Yin Macheng really didn't take Zhao Shi'an seriously. After being humiliated in the restaurant, he found it increasingly difficult to swallow his anger.
It just so happened that today, the Prince of Nan led his men to the Living Buddha Temple to offer incense and did not return to his residence. He counted the troops in his residence and then went to Zhao Shi'an's house in a grand procession.
Zhao Shi'an and Fang Qing had just finished dinner and were sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool air when Xiao Liu came over to report the matter.
Zhao Shi'an scoffed coldly.
"I was still thinking about how to find the Prince of the South, but I didn't expect that his stupid son would deliver himself to my door."
Zhao Shi'an patted Fang Qing's hand.
"Qing'er, go through the back door and hide next door."
Fang Qing didn't know what Zhao Shi'an was planning, and only asked, "Is there any danger?"
"No, don't worry, it's just a show."
Fang Qing thought that the area was full of people from Fengyulou, so even if they came up with a tough fight, the people from Fengyulou wouldn't suffer any losses.
Seventeen escorted Fang Qing through the back door to the next room.
Zhao Wuxia had already gone to sleep, and Fang Qing was sitting in the front hall listening to the sounds coming from inside the house.
After Fang Qing left, Zhao Shi'an had Yin Macheng let in.
Yin Macheng was escorted by the soldiers, and the torches made his face glow red; it was quite a sight.
Seeing that Zhao Shi'an was waiting in the front yard, Yin Macheng assumed that Zhao Shi'an was scared and came to greet him.
"Hmph, it's too late to beg for mercy now."
He crossed his arms and waved to the people around him.
"Guards, arrest Zhao Shi'an! I want to see how arrogant you still are!"
These soldiers then walked towards Zhao Shi'an and surrounded him.
Yin Macheng looked around the house.
"How could they let my beauty live in such a shabby place?"
He cursed and swore as he walked past the people toward the backyard.
In his eyes, there were only a few useless servants in this house, and he didn't care about them.
As soon as he passed through the archway in the backyard, Zhao Shi'an gave him a signal, and Xiao Liu and the others jumped down from the roof. Before the soldiers of the Southern Prince's Mansion who had been surrounding Zhao Shi'an could react, they were already knocked down.
"After you've cleaned these up, bring the burlap sack from the backyard over."
"yes."
Xiao Liu walked towards the backyard, where the other brothers from Fengyulou carried the unconscious soldier from the Southern Prince's Mansion out.
Zhao Shi'an sat on the bamboo chair under the eaves without moving at all.
Before long, Xiao Liu came over carrying a burlap sack. The sack was tightly tied, and the person inside was cursing and struggling.
Xiao Liu threw the sack on the ground and kicked it twice, which earned him even more vicious curses from inside the sack.
Xiao Liu opened the sack, and Yin Macheng struggled out, cursing at Zhao Shi'an as soon as he saw him.
"You bastard, you just wait and see how my father deals with you..."
Xiao Liu kicked him in the back, and Yin Macheng fell to the ground, his mouth full of mud.
"How dare you! You..."
The sound of swords being drawn rang out, and a long sword landed on Yin Macheng's neck, instantly silencing his words.
Yin Macheng shuddered, finally realizing his predicament.
Zhao Shi'an remained seated calmly in his chair.
"You, Zhao Shi'an, how could you treat me like this? My father will not let you get away with this."
Zhao Shi'an gave a cold laugh.
"Didn't your father tell you not to mess with me?"
Yin Macheng's eyelids twitched violently.
My father did say that.
However, the Emperor has always been cautious. What is there to fear about Zhao Shi'an?
“The entire Jiaozhou region belongs to our family. Do you think our Southern Prince’s Mansion would be afraid of you?”
Zhao Shi'an tapped the armrest of the chair lightly with his finger.
"Is that so? My men have already sent a message to the Prince of the South. Let's see if it's as you say."
As he spoke, Zhao Shi'an looked at Xiao Liu.
"Lock him up in the woodshed."
"Zhao Shi'an, how dare you!"
Yin Macheng roared, but Xiao Liu ignored him and stuffed him back into the sack before taking him to the woodshed.
Zhao Shi'an returned to the backyard, and Seventeen escorted Fang Qing back as well.
"I could hear the commotion from next door, but where are they?"
"It was thrown into the woodshed."
Zhao Shi'an took Fang Qing back to the room and told her what had happened outside.
"What do you intend to do with this brainless prince?"
"Let's test the Southern King."
Whether it's what's being said in Jiaozhou or what he found out at Fengyu Tower, the Southern King is a good-for-nothing who's been played with by women.
But after coming to Jiaozhou in person this time, he felt that things were not as they seemed.
How could a useless person manage to govern Jiaozhou so well?
And that mysterious Living Buddha Temple—Zhao Shi'an's intuition told him that there must be some unspeakable secrets inside.
Fang Qing didn't know what Zhao Shi'an wanted to test about the Prince of Nan. The next morning, as soon as they woke up, Xiao Liu came over and said that people from the Prince of Nan's residence had arrived.
Zhao Shi'an was washing up when he heard this and asked while wiping his hands, "Who is this person?"
"It was the steward of the Southern Prince's Mansion who said that the Southern Prince is still at the Living Buddha Temple and will not be back until this morning."
"Send someone back and tell them that I will personally escort the Prince of Nan's heir back to his residence when the Prince of Nan returns."
Xiao Liu relayed the message to the people from the Southern Prince's Mansion, and they returned home.
Before Zhao Shi'an could even go to the Prince of Nan's residence, the Prince of Nan arrived that morning.
They came directly from the temple outside the city.
Zhao Shi'an was having lunch with Fang Qing when he heard this, and he didn't even put down his chopsticks.
"Please trouble the Prince of Nan to wait in the front yard."
Xiao Liu went to deliver the message. Fang Qing glanced at him and asked, "Aren't you afraid of really offending the Prince of Nan?"
"It doesn't matter whether I offend him or not. He's been on guard against me ever since we came to Jiaozhou."
"But I don't understand. If the Prince of Nan is wary of people coming from the imperial court, why is he going to such lengths to have me come here to guide rice cultivation?"
“Jiaozhou is under the jurisdiction of the Southern King. He sees that the grain output of other prefectures far exceeds that of Jiaozhou, so he can’t help but be anxious. Naturally, he wants you to come over, but he didn’t expect me to come along.”
Fang Qing understood.
After finishing their meal, Zhao Shi'an went to the front hall. Fang Qing originally wanted to follow him, but Zhao Shi'an stopped her.
Zhao Shi'an had Xiao Liu take Yin Macheng to the front hall.
The Prince of the South was already waiting. Hearing the noise, he looked towards the door, his gaze first falling on the disheveled Yin Macheng, and then on Zhao Shi'an.
Their eyes met; one was calm and reserved, the other aloof and serene.
The front hall was filled with Yin Macheng's curses and cries for help.
The Prince of the South calmly put down his teacup.
"Zhao Shi'an, you've gone too far."
Zhao Shi'an did not bow or greet him, but sat down directly opposite him.
"Is this excessive? I merely apprehended a thief who broke into my house at night. However, the thief insisted that he was the heir of the Prince of Nan. I was afraid of arresting the wrong person, so I asked Your Highness to come and see if this is indeed your son."
"Zhao Shi'an, you just wait, I'll kill you!"
Yin Macheng shouted, and Zhao Shi'an gave Xiao Liu a look, and Xiao Liu released the man.
"Father, you must stand up for me! Look how arrogant this man has become! This is our territory, and things will be done my way..."
When the King of the South looked over with calm eyes, Yin Macheng quickly shut his mouth.
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