Xu Biao was having wine in the middle area of Pingkang Square.
The northern area, which was close to the wall of the square, was a place where the lower class prostitutes gathered and lived. They could get to work as soon as they were handed money.
The intersection in front of the middle area was full of pavilions and buildings, where beautiful women enticed using their skills. Whether fat or thin, each had their own talents, attracting the noble sons and wet-behind-their-ears youths in the capital to wander around and hang out. The place was as busy as a marketplace, with an endless stream of carriages and horses.
The southern area was full of courtyard residences, golden houses to keep their mistresses. If you were not a noble or high official, you were unable to enter its doors.
The new dynasty was established, and the situation gradually stabilized. Prime Minister Zheng issued the "Decree of Seeking Talents" in Li De's name, announcing the reopening of the preliminary round of the imperial examination.
The exam candidates were not limited by their family background and origins, not restricted by their status. All talented people under the heavens could take the examination.
Once the edict was issued, the whole world was stunned.
The literary scholars from the all over went north in response to the imperial edict. The famous households and noble families who had scattered throughout the various region to escape the war also returned to the capital one after another. Pingkang Square became more and more lively and noisy by the day.
Among the three areas, the most prosperous was naturally the middle area.
It was not yet sunset but the spacious doorways in front of the wine shops had already hung up a row of lanterns.
The heavily layered curtain couldn't hide the laughter and songs coming from the building.
The pipa was clear and melodious, the huqin was passionate, the golden bell was loud and resonating, and the konghou was mellow and rich.
In the middle of the melodious music, a few Hu entertainers with colorful cloaks draped over their shoulders, wearing purple gauze wide-sleeve garments and long skirts around their waists, stood on the carpet with bare feet, gently swaying their slender waists, dancing lightly and gracefully.
The music was fast at times then slow, and the dancers also moved accordingly.
When the music was fast, the dance was bright and beautiful, energetic and powerful. When it was slow, it was graceful and delicate, light and charming.
Soon, the Hu entertainers would timely sweat through the gauze garments, their snow-white skin faintly visible.
Indescribably charming and enchanting.
At the end of the song, the Hu entertainers raised and turned their waists, turquoise eyes dilating with emotion, slowly taking off their clothes.
The drinkers in the building had long looked dumbstruck.
The whole building was silent. Upstairs and downstairs, all the eyes, without exception, were fixed on the Hu women's long and slender fingers that slowly spread open the clothes.
Xu Biao's mouth was wide open and excitedly gulped his saliva.
Suddenly, with a loud bang, the door was knocked open.
Several unsheathed long blades pried open the curtain, and golden, dazzling sunlight poured into the hall.
The thick fragrance of powder and overflowing wine was lightened by the incoming gust of wind.
Xie Qing stood in front of the hall, eyes glancing through the hall.
A few Hu entertainers shrieked in fear, fixed their clothes and retreated in haste.
The ambiguous and charming atmosphere just now was suddenly swept away.
The sound of grievances was heard from all around.
"Don't stop! Keep taking it off!"
"Fuck! I was watching the fun!"
Xu Biao followed with a roar, slapping the table and standing up: "Where'd that ugly bastard come from!"
Xie Qing's eyebrows twitched and looked at Xu Biao.
Xu Biao cursed.
Xie Qing did not say a word. Getting upstairs in a few steps, a big hand, like a cattail-leaf fan, grabbed Xu Biao's collar and pulled the man downstairs.
Xu Biao was over six feet tall with a robust physique, his weight was not light.
However, Xie Qing's movements were agile, easily carried the man like he was a merely a little chick out of the wine shop and threw him on the ground.
The colleague who had been drinking with Xu Biao reacted. Flusteredly putting down his cup, he chased him out of the wine shop and shouted with drunkenness: "Unhand him! He's a general under Qin wang! You...."
Without finishing the sentence he was shouting, he glimpsed from the corner of his eyes a graceful figure by the door sitting on horseback and surrounded by strong slaves and servants, immediately falling mute.
Instantly, several people had mostly sobered up, looking at each other in dismay.
How could the Seventh Princess come to a place like Pingkang Square?
Li Yaoying dismounted off her horse and lifted her eyes.
Her eyes swept over the faces of several of the wangfu's intoxicated subordinates and generals who were red in the face and stumbling on their feet.
Several people's hearts jumped and their eyes dropped in guilt.
The second prince was rough, only knowing how to fight, and never cared about his residence's affairs. All the big and small affairs of the wangfu were looked after and taken care of by the seventh princess.
Although they were the second prince's servants, it was the seventh princess who could decide whether they would stay or go.
If the Seventh Princess found someone unpleasing to the eye, the Second Prince wouldn't even ask, immediately expelling that person from the wangfu, even if that person was a servant given by Emperor Li De.
Several people muttered in their hearts: seeking pleasure and getting drunk.... didn't seem like a very heavy crime though?
Xu Biao was thrown on the muddy ground, getting a mouthful of fishy mud. He didn't see Li Yaoying dismount, only hearing the horse's hooves stomping. The environment was extraordinarily quiet, everyone not daring to utter a sound. Even the sound of music in the wine shop and the sound of laughter and curses of drinkers also stopped.
He was so drunk that he didn't think much about it. Rolling over and getting up, he cursed angrily: "Courting death!"
The sound of nervous exhales came from all around.
Li Yaoying looked at him expressionlessly, the end of her eyes raised: "Still not sober?"
Xu Biao's fierce anger froze on his face, and his mouth couldn't close for some time.
A quick-witted servant brought two large buckets of cold water and with a crash, poured it over Xu Biao's face.
The weather was warming up, the cold water was not at all bone-chilling, but Xu Biao couldn't help but shiver. The chilliness spread from the soles of his feet straight up.
He recognized the Seventh Princess.
Of the second prince's subordinates and generals, who dared not recognize the seventh princess?
Yaoying knew he had come to his senses, and her eyes signaled to the guards.
The guards came forward with several men bound up with hands tied behind their backs.
The men rolled to Yaoying's feet, kowtowing and begging for mercy: "Your Highness, spare my life! Your HIghness, have mercy! Us servants were just following orders, it was Xu Biao who ordered us to do this! Xu Biao has a residence in Shengping Square, and all the women he took are kept there!"
These were precisely the same soldiers who had grabbed the innocent girls earlier.
They had been intimidated on the way here and were scared to death. Without waiting for Yaoying's question, they knelt down on the ground and came clean, all instances of Xu Biao sending them to force innocent girls to sign and pledge were confessed.
Xu Biao was completely sober, his face ashen.
Upon seeing this, the others all understood that Li Yaoying had come for Xu Biao, so they quietly sighed with relief.
In the silence, a rush of hoofbeats sounded from the gate. A guard flew off his horse, carrying a middle-aged man dressed as a Confucian scholar. He darted into the courtyard and put down the man: "Your Highness, the Chief Historian1 has been brought!"
The wangfu's Chief Historian had been jolted the whole journey. His headwrap was askew, his robe was in disarray, he was panting out of breath, but he didn't dare complain. Not even standing firmly on the ground, he saluted towards Li Yaoying first.
Yaoying returned the salute and said, "This was an urgent matter, troubled Chief Historian."
The chief historian was busy saying that he didn't dare.
The guard took out a stack of messy papers from his bosom: "These are the deed that was just retrieved from their bodies."
The chief historian took the deeds and examined them carefully, shaking his head and sighing.
He looked up at Xu Biao: "Qin wang has repeatedly and strictly forbidden the robbery of innocent children in the army. You forced them to sell themselves as maidservants, the human testimony and material evidence are all here, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Xu Biao's face was red and white, his expression fluctuating.
Finally, he said in a low, muffled voice: "I risked life and limb for His Highness. It was only robbing a few maidservants, that's it...."
He gritted his teeth and lifted his chest.
"His Highness is not in the capital. I have been left in the hands of the princess. To kill or to punish, all at your disposal!"
The others' eyes pointed towards their nose, noses pointed toward their chest2, not daring to squeak.
The chief historian glanced at Li Yaoying.
In fact, the second prince did not give a ban. The person who really gave a ban was the seventh princess.
The second prince didn't bother about trifles. In his tent, his people had insignificant skills but sneaky behavior. Those people were arrogant and obstinate. Every time after fighting a battle, the first thing they did was lead troops to clean up, often harassing the people.
Because of this, the second prince had a bad reputation.
The seventh princess advised the second prince to control his subordinates, but the second prince would turn his head then throw it to the back of his mind, forgetting about it.
Last year, one of the lieutenants under the Second Prince's tent had taken liberties with a married woman, who killed herself with hatred. When the matter came before Li De, he was furious and reprimanded the second prince in front of everyone.
The Seventh Princess was also very angry and called all of the Second Prince's generals to sternly warn: military rules were like a mountain, any further violation of the military rules would be dealt with by military law!
At that time, the second prince was standing next to the seventh princess, making himself small and insignificant, very cautious. Whatever the Seventh Princess said, he would agree.