Chapter 14: Teaching Qi Zheng Voice Messages
Chen Bai wrote a few words on the paper, folded it, then had someone deliver it to Duke Shang.
He did not even show Qi Zheng. It was all very mysterious.
Crown Prince Jiao frowned and glanced at Yang Wei.
Yang Wei shook his head. He truly could not think of any possible loophole.
Shang Wangshu found it rather amusing. He had not expected that a spur-of-the-moment decision to act as witness would lead him into something this interesting. After this incident, the Crown Prince’s overly prideful temperament should be restrained somewhat.
However, when he unfolded the paper handed to him and glanced at it, his pupils abruptly contracted.
Everyone was stunned. Why did Duke Shang react like that? What exactly was written on that slip of paper?
Shang Wangshu carefully put the paper away, raised his eyes to Chen Bai, and said, “What a fine mad scholar who defies convention.”
Everyone: “…”
Chen Bai did not mind at all. He only asked, “Duke Shang, did I win?”
Shang Wangshu was silent for a long moment. In the end, he nodded and announced, “The third contest… goes to the Second Prince’s residence.”
Uproar.
A wave of shock broke out.
How was that possible?
For this question, they were assuming that Chen Zixiu’s crimes were established. The court had sentenced Chen Zixiu only to return to Shangjing Academy to study, a punishment so light it barely counted. How could that be fair?
To disgrace the imperial family was an enormous offense. That judgment definitely did not conform to the Great Qian legal code.
Crown Prince Jiao’s expression became unreadable. Why would Duke Shang judge the other side the winner? Did Duke Shang know something?
Impossible. Even if there were doubts in this matter, they were not enough for Duke Shang to directly favor the other side.
It was that slip of paper. Something must have been written on it to make Duke Shang reach such a decision.
Everyone’s gazes turned toward Shang Wangshu, hoping to hear a reasonable explanation.
Shang Wangshu’s face revealed no emotion. “Since it was a judgment decided by the imperial family and personally reviewed and issued by the Nine Ministers, how could there be anything unfair about it? The court has always been fair.”
Everyone: “…”
That explanation was far too perfunctory. If it were anyone else, perhaps they would not dare question the court’s judgment. But who was Shang Wangshu? Never mind questioning it, even if he wanted to overturn the original verdict, it would not be impossible.
Shang Wangshu added, “This matter ends here. Today, this old man is only the one setting questions, not here to retry a case.”
If they kept discussing it, the implications would become far too great.
Everyone: “…”
Even Qi Zheng looked at Chen Bai in surprise. How exactly had he done it?
What kind of words could make even Duke Shang so deeply wary that he refused to continue discussing it?
The atmosphere at the scene became strange, because the result was far too unexpected.
Shang Wangshu also clenched the paper in his sleeve. The contents written on it were indeed something only he alone could see.
The sentence on the paper was branded into his mind like a seal.
“Should a prince who violates the law be punished the same as a commoner?”
Just a few words, yet they struck directly at the root of law, shaking Shang Wangshu’s heart.
With one glance, he understood what Chen Bai meant to express.
Great Qian’s law was inherently unfair. Since that was the case, no matter how the court sentenced him, it was reasonable.
Did Shang Wangshu dare object? Did he dare say that when a prince violated the law, he should be punished the same as a commoner?
Even though he had reached his current position, he still did not dare challenge imperial power.
Since a prince who broke the law could not be judged the same as an ordinary citizen, then Chen Zixiu, the eldest son of the Court Commandant’s residence, one of the Nine Ministers and a noble among nobles, being given a lighter sentence was also perfectly logical.
That one sentence touched Shang Wangshu deeply. He had spent the latter half of his life dealing with law. He had always been proud of the legal system he had reformed, yet he had often felt that something was lacking.
The root of law was fairness and justice. Yet how could laws controlled by the powerful and noble ever achieve true fairness?
Today, from this one sentence, he finally understood what had always felt incomplete to him.
Of course, he also knew very clearly that if he wanted to make up for that deficiency, it would be like throwing an egg against a stone, courting his own destruction.
That was why Shang Wangshu had described Chen Bai, the one who could write such a sentence, as “defying convention.”
Chen Bai also sighed inwardly. He was using ideas that crossed time and space to collide with the existing legal system. Sparks were bound to fly.
He was also certain that Duke Shang would not make the contents of the paper public. The current legal code had been reformed by Duke Shang’s own hand, and the essence of law’s pursuit of fairness and justice was, in a sense, opposed to imperial power.
If Duke Shang brought such ideas out for public discussion, the first person to suffer would not be Chen Bai, but Duke Shang himself.
Shang Wangshu was not in a particularly good mood now. The thing he had pursued his entire life now seemed impossible to fully realize.
What he did not know was that thousands of years later, his ideas would continue to be carried forward.
Therefore, in Chen Bai’s eyes, Shang Wangshu was a true thinker, prophet, and practitioner. The fairness and justice he pursued might not be attainable in this era, but they would guide people of different eras toward the correct direction.
The surrounding crowd fell silent. Since Duke Shang had made it clear that he did not want to continue this matter, they had no grounds to say more.
At that moment, Crown Prince Jiao’s voice rang out. “What shall the next round be?”
His voice was as calm as possible, but somehow it gave people the sense of a gambler, as though he had lost until his eyes were red and would do anything to win once.
Indeed, he had lost until his eyes were red. Chen Bai glanced at the sky. It was already getting dark. If they kept gambling, it would soon be curfew. With so many people here, were they going to violate the curfew just to watch their contest?
Besides, Shang Wangshu probably had no mood left to set questions now. Though Chen Bai had only written one sentence, to Shang Wangshu, that was a battle of ideas. Calling it a storm that overturned the sky and sea would not be an exaggeration.
As expected, Shang Wangshu’s expression had already become rather poor. A dignified Crown Prince, for the sake of momentary victory or defeat, had actually lost sight of everything else?
Chen Bai secretly smiled. Crown Prince Jiao had noble status, but if one of the Three Dukes disliked him, there would come a day when he would suffer for it.
Chen Bai struck while the iron was hot. “Well… why not end things here for today?”
As soon as he said this, Crown Prince Jiao said, “Why not continue? Did you not boast of being an unparalleled strategist, able to stand against a hundred alone? This has only been three rounds. Or is this the limit of your talent?”
Chen Bai directly raised his hand and pointed at the sky. “Is Your Highness planning to lead everyone here into violating curfew?”
Sure enough, Shang Wangshu’s face looked even worse. A dignified Crown Prince was not even as thoughtful as an ordinary man without official rank.
Chen Bai continued, “How about another day? Let us set it for five days from now, and hold a contest once every five days.”
“We will still have to trouble Duke Shang to continue setting the questions and serving as witness.”
Shangjing Academy had a rest day every five days. Only then would he have time.
Just thinking about being able to torment Crown Prince Jiao once every five days made him a little excited.
You framed me, didn’t you? Just wait and see if I don’t slap your face to pieces.
Neither servile nor overbearing—in everyone’s eyes, Chen Bai showed no stage fright, nor did he shrink back from the arrogant words he had once spoken.
By contrast, Crown Prince Jiao appeared far too impatient.
Without waiting for Crown Prince Jiao’s answer, Shang Wangshu directly said, “Then it is settled. Curfew is approaching. Everyone may disperse.”
After saying this, he cupped his hands toward Crown Prince Jiao and Qi Zheng, gave Chen Bai an intrigued glance, then left with his people.
It was indeed getting late today, and with the witness already gone, the crowd began to scatter as well.
Even after they had walked far away, their discussions could still be heard.
“Three losses in a row. Those retainers of Crown Prince Jiao used to look so impressive, but they actually lost three times to the same person.”
“No wonder that Mountain Lord dared say that having him alone on the retainer register was enough.”
“Exactly. One against a whole group.”
“It was truly too exciting. There will be another contest in five days. We absolutely cannot miss it. Tell me, if Crown Prince Jiao loses again next time…”
“And what exactly is going on with Chen Zixiu’s case? I think what that Mountain Lord said might not be unreasonable.”
“If someone really was wronged, that would be terrible. The people of Shangjing have thrown no small number of rotten eggs and vegetable leaves at him. This matter should indeed be investigated clearly.”
“…”
No doubt this wave of discussion would soon sweep through all of Shangjing.
Chen Bai was happy, but as for Crown Prince Jiao…
He did not even maintain appearances anymore. He left with a flick of his sleeves without even saying a word of farewell to Qi Zheng. His face looked as if he had eaten dog dung. Clearly, this had been a trap he set against Qi Zheng, but in the end…
After the crowd dispersed, the servants in front of Qi Zheng’s residence began cleaning up the scene.
Qi Zheng handed the compound bow in his hand to Chen Bai. “Your bow.”
Chen Bai shook his head. “I’m giving it to you.”
After all, Qi Zheng had lent him the location and his status to take revenge. Otherwise, as a masked commoner, how could he have had the chance to face Crown Prince Jiao?
Then, waving his hand, he headed toward the street.
The setting sun slanted across the ground. His demonic red attire looked relaxed and unrestrained.
Qi Zheng did not know why, but he said, “See you in five days.”
Chen Bai paused, then continued waving his hand.
Qi Zheng: “…”
Damn demon. This was an invitation from a dignified prince, yet he did not even reply.
Then Qi Zheng touched the bow in his hand. He liked this bow.
Chen Bai avoided the crowd and went into an empty alley to take off the outer robe, put it away, and remove his mask and colored contacts. Only then did he go to the teahouse to pick up Chen Xiaobu.
As soon as he entered the room, Chen Xiaobu pounced on him, hugged his leg, and shook his little head excitedly while screaming.
Had this child’s head been caught in a door?
“Brother, where did you go just now? You don’t even know what you missed! It was amazing.”
He was so excited he could not stop.
It was already a little late, so Chen Bai took Chen Xiaobu home.
Along the way, Chen Xiaobu’s startled, exaggerated voice never stopped.
“Brother, have you ever seen bowls that clear and translucent? They looked like they were made of jade. That Mountain Lord gave Prince Zheng a whole big box without even blinking.”
“And those colorful pills that no one had ever seen before. They didn’t even need to be boiled. They worked as soon as they were swallowed. So magical.”
“And there was a divine bow that could instantly turn someone into a sharpshooter.”
“Brother, that Mountain Lord even spoke up for you. He said the court judged the case without enough evidence.”
“…”
After returning to the Court Commandant’s residence, Chen Bai finally managed to send away Chen Xiaobu, who had chattered all the way home.
But not long after, he was disturbed again.
On his phone, Qi Zheng had sent him quite a few junk messages.
Chen Bai almost wanted to chop off his own obsessive-compulsive hand. Why could he never resist tapping them open every time? It would be fine if the messages actually had meaningful content.
Finally, after opening more than ten of them, Chen Bai could not hold back and started a video call.
Before Qi Zheng could speak, Chen Bai said, “Can you stop touching it so frequently? That stone slab is my body. How would you feel if I kept touching you too?”
Qi Zheng had originally thought that he and this demon had cooperated pleasantly today and had rarely wanted to chat a little, but then…
Touch… touch… body?
His face darkened. How could such filthy words be spoken out loud?
Chen Bai added, “I’ll teach you how to send voice messages later.”
That was better than clicking on meaningless garbled text every time.
After speaking, Chen Bai hung up the video and went to eat.
Qi Zheng silently looked at the stone slab. The stone slab was that demon’s body? Then hadn’t he touched it quite a lot before? It had been cool to the touch, and he had even tucked it inside his clothes.
Why did it feel… strange?
Then he flipped the stone slab over and poked it twice with his finger.
“We… we are not even the same species. What is wrong with touching it a little?”
For example, if it were an animal that was not wearing clothes, what shame was there in touching it a couple times?
Besides, was this demon complaining that he was being handsy?
Who was it before who could not even wear his clothes properly, exposing his arms and legs?
And now he was acting particular with him. Hah.
