Chapter Twenty-Seven: Framed and Accused

Bang! Su Hu slammed the teacup onto the table, the sound echoing through the room and making the county constable, Gao Wanqing, shudder in fear.

“You can’t even handle such a trivial matter. What use are you to me?”

Gao Wanqing dared not even breathe loudly. After a long pause, he spoke timidly, “That Chen Ying is under the protection of Princess Pingyang. Even when Chen Ying transferred his household, Princess Pingyang sent Master Ma herself... Among the knights of Chang’an, no one dares to accept this troublesome task.”

When Princess Pingyang seized most of Guanzhong, she relied heavily on the local knights as her core support. Though she was a woman, her influence among the knights was substantial; none would risk offending her for mere profit.

“Could it be that Princess Pingyang...” Su Hu quickly covered his mouth as the thought escaped him.

Yet, once the idea took root, it refused to leave. And Su Hu had to admit, it was entirely possible. He knew well how much Chen Ying’s appearance attracted women. If not for Gao Wanqing’s concubine’s help, Chen Ying would never have escaped Chang’an. The fact that a woman who had only met him a few times would risk her life to save him spoke volumes about his allure.

Was Chen Ying Princess Pingyang’s kept lover outside her residence?

At that moment, Su Hu’s advisor, Huangfu Jingwen, narrowed his eyes and sidled up to Su Hu’s ear, whispering slyly, “Master, why not give it a try?”

“Give it a try? How? In what manner?”

Huangfu Jingwen replied, “A few days ago, there was a theft at the Marquis of Guangping’s mansion. The ancestral golden armor was stolen, but now the stolen goods have been recovered and the thief apprehended. Yet the public knows nothing of this.”

As he spoke, Huangfu Jingwen stroked his gray-white beard and smiled, “Frame Chen Ying for the crime. As long as the accusation sticks...”

“Excellent, excellent!” Su Hu’s face twisted into a sinister smile. “Apprehending thieves and maintaining order is my duty. Even if the case reaches the imperial court, I’ll still have the upper hand!”

Huangfu Jingwen added, “Moreover, the Marquis of Guangping’s family are aristocrats of Guanlong. Even if Princess Pingyang wants to protect Chen Ying, she must weigh her options. Is it truly worth offending the Marquis and the noble families of Guanlong for a mere lover?”

Su Hu nodded, “Let’s do it.”

Su Hu’s gaze was sharp, sweeping slowly over Gao Wanqing. “You know what to do now, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir, I understand!”

“Good. If you mess up again, you can forget about being county constable. Go home and live off your savings. You’ve made plenty of enemies over the years, haven’t you? Without your official status, how long do you think you’d survive?”

“Yes, yes...” Gao Wanqing nodded repeatedly, cold sweat pouring down his face.

The position of county constable was not a high rank, but it was lucrative. Gao Wanqing couldn’t afford to offend the nobles of Chang’an, but he could bully ordinary folk without backing. Through years of embezzlement and extortion, he had amassed a fortune of tens of thousands of coins. If he lost his position, the knights of Guanzhong would ruin him within a month.

Dreams were rich, but reality was harsher.

Chen Ying gazed at the now barren plants, nearly on the verge of tears. The leaves had all fallen; there was nowhere to find fresh tea.

Even if he wanted to roast tea leaves, he would have to wait at least half a year.

Chen Ying still had a thousand coins to his name, not a small sum. If he could put it in a bank and draw interest, it would cover his family’s expenses. Unfortunately, at this time, not only did banks pay no interest, they charged a storage fee.

To support a large family, to marry a noblewoman, to live a life of silk and luxury, he needed to find ways to earn money.

But how to do so? Chen Ying had not a clue.

Only those who manage a household know the true cost of daily life. Zhang Huaiwei, You Ziying, and the others had none of Chen Ying’s worries; they drank heartily and ate lavishly without a care.

When troubled, one gets drunk quickly. Unnoticed, Chen Ying drank too much.

Not only did he feel the world spinning, but worse still, his stomach churned violently. He wanted to run outside to vomit, but his limbs refused to obey.

Before Chen Ying could struggle to rise,

With a splash...

He vomited all over himself. Looking at the mess, his stomach was like a floodgate flung open, unstoppable.

When Chen Ying woke again, he found himself lying on a soft bed, dressed in clean, light clothes, the room free of any foul odor. Lan’er was asleep beside the bed.

Seeing her sleeping so soundly, and worrying she might catch cold, Chen Ying gently lifted Lan’er and placed her on the bed, then covered her with the quilt.

He looked at Lan’er’s rosy cheeks and couldn’t help but kiss her softly.

Chen Ying could not tell what time it was. He vaguely remembered everyone drinking heavily and collapsing in drunken stupor. He rose quietly and tiptoed to the backyard, only to find You Ziying holding a sword and shield, searching among the flowerbeds.

Just as Chen Ying was about to ask what was happening, You Ziying gestured for silence.

For a long while, You Ziying found nothing amiss.

Chen Ying stepped forward, “Why aren’t you sleeping in the middle of the night...”

“Someone climbed over the wall!” You Ziying said, puzzled. “I saw shoes by the wall and heard the sound of someone climbing. I hurried out and saw a shadow in the backyard, but lost track of it here... General Chen, hurry inside and check if anything is missing!”