Chapter 20: My Lord, Thank You for Taking Me to the Theater

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With that kick, he sent Wang Chengfeng sprawling onto the ground.

Then he turned to Wang Xiuyun, his eyes filled with exasperation.

“And you! Is this how you taught your younger brother? I…”

He was about to kick her as well when Zhao Ang stopped him.

“My lord, I am teaching my own daughter. Please do not interfere.”

He had assumed Zhao Ang had stopped him out of concern for Wang Xiuyun.

But how could that be?

Zhao Ang merely smiled and glanced at Wang Xiuyun.

“No… Zhao Lang, please, don’t!”

Wang Xiuyun understood the meaning in his eyes. She hurriedly fell to her knees and begged him.

“I’m begging you! Please don’t tell my father!”

Seeing her like this, Wang Pingzhi immediately realized that something was terribly wrong.

“My lord, my daughter…”

“She is pregnant. That is why I stopped you from delivering that kick.”

“You wouldn’t want to kick your future grandson to death, would you? That would be a terrible sin!”

What a joke. Wang Xiuyun had dared to commit such a filthy deed, so why should he keep her secret?

Besides, the original owner had truly been killed by this vicious woman.

He did not want Wang Xiuyun’s life, but he would certainly collect some interest.

“This…” Wang Pingzhi felt as though darkness had descended before his eyes. Only then did he notice Zhou Qi, whom Liu Yu was holding.

If the child belonged to Zhao Ang, his daughter would have been arrogant enough to demand that he keep it secret.

Therefore, the child could only be…

Wang Pingzhi looked at Zhou Qi. “Is this child his?”

“The Vice Minister is indeed perceptive. The child belongs to Zhou Qi, the legitimate grandson of Duke Dingguo.”

“Allow me to congratulate you, Vice Minister. You and Duke Dingguo are becoming relatives through marriage!”

Zhao Ang spoke with great relish. The Vice Minister of Revenue had always been dependent on Duke Dingguo’s faction.

So there was nothing wrong with calling it a marriage between close allies. Unfortunately, Wang Pingzhi clearly could not accept it.

“You… you… ugh!”

A mouthful of blood spurted from his lips, and his entire body nearly toppled backward.

“My lord!”

The steward hurried forward to support Wang Pingzhi and helped him catch his breath.

“Father, you…”

Wang Xiuyun had also risen to her feet. She had barely begun to speak when Wang Pingzhi struck her hard across the face.

“You wretched, unfilial creature! Get out!”

“Father, you hit me?”

Wang Xiuyun clutched her cheek, her eyes filled with disbelief.

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Wang Pingzhi no longer looked at her. Instead, he turned his gaze back to Zhao Ang.

“My lord, rest assured. I will repay every silver tael they owe you.”

“And as for your engagement to my daughter, I shall personally visit you tomorrow to break it off and apologize to the prince.”

To be fair, compared with Wang Xiuyun and her brother, Wang Pingzhi was at least somewhat respectable.

He still possessed a sense of responsibility. Alas… fine bamboo had produced crooked shoots.

“Then I shall await your visit, Vice Minister.”

With the Vice Minister of Revenue’s promise, Zhao Ang did not press him further.

At that moment, Zhou Qi also regained consciousness and looked toward Zhao Ang.

“Since the Vice Minister has said he will repay the money, shouldn’t you release me as well?”

“You?” A trace of mockery appeared in Zhao Ang’s eyes. “What does the Vice Minister’s repayment have to do with you?”

“You had an affair with my fiancée. I am taking you to the authorities!”

The moment Zhao Ang said this, Zhou Qi’s face turned deathly pale.

He was the legitimate grandson of Duke Dingguo. If he were truly taken before the authorities for such a matter, his reputation would be utterly ruined.

In this era, once one’s reputation was destroyed, one could forget about ever entering public service.

No. He absolutely could not admit to having an affair with another man’s fiancée.

“You… you’re talking nonsense! When have I ever had an affair with anyone?”

“If you never had an affair with her, then where did the child in Wang Xiuyun’s belly come from?”

Zhao Ang had grown rather interested. He wanted to see how Zhou Qi intended to defend himself.

“I… Wang Xiuyun seduced me. The child was forced upon me!”

Zhou Qi had only ever felt a passing attraction to Wang Xiuyun, and that attraction had long since vanished.

Now she offered him nothing but trouble, so he naturally cast her aside without hesitation.

“You… Zhou Lang, how could you slander me like this? We were clearly in love!”

Wang Xiuyun was utterly wounded. Forgetting that Wang Pingzhi was present, she hurriedly confronted him.

“Have you forgotten the vows of eternal love we made? That day, we…”

She no longer cared about preserving her dignity. All she wanted was to prove to everyone that Zhou Qi loved her.

She had not been the only one pursuing him.

But her words enraged Zhou Qi.

“Enough, you shameless woman! You were the one who climbed into my bed.”

“I merely saw that you had some beauty and never refused what was offered. I can’t believe you actually took it seriously!”

“Ugh!”

This time, it was Wang Xiuyun who spat blood. She had never imagined that all the feelings she had cherished these past days were nothing but a lie.

Yet Zhou Qi did not even look at her. His eyes remained fixed on Zhao Ang.

“You heard him, didn’t you? Release me!”

Zhao Ang had not expected Zhou Qi to be so heartless. But what did that have to do with him?

The two of them had each gotten exactly what they wanted.

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Besides, was Wang Xiuyun some innocent victim?

He was thoroughly entertained watching the two of them tear each other apart.

“Very well. Go up there and slap her twice, and I won’t report you for having an affair.”

As he spoke, Zhao Ang gave Liu Yu a look, and she released Zhou Qi.

As Zhou Qi walked toward her, a glimmer of hope still lingered in Wang Xiuyun’s eyes.

“Zhou Lang, you…”

Before she could finish, Zhou Qi struck her hard across the face twice, showing not the slightest mercy.

“You shameless woman. Never call me that again!”

Zhou Qi was truly ruthless toward Wang Xiuyun. After striking her, he immediately called to his attendants.

“Let’s go.”

Having lost so much face here, Zhou Qi did not wish to remain another moment.

The attendants glanced at the household guards. Seeing that the guards made no attempt to stop them, they escorted Zhou Qi away.

Wang Xiuyun’s cheeks were swollen high. She stared blankly at the ground and murmured softly, “Zhou Lang…”

“My lord, I am not in a position to receive guests today. Tomorrow, I shall personally bring the silver to the Prince of Zhennan’s residence and offer my apologies.”

With his household in utter chaos, Wang Pingzhi no longer wished to see Zhao Ang.

“Let’s go.”

Now that he had recovered the money and vented his anger, Zhao Ang naturally had no reason to linger.

After leaving the Vice Minister’s residence, the blind old man bowed to Zhao Ang.

“Today, this old man must thank you, my lord, for bringing me along to witness such a spectacle.”

The blind old man was named Qian San, a famous storyteller in the capital.

When Zhao Ang had found him earlier that day and said he would take him to watch an extraordinary drama, he had not believed him.

Now, however, it seemed the performance had been more spectacular than he could ever have imagined.

He would have material for his stories from now on.

“There is no need to thank me. In fact, I have a favor to ask of you.”

Zhao Ang extended his hand, and Liu Yu placed one hundred silver taels into it.

“I hear that you have connections with all the major bookshops. Do you think today’s drama could be turned into a printed story?”

As he spoke, he handed the silver to Qian San. Qian San weighed it in his palm and broke into an even broader grin.

“Rest assured, my lord. I will make certain that every literate person in the capital reads this tale.”

“That would be excellent. There is just one matter—the conventions involved…”

Zhao Ang deliberately left the sentence unfinished, and Qian San quickly took up the meaning.

“Do not worry. I will change all the names and details so that no one can recognize the people involved at a glance!”