The Cheng family was half relieved and half anxious, and at the same time, the magistrate’s judge who had received First Master Cheng’s petition was also in a jumble of thoughts.
“Sir, is this lawsuit very difficult to handle?”
A subordinate offered him tea with concern, eyeing the judge’s beard, which had grown sparser by the day.
It was just a dispute over family property between brothers – this was the best kind of case. Everyone in the magistrate loved encountering such cases; landing one was enough to keep the whole office fed.
With a case like this, you should only be happy – who would be troubled by it?
“A quarrel between brothers? That depends on who the brothers are,” the judge said, tapping the petition on the desk. “The surname is Cheng… Cheng.”
His subordinate craned his neck for a look.
“What about the surname Cheng?” he asked.
The judge shot him a glance.
“What about the surname Cheng?” he repeated. “Clerk Wang, do you know how you got your current post in charge of the Right Division?”
Clerk Wang gave a fawning smile.
“I remember – it was all thanks to your guidance, sir,” he said.
The judge gave a snort.
“Wrong. It was actually this Cheng fellow who helped you,” he said.
“Huh?” Clerk Wang stared in confusion.
“Back then, Liu Jinquan was riding high, basking in success, and he was even the Prefect’s trusted man. But he provoked this Cheng, ended up in utter disgrace, and was kicked out of the capital. Otherwise, you’d still be out in the mountains overseeing the mines,” the judge said with a curl of his lip.
Clerk Wang was deeply surprised.
“I heard he offended Master Gao…” he said.
The judge glared.
“You hopeless case. You’ve been in the capital this long – could you at least pay some attention and find out what’s going on around you? This is the capital, this is the magistrate. How do you expect to keep your footing if you go around deaf and dumb?” he scolded furiously.
Clerk Wang nodded repeatedly in agreement.
The judge, irritated, waved him out and went back to staring blankly at the petition.
Lady Cheng was not someone to be trifled with – but Master Gao was even worse.
If he angered Lady Cheng, he’d end up like that Feng Lin; but if he angered Master Gao, he’d end up like Liu Jinquan. No matter what he did this time, he would offend someone – he’d run straight into a dead end.
That Prefect, that crafty fiend!
Dumping this hot potato onto him!
“No, this won’t do. Even if it’s a civil case, Second Master Cheng is still an official – we must have the Grand Court of Revision involved to make the final judgment!” the adjudicator said, slapping the desk.
Just as he spoke, the door was pulled open and Clerk Wang, who had just been kicked out, rushed back in.
“Sir, General Guide Zhou, has arrived,” he said.
General Guide Zhou!
The judge shivered. As expected, Lady Cheng had sent someone to deliver a message.
“Is this case very difficult to rule on?”
Master Zhou got straight to the point as soon as he entered.
Truly worthy of being someone sent by Lady Cheng – he was fierce, no less imposing than those coming from Young Master Gao’s side.
The judge couldn’t help but put on a placating smile.
“Not difficult, not difficult,” he said.
“Then why hasn’t there been a single move these past few days?” Master Zhou demanded, eyes wide.
The judge hesitated.
“Then… how do you think it should be judged?” he asked.
“Is that even a question?” Master Zhou snorted. “The evidence is conclusive. Cheng Dong hid assets and secretly registered them under his wife’s name. It should be classified as property registered under another household.”
The adjudicator nodded repeatedly.
“Yes, yes, though I wouldn’t dare call it property registered under another household outright… wait?” He only realized what he’d said after speaking on reflex, and looked up at Master Zhou in surprise.
What had he just said?
“What do you mean you ‘don’t dare call it property registered under another household’? It is property registered under another household,” Master Zhou said.
The judge stared at him.
“But Master Zhou, that’s Lady Cheng’s father,” he said.
“So what if he’s her father? If a father does something like this, should his children cover it up for him? A father is important, but the clan is even more important. Do you want Lady Cheng to bear the stain of deceiving her own clan? Is she that kind of person?” Master Zhou said, full of righteous indignation.
The judge looked at him and slowly nodded.
“Oh, I understand,” he said slowly. “In that case, this matter becomes easy to handle.”
After sending Master Zhou off, the judge slapped the desk.
“Someone come,” he called.
Clerk Wang hurried in. Seeing the judge holding the petition, he quickly reached out to take it.
“Sir, are you sending it to the Grand Court of Revision? I’ll deliver it myself,” he said ingratiatingly.
The judge spat at him.
“Are you stupid? How could we send such a good case to the Grand Court of Revision!” he said. “Summon the plaintiff and the defendant to court. I will make the ruling and announce the judgment.”
A good case?
This thing that had nearly made his beard and hair fall out from stress was somehow now a good thing?
Clerk Wang took the petition, utterly confused.
There were always so many twists and turns in the capital.
“Master!”
When she saw the official seal stamped onto the document, Second Madam Cheng could no longer hold back her grief – she covered her face and burst into tears. If not for the two maids supporting her from behind, she would have collapsed on the spot.
“You’ve worked hard,” First Master Cheng said to the magistrate runners with a smile.
A servant beside him quickly handed over a red envelope.
The runners did not refuse; they accepted it with cheerful smiles.
“The document has already been amended, First Master Cheng. Please keep it safe. We’ll take our leave now,” they said.
First Master Cheng saw them off with a smile.
“We’ve arranged everything at the Immortal’s Abode. Please go and have a seat,” he said.
Listen to him – already putting on the airs of the head of the family!
Second Master Cheng’s face was ashen behind him.
Even during the few days he managed these shops, it had never occurred to him to invite anyone to eat and drink there freely – he was afraid of wasting money.
If he had known, why bother saving that money? All he’d done was make a wedding coat for someone else.
After sending off the yamen runners, First Master Cheng turned and saw Second Master Cheng; his smile instantly vanished.
“Brother, take this before it burns your hands,” Second Master Cheng said through clenched teeth.
“It’s perfectly proper for me to hold onto it. You’re the one who’d get burned,” First Master Cheng replied, expression cool. “I’m looking out for you. If I hadn’t handled things this time, you’d already be on your way to the Grand Court of Revision – your official rank wouldn’t be safe.”
“You’re looking out for me? You call this looking out for me?” Second Master Cheng shouted, eyes going red. “I-I…”
He struggled for breath for a moment.
“I’ll go tell Mother–”
“Tell her what?” First Master Cheng sneered. “Tell her you took the property your own daughter earned and, instead of giving it to Mother, you secretly handed it to your wife?”
“Aren’t you afraid Mother will accuse you of unfilial conduct again?”
Thinking of his mother’s temper, Second Master Cheng couldn’t help freezing up for a moment.
Although she had always been proud of him and wanted him to win her a noble title, loving him the most, she couldn’t resist the fact that he lived away from home – while the eldest couple stayed by her side, who knew how many poisonous whispers they had fed her to slander him.
If she were to accuse him of unfilial conduct again, he truly wouldn’t be able to remain in the capital.
“See to your own affairs,” First Master Cheng said coolly as he looked at the now-silenced Second Master Cheng, then lifted his foot to walk away.
“Wait!”
Second Madam Cheng suddenly thought of something and stopped crying long enough to yell, “Brother, there’s still my money in those shops – you have to return it to me!”
First Master Cheng let out a derisive snort.
“You say it’s there, so it’s there?” he replied.
“Brother, it’s true – that wretch… that Jiao-niang spent all the money on buying out the courtesan’s time. The shop couldn’t keep running, so I put in silver from my dowry to keep things afloat,” Second Madam Cheng said urgently, hurrying after First Master Cheng. “I even sold quite a few pieces of jewelry.”
First Master Cheng did not slow his steps.
“That’s just what you say. You claim you put in a lot of money – who knows how much you secretly pocketed after holding onto the account book for so long?” he said. “I’m already being generous by not asking you for money, and you still dare come asking me.”
Heavens! She was being wronged to death!
“Brother! Heaven and earth as my witnesses!”
Second Madam Cheng burst into tears again, pounding her chest.
“Heaven and earth as my witnesses! Heaven and earth!”
How could a person be so cold-hearted? Was there no justice left in this world?
Her money! Her jewelry! And the account book showing clearly that the profits were growing day by day! Just a few more days – just a few more days until the full month, and she’d have gotten her payout!
Heavens…!
“I can’t live like this! I might as well die!”
Once again, the Cheng family residence erupted into noisy chaos.
In early April, when the sky was fully bright, the Emperor on the throne withdrew from court to the sound of flutes, pipes, and bells played by the palace musicians. Minister Chen Shao and the other senior officials continued on to the Hall of Diligent Governance for further deliberations, while the remaining civil and military officials were free to disperse.
As always, many people clustered around Young Master Gao, chatting and laughing.
“I thought Young Master Gao might feel too ashamed to show up and would call in sick today,” one official said in a low voice from a distance.
Another official gave a soft grunt.
“How could he?” he said. “Young Master Gao wouldn’t feign illness without being ill. And look – someone who’s actually injured hasn’t taken leave and has still come to court.”
As he spoke, he jerked his chin toward the other side. The first official glanced over and saw a lively group there as well, talking and laughing.
Most of them were newly appointed officials – successful candidates from the recent civil service examinations.
“Oh, that Jinshi Cheng,” he said with a smile, his gaze drifting to Cheng Si-lang’s hand. “What a pity the sleeves of the court robe are so long.”
He wasn’t the only one whose eyes swept toward Cheng Si-lang’s arm.
Cheng Si-lang remained oblivious, still chatting and laughing with his colleagues. Even when someone came over with ill intentions and deliberately asked about his injury, he generously raised his hand and pulled up his sleeve.
“It’s nothing serious, just a minor wound,” he said with a laugh.
A minor wound?
“Wasn’t it said to be broken?” someone exclaimed in surprise.
Cheng Si-lang laughed heartily.
“Of course not! It was just some rowdiness at the drinking table, a bit of pushing and shoving, and some heated words. How could it have led to real broken bones and tendons?” he replied, laughing. “If you say that, what kind of person are you making Young Master Gao out to be?”
That official dared not casually discuss Young Master Gao and, upon hearing this, quickly joined in the laughter, not daring to say another word.
“Come on, let’s go. It’s rare for us to gather like this today – my treat,” Cheng Si-lang said with a laugh, beckoning to those around him.
Anyone who could spend fifty thousand strings of cash to secure the company of a top courtesan was sure to offer an extraordinary treat. Instantly, a crowd gathered around him.
“Will we have the pleasure of Lady Zhu’s company too?” someone joked lightheartedly.
“Of course,” Cheng Si-lang replied.
His bright, cheerful laughter carried a tone of boundless triumph and satisfaction.
The sound drew glances from everyone nearby.
Among over four hundred jinshi graduates, not all could be recognized and remembered – but Cheng Si-lang, despite his lower rank, had managed to achieve just that. Though, it was his famed rivalry at Desheng Pavilion over the courtesan that had made him a household name.
“Truly, the unbridled audacity of youth,” one man remarked, stroking his beard and shaking his head. His expression seemed to disapprove of the young man, yet his tone carried a hint of envy.
“What an absurd fellow and an absurd affair – and he doesn’t even seem ashamed,” another commented with clear displeasure. “How utterly improper.”
No matter how they criticized, as Cheng Si-lang departed, the incident ultimately became just another tale of youthful folly. Though not exactly honorable, it was, after all, a private matter. And given his youth, it was hardly considered a serious transgression.
When it came to youthful indiscretions, there were more than a few among the court officials who had their own stories.
Watching the crowd disperse and hearing the murmurs around him, Young Master Gao’s smile turned strained.
“That kid has some nerve, acting as though he’s made peace with you. When did you ever say this matter was settled?” his attendant muttered indignantly under his breath.
“Nonsense!”
Young Master Gao glared at him, eyebrows furrowed.
“Am I a fool? Do you think I don’t know that? Why are you stating the obvious to my face – are you deliberately mocking me?”
Realizing he had overstepped, the attendant hurriedly apologized, his flattery having backfired.
Ignoring him, Young Master Gao turned his gaze back in the direction Cheng Si-lang and the others had gone.
Damn it!
How shameless! How utterly brazen!
Yet, as it turned out, it was the shameless ones who lived without restraint. By carrying on so indifferently and flaunting himself everywhere, Cheng Si-lang was successfully making the incident seem trivial – as though the two of them had already reconciled with a laugh.
If Young Master Gao failed to respond with similar grace now, he would be seen as petty, vindictive, and a poor sport.
“Goddamn it!”
Young Master Gao spat the words through gritted teeth.
“Pah.”
A sound came from behind him, clearly also filled with anger.
Who was that “pah” directed at?
Young Master Gao turned around with a furious glare, but his expression instantly shifted into a smile.
“Your Highness, Prince Ping,” he hurriedly called out, bowing in greeting.
The young prince, dressed in court robes and walking with his hands clasped behind his back, let out a haughty humph, his face dark.
This was already a considerable gesture – had it been anyone other than Young Master Gao, he wouldn’t have even bothered to humph.
“Your Highness? Is something troubling you?” Young Master Gao asked.
“Troubling me?” Prince Ping replied coldly. “Why would I be troubled? Surely you’ve heard about the victory – Maoping has quelled the rebellion, and Duke Jin’an has won a great triumph?”
