Like Su Yuanyuan, Su Huaisheng was also a bit surprised to see Su Zeqian here.
Wasn't this guy already dismissed from his post? Did he still want to return to the Ministry of Punishment through the special imperial examination?
Su Huaisheng thought that Su Zeqian had blocked his way because they were currently in a competitive relationship. He had even prepared to fight back. However, Su Zeqian's eyes were fixed on his waist, and he asked in a deep voice:
"Where did you get the sachet on your waist?"
This is so inexplicable. Su Huaisheng frowned and retorted, "What does it matter to you?"
After saying that, he wanted to bypass Su Zeqian and leave, but Su Zeqian grabbed his arm and urgently asked, "Tell me, where did you get the sachet? If you don't tell me, you won't be able to leave!"
As he spoke, he also tried to reach out and grab the sachet on Su Huaisheng's body.
Su Huaisheng blocked his hand and said angrily, "If you're sick, go and get treated. What kind of a man are you to grab my things?"
Su Huaisheng's strong reaction made Su Zeqian even more suspicious that there was something wrong with the sachet on his waist. Regardless of the fact that the wound on his abdomen hadn't fully healed, he stepped forward and fought with Su Huaisheng.
This room was actually the largest one, but at this moment it was crowded with people signing up for the exam. Once the two of them started fighting, they accidentally affected others, and the room immediately became chaotic, causing quite a stir.
Su Yuanyuan and the others had originally planned to wait outside for Su Huaisheng. However, they hadn't gone far when they heard the commotion coming from the wing room belonging to the Ministry of Punishment. The group exchanged a look and then turned around and ran towards that place.
Su Huaisheng came from a military - officer family, and his martial arts skills were much better than Su Zeqian's. However, considering that Su Zeqian had been injured in the abdomen before, Su Huaisheng didn't use all his strength this time. Therefore, for a while, he couldn't shake off Su Zeqian.
"I just want to know where you got this sachet!" Su Zeqian said with red - eyed intensity.
Su Huaisheng retorted, "It has nothing to do with you, right? Are you interrogating me like a criminal?"
Su Zeqian roared, "Are you too scared to say it? Are you feeling guilty?"
Su Huaisheng was speechless. "What should I feel guilty about? I neither steal nor rob. On the contrary, it's you. You're going crazy for no reason and fixating on a sachet. It's really inexplicable!"
When Su Yuanyuan and the others arrived, the two were still wrestling. She called out anxiously, "Third brother, what's going on?"
Hearing Su Yuanyuan's voice, Su Zeqian obviously hesitated for a moment. Su Huaisheng keenly noticed Su Zeqian's reaction and deliberately took Su Zeqian's punch. He was struck on the shoulder by Su Zeqian.
"Ouch!" Su Huaisheng let out a cry and then slumped to the ground. Su Zeqian came back to his senses. He didn't expect that he would hurt Su Huaisheng. He stared blankly at Su Huaisheng who was groaning and then at his own hand, at a loss.
Su Yuanyuan found that her third brother had been hit and was very worried. She quickly stepped forward, pushed Su Zeqian away forcefully, and angrily said to him:
"Why did you hit my third brother?!"
Su Zeqian suddenly came to his senses and realized that he had been tricked by Su Huaisheng. He quickly defended himself, "I didn't hit him! I really didn't hit him!"
Zhang Yingxue also rushed over angrily and said, "We all saw it. It was you who hit him! You've been pestering him since just now!"
Su Zeqian said anxiously, "He rushed towards my fist on his own. It wasn't me!"
"That's enough. My third brother isn't stupid. Why would he rush towards your fist? It's clearly you taking revenge on purpose!" Su Yuanyuan coldly threw down these words and then turned around to help Su Huaisheng up.
Su Zeqian couldn't defend himself. Watching Su Yuanyuan caring about Su Huaisheng, he felt as if there was a big stone in his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
He finally understood this feeling of being unable to defend himself. No matter what he said, others only believed what their own eyes saw.
At this time, a lazy yet intimidating voice came from behind. "What's going on? What happened?"
Everyone turned around together. Cang Xuan, wearing a purple official robe embroidered with cranes, walked over slowly.
Everyone bowed in unison. Some called out "Lord Cang", while others called out "Prince Cang". To avoid suspicion, Su Yuanyuan, Su Huaisheng and the others also called out "Lord Cang".
Cang Xuan walked between Su Huaisheng and Su Zeqian and said indifferently, "Today is the special imperial examination, which is to select pillars for the court. Those who cause trouble will either be disqualified from the exam or punished more severely. Now you two tell me what's going on here?"
Su Huaisheng was actually not interested in being an official. The reason he came to take the special imperial examination and chose the position of assistant minister of the Ministry of Punishment was, first, because the special imperial examination was a major event proposed and personally led by Cang Xuan, and he came to support his sworn brother; second, because Zhang Yingxue's father was the minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and he planned to work under his future father - in - law to leave a good impression of being motivated.
He didn't really care whether he would succeed or not.
However, now that Su Zeqian had caused such a commotion, he changed his mind.
He must take the special imperial examination, and he would also use this exam to trample on this arrogant guy Su Zeqian and avenge Yuanbao!
Su Huaisheng had already been helped up by Su Yuanyuan and the others. He wiped the sweat dripping from his face and said submissively:
"Lord Cang, I just queued up and signed up according to the rules. I was about to leave after getting the jade token when I didn't expect to be blocked by the heir of the Marquis of Pingyang. Without saying a word, he insisted on grabbing my sachet. When I refused, he started to fight."
Cang Xuan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked Su Zeqian, "Heir, is there such a thing?"
Su Zeqian met Cang Xuan's gaze, and a cold sweat involuntarily broke out on his body. Before, he lost his position as the director of the Ministry of Punishment because of Cang Xuan. If he lost the opportunity to take the special imperial examination because he offended Cang Xuan this time, then he would never be able to make a name for himself in his life.
He took a deep breath and defended himself hoarsely, "Lord Cang, I really have no ill intentions. I just wanted to ask who embroidered his sachet. The stitches and patterns gave me a familiar feeling."
These words left everyone stunned. Zhang Yingxue couldn't help but look at Su Huaisheng's waist, but his waist was empty, with nothing on it.
Just as she was puzzled, Su Huaisheng quietly took out a sachet from under his sleeve. It was the one she had embroidered before. Immediately, she stepped forward angrily and said to Su Zeqian:
"Prince Su, don't talk nonsense. I've only embroidered a sachet for him in my life. I have absolutely no interest in you!"
The scene erupted into laughter. Everyone was laughing at Su Zeqian for being over - sensitive.
Even Su Yuanyuan couldn't help but let out a chuckle. However, as she was laughing, she suddenly stopped.
Something was wrong. She remembered that when she separated from her third brother just now, the sachet with a painting of gentleman bamboo that she had embroidered was on his waist. However, now Zhang Yingxue said that the sachet was embroidered by her, which meant that her third brother had replaced the sachet on his waist.
Could it be that the sachet with the gentleman bamboo that she embroidered was the reason for Su Zeqian's loss of composure?