Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Not That Terrifying

“Shang Hang Yu? Isn’t he that worthless playboy who was drinking flower wine with five girls a few days ago…”

Smack! The speaker’s mouth was abruptly struck by a flying teacup.

“Hang Yu!” Shang Xiu Yuan’s fine brows furrowed in frustration.

But before he could say another word, a second teacup flew straight toward Brother Zhang’s head.

“Enough!” Shang Xiu Yuan quickly pulled Brother Zhang aside, the teacup crashing onto the floor. He turned and commanded, “Grab the Second Young Master and hold him down!”

“Yes!” Two servants from the General’s Manor hurried upstairs.

Shang Hang Yu pursed his lips dismissively. “Fine, fine, no need to be so troublesome. I’ll walk down myself. Oh, and Elder Brother, don’t forget to pay the debt I owe Gathering Worthies Teahouse, plus the two teacups I just broke. They happen to be the most expensive in the house.”

“I was planning to pawn the jade pendant grandfather gave me, but both you and Father have your eyes on it, right? If I pawn it now, you’ll never manage to trick me out of it.”

“Shang Hang Yu!” Shang Xiu Yuan’s temples twitched visibly, anger welling in his chest as he stared at his younger brother’s cheerful, careless face. “Apologize!”

“Apologize for what?” Shang Hang Yu raised his voice incredulously. “Did I say anything wrong? You bunch of learned scholars gossip about imperial intentions yet lack the courage to voice your opinions openly! Instead, you whisper behind people’s backs, slandering a lady unjustly.”

“Tell me, have you personally witnessed anything, or do you hold some secret proof? Calling you gossiping wives would be an insult to actual gossiping wives! At least their stories hold some truth. Yet here you learned scholars are, sentencing someone based solely on your imagination, and then forbidding others from speaking?”

He kept repeating “learned scholars,” his thick-skinned shamelessness silencing everyone present, leaving no room for argument.

But Shang Hang Yu wasn’t finished. Suddenly, he leaned toward one of the men. “I remember you! You’re the eldest son of Assistant Censor Zuo’s family—Fang… Fang Shao Hui! Yes! If you’re so displeased that His Majesty only granted Qi Shu Xian a mere Junior Fifth Rank, why don’t you get your father to submit an official memorial?”

“And you,” he turned toward the man who’d been struck by the teacup. “Drinking flower wine simply because I was seen with five ladies? People with dirty eyes see filth everywhere. By your logic, when you’re with your mother, sisters, or younger siblings, is that flower wine as well? Ridiculous!”

“You—you!” The man trembled in rage, yearning to curse but stopped by propriety.

Ignoring him, Shang Hang Yu moved swiftly to Brother Zhang, still held by Shang Xiu Yuan. “Zhang Yuan Zhuo, is it? Before looking down on me, perhaps you should consider your own reputation. I hear you’ve been discussing marriage lately?”

He circled Zhang Yuan Zhuo leisurely, then stunned everyone by saying, “I wonder if the young miss who’s considering marrying you knows about your… fondness for men?”

Zhang Yuan Zhuo: “…”

Shang Xiu Yuan: “…”

Instinctively, Shang Xiu Yuan released Zhang Yuan Zhuo’s arm and stepped aside.

Zhang Yuan Zhuo, overcome with fury, clutched his chest and glared hatefully at Shang Hang Yu.

“What are you looking at? This Young Master is handsome and charming, but even I wouldn’t be attracted to someone like you!”

“Pff—” Ting Lan suddenly broke from her stunned silence, unable to suppress a laugh.

Sheng Zhi Wan was speechless.

In her previous life, she’d had little contact with this infamous Prince Qin Yu, having only heard that he was reckless, unruly, and despised by many in the capital. Ultimately, after causing some unknown disaster, he was thrown out by General Shang, disappearing entirely.

When he reappeared, chaos had erupted in the east. Eastern Wa ships invaded Sheng Kingdom, and commoners lamented in misery.

At that desperate hour, an obscure force called Yu Family Army rose unexpectedly. No one had faith in this “wild militia,” until their victories began piling up. They drove the enemy from Sheng lands, finally prompting Imperial Father to take them seriously and send Qi Shu Xian to negotiate.

It was only after those negotiations that everyone learned the astonishing truth: the leader of the famed Yu Family Army was none other than Shang Hang Yu, once the capital’s most notorious wastrel, the General Shang’s seemingly worthless second son.

Even now, Sheng Zhi Wan clearly recalled Qi Shu Xian’s expression at that revelation.

She couldn’t help but quietly smile.

“Princess! Princess! They’re fighting now! The Eldest Young Master Shang is actually forcing Second Young Master Shang to kneel and apologize!” Ting Lan said anxiously.

Though she’d previously dismissed Second Young Master Shang as frivolous and reckless, he had defended her Princess! Now Ting Lan found he wasn’t nearly as frightening as rumor had painted him.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes glinted slightly.

“Open the window,” she ordered.

“Yes!” Ting Lan eagerly moved. It was high time to scare these pretentious, gossiping… no, these long-tongued scholars to death!

“It is true that I was born into the Royal Household, and I may indeed be arrogant and extravagant. Yet ignorant and shallow, a mere woman resorting to petty schemes? Hmph, I had no idea I had gained such a reputation.” Her calm voice drifted clearly down from above.

The servants forcing Shang Hang Yu down to kneel suddenly froze, and even Shang Xiu Yuan looked upward, astonished.

Sheng Zhi Wan sat serenely by the window, her calm gaze sweeping over the speaker from before.

Everyone stood stunned, staring blankly at the noble, beautiful woman by the window. Slowly, as they processed her words, they caught the emphasis she placed on herself.

One person realized it first, then another…

In swift succession, everyone’s expression changed dramatically!