Chapter 104: Turmoil at the Teahouse

After they met, they began to exchange words. Naturally, the most panicked among them was Magistrate Qian, who was so shocked he nearly fainted upon hearing that Feng Yucai had reported him. However, they quickly began to discuss how to deal with the imperial envoy.

Setting aside their deliberations for a moment, in Xiapei Prefecture, Emperor Wanlü Tianbao of the Liaogu Kingdom was proudly inspecting his newly conquered territories.

Suddenly, a report arrived stating that the southern expeditionary force had returned. At first, the Emperor was overjoyed, believing his younger brother had finally returned in triumph. But upon hearing the specific details, his expression changed drastically, and he rushed to inspect the returning troops.

When he encountered Wangu and the others, he rushed forward to grasp the kneeling general and demanded an account of what had transpired. Upon learning the details of the battle and the severe disparity between the heavy losses of the southern expeditionary army and their actual achievements, he was so enraged that he collapsed in a faint. His officers rushed to revive him and escorted him back to the city to rest.

***

Just as everyone was preoccupied with these matters, Zhang Desen, who was preparing to leave the Liu estate in the Western Capital, received an imperial decree from Emperor Zhao Xinglong of the Daxing Kingdom. The gist of the decree was as follows:

"By Imperial Order, Zhang Desen is hereby conferred the title of Marquis of Beiping.

"The decree states: In view of the recent southern incursion by the Liaogu Kingdom, and in recognition of your meritorious service in slaying the enemy leader Wanlü Wudi, you are hereby granted the title of Marquis of Beiping. As you are to be reassigned to other duties, your original appointment as Deputy General of the Imperial Guards is suspended, pending further orders. Let this be known!

"Dated the * day of the * month of the * year."

After accepting the decree, the eunuch official named Guo Ji, who had delivered the message, said to Zhang Desen:

"Young Master Zhang, do you understand the crisis you face today?"

Confused, Zhang Desen asked: "I am not sure what you are referring to, Eunuch."

At that moment, Li Longfang, who was standing nearby, whispered to Zhang Desen that this official, Guo Ji, was the personal attendant of the Second Prince, Zhao Guangzhou, and could be trusted. Eunuch Guo then began to recount the events of recent days.

It turned out that while Zhang Desen was away on his mission to the Nadian Kingdom, Crown Prince Zhao Degou had been constantly slandering him to Emperor Zhao Xinglong, focusing primarily on how Zhang Desen’s growing reputation was indirectly undermining the imperial authority of the Daxing Kingdom.

The core issue was that Prime Minister Zhang Chengwei was the head of the civil officials, and his influence could only be countered by the equally powerful Councilor Qian. Neither side had been able to establish a foothold within the military.

However, after Zhang Desen defeated the greatest warrior of the Liaogu Kingdom, Xiaoliba, he became an object of worship not only among the common people but also within the army, prompting men like Feng Yucai to gravitate toward Prime Minister Zhang Chengwei. Furthermore, as the son-in-law of the Liu family, Zhang Desen commanded immense financial support. His recent slaying of the Liaogu Marshal, Wanlü Wudi, who had led the southern invasion, had pushed his prestige to an unprecedented peak.

Consequently, Crown Prince Zhao Degou intensified his campaign against Zhang Desen before the Emperor to prevent Zhang Desen’s support for the Second Prince, Zhao Guangzhou, from threatening his own position.

Therefore, Zhao Degou and his faction advised Emperor Zhao Xinglong to grant Zhang Desen the empty title of Marquis to appease him, while denying him any real power to prevent his influence from expanding further. This was the true nature of the decree. Zhang Desen, however, was unconcerned. After seeing off the messenger, he proceeded with his plans to accompany Liu Yuting for a stroll through the city.

Soon, Zhang Desen took the time to go out with Liu Yuting. He was dressed in traditional attire—not as a warrior, but as a young gentleman—as he had to blend in; he could hardly wear modern clothing in a universe that was not a modern society.

On his back, he carried a sword case, though it did not hold a blade, but his Type 95 assault rifle. Since it was his standard weapon and far too advanced for the people of this universe, he kept it concealed to avoid unwanted attention.

Following behind were Li Longfang and his four companions, who wore their special forces gear underneath ordinary warrior robes. Their Type 56 submachine guns were tucked into cloth bags hanging at their sides.

As they strolled, Zhang Desen and Liu Yuting entered a teahouse and chose a booth on the second floor overlooking the street. Liu Yuting’s maid, Biliu, accompanied them, while the special operations team sat at a nearby table. The booth was open-air and elegantly designed.

Liu Yuting said happily, "Desen, I’m so glad we can finally walk around together again."

Zhang Desen felt a twinge of guilt. It was true; ever since they met, he had been too busy to spend much time with her. He apologized, "I’m sorry, Ting’er. I haven’t been as attentive as I should have been..."

Liu Yuting interrupted him gently, "It’s alright. I was just saying. As long as you are happy, I will always hold down the fort at home for you."

Zhang Desen replied with deep affection, "Thank you, I..."

Just then, a sharp cry for help came from nearby. They turned to see a young dandy harassing a woman. The dandy was saying, "Why scream, little beauty? If you follow me, you’ll have all the wealth and luxury you could ever want. What is there to be dissatisfied about?"

The woman cried out, "No! In broad daylight, how dare you harass a decent woman!"

The dandy scoffed, "What do you know? Even in broad daylight, who on earth dares to cross me?"

Zhang Desen and his party quickly assessed the situation. The dandy was clearly wealthy and influential. Seeing the anger in the eyes of Liu Yuting and her group, yet noting their hesitation due to the unknown identity of the dandy, Zhang Desen glanced at the flowerbeds in the neighboring booth. He picked up a small pebble. He chose this method because the booths were occupied and filled with plants; using a pebble was less likely to leave a trail, as he wanted to avoid making a scene until he knew exactly who he was dealing with.

He flicked the pebble with precision, striking the dandy squarely on the head. The dandy yelped in pain and roared, "Who hit me?! Do you have a death wish?"

Silence followed, though others nearby were stifling laughs. Liu Yuting, knowing full well it was Zhang Desen, also giggled, though she kept it quiet.

Seeing no response, the enraged dandy grabbed the woman, "If you won't show yourself, I'll kill her! This is your fault!"

At that moment, a voice rang out: "To act in such a manner, are you not afraid of the law?"

Everyone looked over to see that the voice belonged to another young gentleman—Zhang Desen. The dandy was unfazed and sneered, "What are you shouting about? Do you know who I am? Are you looking to die?"

Zhang Desen replied nonchalantly, "I am listening."

The dandy boasted arrogantly, "My sister is the third concubine of Earl Xuanwei, Wang Dang! So what now?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhang Desen stepped forward and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks. As the dandy’s lackeys moved to intervene, the man with Zhang Desen—Feng Yucai—stepped in and soundly thrashed them. Feng then grabbed the dandy by the head and shouted, "Tell that old fool, the Earl of Xuanwei, that if he wants trouble, he should come find me directly. I will be waiting for him!"

The dandy, now terrified, stammered, "Spare me, I’ll never do it again..."

Feng Yucai dragged him to the staircase and shoved him down, shouting, "Get lost, you dog who bullies others by relying on his master's power! If I see you again, I’ll beat you again!"

The dandy scrambled away, and his lackeys, having been tossed down the stairs by Zhang Desen’s guards, followed suit.

The crowd cheered. The woman knelt to thank Zhang Desen, "Thank you, young hero, for saving my life!"

Zhang Desen quickly helped her up, saying, "Please, rise. You don't need to do that. Actually, the first person to help you wasn't me." He pointed to the small pebble and continued, "It was the one who threw this. If it weren't for that, things might not have turned out so perfectly."

The crowd stared for a moment before bursting into laughter, surprised by Zhang Desen’s humor. The woman smiled as well, bowing to him, "Regardless, this humble woman will surely find a way to repay your great kindness in the future."

The onlookers exchanged glances, harboring their own thoughts. Seeing this, Liu Yuting remembered how she first met Zhang Desen and said with a touch of jealousy, "The beauty wants to thank you? Why didn't you give her a proper response?"

Zhang Desen found it amusing. The woman was indeed attractive; despite her coarse clothes, her features were delicate, making her appear like a lotus rising from the mud. Even so, he whispered to Liu Yuting, "Don't worry, your husband isn't a heartless flirt."

Liu Yuting blushed, "You’re incorrigible."

Though she said this, she was secretly delighted. Zhang Desen patted her arm reassuringly and urged her to continue enjoying her tea.

As Zhang Desen had made no further response, the woman bowed once more and said, "Whether you desire repayment or not, I shall find a way to honor my debt to you. My name is Wu Ruyan. Thank you again for your help."

With that, she departed.