The Yufeng Tower was engulfed in thick smoke, and the surrounding residents all shook their heads and sighed. This was a fortune going up in flames.
Inside the carriage, the Rui Princess Consort grew increasingly displeased. She had intended to personally escort the girl to the Marquis Wu'an's manor, hoping to foster goodwill. But who would have thought this wild girl would be so slippery.
If this were to get out, the public might not dare to mock the Rui Princess Consort, but that vixen in the royal manor would surely gloat. The Rui Princess Consort's expression turned extremely unpleasant. She opened the carriage window and fixed her gloomy gaze on Zhan Feiyu, who was not far away.
"Tell the Five City Patrol to arrest this lowly girl. She offended me in the alley and damaged the golden bracelet bestowed by the Empress," the Rui Princess Consort said, enunciating each word as she removed the golden bracelet from her wrist.
Unlike the bracelets worn by ordinary women, the one in the Rui Princess Consort's hand was inlaid with six pearls of excellent quality, each set on a delicate gold cloud base.
Around each pearl was a circle of red coral. Even in the dim light of the carriage, the bracelet still shone brilliantly.
With a forceful twist, she pried off a perfectly round pearl and then tossed the bracelet to Jin Yu.
"Your servant will go now." Jin Yu respectfully took the bracelet with both hands, alighted from the carriage, and hurried towards the Five City Patrol officers on the other side.
What excuse is needed to condemn someone! Zhan Feiyu looked speechlessly at the hurrying Jin Yu. "A Nuan, does the Rui Princess Consort need something from the Marquis Wu'an's manor?"
He Nuan was not well-informed about these back-alley dealings, but she did know a little. "It is said that the Rui Princess Consort intends to select a consort for the young prince."
Zhan Feiyu was startled and immediately turned her head to look at the carriage stopped in the middle of the road. "Doesn't the Marquis Wu'an's manor only have You Bawang as their only son?"
"Yes, but the Marquis also has a concubine-born daughter," He Nuan guessed.
In the past, a concubine-born daughter would not have been qualified to marry the young prince. With the Rui Princess Consort's high and picky standards, she probably wouldn't even grant the status of a concubine.
But with You Bawang's death, the Marquis Wu'an's manor was left without an heir. Now, the Marquis had only this concubine-born daughter, his only blood relative. If the young prince married this concubine-born daughter, even if she wasn't the principal wife, the young prince might be able to inherit the Marquis Wu'an's connections and resources in the army in the future.
The status of a concubine in exchange for the support of the Marquis Wu'an's manor was indeed a worthwhile transaction.
Understanding, Zhan Feiyu nodded. The Rui Princess Consort was overbearing and arrogant, but she was also deeply devoted to her son. It was a pity that she was using Zhan Feiyu as a stepping stone to establish ties with the Marquis Wu'an's manor.
He Nuan looked at Zhan Feiyu, who thought she understood, with a complex expression. She hesitated and opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing more, as this was not a place to talk.
Since Lu Yi disappeared from the medical clinic, the Five City Patrol had almost turned the capital upside down for the past two days, but they still had not found any trace of him.
Whether it was due to personal friendship with Lu Yi or for the sake of the Five City Patrol's reputation, this group of men, who arrived with fierce expressions, now harbored a deep hatred for Zhan Feiyu.
The leading Deputy Commander Ma was of the same rank as Lu Yi, and they often drank and sought pleasure together. At this moment, Deputy Commander Ma waved his hand, and the subordinates of the Five City Patrol surrounded Zhan Feiyu.
"Since Miss Zhan is so audacious as to offend the Rui Princess Consort, she must not be afraid of a trip to the Five City Patrol," Deputy Commander Ma said sarcastically. As long as the person entered their territory, he was confident this lowly girl would talk.
Standing beside him, Jin Yu still held the golden bracelet "damaged" by Zhan Feiyu in both hands, and said with arrogance, "Miss Zhan probably doesn't know that this golden bracelet originally belonged to the Empress and was later bestowed upon the Princess Consort, but is now ruined in Miss Zhan's hands."
This charge made the faces of the Shun Tian Prefecture constables who had arrived suddenly change. If it were just the people from the Five City Patrol, they wouldn't be afraid. But now, it involved the Empress.
Even though Constable Qing and the others knew that this charge was just something the Rui Princess Consort had said casually, as the saying goes, a higher official can crush a lower one. Let alone them, a group of insignificant constables, even Prefect Bai would be unable to stop the Rui Princess Consort.
"Why? Does Constable Qing intend to prevent us from the Five City Patrol from arresting someone as ordered?" Deputy Commander Ma sneered, deliberately emphasizing the words "arresting someone as ordered."
Jin Yu already disliked Zhan Feiyu. A country girl from who-knows-where dared to cause trouble in the capital. Now, she raised her eyebrows and looked at Constable Qing, acting like a tiger borrowing its might, "Since when did Shun Tian Prefecture constables dare to interfere in the affairs of our Rui Prince's manor?"
"We dare not!" Constable Qing bowed and retreated, casting an apologetic glance at Zhan Feiyu. When it involved the Rui Prince's manor, they truly dared not intervene.
"Miss Zhan, please come with us." Deputy Commander Ma urged with a somber expression, his fierce eyes falling on He Sheng, He Nuan, and the others. Even if he couldn't do anything to this wild girl, these people could still taste the instruments of torture of the Five City Patrol.
Zhan Feiyu's pretty face remained calm, and she did not speak. A wise person does not stand under a dangerous wall. Even if her identity were exposed, she would not truly go to the Five City Patrol; that would be like a sheep entering a tiger's mouth.
Her gaze swept over the dense crowd around them. Once a fight broke out, Zhan Feiyu was not worried about her own safety, but she glanced back at Steward Xiao and Cui Ya, wondering if the Xiao family would seize the opportunity to kill them.