chapter 55

Chapter 55: The Elders Arrive

Shen He is all over the place!

He frantically searched but couldn't find his handkerchief. He had no choice but to use the torn part of his sleeve to wipe his face.

As he wiped, he said, "Hurry! Help me tie my hair back up!"

Shen He pleaded with Shen Yan, "Brother, can you have someone sneak home and fetch a change of clothes for me?"

There's still blood on his clothes. How would the parents react if they saw this?

He finished speaking and paused.

Wait, too many parents are coming.

The parents of Prince Yun might also be on their way.

Won't this lead to a clash between the parents?

He raised his hand to stop the young eunuch from undoing his hair, saying, "That's enough. Tear this sleeve further, and rip a part of the hem too!"

He no longer wiped his face. Instead, he smeared more blood from his chin onto his cheeks.

He then turned to Shen Yan and asked, "Brother, do I look pitiful enough? More so than Prince Yun?"

Shen Yan, resigned but amused, replied, "Yes, even more pitiful. Relax, it's not your fault. They knew the law yet broke it. You did just right."

Shen Yan continued, "However, next time, don't act so impulsively, especially when you're alone. What if they had the audacity to gang up on you?"

Shen He chuckled, brimming with confidence, "Why be afraid? They'd never dare lay a finger on me. You haven't seen how they fawn over Prince Yun. Just one look and you can tell they're opportunists. If they were truly aggressive and not afraid of me, of course, I'd run. I'm smart, you know."

Despite these words, Shen Yan still felt uneasy.

Not knowing what else to say, he simply ruffled Shen He's messy hair.

The hairpin had been entirely removed by the eunuch, letting his soft hair cascade down, gently resting on his shoulders and cheeks.

This made him appear younger than when his hair was tied up, his round eyes gleaming with a mischievous pride.

His slightly chubby cheeks, smeared with blood, resembled an injured kitten.

Shen Yan thought, even when his brother is well-groomed and doesn't deliberately appear battered, he's still inherently endearing.

How could Prince Yun possibly compare to him?

……

The Duke's residence was the closest, and the elderly Duchess and Duke were the first to receive the news.

The young eunuch's message was delivered in an alarmingly dramatic tone.

The messenger, unaware of the context, relayed verbatim, “The eunuch entrusted me with a message for you, saying that the young master was assaulted by Prince Yun and his entourage at Linjiang Pavilion. He urges you to go to the official residence to see for yourself.”

The tea cup in the old Duke's hand dropped, "What did you say?!"

His dear Shen He was attacked by a group!?

Is this even tolerable!?

Having retired from his official duties, did they simply consider him as good as dead, daring to harm his very own grandson like this?!

The old Duke sprang to his feet and, without waiting for the messenger to repeat himself, dashed out like a gust of wind.

Striding powerfully, one might think he was heading into battle.

The Liu family found out a bit later.

Most of the men from the house were on duty outside and hadn't yet returned home. The madams and some young lords and ladies remained in the residence.

Madam Liu's brow furrowed and she instructed, “I understand. Feng Mama, give him some money for his troubles. I’ll go change my attire and head to the yamen... Nevermind the change of clothes. Let’s go directly and refrain from alarming the elder madam for now. Also, send someone to inform the master.”

A group swiftly exited, boarding carriages to hasten to the magistrate's office.

By the time news reached the palace, Shen He was already at the magistrate's residence.

The prefect had been informed early in the morning and was aware that those involved were all young masters from noble families.

Among them was a crown prince.

Initially, he was incredibly vexed, thinking that having a crown prince involved would complicate matters.

But when Shen He, with blood smeared over his face, stepped down from the carriage, the prefect nearly fell to his knees in shock!

A crown prince?!

What does a crown prince amount to?!

No one informed him that this eminent figure was also involved!

And that he was beaten to such a state!

He's covered in blood, right here in the capital!

The prefect fears that in a couple of hours, his official hat might be stripped off!

Shen He probably isn't familiar with the prefect, but the prefect knows Shen He all too well!

The Lesser Minister Song is his father-in-law. His wife is the eldest daughter of Minister Song, and their bond is deep. Through his wife, he often hears about the young master raised by the crown prince.

Others might not be aware of the extent of the crown prince's fondness for Shen He, but he is acutely aware.

The prefect's legs nearly gave way. Supporting himself on a bailiff, he ignored the so-called crown prince and quickly approached Shen He, trying to keep his voice steady, "Young Master Shen, are you alright? Would you like a physician to examine you? There's no need to put on a brave face. Let those with you speak if you're unable to."

Shen He blinked. Had he overdone the pitiful act?

Looking at him, was he worse off than Prince Yun and in dire need of a physician?

Shen He initially wanted to play up his injuries further.

However, he held back and said, "No need, I'm fine. I can hold on!"

Calling for a physician would give the game away!

He couldn’t do that!

Not only could he not see a doctor, but he also shouldn’t wipe his face.

This bloodied look was most intimidating.

At Linjiang Pavilion, Shen He had been fierce and aggressive, ready to bite anyone who dared approach.

At the official residence, he adopted a well-behaved demeanor, following behind Shen Yan, his pitiful expression making him look like the perfect obedient child, winning everyone's sympathy.

Prince Yun and his companions were carried into the residence. By the time they arrived, most could stand, and those who fainted had come to, albeit sore all over.

The worst off was Prince Yun. His leg was indeed broken, and he couldn't stand, confined to a chair.

Shen Yan glanced at the prince's leg and then looked away.

Prince Yun shouted, "Where's my father? Why hasn't he arrived? I dare anyone to question me before he gets here!"

The Prefect of Jingzhao never intended to interrogate him in the first place.

He's very cunning. Questioning the Crown Prince now would be pointless. Once Shen He's backup arrives, there will be no need for further interrogation; things will naturally fall into place.

That being said, seeing the Crown Prince's arrogant demeanor and then looking at the quiet Shen He following his elder brother, he found himself greatly disliking the Crown Prince.

The Prince inherited his title from his father, who was a brother to the previous emperor.

The Prince and the current emperor are first cousins.

By the time it came to the Crown Prince's generation, there's a generational gap in their royal kinship.

However, judging by the Crown Prince's arrogance, one can glean an idea about the character of his parents.

It was as expected.

The Prince and the Princess Consort rushed over. Before they even entered, they wailed as if their son was dead, "My son! How is he? Who dared to hurt him? Such audacity!"

Just as they stepped in, right on their heels, the Grand Duke arrived.

Before the Prince and Princess Consort could grasp the situation, the Grand Duke's voice boomed like a bell, "Xiao He, Grandfather is here, don't be afraid!"

Everyone in the hall: "..."

Shen He: What if I'm even more scared?

He clung to Shen Yan's sleeve, silently hiding behind him, thinking he'd never imagined a scene like this in his wildest dreams.

Jiang Zhitong: "..." He raised his hand to cover his face, hoping that when his family arrives, it wouldn’t be with such a grand entrance.

It probably won't be.

Though he knew it might not make a huge difference, avoiding a few beatings would still be a relief.

Shen Yan, with a suppressed smile, called out, "Grandfather, why did you come in person?"

Only then did the Grand Duke spot his two grandsons amidst the crowd.

Ignoring the still wailing Prince and Princess Consort, he strode over to his grandsons and, checking Shen He over with anger rising, exclaimed, "Xiao He, who did this to you? Tell your grandfather. Even if I have to stake my reputation and appeal to the emperor, I will ensure justice for you!"

The Princess Consort, who was clutching the young prince, cried out, "Oh, my son..."

Her voice suddenly trailed off.

Much like a duck whose throat had been pinched.

The Prefect of Jingzhao thought, "Let's wait a bit longer. Only two have arrived so far, the relatives of the other young lords might also come."

Whether they come or not isn't the issue; the important thing is the Crown Prince hasn't arrived yet.

The Prefect of Jingzhao mused that given the magnitude of the commotion, the chief steward of the Eastern Palace might need to come personally before this matter is resolved.

Shen He was busy comforting his grandfather, whispering, "Grandfather, I'm alright, truly, I am..."

Sneakily, he leaned into his grandfather's ear and murmured, "I exaggerated my injuries. I had to appear more pitiful than him; otherwise, they'll play the victim card. Hush, let's keep it between us."

The Grand Duke: "..."

Half of the anger boiling inside the Grand Duke dissipated, replaced by an amused bewilderment.

Such a cunning little fox.

It's the first time he's heard the term "play the victim," but it was used quite aptly.

The Grand Duke, maintaining his composure and keeping his voice low, whispered back to his young grandson, "I see. Don't worry. They won't dare to bully our family today."

Shen He nodded in agreement.

Over there, the Prince and Princess Consort were eyeing them closely.

Before their entry, they were prepared to make a big fuss, especially after seeing their beloved son seated in the grandmaster's chair, bruised and battered, with one eye nearly swollen shut. They felt an urge to imprison those responsible and their entire lineage.

However, upon closer inspection, they recognized the household of the Grand Duke.

Looking even more closely, they realized it was the young lord who was under the care of the Crown Prince. Though he stood upright, his face was bloodied, looking scarcely better than their own son.

The couple suddenly felt a pang of guilt, suppressing the indignant cries and curses they had prepared.

They could only lament their son's plight on one hand and question the Prefect of Jingzhao on the other.

The Prefect of Jingzhao greeted them with a forced smile, his patience wearing thin internally.

When these royal relatives make a scene, they're hardly distinguishable from street thugs.

The magistrate's residence quickly filled with people, and although Lady Liu was slightly behind, her arrival was still timely.

Upon seeing Shen He's condition, her heart skipped a beat. Hastening her steps, she lifted her skirt and approached him, taking out a handkerchief intending to wipe his face, softly asking, "How did this happen? Let your aunt take a look; does it hurt much?"

Shen He leaned back, dodging Lady Liu's hand with an embarrassed smile, "It doesn't hurt, Aunt. I'm alright."

With so many people around now, it wasn't appropriate for him to discreetly explain the situation to his aunt as he had done earlier.

Both the Prince and the Prefect of Jingzhao understood that if the Crown Prince's entourage arrived, the matter would be over.

The difference was, while the Prefect of Jingzhao awaited their arrival, the Prince hoped to resolve the matter before they showed up.

Now having a clear understanding of the situation and whether it was based on the law or the children's current condition, they didn't have the upper hand.

The last thing he wanted was to send his precious son to the prison for a few days.

Of course, he wasn't overly anxious.

As long as the Crown Prince himself didn't show up, regardless of whether it was the chief steward of the Eastern Palace or someone else, he was still a dignified prince and a royal relative. Merely the status of being a "relative" was enough to hold sway over everyone else.

Such were his thoughts.

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside, and a vast crowd kneeled in unison.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince!"