spoiled brat

Chapter 51, Section 50: Flying Catkins (Part 10)

He glanced at Zhao Zhao, his eyes indifferent: "Lord You."

You Ming raised his head like a dog and said respectfully, "Your humble servant is here."

After scrutinizing Zhao Zhao's face for a while, Xiu Yi pulled away his fan: "Is she one of yours?"

You Ming reluctantly replied, "Yes, Your Highness."

Zhao Zhao gripped the neck of the zither tightly, unwilling beyond measure. However, You Ming looked at her with worry in his eyes, fearing that she would be punished for offending a noble person.

interesting.

Xiu Yi glanced sideways at He Bi, who immediately understood and stirred up trouble, saying, "Lord You, your lover, a courtesan, offended my master and attempted to assassinate the prince. What do you say about this?"

A huge pot came crashing down, leaving You Ming and Zhao Zhao dizzy and disoriented.

“You little rascal—” Zhao Zhao was about to explain when her forehead was pressed down by the cold handle of a fan. Xiu Yi said casually, “Let your master speak for you.”

Even though he knew it was a fabricated charge, You Ming still cupped his hands and explained, "Young Master, she's just a lowly prostitute; how could she dare to have such thoughts?"

"Is that so?" Xiu Yi said casually, instructing He Bi, "Take him away. I will interrogate him personally later."

-

The rooftop of the music hall.

A wide, open platform without eaves, with low and thin railings, offers a panoramic view of the moonlit sky and the human world below, embodying the idea of ​​"leaning precariously on a high tower, laughing in the wind."

On the wide platform was a low yellow pear-shaped table. You Ming and Xiu Yi stared at each other, their hearts pounding in their throats.

Although the officers and soldiers and the Dingbei Army were irreconcilable enemies, their skirmishes were always minor and never brought up in public.

Xiu Yi's sudden visit suggests he has ill intentions.

Having spent twenty years navigating the officialdom, You Ming knew that the more passive a situation was, the more proactive one had to be. He stood up, poured Xiu Yi a cup of wine with utmost respect, and said with a forced smile, "Young Master, these days, there have been constant frictions and disagreements between the two groups in the city. If this continues, it might not look very good."

Xiu Yi shifted his gaze from the gold-painted fan, raised his thin eyelids, and looked at He Bi: "Is that so?"

Why not just remain calm and collected? "Sir, no." You Ming sneered inwardly. What a fine "no." This young master in front of him had only a handsome appearance, but inside he was a stinking knife, arrogant and domineering. Prince Ning had his troops stationed outside the city, while he and his army lingered in the city, no more, no less, just the same strength as the government troops.

You Mingyi asked meaningfully, "Guard He, the Prince and Princess are stationed at the North City Camp. Who is in charge of the Dingbei Army in the city?"

"It's under my jurisdiction." Why get used to being a vicious dog? "My master is an idle man who spends all his time in the palace writing and painting. He knows nothing about what's happening outside."

You Ming chuckled awkwardly, "Yes, yes, of course the young master has nothing to do with the dirty business outside."

He paused deliberately, "However, Lord Xu has recently been focusing on the city's defenses. He feels that there are two groups of troops in the city that are difficult to deploy, so I would like to ask you..." He fell silent at the crucial point.

The Emperor, wary of the Prince of Ning's family, intended to use the small Yunzhou as a cage for these trapped beasts. Xu Feng, appointed by the Emperor, was put in charge of the control, using the Prince's troops to resist the Prince's army. Although the Prince of Ning's family was not as powerful as before, they were still a force to be reckoned with. Xu Feng did not want to confront them head-on and had long intended to send You Ming to ease tensions.

Xiu Yi said coldly, "It's not his place to give orders in my family's fiefdom."

These words are too sharp; there's no room for negotiation.

You Ming bluntly stated, "Your Highness, I am only doing this for your sake. Although Prefect Xu has been in office for less than a year and has a shallow foundation, he is, after all, backed by Minister Wu and—"

Before he could finish speaking, You Ming was splashed with wine all over his face.

"He's a parasite who climbed up the social ladder by clinging to women's skirts. Does he deserve my concern?"

Wine streamed down his cheeks as You Ming closed his eyes in a disheveled state. He hadn't expected this young master to be even more eccentric and reckless than rumored. No wonder the officials in the capital secretly cursed him as a heretical beast.

"Your Highness." You Ming raised his hand and wiped the wine off his face little by little. He steeled his heart and said, "I have already offended you with my words. If I may be so bold as to say one more thing, even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about the Prince and Princess!"

"How dare you!" He Bi shouted, his hand instantly pressing down on his waist knife.

Xiu Yi glanced at him and said, "Lord You, you should first understand your own situation."

A chill ran down You Ming's spine: "My predicament..."

In the candlelight, Xiu Yi's eyes were dim and unclear, and every word he spoke was like a vengeful ghost: "You did so many dirty things for Xu Feng, aren't you afraid?"

(End of this chapter)