CHAPTER 564: CHAPTER 564: COMPENSATION

Sitting in the carriage, Su Jin returned to Prince Zhenbei Mansion.

After this journey, Su Jin was so exhausted that she kept wiping the sweat off her neck with a handkerchief.

But there was someone even more tired than her.

That person was Xingxing.

Su Jin came to the Yan Family with a servant, while Xingxing happened to return to Prince Mansion via another road.

After entering the mansion, the servant informed her that Su Jin had returned to the Marquis Mansion.

Xingxing was worried something happened at the Marquis Mansion, so she immediately rushed back.

Realizing it was a misunderstanding, she then went to the Yan Family.

The result was——

She was still a step late.

However, in the end, Xingxing managed to catch up with Su Jin on the bustling street.

It wasn’t that Su Jin wanted to go for a stroll, but the area in front of Drunken Immortal Pavilion was blocked once again.

This time the blockade was even more severe than before.

Su Jin was stuck on the street, unable to move forward or back.

Xingxing thought that with such severe blockage, her lady might be not far ahead.

Xingxing’s intuition was completely correct; she hadn’t even gotten off the carriage yet and just stood on the shaft, already recognizing Su Jin’s carriage.

After getting into the carriage, Xingxing’s face was full of grievance, "Finally caught up with you, my lady."

Su Jin couldn’t bear to see her little pathetic look, tapping her on the head, "You have the nerve to say that, where did you run off to?"

Xingxing rubbed her forehead, which didn’t actually hurt, "After giving the parrot to the Ninth Prince, I planned to return to the mansion."

"But on the way, I remembered how that parrot was so good at cursing, so I went back to inquire at the place that sold parrots."

The Young Master Su’s parrot could talk because it had been in the brothel and rice shop before.

But Su Jin’s parrot could curse "ugly monster" and "old hag," and Xingxing couldn’t for the life of her figure out what kind of person its previous owner could have been.

With Xingxing’s words, Su Jin also became curious, "Did you find out?"

"I did," Xingxing nodded repeatedly.

"The parrot’s previous owner was a widow with a pair of children, often cursed by the neighbor’s woman, probably got used to hearing it, so it learned."

"Six months ago, the woman’s son fell ill, and she reluctantly sold the parrot."

"Later, the parrot had a few more owners, and it was returned each time for its foul mouth."

"...."

These dark histories of the parrot were never mentioned by the shopkeeper when they sold it.

Now they honestly told Xingxing everything.

Su Jin found this quite unusual.

"And then?" Su Jin asked.

"The shopkeeper said I could return the parrot but would deduct fifty taels, only refunding two hundred and fifty taels," Xingxing said.

"The parrot has already been given to the Ninth Prince, so we definitely can’t return it."

"So I negotiated with the shopkeeper to get fifty taels."

"...."

Xingxing had to cajole and persist to get that fifty taels.

Because of the delay, she only caught up with Su Jin now.

Exhausted and sweaty, Xingxing wiped her sweat with an embroidered handkerchief as Bi Zhu poured her some tea.

Drinking a cup of cold tea brought comfort, making her feel like humming with delight.

Xingxing lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside. Just as someone passed by, she asked, "Uncle, why is it blocked ahead?"

The man glanced at Xingxing and said, "Ahead at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, Prince NanAn and the Heir of Duke Chong got into a fight, and the place is almost demolished."

Su Jin, "...."

Xingxing, "...."

Su Jin rubbed her temples.

Why did they start fighting again?

There’s not a long story behind it.

After Prince NanAn and his group finished their meal, not even half a cup of tea’s time later, trouble broke out at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

The Heir of Duke Chong couldn’t stand Prince NanAn’s group’s arrogance.

Not only stepping on their pride, but also making a fortune.

So he discreetly ordered someone to stir things up, everyone scrambled to buy lychees, in the chaos, people got trodden on, pushed, and tempers flared up.

A fight quickly broke out downstairs.

Prince NanAn’s group put down their chopsticks and came out to take charge.

They happened to see the Heir of Duke Chong watching the chaos with a gleeful expression.

It was clear he was behind the mischief.

Prince NanAn was already full of anger, then questioned the Heir of Duke Chong about his intentions.

And then they started fighting.

When they fought, everyone else surprisingly quieted down.

The City Patrol Officer had a pounding headache.

Not taking leave today was a grave mistake.

All of them have more prestigious backgrounds one after another, how could they manage it?

"Take all troublemakers away!" the City Patrol Officer said with a heavy heart.

Not only were the troublemakers taken away, but the unsold lychees were also taken along.

Arriving at the City Patrol Office, Prince NanAn looked at the officer and said, "Don’t blame me for not warning you."

"These lychees are from the Conscience Ice Shop, you should know who the master behind it is."

"Now the ice has melted halfway, if you don’t sell them quickly, they won’t be fresh and will spoil, you’ll take a big hit at the City Patrol Office."

Princess Consort Zhenbei, she was practically a nightmare for the City Patrol Office.

Though Dongxiang Marquis Mansion aren’t bandits anymore, the impression is ingrained.

They’re not something the City Patrol Office can mess with.

After the City Patrol Office checked there were no issues with the lychees, they sent them back to the Conscience Ice Shop to continue selling.

Though humiliated, it’s better than suffering a massive loss.

Especially since the lychees were sent back, the steward of the Conscience Ice Shop sent ten catties to the City Patrol Office as a considerate gesture.

The City Patrol Office sent someone to inform each mansion, asking them to come and bail people out.

Additionally, they had to cover the cost of damages to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Everyone shared in this, no one could escape compensation.

The steward from Duke Chong’s Mansion soon arrived, took the Heir of Duke Chong away, and the same for Heir of Wu’an Bo and others.

The steward from Prince NanAn Mansion also came.

After paying compensation, he left a few words, "Our Prince asked the City Patrol Office to detain the Commandery Prince for a few more days, so he can reflect well."

City Patrol Office, "...."

Prince NanAn, "...!!!"

And then——

Prince NanAn and his group spent the night in the cell at the City Patrol Office.

The matter didn’t end that easily.

The next day, the Imperial Censorate impeached Prince NanAn’s group, saying they raised their children poorly.

Prince NanAn as a Commandery Prince, blatantly engaged in selling, causing street blockages, slandered the Heir of Duke Chong, and almost demolished the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in the end.

Taken to the City Patrol Office, they showed no remorse, even threatened the City Patrol Office, making matters worse.

The Imperial Censorate implored the Emperor to severely punish Prince NanAn’s group, as a warning to others.

In court, half agreed with the Imperial Censorate to harshly punish Prince NanAn’s group, while half sided with Prince NanAn.

Dongxiang Marquis said nothing.

The Emperor looked at him, "What does Dongxiang Marquis think?"

Dongxiang Marquis considered and said, "I don’t know the full story, but since Prince NanAn’s group stayed at my mansion, Prince NanAn has paid for me to teach them."

"Their words and deeds, I should also bear half of the responsibility."

"Fighting on the street, causing chaos, they should be severely punished."

"I will have them donate the proceeds from selling lychees as disaster relief."

After Dongxiang Marquis finished, the Emperor looked at the Imperial Censorate, "What does the Imperial Censorate think of this punishment?"

"I have no objections," the Imperial Censorate quickly replied.

Eighteen boxes of lychees were worth at least ten thousand taels?

Who would dare to say such a punishment was too lenient?

No one had any objection.

Then, the matter wasn’t so easily settled.

While the Eastern Marquis House was no longer a bandit, its reputation had taken deep roots.

The City Patrol Office checked and returned the lychees to the Conscience Ice Shop for sale.

Though they cowered, it was better than facing massive losses.

Especially since after the ice had partially melted, selling it off quickly was their only option.

The City Patrol Office sent word to each mansion, asking them to come to pick up their people.

While some may have chickened out, Duke Chong’s Mansion came and took the Heir of Duke Chong back.

Meanwhile, at the supervisory censorate, a man stood by the door, blocking anyone from passing.

His gaze was stern, projecting authority.

Su Jin would usually frown at such sights, but today it seemed a little funny.

She found humor in the tense situation, the absurdity of the conflict in such a public place, and felt a strange sense of amusement at the power dynamics at play.

Her amusement was short-lived as she realized the tension was palpable and misunderstandings could be costly.

"""