The whips of the Forbidden Dragon Guard were not to be trifled with. Not only could they strike down a mere maidservant, but even officials of the court would dare not speak out in anger. Especially in recent years, as the Emperor had increasingly relied on the Forbidden Dragon Guard, no one in the capital dared to provoke them.
"Are you throwing your weight around in front of this Princess Consort?" a furious voice boomed from the carriage. A servant cautiously helped the enraged Princess Consort of Rui alight.
Seeing this, Kuang Xu instructed a guard to help Jin Yu, who had been struck, to her feet. The guards retreated to the side, leaving the "main battlefield" to the Princess Consort.
"Your subordinate pays respects to the Princess Consort." A chorus of salutations rang out.
Chong Guang and the remaining four dismounted, but their attitude was clearly perfunctory, merely to avoid giving anyone cause for complaint.
"What great authority!" Laughing in extreme anger, Princess Consort Rui shook off the servant supporting her and pointed a furious finger at Zhan Feiyu. "This lowly girl has offended this Princess Consort today. The Five City Patrols want to take her away. Will you let them or not!"
If one were to truly nitpick, even if an ordinary citizen offended a Princess Consort, the matter of punishment would fall under the jurisdiction of the Shuntian Prefecture, not the Five City Patrols.
Similarly, for the Forbidden Dragon Guard to intervene would be an even greater overreach, a meddling in affairs that did not concern them.
Before Chong Guang could answer, Princess Consort Rui's beautiful and noble face turned sinister. She spoke again in a sharp tone, "This Princess Consort has also extended her hand to you. Are you going to whip me too?"
Even when beating a dog, one had to consider its owner. Jin Yu had been whipped, and in broad daylight at that. This was a direct insult to Princess Consort Rui.
Looking at the golden hairpin and dangling ornament swaying slightly in Princess Consort Rui's hair, it was clear that her anger towards Chong Guang surpassed her anger towards Zhan Feiyu. These bastards from the Forbidden Dragon Guard were clearly doing this on purpose!
"Your subordinate dares not!" Chong Guang remained unfazed, his expression as defiant as ever, even as he uttered words of apology.
"It is simply that the burning of Yufeng Tower is no trivial matter. Your subordinate must be cautious. After all, if someone dares to set fire to Yufeng Tower in full view of everyone today, they will dare to set fire to the Prince's mansion tomorrow. Your subordinate is merely preventing future trouble. If there are any improprieties, I ask the Princess Consort to forgive me."
A smile played on Zhan Feiyu's lips. Chong Guang Uncle's tongue had become even more agile after these few years.
"You!" Princess Consort Rui's face turned ashen. In a fit of rage, she raised her hand and slapped towards Chong Guang's face.
If it were anyone else being slapped, they would not dare to dodge, despite their anger, for the one striking was a Princess Consort of the highest rank. However, the Forbidden Dragon Guard were a group of arrogant individuals who respected no one but the Emperor.
Therefore, Chong Guang took a step back and avoided the blow, looking contemptuously at Princess Consort Rui, who was trembling with rage. "I implore the Princess Consort to calm her anger. The laws of Great Qing cannot be trampled upon. Guards, take all involved individuals back!"
"Yes!" In response, signal flares ignited in the air.
Within moments, several figures darted from all directions. Some were in plain clothes, while others wore black Feiyu robes and carried Yanling sabers at their waists.
"Miss Zhan, you will also need to come along." Chong Guang maintained a strictly "business-like" attitude. Besides the people from Prince Rui's mansion, Zhan Feiyu and her group also had to make a trip to the Forbidden Dragon Guard.
"You are too kind, sir. This is merely my duty." Zhan Feiyu accepted with a smile.
The people from the Five City Patrols and the Shuntian Prefecture did not leave, as they had only arrived after Yufeng Tower caught fire.
The maids, servants, and the carriage driver from Prince Rui's mansion also remained. They could not let Princess Consort Rui return to the mansion alone. As for safety, Chong Guang did not need to worry; this was the capital, and the Five City Patrols were still present.
"Boss, doesn't Miss Zhan know the reputation of the Forbidden Dragon Guard?" the young constable whispered, his voice trembling instinctively at the mention of the Forbidden Dragon Guard.
Constable Qing thought of Zhan Feiyu's relaxed expression as she left and was momentarily speechless. She had escaped the dragon's den of the Five City Patrols, only to fall into the tiger's lair of the Forbidden Dragon Guard.
On the second floor, Zhe Jing and Wen Ruyi, who had been drinking tea and watching the spectacle, were now struck dumb with fear. Although they were on the second floor, given the skills of these Forbidden Dragon Guard members, they had likely already sensed their presence.
Until the tea in their cups had cooled, Zhe Jing couldn't help but glance out the window again. Yufeng Tower was now a ruin. Princess Consort Rui had already left. The constables of the Five City Patrols and the Shuntian Prefecture had cooperated to extinguish the fire.
"Jing'er, we just happened to come out for tea and a bit of excitement today." Wen Ruyi held Zhe Jing's hand tightly and said word by word with sharp eyes, "Don't say a single extra word!"
As crazy as Zhe Jing was, she dared not provoke the Forbidden Dragon Guard. She nodded, "I know, Ruyi. Do you think that lowly girl will be able to get out?"
Anyone who entered the Forbidden Dragon Guard would at best be stripped bare, and at worst lose their lives. However, the Forbidden Dragon Guard never bothered with such trivial matters. Who would have thought Zhan Feiyu would be so "unlucky" to run into them.
Thinking of the methods of the Forbidden Dragon Guard, a flicker of joy flashed in Wen Ruyi's eyes, though her expression remained solemn. "I heard that the Forbidden Dragon Guard and Prince Rui's mansion have some friction. It's likely Miss Zhan was implicated. She should be released."
But as the saying goes, the yamen opens southwards; if you have reason but no money, don't come in! To get out of the Forbidden Dragon Guard intact, one would likely have to "spend money to avert disaster." Thinking of the ten thousand taels of silver she was extorted for at Duobao Pavilion, Wen Ruyi wished the Forbidden Dragon Guard would drain Zhan Feiyu of all her wealth.
The news that Zhan Feiyu and the guards from Prince Rui's mansion were taken back to the Forbidden Dragon Guard spread through the capital's families like wildfire. Just as Wen Ruyi had surmised, everyone believed that Zhan Feiyu was unlucky and had been implicated by Prince Rui's mansion.
Perhaps it was due to the fearsome reputation of the Forbidden Dragon Guard. In earlier years, there were other residents on this street. However, with the terrible screams emanating from the Forbidden Dragon Guard's yamen and the rumors that the Forbidden Dragon Guard had to carry out coffins every few days, the residents of this area would rather sell their houses at a low price and move away.
"So you put the coffin at the entrance of the alley?" Zhan Feiyu looked speechlessly at the coffin, which was on the verge of falling apart from being exposed to the wind and sun. If one saw it late at night, they would likely be scared half to death.
"A treasure to ward off evil!" Chong Guang boasted proudly, habitually reaching out to rub Zhan Feiyu's head. But as he raised his arm, he realized that Zhan Feiyu was no longer the chubby little girl she was in the past.
With her beautiful eyes and though still short, her figure was clearly that of a young girl in her prime. Chong Guang smiled and retracted his hand.
"The bodies in the yamen's prison are wrapped in straw mats and thrown into the mass grave. Our Forbidden Dragon Guard at least puts them in coffins before sending them to the mass grave. The Forbidden Dragon Guard also lacks funds, so these coffins have to be reused. Storing them here is also more convenient."
The Forbidden Dragon Guard members who overheard Chong Guang's words rolled their eyes in unison. This was just to fool innocent little girls. If you pulled anyone off the street and told them the Forbidden Dragon Guard had a conscience, you'd probably scare their eyeballs out.
Zhan Feiyu looked at the coffin, stained with blood year-round and emitting a rotten stench. She unceremoniously rolled her eyes at Chong Guang. "Why do I feel like the bodies carried out by the Forbidden Dragon Guard are all in pieces and can't be transported without being put in coffins?"
Uh...
Several people in hiding exchanged a surprised glance and looked towards Zhan Feiyu in unison. As expected of Scholar Gu's little disciple, she was truly intelligent, to be able to guess this!
"Not speaking what you see through is the great way!" Chong Guang laughed heartily and led Zhan Feiyu forward. "This courtyard with two entrances is just vacant."
Since Chong Guang dared to push open the door, Zhan Feiyu, along with He Sheng, He Nuan, and the others, entered. This once again astonished those in hiding, who thought they were mistaken.
Several figures flashed out from the darkness, their gazes fixed on the two-entrance courtyard at the end of the alley. "Am I seeing things?"
"Has the Commander changed residences?"
"Is there a possibility that since the Commander has never married, the Deputy Commander wants to play matchmaker for him?"
Thinking of their Commander, who had become increasingly stern and indifferent in recent years, the subordinates shivered. They simply couldn't imagine their Commander in a romantic scene.
After a long pause, a weak voice sounded, "Even if the Commander wants to eat young grass, Scholar Gu would likely not agree."
If it were an ordinary girl, let alone their Commander, even if they themselves fancied her, they wouldn't fear the girl's family disagreeing. Was the coffin at the alley entrance just for show?
However, Scholar Gu was no ordinary person. Even though the Forbidden Dragon Guard could swagger through the capital, they dared not easily offend Scholar Gu. He was the Emperor's confidant, powerful in court, second only to the Emperor himself.