Chapter 57

Chapter 57: She almost saw Prince Chang’an

Huo Zheng made up a reason as he said: “Because I helped him bring down the Zhou Household father and son.”

Chun Zhi asked, hardly believing it: “So you not only didn’t spend money to smooth things over, you even made five hundred taels?”

Huo Zheng nodded as he said: “Mm.”

Chun Zhi turned the five-hundred-tael notes over and over as she said: “Prince Chang’an is really generous. Is it really so easy to earn money from high officials?”

She had thought making one basket of tofu at the Drunken Immortal House and earning eight taels was already a huge win. She never expected Huo Qi would go to Nanzhou City and come back with five hundred taels. It felt unreal.

To make it sound true that the silver came from Prince Chang’an, Huo Zheng added as he said: “Today at the Nanzhou yamen, Prince Chang’an tried the Zhou Household case, judged them guilty, and sentenced them to death. He ordered Zhou Manor seized, and used what was taken to compensate the complainants. A big corrupt family had piles of gold and silver. Others got even more than this.”

Chun Zhi clapped and praised as she said: “Prince Chang’an is amazing!”

Today at the Nanzhou Prefect’s Yamen, Huo Zheng had personally executed the Zhou Household father and son. The people who watched kept praising him, but a hundred or a thousand of their words could not compare to this one line from Chun Zhi. His eyes warmed, and he pressed down the smile at the corner of his lips as he said: “Not bad.”

Chun Zhi pouted as she said: “What do you mean not bad? Prince Chang’an punished the Zhou Household father and son. He is a fine prince. You even took five hundred taels from him, so why can’t you say something nice?”

Huo Zheng fell silent for a beat, then he laughed and said: “If you want to praise him, then you can praise him yourself.”

Chun Zhi put her hands together and bowed toward the sky as she said: “Thank you, Prince Chang’an, for punishing the Zhou Household father and son and giving justice to us common people.”

Before this ended, she had worried they would protect each other and drag Huo Qi into it, which would hurt him. Thankfully, none of that happened.

Huo Zheng then asked as he said: “By the way, why did Lu Jing Yun come to see you?”

Chun Zhi said: “I don’t know.”

She truly did not know why Lu Jing Yun had so much free time to come to her again and again. If Ji Ru Zhen found out, who knew how she would make a scene.

Huo Zheng narrowed his eyes at Chun Zhi as he asked: “You don’t know?”

Chun Zhi said: “He just told me that Zhou Rong was dead.”

Huo Zheng said: “No wonder you weren’t surprised when you heard Prince Chang’an sentenced the Zhou Household father and son to death. So Lu Jing Yun rushed to tell you first.”

Was it his deed? Then he came to claim it. This Lu Jing Yun was really meddlesome.

When Chun Zhi first heard Zhou Rong was dead, she had been shocked. But because Lu Jing Yun had told her first, when Huo Qi spoke of it, she only thought: [Prince Chang’an is really amazing.]

Now that Huo Qi asked, Chun Zhi felt something odd and asked: “Prince Chang’an just sentenced the Zhou Household father and son today, and Zhou Rong died today too. Was the execution really that fast?”

Huo Zheng said: “Very fast. Because Prince Chang’an ended it himself. One sword, two kills.”

Chun Zhi’s beautiful eyes widened as she said: “One sword, two kills? And Prince Chang’an did it with his own hands? The Zhou Household father and son were beyond forgiveness, but still, to trouble Prince Chang’an to act himself?”

Huo Zheng nodded as he said: “It is what they deserved.”

Chun Zhi did not know that before Prince Chang’an killed the Zhou Household father and son, the Heir Apparent of Prince Ning had come in person to plead for them. She also did not know about the private struggle between Prince Ning and Prince Chang’an. She only knew that Prince Chang’an spoke up for the people and cut down the harm. He was a good prince.

Chun Zhi let out a long breath and said to Huo Qi: “Actually, I almost saw Prince Chang’an today.”

Huo Zheng asked, face calm though his heart tightened: “When?”

Chun Zhi said: “Shopkeeper Su at the Drunken Immortal House said they had an honored guest today and asked me to make tofu. When I finished and was about to leave, I saw the Prince’s Manor carriage at the door. It looked like two nobles came to the Drunken Immortal House together. I stood in the crowd, wanting to see what Prince Chang’an looked like. I was just about to see when a very tall big brother squeezed in front of me and stepped on my foot. The pain almost made me fall. I lowered my head for a moment, and by the time I looked up, Prince Chang’an had already gone inside the Drunken Immortal House.”

As she spoke, Chun Zhi felt it was a real pity. If she had known that today Prince Chang’an had cut down the Zhou Household father and son on the spot, she would not have lowered her head even if it hurt. She would have taken the pain just to see Prince Chang’an’s face once. But now it was too late for regret.

Huo Zheng listened and felt relieved that Chun Zhi had not seen that Prince Chang’an was him, but he also frowned a little as he said: “Didn’t I tell you to stay home and wait for me? Why did you go out alone again?”

Chun Zhi sat on the bed and swung her legs gently as she said: “I thought since you were in Nanzhou City, I could go too. I could earn some silver, and maybe I would run into you.”

Huo Zheng thought: [Good thing you did not run into me.]

He asked with a blank face as he said: “How much silver made you forget the lesson of just being kidnapped?”

Chun Zhi raised her left hand and showed seven with her fingers as she whispered: “Seven taels.”

Huo Zheng knew Chun Zhi loved money. He did not know she would risk her life for it. Before going to Nanzhou City, Chun Zhi had taken out all her savings, one hundred and fifty taels, and given them to him. He had thought that must be all she had and planned to return them later. Today he had given her five hundred more. Yet for seven taels, she slipped off to Nanzhou City without a word. He did not know what to say.

Watching Huo Qi’s face, Chun Zhi said in a small voice: “A full seven taels. Selling tofu in Linshui Town for two months, I still couldn’t save that much.”

Huo Zheng rubbed his forehead as he said: “Enough. Put these banknotes away.”

Chun Zhi said: “But this is five hundred taels. Prince Chang’an gave them to you. Why are you giving them to me?”

Huo Zheng found her question funny as he said: “I live in your house, eat your food, and use your things. Shouldn’t I pay you?”

Chun Zhi said: “It won’t cost that much.”

Back when they faked a marriage, she had said with her own mouth that she would support Huo Qi. How many days had passed? Now it was Huo Qi making money to support the household.

Huo Zheng said: “If you don’t need it now, save it. I don’t live off women.”

Chun Zhi teased as she said: “But you ate pretty well before.”

Huo Zheng’s eyes flashed as he looked at her and asked: “What did you say?”

Chun Zhi waved her hands quickly as she said: “Nothing, nothing. I’ll keep the banknotes for you for now. When you leave, I’ll give them back to you for travel money.”

Getting her one hundred and fifty taels back was already very good. As for Huo Zheng’s five hundred taels, she would hold them for him and return them when he left. Her plan was neat.

Huo Zheng looked at her, his gaze dark as ink, and asked: “You really want me to leave?”