Chapter 24 Restaurant Incident (2)
Fan Zhiyu caught a glimpse of the burly followers behind the other party from the corner of his eye, and couldn't help swallowing, with a thin layer of sweat on his palms.
"What are you afraid of!" Because of Song Qianzhao, Fan Zhiyu still took a half step forward, but his voice was eight octaves higher than usual: "How dare you guys act arrogantly in front of my eldest brother? Do you know who my eldest brother is?
Besides, what's wrong with my eldest brother calling you termites? Could he be wrong? "
A young man in front of Fan Zhiyu stood up, glanced at him, and said sarcastically, "You call us parasites, but do you know that Lord Lu submitted a memorial yesterday to close the Weaving Bureau to save money and grain for the country and to relieve its worries? You short-sighted people, how could you possibly understand our ambitions? You are so foolish and ignorant!"
Fan Zhiyu had only intended to make a few remarks in rebuttal, but being pointed at and insulted like this, he immediately flew into a rage, throwing all his earlier timidity out of the window. He could not help but shout angrily, "If you cut the weaving bureau today, will you cut the post station tomorrow? Will you even cut the Jinyiwei the day after tomorrow?
If the imperial court were all like you, not thinking about increasing revenue but only about cutting expenditure, what difference would they make from those playboys who squandered their family fortune?
"How dare you, such short-sighted people, talk about ambition? Go home and farm as soon as possible!"
Before Fan Zhiyu could finish his words, the young man flew into a rage and punched him in the face.
Fan Zhiyu stumbled and fell to the ground after being hit by the punch. His cheek was burning with pain. He was immediately furious. He picked up the bench behind him and shouted, "How dare you do that to me!"
Before he could finish his words, the bench was swung over fiercely.
The young man was caught off guard and fell to the ground. He obviously didn't expect Fan Zhiyu to be so ferocious.
"You bastard!"
"You beast!"
"Damn it, you dare to hit someone? You're looking for death!"
Seeing this, the other three and their followers were shocked and angry, and immediately rushed forward shouting and cursing.
I saw the other party pick up a bench and smash it hard.
In an instant, a bench came whistling in the wind. Fan Zhiyu dodged it, but saw the bench sweeping straight towards Song Qianzhao behind him.
Song Qianzhao's pupils shrank, and before he could even move, he saw a white figure swiftly approaching him. The figure raised his hand to block the falling bench, catching it with his bare hands. The wooden bench made a dull thud in his palm, remaining motionless.
She looked up, startled, and met a pair of eyes like cold stars. The man's face was as cold as snow, and behind him, three followers pounced like tigers, beating those men to the ground with fists and kicks.
Seeing this, Fan Zhiyu was stunned at first, then his eyes widened, and he quickly stepped forward, saying in surprise and joy: "Cousin?!"
Song Qianzhao was shocked when he heard this and looked suddenly at the cold man.
Cousin? Could he be... that one?!
Fan Zhiyu excitedly tugged at the man's sleeve, "Cousin, this is my new big brother. He's quite capable! Come on, let's go to a private room and talk it over. It's a great opportunity for you to see what big brother is capable of!"
Seeing that Song Qianzhao was still in a daze, he turned around and winked at Song Qianzhao: "Brother, don't refuse. My cousin loves talents the most. You two will definitely have a great conversation."
Fan Zhiyu didn't say anything. He pulled the man with one hand and Song Qianzhao with the other and walked upstairs to the private room. "Waiter! Bring us your best Biluochun tea and some exquisite snacks!"
Song Qianzhao and the other two acted as if no one was around and entered the private room on the second floor.
The rest of the people around were talking about it.
"Why did those people start fighting?"
"Why does that person look familiar to me?"
"Oh, isn't that the famous playboy Fan Zhiyu? The other one looks like Song Qianzhao, the heir of the Ming Dynasty's Central Censor family—his family has offended the Li Clique, and now they're having a tough time at court. I saw him in a portrait a few days ago! As for the guy next to him who helped, he's a real stranger."
"Wait, the one who got beaten seems to be Lu Ming, the eldest son of the doctor of the Household Administration Department! I heard that the two masters, Song and Lu, are sworn enemies, and now they are both on the list of candidate ministers, and they are fighting fiercely right now."
"The elders haven't even decided who's better, and the younger ones are already fighting. Master Lu was beaten so badly, he's really embarrassed..."
At the stairs stood a crowd of onlookers, all leaning in, pointing, and whispering to each other, unable to conceal their excitement. It was clear that this incident would soon become a hot topic of conversation on the streets.
No matter what others say, Lu Ming was beaten so badly in public that he completely lost face!
The reason why Lu Ming was the first to take action was because it was his father Lu Zhong who submitted a petition to abolish the weaving bureau.
At first, Lu Ming didn't know the other party's identity. When he heard that it was Song Jian's grandson - Song Jian, who was competing with his father for the position of cabinet minister, his anger suddenly increased.
Lu Mingqiang endured the severe pain all over his body and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "Song Qianzhao, Fan Zhiyu...just wait for me, this matter is by no means over!
There's also a stranger, don't think I can't find out who you are just because I don't recognize your face. No one can escape this account today!"
"That's right! No one can escape!"
"That's too much!"
"Just like his grandfather!"
The other three also covered their wounds and agreed with grimace.
Lu Ming looked around and saw the crowd growing larger and larger. His expression darkened. He lowered his voice and said, "Let's go back and discuss this later. This debt will be paid back double sooner or later!"
In the private room, the scent of sandalwood wafts through the air.
The man chuckled, holding the cup. "Using profit as bait and capitalizing on the situation, with a single move, you reclaimed the Black Rhino and completely overthrew the Wang family. Your Excellency, at such a young age, possesses such skill and vision. It's truly astonishing. Your insights just now were even more refreshing."
"You're too kind, young master." Song Qianzhao looked up and saw the man standing there, cup in hand. His moon-white robe flowed down like water, making him look even more elegant. His black hair was tied up, and his mutton-fat jade crown shone brightly. His face was so handsome that it seemed beyond mortal.
The most touching thing is those eyes - their gentle temperament is embedded with a cold star-like gaze that makes people dare not look directly at them.
Song Qianzhao's breathing became a little disordered, and he lowered his eyes and hurriedly picked up some dishes, his jade chopsticks making crisp sounds as they hit the porcelain plate.
Seeing this, the man raised the corners of his lips slightly and looked away.
Suddenly, the green-clothed attendant beside the white-clothed man coughed twice and said in a shrill voice, "It's getting late. There are important matters at the mansion. Young Master, it's time to go back."
The man stood up and bowed, his wide sleeves sweeping across the table like flowing clouds. "I've benefited greatly from hearing your insightful advice today. Farewell."
After the two disappeared around the corner of the stairs, Song Qianzhao couldn't help but tug at Fan Zhiyu, who was gnawing on a chicken leg beside him: "That attendant... why does his voice sound like a palace eunuch? You just called him cousin, could he really be from your imperial aunt's family..."
"Yes!" Fan Zhiyu wiped his greasy mouth, "That's my cousin the Crown Prince, and the one next to him is his personal eunuch Zhang Xian."
When Song Qianzhao heard this, a smile appeared on the corner of his lips.
She couldn't help but think of the plot in the original book: Five years later, after Emperor Yongshou passed away, the new emperor issued an imperial decree to eradicate the Li Party.
The Crown Prince was respectful and modest at the moment, but the sharpness hidden in his eyes could not be deceived. She knew that when the dragon rode to the throne, it would be the time for the Crown Prince to settle old scores.
She gathered her thoughts and sat across from Fan Zhiyu in the side room, quietly waiting until the early hours of the afternoon. The voices outside the window gradually faded, and the guests gradually dispersed, but there was still no sign of Wang Feng. Just as she gathered her clothes and was about to get up and leave, she suddenly heard a commotion outside the corridor, mixed with shouting and the sound of breaking dishes.
The restaurant was smashed and turned into a mess.
All the tables and chairs in the store were destroyed.
A white-haired old man leaned against the pillar beside the shop door, weeping to the sky and denouncing the injustice of the world; a thirteen-year-old girl huddled in the corner; a stout woman slumped in front of the door, cursing at the top of her lungs.
Wang Feng stood in front of the woman holding a pair of scissors, his eyes were red and veins bulged on his forehead.
On the opposite side, a young man in luxurious clothes led a group of ferocious thugs, holding sticks and glaring at them with contempt.
"Listen carefully, I'm making this clear today. You have to vacate this shop for me today! Not even a moment later!"
Wang Feng gritted his teeth and said, "I rented this shop from Manager Li. Here's the lease with the government seal. We've also paid a year's rent. What right do you have to kick us out?"
"Why?"
The young man in fine clothes pulled out a land deed from his sleeve and said arrogantly, "This land has changed its owner. This land belongs to me. I can rent it out or take it back whenever I want. It all depends on my mood. Now, I want you to leave, and you must get out of here!"
Wang Feng gripped the scissors tightly and shouted, "You destroyed our restaurant, withheld our rent, and are kicking us out if we don't pay? Do you have any sense of reason?"
The young man in brocade clothes sneered: "In the capital, my words are the truth!"
Song Qianzhao was about to step forward, but saw Fan Zhiyu standing there like a wooden stake, motionless.
"What's wrong?"
Fan Zhiyu hung his head and said, "This land used to belong to the Wang family."
Song Qianzhao was stunned for a moment and said, "Is the man who is closing the restaurant your brother?"
Fan Zhiyu nodded and said with a wry smile: "My dear brother, Fan Zhijue."
Song Qianzhao suddenly realized.
"Your brother is quite free, and he seems even more arrogant than you."
Fan Zhiyu said sarcastically, "Although he holds an official position, this title is just an empty one. Apart from receiving his salary, he can't even step into the government office. With all his free time, he spends the whole day bullying the people in the streets. After all, he's also a concubine's son. How can he be compared with my elder brother Fan Zhiqin?"
Song Qianzhao nodded and said, "I'm afraid you and brother will have to fight today?"
Fan Zhiyu hesitated and said, "Can you please not count me in?"
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