Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Prince Chang’an Arrives

Chun Zhi thought Huo Qi had forgotten something and come back. She opened the door, then saw a strange middle?aged man pushing it from outside, and she jumped in fright and tried to close it. The man stuck one foot in the doorway and said: “Please don’t shut the door.”

Afraid of crushing his foot, Chun Zhi let go. The man hurried to explain: “Miss, don’t panic. I’m here to buy tofu, not to do anything bad.”

Chun Zhi said: “There’s no tofu for sale today. My family only sells in the morning.”

The man nodded and said: “I know. I’m the steward of the biggest restaurant in Nanzhou City, the Drunken Immortal House. Our boss is from Linshui Town. When he came back before, he tried your tofu and said it was better than anyone else’s. Now Nanzhou City has an honored guest, so the boss sent me to invite you to come make tofu at the Drunken Immortal House. For one day we’ll pay you this much.” He held up two fingers.

Chun Zhi asked: “Two?tenths of a tael of silver?” Two?tenths was already a lot.

If she hadn’t just been kidnapped by Zhou Rong yesterday, she would have agreed at once. But now, Huo Qi had told her to stay at home and wait for him to return. [If this is the Zhou Household’s trap, I’d be walking right into it.]

The steward quickly corrected her and said: “Two taels of silver.”

“Two taels?” Chun Zhi felt tempted, but even with her skill, two taels for one day sounded too high. And it meant going to Nanzhou City. [If the Zhou Household planned this and is waiting for me, that would be terrible.]

The steward said: “Our boss said we’re entertaining an honored guest, so everything must be the best. That’s why he sent me to Linshui Town to ask you. If two taels feels too little, we can still negotiate the price.”

[They can still negotiate!] Chun Zhi had heard of the big restaurant in Nanzhou City called the Drunken Immortal House. But Huo Zheng had just left; if she agreed right away and went to Nanzhou City for money, that would be risking her life for silver.

Chun Zhi shook her head and said: “This isn’t about how much silver.”

“Then what is it?” The steward grew anxious and said: “Our boss told me to invite you no matter what. Tomorrow’s banquet is for Prince Chang’an.”

“Prince Chang’an?” Chun Zhi’s eyes lit up. Huo Qi’s close friend worked under Prince Chang’an. If she went to the Drunken Immortal House and could see Prince Chang’an, then when the court sent a summons, she could testify. [And I’m the complainant.]

The steward patted his own mouth and said: “Ah, I slipped up. To tell the truth, tomorrow Prince Ning will host a banquet at the Drunken Immortal House to honor Prince Chang’an. Our boss is so worried about it that he has blisters on his lips from fretting. Who is Prince Chang’an? He’s a high noble from the Capital. He’s seen every rare and expensive thing. Our boss has racked his brains for something fresh, so he told me I must invite you.”

Seeing he didn’t look like he was lying, Chun Zhi said: “Tofu is best when made fresh that day. If the Drunken Immortal House truly wants me to come make tofu, I’ll come first thing tomorrow.”

“Then it’s settled.” The steward took out two taels as a deposit to hand to her.

Chun Zhi accepted the silver and said: “You head back first. Tomorrow morning I’ll go straight to the Drunken Immortal House.”

“How will you get there?” asked the steward. “Should I leave the carriage for you?”

“No need,” said Chun Zhi. “I’ll follow the town’s boat to Nanzhou City.”

“That works.” The steward confirmed with her again and again that she would come early tomorrow, then finally left.

Chun Zhi nodded, saw him off, and put the two taels into her chest. Thinking of the one hundred fifty taels she had given Huo Qi, her heart ached. She could only comfort herself: [Money goes away and comes back.] [See? Two taels already came back.]

On the other side, Huo Zheng carried the silver Chun Zhi had given and entered the Courier Lodge in Nanzhou City. Jiang He led a group of Shadow Guards and ushered the prince inside. A Shadow Guard named Shadowless, who had been wearing a human?skin mask to impersonate Prince Chang’an these days, pulled off the mask, stepped forward, and saluted, saying: “Your Highness has finally returned. These days, local officials kept dragging me out to drink. I’m about to become a drunk.”

Huo Zheng ignored Shadowless and went straight into the secret room. A wave of blood stench hit him as he entered, and he frowned slightly. After a night of interrogation, Zhou Rong was already half dead. Walking behind the prince, Jiang He spoke softly: “Zhou Rong has admitted his crimes and signed his confession, but—”

Before he could finish, Huo Zheng heard Zhou Rong force out a shout: “Who are you people? How dare you torture me! I advise you to let me go at once, otherwise—”

“Otherwise what?” Huo Zheng stepped forward, drew his sword, and chopped off Zhou Rong’s right hand. It was the hand that had touched Chun Zhi last night. The severed hand thudded to the floor and blood splashed everywhere.

“Ahhh!” Zhou Rong screamed in agony: “I’m the son of the Nanzhou Prefect. In Nanzhou, no one dares talk back to me. You, you dared cut my hand!”

Huo Zheng’s voice was low as he said: “I’m not only cutting off your hand. I also want your life.”

Zhou Rong had confessed almost everything with barely any torture, thinking that in Nanzhou no one would dare go against his father. Even if he signed, he could just change his story in court. He never thought the man would cut his right hand the moment he came in. His hand was gone. His whole body convulsed with pain, and he gritted his teeth to ask: “Who are you, really…”

Last night, just as Zhou Rong was about to lay hands on Chun Zhi, this man had led people in and killed their way through. Nearly all the servants at the Zhou Family Ancestral Residence had been killed. Ordinary men would not dare kill like that. But this one…

Huo Zheng tossed his bloody sword to Jiang He and said: “Bring Zhou Rong to the Prefect’s Yamen in Nanzhou.”

“Yes.” The Shadow Guards stepped up, took Zhou Rong off the torture rack, and dragged him toward the Prefect’s Yamen.

Huo Zheng strode out. Jiang He put away the sword and followed. The Courier Lodge fell so quiet that only footsteps could be heard.

When Huo Zheng arrived in person at the Prefect’s Yamen, the servants there had been lazy and dozing. One shout of “Prince Chang’an has arrived” jolted the sleepy yamen constables awake. As he walked toward the main court, Huo Zheng ordered: “Go call Zhou He here.”

The Nanzhou Prefect’s name was Zhou He. “Yes, yes, Your Highness,” stammered a yamen constable, stumbling away to fetch him.

Huo Zheng seated himself at the highest place on the court. The blood?soaked Zhou Rong was dragged in, leaving a trail of red across the floor.

“Nanzhou Prefect Zhou He pays respects to Your Highness Prince Chang’an,” came a hurried voice, and Zhou He arrived with his subordinates and knelt.

Huo Zheng rapped the gavel block and said in a deep voice: “Lord Zhou.”

Startled by the sharp sound, Zhou He was about to speak when the bloody man beside him cried out: “Father!”

Zhou He glanced over and saw Zhou Rong, bound tight and missing a hand. His heart leaped into his throat.