A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 68.2

Unable to bear the fuss, the postmaster brought the search party to Yifeng Pavilion, and with the attendant, they arrived at a premium private room on the second floor of the main hall. As the envoy opened the door, a strong odor of alcohol assailed his nostrils. Pinching his nose, he went inside to look for the person. The embroidered couch had soft curtains, the silk drapes were half-closed, and the room was filled with sensual atmosphere.

You Jingbo’s clothes were disheveled. He lay in the middle of seven or eight drunken women clad only in thin gauze, the two patches of redness from his intoxication still visible on his face.

The envoy who came looking for him was enraged. “You Jingbo!” He rushed up, dragged the man up, and threw a punch.

You Jingbo was awakened by the punch. Before he could figure out what was happening, a second punch came. He raised his arm to block it, becoming extremely annoyed at the assault, and simply started fighting back.

The women screamed and ran outside.

It would have been better if they hadn’t screamed. The commotion caused the doors of private rooms upstairs and downstairs to open one after another, and instantly, many people gathered at the railings, craning their necks to watch the excitement.

An envoy visiting a brothel and consorting with courtesans. This brought shame upon the face of any emperor, regardless of the country.

The envoy searching for him swung his fists even more furiously at You Jingbo’s face. “Flirting with women again! I’ll teach you to flirt with women! You have no shame, don’t go out and disgrace His Majesty and the State Preceptor!”

You Jingbo was completely sobered up by the blows. “Yan Changqing, has your brain been eaten by a dog? Can’t you see I’ve been framed!”

“Does it bring glory to His Majesty if you’ve been framed into visiting a brothel?”

Xie Wenjun’s carriage passed the Peach Blossom Pavilion in the backyard of Yifeng Pavilion. Just as she approached the main hall, a section of a bamboo pole flew down from upstairs.

Dai Qing quickly blocked Xie Wenjun. “Your Highness, be careful.”

It was a yellow bamboo pole used by Yifeng Pavilion to hang up curtains, thrown down by an unknown person.

The crowd that had gathered to watch the excitement scattered instantly, squeezing inside the rooms and peeking out through tiny gaps in the doors.

You Jingbo covered one eye. “Princess, you and I have no grievance, why do you harm me?”

Xie Wenjun was full of self-reproach. “It was our people’s poor hospitality that wronged the Ambassador.”

You Jingbo jumped up. “What poor hospitality? You clearly drugged me, knocked me out, and framed me!”

Xie Wenjun nodded, “Yes,” and said to the envoy next to You Jingbo, named Yan Changqing, “It was indeed I who drugged Lord You and brought him to Yifeng Pavilion. Vice-Ambassador Yan, please do not blame Lord You.”

“No?” You Jingbo quickly said, “It is true that you framed me!”

Xie Wenjun then said again to Yan Changqing, “It is true that I framed Lord You.”

Yan Changqing’s fists tightened increasingly, and his face twitched a few times before he finally bowed to Xie Wenjun. “Your Highness need not defend him. Our Dongyin also has state law! Take him back!”

The subordinates swarmed forward and bound You Jingbo hand and foot.

The look of terror on You Jingbo’s face made it clear that this “state law” punishment was no minor, superficial reprimand.

Every country had its most common form of punishment. In Da Lin, it was the caning, commonly known as being beaten with a board; even the punishment for erring soldiers in the military was the military cane. In Dongyin, it was the thorn whip, which, as its name suggests, involved stripping the person naked and whipping them with a barbed whip. Two lashes were enough to tear the skin and flesh.

You Jingbo lunged toward Xie Wenjun. “If you have the guts, just kill me! Kill me! Don’t you know how to kill people?”

Yan Changqing blurted out, “Shut up!” Before his words finished, a black shadow swept over and delivered a kick to You Jingbo. You Jingbo stumbled backward, hitting and cracking the door hinge.

“Not only does she know how, but I do too.”

The terror on You Jingbo’s face shifted to Yan Changqing’s face, who quickly stepped in front of You Jingbo.

Seeing who the person was, You Jingbo no longer dared to shout. He knew well that this person truly harbored a deep enmity with Dongyin, hating them so much that they wished to kill them all immediately. Moreover, the Crown Prince and over a hundred thousand soldiers were still in her hands.

Yan Changqing said, “General Chen, please calm your anger! When two countries are at war, envoys are not killed. You Jingbo’s words were disrespectful to the Princess; I will personally handle him according to state law.”

Chen Liangyu waited for a moment and said, “Is that all?”

Yan Changqing was very discerning of the situation and said, “Please, Princess, General, enlighten me.”

Chen Liangyu said faintly, “Your Crown Prince said he misses his homeland. Why doesn’t Lord You stay in Da Lin and serve nearby?”

This was a demand to keep the person.

Yan Changqing asked, “Princess, General, are you trying to forcibly detain an envoy?”

Xie Wenjun said, “I have an ailment which perhaps only someone from the You family can treat. If Lord You is willing to stay, that would be good. If he is unwilling, I will certainly not force him to stay. Please do as you wish.”

Yan Changqing glanced at You Jingbo. “Let’s go.”

He lifted the man from the ground and dragged him down the stairs.

Rong Jun watched the group dressed in Dongyin attire leave the door, then ran over to Xie Wenjun. “Your Highness, Sheng Yuan of the Court of Agriculture is in the Hundred Flowers Building. The commotion caused by the Dongyin envoy was too great, and bringing him over now would attract too much attention, so your subordinate has asked him to wait with Miss Li.”

Xie Wenjun said, “I won’t see him today.” She turned and asked Chen Liangyu, “Why are you here?”

Chen Liangyu said, “I have nothing to do.”

Xie Wenjun said, “An imperial decree might arrive today. Aren’t you waiting for it at your residence?”

Chen Liangyu said, “I’m heading back now.” It seemed she had only rushed to Yifeng Pavilion just to kick You Jingbo once.

“Are you unwell?” Chen Liangyu asked.

Xie Wenjun said, “I was tricking him. Did you see? You Jingbo is not the true Dongyin Ambassador; Yan Changqing, who holds the title of Vice-Ambassador, is.”

“I did.”

Chen Liangyu pulled her hand, rolled up the cuff a little, and placed her fingers on the pulse. There was truly nothing wrong.

But she could only take a superficial reading of the pulse and still felt uncertain.

Xie Wenjun said, “I didn’t lie to you.”

Chen Liangyu said, “I’ll believe you for now. On my way here, I heard that the court was in great turmoil today, seemingly over the matter of the women’s school.”

Stepping out of Yifeng Pavilion, the coachman brought the carriage over. Xie Wenjun stepped onto the small stool and got into the carriage.

Chen Liangyu hesitated for a moment between riding a horse or sharing the carriage with Xie Wenjun, then also jumped onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and slipped inside.

Xie Wenjun said, “It seems to be related to astrology. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau said a guest star appeared south of the Ziwei star, which means to drive out the principal star. Opinions in court are divided; some say it is because the Emperor is interfering in governance, others say it is because of the vigorous establishment of women’s schools. Most court officials lean towards the second explanation. But what the officials think is not important; what is important is what the Emperor cares about.”

Governing a single prefecture like Linxia is ultimately different from governing the world. Xie Yuan knew he currently lacked the ability to check everyone. He relied on Xie Wenjun to keep the noble families in check and manage agricultural affairs, and he also tacitly allowed her to establish women’s schools and academies.

The matter of establishing women’s schools seems more like an unspoken transaction between the Emperor and the Princess.

In the short term, he would not consider breaking this balance.

Xie Wenjun said, “Compared to who studies or who takes the imperial examinations, my Imperial Brother cares more about who has the final say over the world. His deep concern is never about the women’s schools, but about the Nanyuan Palace.”