My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Upon understanding this, Zhu Cilang was not displeased at all; on the contrary, he found it somewhat amusing.

He looked at Luo Yangxing, who was still somewhat uneasy, and said in a relaxed tone:
"Alright, I know about this matter. My father has worked tirelessly for the Ming Dynasty for more than a decade. Now that the country is in a better state, it is only right that he relaxes and enjoys some leisure time during his southern tour."

"Since Father has kept those women, just serve them well. There is no need to publicize this matter, and we must not allow those officials and censors to use this as an excuse to cause trouble and disturb Father's peace."

"If anyone is ungrateful, you should know how to deal with them."

Upon hearing this, Luo Yangxing felt as if he had been granted a pardon, a great weight lifted from his heart. He quickly bowed and replied:

"Your Majesty, I understand! Rest assured, Your Highness, I will handle this matter properly and will not allow any unauthorized individuals to disturb Your Majesty's and Your Highness's peace!"

His biggest worry was that the Crown Prince would be sensitive to this matter and might even take his anger out on him, the person who reported it.

Seeing the Crown Prince so "understanding" and even showing a hint of protectiveness, I immediately felt that this Crown Prince was indeed extraordinary.

However, just as Luo Yangxing breathed a sigh of relief and the atmosphere in the private room eased slightly, a strange change occurred in the hall downstairs!

A sudden, extremely discordant commotion, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, shattered the tranquility!
The voice was rough and arrogant, mixed with a drunken man's taunts and shouts, as well as a woman's terrified, angry screams and pleas!

"Young lady, don't run away! Come, have a drink with me!"

"You lecherous scoundrel, let go! I only came to deliver wontons!"

"Deliver wontons? What kind of wontons? Wontons are nowhere near as good as yours! Haha!"

"Let me go! Help!"

The sound was so jarring, so out of place with the surrounding elegant music, that it instantly drew everyone's attention.

Inside the private room on the second floor, Zhu Cilang's brows immediately furrowed, and the relaxed smile on his face vanished.

Although he didn't mind Emperor Chongzhen taking in a few beautiful women, he was extremely disgusted by such despicable behavior as bullying and forcing women in public.

This "Shuyuxuan" is supposed to be elegant and refined, yet it tolerates such sordid things.
Before Zhu Cilang could even ask, Luo Yangxing's face darkened and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

For such a thing to happen in front of the Crown Prince is nothing short of a provocation and an insult to him, the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
He immediately stepped forward and bowed to Zhu Cilang, saying:
"Your Highness, please calm down. Allow me to go and see who is so bold as to make such a fuss and disturb Your Highness's peace of mind."

Zhu Cilang nodded, his tone slightly cold:

"Go and investigate immediately. If there is any illegality, deal with it according to the law without any hesitation."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Luo Yangxing accepted the order and immediately turned around. He gave a wink to the two disguised Imperial Guards standing at the door of the private room. The three of them quickly lifted the curtain and went downstairs with hurried footsteps.

In the short time that Luo Yangxing left, the noise downstairs not only did not subside, but intensified.

The woman's cries grew even more furious and shrill, while the man's lewd laughter and curses became even more arrogant, seemingly mixed with the sounds of cups and plates being knocked over and shattered, as well as the panicked whispers and rustling of the surrounding guests trying to avoid him.

The melodious music had long since stopped, and the entire "Shuyuxuan" hall was filled with a chaotic and uneasy atmosphere.

After a short while, the noise downstairs subsided, followed by footsteps on the stairs. Luo Yangxing, looking rather grim, quickly returned and re-entered the private room.

He first waved for the Imperial Guards at the door to lower the bamboo curtain, blocking further view, before walking up to Zhu Cilang, bowing and reporting with a hint of helplessness in his tone:
“Your Highness, I have investigated and found that a young guest downstairs had drunk too much and became disorderly under the influence of alcohol. He harassed a woman who came to deliver food in public. The woman struggled and resisted, which caused the disturbance.”

Zhu Cilang was speechless. He had actually guessed a bit about it, but he didn't expect things to actually turn out this way.

I was just out for a casual stroll, and I actually stumbled upon this melodramatic scene of bullying men and women?

According to the procedure, should I then play the hero and save the damsel in distress?

Having dispelled those melodramatic thoughts from his mind, Zhu Cilang asked in a deep voice:
"Was the woman injured? And who were the troublemakers?"

A strange look flashed across Luo Yangxing's face, and he said in a low voice:
"Your Highness, you may still remember the woman who was harassed. She is the granddaughter of the old man we met at the wonton stall by the river, the girl named Pear Blossom."

"Pear blossoms?"

Zhu Cilang immediately pictured the little girl with a bamboo basket, bright eyes, a clear voice, and who was arguing on behalf of her grandfather.

His brows furrowed even more, and a surge of anger rose from the depths of his heart.

Unexpectedly, a short while later, I encountered the little girl again, and under these circumstances!

The girl looked to be from a poor family. She must have delivered the wontons herself because a customer had ordered them. She never expected to suffer such an undeserved misfortune!

How is she?

Zhu Cilang's voice turned colder.

"Your Highness, the girl was just frightened and her clothes were torn a little, but she is fine. When I went down, I had two Imperial Guards protect her temporarily."

Luo Yangxing hurriedly said.

"And what about the troublemakers?"

Zhu Cilang pressed for further details.

Luo Yangxing's face showed a hint of contempt and disdain as he replied:

"I have already ordered my men to seize him and were preparing to drag him out so as not to offend Your Highness's eyes and ears. But that man is extremely arrogant and spouts wild words. He must have quite a background."

As if to confirm Luo Yangxing's words, an even more intense commotion erupted downstairs the moment he finished speaking! A young man's furious, aggressive roar could be clearly heard:
"You insolent bastards! Where did you come from, you lackeys?! How dare you touch me?! You're tired of living! Do you know who I am?! I am the young master of the Changning Marquis's mansion! My father is the Marquis of Changning! You blind bastards, let go of me now!"

Immediately following were several other voices, also tinged with drunkenness but trying their best to muster their courage, echoing the sentiment:

"Yes! Who are you people? How dare you be so disrespectful to the young master of the Marquis of Changning's mansion?!"

"Release Young Master Li immediately! Otherwise, you'll regret it!"

"Brothers, charge! Stop them!"

Immediately following was a chaotic commotion of pushing, shoving, and colliding of tables and chairs.

Clearly, when those disguised imperial guards were dragging "Young Master Li," they were obstructed and attacked by his cronies.

Because they had not received clear instructions and were worried about revealing their identities and disturbing the Crown Prince, the Imperial Guards were somewhat hesitant and could only barely hold onto Young Master Li, resulting in a stalemate.

The other guests, who had been watching the spectacle or avoiding it at all costs, were now completely silent and kept their distance. The center of the hall was in chaos; the music and dance had long since stopped, leaving only rude curses and disorderly noises.

"Earl of Changning?" Zhu Cilang listened to the commotion downstairs, a cold smile curving his lips.

He quickly searched his memory; the Ming Dynasty had countless nobles, especially Nanjing, which, as a secondary capital, housed a large number of "military officials" and "favored sons" who held only nominal titles and no real power.

He really didn't recognize the title "Earl of Changning." He guessed it must be a low-ranking nobleman who had obtained a title by relying on some merits of his ancestors and who was now bullying others in Nanjing.

Such a person might not even leave a name in history, yet now he dares to bully a weak woman under the influence of alcohol right under his nose!
"It seems that the sons of noble families in Nanjing need to be properly disciplined."

Zhu Cilang's voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to lower the temperature in the private room by several degrees.

He looked at Luo Yangxing, his eyes no longer showing any of the previous ease, but instead displaying the indifference and decisiveness of someone in a superior position.

"You know what to do. Don't worry about anything else, just don't kill anyone."

"My lord, take the order!"

Luo Yangxing's spirits lifted, and a fierce glint appeared in his eyes.

With the Crown Prince's words, "There's no need to worry," he had no more concerns.

Luo Yangxing had plenty of ways to deal with these arrogant and spoiled brats!

He immediately turned around, quickly walked out of the private room again, and whispered a few instructions to the trusted guards standing outside.

A moment later, several short but powerful thuds came from downstairs, followed by even more shrill screams and pleas for mercy.

The arrogant curses of Young Master Li instantly turned into pig-like screams of agony.

The pushing and shoving quickly subsided, leaving only the slight creaking of tables and chairs being quickly righted and the rustling sound of some people being dragged away.

The entire process took only a few dozen breaths.

When Luo Yangxing returned to the private room and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides, the hall downstairs had returned to a strange silence.

Although the music stopped and the guests were still shaken and whispering among themselves, at least the source of the annoying noise had been completely eliminated.

Zhu Cilang picked up the slightly cooled teacup, took a small sip, and turned his gaze back to the thin veil, as if the small disturbance had never happened.

However, he had already formed a new judgment about Nanjing and certain people there.

The nights along the Qinhuai River seem to involve more than just romance; there is also filth that needs to be cleaned up.

However, at the entrance of Shuyuxuan, the atmosphere was like a taut bowstring, chaotic yet fraught with imminent danger.

The "Young Master Li" from the Changning Marquis's mansion was held tightly by the arms by two disguised Imperial Guards, who were about to take him back to the Imperial Prison.

But he still relied on his drunkenness and family background, stubbornly resisting, his face flushed, cursing and swearing, struggling desperately.

His cronies, who were also flushed from drinking, were taken aback by the way the Imperial Guards had swiftly taken down their two companions. However, seeing their companions restrained and relying on their own connections, they still surrounded him, pushing and shouting, trying to snatch "Young Master Li" back.

"Let go! Did you hear me! Do you know who Young Master Li is?"

"If you don't release them, I'll tear down your shabby shop and throw you all in jail!"

"Quick! Go get help!"

The situation was about to spiral out of control, escalating from a simple harassment into a brawl between the sons of noble families and unidentified "powerful servants."

The scholars, literati, wealthy merchants, and travelers who had initially been watching the spectacle now realized the danger and quickly got up to make way, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire.

The shopkeeper was sweating profusely and repeatedly bowed to the side.

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Let's talk this out! Please don't fight! Please don't fight! This is a small business; we can't afford this kind of trouble!"

The group of people blocked the doorway and refused to leave, which really put the shopkeeper in a difficult position.

The noise, threats, cries, and pleas from the doorway mingled together, rising like boiling water, and clearly reached the elegant room on the second floor, which was draped with a light blue bamboo curtain.

Luo Yangxing was also furious at this moment. He had already gone down to drag all these people away and lock them up in the imperial prison, but he did not expect that because there were too many people gathered at the gate, they could not escape for a while.

Inside the private room, Zhu Cilang sat motionless, his face expressionless, but his fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the rosewood couch.

Immediately, Zhu Cilang spoke:

"Ma Bao, go and pass on a message."

A moment later, Ma Bao sauntered downstairs and arrived at the door.

His gaze swept quickly across the crowd before settling steadily on the still-shouting "Young Master Li".

Ma Bao cleared his throat and then laughed:

"Oh, who do we have here, talking so loudly and so arrogantly? It turns out to be the young master of the Marquis of Changning's mansion. My apologies, my apologies."

His tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger, but the words "Changning Marquis's Mansion" were pronounced with a slightly exaggerated tone, as if he had "long heard of its great name," which instead carried an indescribable sense of sarcasm.

At the same time, several disguised Imperial Guards tensed up instantly and all looked at Ma Bao, thinking that His Highness the Crown Prince had given new and clear instructions.

After all, they all knew Ma Bao and knew that this eunuch was the Crown Prince's chief attendant.

Ma Bao seemed oblivious to the various glances directed at him, and continued speaking in his unhurried tone:
“My young master happens to be resting in a private room upstairs. He overheard your insightful remarks and, having heard of your family, has become quite interested. He said that since we have the opportunity to meet here today, he would like to invite you upstairs for a chat. I wonder if you would do me the honor of joining us?”

His words were polite, even carrying a hint of "invitation," but combined with his condescending attitude, calm tone, and the tense atmosphere, they conveyed no genuine "invitation" whatsoever, but rather an unquestionable summons.

The "Young Master Li" was struggling and his face was red. Hearing this, he was first stunned, and then the alcohol made him even more angry at being offended.

Fueled by alcohol, he sneered, his tone full of disdain and arrogance:
"Your young master? Who is your young master? I don't know who he is. Why should I go just because he tells me to? And these two bastards are your family, aren't they? They attacked me for no reason and spoke rudely! If you don't give me an explanation today, don't even think about letting this go!"

"If you know what's good for you, make them get out of here, and bring that young lady from the wonton stall to apologize to me. Maybe then I might consider it."

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Bao's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard his foul language. He simply interrupted him calmly, his tone still steady, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"Why be angry, young master? The truth will be revealed when we go upstairs. Please come in."

Having said that, he said no more, and didn't even bother to look at "Young Master Li" again. He simply waved casually at the two disguised Imperial Guards who were restraining "Young Master Li".

Take him away! (End of Chapter)