Su Yan had been waiting in the reception hall of Pingliang County King’s Residence, sipping two cups of tea and nibbling on a plate of osmanthus cakes. After dusting off the crumbs from his hands, he stood up, ready to leave.
Courtesy before force—he had already shown courtesy. If Zhu Yougou didn’t know what was good for him, then he couldn’t blame Su Yan for moving straight to coercion. He would simply bring the Embroidered Uniform Guards and raze Zhu Yougou’s estate to the ground.
Just as he reached the exit, Zhu Yougou entered. The two met face-to-face.
Rumors had long described the Shaanxi Censor Su Yan as possessing an exceptional appearance. Now that he saw him up close, Zhu Yougou had to admit—the rumors did not exaggerate. Su Yan was refined and elegant, his features noble and striking. The dark blue robe contrasted against his snowy complexion, like a white egret gliding across a clear sky, exuding an air of effortless grace.
Zhu Yougou sized him up from head to toe and sneered. “Censor Su, I’ve heard much about you. My health was unwell earlier—apologies for keeping you waiting.”
Su Yan looked him over as well. The man before him was a young, portly prince in his twenties—not unattractive, but the excess flesh on his cheeks squashed his features together, making him look like a clumsy street vendor whose shaky hands had piled all the ingredients onto the center of a pancake.
This was the late emperor’s grandson, the son of Cun Wang, the Pingliang County King Zhu Yougou? He looked no different from the stereotypical shut-in slob from his past life.
Su Yan silently ridiculed him—so young, yet already with sagging eye bags and a dull gaze. Clearly, he had drowned himself in debauchery.
Still, he maintained a polite demeanor and cupped his hands with a faint smile. “My respects to Your Highness, the Pingliang County King. One does not visit the Three Treasures Hall for no reason—does Your Highness know why I am here?”
Zhu Yougou, already irked by Su Yan’s bluntness, thought: Since you won’t bother with pleasantries, I won’t waste my time either. He immediately dropped his fake smile and feigned ignorance. “What brings Censor Su here?”
Su Yan replied, “Perhaps the clerks of the two offices were negligent and failed to deliver the newly issued decree to your county king residence, which has delayed the clearing of your estate from the pastureland. So, I have personally come to deliver the ‘Eviction Order.’ Wangye, as a royal of the imperial family, surely you would not knowingly break the law and refuse to comply?”
As he spoke, he unfurled a large scroll stamped with official seals and handed it to Zhu Yougou.
By attributing the month-long delay to clerical oversight, he was giving Zhu Yougou a graceful way out. Su Yan hoped the foolish county king would recognize the situation and retreat sensibly—no need to escalate this from words to force.
But instead of being swayed, Zhu Yougou showed an unsettling expression, a smirk dripping with malice.
Su Yan frowned slightly. He watched as Zhu Yougou reached into his robe and pulled out a folded slip of paper.
Zhu Yougou said, “What a coincidence. I also have something for Censor Su. Today, I received a secret letter. I had a short passage transcribed from it—I hear Censor Su is quite learned, so please, have a read.”
Uncertain of his intentions, Su Yan took the paper with caution and unfolded it.
The moment his eyes landed on the text, he froze.
Then, as his mind processed it, countless curses surged forth—he wished he could bundle them all into a shot put and hurl it straight at Yu Wang’s head from across the provinces!
Writing to him was bad enough—but if Yu Wang had to write, could he at least do it with some d*mn decorum?
What the h*ll was all this about “moaning like an oriole in song”? “Glistening like dew, dripping like rain”—was he writing erotica or directing a scandalous drama?!
And what in the blazes was “spreading jade-like thighs, trembling waist arching in submission”? “Hips thrusting, waist writhing, feet curling in ecstasy”? Was he serious?!
And this was just one excerpt! The full letter? Who knew how much filth it contained!
If this letter had been sent directly to him, he’d have been disgusted but could simply burn it. But falling into the hands of Pingliang’s county king?
D*mn you!
D*mn you a thousand times over!
Staring at the opening line—I still remember our tryst at the waterside pavilion, when our love was sweet and deep—Su Yan’s vision went dark.
Under his breath, he muttered through clenched teeth, “That d*mn dog Wangye!”
Jinghong Zhui hurriedly supported him from behind and called out worriedly, “My lord?”
Su Yan immediately came back to his senses, clenched the slip of paper into his palm, and said with a firm fist, “It’s nothing. You may withdraw.”
Jinghong Zhui shot a cold glare at Zhu Yougou before reluctantly stepping back a few paces.
Zhu Yougou glared at Su Yan and demanded angrily, “Who is that ‘dog wangye cursing at?”
“It wasn’t directed at you.” Su Yan, after the initial shock, gradually regained his composure.
Zhu Yougou, still seething, snapped, “Lord Censor Su has yet to comment on this letter. I’m all ears!”
Su Yan quickly calculated his options and replied offhandedly, “I am but a shallow scholar, unable to grasp the full picture. It would be best if Wangye could lend me the original letter so I may provide a proper assessment.”
Zhu Yougou secretly sneered at his naivety. The original letter was his trump card to keep Su Yan in check—how could he possibly give him any chance to destroy it?
He scoffed and said, “Since Lord Censor Su humbles himself and refuses to comment, I shall present this letter to the public and invite the officials of Shaanxi to judge it together. What do you think?”
Within just a few exchanges, Su Yan had already devised a countermeasure. He deliberately put on an expression of being cornered, his face flushing red with shame, his lips turning pale from biting down, and his eyes flickering with uncertainty as he looked at his opponent.
Zhu Yougou was delighted by this display of weakness and burst into laughter. A scholar is still just a scholar, he thought. At merely sixteen or seventeen, how much experience and cunning could he possibly have? No matter how many books he’s read or how clever he may be, when it comes to matters concerning his own reputation and future, he is still helpless.
Jinghong Zhui sensed something amiss and stepped forward with his sword drawn, exuding a menacing aura. But before he could act, Su Yan grabbed his arm and scolded in a low voice, “Do not act recklessly! Step back at once.” Then, he turned to Zhu Yougou and cupped his hands, saying, “My guard is ignorant and rash. I ask for Wangye’s pardon.”
At that moment, realization struck Jinghong Zhui—Su Yan was baiting him! The fat-headed fish he was angling for was right before them. Otherwise, given his temperament, even when facing imperial relatives, he would either talk his way out and seek revenge later or flip the table outright. He would never show such a cowardly demeanor.
Zhu Yougou drawled, “In that case, shall Lord Censor Su and I renegotiate the matter of the manor?”
Su Yan hesitated, glancing around. Zhu Yougou understood that he found it inconvenient to speak with so many people present, so he ordered everyone to leave.
Once the Wangye’s servants had withdrawn, Su Yan turned and signaled the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind him to step outside as well.
Jinghong Zhui, however, refused to leave his lord alone with such a treacherous man. Pretending not to understand, he stood there like an immovable post.
Su Yan scolded angrily, “Wu Ming! You troublemaker! If you don’t obey orders, I’ll have you whipped!” As he spoke, he landed several loud slaps on Jinghong Zhui’s face.
The blows were light—nothing more than a sound effect—but under their cover, he whispered so faintly it was barely audible: “Yu Wang’s messenger is here. Go save him.”
Jinghong Zhui was puzzled but knew that if Su Yan was acting, it must be a matter of great importance. If he disobeyed, he might ruin Su Yan’s entire plan.
He shot Su Yan a silent question with his eyes: Can you get out safely?
Su Yan answered with his gaze: Don’t worry. No matter what, he wouldn’t dare kill me in the manor.
Jinghong Zhui hesitated for a moment, but after a final urging glance from Su Yan, he had no choice but to play along. He put on a sulking face, as if bitterly nursing a grudge, and withdrew from the reception hall with a dark expression.
Only Su Yan and Zhu Yougou remained in the room.
Su Yan let out a breath of relief. What he feared most at the moment wasn’t that Zhu Yougou would harm him, but that Ah Zhui, out of stubborn loyalty, would refuse to obey orders in order to protect him. Thankfully, Ah Zhui had chosen trust over blind loyalty, which made Su Yan regard his personal guard with newfound respect.
Only Su Yan and Zhu Yougou remained in the reception hall.
Zhu Yougou knew it was time to talk seriously—about benefits and leverage. Confident in his upper hand, he swaggered into the main seat and said with theatrical flair, “So, Lord Censor Su has finally come around? After all, I am royalty. Opposing me could never end well, could it? A wise man knows when to yield, Lord Su. From now on, you just manage your horse affairs and stay out of my estate business. If I’m pleased, I’ll keep that letter safe and sound. But if you dare turn on me… heh.”
Su Yan’s face turned pale as he gritted his teeth. “Wangye, hand over the letter first.”
Zhu Yougou glanced sideways at him, chuckling softly.
Su Yan’s face turned from pale to red, a look of deep humiliation clouding his expression. “What must I do for Wangye to give me the letter?”
Zhu Yougou had originally only intended to protect his estates, but Su Yan’s submissive tone awakened his greed. Su Yan now held significant power over Shaanxi. With such a rare opportunity to have leverage over him, why not demand more? Pasturelands were only part of it—what about warhorses, private tea trade, smuggled salt? All were highly lucrative. Why settle for a mere dozen estates? Such small-minded thinking!
After a moment of self-reflection, Zhu Yougou adjusted his goals and strategy. He stood and approached Su Yan with a grin: “Come, come, Lord Censor, have a seat. Let’s talk properly—talk ourselves into a mountain of gold and silver.”
His words were utterly shameless, causing Su Yan to frown instinctively. His face showed a fierce inner struggle, as if his integrity and principles were waging war with the reality of forced compromise. In the end, he let out a long, bitter sigh. “Wangye’s behavior is truly shameful. First, destroy that letter. Only then will I discuss anything else.”
Zhu Yougou heard the hint of compromise and beamed with satisfaction. He reassured Su Yan, “Rest assured, Lord Censor—so long as you’re on my side, that letter will never see the light of day. It concerns the royal family’s reputation, after all. And since you’re one of Yu Wang’s ‘closest confidants,’ I’ll naturally show you that courtesy.”
Closest confidant—your *ss!
Su Yan felt as if he had swallowed a fly, utterly disgusted by the phrase. Still, his expression remained one of embarrassed submission. His eyes flicked toward the open hall door, and he whispered, “The hall doors are wide open, people are coming and going—it’s not secure. Wangye, let’s find a more private place to talk.”
Zhu Yougou snickered to himself: Bookish types—stripped of all dignity, and still clinging to a scrap of decency! Fine, if you want it secure, I’ll make it secure.
He summoned a maid and ordered her to burn incense and prepare tea in the secret chamber behind the reception hall for a private discussion.
Before long, the room was prepared. Su Yan followed Zhu Yougou into the secret chamber. The four walls were windowless, and once the door was locked from the inside, not even a fly could get in, let alone prying eyes or ears.
Zhu Yougou and Su Yan took their respective seats as host and guest. Without preamble, Zhu Yougou said, “Now that no one else is here, let’s be frank. Aside from keeping my estates untouched, there’s also the salt ponds in Chahan Naoer, Lingzhou—”
Su Yan suddenly interrupted, “Does Wangye have Luantong* in your residence?”
* kept men; gigolos
“Ninety-five thousand in annual salt tax—wait, what did you say?”
“Luantong.”
Zhu Yougou blinked his small eyes, momentarily unable to process the shift. “… I do. Three to five, just for appearances—otherwise, people might mock me for lacking refinement. But I still prefer the soft charm of women—Why do you ask? Could it be…”
Suddenly, he clapped his hands and laughed. “Hah! If Censor Su isn’t afraid of Yu Wang’s jealousy and doesn’t mind that my boys aren’t the finest, I could send them all to you for your enjoyment.”
Inwardly, he felt enlightened: So, Censor Su doesn’t care for money but rather for—his own doors being opened? He should’ve said so earlier! This was far easier than bribing him with silver. Wait, when he was with Yu Wang… was he the one on the bottom? No, no, that’s not it. He’s just been pressured for too long, his pride wounded, and now he wants to reclaim his dominance with luantongs!
Su Yan looked at Zhu Yougou’s lecherous grin and said coolly, “As long as there is one, the quantity doesn’t matter.”
Zhu Yougou was about to mock him further when Su Yan suddenly stood up, expressionless, and began tearing at his own clothes—starting from the seams, buttons, and ties. It didn’t take much effort before his robes were in complete disarray.
Once the outer robe was torn, he started on the undergarments.
Zhu Yougou was shocked. “You—what are you doing? Stop right now!”
Su Yan replied, “I’m tearing my own clothes. It’s not costing you anything, so why are you yelling?”
Zhu Yougou’s head buzzed. He hadn’t fully processed what was happening. When he saw Su Yan tear open even his inner shirt, kick off his shoes, and yank off his headpiece, his brain finally caught up. He slapped the table and shouted, “You’re trying to frame me for rape! You b*stard, Su Twelve, to stoop to such despicable means—!”
Su Yan gave him a puzzled look. “What are you talking about, Wangye? I didn’t shout for help, didn’t call anyone in—how does that count as rape?”
“Then why—”
“I have this strange quirk,” Su Yan interrupted. “Whenever I hear filthy, disgusting talk, I feel polluted all over. Even my clothes feel tainted. I get the urge to tear them off and change immediately.”
Zhu Yougou opened and closed his mouth, then finally looked at Su Yan like he was insane. “Lord Su… truly possesses the spirit of the Wei-Jin scholars… You’re like Liu Ling reborn. I’ll have someone bring you fresh clothes—”
“No need. I can’t wear other people’s clothes. Heaven is my robe, earth my skirt—why not embrace wild freedom?”
Su Yan glanced down at himself, satisfied with the torn, half-draped state of his clothing—just enough to leave things to the imagination. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, he swept everything off the table to make it look like a scuffle had taken place, and walked over to open the secret chamber’s door.
Zhu Yougou, both enraged and panicked, shouted, “Stop right there! Someone—!”
Su Yan turned and calmly asked, “Wangye, are you sure you want to call someone in? Don’t forget, you ordered this secret room prepared. You brought me in here.”
Zhu Yougou choked on his words, then roared, “What are you going to do, go out like that?!”
Su Yan shrugged. “Nothing much. Just return to the relay station. From this secret chamber’s door, through the county king’s mansion gate, across the streets, and back to the station, I’ll cry out loudly, full of sorrow and indignation, slashing my sword at the air. I won’t say a word otherwise. If Wangye accuses me of slander, well—I haven’t said anything. What am I accusing you of?”
You haven’t said anything, but what do you think people will assume?! Once rumors spread, how will they twist it?
Zhu Yougou didn’t even know what expression to wear—
Su Yan was supposed to be a proper Confucian scholar! And what are Confucian scholars supposed to be? Righteous, benevolent, wise, trustworthy—devoted to heaven, country, family, and teacher. But him? Wearing the cloak of integrity, enjoying the reputation of defying power, yet underneath it all—he’s a d*mn street thug! I must’ve been blind. So blind!
Zhu Yougou glared at Su Yan with righteous fury and rushed forward to stop him from opening the door. “Su Yan! You’re vile! Poisonous! How dare you use such dirty, lowly tricks to frame me!”
Su Yan didn’t know martial arts, but he was agile enough to easily dodge a two-hundred-pound ball of fat.
As he twisted and dodged around the cramped room, he said innocently, “Why is Wangye blaming me? A clear conscience fears no gossip. If Wangyes stands upright, why fear idle talk? If you’re still worried, once I’m back at the station and have calmed down, should I hear people discussing this, I’ll be sure to explain—‘It wasn’t the county king who humiliated me, I brought the shame upon myself.’ Wangye can rest assured.”
Please, for the love of God—don’t explain anything! The more you explain, the worse it gets! What would people say then?! That the Pingliang County King attempted to rape an official and failed, and the brave, unyielding official paraded his righteous suffering all the way back?! Where would I put my face then?! If that spreads to the capital, what would Yu Wang think of me? What would the Emperor think? A scolding would be light—he might even strip me of my title to cut expenses for the treasury!
Zhu Yougou wanted to kill Su Yan then and there!
To h*ll with his rank! I’ll kill him first and feel better after! Hack him into pieces! Feed him to the dogs!
“I will not rest until one of us is dead!” he howled and lunged at Su Yan.
Su Yan sidestepped and sneered, “You know as well as I do—nothing spreads faster than scandal. So let’s see—which gets out first: the story of my appearance today, or the contents of that letter? Once you’re branded a lecherous prince who tried to assault an official, who would believe that letter of yours is real and not something you forged to cover it up?
“You think that letter is my death warrant? You’re wrong—it’s yours.
“To tell you the truth, while you were bringing me into the secret chamber, my bodyguard was already rescuing Yu Wang’s courier. By now we have both witness and evidence. If this goes to court, let’s see—will His Majesty believe you, or me?”
“Even if Yu Wang is my…” Su Yan gritted his teeth. “Lover, fine! If he finds out what you did to me today, even if he can’t leave the capital, he’ll find a way to make sure you die a miserable death!”
“If we’re talking about disgraceful tactics, you were the one who started with the dirty tricks in the first place. I should be thanking you—if it weren’t for your despicable move of using private love letters to threaten me, I wouldn’t have thought of this counterattack.”
Su Yan fumed inwardly: D*mn it! You thought you could bully me just because I’m young and care about my reputation? That I’d be so ashamed I’d want to die just because of some sentimental letters? Let me show you what it means to be a master at playing the game!
Zhu Yougou, unable to catch him, slumped onto the floor, panting like a bellows. His heart was ice-cold. Struggling to catch his breath, he stammered, “D-Don’t… go out… What do you… want to settle this?”
Su Yan replied, “Simple. Give up the land that doesn’t belong to you. Tear down your own estate. If you don’t, I’ll bring the imperial guards to flatten it for you.”
Thinking about the silver slipping away from his grasp, Zhu Yougou felt as though he couldn’t breathe.
Seeing his hesitation, Su Yan moved toward the door again, tattered robes swaying as he loudly recited:
“I’d rather be shattered to pieces, unafraid!
As long as my integrity remains in this world—”
Zhu Yougou burst into tears. “Fine! Fine! Your integrity wins! Take the estate—grow grass on it if you want!”
Su Yan turned back and extended his hand. “And Yu Wang’s letter. That letter disgusts me to the core, but it can’t remain in your hands.”
“You… you can’t let that messenger go back running his mouth… And you can’t tell anyone either…” Zhu Yougou pleaded in despair.
Su Yan agreed. “No problem. I’ll take care of the messenger and make sure he knows exactly what to say. As for Yu Wang—don’t worry. I swear I never want to see that b*stard again in my life! That b*stard!”
Still unsatisfied, he cursed twice more before making a slicing gesture with his hand. “That d*mn dog wangye!”
The words “dog wangye” made Zhu Yougou’s whole body tremble. At last, he realized why he had lost so thoroughly—not because his leverage was weak, but because the person he was dealing with didn’t play by the rules at all.
He couldn’t hand over the letter.
But he had no choice but to hand over the letter.
And once he did, what then? What he had thought was a weapon against Su Yan had turned into a noose around his own neck. He would live in constant fear, wondering if Su Yan would ever break his promise, if he’d embellish the story before telling it to Zhu Yougou’s uncles.
From this day forward, hearing the name Su Yan alone would make him tremble with rage, choking on words he had no one to vent to.
…It would’ve been better to just return the stolen pastureland a month ago! Too late for regrets now!
—
Su Yan obtained Yu Wang’s handwritten letter and changed into fresh clothes.
Zhu Yougou scrutinized his hat and boots, making sure even a single strand of hair was perfectly in place before finally allowing him to leave the secret chamber.
Outside the reception hall, Jinghong Zhui had been waiting anxiously. Any longer and he might have drawn his sword, cut down the guards, and stormed inside.
Seeing Su Yan come out, he exhaled in relief—until he noticed the fresh change of clothes. His eyes instantly turned icy, sharp as blades, aimed at everyone in the estate. If Su Yan claimed to have been wronged, he would throw away his life without hesitation and slaughter the entire estate.
“My lord?” He urgently grabbed Su Yan’s hand.
Su Yan knew how much he had worried and let him hold on, answering in a low voice, “Relax, I took care of that dog wangye. Where’s the messenger?”
Jinghong Zhui studied him carefully before replying, “Found him and got him out safely. The imperial guards are treating his wounds now.”
Su Yan nodded. “Take him back to the residence. I have questions for him.”
