Chapter 37 He Could Barely Control His Madness

Chapter 37: He Could Barely Control Himself from Going Mad

After finishing his words, Master Shen shouted “Hyah!” and spurred his horse into a gallop.

When encountering obstacles, he either vaulted his horse over them or lashed them aside with his whip.

The two youths following closely behind rode off in the same manner.

Only after the four horses had vanished from sight—and even their hoofbeats faded into silence—did the crowd finally stir.

People scattered: some hastily packed up their belongings; others searched for loved ones; still others hurried home.

Xu Mo handed the little girl back to her mother.

The child had ceased her gut-wrenching sobs but continued to sniffle softly, tears streaming quietly down her cheeks.

Clutching her daughter tightly, the woman sobbed uncontrollably—mother and daughter weeping together, eyes swollen and red.

Still visibly shaken and panicked, she moved frantically, bowing repeatedly to Xu Mo despite his gestures urging her to stop. Then she attempted to kneel before him. Xu Mo quickly stepped forward, grasped her arms, and gently lifted her upright.

Su Zheng gestured for Luo Yunchen to join him.

As they approached, the woman flinched and instinctively recoiled.

Xu Mo clasped his hands and bowed respectfully to Su Zheng and Luo Yunchen, then turned to the woman and explained, “These two are my masters. They ordered me to save your daughter.”

Hearing this, the woman rushed forward, bowing deeply and expressing her gratitude.

Su Zheng spoke first: “How is the child?”

Xu Mo replied, “She has minor scrapes on her palms and arms—nothing serious. Her ankle is sprained and swollen, but the bone is unbroken. With proper medicine and rest, she’ll recover fully.”

The woman clearly already knew the extent of her daughter’s injuries—not surprised, only heartbroken.

Su Zheng sighed inwardly. To an ordinary person, such injuries were trivial—easily healed.

But for this little girl, they would likely cause intense pain.

He wondered whether the trauma would leave lasting psychological scars.

The woman had calmed slightly and now wished to depart, intent on seeking medical treatment for her daughter. She bowed once more to her saviors, thanking them profusely: “Thank you, kind sirs, for saving my daughter! Thank you! Thank you! Please, take my advice—leave here at once and lie low. Those people are dangerous. That young master threatened to hunt you down. If you stay, you’ll certainly—certainly be…”

Seeing her terrified expression, Su Zheng interrupted gently: “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry about us. But you—your daughter was injured because of them. If you know who they are, come with me to the local authorities and file a formal complaint. Make them pay for her medical expenses.”

At these words, the woman turned deathly pale. She shook her head violently and staggered backward. “No, no, no! I don’t know them! I don’t know them! I won’t sue! I won’t! I absolutely won’t! My daughter’s fine—nothing happened! It’s all my fault—I’m guilty, I know I messed up! I’ll go now—I’ll go now…”

With that, she clutched her daughter tightly and fled, stumbling away as if pursued by ghosts.

Su Zheng and Luo Yunchen exchanged glances—both sensing something far deeper beneath the surface.

Rather than leaving, Su Zheng walked over to a street vendor straightening his stall.

He helped an elderly man gather scattered goods and reorganize them neatly.

The old man nodded gratefully and said, “Thank you, young master.”

“Sir,” Su Zheng asked, “does reckless horse-riding like this happen often on the streets? Why does everyone seem so accustomed to it—and why does no one report it to the authorities? Doesn’t the government intervene?”

The old man waved dismissively. “Don’t even mention it, young master. You must not venture out much, right? Those young men just now were all sons of powerful families—well-connected across the realm. Even the capital’s prefectural office dares not rein them in!”

“Everyone knows them? Has anyone ever filed a complaint?”

“Of course! Once, a young master rode his horse straight over a pedestrian and killed him on the spot. The victim’s family reported it—but instead of justice, they faced brutal retaliation from the young master’s family. Their entire household was destroyed. The government even issued an official notice accusing the family of extortion—and suppressed us commoners, forbidding any further trouble. Since then, we’ve had no choice but to avoid them at all costs. Ah, young master, I beg you—let this matter drop. Don’t pursue it further!”

Luo Yunchen neither interfered with Su Zheng’s actions nor offered assistance.

When Su Zheng finished and returned, Luo Yunchen stepped forward.

He adjusted his sleeves and asked, “What does Elder Brother intend to do?”

“The Lin family, though diminished from its former glory, remains formidable—like a starving camel still larger than a horse. Even if their power falls short of the Shen family’s, their influence is not to be underestimated. Those ruffians are merely manifestations of the Shen and Lin families’ authority. Even if we caught them red-handed and threw them into the Supreme Court, someone within the palace would likely secure their release within a day.”

Su Zheng’s tone was cold—not furious, simply factual. “Unless we dismantle the power of the Shen and Lin families, those who bully others will never truly be regarded as despised pests.”

Luo Yunchen’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened, fixed unblinkingly on Su Zheng. “What did Elder Brother say? *Dismantle* the Shen and Lin families?”

Uttering those words amounted to an open declaration that Su Zheng stood apart from both the Empress and the Emperor.

Su Zheng met Luo Yunchen’s gaze and smiled faintly. “What’s wrong with that? In their positions, they should govern. The Dayin Empire granted them honor and wealth—their power was meant to serve the empire and its people, to foster prosperity and usher in a golden age. Yet what have they done? Oppressed the common folk—treated human lives as worthless as weeds! If they remain unchallenged, then Dayin—the land itself—will inevitably crumble under their corruption, transforming into a living hell.”

The flicker of pain and hatred in Luo Yunchen’s eyes vanished instantly. He, too, smiled and said, “Elder Brother’s idea is sound—but toppling them is no simple task. Does Elder Brother plan to cultivate his own power?”

Su Zheng laughed—a laugh edged with irony. “Chen Di, you’re so perceptive. Can’t you see your elder brother is nothing more than a useless crown prince obsessed only with food and drink? Worse still—I may well be a puppet manipulated by others. How could a puppet possibly wield real power?”

Luo Yunchen’s eyes darkened. He seized Su Zheng’s wrist.

Su Zheng’s words struck him with unexpected force—though he couldn’t fathom why. For a moment, he found no words to comfort him, uttering only, “Elder Brother…”

Su Zheng turned his wrist and gripped Luo Yunchen’s hand in return.

Letting the sarcasm fade, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them, his gaze locking firmly onto Luo Yunchen’s eyes. His voice dropped, grave and resolute: “Chen Di, I don’t mind being a puppet—devoid of foundation, stripped of power. But I am willing to be a puppet *only* in your hands.”

Luo Yunchen’s pupils contracted sharply. He stared blankly at the youth standing so close before him—his handsome face, his clear, bright eyes, the faint glimmer of stars reflected within them.

One by one, they fell into Luo Yunchen’s deep, dark eyes—then sank, irrevocably, into his heart.

Luo Yunchen felt as if something were hammering against his chest—beating fast, urgently, thunderously.

It pounded so fiercely that he could barely control himself from going mad!