The guards beside them covered their mouths and snickered. This so - called "old thing" in front of them was someone whom not only the prince and princess but also the concubines in the palace treated politely. How dare a mere deputy general lose his temper with him? He must be tired of living.
Eunuch Tang wasn't angry at all. "Do you think the Rui Prince's Mansion is a place where just any deputy general can enter at will? Don't you even know who you are? You always use the eldest prince to intimidate others. I, old man, have the emperor's edict. I can decide who can't enter, and even the eldest prince can't if I say so."
What a joke! Didn't he, Tang Yide, know his own status? He was a favorite of the emperor, and all the civil and military officials had to treat him with respect. How could a puny deputy general show off in front of him?
"You, just wait," Deputy General Li had no choice but to go to the yamen. The Rui Prince was handling official business there today. When he was riding by earlier, he heard a commoner on the roadside mention it.
He didn't pay much attention at that time, but now it seemed he had to go. Otherwise, he couldn't fulfill the eldest prince's order, and he would also lose face. Thinking of this, he quickly left.
"Deputy General Li from the Eldest Prince's Mansion requests an audience!" someone came to report.
Guo Jun looked back at Du Guqing, and Geng Junhu also pricked up his ears. Hearing that someone from the Eldest Prince's Mansion had come, he immediately perked up.
"My brother - in - law is here to save me. If you don't let me go, you'll regret it." Geng Junhu started to shout again. As soon as he heard the name of Deputy General Li, he gained confidence, and his face was full of defiance.
"Then this prince will wait," the white - haired young man beside Guo Jun said coldly. Meeting his sharp gaze, Geng Junhu couldn't help shivering.
"Humph!" Geng Junhu didn't bother arguing with them. "Hey, someone from the Eldest Prince's Mansion is here. How dare you not see him?"
"Let him in. This prince wants to see who dares to plead for you," Du Guqing said with disdain on his face.
Geng Junhu tilted his head up. "I bet you don't dare not to see him."
The yamen runner went out and called Deputy General Li in.
"I pay my respects to the Rui Prince!" Deputy General Li quickly bowed. After all, a higher - ranking official can crush a lower - ranking one, not to mention that the other was a prince.
"Get up. What do you want to see this prince about?" Du Guqing scanned him coldly.
"This humble one has a letter from the eldest prince. Please have a look, Your Highness."
"The letter has been received. You've seen the situation. Now go back and report," Du Guqing knew what Du Gu Ming would say without even opening the letter, so he had no interest in reading it.
Deputy General Li didn't leave. "Your Highness, this Geng Junhu is the younger brother of the eldest prince's wife. It won't look good to the eldest prince if you keep him here. How about..."
Geng Junhu was so happy that he jumped up. "I told you. Hurry up and let me go, or you'll be in big trouble."
"Oh? What does it matter to this prince if it doesn't look good to the eldest prince?" Du Guqing knew that his brothers never took him seriously, which was why these over - bearing lackeys didn't put him in their eyes either.
"The eldest prince is the elder, and you are the younger. You should respect the elder," Deputy General Li said plausibly.
"Then this prince has the obligation to teach the dog raised by his elder brother what respect is!" Du Guqing turned around and shouted behind him, "Li Zhonghu!"
"Here!" Li Zhonghu quickly stepped forward.
"Tell your brothers to teach the people of the eldest prince what respect is. Each person should give them fifty slaps on each side of the face. If anyone is too gentle or misses a slap, they won't get any food today. Do you understand?"
"Yes! This humble one understands clearly and will never disappoint Your Highness."
"What? How dare you? I'll tell the eldest prince when I get back!" Deputy General Li still refused to admit defeat. He thought Du Guqing was just scaring him.
Li Zhonghu had long disliked this Deputy General Li. "Your Highness, then this humble one won't be polite."
He immediately rolled up his sleeves, and two others held Deputy General Li down on the ground, making him unable to move.
Seeing that Du Guqing was serious, the man was scared and shouted, "Du Guqing, you're so bold. Don't you know who I work for? Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its master. I'm a man beside the eldest prince."
As soon as his words ended, there came the crisp sounds of "pa", "pa", "pa", accompanied by Deputy General Li's shrill cries, "The eldest prince will never forgive you. He will never forgive you!"
"Fine. Let the elder brother come to me then!" Du Guqing was happy to watch the show.
"Ouch, it hurts so much." Deputy General Li kept screaming. Li Zhonghu and the others had been trained for years, so they were very strong. After a few slaps, Deputy General Li was unrecognizable.
"Eldest prince..." As soon as Deputy General Li mentioned the eldest prince, heavier slaps fell on his face.
"Pa", "Pa"
"Ah"
"This prince will teach you that there's only one prince in Jiangnan," Du Guqing continued to read his case files. The sounds around him didn't affect him at all.
"Eighty - nine, ninety..."
"One hundred and one..."
After one hundred and fifty slaps, the hands of the three guards were sore. After completing the task, Li Zhonghu and the other two stood aside rubbing their hands. Deputy General Li had a pig - like face.
His eyes were full of hatred. "You just wait..."
Geng Junhu didn't dare to look. Deputy General Li's eyes were almost closed, and his mouth was swollen higher than his nose. "You just wait." After one hundred and fifty slaps, Deputy General Li could only speak in a slurred voice.
Then he ran out in a sorry state.
"Your Highness..."
Seeing the man run away, Li Zhonghu looked at Du Guqing worriedly.
"Don't worry about that man. How dare anyone ride on this prince's head? I don't know who gave them the courage," Du Guqing glanced at Geng Junhu and then at Guo Jun. "Issue a public notice. We'll have a public trial for this guy tomorrow. Those who have grievances or grudges can submit their petitions tomorrow."
"Yes!"
Hearing about the public trial, Guo Jun beamed with joy. "Your Highness, that's great!"
"Why didn't you cheer when we were slapping that man just now?"
"That man was just passing by, but the Geng family has been causing harm here. Although slapping that man was satisfying, the problem hasn't been solved yet."
Hearing Guo Jun's words, Du Guqing greatly admired Mei Qingxue's ability to judge people. It was a pity that he was still sleeping in the study. He didn't know when the princess would show mercy.
"You're right. Have you finished reading the case files about those disputes that this prince asked you to read?"
"Yes, Guo Jun has finished reading them. I've also tried to handle some of them. I don't know if they're appropriate. Please have a look, Your Highness." Guo Jun brought a booklet that recorded the cases he had handled.
Du Guqing nodded while reading. "Not bad. The princess really didn't misjudge you."
"This guy dared to molest this prince's princess. Even if this prince didn't deal with him tomorrow, he would be beaten to death by the victims of the flood."
"Tomorrow, spread the word that Miss Mei, the princess of the Rui Prince, was almost molested by the young master of the Geng family. Fortunately, the princess brought guards with her. That lecher was so bold."
Du Guqing used Mei Qingxue's reputation to arouse public indignation. Mei Qingxue had a very good reputation in the south. If the people knew that their fairy had been treated rudely, there would be no need for torture. Public indignation alone would be enough to crush this scoundrel.
"Yes!" How could Guo Jun not know that his sister - in - law was the Plum Blossom Fairy.
"Notice! There is a man named Geng Junhu who bullies men and oppresses women. He will be publicly tried at the vegetable market tomorrow. Those who want to file a lawsuit can write their petitions!"
"It's the Plum Blossom Fairy who blessed us and brought the Rui Prince."
"Let's go and find someone to write a petition!"
Geng Longtian knew that his son was doomed when he saw that Deputy General Li hadn't accomplished anything. He tried to meet the Rui Prince many times but was blocked by the guards. He was just a merchant. Who would care about him? Originally, the Geng family had been doing evil under the guise of the eldest prince. Du Guqing was also very angry. He just used the Geng family as an example, and then he would go after the officials.
It was just a matter of time.
On the day of the public trial, a high platform was set up early at the vegetable market. The on - looking commoners surrounded it in layers. As soon as they saw Geng Junhu being escorted onto the platform and kneeling there, the indignant commoners picked up stones and threw them at him.
Some even threw rotten vegetables. Geng Junhu had never been so embarrassed before.
Guo Jun asked someone to read out Geng Junhu's numerous crimes while arranging people to collect the petitions. There was a large pile of petitions. Geng Junhu, looking as pale as death, knew that he was finished.
"My son..."
Geng Longtian couldn't get close to the high platform. He wailed from afar. Geng Junhu's mother and more than a dozen concubines also came crying.
"My husband..."
"My lord..."
These women managed to squeeze in. When Geng Junhu's mother saw her son's bruised and swollen face, she fainted on the spot. The more than a dozen concubines cried loudly. "Get them all to one side. What a mess." Mei Qingxue, who was watching coldly from the side, knew that Du Guqing would surely be annoyed by so many women. She immediately told the guards to drive the women away.
Seeing that there was no hope of saving his son, Geng Longtian slumped to the ground. He secretly hated Du Guqing and decided to ask his daughter to complain about Du Guqing in front of the eldest prince. After all, the Geng family was related to the royal family. How dare Du Guqing treat them like this?
"Behead him!"
The executioner raised his blade and dropped it. Du Guqing said coldly, "If anyone thinks they can do evil without being punished, this man is an example. Don't try to challenge this prince's authority and patience."
"I hope those of you with money and power will take this as a warning." After saying that, Du Guqing turned around and left. After handling this case, he felt relieved. No one was allowed to have designs on his wife.
How could Du Guqing tolerate the family of a concubine of a prince bullying others? These people made him so angry that he couldn't even rest in peace.
"Deputy General Li, what happened to your face?" Du Gu Ming was stunned when he saw Deputy General Li's face. "It's said that Geng Longtian's son tried to molest the princess of the Rui Prince and even wanted to take her as his twelfth concubine. This humble one just said a few words for Geng Junhu in front of the Rui Prince, and then I was beaten like this."
"Really?" Du Gu Ming looked cold. Du Guqing was well - known for doting on his wife and hardly had any concubines. Geng Junhu was just asking for trouble. He didn't even bother to find out the identity of the woman he wanted to take.