Imprisoned at fourteen
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Li Lingfei saw Jing Chen and was about to pay his respects, but Jing Chen chuckled, saying, “Lord Li, let's focus on the case.”
Li Lingfei quickly found the source of the fire—it was the scented sachet belonging to Mei Niang.
When questioning the maids and attendants, everyone pointed to Pang Cong, who had handed the sachet to Mei Niang.
There were multiple witnesses.
Moreover, Mei Niang, before dying, called out Pang Cong’s name.
Li Lingfei asked Jing Chen if there had been any physical contact with Mei Niang.
Jing Chen grinned foolishly, drooling as he said, “Not even one woman touched? Can I still touch now?”
Li Lingfei rolled his eyes.
Several courtesans from the Wanhua House testified that they hadn’t even had a sip of wine before Pang Cong and his men were driven out of the private chamber.
Li Lingfei meticulously inspected the entire room inch by inch but found no clues.
Pang Cong’s legs were trembling, his face pale, and his trousers soaked… he had wet himself.
Li Lingfei asked again, “Who suggested coming to the Wanhua House?”
The chubby man replied, “Yesterday, I visited the Wang residence. The cook there made some delicious snacks. I thought it would be good to open a shop outside to sell them, so I proposed a banquet here to watch the courtesans compete and discuss cooperation.”
Li Lingfei knew of those snacks well; his wife Wei Hongying and daughter Li Ruoyi often praised them, and Li Lingli frequently sent delicacies to the marquis’s mansion.
As for Qian Man, Jing Chen confessed openly—Qian Man was thoroughly wicked.
In broad daylight, he extorted money and publicly raped women.
He was a tyrant in Chang’an city.
Justice was deserved; death was insufficient punishment.
Li Lingfei questioned others; their statements matched Jing Chen’s.
Jing Chen led everyone away, and Pang Cong and the others were all arrested and sent to the Jingzhao Prefecture.
Pang Cong was immediately thrown into the death cell.
The murder of Mei Niang sparked rumors, with many conflicting versions spreading throughout the city.
News of Qian Man’s killing also reached the Liyuan Casino. Qian Laohu vowed bloody vengeance to avenge his godson.
The Wanhua House was ordered to cease operations for rectification.
Everyone inside was forbidden from leaving and was subject to ongoing investigation.
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The Wanhua House was Jing Wei’s public front, a gold mine daily, and his prime channel for laundering money.
Inside were vast sums of his funds and various ledgers and diaries.
Most importantly, there were records concerning Langzhou, which must never be exposed—if leaked, death and the extermination of his entire family would be inevitable.
Human trafficking, forcing women into prostitution, brutal abductions, deception, loan sharking—these were all minor compared to that, and all secretly operated through Pang Cong.
Even if something happened, there was always a scapegoat.
Jing Wei was furious, smashing his study to pieces.
Dongfang Ying then presented a packet of Wushi Powder to Jing Wei, saying, “Master, do not be anxious. This is the Divine Elixir, which I have refined after traveling the country and meeting all manner of masters.
It prolongs life, calms the mind, and strengthens the body.
It works wonders in the bedroom arts.
Regular consumption can extend lifespan to over two hundred years, even eight hundred.”
Jing Wei, trusting without doubt, drank it down. His body grew hot, his lower region swelled, and he urgently rushed to Xu Chenying’s chamber.
“Your Highness, what’s wrong? It’s broad daylight… no… ah…” Before Xu Chenying could finish, her mouth was covered.
The jade shells parted, revealing red flesh; a wild serpent coiled and uncoiled, weaving white streams…
The battle inside the room was fierce and evenly matched!
Xu Chenying’s cries rang through the backyard, thundering and earth-shaking.
Xiao Cui spat quietly and muttered, “Such a lecher, shameless even in broad daylight.”
Yang Simin frowned slightly, her face flushed.
Clenching her legs tightly, she muttered, “Damn it… Xiao Cui, fetch water, I need to bathe…”
“Your Highness, you’re so formidable today, I’m finished…” Xu Chenying blushed deeply, surrendering and begging for mercy.
Jing Wei strutted about, self-satisfied.
Grand Tutor Pang sat calmly at the Fishing Pavilion, watching events unfold.
A bounty had been posted in the capital: five hundred taels for any informant.
Li Lingfei refused, citing the inconvenience of revealing case details.
The chubby man said he had only just met the friend, knowing only the surname Huang.
The woman disguised as a man was Gu Lanxin, also imprisoned.
Gu Bancheng and his wife nearly went mad searching all night, seeking help from Jingzhao Prefecture, only to learn their daughter had been detained for visiting a brothel and suspected murder.
Upon returning home, Gu Bancheng slapped her twice and shouted angrily, “I disown you! You are corrupting morals and shameless!”
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“Fortunately, the Seventh Prince did not want you; otherwise, the entire Gu family would have perished because of you.
Who dares say the Seventh Prince is an idiot again? I’ll be the first to get angry.
I don’t think he’s stupid at all; he’s very clever…”
Gu Lanxin, tearful, remembered meeting Jing Chen when she was a child during a visit to the Empress.
They had played house; she was the lady, Jing Chen the husband. He had said he would marry her.
Later, hearing he had become mentally impaired, they never met again.
Yesterday, she did not intend to go to the brothel. A classmate from the Imperial Academy invited her to play and discuss poetry, so she went along.
At the brothel, as she turned to leave, Chu Qinglin stopped her, saying, “If you leave now, your identity will be exposed.”
She had no choice but to enter. When she saw Jing Chen’s eyes, she was almost certain he was the Seventh Prince, Jing Chen.
She often stared at him, but he seemed not to recognize her anymore.
She also knew that his men were martial arts experts.
One look from him, and they obeyed without question.
He was not foolish; the eyes are the windows to the soul.
She was sure yesterday’s self-immolation incident was connected to him.
But she could not understand why, nor did she have evidence.
Yet she trusted her intuition.
Chu Qinglin kept courting her, but she feigned ignorance.
Zhao Yun brought wine and soap, dividing into four groups of fifty each to escort to Jiangnan, Yanyun, Langzhou, and the Western Border.
The capital bustled with common folk and a restless crowd.
The arena was high and crowded, a sea of black heads stretching endlessly.
The Hong Emperor was an emperor who acted swiftly: first, a martial contest to select the top ten, then a literary contest against the princess.
On the arena stood promising young nobles and scions of notable families, each taking the stage as the previous finished.
Cheers echoed continuously from below!