Xu Hengyi did not participate in the brawl. Seeing that the young dandies were all dragged into the prefectural yamen, Xu Hengyi originally wanted to follow.
Although he would never admit that he was one of the young dandies, he was Xie Jiang's best friend in the capital. If everyone else went in, it wouldn't make sense for him to be the only one left outside.
However, seeing the Hao family still lingering maliciously in front of the prefectural yamen, Xu Hengyi hesitated and decided to stay outside. Otherwise, if the Hao family caused trouble again, who would inform Xie Jiang?
Xie Jiang, hurry up and open your eyes to see how sensible and considerate he is!
He was different from Ruan Ziji and those young dandies!
Xu Hengyi had been watching the excitement for a whole morning, feeling tired both physically and mentally. He sat down directly on the steps.
Fang Yuchun had gone to the palace to see the emperor, and the Hao family was still sitting in the sun. The officials brought by Hao Ming seemed to want to persist a little longer.
The onlookers were enjoying the gossip and showed no signs of dispersing.
Xu Hengyi's stomach growled with hunger. The sun in September was no longer scorching, but sitting in it for too long could still cause dizziness.
Old Madam Hao could no longer hold on and slumped into the arms of her maidservant.
The old man maintained his cross-legged posture. His back was slightly hunched due to his age, but he kept his eyes closed, remaining silent and unchanged.
Yi Shan squeezed through the crowd and handed Xu Hengyi two warm meat pies. "Young master, please eat something to fill your stomach." kuAiδugg
As he spoke, he took down the bamboo tube he carried on his shoulder and opened its lid. A fragrant aroma of steaming chicken soup wafted out.
Xu Hengyi wolfed down the meat pies. "Didn't I ask you to spread rumors about the Hao family? Where did you get these meat pies?"
Yi Shan chuckled. "We've been on the go all morning, from the Marquis of Nanhai's mansion to the Shun Tian Prefecture, then from the Shun Tian Prefecture to the Hao residence, and then back to the Shun Tian Prefecture. We've gotten familiar with the way, and I've noted down where there are food stalls on every street and alley."
Yi Shan pointed in a direction. "There's an inconspicuous alley over there with several food stalls. I figured you must be hungry by now, so I went there to buy some. The meat pies were freshly made by the proprietress, and I asked her to put extra meat in them."
Yi Shan picked up the bamboo tube and fed Xu Hengyi chicken soup. "This is chicken soup from an old hen stewed for two hours. You need to drink more, young master, to have energy in the afternoon. I don't think the Hao family's display suggests they'll retreat easily."
After swallowing the meat pies, which were larger than Xu Hengyi's face, and drinking half a tube of hot chicken soup, Xu Hengyi's dizziness disappeared.
Yi Shan then opened a oil-paper package, which contained two pieces of stuffed tofu.
The officials and yamen runners of the Shun Tian Prefecture nearby couldn't help but cast glances this way.
The aroma of the meat pies and the rich chicken soup were too enticing. Everyone's stomach rumbled in unison. At this moment, Yi Shan actually took out two more pieces of delicious and rich stuffed tofu.
This was too much! Was there no end to it!
Didn't they know everyone was hungry!
The yamen runners, officials, and soldiers of the Shun Tian Prefecture could only swallow their saliva.
Given the situation on the street, they couldn't even go to eat a proper meal.
The strong aroma of food emanating from Xu Hengyi's side not only drew frequent glances from the people of Shun Tian Prefecture but also made many of the Hao family members, who were stuck to the ground tiles, secretly look towards Xu Hengyi.
They were all mortal beings, and hunger struck when they missed a meal.
Xu Hengyi handed the remaining meat pie to Yi Shan.
Yi Shan did not take it. "I had already eaten while the proprietress was making the pies."
Xu Hengyi's expression shifted slightly. Yi Shan knew what his young master was thinking and lowered his voice to explain, "Young master, you don't need to worry about me and Yi Shui. I'll go relieve Yi Shui later so he can go to that alley to eat. The servants of Marquis Ruan will also take turns to eat as the situation permits."
Xu Hengyi nodded approvingly.
Yi Shan placed the remaining chicken soup beside Xu Hengyi and then slipped back into the crowd to continue spreading gossip, ensuring that the Hao family's scandals would spread throughout the entire street!
By tomorrow morning, there would still be people in the streets and alleys of the capital who didn't know about the Hao family's scandals. If not, it would be their dereliction of duty.
Xu Hengyi was already about seven-tenths full. Looking at the two elderly people sitting in front of the crowd, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pity.
Old and frail, they naturally evoked sympathy.
Xu Hengyi wanted to give them the meat pie. At their age, starving under the hot sun, they might faint at any moment.
However, upon seeing Hao Ming beside them, he ultimately did not move his feet.
The old master and old madam of the Hao family were old, and their disheveled appearance was indeed pitiable.
But no one stopped them from eating.
Their insistence on enduring this was also a form of self-inflicted suffering.
The purpose was to deal with Xie Jiang.
He could not aid the enemy.
Moreover, they might not even accept it. They might even spit in his face if he offered the meat pie.
Xu Hengyi ate the remaining meat pie in large bites.
~
Fang Yuchun went straight to the Yuan You Palace.
He only ate some snacks and drank a bowl of tea on the way to fill his stomach.
He wasn't really in a hurry, but he had to put on a convincing act to avoid criticism.
The outcome of seeing the emperor this time was not difficult to predict.
Fang Yuchun waited outside the Yuan You Palace for the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Eunuch Hong Tao, who was helping to relay the message, came out and politely told him that His Majesty was busy and could not see outside ministers.
Since he had come all this way, Fang Yuchun asked a few more questions, such as when His Majesty would be free, as he had an urgent matter.
Hong Tao smiled obsequiously and said he couldn't say for sure, as His Majesty was usually busy.
Seeing Fang Yuchun's worried expression, his official robes soaked as if the sky was falling, Hong Tao asked indirectly.
Fang Yuchun sighed, "Speaking of this matter, Eunuch, you know about it."
Hong Tao looked bewildered. "What do you mean?"
Fang Yuchun then briefly recounted the grievances between Xie Jiang and the Hao family.
"Young Master Xu San and Marquis Ruan, three days ago when they testified for the Marquis of Nanhai, said that Eunuch Hong Tao happened to be at Xie's residence to deliver an imperial decree when Hao Wei came to assassinate him, and he personally witnessed Hao Wei's assassination."
Hong Tao's mouth remained agape for a long time. Had things escalated to this point?
Fang Yuchun sighed, "The entire Hao family is still sitting outside the Shun Tian Prefecture, and the驸马 Hao has brought twenty to thirty officials to demand that I punish them severely."
"The envoy from Lan Yong will arrive in the capital soon, and the matter of the Marquis of Nanhai is of great importance. How dare I make a decision on my own? I can only submit a memorial for His Majesty to decide."
Fang Yuchun had anticipated when he suggested seeing the emperor that he would likely not get to see His Majesty today, but he could use Hong Tao's mouth to let His Majesty know about the matter.
This way, when the envoy from Lan Yong arrived, they would not be caught off guard if their young master was imprisoned.
Hong Tao knew how much His Majesty valued the allegiance of the Xie family and was already planning to tell his foster father later, so that his foster father could mention it to His Majesty during a break from his cultivation.
Fang Yuchun intended to wait outside the Yuan You Palace for a while longer and asked Hong Tao to inform him again when His Majesty was free. If he couldn't find an opportunity, it wouldn't be too late for him to leave the palace.
Fang Yuchun stood by the wall with his hands clasped, dozing off during the long wait. After an unknown amount of time, someone stopped in front of him with light footsteps.
"Lord Fang, Young Master Yi invites you to sit with him."