Free Web NovelChapter 206: Chapter 206
Chapter 206
Just as they were about to enter the inn, a commotion erupted. The innkeeper was trying to prevent damage to the property, but several bowls and dishes were already flying outside.
Mu Heng was quick. He immediately pulled his little wife away from the danger ahead. His eyes turned into those of a ferocious beast. The noise inside did not diminish, as if they were unaware of the disaster awaiting them.
"Hey!! Do you dare serve me this pig slop? I am an eunuch in service to His Majesty. Treating me like this is excessive bullying, don’t you think? Go get your master immediately. Insulting me like this is akin to insulting the Emperor. Are you trying to rebel by doing this?!"
The familiar voice came from inside, causing a glimmer in Yueqian’s eyes. Unexpectedly, the drama she had meticulously set up was playing out perfectly with the main character stepping into the role.
She hadn’t expected Fang Gonggong to start yelling and cursing people like this. The whole point of walking out was to make the second prince feel slightly uneasy. She believed that after this, the prince would closely monitor her and Fang Gonggong’s behavior throughout the journey. Surprisingly, it didn’t take long for the next scene to materialize. Fang Gonggong himself wanted to play the male lead role, escalating the situation dramatically.
Fang Gonggong had a different thought. He intended to accuse Yueqian and the governor of Red Earth City, those two wicked people, of treason. As long as the townspeople believed this, with many witnesses hearing and seeing that the governor of Red Earth City and his wife insulted the Emperor by mistreating him, the royal messenger, and showing no hospitality, he certainly believed that the two would meet a dire end.
Little did he know that while he was gloating, the scythe of the Grim Reaper, which Yueqian had crafted, was already at his throat. The more he moved, the sharper of the scythe made blood seep out.
"What is all this commotion?" Mu Heng shouted loudly. His arrival made the soldiers of Red Earth City, who were trying to calm Fang Gonggong down, feel as if they had found a way out.
They quickly made way for Fang Gonggong to see their master approaching. Seeing this, Fang Gonggong sneered in satisfaction before his expression quickly turned furious.
His fingers trembled slightly, and this performance was indeed a masterpiece. Even the corners of his mouth twitched as if he had been harboring anger for a hundred lifetimes.
"So, the rebels from the Du Region are here!! The Emperor gave you an opportunity, elevating you from poor commoners to the status of a governor, enjoying the perks and salary of a government official. And you have this attitude towards His Majesty? Does the Du Region teach its people to be ungrateful to their benefactors?!" Of course, Fang Gonggong knew how to set the scene.
When he mentioned people from the Du Region, those from the Bai Region would immediately harbor prejudice against them. If a conflict arose between the two, their hearts would naturally side with the people of the Bai Region, regardless of right or wrong.
In the past, Yueqian would have hurriedly defended herself. However, now she saw no need for that. Seeing how the other side was clearly drawing lines between them—who were given Bai Region citizenship by the Emperor himself—and Fang Gonggong, who was prejudiced despite being a royal envoy, she didn’t believe that the second prince would still be in a good mood.
Seeing how he repeatedly incites people by referring them as people from the Du Region, it seemed to emphasize that Fang Gonggong truly viewed them with prejudice, never opened his mind, and merely looking for trouble because they were originally from the Du Region.
"Fang Gonggong, I don’t understand why you are so angry. Wouldn’t it be better to discuss this inside?" Yueqian pretended not to want the people outside to witness such chaos.
This made Fang Gonggong believe that Yueqian was afraid of the situation escalating because they would be accused of disrespecting the emperor. The people of the Bai Region would certainly not accept that. Thinking that she was scared, Fang Gonggong smiled with satisfaction.
"Why should I go inside to talk?! Do you want to harm me again? To insult me further? We’ve endured a lot, only for you to serve me pig slop!! I am someone who serves the Emperor directly, ordered to bring the royal decree to you. And now you treat me like this?"
"If I go inside, what will you do next? Beat me? Tie me up like before? Are you trying to kill me?!! This must be the delight of people from the Du Region, right?" The more Fang Gonggong spoke, the more he enjoyed it, raising his voice even louder.
If others heard this, they would probably think the governor of Red Earth City and his wife were truly wicked, using such dirty methods to disrespect their revered sovereign. However, the second prince, who had overheard the conversation between the governor of Red Earth City and his furen by chance, did not think so.
"Fang Gonggong, I haven’t seen you in a long time. I didn’t think you would be having so much fun when we met again," unable to watch any longer, the second prince, who had been in the shadows, revealed himself.
He had already investigated everything. The plague was indeed a significant issue, beyond control. Alternative ways had to be found to help the people. Besides, something significant would soon happen in the capital, and he should hurry back to assist his father.
As soon as the second prince revealed himself, Fang Gonggong, who had been ranting, froze upon hearing the familiar voice. Even the soldiers who saw the second prince remove his mask knelt down. Only Mu Heng looked puzzled, while Yueqian tilted her head curiously.
"Before you stands the second prince of the Bai Region, and the nephew of the Wang who raised him from a young age," one of the soldiers quickly announced, knowing that neither of them recognized the prince.
Hearing this, both immediately knelt to pay their respects.
"Please forgive my ignorance, Your Highness," Mu Heng said hastily. Yueqian also quickly followed suit, like an obedient wife, without any of the stubbornness she had shown earlier.
Seeing this, the second prince almost burst into laughter. The way the two complemented each other was heartwarming. Despite being a prince, he did not have a little wife who spoke to him candidly. Instead, he was surrounded by concubines who spoke sweetly, always trying to please him to the point of boredom. Their words were always filtered, filled with deceit and compliance, but never sincere.
"Can anyone explain what happened here?" He pretended to be disinterest. Otherwise, if it were known that he had been eavesdropping on the couple’s conversation, how could he, as the second prince, maintain his dignity?
When the prince asked this question, neither Mu Heng nor Yueqian responded. They were not ones to speak freely in front of high-ranking individuals. It seemed that what his uncle had said about them was true—they weren’t inclined to flatter or curry favor but sought their positions through their own abilities. This made his uncle like them even more, and he himself also admired them.
Fang Gonggong, on the other hand, upon hearing the prince’s question, felt as if heaven was aiding him in getting rid of these two wicked individuals. His face was full of excitement before he pretended to be deeply aggrieved.
"Your Highness, you must help me. This couple has disgraced His Majesty, treating the royal envoy with prejudice." freёwebnoѵel.com
"I don’t know why they dislike me so much. Initially, I tried to ignore it and do my job well, but throughout the journey, they have continually mistreated me."
"Today, they even tied me up like a lowly slave. Upon arriving at the inn, they served me pig slop. I haven’t eaten anything all day, and when faced with such treatment, I couldn’t hold back my emotions any longer."
"These people must think that the Bai Region is easy to deal with. Just because they saved the princess, they received titles and positions effortlessly. So they feel free to insult anyone, even His Majesty!" The more he talked, the more he got carried away. Because he lowered their heads, he didn’t see what the expression of the second prince he thought was on his side was like now.
As for the Second Prince, the more he heard Fang Gonggong’s twisted words, the angrier he felt. When he claimed that the couple was biased, he knew from what he had heard, even from his uncle, who the real biased person was. There was no reason to think that his uncle would lie to slander the eunuch.
Moreover, when Fang Gonggong said he hadn’t eaten breakfast, wasn’t it because he had stolen food from the soldiers? How could he say he hadn’t eaten anything? The ones who hadn’t eaten were likely the soldiers!
This matter was easy to investigate. Just calling a soldier to answer a few questions would reveal the truth. These soldiers were his uncle’s men and had no reason to lie. No! He didn’t even need to ask what the truth was, as the soldiers’ respectful demeanor towards the governor and furen of Red Earth City was evident.
Unlike the way they looked at Fang Gonggong, their expressions clearly showed disgust towards him. When he mentioned the food, it seemed to fuel their anger further. It was easy to understand the true situation from their reactions.
Fang Gonggong’s actions were bringing the honor of his father, the Emperor, into disrepute. Quarreling among themselves was one thing, but dragging his father’s name into it was a true insult.
The other party must think he was foolish enough to believe everything without seeking the truth! Wasn’t it Fang Gonggong who assumed that all people from the Bai Region, including him, the prince, were foolish?
"What is this talk of pig slop? Who is the owner of this inn? Did you receive orders to serve Fang Gonggong pig slop?" The second prince ignored the governor of Red Earth City and his wife since he had heard the entire story.
Moreover, the situation was quite delicate. The surrounding people, who were unaware of the full story, were clearly displeased with the couple from the Du Region. If he allowed them to defend themselves, it might be seen as bias. To maintain the favor of the people from the Bai Region, he chose to act indifferent towards the couple, even though the truth needed to come out!
Fang Gonggong was clueless. He didn’t realize that the inn’s menu offered its best dishes, but due to the circumstances, the inn had limited food left. Fortunately, Yueqian had received news from her contacts in the Art Institute about the second prince’s presence. She was therefore not stingy and spent a significant amount of money to create a good impression.The innkeeper knew nothing about the situation but was deeply fearful of being blamed. He had been hoarding food to raise prices during a shortage. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his lips quivered as if he were about to cry. His eyes darted nervously, but in the presence of nobility, how could an ordinary person like him dare to lie?
