Chapter 10 Tavern Confrontation
Lu Yinchuan and I were both pleased.
He said he would treat me to wine.
My tolerance was good, and I considered him a friend.
So I did not refuse.
Halfway through, as usual, he draped his arm over my shoulder.
His lips nearly touched my face.
"Chu Bingzhi."
"I really want to go with you to Jinling..."
Before he finished, the private room door was kicked open.
In my drunken haze.
I saw the intruder.
It was Zhao Yan.
His face darkened as he grabbed Lu Yinchuan by the neck and yanked him to the ground.
I was frightened and said nothing.
Zhao Yan overturned the wine jars and cups on the table, coldly glaring at me.
"This Prince gave you a good match, and you rejected it."
"Yet you came here to fool around with him."
"This Prince thinks of you wholeheartedly, and this is how you repay This Prince."
With that, he scooped me up.
Only when thrown into the carriage did I realize the tavern was empty upstairs and down.
Lu Yinchuan followed.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?"
"This subject and Bingzhi are colleagues, close friends. Does sharing a meal violate the laws of the dynasty? If so, which one? Please enlighten this subject."
Zhao Yan sneered and hurled his sword.
"Scram."
At the same time, I heard a muffled groan.
The driver cracked the whip, and the carriage soon left the place.
I asked him, "Has Your Highness misunderstood something?"
Zhao Yan looked displeased.
"This Prince knows best. The way he looked at you just now was not how a normal man looks at another man."
Zhao Yan's face was twisted with rage, his grip tight on the carriage frame as if he could barely contain himself.
I opened my mouth.
But found myself unable to speak.
He leaned against the carriage wall, rubbing his brow. After a long while, he spoke wearily.
"Chu Bingzhi, what should This Prince do with you?"
I was dazed.
"Your Highness need not treat this subject this way. Just marry Zhang Ruhua. She is good; you will fall for her."
Zhao Yan did not look at me.
He gazed out the window, his voice choked. "No."