The Romantic Journey Through Time: Huanzhu is Also Romantic 33

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Chapter 153 Pretending to be a pig to eat a beauty (Part 2)
*Smack!*
A crisp sound rang out as a gleaming pebble struck Jade squarely on the cheek below his right eye, instantly stopping his forward lunge. A *clink* followed as the pebble fell to the ground; upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be a one-tael silver ingot.
"Haha, Second Master, a perfect shot! Jade's screaming!" Seeing Ertai's 'flying silver' strike Jade's cheek, Fulu and his men clapped and cheered.
"Heh, to deal with this kind of jerk, you should throw silver at him, smash him to death!" Ertai said mockingly, looking at Jade's swollen cheek.
"Who the hell hit me?!" Jade roared like a raging lion, clutching his bruised and swollen cheek, wincing in pain as he looked around angrily.
"It's your grandpa!" Ertai deftly flicked open his folding fan, revealing Wen Zhengming's calligraphy. He coolly swung the fan and said disdainfully to Jia De.
"You... you bastard, how dare you throw silver at me! Brothers, grab your weapons and beat him up!" Jia De had never been treated like this before. Seeing Ertai dare to speak to him with such disdain and even call himself "grandpa," he was furious. He didn't care that Ertai was a well-dressed young master surrounded by his men, and angrily ordered his men to beat Ertai up.
"Master De, just you wait! This blind bastard dares to throw silver at you. We'll see how you get revenge!" Jia De's men were used to bullying men and women. Seeing that Ertai had made their master lose face, they immediately rolled up their sleeves, drew their machetes from their waists, and charged towards Ertai menacingly.
However, Ertai was too lazy to even glance at such a small fry, much less to take action himself, lest it tarnish his status. He simply stood there, dashing and elegant, his folding fan swaying gently in the breeze, exuding an air of ancient refinement.
"Damn it, chop him down!"
"Chop him alive!"
"Avenge Master De!"
"Ah!"
Seeing that Ertai didn't take them seriously at all, not even bothering to lift an eyelid, Jia De's men were instantly enraged. They charged at Ertai, baring their teeth and clenching their jaws, brandishing their machetes with a whistling sound, their momentum quite intimidating.
However, Ertai still didn't move an inch. But his stillness didn't mean his servants wouldn't move. Fu Lu had long been impatient, and now he gave a signal to the four men behind him. The five of them, unarmed, charged towards Jia De's men wielding machetes.
In an instant, a series of loud cracking sounds filled the air. Within five minutes, Jia De's men were all trampled underfoot by Fu Lu and his men, their bloated faces clutching their wounds and howling in pain, begging for mercy.
"Damn it, we'll beat you to death, beat you to death...!" Despite their desperate pleas, Fu Lu and his men continued to pummel them with punches and kicks.
"Too violent, too bloody..." Ertai, kind-hearted, couldn't bear to witness such a cruel scene, so he covered his face with his fan.
But after a while, Fu Lu and his men, seemingly still unsatisfied, continued to pummel Jia De's men with punches and kicks, beating them until they were bruised, bleeding profusely, and howling in pain, begging for mercy.
"Alright, alright, how can you be so cruel?" Ertai walked to Fulu and the others, waving his hand to stop them, and said in a 'scolding' tone, "How have I always taught you? Have you all forgotten? I often tell you to be kind and gentle, to be so that others 'don't talk back when you hit them or curse you,' but why are they still begging for mercy?"
"Yes, Second Master, we know we were wrong." Fulu and the others looked like they were sincerely learning a lesson, cupping their fists to apologize to Ertai, then turned around and continued to punch and kick Jia De's men, cursing, "You dare to beg for mercy, making us get scolded by Second Master, I'll beat you to death, beat you to death!"
"Big Brother, we were wrong... Waaah..."
"Stop hitting us... If you keep hitting us, we'll be beaten to death..."
"Big Brother, hero, sir, please have mercy on us..."
"If I spare you, why are you still begging for mercy?" Fulu cursed and beat them with exasperation.
"No...no...I won't beg for mercy...I dare not beg for mercy anymore..."
"That's more like it." Fulu spat hatefully in the man's face, then clasped his hands in a fist and said to Ertai, "Second Master, they dare not beg for mercy anymore."
"Uh...that's right. I often teach you that for those who bully men and women and commit all kinds of evil, you must present the facts and reason with them, and you must make them realize their mistakes from the bottom of their hearts!" Ertai sighed in a pretentious manner.
"Yes, Second Master, we have learned our lesson." Fulu bowed slightly to Ertai, then walked to the man who had just beaten up Jia De's men, half-squatted down, and punched the man in the heart several times, cursing as he punched, "Did you hear what our Second Master said? We must make you realize your mistakes from the bottom of your hearts, hmph..."
"Aww aww aww..."
Jia De's men began to scream in pain again.
"Young master, please stop! If you keep hitting him, someone will die..." Madam Ji was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see such a scene, so she begged Ertai to stop. At the same time, she kept giving Ertai meaningful glances, meaning that 'even when beating a dog, one should consider its owner,' and that Jia De was not someone to be trifled with.
Ertai naturally knew that Jia De had a powerful background, but he himself had an even more powerful background. However, since the beautiful woman had pleaded for him, he stopped Fu Lu and the others, saying, "Alright, alright, stop hitting them. If you keep hitting them, you'll kill them."
While telling them to stop and not kill them, Ertai also kicked Jia De's servants, shouting, "Stop! You're going to kill him!"
However, only those who had experienced his strength knew how strong he was. The man he kicked quickly foamed at the mouth and fainted.
"Ugh...disgusting..." Ertai cursed in disgust, then walked over to Jiade with a grin, patted him on the shoulder, and asked with a smile, "Brother De, I'll discipline your men for you, you won't mind, will you?"
"I don't mind, I don't mind my ass!" Jiade said through gritted teeth, his hatred directed at Ertai. This guy had just hit him, then his men, and made some cheap jokes, making him look bad in front of the Ji family mother and daughter. This was intolerable!
Jiade still had some backbone, and he actually swung a punch at Ertai's face with a grimace and full of hatred. However, he had already been weakened by wine and women, and Ertai's martial arts were unfathomable. Such a punch was like tickling Ertai.
However, to the Ji family mother and daughter, Jia De's punch towards Ertai seemed incredibly powerful, causing them to hold their breath in worry. The two women clenched their fists, their palms sweating with anxiety. Just as the punch was about to strike Ertai's face, they cried out in unison, "Young Master, be careful..."
"Hehe!" Ertai chuckled inwardly. These two women had previously misunderstood him, but now they were worried about him because he had come to his aid. This truly delighted him. As
the saying goes, good fortune makes one feel refreshed. Under the two women's worried gazes, Ertai moved with ghostly speed and agility. In that split second, somehow, Jia De, who had initially held the upper hand and was about to smash Ertai's nose with a punch, was now pinned under Ertai's foot!
"Crack!"
Ertai casually waved his folding fan while vigorously twisting his toes against Jia De's back, making the bones in his back crack loudly.
"Fuck your mother! You dare hit me? Do you know who my father is? Let me tell you, he's Jia Lin, the Vice Minister of Revenue, a confidant of Lord He!" Even though Ertai had already trampled him underfoot, Jia De remained defiant, even bringing up his father to intimidate Ertai.
"Oh, Jia Lin? I don't know him," Ertai said mockingly.
"Uh..." Hearing the first part of Ertai's words, Jia De immediately wanted to say, 'How about that, scared to death, huh?' But hearing Ertai's last sentence, 'I don't know him,' he felt like vomiting blood.
However, he was helpless against Ertai. Madam Ji, knowing Jia De's background well, walked to Ertai's side and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your help, young master, but I don't want to implicate you. Jia De's father is indeed the Vice Minister of Revenue."
This was a reminder to Ertai that Jia De hadn't lied about his family background and was indeed someone of considerable influence. At the same time, she feared that Ertai might offend Jia De because of her and her daughter, and suffer retaliation in the process.
"Hehe, I was just afraid he wasn't Jia Lin's son. Since he really is, that's even better. I'll teach this good-for-nothing son a lesson for Jia Lin." Ertai smiled nonchalantly at Madam Ji and Ji Mei.
"Young Master, you..." Madam Ji was speechless upon hearing Ertai's words. Although Ertai was dressed smartly, like a young master from a wealthy family, he was still too young, barely an adult, yet he uttered such pretentious and arrogant words. Listen to what he said again, 'It's a good opportunity to teach Jia Lin a lesson for his good-for-nothing son,' making it seem as if he were of the same generation as Jia Lin, an official of equal rank.
"Hehe, Madam Ji, don't worry about me. I really don't take Jia De seriously." Ertai comforted Madam Ji with a smile.
"But..." Madam Ji wanted to say, "How can I not worry? Perhaps your family has some power, but you've only just come of age. How could you know the dangers of officialdom, or the power of the Jia family in the Qing Dynasty?" But then she thought again, this young master had saved her, so she couldn't say such things. She could only stand aside anxiously. To be honest, she didn't believe that Ertai's background was more powerful than the Jia family's.
Moreover, the Jia family's influence was far more than that. Jia De's aunt was a concubine of Emperor Qianlong, and it was said that she was quite favored. Just think, in the Qing Dynasty, there were really few families with a higher status than the Jia family's "imperial brother-in-law."
Unless it was Heshen, but Heshen's son is only six years old. This person in front of me is definitely not him...
As for Jia De, who was being trampled under Ertai's feet and howling in pain, he hated Ertai even more for daring to say that he would teach him a lesson on behalf of his father. He gritted his teeth and said, "You little brat, if you have the guts, leave your name. I'll never forgive you..."
"Tch, you think you're worthy of knowing my name? Humph..." Ertai stomped on Jia De's back even harder.
"Ah..." Jia De was immediately covered in cold sweat and curled up into a shrimp shape.
"Stop!" Just as Ertai raised his leg to stomp on Jia De's back again, a group of soldiers rushed in from outside the theater, surrounding a middle-aged official of the third rank with a peacock robe and a red-topped official hat. The official shouted sternly.
Just now, Jia De was beaten up at Changchun Garden. A waiter had already reported it to the troupe leader. The troupe leader was furious. Young Master Jia had been beaten up on his turf! He couldn't afford to offend anyone. But the young man who beat Jia De seemed to be someone of great importance. Unable to offend either side and fearing repercussions, the troupe leader hurriedly reported it to the Shuntian Prefecture through the back door.
In ordinary fights, a few soldiers would suffice, but one of the parties involved was Young Master Jia De, and... he was the one who was beaten. This forced Prefect Zhu of Shuntian Prefecture to personally intervene. He cursed inwardly, "Who's so blind as to beat Young Master Jia? This is going to implicate me!" He knew that while Jia Lin might not be much to speak of, the Minister of Personnel, Jia De's uncle, was the Minister of Personnel, who oversaw officials. If the Minister impeached him before the Emperor, he would be in deep trouble!
No, I must teach that brat who dared to mess with Young Master Jia a lesson, and vent Young Master Jia's anger properly, so that I can escape this calamity.
So he quickly put on his official robes and led a group of men to the scene. He roared at the ignorant 'brat' who was trampling on Jia De, looking fierce, "Stop! Let go of Young Master Jia!"
His voice was extremely loud. Jia De, who was being trampled on by Ertai, heard his voice and immediately burst into tears of excitement and grievance, like an abused 'stepchild' seeing his 'father,' crying out, "Lord Zhu, please save me!"
"Guards! Guards! Quickly seize that ignorant brat!" Jia De turned to Lord Zhu, 'crying'. Lord Zhu immediately recognized that it was indeed Jia De being trampled on, and his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly ordered his men to arrest the boy who was trampling on Jia De without asking any questions.
"Yes, sir!" Several soldiers, upon receiving the order, immediately rushed towards Ertai like hungry tigers pouncing on wolves, preparing to seize him. Lord Zhu, however, personally walked over to Ertai and Jia De, apologizing to Jia De, "Young Master Jia, I'm truly sorry for making you suffer. But rest assured, I will definitely punish this bastard properly and avenge you."
Lord Zhu, with an indignant expression, pointed at Ertai and gritted his teeth.
However, Ertai turned around with a grin, looked at Lord Zhu, and asked with a smile, "Lord Zhu, who are you going to teach a lesson to vent your anger for Young Master Jia?"
"Who else? It's you, it's you who doesn't know death..." Lord Zhu was about to curse, "Teach you a lesson for not knowing death," when he suddenly recognized Ertai's appearance. Cold sweat poured down his face, and his raised hand suddenly froze in mid-air. He hurriedly swallowed the rest of his words, his face turning red.
"Lord Fu...Lord Fu..." Lord Zhu's eyes widened like copper bells, his body trembling as if he had a chill, his voice trembling with extreme astonishment, his heart sinking to the bone...
Chapter 154 Niece
Lord Zhu kept muttering to himself, how could he have such bad luck? Heaven knows that the 'rascal' who beat up Young Master Jia was actually the recently popular Second Young Master Fu—Lord Fu!
He knew Ertai's identity, but some of his subordinates were blind to his true nature. Although they didn't understand why their master was so terrified when he saw that beaten-up boy, they still asked the most inappropriate question, "My lord, should we still lock him up?"
"Lock him up my ass, get out, get out, all of you get out!" Lord Zhu was already annoyed when he suddenly heard his idiot subordinates being so clueless, and he couldn't help but get angry. He raised his hand and slapped him hard, making him see stars.
"Go, go, go!" The subordinate, though seething with anger after being slapped, heard his master yell "Get out!" and waved for his soldiers to retreat.
"Hmph, Lord Zhu, you're so powerful!" Ertai, still trampling on Jia De, turned and mockingly addressed Lord Zhu.
"This humble official deserves to die, this humble official deserves to die!" Lord Zhu bowed and scraped, wiping cold sweat from his brow.
"Hmph, deserve to die, it's me who deserves to die, Lord Zhu! Weren't you going to teach me a lesson to avenge Young Master Jia? Why are you letting your men leave instead?" Ertai persisted.
"No, Lord Fu, you misunderstand. This humble official absolutely did not mean that, absolutely not..." It was truly remarkable that Lord Zhu, with his bloated appearance, could still bend his body at a ninety-degree angle to bow to Ertai. He didn't really care about Ertai himself, but he couldn't ignore the powerful backer behind Ertai.
"Hmph, what a misunderstanding, hehe, Lord Zhu, you truly are a magistrate." Ertai's tone grew increasingly mocking. He then stomped hard on Jia De, making him howl in pain, before approaching Lord Zhu with a stern face. His eyes were fixed on him as he asked sternly, "Lord Zhu, if I, Ertai, hadn't been the one who did this, your men would surely have handcuffed me and tortured me to avenge Jia De, wouldn't they?"
"No, absolutely not, Lord Fu. I have always upheld justice and fairness. There would never be such a situation as you described, never..." Lord Zhu's face flushed red, cold sweat pouring down his face. He was terrified that Ertai would hold this matter against him, which would be disastrous for him.
"Enough! I'm in a pretty good mood today, so I won't hold it against you." Ertai coldly interrupted Lord Zhu's explanation. Although his tone was icy, Lord Zhu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that he wouldn't pursue the matter. However, Ertai's next words made his heart leap into his throat. "However, I now formally accuse Jia De of openly harassing the wife and daughter of a high-ranking official. Lord Zhu, have your men come in and arrest Jia De."
"This..." Lord Zhu was immediately in a dilemma. He couldn't afford to offend Ertai, but he also couldn't afford to offend the power behind Jia De. He cursed inwardly, "Damn it, why are you dragging me into your squabbles?"
But Ertai seemed to read his mind, his gaze sharp and cold as he looked at Lord Zhu, making him feel as if he were being stared at by a cobra, his whole body turning cold. He thought to himself, "What a terrifying gaze! It chills me to the very depths of my heart!"
"Didn't you understand what I said, Lord Zhu?" Ertai asked coldly, rubbing his teeth.
"No...no...it's just...this...that..."
"Alright, enough with the 'this' and 'that'. If Lord Zhu finds this difficult, Fulu, quickly bring my token and summon the three battalions of the Plain Yellow Banner to arrest Jia De!" The Plain Yellow Banner has a total of eight battalions, all of which are brave and skilled elites. The three battalions are stationed in the southern suburbs, which is the closest to here.
"Your subordinate obeys Second Master's orders." Fu Lu took the deputy commander's token from Ertai and turned to leave, but Lord Zhu hurriedly stopped him, then cupped his fists and said to Ertai, "Lord Fu, what are you doing?"
"What am I doing? Jia De harassed the wife and daughter of an official, and you, as the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, did nothing about it. Then I have no choice but to take charge." Ertai said to Lord Zhu with disgust. He was a transmigrator and hated nothing more than officials protecting each other. Otherwise, how could these spoiled brats be so arrogant and domineering? He slapped Lord Zhu's shoulder heavily and said in an icy tone, "Lord Zhu, wait to be questioned in the hall."
"No... Lord Fu, we're officials in the same court... please forgive me... this humble official... men, handcuff Jia Gong... Jia De and take him back for strict interrogation..." Slapped by Ertai's large hand, Lord Zhu lurched forward. Hearing Ertai's icy tone, he knew Ertai was serious. If this matter reached His Majesty's ears, based on his earlier display of protecting Young Master Jia, the Emperor could accuse him of favoritism and unfairness. Then he would be in a passive position.
So he quickly stopped Fu Lu, who was on his way to call for troops, and ordered his men to rush in and arrest Jia De.
Hearing his shout, the soldiers rushed in, holding shackles, and approached Lord Zhu. The soldier who had been slapped by Lord Zhu bowed and said, "Sir, what are your orders?"
"Go and lock up Jia De!" Lord Zhu, adopting an official posture, pointed at Jia De and shouted.
"Sir, you..." The soldier kindly reminded Lord Zhu, fearing he might suddenly become confused. Was Jia De someone to be easily captured? Unexpectedly, Lord Zhu was already extremely annoyed and slapped the soldier hard, shouting, "I told you to lock him up, so lock him up! What the hell are you talking about?"
"Yes, sir!" The soldier, having been slapped, dared not say anything more. He led two of his men to Jia De's side, whispered, "Young Master Jia, please forgive me," and then locked Jia De up.
Jia De struggled incessantly, gritting his teeth and shouting hatefully at Lord Zhu, "Several Zhu Kui, and you dare pretend you don't know me, you..."
"Hmph, I only recognize the law, nothing else..." Lord Zhu put on a righteous and indignant demeanor, but it was actually for Ertai's benefit. However, Ertai didn't care; as long as Lord Zhu had Jia De locked up, how Jia De acted was none of his business.
"You... fine... we'll see... I don't believe you dare do anything to me... you'll get what's coming to you..." Jia De cursed repeatedly, his words directed at both Lord Ertai and Ertai himself.
*Slap!*
Ertai slapped Jia De hard across the face, shouting, "Just for those words, believe me, I can punish you right now for insulting an official of the court!"
Hearing Ertai's threat and receiving another slap, Jia De immediately fell silent. Coming from an official family, he knew that insulting an official of the court was punishable by dozens of strokes of the cane. Though he dared not speak, he glared hatefully at Ertai. If death stares could kill, Ertai would have been dead several times over.
"Take him away!" Lord Zhu, fearing Jia De might say something reckless and escalate the situation, quickly ordered his men to escort Jia De away. At the same time, he went to Ertai's side and assured him, "Lord Fu, rest assured, I will investigate thoroughly and punish this severely when I return. I will not bend the law for personal gain."
"I hope so," Ertai replied indifferently.
"Then... I'll take my leave..." Seeing that Ertai was not interested in talking to him, Lord Zhu tactfully took his leave. After he left, Fu Lu handed the token back to Ertai and asked in a low voice, "Second Master, that Lord Zhu, would he dare to touch Jia De?"
"He probably wouldn't dare, but Second Master, I never said I would let Jia De off easily..." Ertai smiled, then walked to the Ji family mother and daughter, smiling and cupping his hands in greeting, "You two have been frightened."
"Thank you for your help, young master," the Ji family mother and daughter said gratefully, bowing to Ertai.
"No need for that, please rise quickly." Taking advantage of the opportunity to help the Ji family mother and daughter to their feet, Ertai gently placed one hand on each of their soft, delicate arms, and even secretly teased them a few times with his index fingertips.
"Thank you, young master..." The Ji family mother and daughter blushed slightly. As Ertai stood up, Madam Ji said to Ertai with a charming smile, "Young master, I never imagined you were the famous Master Fu of the capital. Truly, a hero emerges from among the young."
"Hehe, Madam Ji, you flatter me. I, Ertai, am unworthy of your praise," Ertai said humbly, trying his best to salvage his image in the eyes of the two women. In fact, the two women had felt a slight aversion to Ertai's lecherous gaze earlier, but with Ertai's help, their gratitude had dispelled their aversion.
"Hehe, Master Fu, you don't need to be so modest. My mother isn't flattering you at all. If you don't believe me, go out and ask around. Even three-year-old children in Beijing know of your illustrious name, Fu Ertai!" Ji Mei interjected, laughing and joking with Ertai. She was already an incredibly beautiful woman, and her sweet, flattering manner made Ertai feel as comfortable as if he had taken a hot bath.
"Haha, not at all, you're exaggerating too much," Ertai said modestly, but inwardly he was overjoyed. Coupled with the adoring look in Ji Mei's eyes, he felt like he was being scratched by cat claws.
"Hehe, yes, yes, I'm not making this up. Mother, do you think I'm exaggerating?" Seeing Ertai's disbelief, Ji Mei clung to Madam Ji's arm like a child, shaking it repeatedly as she asked.
"Alright, you always act like a child who never grows up..." Madam Ji looked at Ji Mei with affection, then thanked Ertai again, "Young Master Fu, I am truly grateful for your help today."
"Hehe, Madam Ji, you flatter me. My father and Master Ji are very good friends. If we're going to talk about it in detail, I should call you 'Auntie'." Ertai said with a humble bow and a smile.
"I wouldn't dare, Young Master Fu, with your status, how could I possibly deserve the title of 'Aunt'? If you don't mind, please call me Sister Rong'er, that would be far too presumptuous of me." Madam Ji said with a slight blush, her voice full of charm.
"Alright, let's set aside all the formalities of officialdom and speak frankly. It's rare for Sister Rong'er to think so highly of me. If you don't mind me being so high-ranking, please call me Brother Ertai. Don't always call me Young Master Fu, it's too formal." Ertai seized the opportunity and quickly began addressing Madam Ji as her brother.
"Hmm..." Madam Ji responded shyly and coquettishly, but unexpectedly, Ji Mei beside her was unhappy, pouting and saying in a coquettish voice, "You two are like sister and brother, what about me? Lord Fu looks younger than me, I can't possibly call him Uncle, can I?"
"Uh..."
Madam Ji and Ertai were speechless, they really hadn't thought of that.
"Uncle..." Just as the two were stunned, Ji Mei suddenly walked up to Ertai, gave him a deep bow, then winked mischievously and called out "Uncle" in a sweet, coquettish voice.
Ertai, caught completely off guard, was immediately blushed and stood awkwardly rubbing his hands.
"Giggle... Mother, look, Uncle's blushing... giggle..." It was unexpected that Ji Mei, a grown woman of twenty-two or twenty-three, would act so playfully like a child. Seeing Ertai's flustered expression, she immediately started shaking, her perfectly developed breasts swaying, truly dazzling Ertai's eyes.
Whether it was lust or infatuation, or simply a desire to tease Ji Mei, Ertai jokingly called her "niece," which immediately drew a roll of her eyes from Ji Mei. She then playfully clung to Madam Ji's arm, feigning annoyance, "Mother, look at him! He's taking advantage of me..."
"Hahaha..." Seeing her adorable appearance, Madam Ji and Ertai burst into laughter. Taking advantage of the laughter, Ertai's eyes 'boldly' scanned Madam Ji and Ji Mei's faces. Suddenly, he realized that the two women resembled celebrities he had seen on television before his transmigration. Madam Ji looked remarkably like 'Lin Chi-ling,' while Ji Mei resembled 'Chen Qiaoen,' both truly beautiful and elegant.
Chapter 155 The Ji Family Banquet
Ertai was chatting and laughing with the Ji family mother and daughter when suddenly a group of soldiers entered the theater. The first among them was none other than Eunuch Xi, the Grand Eunuch of the Qianlong Emperor's inner circle. He arrived at Ertai's side, sweating profusely and panting, saying breathlessly, "Lord Fu, I've been looking for you everywhere!"
"Oh, it's Eunuch Xi. What brings you here?" Ertai asked with a smile.
"Yes, it is! His Majesty urgently summoned you to the Southern Study for a talk," Eunuch Xi said anxiously, indicating that the decree had been issued for several hours.
"Eunuch Xi, do you know why His Majesty summoned me?" Ertai asked curiously.
"I don't know, but don't worry, Lord Fu, His Majesty seems quite pleased today. I suspect it must be something good," Eunuch Xi replied in a high-pitched voice.
"Hehe, Eunuch Xi, I'm truly sorry to have troubled you. This is just a small token of my appreciation, I hope you'll accept it." Ertai smiled and approached Eunuch Xi, secretly taking out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and slipping them into Eunuch Xi's sleeve. Eunuch Xi's face also lit up with a smile, his fingers expertly feeling the thickness of the silver notes, his smile deepening as he replied, "Lord Fu, you're really kind to my family."
He accepted the silver notes without batting an eye, showing that accepting bribes from high-ranking officials had become a habit.
“Then… Lord Fu, please go back and change into your court robes, and come with me to the South Study to report.”
“Yes, Eunuch Xi, I’ll go right away…” Ertai smiled, then cupped his hands to Madam Ji and Ji Mei, saying, “Madam Ji, Ji Mei, His Majesty has summoned me to the South Study to report, so I cannot accompany you any longer. I must take my leave!”
Because he was in front of outsiders, Ertai naturally addressed Madam Ji and Ji Mei formally. After bidding farewell to the two beauties, he hurriedly mounted his horse and returned to the Fu family. After changing into a clean set of court robes, he followed Eunuch Xi to the South Study.
“Your Majesty, Lord Fu has arrived.” Eunuch Xi entered first and reported to Emperor Qianlong, who was reviewing memorials.
“Summon him quickly…” Emperor Qianlong said without even looking up.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Eunuch Xi responded, then turned around and called out loudly, "
Lord Fu is here to pay his respects." Ertai then entered, standing three or four meters from the dragon throne. He patted his horse-hoof sleeves, knelt down, and bowed, saying, "Your subject Fu Ertai pays his respects to Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Ertai stood up, rolled up his horse-hoof sleeves, and then stood with his head bowed opposite the dragon throne, awaiting Qianlong's instructions. At this moment, Qianlong finished reviewing a memorial, stood up, stretched, and then walked out from behind the dragon throne to Ertai's side, saying casually, "Ertai, you're used to being a high-ranking official now, aren't you?"
"Your Majesty," Ertai replied obsequiously, "I'm fortunate to have received your blessing, and naturally, things have gone smoothly. However, having just left Your Majesty's side and lacking your guidance, I suddenly feel a lack of direction, and my heart inevitably feels a little empty."
"Hehe, you've quite the eye for flattery, haven't you?" Emperor Qianlong, seemingly in high spirits, patted Ertai on the shoulder and said with a smile.
"Hehe, Your Majesty, these are my true feelings, my true feelings..." Ertai replied with a smile.
"True feelings or flattery... hehe, Ertai, do you know why I summoned you here today?"
"I don't know..."
After Ertai replied "I don't know," Emperor Qianlong chuckled, then walked back to his desk, picked up an unsealed imperial edict, and handed it to Ertai, saying with a smile, "Open it and read it yourself."
"Yes." Ertai replied "Yes," and quickly and respectfully accepted the edict with both hands, opening it carefully to examine it. The edict essentially appointed him as an imperial envoy to investigate a case in Shandong.
After reading it, Ertai feigned extreme shock and asked doubtfully, "Your Majesty, do you mean to appoint me as this imperial envoy?"
"Yes...it's clearly written in the imperial edict...what do you mean?" Qianlong stared intently at Ertai and asked in return.
Ertai hurriedly knelt on one knee and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty has appointed me as imperial envoy, and I dare not disobey. However, I am new to officialdom and lack experience. I fear I may not be able to command respect and could jeopardize Your Majesty's important affairs."
Qianlong's question to Ertai seemed casual, but in reality, it was a difficult question for Ertai to answer. If he directly thanked him, it would seem too arrogant. But if he directly refused, it would appear too incompetent, inevitably leaving Qianlong with the impression that he was unfit for the position. Furthermore, Ertai was determined to take on this imperial envoy position and did not want to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. So he quickly considered how to reply and gave that conventional answer.
"Hehe, you don't need to be so modest. You've been by my side for three or four years now, and I trust you. Alright, it's settled then... Get up..." Qianlong smiled and gently patted Ertai's shoulder, gesturing for him to rise. But in that instant, Ertai saw a layer of radiant Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi emanating from Qianlong's body.
Strange, he hadn't intended to control, nor dared to control, Qianlong's soul, so why did this Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi suddenly float out of Qianlong's body and condense into a protective shield? At the same time, Ertai also felt the Seven-Colored Wolf Qi in his consciousness begin to frantically circulate in his mental sea again, as if trying to attack the Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi.
Ertai immediately understood. It was the threatening aura emanating from the seven-colored wolf energy in his mind that caused the Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi within Qianlong's body to emerge outwards as a protective measure. He quickly suppressed the restless, clapping seven-colored wolf energy in his spiritual sea back into his consciousness. He wouldn't act rashly until he found a way to break free from the Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi.
However, at the same time, seeing the Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi's unwavering loyalty and immense power, Ertai couldn't help but desire to obtain it. He resolved to find an opportunity to absorb the Heavenly Mandate Purple Qi from Qianlong's body and make it his own.
"Ertai, if there's nothing else, you may take your leave," Qianlong said calmly, picking up the teacup on the dragon table, gently tracing the rim with the lid, and lightly blowing on the floating tea leaves.
"Yes..." Ertai was in a daze when he suddenly heard Qianlong tell him to kneel and take his leave, so he replied "Yes." He was about to say "Your Majesty, I take my leave," when he remembered something and cupped his fists to Qianlong, saying, "Your Majesty, if you appoint me as this imperial envoy, I have another request."
"Hmph, you're really putting on airs... Speak..." Qianlong put down his teacup and looked at Ertai with a slight frown.
"Your Majesty, I wish to... Lord Ji Xiaolan is highly learned and capable. I would like to request Your Majesty's permission for Lord Ji to accompany me to Shandong to investigate the case." Ertai pleaded on behalf of Ji Xiaolan.
“Ji Xiaolan…” Emperor Qianlong murmured Ji Xiaolan’s name, thought for a moment, and then hummed in agreement. “A good suggestion. Ji Xiaolan is indeed a capable and hardworking person. I trust him quite a lot… I will grant your request and take Ji Xiaolan with me to handle the case.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Ertai was overjoyed, but he did not show it on his face. Instead, he knelt down according to the rules and said, “Your Majesty, I thank you on behalf of Lord Ji.”
“Hmm.” Emperor Qianlong waved his hand, signaling Ertai to rise. He then took a sip of tea and said, “Regarding Ji Xiaolan, I intend to appoint him as an imperial envoy to assist you in investigating the case. You will be in charge of delivering the decree.” As he spoke, he picked up a brush, wrote an imperial edict, affixed the imperial seal, and had the eunuch Xi hand it to Ertai.
Ertai knew that Emperor Qianlong had done him a great favor, and that having him, as the imperial envoy, deliver the decree was an even greater favor to Ji Xiaolan. So, with an excited expression, he thanked Qianlong profusely, saying, "Your Majesty, thank you! Long live the Emperor!"
"Alright, you may take your leave," Qianlong waved his hand.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave," Ertai replied, turning to leave. Suddenly, he heard Qianlong say, "Wait."
Ertai quickly turned back, bowing his head to listen respectfully to the imperial instruction. Qianlong smiled and said, "Ertai, when you go to Shandong, you must find out exactly what happened and bring those corrupt officials to justice… Also, listen to Ji Xiaolan's advice on everything. This man is extremely cunning and has quite a few tricks up his sleeve."
"Your Majesty, I obey," Ertai bowed. After Qianlong waved for him to leave, Ertai turned and rode swiftly back to the Fu family.
Not long after he returned home, Emperor Qianlong announced to the world that he had appointed Ertai as Imperial Envoy. This caused a stir in the court and among the people, who were puzzled as to why the emperor would send a greenhorn, new to officialdom
, to investigate a major case in Shandong. However, despite their doubts, displeasure, resentment, and frustration, the imperial edict was law and could not be changed. Many officials in Beijing with connections to Shandong, or those in charge of Shandong's "offices" in Beijing, brought visiting cards and small gifts to pay Ertai's respects at the Fu residence.
However, the servants of the Fu family, acting on Ertai's orders, turned away all the visitors. Ertai didn't want to meet with these people he had ties to before even leaving Beijing, lest it reach Qianlong's ears and cause unnecessary trouble.
Therefore, carrying Qianlong's decree, Ertai rode from the back of the Fu residence to Ji Xiaolan's house, accompanied by two eunuchs and two guards from the palace. He had originally planned to visit Ji Xiaolan's house later, but because he missed Madam Ji and Ji Mei so much, he went to the Ji residence with his men shortly after returning to the Fu family home, barely having warmed his seat.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Ertai arrived at the Ji residence. Since it was only noon, the main gate of the Ji residence was wide open. Upon seeing Ertai and his party, a servant hurriedly went into the main hall to inform Ji Xiaolan.
"The imperial edict has arrived! Ji Xiaolan, receive the edict!" Ertai led the four men into the Ji residence, a eunuch following behind shouting in a shrill voice.
"Your subject Ji Xiaolan receives the imperial decree." Ji Xiaolan and his family were probably having dinner at this time. He, along with his wife, Ji Mei, and a young, quiet man, hurriedly came out of the main room. After a few quick steps, he lifted his skirt, knelt down, and kowtowed, saying, "Your subject Ji Xiaolan receives the imperial decree!"
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Ji Xiaolan, the Imperial Censor, is hereby appointed as the assistant to the Imperial Envoy Fu Ertai, to investigate Shandong. He shall depart on a chosen date without delay. This is the decree!" Ertai read aloud. This was the first time he had experienced such a grand display of imperial decree delivery; in his previous life, he had only seen it on television. Now, experiencing it firsthand, he was extremely excited.
"Your subject Ji Xiaolan receives the decree and expresses his gratitude…!" Ji Xiaolan drawled out his thanks, raising both hands high to respectfully request the imperial decree.
Ertai handed the imperial edict to Ji Xiaolan, then helped him up, smiling as he said, "Congratulations, Lord Ji...hehe..."
"Congratulations, congratulations! And thank you so much, Lord Fu, for speaking well of me to the Emperor. Without your help, I, Ji Xiaolan..." Ji Xiaolan bowed to Ertai, sincerely thanking him.
"Alright, alright, we're all officials in the same court; it's fate. Lord Ji, you're being too polite with me." Ertai warmly took Ji Xiaolan's hand, stopping his thanks. He then walked to the two eunuchs and two guards, took out four silver notes from his pocket. Knowing Ji Xiaolan didn't have much money, he took out the money for announcing the good news and handed it to the head eunuch, smiling, "It's so late, and you've troubled me to come here with you to deliver the edict. This is just a small token; you should go have a drink."
"Then...thank you very much, Lord Fu..." After thanking them, the four smiled and turned to leave the Ji residence.
Then Ertai turned around and smiled at Ji Xiaolan, saying, "Lord Ji, I wonder if there's any wine or food for me at your residence? I've been wanting to trouble you for a long time, haha..."
"Look at what you're saying, Lord Fu. Your presence at the Ji residence is an honor for our entire household. Please come in, please come in..." Ji Xiaolan smiled and invited Ertai into the hall. He then instructed his servants to fetch a few more jugs of good wine from the tavern and order some decent snacks to accompany the wine, to be prepared and delivered to the Ji residence.
"Hehe, then I won't stand on ceremony..." Ertai smiled and cupped his fists in greeting, walking with Ji Xiaolan towards the main hall. As they passed by Madam Ji and Ji Mei, Ertai greeted Madam Ji with a smile, of course, using proper titles, not calling her "Sister Rong'er" in front of Ji Xiaolan, nor addressing Ji Mei as "niece."
However, when it came to the unfamiliar young man, Ertai was at a loss for words. He thought to himself that Ji Xiaolan's son was only twelve or thirteen years old; who could this person be?
Just as he was wondering, the young man bowed deeply to him, saying, "This humble official, Lin Tingsheng, greets Lord Fu..."
Chapter 156 Ambiguity
"And this is..." Ertai turned his head and asked Ji Xiaolan with a puzzled expression.
"Hehe, Lord Fu, this is my prospective son-in-law, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) of the twentieth year of the Qianlong reign. He currently works as a scribe in the Ministry of Revenue. Since he lives alone, he has been staying at my house." Ji Xiaolan introduced Ertai with a smile, his expression pleased, his eyes occasionally flashing with admiration. It was clear that he was very satisfied and appreciative of his son-in-law. This was understandable, as Ji Xiaolan himself was a Jinshi from a formal academic background; naturally, he appreciated a son-in-law with a 'highly educated' background.
"Hello, Brother Lin." Ertai smiled and returned the greeting to Lin Tingsheng with a cupped hand. Since they were at Ji Xiaolan's home, he did not use the formalities of officialdom and did not address him as Lord Lin in a rigid manner. Instead, he called him Brother Lin in a more intimate way.
"This humble official wouldn't dare, this humble official wouldn't dare!" Hearing Ertai address him so respectfully, Lin Tingsheng was immediately flattered and hurriedly waved his hands and bowed repeatedly, appearing flustered. As someone who had been involved in officialdom, he naturally knew the power of Ertai and the Fu family in the court, and he would never dare to act arrogantly in front of Ertai, even though Ertai appeared very approachable. If Lin Tingsheng were to accept such treatment, it would be considered "insubordination."
"Hehe, it's alright, it's alright..." Ertai waved his hand kindly, appearing completely unpretentious and down-to-earth, and smiled faintly at Lin Tingsheng. Then, he and Ji Xiaolan walked hand in hand into the main hall, where they sat around a round table as host and guest.
By this time, servants from the Ji household had already cleared away the leftovers and replaced them with fresh bowls, chopsticks, and plates. Soon, fresh food and wine were laid out. Ji Xiaolan personally poured Ertai a full glass of wine, then raised his cup gratefully, saying, "Lord Fu, I am not good with words and do not like flattery. I offer you this cup as a token of my respect."
He was grateful to Ertai for three reasons: first, Ertai's righteous intervention that morning had saved Madam Ji and Ji Mei from humiliation; second, Ertai was a true brother, having helped him at a crucial moment by appointing him as an assistant to the imperial envoy, which, if the case was thoroughly investigated, would greatly please Emperor Qianlong, and Ji Xiaolan might even be reinstated; third, Ertai was righteous and considerate, knowing that Ji Xiaolan did not have much savings, and had proactively paid for the money to deliver the good news.
"I, Fu, also dislike all that empty talk. Besides, true friendship lies in sincerity. Anyway, regardless of what Brother Xiaolan thinks of me, I've decided to be your friend." Ertai raised his wine cup in return, and the two clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp.
Ertai's words were half-truths. In officialdom, one cannot go far without self-interest. He said he was determined to be friends with Ji Xiaolan for three reasons. First, he admired Ji Xiaolan's abilities, and based on his past life's experience, he knew that Ji Xiaolan would soon be reinstated. After all, the Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries) couldn't do without him, and Emperor Qianlong couldn't do without him either. Now that Ji Xiaolan was in trouble, Ertai had helped him out of righteousness, and he wasn't worried that Ji Xiaolan wouldn't remember Ertai's kindness after his reinstatement.
Second, Ertai genuinely liked Ji Xiaolan, finding him to have the pride and elegance of a scholar, and also to be a very honest person without many ulterior motives. Ertai was happy to befriend him.
Thirdly, there was the unspoken affair between a man and a woman, a matter that could only be understood intuitively. Since meeting the Ji family mother and daughter that morning, Ertai had been deeply moved. After only a few hours apart, he felt an emptiness in his heart, as if he had lost two of his most cherished treasures.
"Hehe, Young Master Fu has a good capacity for alcohol. Let me pour you some more." Ertai had just put down his cup when Ji Mei rushed to pour him more wine. She was already standing close to Ertai, and now, under the guise of pouring him wine, she stood up and moved even closer to him. Her delicate, soft body occasionally brushed against Ertai's, making his throat feel hot and bothered.
"Thank you, Miss Mei..." Ertai bowed slightly, gently stroking the wine pot Ji Mei was pouring with both hands, his expression one of humble gratitude. However, his right index finger secretly teased Ji Mei's little finger holding the wine pot handle, gently twitching it a few times.
Feeling the intrusion of something on her little finger, Ji Mei's hand holding the wine pot trembled slightly, almost spilling the wine outside the cup. Her little finger felt like it was being scratched by a cat's claws, her fur ruffled. Her eyes instinctively glanced at her parents and future husband, and seeing that they hadn't noticed, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Young Master Fu, please don't be so polite. Mei'er also toasts you with a cup of wine to thank you for your righteous help today. Mei'er is deeply grateful." Ji Mei gracefully raised her wine cup, her beauty and charm exuding a captivating charm as she offered a toast to Ertai, thanking him sweetly.
"Hehe, Miss Mei'er, you flatter me. I am, after all, a dignified man, and I cannot tolerate such bullying." Ertai said indignantly and passionately, then raised his cup to clink with Ji Mei's, stealing fiery glances at her while tilting his head back and draining his cup.
Before him lay a scene of sensual allure. Ji Mei, already exceptionally beautiful, bore a striking resemblance to Chen Qiaoen, whom Ertai had seen on television in his previous life. Now, her posture was equally elegant. Her jade-like, flawless hands held a wine cup, her slender wrist gracefully cupping it before her crimson lips. Her luscious lips parted slightly, her rose-like petals lightly pursing the rim of the cup as she elegantly sipped the wine.
"Hehe, I never expected that Miss Mei, such a delicate and frail woman, would possess such an impressive capacity for alcohol. I admire you, I admire you…!" Looking at Ji Mei's captivating beauty, a subtle glint of desire flickered in Ertai's eyes as he praised her with a smile.
"Young Master Fu, you flatter me. My drinking capacity is truly nothing compared to yours..." Upon hearing Ertai's praise, a blush quickly rose to Ji Mei's face. It was hard to tell whether it was due to the alcohol or shyness. She turned slightly and gave Ertai a coquettish bow.
"Hehe, come, Miss Mei, let me fill your glass..." Ertai chuckled and actually poured Ji Mei a glass of wine. However, knowing Ertai's noble status, Ji Mei couldn't bear to let him pour her wine himself. She quickly bowed and stopped him, saying, "Young Master Fu, how could I accept such a generous offer..."
"You are welcome, you are welcome..." Ertai smiled broadly, pouring the wine while stealing glances at Ji Mei. He suddenly noticed that Ji Mei was also occasionally glancing at him, her eyes sparkling and alluring, as if she were conveying affection. His heart fluttered.
However, Ertai, who was completely captivated by Ji Mei's charming allure, had clearly forgotten the existence of Ji's prospective son-in-law, Lin Tingsheng. While eating, he kept glancing at his fiancée Ji Mei and Ertai, who was "not friendly" towards her. Seeing the two of them seemingly exchanging glances, he felt a surge of jealousy.
However, given the occasion and Ertai's power, and considering that Ertai hadn't done anything inappropriate with his future wife Ji Mei—at most, only showing a slight hint of 'ambiguity'—he couldn't make a scene. He could only suppress his displeasure. After Ertai personally poured wine for Ji Mei, he raised his glass, forced a smile, and toasted Ertai, saying, "Lord Fu, this humble official toasts you on behalf of Mei'er to thank you for saving her from any injustice."
"Hehe, Brother Lin, you're too kind. Miss Mei'er is so charming; I think any man would feel compassion for her. Besides, helping her was just a small matter; it's really not worth your repeated thanks." Ertai also raised his glass, smiling as he drank the wine.
Lin Tingsheng's words had just left Ertai somewhat displeased. Though the toast was made, it was a veiled hint to Ertai that Ji Mei was his 'fiancée,' and he shouldn't have any improper thoughts. Ertai, however, didn't back down, expressing his own feelings to Lin Tingsheng, stating that he truly cherished Ji Mei and was a gentlemanly man.
However, Ertai's intentions were subtly conveyed; those not involved would hardly understand. For example, Ji Xiaolan repeatedly thanked Ertai upon hearing his words, while Lin Tingsheng could only swallow his frustration, his face flushed red.
"Come, let me toast everyone, thank you for your hospitality..." Ertai ignored Lin Tingsheng's reaction, smiling as he raised his cup to toast everyone present. The people hurriedly replied with polite phrases like, "Lord Fu (Young Master Fu)'s presence at our humble abode is an honor, and the Ji family is deeply grateful."
In fact, throughout Chinese history, interpersonal communication has been filled with empty talk, clichés, and empty words, especially in official circles...
After Ertai brought the wine, the atmosphere became more casual. Everyone chatted about everything under the sun, sometimes about officialdom and people's livelihoods, sometimes about everyday matters. Ertai, under the pretext of caring for Lin Tingsheng, drank with him from time to time, and soon Lin Tingsheng, who had a low alcohol tolerance, was completely drunk.
Actually, this was not Ertai's fault. Lin Tingsheng had seen that Ertai and Ji Mei seemed to have some feelings for each other, and he had been holding back his anger. Moreover, he knew that Ji Mei had admired heroes since childhood, especially those real men who could lead armies on horseback and govern the people on foot, and who were adept at maneuvering in drinking parties. She disliked weak scholars the most, and her engagement to him was only due to her parents' orders. In reality, she did not have much affection or liking for him.
So he was determined to prove himself on the drinking table, to show Ji Mei that although he was a weak scholar, he was a true man of immense capacity when it came to drinking. In the end, he was outdrunk by Ertai. In
reality, Ertai's alcohol tolerance was only average, and with the presence of the Seven-Colored Wolf Qi within him, he dared not drink excessively, lest the Qi mutate and cause him great discomfort. However, his internal energy was extremely strong; he could expel eight or nine tenths of the alcohol he drank, so although it appeared he had drunk over thirty cups, he had actually absorbed less than five or six.
Ji Mei, however, was unaware that Ertai could expel alcohol with his internal energy. Seeing him drink over thirty cups without changing his expression, she was filled with admiration, secretly glancing at Ertai with burning eyes, then at her 'useless' prospective husband, Lin Tingsheng, and sighed inwardly.
Ertai naturally noticed Ji Mei's furtive glances at him and understood the admiration and adoration in her eyes. Looking at Ji Mei's flushed face, her eyes sparkling with desire, and her lips like delicate flower petals about to bloom, a fiery flutter surged within him. Impulsively, he grabbed Ji Mei's soft, white hand under the table. Startled by
Ertai's grasp, Ji Mei's body trembled slightly. Her cheeks, already flushed from the alcohol, became even more alluring. Her heart pounded wildly, like a deer's. Her beautiful eyes darted around, and seeing that everyone was tipsy and not looking in their direction, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
However, at the same time, Ertai's large hand began to caress the back of her hand. The tips and pads of his index and middle fingers would gently hook her palm from time to time, making her feel a tingling and numb sensation that made her body weak and powerless.
"Young Master Fu...you're drunk..." Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, Ji Mei secretly moved closer to Ertai, leaning against him gently. Her delicate, red lips were close to Ertai's ear, and she said shyly in a soft voice. She did not pull her small hand out of Ertai's hand, and did not even struggle slightly, letting Ertai hold and caress her...
Chapter 157 The House Is Not the People
Ertai and Ji Mei were very close. Ji Mei was almost pressed against Ertai's body. Her full breasts rubbed against Ertai's chest from time to time with the slight trembling of her body, making his chest feel hot and numb.
“How could I be drunk? I’m perfectly sober… Miss Mei… You’re so beautiful…” Ji Mei’s warm, fragrant breath landed precisely on Ertai’s earlobe, making his heart melt. He couldn’t help but caress Ji Mei’s small hand with his large hand, while lowering his head to rub against her ear, praising her.
“Young Master Fu…” Ji Mei looked at Ertai with spring-like eyes, calling out in her fragrant breath. At this moment, her mind was in turmoil. On one hand, she was already betrothed, and although they hadn’t had a wedding ceremony, she was nominally a member of a family. Yet now, Ertai was teasing and flirting with her, and in front of her future husband no less. She couldn’t help but feel like a wanton harlot.
On the other hand, she couldn't refuse Ertai's actions, or rather, she didn't want to refuse, dared not refuse, or even didn't want to refuse. After all, Ertai's family background, personal abilities, and everything else were so admirable to her. If Ertai hadn't helped her today, she might have been insulted by Jia De. Moreover, if Ertai hadn't spoken up for her, her father, Ji Xiaolan, wouldn't have become an imperial envoy and would still be patrolling the city every day on horseback, whether under the scorching sun or in the wind and rain.
All these changes were due to Ertai's actions. And Ji Mei's prospective husband, Lin Tingsheng, couldn't get justice for her after she was harassed and insulted by Jia De, and he couldn't help her at all after her father, Ji Xiaolan, was demoted.
It must be said that Ji Mei's mindset changed after meeting Ertai. Originally, she had resigned herself to her fate, accepting her parents' arranged marriage and waiting to marry Lin Tingsheng. But now, the scales in her heart had tipped in Ertai's favor. Of course, this didn't mean she had fallen in love with Ertai; it simply meant she desperately wanted a powerful person to protect her and the entire Ji family—Ertai was precisely that person.
Therefore, when Ertai showed her affection and boldly took her hand, Ji Mei didn't offer even a token resistance. She only spoke up to remind Ertai to restrain himself, worried that her parents might notice something.
"Miss Mei...I like you..." Ertai, sensing Ji Mei's lack of resistance, was overjoyed. Although he knew he was perfectly sober, Ji Mei assumed he was drunk after drinking over thirty cups of wine, and boldly confessed her feelings under the influence of alcohol.
"I...Young Master Fu...you're drunk..." Hearing Ertai's blatant confession, Ji Mei's cheeks flushed crimson, as red as ink. Her mind was in turmoil. She didn't know if Ertai's words were genuine or just a way to get her attention.
However, she knew one thing: even if Ertai truly loved her, he couldn't possibly marry her. In the Qing Dynasty, Manchus and Han Chinese were worlds apart. Regardless of the Fu family's prestige among the Manchu Eight Banners, even ordinary Manchus rarely married daughters of Han officials as their principal wife, or even concubines. The rule against intermarriage between Manchus and Han Chinese was deeply ingrained.
And for someone of Ertai's status, marriage was not something he could decide for himself. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager would inevitably arrange his marriage, bringing a princess into his household. Therefore, Ji Mei, who had been well-versed in literature since childhood, was not a naive and innocent little girl who harbored excessive fantasies about love. However, this did not prevent her from wanting to have a relationship with Ertai. After all, Ertai held a prestigious position, and the Fu family was a renowned and powerful clan. Once she could rely on Ertai, this towering figure, she and the entire Ji family would be secure, and she would no longer have to worry about spoiled brats like Jia De harassing and insulting her and her mother.
"I'm not drunk, I'm sincere..." Seeing that Ji Mei was using drunkenness as an excuse, Ertai took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention and quietly expressed his feelings to Ji Mei again.
However, Ji Mei forcefully pulled her small hand from Ertai's grasp, her cheeks flushed and breathless, and said to Ertai, "Young Master Fu, Mei'er is already betrothed. Let's just consider what I said earlier as drunken ramblings. Let's not mention this again."
Ji Mei's tone was firm and left no room for argument. Ertai didn't want to force her, especially in front of her parents and future husband. He dared not do anything excessive, lest things escalate and the Ji family reject him—wouldn't that be a loss?
"Miss Mei'er..." "I...I'm so sorry, please don't take it to heart, just think of it as drunken ramblings..." Ertai blushed, explaining somewhat awkwardly, inwardly blaming himself for being so reckless and frivolous. His behavior
was no different from that of Jia De. "Hmm..." Ji Mei responded faintly, then turned her face away, secretly delighted. She had just seen the anxious look on Ertai's face after she rejected him, knowing he was infatuated with her, which was exactly what she wanted.
Ji Mei was a very beautiful woman, and also an extremely intelligent one. She knew that men liked novelty, especially with mature women and married women, seeking a thrilling experience. But once they got their hands on someone, that thrill would quickly disappear, even becoming as bland as water when they were intimate with their own wives.
Clever women, however, know how to entice men, making them see her but not possess her, leaving them anxious and restless. They'll then be willing to give everything to win her over, fulfilling every request. But once they've got her, those who are loyal and devoted will be fine, but those who aren't will simply walk away, turning their backs on her.
At this moment, Ji Mei is using her seductive charms, letting Ertai touch her soft hand and arousing his desire. Yet, when he confesses his feelings, she righteously rejects him, then adopts a distant and aloof attitude, keeping Ertai in suspense and anticipation through this ambiguous and unpredictable relationship.
As expected, Ertai was itching to tease Ji Mei, wanting to provoke her again but afraid that she would really turn against him and ruin things. If he didn't tease her, he felt like he was being scratched by a cat's claws, still wanting to enjoy that ecstatic feeling.
Fortunately, just as he was in a dilemma, Madam Ji raised her wine cup between Ertai and herself, and said in a low voice, "Young Master Fu, I didn't get to thank you earlier, so this is my apology." "
Hehe, Sister Rong'er, what are you saying? We're siblings... It's not polite to say that..." Ertai understood what Madam Ji meant. Earlier, Ji Mei had toasted him to express her gratitude for his help. In fact, Madam Ji had also helped Ertai, but it was inconvenient to mention this. After all, Madam Ji was the wife of a court official, yet she had been openly harassed by Jia De, the second son of the Jia family. If word got out, how could Ji Xiaolan still have any face in the officialdom? Therefore, everyone avoided mentioning Madam Ji and only talked about Ji Mei.
However, Ertai's sudden public address of Madam Ji as "Sister Rong'er" still made her feel quite embarrassed. She quickly glanced around and saw that Ji Xiaolan and Lin Tingsheng were both drunk and somewhat unconscious. She then lowered her voice and said to Ertai, "Young Master Fu, let's discuss the terms of address between elder sister and younger brother in private..."
"Hehe, Sister Rong'er, I only called them that because they were all drunk and couldn't hear me... If you're unhappy, I won't call you that anymore..." Ertai tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup, a slight sense of disappointment appearing on his face.
"No, I'm overjoyed that you call me 'sister,' how could I not like it? But we should be mindful of the occasion..." Seeing Ertai's disappointed expression, Madam Ji suddenly felt a surge of tenderness. She quickly explained to Ertai, afraid he might misunderstand. After all, Ertai had saved her life and was the second young master of the prestigious Fu family. She herself was a high-ranking official in the court. Being called "sister" made Madam Ji very happy.
"Hehe, I'm glad you're happy. I was just afraid you wouldn't be. You scared me to death just now, afraid you wouldn't talk to me anymore... Here, Sister Rong'er, have some food to calm your nerves..." Ertai deliberately spoke ambiguously and even placed a piece of food in her bowl and plate.
Madam Ji, however, failed to detect the ambiguity in Ertai's words. After all, the two were nearly thirty years apart in age, and Madam Ji never imagined that Ertai would have such "wandering thoughts" about her. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Ertai," her voice melodious and tender, which melted Ertai's heart.
However, after serving Madam Ji some food, Ertai did not neglect Ji Mei, lest the mother and daughter discover his "wrong intentions" if he showed favoritism... Afterwards, the three of them drank and chatted happily, becoming quite familiar with each other. They even secretly addressed each other as "sister and brother" and "uncle and niece" behind the backs of Ji Xiaolan and Lin Tingsheng, who were drowsy and lightly asleep on the table. Ertai even racked his brains to tell the two women jokes, making them burst into laughter and pester Ertai to "have another one."
And so, one after another, time passed quickly until late at night. Ertai stood up to take his leave, and Madam Ji hurriedly woke Ji Xiaolan and Lin Tingsheng, saying that Ertai was leaving to return home.
"Lord Fu, it's late. Why don't you stay here? Although the Ji residence is small, the side rooms are quite elegant," Ji Xiaolan said, still feeling dizzy, as he tried to persuade Ertai to stay.
"No, I won't disturb Brother Xiaolan and Madam any longer. Ertai will take his leave now..." Ertai insisted on leaving, and Ji Xiaolan couldn't very well try to stop him. After all, Emperor Qianlong disliked close relationships between his ministers, and if word got out that Ertai had spent the night at Ji Xiaolan's house, it would be detrimental to Ertai.
Ji Xiaolan, having been in officialdom for a long time, naturally understood this principle. After exchanging a few polite words, he swayed as he saw Ertai off.
Upon reaching the door, Ertai suddenly turned around, feigning concern, and said, "Brother Xiaolan, this trip to Shandong for investigation will take at least a month, and possibly half a year. I'm worried the Jia family might cause trouble for Madam and Miss Mei'er. I think we should take them with us to Shandong, so you can focus on your investigation without worry."
"This..." Ji Xiaolan hesitated. Although he agreed with Ertai's suggestion, there were rules in the court that officials were not allowed to bring their families on official business. He had finally gotten this opportunity to make a comeback, and he didn't want to give anyone cause for gossip.
"Brother Xiaolan, you can rest assured. The Emperor's intention is that we can choose our own entourage..." Ertai said with a smile, implying that the people accompanying him on this trip to Shandong were all his own people and wouldn't cause any trouble.
“Then… I shall respectfully accept…” Ji Xiaolan said, cupping his hands in greeting to Ertai. In truth, he was also worried about his beautiful wife and daughter, Ji Mei, fearing that once Ertai and he left the capital, the Shuntian Prefecture would release Jia De from prison and bring him back to harass the mother and daughter.
“Brother Xiaolan, Ertai takes his leave!” Seeing that he had agreed to take Madam Ji and her daughter with him, Ertai was overjoyed, but he didn't show it on his face, afraid that Ji Xiaolan would see that he was interested in the man's wife and daughter. So he smiled, cupped his hands in farewell to Ji Xiaolan, and then rode his horse back to the Fu family.
…
After returning to the Fu family, Ertai handed his horse to the servant at the gate and hurried to the boudoir of the fourth concubine, Nalan Zhu. He had been aroused by the Ji family mother and daughter at the Ji family, but hadn't managed to have any intimate relations. His body was burning with desire, and he just wanted to release it quickly.
So he quietly crept into Nalan Zhu's courtyard, gently pushed open the door that wasn't locked, and slipped into the room like a ghost. He then bolted the door shut and tiptoed into the inner chamber.
Turning past the screen, he saw the night watch maid standing by the bed, panting heavily. Ertai darted behind her and subtly channeled a stream of seven-colored wolf energy into her body. The maid immediately fell into a deep sleep, her body collapsing to the ground.
Ertai caught her, placed her on a chair, and then, in the darkness, climbed onto Fourth Concubine Nalan Zhu's bed, pulled back the thin blanket, and pressed his entire body against her beautiful, delicate form.
After pinning her down, Ertai, without a second thought or even bothering to see if the woman was indeed his fourth concubine, Nalan Zhu, tightly embraced her, biting her red lips hard. His large hands pressed against her soft, full breasts, kneading and caressing them forcefully. Even more impatiently, he used his knee to pry open her legs, thrusting his hard, powerful penis against her tender vulva through her trousers.
"Mmm..." The woman beneath him, seemingly asleep, suddenly felt the external stimulation, writhing and twisting her body, her small hands tearing and pushing against him, her delicate feet kicking Ertai's legs fiercely in resistance. Oh
no! This isn't his fourth concubine!
As Ertai's large hand grasped and kneaded the woman's breasts, he suddenly realized that the woman beneath him was not his fourth concubine, Nalan Zhu. Nalan Zhu's breasts were so full that Ertai couldn't possibly hold them in one hand, while this woman's breasts were just the right size for his large hand.
Realizing his mistake, Ertai hurriedly looked around. In the dim moonlight, he could barely make out that the furnishings in the room were very familiar—it was undoubtedly his fourth concubine's room. But who could this person on her bed be?

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The Romantic Journey Through Time: Huanzhu is Also Romantic 33

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