"Which young lady is this? Even more fiery than my wife," a bystander squeezed into the alley exclaimed in shock. His own wife only had a louder voice but wouldn't dare lay a hand on anyone. This dark-skinned girl, however, dared to whip the yamen runners.
Another bystander nearby whispered in agreement, "She's so bold without any backing. She must have quite a background!"
"You still dare to say you aren't harboring a fugitive!" Jin Baozhen's eyes spotted Zhan Feiyu behind the side door, and she exploded. The horsewhip in her hand pointed at Zhan Feiyu as she shrieked, "This damned girl should be in prison. Why aren't you arresting her?"
Constable Zhang and the surrounding onlookers all turned their gaze towards Zhan Feiyu. She looked no older than eight or nine. As if startled by their stares, the little girl's eyes widened. Coupled with her fair, tofu-like complexion, she looked like a small celestial being from beneath a Bodhisattva's seat.
"I say, girl, don't make trouble. How could this little girl be a fugitive?" an auntie couldn't bear it. If it were a burly man, there might be some possibility. But this little girl, like a blooming flower bud, a fugitive? Did she buy candied hawthorns and not pay?
Constable Zhang's face burned with pain, but he was more worried that the frenzied Jin Baozhen would injure someone again. He quickly stepped in front of Zhan Feiyu and scolded Jin Baozhen, "Whether she's a fugitive or not is the yamen's business. Miss, if you have nothing else, please leave!"
As for the whip he'd taken, Constable Zhang could only accept his fate. In the eyes of the onlookers, he was an official. But before these noble families, killing him, a humble constable, was as easy as crushing an ant.
"You're not wronged to provoke such a lunatic," Chong Guang patted Zhan Feiyu's shoulder sympathetically. He glanced at the flailing Jin Baozhen, "Your bun-like face is so fair and tender, you could squeeze water out of it. Look at her dark face..."
Chong Guang paused. Hearing his words, everyone subconsciously looked. The little girl hidden behind Constable Zhang was indeed fair-skinned, while the one before them was dark-skinned. Without comparison, one wouldn't have noticed such a stark difference.
Chong Guang's clear voice leisurely resumed, "Your eyes are large, your nose is high. Look at her again. Not only is her face dark, but she also has small eyes, a flat nose, and thin lips. She looks like a Yaksha."
As arrogant as Jin Baozhen was, she was still just a girl of fourteen or fifteen, the age when one is most concerned with beauty.
Chong Guang, clad in a sapphire blue robe, possessed handsome features and a tall, upright posture. He exuded the lazy, unrestrained air of a scion of a noble family. Yet, such a distinguished and handsome young master spoke words that pierced the heart.
Jin Baozhen was enraged, her eyes bloodshot. She didn't blame Chong Guang; after all, who could bear to blame this graceful young master? Jin Baozhen's murderous gaze fixed on Zhan Feiyu, blaming this damned girl for her nonsensical words.
"I'll beat you to death, you slut!" she screamed, charging at Zhan Feiyu like a madwoman. The horsewhip in her hand whipped through the air with formidable force.
After a while.
Zhan Feiyu glared at Chong Guang exasperatedly as two constables struggled to restrain Jin Baozhen. He was clearly enjoying the chaos.
"You dare arrest me? I am the daughter of the salt merchant Jin family! How dare you arrest me? Let me go, I'll beat this slut to death..." pinned to the ground, Jin Baozhen still shrieked hysterically, "My uncle is a thousand-household officer of the衛所 (Wèi Suǒ - military garrison). I am about to marry Prefect Chu. You just wait..."
Zhan Feiyu's eyes widened abruptly. Looking at Jin Baozhen, who was struggling wildly like a turtle on the ground, she wondered if Prefect Chu, such a upright gentleman, was actually planning to take a concubine.
Constable Zhang and the alley's onlookers were also stunned, as if struck by lightning. Prefect Chu had an excellent reputation in Huai'an Prefecture. He was a scion of a noble family, a Jinshi scholar, talented and elegant. As a parent official, he was diligent and loved the people. How blind could Prefect Chu be to take in such a dark and ugly girl? Was it for money? The salt merchants, it was rumored, had their floors paved with gold.
Sensing the grip on her lessening, Jin Baozhen raised her head and harshly berated, "Are you still not letting me go? Otherwise, I'll have you all thrown into prison like this damned girl!"
"Brother Zhang?" the constable holding Jin Baozhen asked with a distressed face. If she were the Prefect's concubine, a whisper in his ear later would be the end of him.
Zhan Feiyu withdrew her gaze and said softly to Chong Guang, "Is it that being a prefect makes one particularly prone to attracting troublesome romantic entanglements?"
Before, in Nanxuan Prefecture, Prefect Zhang was also like this. He had a cousin, and then there was Huang Li's messy romantic affairs.
Chong Guang stroked his chin, contemplating seriously. "As the saying goes, 'The sky is high and the emperor is far away.' How imposing it sounds to be a Prefect's wife. In the capital, you are a fourth-rank official's wife, but above you are third and second ranks, not to mention the esteemed noble families. You might bump into anyone on the street, and they could be royalty. So, you can't be very imposing."
This was precisely the saying, "You only know how insignificant an official is when you reach the capital!" But when placed in local areas, even the wife of a village head could be overbearing and arrogant in the village. Not to mention the Prefect's wife. With no one above to manage or suppress them, it was inevitable that these women would flock forward.
...
The city gates were already under strict guard. Prefect Chu could only order people to enter and exit through the farther south gate. As for this east gate, looking at the corpses hanging from the city walls, Prefect Chu rubbed his temples. What was all this?
"My Lord, why not have the衛所 (Wèi Suǒ - military garrison) send troops?" Even the cunning Vice Prefect Wu, upon seeing the sun-baked corpses, felt a chill in his heart.
Huai'an Prefecture had always enjoyed good public order. Moreover, this was the territory of the imperial merchant Liu family. There were many merchants coming and going, and no bandits. This also led to the generally mediocre martial prowess of the Huai'an constables. When they encountered experts, even if they fought with their lives, they were no match for them.
In a simple tea stall, Prefect Chu sat on a long bench, casting a meaningful glance at Vice Prefect Wu. "Since they dare to act like this, they must be emboldened. If the衛所 (Wèi Suǒ - military garrison) soldiers come and there's a conflict, I fear there will be casualties."
"What my Lord says is true. This subordinate also believes so," Minister Hong seconded. What was Vice Prefect Wu trying to do? If more people died, Prefect Chu would be the first to be held accountable.
Vice Prefect Wu also knew he had been too hasty. Last night, the prison was attacked by people, and there were so many casualties. He thought that if Prefect Chu made another wrong move, his official position might be lost, and he, as Vice Prefect, could replace him.
"It was my subordinate's lack of foresight," Vice Prefect Wu immediately admitted his mistake, his expression grave. "I was only thinking that these corpses hanging on the city walls have too bad an impact."
As the Prefect of Huai'an, allowing forty-eight corpses to hang on the city walls was a clear charge of governing without competence.
Prefect Chu raised his hand to interrupt Vice Prefect Wu and stood up, walking towards the outside of the tea stall.
Did something else happen in the city? An yamen runner, riding a horse at full speed, arrived. Minister Hong and the others felt a jolt in their hearts and hurried to follow Prefect Chu.
"My Lord!" dismounting and bowing, the yamen runner could no longer care about formalities. "Reporting to my Lord, a young lady claims to be your concubine..."
Under the sunlight, Prefect Chu's handsome features twisted slightly. "When did I take a concubine? The Jin family's daughter? Lord Wu, I recall your wife seems to have some dealings with the Jin family's aunt and niece?"
In Huai'an Prefecture, truly no news could escape Prefect Chu's notice. The Jin family's aunt and niece had visited several times, and it was said they had pleasant conversations with Madam Wu. Now, Jin Baozhen was causing trouble at the Xinglong Inn, loudly claiming to be Prefect Chu's concubine. If this were a minor matter, it would be a scandal. But if it were a major one, it would also be the crime of slandering a court official.
Vice Prefect Wu, who was named, felt a jolt in his heart. He quickly clasped his hands behind his back and pleaded, "Reporting to my Lord, my wife mentioned it. Madam Wei did visit before, but it was just a casual visit. My subordinate has no dealings with the Jin family."
"Hmm," Prefect Chu nodded, his attitude inscrutable.
When Prefect Chu, along with Vice Prefect Wu and others, rushed from the city gate to the alley behind the Xinglong Inn, they could hear Jin Baozhen's sharp and piercing curses from afar.
Madam Wei and Jin Guixuan also stood nearby, both with unpleasant expressions. Not only was Jin Baozhen pinned to the ground by the constables like a turtle, her hair disheveled, looking like a madwoman.
Just her constant claims of being Prefect Chu's concubine had already ruined her reputation. If Jin Baozhen couldn't marry Prefect Chu, she would likely have trouble marrying even a decent widower in the future.
Chong Guang moved a long bench over. He sat with Zhan Feiyu, occasionally glancing at the rampaging Jin Baozhen and muttering a few words. If there were a tea table and some tea and pastries, these two would clearly be watching a show.
"Prefect Chu is here." Someone shouted. The noisy alley instantly fell silent. The onlookers blocking the alley parted to the sides, allowing Prefect Chu and his entourage on horseback to pass.
Constable Zhao quickly stepped forward, forgetting to bow. He quickly explained Jin Baozhen's situation, "Miss Jin insisted that the young girl is a fugitive who should be in prison. Later, she claimed to be your concubine. This word spread like wildfire."
The Xinglong Inn was in the bustling area of Huai'an Prefecture. Last night, there was fighting at the Xinglong Inn, and the constables were still guarding the inn in the morning. The neighbors were already curious, and with Jin Baozhen's words, more and more onlookers gathered, eventually blocking the alley completely.
"Shut up!" Although Jin Guixuan was younger, he was a scholar. At this moment, he warned Jin Baozhen with a look and quickly stepped forward to bow, "This student, Jin Guixuan, pays respects to Prefect Chu, Vice Prefect Wu, and all esteemed lords."
"No need for formalities," Prefect Chu said gently, casting a half-smile at Vice Prefect Wu. Even after meeting privately, he still claimed not to be familiar?
"Prefect Chu," shedding her previous fiery and overbearing demeanor, Jin Baozhen broke free from Madam Wei's hand and rushed forward. As if finding her backbone, she pointed at Zhan Feiyu and maliciously accused, "Prefect Chu, that girl is a fugitive! She colluded with the shopkeeper of Jinyu Zhai to extort thousands of taels of silver from me. She must have escaped from prison amidst the chaos last night. My Lord must arrest her and bring her to justice!"
Vice Prefect Wu's gaze immediately fell upon Zhan Feiyu. Was this the young girl who was imprisoned?
Zhan Feiyu, who was accused, also stepped forward and repeated the action Jin Guixuan had just taken, "This student pays respects to Prefect Chu, Vice Prefect Wu, and all esteemed lords."
"What right do you have to call yourself a student?" Jin Baozhen's voice was shrill. She pointed a finger at Zhan Feiyu, her face filled with contempt and disdain. "You are a swindler, a fugitive!"
Compared to the shouting and yelling Jin Baozhen, Zhan Feiyu's smile remained unchanged, still polite and measured. "I escaped from prison."
"Prefect Chu, she has admitted it. She is a fugitive! Her crime is compounded!" As if catching Zhan Feiyu's handle, Jin Baozhen burst into laughter and yelled at Constable Zhang, "Didn't you see she confessed? Why aren't you arresting her!"
"Reporting to my Lord, last night the prison was suddenly attacked by ruffians. After escaping, this student was too severely injured. I am now planning to surrender myself," Zhan Feiyu bowed and apologized again. The wound on her right hand was clearly visible. As she bowed, her sleeve slightly shifted, revealing her left wrist, which was bandaged with gauze. The gauze was also stained with blood, suggesting her left arm was also quite heavily injured.
"Miss Jin accuses this young girl and the shopkeeper of Jinyu Zhai of extortion?" Prefect Chu repeated, then looked at Vice Prefect Wu and the others, "This official is unaware of this case. Was it Lord Wu who handled it?"
If Jin Baozhen were the plaintiff and the victim, then Zhan Feiyu, the defendant, might indeed be imprisoned. However, once in the yamen, there had to be a lawsuit, an official responsible for hearing the case, and a clerk to record it before someone could be imprisoned.
"Reporting to my Lord, this case was not handled by this subordinate either," Vice Prefect Wu immediately distanced himself. He looked at Minister Hong and the others, "Perhaps another colleague handled this case."
Generally, minor cases like these were handled by Judge Sun. However, he was currently recuperating in Liujia Town with a broken leg. Therefore, all the lords present were stunned. None of them had handled this case.
Thinking of this, Minister Hong and the others understood. Vice Prefect Wu had dealings with the Jin family, and looking at Miss Jin's overbearing demeanor, it was likely that the prison guards had received a hint from Vice Prefect Wu and imprisoned the young girl without a preliminary hearing. That's why she escaped amidst the chaos last night.
Prefect Chu readily accepted the blame, "It seems to be a wrongful conviction caused by my negligence."
Minister Hong and the other officials lowered their heads, not daring to speak. The prison guards were either dead or injured. Looking at Vice Prefect Wu's calm demeanor, it was likely that there was no evidence to prove otherwise.
"Prefect Chu," Zhan Feiyu's clear voice broke the silence. She suddenly drew a piece of paper from her sleeve, "This student accuses Jin Baozhen, daughter of the Jin family of Zhongzhou Prefecture, Vice Prefect Wu of Huai'an Prefecture, and the seventh branch of the Liu family..."
Zhan Feiyu's words stunned everyone. The crucial point was that she also submitted a lawsuit. Jin Baozhen's charges were false accusation and bribing yamen officials.
Vice Prefect Wu's charges were naturally accepting bribes and breaking the law while knowing the law. As for the seventh branch of the Liu family, it was also bribery, as well as forcibly abducting women and forcing them into servitude.
Although He Nuan was Zhan Feiyu's personal maid, her household registration was not that of a slave.
"You dare to accuse me?" Jin Baozhen shrieked, glaring furiously at Zhan Feiyu. If Constable Zhang hadn't restrained her, she would have likely lunged to fight Zhan Feiyu.
Vice Prefect Wu's expression darkened, and he said coldly, "You dare to slander this official without any proof! Young girl, do you know that a commoner suing an official first receives twenty blows with a staff!"