Although Long Xuanmo was highly skilled in martial arts, unfortunately, Yang Chengyou and Yang Chenghong had integrated the martial arts taught by Weichi Kong with their sister’s techniques. Not only were their moves strange and swift, but they also coordinated flawlessly. Long Xuanmo was completely at a loss against them and even took a few punches and kicks, gradually finding himself at a disadvantage.
Of course, Mo Mei was no match for Hai Tang. It took only a dozen or so moves for Hai Tang to defeat her, leaving her acupoints sealed and unable to move.
And Mo Yun and others were beaten by Shi Qing and his people so badly they couldn’t fight back at all. Each of them was filled with shock and horror, thinking, "My God, how could these few followers be even more formidable than us, who have been specially trained for nearly twenty years as the Hidden Guard? How can we stand this?"
In the end, Long Xuanmo had no choice but to leave with his subordinates. Before he left, he gazed deeply at the room that the Yang brothers had specially prepared for Yang Mengchen, which he had seen earlier. He then glanced at the Yang brothers, and a profound and unfathomable light flickered through his deep eyes.
"Is the Prince leaving?" Yang Mengchen asked her two brothers who walked in softly.
Yang Chengyou nodded.
Seeing a small bruise on Yang Chengyou’s fair forehead, Yang Mengchen quickly pulled him to sit down, took out some medicinal oil, and gently rubbed it, while complaining, "Why did the Prince hit you so hard?" freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"It’s nothing. We were just sparring with the Prince, stopping at touching."
Enjoying the care of his sister and taking the opportunity to scorn Long Xuanmo once more, Yang Chengyou and Yang Chenghong exchanged a secret look, their eyes twinkling with satisfaction and slyness. Yang Chengyou had intentionally taken a punch from Long Xuanmo to leave that mark, and except for his face, Long Xuanmo would undoubtedly be in pain for several days.
"I’m off to the office," Yang Chengyou said as he rose. "These next few days, Ninth Sister, stay at home peacefully and try not to go out too much to avoid any complications."
Understanding her brothers’ well-intentioned concerns, Yang Mengchen nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, as soon as Yang Chengyou had just reached the outside of Hanlin Academy, an eunuch came forward to inform him that the Emperor summoned him. Barely raising an eyebrow, Yang Chengyou quickly tidied up his appearance and followed the eunuch to the Imperial Study Room. He knelt and kowtowed, "Your humble official pays his respects to the Emperor. May the Emperor live ten thousand, ten thousand years!"
The man seated behind the desk was about fifty years old, with a few strands of white at his temples, but with few wrinkles on his face. His expression was calm but his eyes held traces of vicissitudes and sharpness, and an imperious aura surrounded him, commanding respect from those who saw him.
Setting aside the memorial in his hand, the Emperor looked at Yang Chengyou for a long while, "What happened to Sir Yang’s forehead?"
"To answer Your Majesty," Yang Chengyou replied evenly, "At noon today, after a disagreement, Prince Chen and I came to blows, and I was inadvertently struck by the Prince."
"Sir Yang has a lot of nerve to actually fight with a Prince of the current dynasty!" the Emperor exclaimed in a burst of anger.
As if not feeling the Emperor’s anger, Yang Chengyou said with justified boldness, "My sister is innocent and naive to the ways of the world. She had come to the Capital by Your Majesty’s order to present herself before you and should have stayed in her own home. But Prince Chen forcibly kept my sister in his mansion, and even deceived her into making a public spectacle this morning, clearly tarnishing her reputation. I advised him with good words, but Prince Chen wouldn’t listen and even started a fight with me and my brothers. Although I’m a low-ranking official, my sister is the treasure of our family. Now that our elders are absent, as her elder brother, it is my duty to protect her."
"In your heart, is your sister’s reputation more important than a Prince’s dignity?" the Emperor’s lips curled in a faint, ambiguous smile.
Yang Chengyou earnestly replied, "The ancient teaching says, ’If one’s own family is not well governed, how can one govern the state and the world?’ As an elder brother, if I cannot even protect my sister, how can I speak of serving the Imperial Court or of being capable of protecting the country and our family?"
Moreover, in these times the world inherently holds numerous harsh expectations for women. Recently, rumors have swirled that two princes vied for my sister’s affections, branding her a femme fatale, a source of disasters. Should any more unfavorable rumors about my sister spread, how could she show her face in this world? By then, I would have no face to confront our elders, who would certainly be devastated. The consequences are self-evident.
Furthermore, this time it was Prince Chen who erred first. Even if it costs me my life, I cannot allow Prince Chen to tarnish my sister’s reputation!"
"What an example of, ’if one cannot govern his own family, how can he govern the state and the world’!" Emperor nodded with approval, "I will pursue this no further, but I hope you will always adhere to your true self and become a paragon of loyalty and talent for Dong Chu!"
Yang Chengyou knelt, "Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for his magnanimity and will not let down Your Majesty’s hopes!"
"Enough, you may leave."
"Your servant takes his leave!"
After Yang Chengyou left, Emperor shook his head, "A prince of the court conducting himself so absurdly is simply unseemly!" His tone carried the frustration of one who hates to find his expectations confounded.
The only listener, Sun Chuanmao cautiously said, "Sir Yang is naturally gentle and modest, with the sole exception being matters concerning his family! However, today he was indeed somewhat rash."
"If he had always been tepid and overly kind, I would not have directly appointed him as top scholar!" Emperor said meaningfully, "You need not probe into my thoughts; I see things clearer and understand them better than anyone. Issue the decree: for his diligent administration, Yang Chengyou is promoted to Officer of the Ministry of Revenue!"
For the Emperor, a minister’s rashness could be tempered, but the foremost quality was loyalty to the Emperor. If a minister was capable and handled affairs with smooth and cautious circumspection, and moreover, had a reputation for being too benevolent and impeccable, it would put the Emperor ill at ease.
"His Majesty is truly wise!" Sun Chuanmao inwardly marveled: Sir Yang had only been in office for half a year, yet he had already been promoted twice. This signaled an imminent significant use of his talents.
Emerging from the Imperial Study Room, Yang Chengyou lifted his eyes to the vast blue sky. His handsome face remained calm and undisturbed, but his eyes harbored a burning intensity.
After the public call for marriage proposals and today’s event, the Emperor should no longer hold my sister accountable. Only then would my sister be safe.
As for Prince Chen, as the saying goes, ’better to sacrifice a comrade than oneself.’ Since Prince Chen has persistently wooed my sister, it’s only right that he shields her from all the storms and becomes her steadfast haven. Only then would we feel assured entrusting my sister to Prince Chen.
Yang Mengchen stayed peacefully at home, meanwhile learning the proper etiquette from Sister Jin, lest she make a faux pas when presented before the Emperor.
Several families, upon learning of Yang Mengchen’s arrival in The Capital, took into consideration the unusual nature of the times and thus did not send invitations to socialize.
At midnight, Long Xuanmo silently approached the Yang Mansion, but the strict guard made it impossible to sneak into Yang Mengchen’s bedroom, and he had to return without achieving his goal.
On the fourth morning, Sun Chuanmao arrived at the Yang Mansion, instructed Bai He and her three companions to stay behind, while Yang Mengchen, accompanied by Sister Jin and Hai Tang, followed Sun Chuanmao to the Cining Palace.
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