APSIL -Chapter 172 Chaos Erupts Halfway Through the Play

After night fell, the streets inside Chongwen Gate in the capital were still bustling with people. As the most prosperous main thoroughfare, shops lined both sides of the street and merchants gathered in great numbers. Even at night, many establishments remained open until dawn, making this street one of the most heavily monitored areas by the Shuntian Prefecture Office.

Especially after Wang Jie took office as the Prefect of Shuntian, he had thoroughly disciplined the yamen runners and frequently conducted patrols. The order on this street immediately improved greatly.

Therefore, even on such a cold night, those who had been too busy during the day still braved the chilly wind to visit certain shops. However, places such as silk shops and jewelry stores, where valuable goods were kept, were already preparing to close after seeing off their final customers. Otherwise, if a theft case happened in the middle of the night and the authorities failed to solve it, even a year’s worth of their earnings would not be enough to compensate for the losses.

At this very moment, a woman wearing a veiled hat emerged from a jewelry shop, surrounded by two maidservants and several attendants. The shopkeeper personally escorted her to the entrance. While secretly signaling his assistants to put away the goods and prepare to close the doors, he smiled warmly and said: “Fourth Miss, please take care. Rest assured, even if we have to work overtime, we will definitely finish it for you. We absolutely won’t delay your important day!”

“Mm. Then thank you, Shopkeeper Qi.”

The veiled woman opened her mouth and replied softly. Her sweet, gentle voice delighted the shopkeeper so much that he repeatedly said it was his honor. He bowed and watched as she walked toward the exquisite but not overly extravagant carriage waiting nearby.

At that very moment, the chubby little Lu Sanlang swaggered out from a nearby bookstore, two books in hand, muttering to himself nonstop.

If someone walked closer, they would discover that he was actually reciting poetry—though the lines were completely disconnected and made no sense together.

His eyes casually swept toward the veiled woman. When he noticed she seemed to glance back at him as well, he immediately felt guilty and looked away.

But the next moment, Lu Sanlang regretted it.

What was he afraid of?

Zhu Ying had already told him: this was something both sides were willing to do. The girl herself was willing to meet him. Why was he acting so timid?

Immediately, he gathered his courage and looked over again.

But at that exact moment, a gust of wind suddenly blew from somewhere.

First, it lifted the hem of his robe.

Then, when he raised his head, the same wind caught the woman’s veil.

For a brief moment, Lu Sanlang saw the face beneath it.

It was a delicate and adorable face. Especially when she hurriedly reached out to catch the flying veil, the mixture of annoyance and panic on her expression made her look incredibly lively and charming.

Without realizing it, Lu Sanlang stared at her for quite some time.

Only when the woman finally grabbed her veil back and suddenly glared at him with embarrassment and irritation did he hurriedly look away.

But in his heart, he had already agreed completely.

As for her personality and character?

That was something Zhu Ying had introduced to him.

So it should… probably… maybe… perhaps… not be bad, right?

Lu Sanlang comforted himself internally.

Unfortunately, right at that moment, a sudden sound of hurried horse hooves came from the other end of the street.

In the relatively quiet atmosphere of the night, the noise was especially sharp and jarring.

Lu Sanlang instinctively looked toward the sound.

What he saw was a group of riders charging toward them.

Although the dim lighting made it impossible to clearly see their faces or clothing, his heart still tightened.

Why did he feel that these people had come with bad intentions?

His unpleasant premonitions always seemed to come true.

Sure enough, the group of more than twenty riders came directly toward them.

Lu Sanlang had never witnessed such a murderous scene before. His first instinct was to hide back inside the bookstore.

But then he remembered—

This was his first time meeting this girl.

A girl who might become his future wife.

If he hid now, wouldn’t that be humiliating?

So he forced himself to remain calm and stood motionless beneath the shop’s eaves.

The person who was equally shocked was Liu Qing, who had just been about to put her veil back on.

Seeing that the large group of riders was actually heading straight toward her, the young girl’s face turned slightly pale.

At this moment, whether she returned to the carriage or hid inside the jewelry shop, she would not be able to avoid them.

Therefore, she simply hardened her heart.

She removed the veil completely and stood there proudly.

Meanwhile, Zhu Ying, who had been hiding inside a small tea shop nearby to watch the excitement, suddenly changed expression.

What was happening?

At this time of night, why had something like this occurred?

However, before she could rush out, a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

At the same time, she heard Zhang Shou’s voice:

“A-Liu says they are already pulling the reins and stopping their horses. They won’t crash into them. Don’t move yet. Let’s see what their intentions are before deciding what to do.”

Almost as Zhang Shou finished speaking, the sounds of horses screeching to a halt came from outside.

The leading horse stopped only three or four steps away from Liu’s carriage.

The more than twenty riders behind him also reined in their horses one after another.

Not a single collision occurred.

It was obvious they were extremely well trained.

Using the lantern light hanging outside, Zhu Ying finally saw who had arrived.

Her expression instantly darkened.

It was actually the Second Prince.

Zhang Shou also recognized him.

Remembering that Zhu Ying had just told him that the young lady from Minister Liu’s household was one of the most likely candidates for becoming a prince consort, he slightly raised his brows.

Comparing this with the completely different behaviors of the two princes when he had met the Empress Dowager in Qingning Palace, Zhang Shou already had some idea of the Second Prince’s intentions.

Lu Sanlang had also seen the Second Prince from afar before.

At this moment, he was shocked.

The Second Prince had come to trouble the Liu family’s daughter?

Why?

She wasn’t some arrogant troublemaker like Zhu Ying.

Otherwise, he would have surely heard of her.

The Second Prince sat high on his horse and looked down arrogantly at Liu’s carriage.

His gaze then landed on Liu Qing.

Unlike Lu Sanlang, who had instantly found Liu Qing pleasing to the eye, the Second Prince only needed one glance before deciding she did not fit his taste at all.

Too petite.

Not imposing enough.

Not beautiful enough.

And her eyes—

They lacked the graceful gentleness he preferred.

Instead, they reminded him of Zhu Ying.

Already in a bad mood, the Second Prince’s expression immediately darkened.

He spoke stiffly: “You are the daughter of Liu, the Vice Minister of Works?”

Liu Qing had never met the Second Prince before.

However, seeing this group of people acting so arrogantly and hearing the young man’s haughty tone, she did not need to guess much.

She immediately thought of the legendary Second Prince, the man known for looking down on everyone and constantly competing with the First Prince.

But since he had not introduced himself, she simply pretended she knew nothing.

And she had no intention of answering his question.

Instead, she said coldly: “You have brought attendants and ridden horses through the streets at night. Do you not know the laws of the court? Unless there is an emergency, riding horses through the streets and alleys of the capital is forbidden.”

The Second Prince never expected that the daughter of a mere vice minister would dare talk back.

He immediately became furious.

Raising his riding crop, he pointed at her and shouted: “What a sharp tongue you have!”

“Since you know it is nighttime, why is a young woman from a respectable household wandering outside?”

As he spoke, he glanced at the jewelry shop beside her.

A mocking expression appeared on his face.

“Buying jewelry at this hour? Are you so desperate to marry that you have lost your mind?”

“Do you really think your marriage arrangement is guaranteed?”

“Your father is merely a Vice Minister of Works. Where did you get such confidence?”

Knowing that Lu Sanlang was watching nearby, Liu Qing was almost driven mad by his blatant humiliation.

Her relationship with Zhu Ying proved that she was not merely a sheltered, cute girl.

She was someone who absolutely refused to be bullied.

She laughed coldly.

“I came to a familiar jewelry shop to have a golden longevity pendant made for my father’s birthday. What does that have to do with you?”

“Marriage depends on the orders of parents and the words of matchmakers. When did I ever hear that I was already engaged?”

“Someone come! Take me to the Shuntian Prefecture Office to beat the drum!”

“Tell them there is a madman causing trouble in the street, insulting people, and damaging my family’s reputation!”

When the Second Prince saw that one of Liu Qing’s attendants had actually turned around and started running toward the yamen, his expression changed drastically.

Today, he had encountered the First Prince.

The two had argued after a disagreement.

The First Prince had mocked him, saying that his future wife was merely the youngest daughter of the Vice Minister of Works—a woman whose father’s career had already reached its limit.

The remark had left him furious.

Since he planned to stay at his residence outside the palace tonight, he had ordered people to investigate Liu Qing.

Unexpectedly, he learned that she had gone to a famous jewelry shop on Chongwen Gate Street at night.

Immediately, he assumed she was eagerly preparing herself to climb onto the branch of power.

His anger exploded.

But if this matter reached the Shuntian Prefecture Office…

His reputation would be ruined.

“What are you standing there for? Hurry and bring that person back!”

The Second Prince shouted.

Seeing several guards immediately ride out after Liu’s servant, he finally relaxed slightly.

Then he glared at Liu Qing.

“You good-for-nothing woman! Since you refuse to show respect, don’t blame me for being merciless!”

Before the Second Prince could decide how to deal with this bold daughter of a vice minister, Lu Sanlang, who had been watching in stunned fascination, finally came back to his senses.

Although Liu Qing’s actions were very different from the gentle and cute personality he had originally hoped for, after hearing what she said, he found that this girl was actually quite brave.

If he married her, she definitely would not simply obey everything his father said.

And she probably would not be the kind of perfectly virtuous, obedient wife either.

The little fatty, who normally hated confronting others, suddenly found courage from somewhere.

With one step, he rushed forward.

He directly stood in front of Liu Qing.

Then he raised his head and said: “Late at night, the Second Prince first led people to ride horses through the streets, and now he is bullying a weak woman in public.”

“Does Your Highness not think this has gone too far?”

Zhu Ying, who had repeatedly wanted to step forward, froze.

She looked at Zhang Shou, who was smiling calmly, and whispered: “Lu Sanlang is actually pretty impressive. I thought he would definitely run away to avoid trouble…”

“You are mistaken,” Zhang Shou said.

Looking at Lu Sanlang, who stood before Liu Qing like a hero descending from the heavens, he smiled.

“Lu Sanlang is someone people easily underestimate.”

“But once he becomes serious…”

“Even the Emperor himself would have to fear him.”

Zhu Ying’s eyes widened.

“So you mean we don’t need to jump out and save him later?”

Zhang Shou glanced at the Ninth Chapter Hall’s administrator.

The little fatty looked fearless on the surface, but his legs were secretly trembling.

Without changing expression, Zhang Shou said: “If someone still needs to be saved after saving the beauty, can he still be called a hero?”

“He might actually be able to drive the Second Prince away.”

“If you don’t believe me, Yingying, why don’t we make a bet?”

Zhu Ying looked at the chubby Lu Sanlang.

Then at Liu Qing’s complicated expression.

Then at the Second Prince.

Finally, she snorted.

“That Second Prince is the most unreasonable person around.”

“I don’t believe Lu Sanlang has three heads and six arms. There’s no way he can force him to leave.”

“Fine. I’ll bet with you!”