Chapter 167: Openly Explaining, Secretly Fanning the Flames

Marquis Xuanping was desperate to explain that he hadn’t actually kidnapped Cen An. No, that wasn’t right—he *had* kidnapped him, but the man had escaped, and he truly didn’t know where Cen An was now.

Xiao Jingzhao raised a hand to cut him off, his sharp gaze falling on Yang Jun. "I recall the Princess already rescued Doctor Cen yesterday afternoon, did she not?"

Yang Jun was composed. "Rescuing Doctor Cen was a testament to the Princess’s ability, but that doesn’t mean the kidnapper is absolved of their crime."

Xiao Jingzhao: "The Marquis Xuanping is a marquis, after all. Her repeated blackmail and extortion—is there no law anymore?"

Yang Jun: "The Marquis Xuanping personally admitted to kidnapping the doctor who saved the Empress Dowager. According to the law, I wonder what the sentence for that would be?"

As if seeing his title crumbling away, Marquis Xuanping said frantically, "No, no, you mustn’t! I merely invited Doctor Cen to treat my son. It’s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding."

Jia Ruo arrogantly snapped at Yang Jun, "Didn’t you hear the Marquis Xuanping? It’s all a misunderstanding! That Cen An is just a doctor. Xuanyang can invite him to treat the Empress Dowager, so why can’t the Marquis Xuanping? Why is she so tyrannical? Anyone who didn’t know better would think she and Cen An have some sort of sordid affair."

Yang Jun’s expression turned frigid, his gaze like a blade. "I suggest Princess Jia Ruo watch her words."

Jia Ruo immediately flared up, her eyes full of contempt. "It’s not the place of a lowly guard like you to criticize what I say!"

Unintimidated, Yang Jun replied firmly, "This one is indeed just a guard and wouldn’t dare to criticize the Princess. However, I will relay every word Princess Jia Ruo has said to my own princess, without omission."

Jia Ruo’s eyes widened. "Are you threatening me? How audacious! You’re nothing but one of Xuanyang’s dogs. Who gave you the nerve to speak to me like that?"

As she spoke, Jia Ruo started looking for a whip. Xiao Jingzhao quickly reprimanded her, "Jia Ruo, haven’t you caused enough trouble?"

Jia Ruo was furious. "Brother, he was disrespectful to me! Am I not allowed to teach him a lesson?"

Xiao Jingzhao: "You must consider the master before you beat the dog. Have you forgotten my warning?"

Jia Ruo stomped her foot in anger. "Fine! I won’t cause any trouble. I’ll go back inside, happy now?"

She turned and went inside, but not before shooting Yang Jun a vicious glare. "Lackey. Sooner or later, I’ll have you for stew."

Despite being called a dog to his face, Yang Jun remained calm and composed.

’In the past, he might have felt humiliated. But now he understood: these people were all wary of his master. They didn’t dare confront her directly, so they could only vent their anger by cursing at him a little.’

’So he was Princess Xuanyang’s dog. So what?’

’As long as the Princess grew stronger and stronger, it wouldn’t matter if they just called him a dog—even if the Princess raised an actual dog, they would still have to treat it with respect!’

Pestered by Marquis Xuanping, Xiao Jingzhao had no choice but to agree to see the Emperor and ask him to persuade Xuanyang.

’Go and persuade Xuanyang myself? Absolutely not.’

’Not only would it be impossible to convince her, but I’d also likely get a beating for my troubles. I’m not that stupid.’

However, once Xiao Jingzhao left for the palace, Yang Jun told the Marquis Xuanping why the Princess had brought him to the Prince Yanping Mansion.

It was because after Cen An left the Xuanping Marquis Mansion, he was kidnapped by Prince Yanping. The Princess rescued him, but she had no proof that the Prince was responsible, so she could only torment the Marquis Xuanping.

Marquis Xuanping: "..."

"On what grounds? Why should I take the blame for what Prince Yanping did?"

Yang Jun furrowed his brow deliberately. "Indeed. What a coincidence that they chose that exact moment to kidnap him. How is it that just after the Marquis kidnapped the man, they came along right after and snatched him away?"

Fury instantly surged through Marquis Xuanping. "He’s trying to make me his scapegoat!"

But Yang Jun feigned disagreement. "That’s unlikely. Prince Yanping has no prior dealings with you, Marquis, nor any grudge. Why would he try to harm you?"

The Marquis Xuanping was no fool; how could he not see that Yang Jun was feigning an explanation while secretly stoking the flames?

’He’s clearly hoping for a conflict between me and Prince Yanping.’

’But as annoying as Princess Xuanyang is, her dislike is always overt. She doesn’t seem the type to wrongly accuse someone.’

’If she just wanted me to pay a ransom, that would be one thing. But insisting that I come here to curse out Prince Yanping... there has to be a reason for it.’

’If she rescued the man but failed to get any evidence against Prince Yanping for her revenge, then her causing this kind of trouble makes perfect sense.’

’I now have two paths: either pay the money and spend my way out of this disaster, or take a bite out of Prince Yanping, satisfy Princess Xuanyang, and perhaps avoid paying at all.’

While the Marquis Xuanping was still agonizing over his decision, Prince Yanping was, in fact, already on his way to plead with the Emperor on his behalf.

The Emperor was in a difficult position. His sister was wonderful in every way, except she was too calculating and prone to robbing people at the drop of a hat.

Before, she had robbed him, robbed the Empress, robbed the Lu family and the Wang family, and now she was robbing the Marquis Xuanping, and not for the first time...

Although she always had her reasons, her methods were undeniably those of a bandit.

He ordered the Marquis Xuanping to be summoned to the palace.

When the decree-bearing eunuch arrived at the Prince Yanping Mansion to deliver the summons, the Marquis Xuanping instinctively glanced at Yang Jun. At this moment, he wasn’t even sure the Emperor could save him.

After all, the last time Princess Xuanyang had robbed him, she’d done it right in front of the Emperor. In the end, not only did the Emperor not punish Xuanyang, he even helped her take his money.

However, upon seeing the Emperor’s personal eunuch, Yang Jun immediately waved his hand, ordering all his men to withdraw and releasing everyone from the Xuanping Marquis Mansion.

The Marquis Xuanping was stunned. "Guard Yang, what is the meaning of this?"

Yang Jun glanced at the decree-bearing eunuch and smiled. "The Princess stated beforehand that she would only target the one who kidnapped Doctor Cen and would never make things difficult for Your Majesty. I must trouble Mr. Yu to relay a message from the Princess to His Majesty: The scenery at Longxi Gully is quite nice. The Princess would like to build a manor there and requests Your Majesty’s permission."

Longxi Gully was the place where they had rescued Cen An the day before. Though the circumstances had been unpleasant, the location itself was serene and secluded, and Xiao Li had taken a liking to it.

The decree-bearing eunuch, Yu Wen, replied with a smile, "This one will certainly deliver the message."

The Marquis Xuanping watched as his men were released, then was led to the palace in a daze.

For a moment, he couldn’t make sense of it at all. On impulse, he even asked the decree-bearing eunuch.

"Mr. Yu, has the Princess really let me off the hook just like that?"

He had been held for two full days and nights. Judging by the Princess’s demeanor, it had seemed like she was going to flay him alive. How could she let him go so easily?

Yu Wen gave him a strange look. "What, is the Marquis displeased that the Princess has let you go?"

The Marquis Xuanping shook his head. "Of course not. It’s just that for her to suddenly be so reasonable... it makes me uneasy."

Yu Wen smiled. "Marquis, you jest. When has the Princess ever been unreasonable? She may be fierce at times, but has it not always been because someone provoked her first?"

"Every injustice has a perpetrator, and every debt a debtor. The Princess typically only goes after those who have wronged her, and she never involves the innocent. People say the Princess has a bad reputation and a difficult personality, but she has never caused trouble for an innocent person. She is filial to the Empress Dowager and respectful to the Emperor. She is a person of rare clarity."

’The world is full of fools who just repeat what they hear. But people also have eyes. Once they see things for themselves, they can form their own judgments.’

’This is especially true for us palace servants. Aren’t we all enslaved and exploited, liable to be put to death at a master’s whim? Any plot or scheme can cost us our lives.’

’We live difficult lives with no way to fight back, able only to lower our heads and survive, hunched over in these sunless days.’

’The older ones among us have practically watched Princess Xuanyang grow up. We’ve seen her being bullied, and we’ve witnessed her suffering.’

’When Princess Xuanyang was pushed to her limit, she erupted—becoming domineering, reckless, arrogant, and imperious.’

’Even though it wasn’t us, watching that flamboyant and brilliant Princess Xuanyang makes us feel as if we, too, can finally let out a long, deep breath of relief.’

’We don’t understand the squabbles of the nobility, but in our hearts, everyone has a scale to weigh whether a person is good or bad.’

The Marquis Xuanping had no idea what the eunuch was thinking. He only understood two sentences.

Princess Xuanyang never harms the innocent. Every injustice has a perpetrator, and every debt a debtor.

The Marquis Xuanping gritted his teeth in anger. ’My suffering can’t be for nothing!’

After persuading the Emperor, Prince Yanping breathed a sigh of relief. He was even thinking about using this favor to win over the Marquis Xuanping.

The Marquis Xuanping might be incompetent, but he was a marquis, after all. Moreover, his wife’s brother-in-law, Wang Chengyun, was the Minister of Revenue—a man everyone wanted on their side, but who was a tough nut to crack.

Prince Yanping’s calculations were clicking away, but he had no idea that Xiao Li had already severed any possibility of him using the Marquis Xuanping, instead ensuring that the Marquis’s hatred was firmly directed at him.

Even if he helped the Marquis Xuanping by pleading with the Emperor, he would not receive the slightest bit of gratitude.