Fragrance rises to dance

Chapter 81

"What do you think Shengxiang is thinking about?" After thinking for a while in the car, Wenren Nuan sighed softly, her expression somewhat melancholy, as if tinged with sorrow.

“He just… just wants everyone around him to be well.” Yu Cuiwei smiled faintly.

Wenren Nuan slowly shook her head; she couldn't understand.

“He can’t stay at that house anymore, and it’s not good for him to stay any longer.”

Yu Cuiwei only said one more thing: "Whether you're willing to leave or not, you have to go."

She seemed to understand something, but more than that, she was completely bewildered about Shengxiang.

The carriage stopped, and Bai Tao Tang was in sight. Yu Cuiwei stood up and stepped out of the carriage.

Zhao Pu was currently worried about the dead bird in the woodshed, and he had also heard that the servants had been seeing strange figures lately. Not to mention, all these strange occurrences stemmed from the arrival of Shengxiang's two "friends." Shengxiang, that boy, never had any good teachers or friends, only making friends with scoundrels; the stranger the person, the more he liked them. Just now, the two "friends" finally took their leave, and Zhao Pu was about to breathe a sigh of relief and give Shengxiang a good scolding that evening, when he heard Taibo outside repeatedly crying out, "Young Master, what are you doing on the roof? It's dangerous on the roof, come down quickly!"

Zhao Pu was taken aback. He rushed out and looked up, only to see Sheng Xiang removing tiles from the roof of his own room, the "No Frowning Eyebrows" room. He was furious and shouted, "Sheng Xiang! What are you doing up there! Get down here!"

Saint Incense answered from afar, "I'm looking for something..."

"Get down here! What will people think if they see this? Lord Wang is coming to visit later, get down here right now!" Zhao Pu was furious. "What are you looking for? What do you need to climb onto the roof to look for? Get down! Get down right now!"

"I clearly remember hiding it here..." Shengxiang was still searching, turning the roof tiles upside down. "Father, I found it and I'm coming down right away. I saw Lord Wang come in. You should go have tea with him quickly..."

"Get down here right now!" Zhao Pu roared, trembling with rage. He pointed at Shengxiang, "I spoiled you rotten since you were little, and that's why you've grown up like this. No wonder someone wants to write a memorial accusing you of running rampant in the capital and disregarding the law! I thought you'd become more sensible after this trip, but you've only gotten worse... If I don't discipline you this time, I'll definitely regret it later!" He pulled a ruler from the study. "Get down!"

Shengxiang cried out, "Wow!" This was the first time he had ever seen his father pull out a board. He had never been truly beaten before, so it was clear that Zhao Pu was really furious this time. He shrank back and shouted, "Dad, take out the board! How dare I go down there... I'm not playing tricks, I'm looking for something... I hid my treasure here when I was little..." He continued to rummage through the roof tiles.

Taibo carried over a ladder and climbed up. "Young master, what are you looking for? Taibo will help you find it. You'd better get down quickly, lest you upset the master."

When Shengxiang saw Taibo climb up, she was startled and quickly pulled him up and helped him up. "It's dangerous on the roof. What are you doing climbing up here? If you fall, Master will have to go to the kitchen to get a cleaver..." As she spoke, she stuck out her tongue and glanced at Zhao Pu, who was furious. She pretended not to see it and continued to shout with her back to Zhao Pu: "Father, I'll come down as soon as I find it."

"Lord Zhao..." Lord Wang, who had just entered, looked blankly at Zhao Pu, who was angrily pointing a ruler at his son on the roof, and bowed, saying, "If Lord Zhao has business tonight, I will come again tomorrow..."

When Zhao Pu turned around and saw Lord Wang, he was unsure whether to put the board away or not. He could only let out a heavy snort and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Lord Wang. My unfilial son has really made me very angry."

Lord Wang forced a smile, "How could that be... It is said that the young master of your household is a master painter, skilled at painting beauties. I heard that the beauties in the Hundred Peach Hall painted by Young Master Shengxiang are very popular among the people of Bianjing..." He suddenly realized that he had said the wrong thing, his face darkened, and his smile froze.

"He—went to a brothel to paint the girls in the courtyard?" Zhao Pu gasped. He only knew that Sheng Xiang loved to play and make trouble, but he never thought that he would be so bold as to visit a brothel. He was so angry that he felt a lump in his throat and couldn't catch his breath for a long time. His face turned pale.

Shengxiang saw it from the rooftop at a glance. "Father!" He scrambled down the ladder from Taibo in a few steps and rushed over to pat Zhao Pu on the back. "Father, Father, don't hold it in, breathe in some fresh air, come on... take a slow breath, um... don't rush to speak, exhale forcefully..."

Zhao Pu nearly choked, barely managing to catch his breath after being pushed away by Sheng Xiang. As soon as he recovered, he slapped Sheng Xiang hard across the face. "You...you unfilial son..." Completely oblivious to how close he'd come to a nervous breakdown, he pointed a trembling finger at Sheng Tun, "You actually dared to go to a brothel! Tell me! Where did you get the money to go to a brothel? Besides whoring, gambling, and associating with bad friends, what other shameful things have you done?"

Shengxiang turned her face to the side after being slapped, but still held her father firmly. "I...I..." He seemed to have something to say, but paused and finally didn't say anything. He just frowned and said, "Dad, you can hit or scold me as you please, but don't get too angry and hurt yourself."

"I've raised a son like you, and you'll drive me crazy even if nothing's wrong!" Zhao Pu grabbed the ruler he had just found and slapped it across Sheng Xiang's body. Sheng Xiang bit his lip and didn't move. Zhao Pu slapped him once and, seeing that he didn't move, raised the ruler and slapped him again, saying sternly, "Do you have any explanation?"

Shengxiang took a step back, because Zhao Pu had narrowly missed hitting him in the eye. "Father... I... I'm unfilial..."

He didn't utter a single word in defense. Zhao Pu's anger, which had just been vented, flared up again. "Today, in front of Lord Wang, I will teach you a lesson, you unfilial son!"

With a "smack," the ruler landed on Shengxiang's chest. Zhao Pu's heart skipped a beat. He had just felt a pang of heartache, wondering if the child could withstand such a beating. But then he thought that it was precisely because of this that he had spoiled him so much over the years, which fueled his anger. So he struck Shengxiang's neck hard again.

The location of the blows was not visible, but this one landed on the left side of the neck, leaving a red mark with traces of blood. Lord Wang panicked, fearing Zhao Pu was enraged, and advised, "Lord Zhao, this...this...I'm afraid this is inappropriate..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Xiang walked in through the courtyard gate. "Father."

Zhao Pu restrained himself a bit in front of Zhao Xiang, coughed, and asked with a stern face, "What is it?"

Zhao Xiang pointed to Shengxiang, "I received a letter from Steward Bi, it's for Father, about my third brother."

"What letter?" Zhao Pu's face was extremely grim. "Bring it here."

Zhao Xiang unfolded a letter. Sheng Xiang didn't know what it was, but after glancing at it, she thought the calligraphy was quite beautiful. Zhao Pu's expression grew increasingly grim as he read, and after finishing, he tore it open with a "whoosh," and sneered at Sheng Xiang, "I heard you made friends with some of the court's most wanted criminals when you went out?"

Shengxiang was taken aback. Zhao Pu, now enraged, laughed coldly. "Hahaha, you've got some nerve! Lord Li of the Dali Temple hinted to me that you were colluding with that wanted criminal, that murderer-demon, and I didn't believe it at first. Now I finally know, you actually dared to hide a wanted criminal in my Zhao residence—tell me! Who were those two people who just left? I thought they were just guests you met somewhere, but now I know you dared to hide a wanted murderer for ten years in your home… Hehehe…"

Hello! You're very clever! Aren't you afraid that if someone finds out, your father and your eldest and second brothers will be executed along with your entire family? You have a lot of nerve!

After this barrage of angry rebukes, Shengxiang was truly stunned—he clearly remembered that Yu Cuiwei was by no means a wanted criminal. Although he had harmed many people, he never left a trace and never opposed the government. Where could the yamen find any trace of his murders? If someone said he was a wanted criminal for ten years, then it must be…it must be that someone had tampered with the official records, or that someone in the court wanted to kill Yu Cuiwei! Seeing Zhao Pu's face turn red and white with anger, Lord Wang was actually afraid. He quickly took his leave, regretting that he had come at the wrong time. Shengxiang couldn't utter a single word in defense. He had indeed…hidden Yu Cuiwei in the Prime Minister's residence, he had indeed…put the safety of the Prime Minister's residence in such danger. Although it was impossible for a martial arts figure to actually attack the Prime Minister's residence, and it was absolutely impossible for him to openly oppose the court, he had indeed only wanted to force himself to leave home decisively at that time, he had indeed not considered things carefully, he had indeed…felt guilty!

Shengxiang bit her lip and remained silent. Zhao Xiang suddenly said coldly, "You are harboring a criminal wanted by the court. Things have come to this point, and Lord Wang has already heard about it. If you don't leave now, do you want us to report to the Dali Temple and have the soldiers come to arrest you?"

Zhao Pu was startled—what did Zhao Xiang mean by that?

"you--"

Zhao Xiang grabbed Zhao Pu's shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Father, keeping him alive is keeping a great threat!" His tone was serious and low. "Father is in a crisis right now and cannot leave this handle. Third Brother's mischief and troublemaking are already obvious to everyone. Whether the matter of harboring him is true or not, Father must make a decisive decision and show his attitude to avoid giving people a reason to say that Father condoned his son's violence and acted tyrannically in the neighborhood!" Although Zhao Pu had made great contributions, he was not well-educated but had great power and had already offended many people. If Sheng Xiang were to be kept alive today, he would surely become a great threat in the future.

Shengxiang took another step back, only to hear Zhao Xiang say coldly, "Father has indulged you in your misdeeds for twenty years, which is more than enough. Today, I am expelling you from the Prime Minister's residence. Do you know how many faults you have committed?"

Shengxiang looked into Zhao Xiang's eyes, which were filled with genuine heartache and indignation. Zhao Xiang said, "Firstly, you abused your position as the Prime Minister's son to act recklessly in Bianjing, associating with bad friends and incurring the displeasure of many in the court, who condemned you as a scoundrel! Secondly, as the Prime Minister's son, you frequented brothels, gambled, and instigated disturbances! Thirdly, you indulged in women, hiding a high-ranking criminal in your home, committing heinous crimes! Now the Zhao family expels you from our home. From this day forward, you have no connection with the Zhao family whatsoever. Even if the military patrol sends men to hunt you down and you are imprisoned, or if you commit further crimes in the future, whether you live or die, it will be none of the Zhao family's concern!" A chilling glint flashed in Zhao Xiang's eyes. "Did you understand?"

Shengxiang bit her lip, closed her eyes, then opened them again, looking at Zhao Pu. Zhao Pu's lips trembled, "You—sigh—" He turned away, "Go, from now on, your father can no longer control you. I only regret that I didn't discipline you strictly when you were young, and I trusted you too much..."

Zhao Xiang's eyes suddenly widened, and he shouted sternly, "Hurry up and leave!"

Shengxiang was so shocked by his shout that he stumbled back several steps. Zhao Xiang coldly declared, "From this day forward, you have nothing to do with the Zhao family!" Zhao Xiang helped Zhao Pu up, and the two of them looked at Shengxiang. Shengxiang bit his lip so deeply that the teeth marks were crimson, yet he smiled. "Father, take care." He slowly turned around, something falling from his sleeve and rolling a few times on the ground. "This... throw it away." He said nothing more, leaped over the wall, and left the Prime Minister's residence that had raised him for over twenty years.

Zhao Xiang and Zhao Pu's eyes were both fixed on the wad of paper that Sheng Xiang had dropped. It was the "treasure" that Sheng Xiang had found by rummaging through a pile of tiles on the roof. It was swaying in the wind and looked like a wad of paper.

For some reason, neither Zhao Pu nor Zhao Xiang picked it up. After a while, Zhao Xiang finally let out a soft "Ah," and said, "A kite."

It was a kite cover, a very ordinary swallow. Zhao Pu's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. This was the "treasure" he had been searching for all this time... This kite cover was the one he had made by hand for Sheng Xiang when she was seven years old, the first time he took her to fly a kite in the yard... "Your third brother..."

He suddenly said in a trembling voice, "Quickly call your third brother back! Go now!"