Wang Chong thought to himself, *It's a good thing I never actually used Ma You's identity. That identity brings rotten luck!*
He asked offhandedly, "What's going on with the Prince of Yan? Why would they reassign an operative like Divine Constable Li when you're in the middle of handling major cases?"
Li Qingge let out a sigh and said, "The eagle letter recovered from Tie Mole had been signed by only six grassland chieftains. But as far as I know, twelve chieftains of the eighteen grassland tribes have now signed it. At least two hundred and thirty grassland experts have entered the Central Plains from all directions to abduct the Prince of Yan and carry him beyond the frontier. The prince lacks sufficient experts by his side. When he thought to hastily turn back toward Chang'an, he heard that grassland experts were already blocking the roads, so he hasn't dared to set out lightly. It's not just me—in a few more days, I fear the members of the Chrysanthemum-Killing Alliance will be conscripted as well."
Wang Chong was about to ask, "Why wasn't I conscripted?" But he immediately realized the answer and couldn't help a wry smile. His background and origin were obscure; under normal circumstances, no one bothered to look too closely, but when it came to guarding the son of the Heavenly Empress, he could hardly be trusted.
Li Qingge didn't even go see Su Luoyan or Lu Yaoniang. After filling Wang Chong in, he hurried off.
Wang Chong, on the other hand, hurried out to inform Su Luoyan and Lu Yaoniang of the matter.
Hearing this, Su Luoyan's expression changed slightly. "Sister Lu and I likely cannot remain here any longer. We must leave as soon as possible."
Slightly surprised, Wang Chong asked, "Why is that?"
Lu Yaoniang sighed. "His Highness the Prince of Yan is exceedingly lecherous and has a rather disgraceful reputation. If he learns we are here, he will certainly summon us, and our innocence would inevitably be tainted."
Wang Chong thought to himself, *So he's an officially recognized White Chrysanthemum.*
Su Luoyan said, "I will leave a message for the original owner to continue lending this manor to Brother Wang. Sister Lu and I must set off this very day."
Wang Chong said, "I wish you both a smooth and safe journey."
Su Luoyan and Lu Yaoniang were noble daughters of the highest aristocratic clans, yet they feared the Prince of Yan like a tiger. Wang Chong couldn't help feeling a touch of curiosity about this son of the Heavenly Empress, wondering just what kind of demon king of lust he was to make his foul reputation reach so far and strike such terror.
Two shichen later, the manor had emptied out, leaving only Wang Chong and his entourage. By evening, Li Qingge surprisingly sent Wang Dong over as well, bringing the Wang household to full strength.
When Wang Chong had first transmigrated here, he had been all alone...
Well, with Tie Mingzhu beside him.
But now he had one page boy, one attendant, and three maids—a fairly sizable household.
Just as Li Qingge had said, the very next day, members of the Chrysanthemum-Killing Alliance came to bid farewell, preparing to offer their services to the Prince of Yan. Well-informed as they were, these young masters of the alliance all knew Wang Chong's status had changed, and they offered their congratulations one after another. Some promised to put in a good word for him before the prince. However, others—such as Qin Han, Fang Jingru, and Lu Zongfeng—privately warned Wang Chong never to get too close to the Prince of Yan. Wang Chong understood and gave his thanks. Those willing to put in a good word were good brothers, but those willing to pull him aside with private warnings felt practically like blood brothers. He couldn't even fathom when his popularity had gotten so good.
Some had been ordered by the Prince of Yan, but others hadn't received any summons; even those not called upon wanted to join the fray, if only for the sake of face.
By rights, since Wang Chong had been personally appointed by the Prince of Yan, he ought to have paid his respects. But as a transmigrator, he understood these political dynamics inside and out. It was precisely because his official post had been personally bestowed by the prince that he couldn't go. If he went, he would become a die-hard partisan of the Prince of Yan; should the prince suffer misfortune in the future, Wang Chong would never escape being dragged down and executed alongside him. If he didn't go, there would still be room for explanation later on.
Three to five days later, the manor grew quiet, and even Pengshan County became deserted.
Wang Chong practiced his martial arts alone each day, sorely missing the times he had Sun Mingke as a sparring partner. But the young brother Sun had left with his senior sister Lu Yaoniang. Feeling bored and unoccupied for several days, Wang Chong suddenly remembered that he still had an attendant whose martial arts were not inferior to Sun Mingke's. When he went looking for Monk Xuan Gang, however, he found that the monk had remained in closed seclusion without emerging. After wandering around, he headed over to Tie Mingzhu's quarters.
Now that the manor was vacant, the "family" naturally chose their own rooms, and his three maids each had their own living quarters.
Tie Mingzhu had been filled with dread these past few days, wondering when misfortune would strike.
She spent these days behind closed doors diligently training in martial arts. Although she knew that even if her skills advanced by leaps and bounds, she would never be a match for this lecher, it was still far better than living in constant terror.
Wang Chong pushed open the door and saw Tie Mingzhu wielding her Qingfeng Sword, executing swordplay that cloaked her in pear-blossom flashes. Yet the technique was mediocre to begin with, possessing dozens of flaws on its own, and because Tie Mingzhu had not mastered it yet, the flaws were even more numerous. He couldn't resist chuckling and asked, "Would you like me to feed you some moves?"
Tie Mingzhu's face drained of color in an instant. She held the Qingfeng Sword against her fair neck and snarled fiercely, "I would rather die than let you have your way!"
Seeing tea nearby, Wang Chong sat down and poured himself a cup. "I let you go last time, didn't I?"
Remembering that Wang Chong truly had set her free before, Tie Mingzhu lowered the Qingfeng Sword, though she asked warily, "What are you after, you lecher?"
Wang Chong asked curiously, "What really happened between us last time?"
"When I thought back on it afterward, there were plenty of things I couldn't make sense of. It was only because you were so terrified back then that I didn't want to make things difficult for you. Surely there's no harm in asking now?"
Tie Mingzhu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sister Nan was violated by you..."
Wang Chong hurriedly said, "The one who violated her was Sun Yanqi! Countless people can attest to that—even Divine Constable Li Qingge knows it. It has nothing to do with me whatsoever."
Tie Mingzhu had already compared notes with Nan Xinlan over the past few days. Her pretty face instantly flushed crimson, and she said, "That... that was my misunderstanding."
"To seek vengeance on the White Chrysanthemum, I was searching nearby with my sword when you approached to tease me, and you were even carrying a fan..."
Wang Chong said in astonishment, "Across more than a dozen cases, the White Chrysanthemum used all sorts of martial arts, but never once did he use a fan! How could you conclude I was the White Chrysanthemum based purely on a weapon?"
Tie Mingzhu was equally stunned. "The White Chrysanthemum doesn't use a fan? Don't all lechers use fans? Besides, you flirted with me the moment you came over!"
Wang Chong said, "I am now the Director of the Tongzhou Department in the Ministry of Justice, a substantive sixth-rank official, concurrently serving as the Chief Constable of the Sixteen Prefectures of Tongzhou in overall charge of the White Chrysanthemum case. If you want to see the case files, I can fetch them for you right now. When has the White Chrysanthemum ever used a fan?"
Tie Mingzhu let out a soft cry, her face blushing even deeper. She cupped her cheeks in her hands, and only after a long pause did she murmur in a voice as tiny as a mosquito's buzz, "I... I was too rash!"
"I always thought anyone using a fan must be a lecher."
"Back then, I attacked you on the spot, only to be captured, tied up, and brought to that ruined temple..."
Wang Chong's eyes glazed over. After all this twisting and turning, had the whole thing between him and Tie Mingzhu been a complete and utter misunderstanding?! What did she mean, "I always thought anyone using a fan must be a lecher"? Fang Jingru carried a fan too—could *he* be a lecher? The man was a disciple of the Way of the Celestial Masters, hailing from an illustrious sect with an impeccably orthodox background!
Wang Chong had known Fang Jingru for quite a while now, and he hadn't noticed a single flaw in the man's character. Fang Jingru was a true upright gentleman!
...Tie Mingzhu: *I was flirted with! I was sexually harassed! Isn't that the main point here?!*
...Fan: *I'm innocent...*
...Nan Xinlan: *What are you saying? I don't understand...*
...Wang Chong: *I might not be the White Chrysanthemum, but that doesn't mean I'm definitely not a lecher...*
...Fang Jingru: *Brother Wang, you're mistaken...*
Chapter 50