Chapter Thirty-Eight: A County Magistrate Is Worthless

“Have you made enough of a scene?” Princess Pingyang, Li Xiuning, set the tone for Chen Ying’s recent incident with a single word: commotion. Chen Ying, of course, understood when to stand his ground and when to yield. What he needed now was to play the part of the bullied weakling, not some notorious villain. He must not give others any reasons to denounce him.

Without hesitation, Chen Ying sheathed his saber and released Li Xiaoguang. In truth, Liang Zan still held his blade, standing right behind Li Xiaoguang, ready to strike if he dared make any wrong move—blood would surely be spilled. Yet that was an option of last resort. Killing someone in front of Princess Pingyang, Li Xiuning, would be sheer folly.

Balancing the saber across his palms, Chen Ying respectfully handed it to Li Xiuning. “Even if the Marquis of Changguang is at fault in a hundred ways, I too am guilty of losing my temper. Even if Your Highness chooses not to hold me accountable, I am far too ashamed to remain as General of Ningyuan or Commandant of Zhechong. I hereby demote myself to commoner status and will retire to my home in disgrace.”

Li Xiuning took the saber, dabbing a handkerchief to wipe away the blood. “A sharp saber is a weapon for repelling the enemy, not for you men to brandish in brawls.”

Chen Ying bowed his head again and again, his tone utterly sincere. “Your Highness, I accept your rebuke. I realize my mistake.”

Li Xiuning arched her brow, her gaze sharp as she fixed her eyes on Li Xiaoguang.

Li Xiaoguang shuddered in terror, dropping to his knees and wailing, “Princess, I beg you to stand up for me!”

As Li Xiuning bent closer, an acrid stench assailed her. She glanced down to find Li Xiaoguang’s lower garments wet.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust, thinking, “What a useless wretch.”

Still, she covered her nose and whispered so only the two of them could hear, “Marquis of Changguang, as a member of the imperial clan, to be so thoroughly manipulated by a petty schemer—do you not see how much face you’ve lost?”

A chill ran through Li Xiaoguang. Chen Ying had indeed committed insubordination, but if word of this spread, it would only show how foolish he, Li Xiaoguang, had been—tricked by Gao Wanqing, made into his cat’s-paw, disgracing the royal family. Even though he was a notorious rake, he still moved in the circles of Chang’an’s elite. To acquire a reputation for stupidity—how could he ever show his face again?

Li Xiaoguang groaned, “Pingyang, what should I do now?”

“What should you do?” Li Xiuning’s gaze swept the chaos of the marquis’ guards sprawled about the Chen household. “Let a big matter become a small one, and a small one be forgotten.”

Li Xiaoguang hesitated.

Li Xiuning grew impatient. “If you kill Chen Ying, and cement your reputation as a fool, is that what you want?”

A flash of malice crossed Li Xiaoguang’s eyes, but upon catching the murderous glint in Li Xiuning’s gaze, he fell silent.

With a wave of her hand, Li Xiuning signaled Chen Ying, who quickly stepped forward and brushed past her shoulder.

Li Xiaoguang glanced from Chen Ying to Li Xiuning, and suddenly, enlightenment dawned. As a member of the imperial family, he knew the rumors—Princess Pingyang and her consort Chai were at odds, their marriage unconsummated, a secret everyone knew. Could Chen Ying be the princess’s secret lover?

The more Li Xiaoguang considered it, the more plausible it seemed. Otherwise, Princess Pingyang would never have intervened. Among all the princesses of the Li Tang dynasty, Li Xiuning was the most beloved—close to Prince Qin, Li Shimin, and the Crown Prince, Li Jiancheng. Yet she was never known for meddling. If Chen Ying was not her lover, he was certainly taboo.

Li Xiaoguang was still churning with resentment and indignation. “Are we just going to let it go at that?”

“Of course not,” Li Xiuning replied. “Chen Ying!”

“Here, Your Highness!”

“Apologize to the Marquis of Changguang!”

“Marquis, I was blind and foolish to offend you. I deserve ten thousand deaths!” Without a second thought, Chen Ying made as if to kneel before Li Xiaoguang.

Li Xiaoguang recoiled in alarm. If he accepted Chen Ying’s kneeling, and this reached Li Xiuning’s ears in her private moments, his future would be bleak indeed.

Hurriedly, Li Xiaoguang helped Chen Ying up. “The Dragon King’s temple flooded—this was but a misunderstanding between friends!”

Li Xiuning said, “But Chen Ying injured men from the Marquis of Changguang’s household!”

“I will pay compensation, I will pay,” Chen Ying replied at once.

“Let it be a thousand strings of cash,” Li Xiuning said.

Chen Ying nearly coughed blood in frustration. A thousand strings—so casually stated, yet it would clean out his savings, leaving him bankrupt overnight.

His face was a portrait of misery.

Li Xiuning showed no sign of relenting; instead, her gaze grew stern, pressing Chen Ying.

He bowed. “Marquis of Changguang, the money will be delivered to your residence shortly!”

Li Xiuning nodded in satisfaction, finally glancing at the twin maidens, Green Pearl and Red Sleeve. As for County Magistrate Su Hu and General of the Martial Guard Dou Xi, Li Xiuning did not spare them a single glance.

Su Hu felt deeply slighted.

“That’s settled then,” Li Xiuning declared. “Marquis, you may return to your residence and rest.”

Li Xiaoguang seized the reprieve as if receiving imperial pardon, ordering his few surviving guards to help him away. As he left, his gaze turned hawk-like, fixing on Su Hu. “Master Su, I will remember you!”

Su Hu felt as if he’d plunged into an ice cellar.

No one here was a fool. Though Su Hu had manipulated Li Xiaoguang, the latter was not blind to Su’s machinations. He simply went along because of the twin maids—intending to frame Chen Ying and seize the sisters for himself.

He had not anticipated Chen Ying’s ferocity, which left him humiliated.

Now, Su Hu sat as if on pins and needles, cold sweat beading on his brow.

General Dou Xi was just about to slip away when Li Xiuning’s sharp eyes caught him.

“General Dou, are the troops of Great Tang your private army?”

Dou Xi cursed Su Hu inwardly, but could only grit his teeth and reply, “I would not dare!”

“Then get out!”

Hearing such imperious rebuke, Chen Ying, unseen, gave Li Xiuning a silent thumbs-up.

Dou Xi led his guards away.

Chen Ying, emboldened, slowly approached Su Hu. He shook his head. “Master Su, was this really necessary? After all, we were once master and servant. Why force things to this point and become a laughingstock?”

Su Hu wished he could tear Chen Ying to pieces, but in the presence of Princess Pingyang, he dared not even breathe a word. Though he seethed with hatred, he forced a pleasant smile. “Congratulations, young master Chen, on climbing to such heights.”

Chen Ying realized Su Hu had misunderstood his relationship with Princess Pingyang, but he did not bother to correct him. He was happy to shelter under the princess’s favor.

He replied, “As long as you know. Best not to speak of it—otherwise you’ll bring disaster upon yourself. In the eyes of their lordships, your magistrate’s title is worth nothing at all.”

He bit hard on the word “nothing.”