The Defiance . . .
"It appears they've come in search of some easy gains," Lan Lang-Lang sneered with disdain. After spitting on the ground in contempt, he continued, "In the past, the military held considerable power, and these upstarts dared not lift their heads in our presence. Now that our primary support has departed, they suddenly find the courage to challenge us. Their cowardly fathers remain safely ensconced in the capital, after all. Naturally, they take this opportunity to flaunt their supposed authority."
Zuo Wu-Ji let out a heavy cough and cautioned, "Lang, choose your words carefully. What do you mean, the military forces?"
Lan Lang-Lang rolled his eyes and acknowledged that Zuo Wu-Ji had once been part of the other side. He chuckled and remarked, "Zuo Zuo, you're different. You've abandoned the dark side and joined us on the bright side."
Zuo Wu-Ji sighed internally, [I left a group of frivolous lords only to join another bunch of frivolous lords, the so-called 'three lords in town.' Where's the 'dark' and 'bright' part in this equation? Is the 'three lords in town' a better title? It might even be worse. What do you mean, 'come to the bright side'? Right now, I'm probably on the 'dark side.' No, that's too harsh. Fine, I've joined the 'bright side' indeed. Wait, that doesn't sound right either. I'm just demeaning myself either way. Lan Lang-Lang, you rascal, what were you thinking? I'm just humiliating myself!]
But let's set aside Lord Zuo's inner turmoil. Cha-Eun Xiao kept his gaze fixed on the approaching group.
With half-closed eyes, he felt a seething fire within him. He blinked and soon recognized a familiar face among the troublemakers—Wang Xiao-Nian, the son of the Chief Guard of the Crown Prince's Palace. Wang Xiao-Nian's eyes bore into Cha-Eun Xiao with seething anger.
Wang Xiao-Nian remained hidden behind the group of young rakes who appeared to be the instigators of this confrontation. Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but crack a wry smile. [So, the wise Crown Prince truly has no knowledge of this?]
He thought about the dignified king who had earlier stood atop the wall in his resplendent yellow robe and compared him to these foolish young men in their ridiculous attire, displaying nothing but cowardice on their faces.
His smile held a tinge of disdain.
"Regardless, we should tread carefully," Zuo Wu-Ji cautioned. "The army has only just departed. Even if we're forced into conflict with them, it will reflect poorly on all of us. Their fathers hold positions in the court, and we're in no condition to challenge them presently. Let's step back for a while; the situation is likely to improve."
Cha-Eun Xiao offered a faint, noncommittal smile but did not respond.
He thought back to Song Jue's words: "Prince Hua-Yang supports all the families associated with the military."
Now he truly comprehended the full meaning behind those words. Prince Hua-Yang had scarcely departed from the city when these troublemakers had appeared. The military and political factions were perpetually at odds, each trying to outdo the other. One faction would rise while the other fell, and then the roles would reverse. But these young men from the political side had chosen the worst possible time to confront their rivals. Their actions indicated either a lack of intellect or an overabundance of foolishness.
With these thoughts in mind, Cha-Eun Xiao turned to look at Song Jue. He saw Song Jue, arms crossed over his chest, seated in a carriage, his gaze fixed coldly on the approaching troublemakers. His eyes emitted a palpable intent to kill.
Clearly, Song Jue was more furious than Cha-Eun Xiao and had already contemplated resorting to violence.
Cha-Eun Xiao had no doubt that Song Jue would show no mercy once the confrontation escalated.
As he mulled over these matters, the troublemakers approached closer. Dozens of men on horseback followed them, and they surrounded Cha-Eun Xiao's group, leveraging their numerical advantage.
The incessant clattering and neighing of horses added to the tension of the moment.
"Zuo Wu-Ji!" Li Cheng-Ze, the Right Prime Minister's grandson, waved dismissively. "Move aside. We're not interested in you today. Be a good boy and step aside. If you do, we won't beat you."
Zuo Wu-Ji sneered. "Beat me? You?"
Li Cheng-Ze's fury flared, and he adopted a menacing tone. "Zuo Wu-Ji, I strongly advise you to heed my words. Don't think we won't dare to lay a hand on you just because your grandfather is the Zuo Prime Minister. If you provoke me, I'll gladly beat you senseless. You'll be the first to fall!"
Zuo Wu-Ji displayed no fear whatsoever as he lifted his head defiantly. "You want to beat me? Do you need some extra guts for that? Maybe I can lend you a few!"
Li Cheng-Ze's eyes filled with menace, and he nodded slowly. "Zuo Wu-Ji, remember what you just said. Wait and watch. Don't cry later!"
He then swung his horsewhip and pointed it menacingly at Cha-Eun Xiao. "Cha-Eun Xiao, get over here. It's time for us to settle things."
Laughter erupted among Li Cheng-Ze's followers, and some of them began to speak crudely.
"I wonder how Brother Li plans to settle this score. Is he going to have a 'midnight snack'? It's not nighttime yet... hahaha..."
"It's better to do it before nightfall, isn't it? That way, he can enjoy it a few more times..."
"Indeed. With plenty of time, we can all savor it together. Let's devour the crap out of it!"
Their voices dripped with malice.
Meanwhile, others in the group stared at Su Ye-Yue with lustful eyes while continuing their conversation.
If Prince Hua-Yang were still in the capital, these individuals would never dare to even glance at Su Ye-Yue, knowing that Prince Hua-Yang would swiftly deal with them. However, with Prince Hua-Yang away at war, they felt emboldened to act on their base desires.
Su Ye-Yue, though young, was considered the most beautiful girl in the capital, and these men had long lusted after her. Their previous confrontations with Cha-Eun Xiao were partly due to their resentment over him being referred to as 'the fiancé of the pretty princess.'
They'd be pleased to see Cha-Eun Xiao suffer a crippling defeat.
Blushing with embarrassment, Su Ye-Yue stepped forward and positioned herself in front of Cha-Eun Xiao. She shouted angrily, "What do you want?"
One of the men smirked. "Little princess, don't be afraid. We're here to settle a debt with Cha-Eun Xiao. We'll leave right after we're done... Hahaha... We won't bother you."
As he spoke, he continued to leer at Su Ye-Yue, his lecherous eyes roaming up and down her figure.
"Jiang Tai-Sui!" Zuo Wu-Ji bellowed in fury. "Show some restraint!"
Jiang Tai-Sui was the son of the Revenue Minister. Legend had it that when he was born, it coincided with the Tai Sui, a celestial force associated with bad luck. Hence, he was named Jiang Tai-Sui, which roughly meant 'Tai Sui arrives; no evil appears.'
Perhaps the name had worked its magic, as Jiang Tai-Sui had never faced any hardships in his life. He was notorious for his lecherous behavior, bullying men, and harassing women. He seemed to target anyone and everyone.
Jiang Tai-Sui laughed and responded lewdly, "Look who's talking. Oh, I'm so scared. It's Lord Zuo, the man whose equipment doesn't work! Ouch... You'd better lower your voice, Lord Zuo. I'm quite fragile, you know..."
Zuo Wu-Ji seethed with anger, his face turning a deep shade of red. The taunt from Jiang Tai-Sui had hit him where it hurt the most—his congenital condition. Although it was no secret, it was the first time someone had insulted him so openly about it in front of a crowd. The rage boiled inside him, and he couldn't find words to respond.
Lan Lang-Lang, on the other hand, found the situation amusing. He chuckled and sarcastically praised Jiang Tai-Sui. "Well done! You truly live up to your reputation as the son of the Revenue Minister, the most corrupt official in the entire kingdom. You speak with the same shamelessness as your father. That's truly admirable!"
Jiang Yu-Ming, the Revenue Minister, was renowned as the wealthiest official in the Kingdom of Chen. Some people even referred to him as a living treasury. This description wasn't just a reference to his role in managing the national finances; it also highlighted his immense personal wealth.
Jiang Yu-Ming's personal fortune was indeed staggering, but what made him truly exceptional was his financial maneuvering. He had been serving the king since the monarch's childhood, which had led to the king never taking him too seriously. Instead, the king often used any excuse to extract money from Jiang Yu-Ming, exploiting him as a hidden "treasury" of sorts.
In the royal court of the Kingdom of Chen, Jiang Yu-Ming held a unique status—a figure whose wealth could never truly be depleted. Whenever the kingdom faced financial crises, it was a well-known tradition to impose fines on Jiang Yu-Ming to replenish the coffers. Despite repeatedly parting with his riches, Jiang Yu-Ming always managed to amass vast wealth within a matter of months. His ability to generate illicit gains was nothing short of a "miracle" that had persisted for decades.