Chapter 0018: Street Harassment of Zhu Xiaobiao, Zhu Xiaobiao Faces Death Unflinchingly

Zhu Xiaobiao climbed into the carriage and untied Jing Ze and the others.

“My lord, are you unharmed?” Seeing Zhu Xiaobiao still alive, Jing Ze and the others breathed a sigh of relief, though a lingering fear gripped them.

“I’m fine. The Second Prince and I were merely putting on a show.” Perhaps due to the heat, Zhu Xiaobiao was drenched in sweat. As he untied the ropes, he explained, “His Highness feared that after taking me away, those left in the county office might be sold off. So he planned to take all of you along. But taking everyone at once would have seemed suspicious, hence this less-than-ideal plan to rescue those willing to stand up for me first.”

“As for the others, he has arranged for people to find opportunities to help them leave the county office.” Zhu Xiaobiao scratched his neck, doing so with such force that several scratch marks became clearly visible.

“My lord…” Jing Ze’s expression was pained as he gripped Zhu Xiaobiao’s wrist. “Stop scratching.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Zhu Xiaobiao breathed heavily, as if enduring some agony, and spoke haltingly, “We’ve escaped. Things will get better.”

Would they truly get better? Jing Ze remained skeptical.

It was said the Second Prince was temperamental. Two years ago, a Tanhualang had merely composed a poem praising his beauty and was ordered to be executed.

The scholars of Jian’an paid close attention to the prospects and circumstances of the top three scholars. When the Tanhualang was executed right after the Qionglin Banquet, someone inevitably leaked the news. As scholars returned to their hometowns, the story spread throughout the dynasty along the routes.

Now, it seemed they had likely jumped from one pit of fire into another.

This new pit might burn even fiercer and hotter, leading to a swifter death.

“I know what you’re worried about.” Trembling, Zhu Xiaobiao pulled several money pouches from his sleeve and placed them in Jing Ze’s hands, speaking solemnly, “Earlier, my stepmother used your lives to control me. Now that we’ve escaped the Zhu residence, take this money and find your own paths. There’s no need to stay here and die with me.”

“My lord!” Jing Ze threw the money pouches to the ground in anger, lowering his voice furiously, “What kind of talk is this? You suffer from an addiction—when it strikes, you can’t even care for yourself. How could you regularly attend to the Second Prince? And likely no one would secretly seek an antidote for you. If I leave, you will surely die!”

After saying this, he turned to the several beautiful concubines behind him. “If any of you wish to leave, take the money and go. Life is already hard for women—no need to force yourselves to stay here and die in vain. I will take care of the lord!”

The concubines shook their heads. “In life, we are the lord’s people; in death, the lord’s ghosts. Since we dared to risk our lives, we are determined to follow the lord!”

“Why must you do this?” Zhu Xiaobiao smiled bitterly. “When you were with me before, though your lives were at risk, at least you ate and drank well. But now, following the Second Prince to Yi Province—do you know how arduous the journey will be?”

“If my lord can endure such hardships, how could we humble folk not bear it? Since the road is difficult, it’s better for us to serve you!”

“Yes, we all wish to follow you!”

“My lord has never suffered hardships before. Without us, what if you grow thin from hunger?” One concubine wiped her tears and said, “Even if I have to beg on the streets, I will make sure my lord has a full stomach.”

Zhu Xiaobiao: …That really won’t be necessary~

“Very well.” Zhu Xiaobiao sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Since you’re willing to stay, I won’t force you to leave. You may change your minds at any time.”

Then, as if having lost all strength, he collapsed onto the carriage seat.

“My lord!” several concubines exclaimed in hushed alarm.

Leaning against the armrest, Zhu Xiaobiao waved his hand weakly. “Don’t speak. Let me endure this a while longer. Once it passes, I’ll be fine…”

The Second Prince had given him ample time to bid farewell, enough to see him through this episode.

…

Zhu Xiaobiao returned to Xie Chengze’s side.

“They’re all willing to stay?” Xie Chengze lay draped over the carriage windowsill like a limp salted fish, enjoying the occasional cool breeze.

“Yes, Your Highness. They were all unfortunate souls to begin with. Even if they left, they’d likely have nowhere to go.” Zhu Xiaobiao sighed with helpless frustration.

“You’ve done well enough,” Xie Chengze said lazily. “Many in this world can’t even manage what’s within their power.”

Zhu Xiaobiao smiled bitterly. “But what I offer them is merely another pit of fire.”

The salted fish on the windowsill shifted position and said calmly, “Your addiction—I’ll find a physician to cure it. Don’t worry.”

Zhu Xiaobiao froze, then dropped to his knees in terror. “Your Highness!”

But the carriage was moving, so his kneeling missed Xie Chengze entirely. He had to stand and hurriedly catch up with the carriage.

At the same time, he was inwardly shocked—how did His Highness know about his addiction…?

“In my spare time, I visited the county office’s courtyard and found poppies deliberately planted alongside corn poppies. Clearly, someone was trying to obscure the truth, intending to poison someone in secret.”

Xie Chengze glanced at the scratch marks on Zhu Xiaobiao’s neck. “It seems your presence isn’t welcomed by some.”

Zhu Xiaobiao smiled wryly. “Your Lordship must already know—my life may appear comfortable, but it’s actually my stepmother’s calculated indulgence and my father’s tacit approval. By the time I realized I needed to resist, I’d already been poisoned with opium. Threatened with death, I had no choice but to submit to her control.”

His father hadn’t been corrupt before. He’d even harmonized beautifully with Zhu Xiaobiao’s mother, Jizhou’s most talented gentlewoman. But ten years ago, after his maternal aunt—a concubine’s daughter—murdered his mother and installed his stepmother in her place, his father gradually changed. He wouldn’t hear a word of explanation, dismissing all of Zhu Xiaobiao’s concerns as unreasonable fuss.

The entire county office was now under his stepmother’s control. Trapped in the Zhu residence, he could only endure his addiction in a daze while remaining vigilant against her constant schemes—like that perfectly timed “good news” yesterday when the Second Prince pressured his father about taking the blame.

After ten years without pregnancy, how could she coincidentally conceive just when the Second Prince was targeting him, likely to sentence him to death?

She was clearly forcing his father to abandon his “only” heir.

Fortunately, the Second Prince was observant enough to take him away. Otherwise, in another year or two, when he could no longer withstand the addiction’s control, he might have dismissed his concubines and used his father’s position as county magistrate and his stepmother’s status as prefect’s wife to provoke some powerful figure—getting his entire clan executed.

Even in death, he’d drag them all down with him.

Xie Chengze couldn’t help recalling the original text’s brief description of Zhu Xiaobiao’s public harassment.

What had been going through Zhu Xiaobiao’s mind at that time?

No one could know.

After all, he wasn’t the reborn Xie Chengze, and the one who truly possessed rebirth memories hadn’t been present then.

Xie Chengze couldn’t help but glance at Shen Yuan, who was riding a black horse nearby.

Noticing Xie Chengze’s gaze, Shen Yuan instinctively grew wary and asked, “What does Your Highness intend to do?”

What mischief was he planning now?

Xie Chengze narrowed his eyes with a smile. “Lord Shen, has my robe been washed?”

Shen Yuan: …

“It will be washed after dinner!” Shen Yuan retorted with slight embarrassment, flicking the reins as he rode ahead, clearly unwilling to remain in the same space as Xie Chengze.

That night, as the convoy heading to Yi Province was still far from the nearest county town, they camped in the woods beside the official road. The road ran alongside a stream, and after dinner, Shen Yuan knelt by the water, resignedly scrubbing the red court robe in his hands.

Lord Shen Yuan, who wielded immense power in the court, hadn’t washed clothes himself in a long time. Unaware that the robe was meticulously crafted from fine cool silk and couldn’t be exposed to water, he scrubbed it too vigorously. Within a few strokes, the robe tore into a large hole.

Shen Yuan: …

At that moment, Shen Yuan felt more despair than if Xie Chengze had stabbed him.

He could almost imagine Xie Chengze’s reaction upon seeing the torn robe—mocking him with something like, “Oh~ torn from washing~ It seems Lord Shen owes me a new robe~”

Huh? Wait?

Had he just spoken his thoughts aloud?

Shen Yuan belatedly registered the voice and abruptly stood up, colliding with Xie Chengze’s chin behind him.

“Ouch—” Xie Chengze clutched his chin, tears welling from the pain. “Shen! Yuan!”

“You—” Shen Yuan held the wet robe, staring at Xie Chengze in shock. “Why were you standing behind me?”

“I came to remind you that this silk robe shouldn’t be washed in water or dried in the sun!” Xie Chengze glared at him, his delicate chin scratched and bleeding from Shen Yuan’s hairpiece. “And you call yourself a martial artist? You didn’t even hear my footsteps! Was this deliberate?”

Indeed, Xie Chengze wasn’t trained in martial arts—why hadn’t Shen Yuan heard his approach?

Shen Yuan was puzzled too, but the fact remained: he had injured Xie Chengze and had to atone regardless.

“This is Shen’s fault. How does His Highness the Second Prince wish to punish me?” Shen Yuan retracted his imposing aura, his tone returning to its usual coldness and detachment.

“Hmph! Figure it out yourself!” Xie Chengze flung his sleeves and strode away.

This left Shen Yuan at a loss—he couldn’t decipher what form of apology Xie Chengze expected.

The reborn Xie Chengze was becoming increasingly inscrutable.

That night, Shen Yuan nearly lost sleep again. At the first light of dawn, as he tilted his head back to rinse his mouth with a twig, he suddenly caught sight of Wuhen’s figure in the tree.

Shen Yuan: …

Shen Yuan: !

Now he understood why he hadn’t heard Xie Chengze’s footsteps.

The brat hadn’t walked over at all!!!

Damn it, he’d been tricked again!

Furious, Shen Yuan snapped the twig in his hand.