Chapter 187

Chapter 187: Not Proper

Third Master Du still seemed to hear Du Yi Zhi’s words in his ears.

His son, Du Cheng, had died to save a child from the Ci Ji Orphanage?

Ha… hahaha. How ridiculous.

Third Master Du had suggested burning the Ci Ji Orphanage to tie down Du Yi Zhi, yet Third Master Du’s son had died for those orphans with no father and no mother.

Third Master Du had schemed and fought for everything, all so his own son could stand out in the clan.

But now Du Cheng was dead.

Third Master Du slapped himself hard across the face.

Old Madam Du’s face was like deep water.

Prefect Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end Prefect Yan said nothing.

The suggestion had come from the Du Clan, and burning the Ci Ji Orphanage had been Third Master Du’s idea, but the fire itself had been arranged by Prefect Yan’s people…

Old Madam Du’s eyes were cold. “Enough. Young Master Cheng was a good one. Since Young Master Cheng died saving a child from the Ci Ji Orphanage, have people spread the news tomorrow.”

He had died in the right place.

At least he was worthy of being a Du Clan descendant.

“A’Jian!” Du Yi Zhi was not as relaxed as Du Yi Zhi had acted.

Since the Southern Du Branch and Prefect Yan had struck once, they would not fear striking a second time.

Even if Du Yi Zhi really asked the commoner to help, it might work once. But what about twice?

What if the Southern Du Branch and Prefect Yan offered enough profit to tempt the commoner?

Right now, the commoner were still grateful for Sheng Shi Hall selling low-priced cotton. But gratitude could not fill bellies.

Compared to real benefits, commoner living hard days could not help but be moved.

So Du Yi Zhi could not just wait to be hit again.

Du Yi Zhi wrote a letter and told A’Jian to send it back to the capital city.

A’Jian took the letter out, but in less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, A’Jian came back.

Du Yi Zhi frowned.

A’Jian said, “I have a way to send a message back to the capital.”

Du Yi Zhi nodded and understood.

A’Jian did have a way.

A’Jian worked for Shang Xing Yu. Over the years, Shang Xing Yu had acted like a spoiled playboy on the surface, but in truth Shang Xing Yu had taken Qin Trading House completely into his hands.

Not only that, Qin Trading House was no longer what it used to be.

Brothels, gambling dens, restaurants, escort bureaus, underground auction houses… those businesses that seemed unrelated to Qin Trading House had already spread into every prefecture of the Sheng Kingdom without a sound.

In the pitch-black night, a Peregrine Falcon flew silently over the gates of Ji Zhou Prefecture and then flew south.

The trained Peregrine Falcon flew extremely fast, and it knew its target well. When it reached the next stop, someone removed the message tube from its leg and tied it to the next Peregrine Falcon’s leg to send it on.

After repeating this several times, late the next night Shang Xing Yu received the message Xiu He had sent.

After reading it, Shang Xing Yu’s face changed. Shang Xing Yu stood up and went out.

Dressed in black, Shang Xing Yu moved like a shadow of light, or like a breeze, gliding soundlessly over the sleeping roofs of mansion after mansion.

In the end, Shang Xing Yu stopped at the place Shang Xing Yu longed for most.

But tonight, Shang Xing Yu had no mind for that.

Shang Xing Yu’s steps grew slightly heavier, making noise on the roof tiles. Sheng Zhi Wan always slept lightly, but someone reacted even faster than Sheng Zhi Wan did.

Liu Shang slept outside in her clothes. Liu Shang whispered, “Princess! Someone came!”

Liu Shang gripped her sword hilt and stood in front of Sheng Zhi Wan.

Sheng Zhi Wan sat up and pulled a cloak over her shoulders.

Something felt off. The person had already arrived before making a sound, yet after making that sound, the person did not come in right away. It was as if the person was waiting for her to finish getting ready.

The thought had barely formed when Liu Shang was already fighting the shadow that leaped in from outside the door.

Liu Shang was about to call for help, but Sheng Zhi Wan already knew who it was. Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Liu Shang, it’s one of ours.”

Liu Shang froze.

Yet the person in front of Liu Shang stopped even faster. Liu Shang’s sword tip almost swept across the other person’s calf.

Shang Xing Yu said, “It’s me!”

Liu Shang was even more stunned. It really was a man?

In the dead of night, a man had broken into the Princess’s bedchamber, and the Princess even called him one of her own?

Still, Liu Shang was an obedient maid. Liu Shang lowered her blade, but Liu Shang stayed on guard and watched the blurred figure in the moonlight.

Sheng Zhi Wan knew Shang Xing Yu would not come at this hour unless it was urgent.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Liu Shang, go stand guard outside. Don’t let anyone come near.”

Liu Shang pressed her lips together, answered softly, and went out.

As Liu Shang left, several scandalous storybook scenes about the Princess and a handsome lover already popped into Liu Shang’s head.

Also, Liu Shang suddenly felt the voice she had just heard sounded familiar. Who was it again?

After Liu Shang left, Sheng Zhi Wan lit a candle. Shang Xing Yu’s figure showed in the firelight.

Shang Xing Yu said, “Something happened in Ji Zhou Prefecture.” Shang Xing Yu took out the letter he had received and handed it to Sheng Zhi Wan.

After reading it, Sheng Zhi Wan’s calm eyes slowly turned cold.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “The Du Clan of Ji Zhou Prefecture, and the Prefect – where did they get the nerve?” Burning cotton was not enough. They even dared to threaten the lives of more than thirty children in the Ci Ji Orphanage.

Sheng Zhi Wan’s hand rested on the envelope. Sheng Zhi Wan asked, “A few days ago you said Qi Shu Xian and Meng Yang went to see Third Imperial Brother?”

Shang Xing Yu nodded. “Yes.” The snacks Shang Xing Yu had delivered that day had not been only snacks.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Then it seems Third Imperial Brother is backing them.”

Shang Xing Yu asked, “What did the Princess plan to do? If the Princess worried about the cotton, I could have escorts from Shun De Escort Bureau and hired specialists from Ji Zhou Prefecture’s Gathering Sages Teahouse guard it together.”

So-called hired specialists were people in the Gathering Sages Teahouse with all kinds of skills, available to be hired for a high price. Sheng Zhi Wan had wanted to buy a few hired specialists who knew martial arts before, and she had been refused.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “No need.”

Sheng Zhi Wan lowered her eyes slightly. In the flickering candlelight, Sheng Zhi Wan’s long lashes looked oddly grim.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “That treats the symptoms, not the root. Since they dared to use human lives as a threat, instead of defending, it is better to cut off the danger at the source.”

Since they believed commoner’ lives were cheap, then she would have the commoner they looked down on send them to their deaths.

Sheng Zhi Wan held the letter over the candle and set it alight. Only when the flame was about to lick her glossy fingertips did Sheng Zhi Wan loosen her grip.

Shang Xing Yu asked, “What did the Princess plan to do?”

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Shang Xing Yu coldly.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Water could carry a boat, and it could also overturn it. Since the Du Clan has forgotten the root that made their family rise over a hundred years, then why not let that root swallow them again?”

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Shang Xing Yu and said, “I will trouble Young Master Shang Er to wait here… forget it. I will trouble Young Master Shang Er to wait outside for half an hour.”

Shang Xing Yu fell silent.

Shang Xing Yu wanted to say something, but Sheng Zhi Wan had already stepped out.

Shang Xing Yu rubbed his nose. Only now, after the urgent matter was done, did Shang Xing Yu notice the scent of ointment lingering at the tip of Shang Xing Yu’s nose.

Maybe – maybe it was what she put on after bathing, before sleep.

[What was Shang Xing Yu thinking?!]

Shang Xing Yu scolded himself in his heart.

Even though no one was around, Shang Xing Yu still did not dare look around. Shang Xing Yu turned and leaped back out the way Shang Xing Yu had come.

A candle lit up in Sheng Zhi Wan’s study. Shang Xing Yu stood at a distance, watching that light and counting the time.

When half an hour passed, the candle in the study went out, and Shang Xing Yu leaped down again.

Sheng Zhi Wan returned to her bedchamber and found that Shang Xing Yu truly was not inside.

After more than half an hour, the cold wind was biting.

She said he should not wait here because it was not proper etiquette, but he had broken into her room in the middle of the night. How was that proper?

Now he knew to avoid suspicion.

As Sheng Zhi Wan thought this, another figure leaped in again-