The orange prince was led by the nose by Long Zaitian, forgetting everything. Fu Xiang however hadn't given up on his plan to defile Shen Yiren.
Fu Xiang used voice-transmission, only letting Shen Yiren alone hear him: "Beauty Shen, you're flustered and panicked now after hearing you would have to be a courtesan, right? As long as you plead me, I can take you in as a mistress. It's better than being toyed with by those old men."
Shen Yiren just looked at him like something filthy and sighed: "With your skills and intellect, and your status as an A-level figure in the pugilistic world, you were stuck being an assassin in the League of Assassins. Mystery was always a legend in the underground. With your skills, you would've stood at the pinnacle. But among Kuang Tian, Fu Xiang, Yu Ye and Zhong Yi, you're only ranked second. I initially wondered why someone like you would stoop this low, but now it's just laughable. It's far too obvious why."
"What did you say?"
It was as though Shen Yiren could see through him. She swept her beautiful eyes over him causing him to feel a desire to back down. Shen Yiren bluntly replied: "You learnt your martial arts from a reputable teacher and I believe you surpassed your own teacher. You practice qigong frequently to maintain your young appearance, but you can't hide the wrinkles at the corner of your eyes. You can't reach your level in your style without decades of practice. It's not that you're not willing to work hard, but because you're a chicken which is why you didn't dare to set foot into the pugilistic world at a tender age.
You wanted to ensure everything was ready. You wanted to train until you were invincible before setting foot into the pugilistic world. However, you still couldn't establish yourself as a prominent figure in the martial world, and was left with no choice but to join the League of Assassins and work as an assassin. Your plans are perfect, but you lack the guts. This shows that you don't dare to go all the way with things you do. It's rare to see people in the pugilistic world with such skills yet be such a pussy at the same time."
"Enough, you bitch!"
Having been seen through, he violently exclaimed: "Still prideful, huh?! I'm afraid you won't be able be to handle all the tricks the old fools come up with when you become a courtesan! I'll make Song Ou watch me pop your cherry and beg me for it…… No, seeing you and your boy-toy Ming Feizhen flirting with each other like that, I don't think there's any point in having Song Ou watch. When I fuck you, I'll take you to Jiang Nan to fuck you! I'll let your lover watch you please me in his old home."
Shen Yiren's gaze was still ice-cold as ever. She was indifferent to what he said, but when she heard the three words "Ming Feizhen", she was infuriated. She didn't know what he meant by Jiang Nan and all, but she clenched her teeth and then shouted: "Fu Xiang, you bastard! You killed Ming Feizhen! If I, Shen Yiren don't avenge his death, I'll have been called 'boss' for nothing!!"
One could not help but be shocked at how she was had such strong killing intent even when she didn't have an ounce of strength in her body.
Fu Xiang wasn't scared of her. He chuckled coldly and asked: "And you still won't admit to having an affair with him? You think you're convincing when you react like that?"
Fu Xiang spoke to her using voice-transmission so he didn't make any sound. However, others could hear Shen Yiren shout. The orange prince therefore turned his attention toward her. That was Fu Xiang's true goal. He wanted to provoke the orange prince to get him to return to this topic.
The orange prince frowned and said: "What are you shouting about?! What boss? If you knew who the boss was, you wouldn't be in your current predicament."
"I only know that I am to be loyal to my post." Shen Yiren stopped talking to Fu Xiang as well. She turned her attention to the orange prince and said: "Her highness has done me favours and you're her son, so I never wanted to go against you, but your mistake is too big."
The orange prince couldn't believe her. He looked at the stubborn girl: "Aren't you afraid I'll make you a courtesan?"
"If you want to torment me, try it. Do I look like the type to just take a beating without hitting back? Li Chengzhi, name one occasion you beat me in a fight since we were kids."
Shen Yiren entered the palace and played with the princes and princess ever since she was young. She was their playmate. It was obvious who won once you saw the orange prince's pale face. Back then, Shen Yiren entered the palace to accompany the princess. The orange prince put on airs and wanted to bully his sister, but ate little Shen Yiren's fists right away.
Shen Yiren was trained by her family and then learnt from Yan Shisan as well. The orange prince was no match for her when she was around eight or nine. Once Shen Yiren grew older and taller, her skills improved as well. At twelve to thirteen, Shen Yiren always beat him to pulp when he was around eighteen or nineteen causing him to cry mommy and she didn't let him go until he called her "elder sister Yiren".
The orange prince went red in the face when that embarrassing past of his got dug out. It was like he had returned to the past.
Shen Yiren sighed and said: "I never thought that you and I would drift apart after we grew up. You loved and respected your mother since you were a kid. Since when did you start treating women like this? I never wanted to mend my relationship with you, but never imagined this day would come. I never imagined we'd be in this situation."
The orange prince's face and ears were red. He found it hard to utter: "You make it sound nice and all, but what did you say when you beat me up back then?"
"Chengzhi, that was just us playing around."
The orange prince truly felt he wronged her when she changed the way she addressed him. He felt a little warmth in his chest. Just when he was about to steel his heart, his heart was swayed a little.
But then he heard Shen Yiren say: "However, from today onwards, I am a soldier, and you a brigand. That is all. As soon as I escape, I'll definitely arrest you."
"You! You! You!!"
The orange prince's face went white as a sheet. He cried out like an angry doll: "You don't appreciate favours! You don't appreciate favours! Alright, alright, alright! You asked for it. I think you'd look quite pretty as a mute. I can let you ministers play with her! You don't have to thank me!"
Fu Xiang was joyous with what he heard. That was exactly what he wanted. He looked at the great beauty whose curves didn't look like they could be contained by her clothes. He looked at her slender waist hidden and huge-soft knockers. Any man who saw her would go crazy for her. Who could resist such seduction?
But then when he looked at the officials and co. there was nothing but an awkward atmosphere with them. Fu Xiang was surprised. What's wrong with those old fools? Are they so old they can't appreciate a beauty anymore?
If Fu Xiang were to look more closely, he would see that other than the awkwardness, their anger was in their eyes.
Shen Yiren is the youngest person to have set foot into the imperial court. She started working at Liu Shan Men before she was thirteen and continued working there until today.
When her father passed away back then, as a young girl, she said to Yan Shisan: I want to become an official. I want to be a high-ranked official at Liu Shan Men.
Yan Shisan laughed: Lass, you sure could beat boys.
And he really did make her a fifth-ranked official.
Summer or winter, she wore a uniform that didn't fit her and wobbled her way before the emperor like she would trip if she wasn't careful. The officials all remember her cute and serious look as she tried not to make mistakes when she spoke. It was just like it happened yesterday. That young-determined girl got Liu Shan Men to stand on its legs alone. Her face showed her bitterness and determination. Anyone with a conscience wouldn't want to add another burden onto her tender shoulders and make her suffer any further.
Most of the academic officials who came into the imperial court were very old. Fifty years old would be considered young for them. Shen Yiren could be their granddaughter at their age.
Why has Shen Yiren been able to stand tall without being taken down all these years?
That's because besides the emperor, the members of the royal family and the major ministers all doted on her like she was their granddaughter.
From their perspective, the orange prince's revolt was a family matter. As ministers, ignoring him and looking at him coldly was called loyalty. Not speaking out against him was called a wise man keeps himself safe from harm.
But you want to make my granddaughter a courtesan?
Every single of the officials, regardless of departments were fuming. They had to get it out of their system. They got up and furiously shouted: "Go fuck yourself!"
He was one of the elders of the imperial court. He served as prime minister since the orange prince's grandpa's time. He was known for being a political-goof who was invincible at avoiding trouble. He was happy just to get by without trouble.
So if he were to start, all those who could be considered his students let loose. The ministers who had kept silent the entire time suddenly exploded.
"I am from the department of rituals. I shall put these traitors in their place!"
"Piss off! Your mum can go be a courtesan! Whoever goes to see her is a thirsty boy-toy! I am the head of the labour department. I'd like to see who dares touch Vice-Captain Shen!"
"Yiren, beat him up! I want to see how an orange prince is going to oppose the heavens!"
The old Prime Minister Li Si's students helped him up as he shook. He pulled up his sleeve, pointed right at the orange prince's face and cursed: "I've put up with you for a long time! Bring it on if you're so tough. I'll one on one you!"
He sounded as impressive as the emperor rewarding the three armies on a ceremonial day. The academic officials who were getting on with age ignored the weapons next to them, jumped up, shouted and cried as they rushed over without a care.
These officials were important for the orange prince. The orange prince gave orders not to hurt them. They don't know martial arts so they weren't affected by the wine with Thorn-Tears. They were only controlled by the mercenaries. They weren't bound either since they weren't afraid of these officials doing anything.
But he never expected that to be his Achilles!
More than thirty-percent of the fiery group that rushed over were old men with white hair. They would probably crumble if you touched them. After receiving orders from the orange prince, they didn't dare to stop them. They supported each other and rushed over. Forget blades cutting into them, just tripping would reduce them to ashes.
And so the mercenaries backed away leaving an open path so they got to charge at the orange prince as though it was no-man's land.
The orange prince started to panic. His fighting spirit was only just slightly more intense than old Prime Minister Li. He wasn't a match for the combined might of the other officials who were tougher. With all of them charging at him at once, the orange prince was like an island surrounded by water.
The orange prince retreated a number of steps. Flustered, he shouted: "Guards! Guards! Assassins are after Emperor Cheng Kong! Guards!!"
But since everyone was so far away, nobody could make it.
Long Zaitian was closest. He was doing circles with his wrists as she prepared to go to the orange prince's aid. However then when he looked closer, shit!
The leader of the pack was the current prime minister. Among them were Minister Wu Ying, Minister Wen Hua, and Grand Academic Minister Ji Quan. One of them was Long Zaitian's father's teacher. They were all elders!
Not even the grand commander of the Qilin Guards would dare touch them if he was here let alone me.
So he relaxed his fist and stood properly, allowing the elders passage. He indicated his stance: This is your issue with Emperor Cheng Kong. I have no right to interfere.
The orange prince was stuck in the middle between the major ministers. As soon as they struck at him, the orange prince immediately got drowned by their sheer numbers.
Fu Xiang immediately rushed over. However, as he slipped on his focus, a gust of wind blew at his ear. The qi from a sharp sword slipped past his neck and he felt the pain of a slit. Fu Xiang reacted with shock: Enemy attack!
Luckily for him, he was skilled, thereby allowing him to move his head out of the way so he put a distance of three feet between him and the assailant. However, his opponent was truly too swift like they were going to pierce through his skull. Fu Xiang expended much effort to evade, but there was still a shocking wound on his neck.
Fu Xiang turned his head to look and was surprised to discover who his assailant was!!