Chapter 11 (11) Protecting Lianzhi, public opinion spreads
At the lotus seeds?
Seeing the flustered servant, Bo Kang's first reaction was that Lianzhi was bullying someone. After all, Lianzi was timid and cowardly, not the type to cause trouble. Lianzhi was also a delicate yet opinionated person, so perhaps Lianzi had done something to provoke him.
"Call him back." Bo Kang frowned. "You have to ask me about such a small matter?"
"No, we didn't mean to disturb you, sir..." The servant's expression became even more panicked. "We dare not act rashly, so we can only ask you to take charge of the situation."
After a day of official business at the Ministry of Rites, Bai Kang returned home to a difficult situation. His rage intensified. He was being mistrusted by Emperor Jianguang, harassed by the old ministers at the Ministry, and constantly embroiled in disputes with his colleagues. And now, there was a little girl at home who looked just like Chen Fenglian, causing him trouble. He angrily followed the servant to the side room where the servants lived. Once there, he understood why the servant had said he wouldn't act rashly.
Lianzhi and Lianzi had actually gotten into a fight. To be more precise, Lianzi was the one getting beaten up. The usually introverted and timid Lianzi stood in the corner of the yard, his face etched with the visible scars of a slap, looking like someone who had endured the situation and dared not complain. Meanwhile, Lianzhi sat on a stone bench in the yard, unharmed, looking at Lianzi with a haughty air, like a child playing tricks on her.
Everyone around was furious but dared not speak out—it was obvious that their anger was directed at Lianzhi. Seeing Bai Kang coming, they hurried forward, demanding that he seek justice.
Bai Kang was getting a headache from the noise. He walked up to Lian Zhi and whispered, "You're really brave, aren't you?"
Lianzhi stared at him with her big eyes.
"You broke into my room without permission last night, stepped on my official uniform, and now you're bullying the servants. Do you think the Shangshu Mansion is your territory? You can do whatever you want?" Bo Kang's voice was deep, filled with suppressed anger. Lianzhi yelled, "What's wrong? I saw it all. That... wuwuwu!"
He had only spoken halfway when Bo Kang heard what he was about to say. He quickly covered his mouth and said to Lian Zi, "Tell me, what's going on?"
"My Lord..." Lianzi spoke softly, tears welling up in her eyes. "I asked Lianzhi to come here. He stepped on your official uniform and made it dirty. I thought it was inappropriate and wanted him to stop. But he suddenly grabbed me and started hitting me. I couldn't beat him..."
Slanderous remarks!
Confusing right and wrong!
Lianzhi's eyes were blazing with anger. He grabbed Bai Kang's hand and shook it, trying to defend himself. This Lianzi was so pretentious, he actually made up lies to slander him! If Bai Kang really believed it, his impression of him would be even worse. Wouldn't he be even more helpless in the future?
But Bo Kang's hands were large and his strength was great. He tried hard for a long time but still couldn't get him to let go. He could only continue to stare at Lian Zi with a burning gaze. One of them was aggrieved, the other was arrogant. Anyone who saw this would take Lian Zi's side.
Bai Kang's eyes swept over the two of them, and he had already made up his mind. He said to the servant who brought him here, "Go find some medicine for Lianzi. His face is badly swollen, don't leave any marks."
The servant uttered an "ah." Before Lianzi could even rejoice, Bo Kang grabbed Lianzhi's wrist again and said, "You, come back with me."
Why bring the lotus back...
They lived close together, so that was normal, right? Besides, Master Bai looked very angry, and he was probably going to teach Lianzhi a lesson. Thinking of this, Lianzi stopped speculating and followed the servant to find the ointment.
Back in the courtyard, Bo Kang dragged her back to his bedroom and slammed the door shut. The wooden door creaked, and he let go of her hand, causing Lianzhi to lose her balance and fall onto the couch.
Damn Bai Kang, he actually wronged him! He actually believed what Lian Zi said!
He was about to speak when Bo Kang suddenly sat down opposite him. His expression was very calm, and he no longer looked tired. He looked at Lian Zhi and asked, "What's going on?"
"I bullied him, didn't you hear?" Lianzhi replied in a very aggrieved tone. But Bo Kang said, "Tell me the truth, I can tell whether you bullied him or not. I'm not blind. How did he offend you?"
Um?
Didn't he get wronged?
Lianzhi looked at him suspiciously, but seeing Bo Kang's serious expression, she began to believe his question and answered honestly, "He scolded me. He said I was arrogant and told me to get out of the Shangshu Mansion."
"Indeed, he's arrogant." Bo Kang nodded. But looking at the other person's red eyes, sparkling and watery, and flushed face, he suddenly felt that he couldn't say anything harsh. In the end, he could only sigh and say, "Be more restrained in the future and offend fewer people."
"How did I offend anyone? He was the one who provoked me. I am just another one of the Shangshu Mansion... Ugh!"
Before Lianzhi could finish her words, Bai Kang pressed her hard against the couch. Her shoulder blades banged against the slightly hard bed, causing her some pain. Before she could even cry out in pain, she felt a dry, rough hand on her neck.
Bai Kang was incredibly strong. Coming from a military family and having served as an imperial guard, he pinched Lianzhi's neck, leaving a red mark. He carefully restrained his strength, but warned her, "I won't pursue what you intend to do. But from now on, you'd better behave yourself. This isn't your Liangzhou."
His movements were very gentle, but his hands were very strong. No matter how careful he was, he still made it difficult for Lianzhi to breathe and he couldn't help coughing twice.
"I... ahem, I didn't say anything wrong!" Lianzhi was still unforgiving. Even though she was clearly hurt by the pinch, she still insisted on contradicting Bo Kang, "It's written in the imperial edict that I am your wife now! Lianzi provoked me, and you still don't let me make the decision!"
He brought it up again, and Bo Kang didn't want to pursue it, but now he had to ask, "Where did you get the contents of the imperial edict?"
"I saw it." Lianzhi didn't know why he asked this. "Can't I open it and take a look? I'm your wife! What's wrong with letting me take a look?"
"Nonsense!" Bo Kang couldn't do anything about him. Being married to a man of a less than stellar reputation was a humiliation for anyone, but Lianzhi didn't feel embarrassed at all. She even looked a little proud.
He was thinking that when he got back, he would definitely hold the housekeeper accountable for letting Lianzhi get the imperial edict so easily. He would also have to tell the people around him to keep a closer eye on Lianzhi!
Ultimately, although he was wary of Lianzhi, he still felt that a young man who hadn't even reached adulthood posed little threat. This was especially true since the young man looked so much like Chen Fenglian that he didn't seem to have any malicious intentions.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when Lianzhi came closer. Lianzhi asked, "How do you know I didn't bully Lianzi?"
He thought that Bai Kang was going to stand up for Lianzi.
What could he say? Should he say that because his personality was too similar to Chen Fenglian's, Chen Fenglian wouldn't be so low-class when it came to bullying, but rather that she was being bullied and still had to pretend to bully others? Bo Kang looked at his face and said after a long while, "You and that person are indeed very similar."
The prefect of Liangzhou did not choose the wrong person.
"Apply some medicine." Bo Kang let go, helped him up, and took out the ointment from the bedside table. The red mark on Lianzhi's neck was so obvious that if he went out, others would think he had abused Lianzhi.
Lianzhi didn't take it, but raised her head, as if waiting to be served. Bai Kang was a little angry and helpless, so he could only open the small porcelain bottle and apply medicine to the scar on his neck.
It was icy cold, and Bo Kang only used a little force, so it didn't hurt him. After wiping it, he asked, "Are there any other injuries?"
"He pulled my hair." Lianzhi complained.
Bai Kang nodded and said, "Go back and lie down." Since the lotus seeds didn't hurt him, there was nothing to pay attention to.
He turned to leave, but Lianzhi suddenly rushed over and hugged his waist. Bo Kang was now at a loss as to what to do with Lianzhi. He sighed, "What's the matter?" The scar had healed, the pain had been forgotten, and she still came close to him. Wasn't she afraid that he would be angry?
"I want to sleep here with you." Lianzhi still remembered to maintain a good relationship with Bai Kang and make him work for her, so she clung to his legs tightly and refused to let go. "Others will know the contents of the imperial edict sooner or later. Anyway, we have been granted a marriage, so you have to treat me well."
Um?
Bai Kang was so angry that he laughed, and simply walked away. Lian Zhi couldn't stop him at all. Just as she was about to lose her temper, Lian Zhi thought, Bai Kang didn't let anyone drive him away?
Does that mean he is allowed to sleep in this room?
Thinking of this, Lianzhi threw himself on the bed, hugged the pillow and fell asleep. He hadn't even gotten enough sleep when he was woken up by Lianzi, which showed how bad that little servant was!
Moreover, Bo Kang never recognized him.
Even though he looked different now than he did in the past, Bai Kang, who had been his personal bodyguard, didn't recognize him! Lianzhi didn't want to be recognized, fearing that he was now too weak to be discovered by the Empress Dowager and Emperor Jianguang's men, but he was also a little disappointed that Bai Kang didn't recognize him.
That's strange.
Bai Kang summoned the butler and confirmed that Lianzhi had sneaked into the study to see what was happening. He immediately flew into a rage. Qinghe, his trusted servant in charge of the study, slumped to his knees and said, "Forgive me, sir! I failed to manage my men well! Those people heard that Young Master Lianzhi was your future wife, so they didn't dare to stop us. You can punish me if you want!"
Where did you hear this from? Bo Kang frowned: "Did Lianzhi say that?"
"No..." Qing He hesitated for a long time before saying, "It's spread all over the capital that you, my lord, have been granted a marriage to a lowly actor. Many people are talking about it, and even the people in our house have heard about it."
It was intentional.
Bai Kang sneered. The officials from the aristocratic families in Beijing were used to using his humble background as an excuse, and now they had even more reason to suppress and criticize him. Seeing that the truth was about to come, Bai Kang made a decision: "Let it be."
"Huh?" Qinghe was stunned.
"Didn't you ask me to choose a date for the wedding? Old Feng, go and prepare. Get married as soon as possible, the sooner the better. You also have to send invitations to all officials above the fifth rank in the court and ask them to come and watch the ceremony." Bai Kang said.
Don't they all want to see him laugh? Then he should get married as soon as possible and see how many people dare to laugh at him.
Moreover, Lianzhi deliberately angered him, so he couldn't let Lianzhi have an easy time.
"See if there's anything that needs to be done in the mansion and give it to Lianzhi." Bai Kang said in a deep voice, "Doesn't she call herself Madam? She has to do some work."
When Bai Kang thought of the delicate Lianzhi having to work for him, he suddenly felt much better.
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