Chapter 23: Throwing Herself into His Arms

"You recognize me? You can actually still recognize me?"

Li Chengzhi, the second son of the Prime Minister’s manor, lunged forward in two strides, braced his hands on the table, and glared fixedly at Shen Ruojin.

Shen Ruojin replied, "It is not difficult to recognize you."

She had never met Li Chengzhi before, but rumors outside claimed that the Young Master of the Li family had been beaten so badly by the young Prince Qin that even his own mother wouldn't recognize him.

To be this ugly—who else could it be?

"That scoundrel Qin Lang really has incredible luck. Born the legitimate son of a princely house, with a father who is the Prince of Zhenbei, a mother from the wealthiest merchant family, and even when he had to swap his bride at the last minute, he still ended up with a beauty like you!"

The more Li Chengzhi spoke, the more jealous he became. His face twisted with rage, making his ugliness even more apparent.

Shen Ruojin detested his proximity. She pushed the table forward to keep a barrier between them and shifted her body backward.

Li Chengzhi, however, took her actions as a sign of fear, assuming she was like those other frail women who trembled at the approach of a man. What "tiger daughter of a military house"—could some flashy, superficial martial arts really defeat an adult man? Mother Lu and the others were simply too cautious, which was why they stirred up so much unnecessary trouble.

"I hear Qin Lang left the manor on his wedding night and hasn't even consummated the marriage with you yet. If I were to take your virginity first and give him a massive green hat, I wonder how he would react?"

The mere thought made Li Chengzhi feel immensely gratified. He laughed to himself, viciously pushed aside the table that stood between them, and lunged toward Shen Ruojin...

...

South of the city, Furong Pavilion.

A dozen beautiful maidens with sheer veils covering their faces danced gracefully while playing the pipa. One of them, her eyes brimming with flirtatious charm, spun around and swayed, her skirt fluttering as she leaned into Qin Lang’s arms.

Great, another one throwing herself at him.

Qin Lang closed his folding fan and pressed it against the dancer’s waist, propping her up and pushing her away without letting even a sleeve touch him.

He leaned back lazily against his chair and remarked, "I have a fierce wife at home who keeps a tight leash on me, so please, keep your distance."

The beautiful pipa player was stunned, stumbling to the ground and dropping her instrument. The other dancing beauties were startled and ceased their movements. The atmosphere at the table suddenly turned deathly quiet.

The Sixth Prince, Yuan Ping, clicked his tongue in wonder. "Qin Lang, oh Qin Lang, how did I never notice before that you were such a henpecked man?"

Qin Lang merely raised an eyebrow and smiled, offering no rebuttal.

Yuan Ping found this even more curious. He waved his hand to have the rejected dancer helped away and teased with a laugh, "I heard your new bride is quite formidable, and I feared you would suffer if you got into a fight with her at the manor. That’s why I sent the invitation for you to come drink with me. These beautiful pipa players are new acquisitions—I haven't even touched them myself—yet you don't appreciate the gesture."

Qin Lang tossed his folding fan in the air and caught it. "If Your Highness is willing to increase the price of the gambling den you bought from me by thirty percent, I will certainly appreciate it."

"You’re only thinking about selling the gambling den I gave you back to me at a high price. What a fine display of getting something for nothing."

Yuan Ping balled his right hand into a fist and playfully punched Qin Lang’s shoulder.

The Sixth Prince said with a mix of sentiment and jest, "Er-lang, you really are becoming more heartless by the day."

"How much does a catty of conscience cost?" Qin Lang said indifferently. "I shall weigh some out to serve as a side dish for your wine, Your Highness."

Yuan Ping rested his arm on Qin Lang’s shoulder, laughing until he leaned back. "I’ve always said that you won't find a second person in the capital who suits my temperament as well as you do. If you were a woman, I would definitely have married you off to my house."

"It is fortunate that Your Highness is a man."

Qin Lang had grown weary of the entanglement of noble imperial ladies over the past few years; he could not handle having a Yuan Ping added to the mix.

Yuan Ping laughed heartily, draping his arm around Qin Lang’s shoulder like a brother, and said, "Go back and tell your wife that Liu Laoqi was blind to offend her yesterday; I have already disciplined that dog of a slave on her behalf. Er-lang, although we are not blood brothers, in my heart, you far surpass those few biological brothers of mine."

These words were meant to sound sincere.

Qin Lang had not previously known that the Sixth Prince was the owner behind the Four Seas Gambling Den. Only today did he realize that even this most dissolute and unreliable Sixth Prince had a natural instinct for extorting wealth from the people.

He felt only a flicker of interest upon receiving the money; he had no heart for the singing, dancing, or beauties, and he barely touched his wine.

The fact that Yuan Ping ran a gambling den had been hidden from outsiders for a long time. Exposed so suddenly, he felt a bit guilty. He personally poured two cups of wine, handed one to Qin Lang, and drank the other himself. "Thirty percent it is. Even if you hadn't brought up the gambling den, I would have given you whatever money you wanted anyway. Come, this is the finest 'Floating Life Drunk.' Let us have another cup."

The wine was poured by the Sixth Prince himself, and he had spoken in such a manner.

Qin Lang took the cup, drained it in one gulp, and set the empty cup on the table.

Yuan Ping continued to chat with him for a while, mentioning that the top courtesan of the Wanhua Tower had been washing her face with tears ever since the young Prince Qin married, refusing to see guests for days. He also complained that his sister had nowhere to vent her anger and was pestering him all day long.

Qin Lang listened idly, not taking it to heart.

When Yuan Ping reached for the flagon to pour more wine, he spilled it all over Qin Lang. "I seem to be a bit drunk; I can't even hold the flagon steady and have spilled wine all over you. There are some newly tailored clothes in the next room; go pick one and change."

"That is unnecessary trouble. I shall just go back and change."

Qin Lang looked at the twilight gathering outside the window. He remembered telling Shen Ruojin he would return shortly, and he had already been delayed for too long. He needed to get back.

Yuan Ping didn't bother pouring more, instead tilting the flagon directly into his own mouth. "You’re going back like this? Didn't you say you have a fierce wife? If you go back reeking of alcohol, it wouldn't be surprising if your new bride starts a scene with you."

Qin Lang actually thought that going back like this to tease Shen Ruojin might be quite fun.

However, it was only the third day of their marriage; if he returned to see her reeking of alcohol, he feared he would be held in contempt. It would likely be difficult to share a bed with her again.

He decided it was better to change.

With that thought, Qin Lang changed his mind. "Then I shall change."

"That's more like it," Yuan Ping laughed. "Turn left when you go out; it’s the first door."

Qin Lang murmured an acknowledgment, stood up, and went to the adjacent room. Through the screen, he could see clothes hanging on a wooden rack.

This Furong Pavilion was like a second home to the Sixth Prince; he didn't send his newly tailored clothes to his own manor, but kept them here instead.

Qin Lang closed the door and began to undress as he walked inward.

The Sixth Prince had been shaking quite badly earlier, and nearly half a flagon of wine had soaked him. Wine was mellow and fragrant in a cup, but it was a different matter when spilled on one’s body.

It was quite revolting.

If possible, he felt he should bathe before returning to see Shen Ruojin.

Qin Lang was halfway through undressing when someone suddenly emerged from behind the screen and reached out to untie his belt. "Let me serve the young Prince in changing his clothes."

"Get out."

Qin Lang’s handsome face darkened. He pushed the person away without even looking and immediately pulled his half-open robes back together.

The woman who had suddenly appeared in the room crashed into the screen, tears welling up from the pain. She was dressed in a dancer’s outfit, her face half-hidden by a white sheer veil; she looked like the pipa player who had thrown herself at him earlier at the table.

"Qin Lang, everyone says you are the most romantic man in the capital, but how can you be so utterly unromantic?"

As the woman spoke, she pulled off her veil, revealing a face of extreme, vivid beauty.

"Yuan... Xin... Ran."

Qin Lang gritted his teeth as he spat out her name.

Yuan Xinran, the Sixth Prince’s cousin, the daughter of Prince Liang, and the titled Baojia Princess. Because she liked to use her status to toy with the young talents of the imperial court—getting what she wanted regardless of the cost and kicking them aside when she grew bored—her notoriety was widespread. She was the only woman among the "Four Plagues" of the current dynasty.

Two years ago, she had set her sights on Qin Lang, and instead of ruining other young talents, she had focused solely on pestering him.

Qin Lang was jokingly called the "World-Crushing Demon King" by the other dissolute sons, but even he got a headache whenever he encountered Yuan Xinran; he usually avoided her whenever he could.

But today, he had been trapped by the Sixth Prince.

No wonder Yuan Ping kept mentioning his sister while they were drinking!

A fire ignited in Qin Lang’s heart, and he suddenly felt his body growing increasingly hot.

This heat could not be suppressed even with internal energy. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the scene before his eyes began to blur and double; Yuan Xinran’s features began to overlap with Shen Ruojin’s face...

The wine was tainted!

This was no place to stay.

Qin Lang clumsily tied his belt and strode past Yuan Xinran toward the door.

"You’re already like this—where do you think you’re going?"

Yuan Xinran ran over and blocked the door.

Outside, someone locked the door tight and quickly ran away.