A Good Country Wife
Chapter 423 - 417_1

Chapter 423: Chapter 417_1

Princess Yongle had brought up the Emperor himself, so certain in her rationale, Zhou Wentai’s last shred of doubt vanished, and he became even more convinced of the identities of Princess Yongle and her companions. He thought to himself that these people were courting death, how could they offend such nobility? Now, even if he wanted to show bias, it was impossible.

"Yes, yes, I will certainly handle this well," Zhou Wentai quickly replied, and then instructed the government officers beneath him, "Come, take these hooligans and rogues back with me, I will deal with them severely."

The leader of the hooligans and rogues was somewhat dumbfounded seeing Zhou Wentai’s reaction; things were not unfolding as he had anticipated. Due to the relationship with the residence of Wei Guogong, Zhou Wentai was usually very polite to them, but now he was pretending not to know them and was ready to arrest them. Where had things gone wrong?

"Zhou Wentai, you better think this through. We are from the household of Wei Guogong. He has great power and influence, not someone you can afford to provoke. You better release us now. Otherwise, once Wei Guogong hears about this, you won’t be getting off easily!" The man, either too confident in Wei Guogong’s power and prestige or utterly lacking in understanding of the situation, threatened rudely when he saw Zhou Wentai was serious about arresting them.

Zhou Wentai, even with his tolerance, could not help but darken his expression after hearing this. After all, he was a Sixth-rank Official of the court, and to be threatened by such a hooligan was intolerable. He had initially planned to detain them to satisfy the nobles present and then release them later that evening. But now it seemed unnecessary. Even if he was not very competent, he would not let his dignity be trampled underfoot, and he was ready to risk his official hat. Besides, with the nobles present, even if Wei Guogong’s house was powerful, he dared not take the risk of being accused of plotting against the princesses.

With this in mind, Zhou Wentai’s gaze became sharp as he looked at his subordinates who still seemed confused by the situation, clearly intimidated by the ruffian’s threat. He rebuked them harshly, "What are you standing there for? Such men, who not only trouble the common people but also dare to threaten an imperial official, must surely have treacherous hearts. Seize them at once!"

"Yes, Sir! Understood!" The government officers saw Zhou Wentai getting angry and did not dare to hesitate any longer. They detained all the hooligans and rogues. Although they were intimidated by the clout of Wei Guogong’s residence, they could not disobey their Superior’s orders. Zhou Wentai was their direct supervisor, leading them in all matters. If he was not afraid of offending Wei Guogong’s residence, they had little reason to worry too much. At worst, if Wei Guogong’s residence sought someone to blame, it would be Zhou Wentai, who simply obeyed orders.

"You dare to treat me like this, Zhou Wentai, you rabble! Scoundrel! Son of a tortoise! Wait and see, Wei Guogong is my maternal uncle, and he will not let you off once he learns how you’ve dealt with me. Then you’ll see, you insignificant Sixth-rank Official, you won’t be able to hold on to your position!"

"This is outrageous. Someone gag this scoundrel," Zhou Wentai said angrily, no longer wanting to hear the hooligan’s threats and curses. However, it was Princess Yongle who stopped Zhou Wentai.

Lin Yue, upon hearing the words of the hooligan, showed no reaction, as it was obvious that the brashness of these rogues was backed by someone powerful. However, Princess Yongle and Commandery Princess Roujia, upon learning that Wei Guogong was the uncle of the rogue, were surprised and felt an increased disgust. Princess Yongle was especially blunt, "Birds of a feather flock together. Just looking at that old toad Wei Guogong, one can tell he’s no good. So, he’s your uncle, no wonder he indulges his nephew to commit all kinds of mischief outside. I wonder what the Emperor would think if he knew about this? And to think that old wretch often pretends to be so upright and honorable."

"You wretched woman, dare to insult my maternal uncle. If you’re brave enough, state your name. My uncle will not let you off!"

"Spare me not, yet I wish to know how a mere Duke of Wei cannot spare me. Listen well, my title is Yongle, the beloved sister of the current Emperor, bestowed with the title of Princess Gulun. If he indeed wishes to trouble me, let him come. I am ready to entertain him at any time!"

Princess Yongle said with a cold laugh. Initially, when she saw that Lord Zhou was discerning and intelligent, not pointing out their identities, she was happy to have fewer troubles. After all, if this matter spread to the court, her royal brother would certainly blame her for being ignorant of the proper conduct, leaving the palace without a guard. But now, hearing this ruffian speak in such a manner, and involving the annoying Duke of Wei, Princess Yongle felt that implicating the Duke of Wei would be worthwhile, even if it meant a scolding from her brother. Seeing the old Duke facing misfortune would delight her, so she did not hide her identity and revealed it in front of everyone, thereby confirming the Duke of Wei’s nephew’s guilt in conspiring to assassinate a princess.

Lady Roujia, hearing Princess Yongle speak thus, also disclosed her identity. Not only was the crime of harming a princess confirmed, but there was now an additional crime of plotting against a Commandery Princess—a crime punishable by beheading. However, as for Lin Yue, she was nothing more than an ordinary farmwoman, surely without much to say, merely watching the drama unfold from the sidelines.

Although Lord Zhou had already surmised it in his heart, hearing Princess Yongle and Lady Roujia publicly announce their identities still shocked him. My goodness, they were indeed two very noble ladies. And the other one who remained silent, she must surely be a maid in the service of the princess or commandery princess. No wonder the maids by their sides have such fine demeanors.

Now that Princess Yongle and Lady Roujia had revealed their identities, Lord Zhou naturally could no longer feign ignorance. Better still, he now had an open and legitimate reason to deal with these scoundrels who dared to threaten him, ensuring their end would be miserable.

"This humble official, Zhou Wentai, pays his respects to the Princess and the Commandery Princess. I was short-sighted and failed to recognize the identities of the Princess and Commandery Princess earlier. For any disrespect shown, I hope for Your Highnesses’ forgiveness!" Zhou Wentai knelt on the ground with a thud, saying so with sincere fear and trepidation.

"Rise, Lord Zhou. I was incognito, and did not reveal my identity. This is not your fault, and you won’t be blamed. Moreover, you did not shield these troublemakers earlier, which is very gratifying to me. I will be sure to speak favorably of you to the Emperor. I hope that you will continue to be a good official who serves the country and the people," Princess Yongle replied.

"Yes, this official heeds the Princess’s advice and will remain diligent and loyal in my duties, daring not to slacken in the slightest. As for these ruffians who have oppressed the common people, please instruct me on how to deal with them, Your Highness."

"Have them locked up for now. These men, apart from their bullying and oppression of the common people, also intended to harm me and the Commandery Princess—their crimes are unforgivable. I will report back to the Emperor once I return to the palace, and then deal with them accordingly."

Those ruffians had previously relied on the power and backing of the Duke of Wei. Little did they know they would provoke such formidable individuals. When the two women declared their royal identities, the ruffians were stunned, realizing that this time they were in deep trouble and even their lives could not be spared.