Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Contempt

Brother Zhang’s legs shook so badly he almost could not stand.

Shock on Shang Xiu Yuan’s calm face turned into panic. Shang Xiu Yuan shut his eyes and bowed deeply toward the upper floor, saying, “This one pays respects to Princess Qing Ning…”

The last trace of hope in the other Scholars’ hearts shattered.

If they had been overheard by Shang Xing Yu, maybe it could have been brushed aside. But how could Princess Qing Ning be here? Hadn’t everyone said she lived in seclusion, and after she married into the Duke Qi residence, she rarely even showed her face in gossip?

Today, how could they be this unlucky?

But regret came too late. One by one, they stood up with white faces and bowed in fear, calling out, “This commoner-this one-pays respects to Princess!”

Some people there had already passed the examinations. Some were still unranked commoner. Their family backgrounds were not bad, but only compared to ordinary people.

In this room, the highest-born were only Shang Xiu Yuan and Shang Xing Yu.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze moved across them and finally landed on Zhang Yuan Zhuo. Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “Earlier, you said Qi Shi Zi not only returned with merit, but also brought back a beautiful woman, and that women were jealous. Did you mean that Qi Shu Xian only received a Junior Fifth Rank reward because my jealousy got in the way?”

“I…I…” Sweat poured down Zhang Yuan Zhuo’s face. Zhang Yuan Zhuo forced the words out. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

“Oh?” Sheng Zhi Wan stared at Zhang Yuan Zhuo. “Then what did you mean? Say it.”

Zhang Yuan Zhuo sweated even harder.

The entire Gathering Sages Teahouse fell silent. Zhang Yuan Zhuo felt as if an invisible hand had grabbed his throat.

After a long time, Zhang Yuan Zhuo finally could not hold on. Zhang Yuan Zhuo slammed his forehead hard into the floor and cried, “Princess, forgive me! This one spoke nonsense. Please forgive me, Princess!”

“Pa!” No one yanked him away this time. A cup struck Zhang Yuan Zhuo right on the cheek.

A flash of amusement flickered through Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes. [So throwing cups at people really felt this satisfying. If I had known, I would have asked for a few more cups.]

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Since it was nonsense, then slap yourself thirty times.”

“Princess…” Zhang Yuan Zhuo tried to beg.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “They say ‘only petty men and women are hard to deal with.’ You offended me and still want me to let you off? Even if I let you off right now, aren’t you afraid I’ll go cause trouble for your father?”

Zhang Yuan Zhuo’s face turned even uglier. His cheek throbbed where the cup had hit him.

With so many people watching, Zhang Yuan Zhuo had no choice. Zhang Yuan Zhuo raised his hand and started slapping himself, left and right, again and again.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Too quiet…”

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Not enough force…”

When the thirty slaps ended, Zhang Yuan Zhuo’s once decent-looking face was a swollen mess.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at another man, the one who had called her an inner-courtyard woman who only understood love and jealousy. He had accused her of enjoying the peace protected by frontier soldiers while using underhanded tricks against a meritorious general.

As if he knew he would be targeted, that man had a backbone.

He gritted his teeth, stood up from the floor, and lifted his head to meet Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes. His face was pale, but his posture was fierce as he said, “Did I say anything wrong? A Princess like you, a delicate noble lady, was raised deep in the inner chambers. You went out with crowds of maids. You ate rare delicacies. Everything you wore and used was the finest of the fine!”

Wang Huai Zhi’s voice grew sharper. “Have you ever thought that the food you throw away, the food you call crude just by looking at it, is a treat frontier soldiers can only taste after they win a battle?”

The more Wang Huai Zhi spoke, the more contempt filled Wang Huai Zhi’s eyes.

Since Wang Huai Zhi had already offended Princess Qing Ning today, Wang Huai Zhi might as well make it real and wear the name. Besides, Wang Huai Zhi truly did not think he was wrong.

In Wang Huai Zhi’s eyes, women were ignorant and trapped inside the inner chambers. All day they either fought for affection and used dirty tricks, or gathered to look at flowers and scenery. What did they know about the nation and righteousness?

Sheng Zhi Wan stood up and walked down the stairs step by step, asking, “What is your name?”

Wang Huai Zhi did not flinch at all. Wang Huai Zhi answered, “This one is Wang Huai Zhi!”

“Wang Huai Zhi?” Sheng Zhi Wan thought for a moment and understood. Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “Wang Ye of the Censorate is your father?”

“…Yes,” Wang Huai Zhi said.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “I remember your father Wang Ye came from Madam Wang of Yuan Zhou. Since you speak of righteousness, what have you done for the frontier soldiers?”

Wang Huai Zhi choked.

Facing those dark, steady eyes, Wang Huai Zhi clenched his teeth and refused to yield. Wang Huai Zhi said, “This one has not entered office yet. If this one enters office, this one will definitely fight for more for the frontier soldiers. At the very least, I will make sure they have clothes to wear and grain to eat!”

Sheng Zhi Wan lifted a brow. “So right now, you’ve done nothing?”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, “Then your father Wang Ye is already in office. What has he done? Or…” Sheng Zhi Wan gave a cold, scornful smile. “What has your main Madam Wang clan done?”

Wang Huai Zhi’s face flushed red, but Wang Huai Zhi still would not back down. Wang Huai Zhi said, “My Wang Family runs schools and does trade. At least we aren’t as lavish and wasteful as Princess!”

“Heh.” Sheng Zhi Wan could not help laughing.

In the next moment, Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly turned back, looked at Ting Lan-who was glaring fiercely at Wang Huai Zhi-and said, “Ting Lan, tell them. This ‘lavish and wasteful’ Princess-how much grain did I send to the frontiers these past years?”

Ting Lan nodded and shouted, “Just in these two years alone, Princess sent one hundred thousand shi of grain to Mo Bei, one hundred thousand shi of grain to the Western Frontier, and one hundred thousand shi of grain to Cang Nan, plus thirty thousand cotton coats and sixty boxes of medicine!”

“That’s impossible!” Wang Huai Zhi sneered. “You pampered inner-courtyard women probably don’t even know what grain costs!”

Wang Huai Zhi continued, “Three hundred thousand shi of grain, thirty thousand cotton coats, and medicine. At today’s peaceful grain price, one shi costs five hundred wen. That’s one hundred fifty thousand taels of silver just for the grain! And with the coats and medicine added, it’s at least one hundred seventy thousand taels…”

Wang Huai Zhi stared hard at Sheng Zhi Wan. “You’re a mere woman. Where did you get that much silver?”