Chapter 31 Beating Up the Boss, Rabbit Prince
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Wensheng raised his hand and punched him.
Chen Xin yelled, "Ouch! You actually hit someone..."
She had some basic martial arts skills. While she couldn't defeat Shen Hegui and the Imperial Guards, she could easily take down a corrupt official who held a position without doing his job.
This meat is so thick! It's easier to use my feet.
Lu Wensheng skillfully kicked Chen Xin in the back of the knee, knocking him down, and continued to beat him.
Chen Xin: "Lu Wensheng! You're rebelling! Ouch..."
She had already committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, so she wasn't afraid of adding another crime: assaulting an official of the imperial court.
Lu Wensheng deliberately kicked where it hurt: "Let me tell you the truth, I can live a good life even without this editor position. For the past two weeks, I've been treating you with the courtesy due to official etiquette, but that doesn't mean I, Lu Wensheng, am afraid of you! If beating a parasite like you is considered rebellion, then I can cause such rebellions hundreds or thousands of times. The refugees outside are as thin as firewood, while the Hanlin Academy, a meager department, has an official who is fatter than a pig! I curse you so you won't see the sun tomorrow, and you don't understand; I call you inhuman, and you still don't understand, you stupid thing!"
Huo Qian wanted to step forward to mediate the fight, but Shang Lian grabbed him.
Shang Lian: "Let Xiao Lu vent his anger. I will share the blame with him. In the past half month, Xiao Lu has helped Chen Xin draft countless articles and edicts, which have not only been repeatedly sent back for revision, but have also not been signed."
Huo Qian: "Since that's the case, then count me in too. Recently, whenever important matters are discussed, Chen Xin deliberately excludes Xiao Lu, often transferring the books and documents he urgently needs from the library ahead of time. Fortunately, Xiao Lu is very capable and has overcome it on his own."
They stood alone, not with the others.
Amidst the cracking sounds of beatings and whispers, no one stepped forward to stop it.
Now that Lu Wensheng was in a good mood, he delivered the final kick and spat at Chen Xin: "I'm waiting for you to go and complain!"
She looked up and around: "Anyone else itching for a beating? Step forward, and I'll grant their wish!"
The whispers stopped instantly, and the crowd collectively took several steps back.
Lu Wensheng was not someone to be trifled with before, but at least he had never resorted to violence. Unexpectedly, Chen Xin, who had just taken office, escaped the palace coup and purge unscathed, but could not escape Lu Wensheng's fists and feet.
After recovering from the pain, Chen Xin lay sprawled on the ground and threatened, "Just wait for the memorial impeaching you tomorrow morning! You can forget about being an editor again. In the officialdom of Yanjing, it's either you or me!"
Lu Wensheng blew on his nails and kicked him again: "One last thing, if you're so capable, go and howl in front of Shen Hegui."
Chen Xin: "You actually called His Highness the Crown Prince by his name, you..."
Lu Wensheng picked up the note from the ground and tore it to shreds: "Aren't names meant to be called out? Shen Hegui, Shen Hegui, Shen Hegui, I'll call out to him. Not only that, I even slept next to His Highness the Crown Prince last night! You try it if you dare, you fat parasite!"
Lu Wensheng pried open his mouth and flung the crumbs inside: "I'm suddenly in a bad mood, so I'm leaving."
Leaving the stunned Hanlin Academy members behind, Lu Wensheng dusted himself off, skipped work, and left.
As soon as she left, whispers began to emerge and grew louder.
"Lu Wensheng climbed into the Crown Prince's bed?!"
"I heard it too, he actually climbed into my bed!"
"That's too cruel, I can't do it, I can only accept beautiful women."
"Me too! If my dad found out I got in through connections, I'd be beaten to death!"
"Ahem, everyone get to work." Li Yan, the Imperial Reader, coughed a few times and called out to the crowd.
He couldn't help but recall that lunch in the west corridor. So Lu Wensheng had successfully confessed his feelings?! He was now His Highness's woman?! Could this man be made a concubine? He needed to immediately consult the history books, just in case!
...
The market was bustling with people in the evening.
The sunlight slanted across her face, making Lu Wensheng squint. She bought herself a mutton flatbread and some fresh chives and cabbage for her horse. There was a low stone bench by the roadside, and she casually sat down to eat her flatbread, while her horse stood quietly beside her, munching on its vegetables. The two of them, one standing and one sitting, chewing on their snacks together, created a surprisingly harmonious scene.
A traveling merchant passed by her and couldn't help but turn back to ask, "Your horse has a pure coat, a handsome face, long limbs, and well-defined tendons. Its hooves are as hard as rock. It's a rare and excellent horse. Would you sell it for twenty taels?"
A top-quality horse sold in the private sector costs around twelve taels of silver, which is a very reasonable price.
Lu Wensheng swallowed the last bite of the biscuit, wiped his hands on the horsehair, and said, "Not for sale!"
Horse trading was controlled by the government, and it was difficult to find good horses on the private market. That's why she chose a mule.
Undeterred, the traveling merchant took two steps closer, held up three fingers, and raised the price, saying, "Thirty taels, brother, I sincerely want it!"
Lu Wensheng stroked the horse's mane a few times, and the horse nuzzled her fingers with a very intelligent gesture, its bright eyes blinking.
Lu Wensheng laughed, looking arrogant, and said, "I'm not short of money. I wouldn't sell it even if the price was increased to thirty taels of gold." She patted the horse's neck, her words carrying a sense of nonchalance, "Once you've entered my family, you're family. I'm not so poor that I need to sell my family."
"Hey, why are you so rude!"
Lu Wensheng: "I already said I wasn't selling anymore, but you're still clinging to me. I'm already being lenient by not hitting you." She was dressed casually today, so she didn't care if she got into a fight.
The merchant hadn't expected that the seemingly weak and easily bullied scholar would turn so fiercely with a bandit-like air. He spat out a couple of curses and left in a huff.
Lu Wensheng chuckled, then took Xiao Yuan, who had been quiet all day, out of his sleeve and placed him on the horse's back.
"I'm full, now I'll take you on a mission."
Xiao Yuan: [Go now? It's not even dark yet! And isn't the Crown Prince in the palace? This mission is impossible, right?]
Lu Wensheng mounted his horse: "It's not like the crown prince can only be Shen Hegui. I can just buy a crown prince. Do you prefer a fish crown prince, a shrimp crown prince, or a traditional raccoon cat crown prince?"
Xiao Yuan hesitated: "...Will this...will this work?"
The horseshoes clattered on the ground, and Lu Wensheng's voice drifted away on the wind: "Why don't you try it and see? Or you can give me a cheat code and teleport Chen Hegui to the East Palace."
Xiao Yuan shrank back, her gaze darting around, and whispered, "[I don't have that ability. Did you deliberately hit Chen Xin just now to get him off duty early so you could complete your mission?]"
"That little bastard is quite clever, though there's an element of dejection in him. I never expected Shen Hegui to want me to work for him like this. Before I agreed, his tolerance for me must have been very high. If I don't beat him up today, when will I ever get another chance!"
Xiao Yuan corrected: "I'm a turtle, not a tortoise."
"Alright, little yellow turtle!"
Lu Wensheng took Xiaoyuan for a stroll through the seafood market, but they came out empty-handed. They picked out a white rabbit on the street. The reason was simple: seafood is too easy to die, and once it dies, it can't be woken up.
As dusk fell, Lu Wensheng, carrying the rabbit, finally found a dog hole hidden in a corner outside the East Palace wall. She looked around, covered her face with a cloth, and crawled inside using both hands and feet.
Meanwhile, the palace where Shen Hegui was located was brightly lit.
Shen Hegui: "These vacant official positions should be filled according to the list. Have the Hanlin Academy draft the edict overnight. The Cabinet and the Six Ministries should also work hard these two days. Let's stop here for today and go home."
"We take our leave!" The footsteps faded into the distance, and the palace doors closed.
Shen Hegui let her long hair down, tied it halfway with a jade hairpin, and then leaned against the dragon throne, rubbing her injured shoulder.
That old man Shen Rui doesn't hide anything from Shen Zhao; it's true that father and son have a deep bond.
Sulfur, what a nuisance! Maybe tonight…
"Your Highness, Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The guards have reported that someone has broken into the East Palace at night!" Feng Gou rushed in, holding a whisk, his voice shrill.
"The person has been caught?" Shen Hegui stood up, holding onto the armrest, and walked straight outside.
"No," Feng Gou replied, hunching over.
"Prepare the horses." There's nothing in the Eastern Palace. Whose people could they be? They're really stupid. If they catch them, they can be sent to the Imperial Prison for interrogation together. He always has trouble sleeping in the spring. It's good to send some fools to be reincarnated.
"Here you go!"
As Shen Hegui stepped into the palace gate, a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) dressed in a bright red flying fish robe rushed forward, knelt on one knee, and handed over a folded piece of paper: "Your Highness, the Hanlin Academy scholar was beaten up by Editor Lu. Editor Lu has disappeared after leaving the Hanlin Academy! Hanlin Academy scholar Chen Xin suffered minor injuries."
Shen Hegui unfolded the paper, glanced at it, and then, seemingly in disbelief, read it again word by word.
Her pale pink lips tightened at first, then she couldn't help but smile wryly, which eventually turned into a sullen laugh: "Lu Wensheng really did publicly announce that he climbed into my bed?"
Shen Hegui spoke very slowly, his words carrying not only annoyance but also a hint of helplessness.
The Imperial Guard lowered his head, not daring to look up at Shen Hegui's expression: "Yes!"
Shen Hegui touched his brow and ordered, "Go to the red-light district and see if Lu Wensheng is there. If he's not, take your men and go find him. Bring him to the palace before midnight."
"Yes!" The Imperial Guard accepted the order and left.
Gazing at the twinkling stars in the sky, Shen Hegui silently repeated Lu Wensheng's name several times in his heart.
What can he do to correct Lu Wensheng, make him give up his thoughts, get married and have children, and walk the right path?
Not only did he beat up an official of the imperial court, but he also spread rumors about him, becoming increasingly audacious. However, how could Lu Wensheng, with his thin arms and legs, possibly defeat Chen Xin, that fat worm?
On the other side, Lu Wensheng, who was hiding in the cabinet, waited until things had completely calmed down outside before cautiously starting to look for Shen Hegui's bedroom in the East Palace.
She now deeply regrets it. Of all things to fill in, why did she have to choose soap? The Eastern Palace is so vast; where exactly is Shen Hegui's bedroom? She wonders if there might even be soap inside.
As Lu Wensheng walked along the dark path, he began to have wicked thoughts: "Xiao Yuan, can I change the soap into something else, like his stool, his clothes, or his flowers and plants?"
Xiao Yuan peeked out: [I've already written it down, it can't be changed. There are guards coming from the right, host, be careful, don't get caught!]
Lu Wensheng hurriedly hid behind the artificial hill.
She was just unlucky; she had just crawled out of the dog hole when she ran into the maid who came to fetch water.
"You, you, and you, go over there. The five of you go and check around His Highness's bedchamber..." At the fork in the road, the lead guard held a torch and assigned patrol routes.
Xiao Yuan asked curiously, "Why isn't the rabbit in your arms moving?"
Just when she was about to fall asleep, a pillow was delivered to her; even the heavens were on her side! Lu Wensheng quietly followed the guard and took the opportunity to reply, "It struggled so much in the cabinet earlier that I gave it some sleeping potion."
Xiao Yuan: [...Can I still wake her up?]
"What's the rush? It's barely dark!"
Xiao Yuan: [I don't think this Rabbit Prince is very reliable!]
Lu Wensheng: "Let's try it first, what if this bug works! Shut up, it'll be troublesome if you get caught distracted." If she were caught on the spot, she wouldn't know how to explain it.
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