that pointed at Prince Chen, it itself was an indisputable fact. The Emperor didn't get to the bottom of the matter, it was to save Prince Chen's face. He decided to only deal with this fuma Bai and Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel which were on the outside.

Chu Xun was very sober. The Grand Princess wanted to divorce him, it was highly possible because she fnd out the connection between Bai Qiu Qu and Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel as well as Prince Chen. Or maybe Imperial Father told her properly earlier and hence she decided to divorce to clearly show her stand which was opposing Bai Qiu Qu. Being husband and wife for many years, no matter if they really had shared the bed, the status would still be there. For the Grand Princess to make such decision, he didn't know what sort of feeling Bai Qiu Qu was having.

"Then, where had you put Bai Qiu Qu to?"

"In the Xuan Ming Prison."

The Xuan Ming Prison had a cubic structure. North, south, east, west, each of them had a cell. Outside was the impenetrable fortress while inside were two auxiliary iron shackles to bind both hands and legs of a person firmly. If no one entered or exited, it would be a pure pitch-dark just as the endless h.e.l.l. People who had much weaker enduring mentality would turn crazy after being locked three days in there.

However, those that could be locked in this Xuan Ming Prison were not ordinary people. Nan Bai Cheng sat cross-legged in the dark, quietly and ordinarily. The Emperor didn't even make them to put him in the shackles so it could be considered as a special care. The door of the cell was opened. The one entered was the Grand Princess who wore a ** colour clothes. A spotless n.o.ble appearance as though she was the celestial maiden who had mistakenly fell to the av­īci h.e.l.l[1].

Nan Bai Cheng was calm as usual as he made a salutation to the Grand Princess.

The Grand Princess frowned. "Why did you end up becoming a partner in crime with Bai Qiu Qu?"

Nan Bai Cheng replied as usual. "Water that is too clear has no fish. Weichen had never been like what Princess think of. Is Princess here to blame weichen for pulling fuma into the water?"

Earlier, Bai Qiu Qu was locked inside too, just neighbouring Nan Bai Cheng's. Now the two of them talking, Bai Qiu Qu too could hear it. He had never imagined, the resentment back when they were young would in the end continued to entangle again in the cells. Nan Bai Cheng was slightly weary, thus unwilling to speak further with the Grand Princess. "Then weichen can only ask Princess to atone for the crime."

"Until today you're still unwilling to explain even a little?"

Nan Bai Cheng looked at himself. A helpless smile surfaced yet he didn't answered.

The Grand Princess waited for a long while. There was no respond for her wait and her heart turned discouraged. She hence turned around and left.

When she reached the entrance, Mei Qian Deng appeared suddenly and blocked her. She signalled the Grand Princess not to talk and not to walk away too.

When the Grand Princess entered the palace that day, she had seen Mei Qian Deng's face before. Mei Qian Deng followed behind the Crown Prince, so the Grand Princess knew she was one of the Crown Prince's people. However, she couldn't be sure of Mei Qian Deng's ident.i.ty. She saw that Mei Qian Deng was very pleasing to her eyes. At that time, she secretly puzzled from where Chu Xun attract this such young one. The appearance and temperament was outstandingly refined which was quite unlike the pampered and arrogant descendants of honourable families in the capital city.

The Grand Princess understood Mei Qian Deng's meaning as she stood at a blind angle.

Mei Qian Deng opened the neighbouring cell. Bai Qiu Qu too was not shackled but he was not so 'carefree and content' like Nan Bai Cheng. The door had just opened and she could already see Bai Qiu Qu's figure. He had actually been standing beside the door to eavesdrop the movement outside since the Grand Princess' appearance. Now that the door had opened, he had no awkward expression. I'm eavesdropping my own wife talking with another man. What, is it wrong?!

"Bai Qiu Qu."

"Who are you? How dare of you to call me directly by full name?" Bai Qiu Qu looked at the ten plus year old youngster before him. Instantly an unwell feeling grew in his heart. Now, even a youngster dared to behave atrociously on top of his head.

Mei Qian Deng had always been a good temper person. Hence, she answered him seriously. "The Emperor sent me to interrogate you. You're a criminal suspect. If I don't call you by your full name then what do you think I should call you with?"

"I have the fuma t.i.tle. You can call me as fuma Bai."

It was not known if Mei Qian Deng was intentional or not. She normally was not a serious person. However, today she actually turned wilful with someone she was not so familiar with. "The Grand Princess had divorced you. Calling you as fuma is not quite appropriate."

"The Emperor's decree had yet to be issued and the divorce letter had yet to be effective. I'm still the fuma."

Alright, Mei Qian Deng compromised.

"Fuma Bai, now I have a few questions for you. You can remain silent but every words you say after this will become testimony for the court." When Mei Qian Deng said these, someone appeared from the opposite corner to serve brush and ink. Bai Qiu Qu couldn't see the person in charge of recording while the Grand Princess saw him clearly. The one sitting at the opposite corner was exactly her only biological little brother, the Crown Prince.

"The Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel colluding with officials to sell illegal salt. Did you instigate and control it secretly?"

Bai Qiu Qu was not stupid. He coldly humped once. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Let's take a step backward then. The hidden owner of Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel, is it you?"

"It's not."

"There's the Crown Prince as the testimony. You still want to deny it?"

"If you want to condemn someone, don't worry about the pretext."

Female warrior Mei was like a new born calf that unafraid of tiger, each of her question was much compact than the last. "Then, why did you appear in the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel? Who is the woman beside you? You insisted me to call you as fuma, so I think you must regard the Grand Princess as very important. Since you're not the hidden owner, it can't be that you went to the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel just to drink tea? The Grand Princess divorced you, it can't be because she knew you went to Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel to look for other woman?"

Bai Qiu Qu had wanted to rebut since her first question but he couldn't cut in.

Mei Qian Deng usually didn't like to talk yet her eloquence was not inferior at all. Her clear and mellow voice carried an irresistible air. You want to cut in while I'm talking? Have you gotten my approval?

In the end, Bai Qiu Qu was so angry that he was shaking a little. He had lived in the capital city for so many years, no outlaws had dare to be overbearing with him. Bai Qiu Qu's brain was nearly exploding as he spat out words while gritting his teeth. "My own legs grow on my body, I will go wherever I want to. Which law had I violated by going to the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel?"

"Fuma Bai is unwilling to say so let me say in your stead. The Grand Princess wants to divorce, it's because she had found out you are doing illegal business. You're the son-in-law of the imperial family yet you consciously goes against the law right before the Emperor. Have you ever think of the Grand Princess' position?"

Bai Qiu Qu was still denying it as he roared, "I didn't!"

Mei Qian Deng had never bother with even the Crown Prince's protest so how could she give face to this fuma. "Oh, you had always been seizing things by every possible means, by hook or by crook. That year for the sake of getting the Grand Princess, you didn't hesitate to severely injure Nan Bai Cheng who was your opponent of same imperial examination year. This old affair, you can't deny it. Plus, the other related person is staying just next door."

"Nan Bai Cheng can't raise it is because his own body has problem. How can you blame me for it?" Bai Qiu Qu coldly sneered without thinking.

"What did you say?"

The instant Bai Qiu Qu's words came out, the Grand Princess immediately revealed herself. She was so shocked that she couldn't even control herself as she staggered and pounced at Bai Qiu Qu. She grabbed tightly Bai Qiu Qu's collar with her eyes reddened as she glared at him.

"What had you done to Nan Bai Cheng that year?!" The Grand Princess hated him so much that she gnashed her teeth. She had never hated this much of Bai Qiu Qu. Although that year she married to someone who she didn't love, Bai Qiu Qu had been very doting to her. Although she didn't love him, she had never hated him. Later when she found out that he had involved in an improper business, she only felt disgusted with him. Now that the truth had been revealed, the regret in her heart that had almost forgotten in these few years erupted with a bang.

So it really did have other hidden circ.u.mstances.

Bai Qiu Qu was very surprised by the Grand Princess' appearance. He panicked. "Ah Yin, I didn't do anything to Nan Bai Cheng."

"Nan Bai Cheng's unmentionable disease had never been revealed to those unrelated. Fuma Bai replied so fast earlier that I on the other hand want to ask fuma how did you know this secret?" Mei Qian Deng indifferently said. She said while making a move, grasped the Grand Princess back to be protected at her back.

Bai Qiu Qu, "……" He suddenly had no words to refute. His temple kept throbbing. In his heart he thought, obviously it was this youngster laid down a trap, waiting to entrap him. Previously she asked questions nonstop without giving him a chance to b.u.t.t in and compulsorily forced one to have an upsurge of anger, to hate unable to grow ten extra mouths to scold this youngster together. For the later questions, he was subconsciously anxious to grab the chance to talk and hence he didn't even ponder using his brain.

"Fuma Bai, in this world there is no window that doesn't let in air. Lord Nan previously probably didn't care who the mastermind of Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel is and just sent the designated money to you every year. If he knew the current person in charge of is actually you, with the old hatred and past resentment added together, I'm afraid that Lord Nan will be dying to right now pull you together to the h.e.l.l?"

Bai Qiu Qu stood in the cell. Behind him was pure pitch-dark as if anytime it would swallow him whole while his temperament seemed to fuse well with the background as though he was a child of darkness, a wicked reincarnate in this world who wished to destroy the happy objects. Bai Qiu Qu had a bad temper and very headstrong as he had not a shred of afraid.

Mei Qian Deng looked at him, as if she was looking at a stubborn child.

His only weak spot was Chu Yin. "Ah Yin……"

The Grand Princess had steadied her feelings. She basically revived her aloof and unyielding appearance. Her line of sight fell on Bai Qiu Qu's body, frigid like frost. In this not large prison ward, there were only two people locked in here. One was someone she once loved, another one was someone she married before. The truth which appeared out of nowhere made her received a huge blow. For a while her instinct rejected all these. Hence, she took back her look and escaped in confusion.

Chu Xun stopped writing. He stared at his eldest sister's moving further figure. He was quite perturbed in his heart. He had already let Mei Qian Deng pretended as if sent by Imperial Father's decree to secretly interrogate Bai Qiu Qu. He had tricked Bai Qiu Qu into saying it out, he could only help his eldest sister and Nan Bai Cheng up to here. Then, could these two people actually talk properly?

On the way back, Mei Qian Deng rarely took the initiative to mock him.

"Crown Prince." She had never add 'Your Highness' these two words.

"What?!"

"Why do you insist on matching the Grand Princess and Lord Nan? They may not appreciate the kindness."

Hehe, why?

Chu Xun narrowed his eyes and quickly gave Mei Qian Deng a meaningful glance. You asked this Crown Prince why.

Of course this Crown Prince will not tell you it's because this Crown Prince had used the several ten thousand liang specially asked from Imperial Father of private saving in the private bank after returning from Anxi last time and let someone took half of it to the table of the capital's number one betting house to bet that the Grand Princess and Nan Bai Cheng would be together in the end.

If he didn't cheat now, he couldn't be waiting to win the money?

This was because the Anxi trip had poverty-stricken the dignified Crown Prince to madness and left an everlasting shadow in his mentality.

Mei Qian Deng, you actually still have the face to ask this question, humph!

Towards Chu Xun's sudden anger, Mei Qian Deng expressed that she completely clueless. How did she anger the Crown Prince again?

A few days later, the letter which stated the Grand Princess had divorced fuma Bai was announced to the whole world. From now on, a man could take a wife and a woman a husband, both had nothing related with each other.

The people in the capital city at start had thought it was because the fact fuma Bai visiting the brothel was found out by the Grand Princess and hence divorced him.

Unexpectedly, a few days later, the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel was sealed. The soldierly little handsome young man who led the soldiers to seal the brothel, Di Mu Yang personally pasted the sealing notice on the front door of the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel. It clearly stated that it was because Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel had kidnapped and sold women for many years, forcing virtuous women into prost.i.tution, used inappropriate means in business and other charges. It would be permanently sealed up by the local authorities while this brothel's owner, the prime culprit Bai Qiu Qu had been arrested and currently being interrogated.

Currently, the people in the capital who had used to the great storms sniffed a different smell. The matters of the imperial family, the matters of the Emperor, were in the end truly not as simple as the outward appearance of the hearsay. Who said fuma Bai was visiting brothel, it was actually opening brothel! Married a princess and opened a brothel, from now on fuma Bai had become a dark legend in the fuma world.

The Emperor didn't plan to reveal the illegal salt business to public.

Bai Qiu Qu originally had a decapitation penalty but the people from Bai family took out a death-pardoning gold medal. Hence the Emperor only removed the peerage of Bai family and demoted Bai Qiu Qu to commoner. Bai Qiu Qu was a tyrant in the past, the number of people in capital city that he had offended was numerous as the amount of a cow's hair. After falling into disgrace, presumably his future days would be extremely hard. He too was not an idiot who would sit and wait others to come to his door for revenge. On the day he was released, he vanished without trace. It was not known where he went.

Only Nan Bai Cheng who originally was a plaintiff who entered the capital city to file accusation before the Emperor had up to this day still remained in the great prison although the Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel's case had wrapped up. It was not known which law he had violated. The news reached Anxi and caused the people of Anxi anxious to enter the capital to ask pardoning and releasing Lord Nan but was persuaded by Lord Nan's private adviser to halt.

Nan Bai Cheng had left some words to his private adviser before that this time with him entering the capital, the lord actually didn't thought of returning again.

He had a must dead intention.

About Nan Bai Cheng this obstinate mule, the Crown Prince had scratched open his scalp as he tried to cut open his brain. There was a time limit in the betting house. The bet would end by summer. If the Grand Princess and Nan Bai Cheng had yet to be a pair by then, it would be a.s.sumed as lost.

"Nan Bai Cheng, what you violated is a death penalty crime. Considering you still have some conscience, this Crown Prince will give you a live route. Do you want it or not?" His Highness Crown Prince guided patiently and systematically.

Nan Bai Cheng remained silent. It was as if he was expressing, I don't want.

Chu Xun ma.s.saged his glabella[2]. "You know too, my Imperial Sister was once devoted to you. Although she didn't say it now but all of us can see it clearly. In her heart, she has never let go of you. Either die or marry, you choose one of them."

This time, Nan Bai Cheng talked. "Zuichen[3]'s wife had left this world less than a hundred days. Crown Prince, please don't make such a joke." It seemed he had choose death.

Chu Xun roared with rage in his heart.

If someone said Nan Bai Cheng didn't have the Grand Princess in his heart, he wouldn't believe even if he was beaten to death. The current Nan Bai Cheng was someone who had nothing to lose. He guessed more than half of it was because of his unmentionable disease. Unable to have s.e.xual intercourse, that equalled to letting the Grand Princess marrying a eunuch. The Grand Princess' second half lifetime's happiness, the pleasure between husband and wife as well as his dignity as a man, all of them were gone. Nan Bai Cheng was a talented person, it was regrettable if he was killed. Plus he had a strong sense of responsibility, unwilling to implicate anyone.

Chu Xun stormed back to Ming Jue Palace. It looked like he had to find a method to solve the root of the problem.

"Xiao Jing Zi, go and summon all the imperial physicians over."

Xiao Jing Zi was stunned. His Highness Crown Prince had always disliked the imperial physicians so what was he trying to do summoning so many imperial physicians?

Xiao Jing Zi had just ran through the door after receiving his order when Mei Qian Deng entered from outside. Beside her there was an addition of a beautiful woman. She was around twenty-seven or eight years old. Composed and dignified, she was an example of a woman from a good family.

"Mei Qian Deng, who is this?" Chu Xun was surprised. The security in the imperial palace was very strict. They didn't allow people of unclear ident.i.ty to simply enter the imperial palace. This boor was the Crown Prince's study partner in name but actually had no official rank. The way she doing as she pleased in his house was simply more wantonly than in her own house.

"This is Xie Yun."

Chu Xun was ignorant of jianghu. He didn't feel interested with the name spoken from Mei Qian Deng's mouth. However this didn't hinder Xie Yun's well known reputation in jianghu.

Chu Xun was like a chattering premature old man as he questioned, "What are you bringing her into the palace for? The imperial palace is an important place. You can't just simply invite those jianghu friends of yours as guest here. Since she had arrived, you still need to inform me once. Why are you taking my words as a wind beside the ear again?"

"Xie Yun can compound the antidote for the Liu Guang San from Qing Feng Ming Yue Brothel. So, I invited her over to check Nan Bai Cheng's old injury."

"A physician?" Chu Xun raised his eyebrows. This boor actually thought the same thing as him. Should he praise her a bit?

"It's a Divine Physician," Mei Qian Deng seriously corrected him.

"……" He had a house of imperial physicians so how could he be scare unable to treat an impotent disease? Chu Xun's bad temper flared, he arrogantly manifested the imperial family's imposing manner. "Since she had arrived then wait for the imperial physicians before going together. It's just ten plus of imperial physicians, all of them are brilliant physicians with high superb medical skills."

Half a cup of tea later, Xiao Jing Zi hurriedly returned. There was no one beside him.

"Your Highness Crown Prince, all the imperial physicians are doing house call. Only one is left who sprained his ankle yesterday. Right now he is still laying on the bed unable to move freely."

Chu Xun originally would perfectly and smoothly developed into the perfect Crown Prince before unfamiliar people, all his moves radiating with imperial family's bearing. When he heard Xiao Jing Zi's 'grievous news', he almost unable to maintain his expression. Why had he never heard the imperial physician bureau was this busy? Imperial Father's imperial harem had only a few imperial concubines and all of them had awfully good body. Only spraining his ankle and yet need to lay on the bed a whole day for this Crown Prince? Can you all don't let down this Crown Prince for praising you all earlier before Mei Qian Deng for your brilliant skills?!

"Too bad. Well then, Lady Xie, let's go first." Chu Xun threw a generous and polite smile to Xie Yun.

[A Mini Theatre]

Xiao Jing Zi came bustling into the imperial physician bureau. Seven or eight imperial physicians were inside, each doing their own thing.

Xiao Jing Zi said, "To all the imperial physicians, His Highness Crown Prince had summoned."

Imperial Physician A didn't dare to believe it. "His Highness Crown Prince summoned who?"

"Everyone, all of you, go together."

"For what matter?"

"His Highness didn't say. He only hastily ran inside and asked for all of you."

The imperial physicians were confused. His Highness Crown Prince had always been disliking the physicians and disliked taking medicine so what sort of wind blew today?

Imperial Physician A reacted the fastest. "Ah, I'm on my way to prepare the Emperor's medicated food. This cannot be delayed. Please help me ask His Highness for forgiveness." He ran the moment he finished talking. For the Crown Prince to have a wind invited from an empty hole, it must be a troublesome matter.

Once the A ran, the B and C too had carried their medicine chest as they sneaked away. They had used completely solemn, earnest reasons.

Xiao Jing Zi, "……"

Only the last one left.

Xiao Jing Zi asked, "Please……"

"Yesterday I sprained my ankle and unable to stand up. I can't move properly so please help me atone for the crime from His Highness Crown Prince."

Xiao Jing Zi: When did His Highness Crown Prince offended the imperial physicians?

[1] The last of the eight hot h.e.l.ls, in which punishment, pain, form birth and death continue without intermission.

[2] I just learnt it's the noun for the area between the eyebrows (plural: glabellae)

[3] Literally, this criminal official

Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator's hard work. Don't think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)