Chapter 25: You're Actually Quite Kind

Ru Chang’s words immediately left Chen Kan feeling quite displeased.

"What is this? What are you saying?" Chen Kan retorted, clearly unsatisfied. "In your eyes, Lord Ru, am I the kind of man who bows and scrapes the moment he faces someone of power and influence?"

Ru Chang glanced at Chen Kan with a flicker of surprise, thinking to himself that he was indeed a worthy disciple of Fang Xiaoru—possessing a truly upright spirit and fearing no authority. Yet, how could he, as an official, bear to see such an outstanding young talent put himself in harm's way? Very well, he would simply have to analyze the pros and cons for him in detail.

Just as Ru Chang withdrew his gaze, he heard Chen Kan declare, "Under the very feet of the Emperor, someone dares to strike from the shadows and commit such despicable acts? Rest assured, Lord Ru, I, Chen Kan, will handle this. I refuse to believe that there is no justice left in this world, no law to uphold!"

Chen Kan’s words were resonant and firm. Not only was Ru Chang deeply moved, but even Zhu Yuelan, standing to the side, felt her eyes beginning to sparkle with admiration. She found that this man before her possessed an indescribable air about him—as if he were the very embodiment of justice, the nemesis of all evil. Even the memory of him spanking her felt slightly less infuriating. My goodness, he was handsome!

Seeing Chen Kan’s sincerity, what else could Ru Chang say? He could only offer a moved, cautionary remark: "Very well. Since you are so keen to help, I shall not dampen your enthusiasm. However, the person behind this may have a highly unusual identity. You must plan carefully before you act; do not put yourself in danger. If you find any leads, please communicate with me immediately."

"That goes without saying," Chen Kan replied solemnly.

"In that case," Ru Chang said, "the Grand Audience has not yet concluded. I must take my leave."

"Safe travels, Lord Ru..."

After seeing Ru Chang off, Chen Kan subconsciously sniffed the air. He let out a yawn, then turned to Zhu Yuelan and said, "Princess, I trust you believe me now that I wasn't lying to you."

Zhu Yuelan replied, "Fine, I suppose you’ve passed the test. I won’t hold today’s events against you. I’m leaving."

Chen Kan bowed, "Farewell, Your Highness."

Zhu Yuelan waved her hand and turned, skipping off toward the inner palace.

"Wait a moment." Chen Kan suddenly called out to her retreating figure.

Zhu Yuelan looked back, asking, "What is it?"

When she stopped, Chen Kan appeared hesitant. Would it be too abrupt to ask? But after a moment, his appetite finally overcame his reason. He fidgeted and asked, "Um, Your Highness, do you happen to know where there’s a place to eat in the palace?"

Zhu Yuelan was stunned, her delicate nose wrinkling slightly. She had not expected that, even at a time like this, Chen Kan would still be thinking about food. Looking at his awkward expression, she suddenly broke into a smile and said, "Follow me."

Following Zhu Yuelan, they bypassed the Fengtian Hall, the Baohe Hall, and the Jinshen Hall. A tall, vermilion-painted wall soon came into view. This wall was the boundary between the Imperial City and the Palace City. In front of this wall sat the nerve center of the Ming government, dominated by the three main halls and five of the six ministries—excluding the Ministry of Justice—along with the Imperial Guard Command. Behind this wall lay the vast complex of the inner palace, home to two generations of Ming emperors.

Chen Kan could wander the Imperial City as he pleased, but he could not enter the Palace City. Even with Zhu Yuelan leading the way, he was barred from entry. Seeing Chen Kan stopped by two eunuchs, Zhu Yuelan frowned and said, "Wait for me here."

"Oh," Chen Kan nodded in agreement, watching as Zhu Yuelan disappeared through the circular moon gate. As for the world behind that gate, he dared not cast a single extra glance.

For Chen Kan, walking from the plaza in front of the Fengtian Hall to the one behind the Jinshen Hall was simply moving to a different spot to bask in the sun. But for the young eunuchs searching for him, it was a source of great anxiety. The Grand Audience had ended, and after the Emperor Zhu Di had granted a meal to his officials, he had specifically asked to see Chen Kan. When the eunuchs rushed out to find him, he was nowhere to be found in the plaza before the Fengtian Hall.

The two eunuchs were frantic, spinning in circles. The guards they questioned only knew that Princess Changning had taken him away, but had no idea where. The Imperial City was so vast; where were they supposed to look? The two eunuchs were on the verge of tears.

Chen Kan, of course, was oblivious to the fact that people were searching for him until they were nearly weeping. He was simply waiting at the gate of the Palace City, bored, for Zhu Yuelan to bring him food. Fortunately, she did not keep him waiting long and soon returned.

Seeing her carrying several packages, Chen Kan hurried forward to take them. Zhu Yuelan offered an apologetic smile and said, "The mealtime in the inner palace has already passed. These are snacks from my quarters. I didn't know what you liked, so I brought a bit of everything. Please, make do with these for now."

Chen Kan sniffed the air and replied, "The Princess is truly as kind-hearted as she is beautiful. Thank you."

Zhu Yuelan waved her hand. "You're welcome. Actually, you're not such a bad person after all. If you can't find anything to eat next time you're in the palace, come find me again, and I'll give you more snacks."

After saying this, she turned and skipped back through the moon gate. Chen Kan watched her go, muttering to himself, "Next time? I'm never coming back. Not even if I die."

Still, he thought, a bit of impromptu acting with Ru Chang having earned him a "good person" label was an unexpected bonus. He took out a pastry made of some unknown grain and popped it into his mouth. It wasn't half bad, actually.

"Master Chen, Master Chen..."

As Chen Kan ate while walking, he heard someone calling him near the Baohe Hall. He shoved a piece of pastry into his mouth and asked curiously, "Is the Grand Audience over?"

A moment later, two young eunuchs confirmed his guess.

"Master Chen, where have you been? We’ve had such a hard time finding you!"

The eunuchs looked distressed; one would have thought they were looking for a latrine rather than a person.

"I went to find something to eat," Chen Kan replied, holding up his snack.

The two eunuchs grabbed his sleeves and urged, "The Emperor wants to see you. Let’s go, quickly!"

"Wait, don't—my snacks..."

The eunuchs led Chen Kan to a side hall of the Fengtian Hall. Chen Kan glared at them with some annoyance. He had finally found some food, and he had spilled quite a bit on the way.

"Master Chen, please wait here. I will go in and report to the Emperor. Don’t wander off again!"

One eunuch entered the side hall, while the other kept his eyes locked on Chen Kan, terrified that he would vanish the moment he blinked.

A moment later, a shrill voice echoed from the side hall: "Summon Chen Kan for an audience!"

Chen Kan handed his snacks to the remaining eunuch and threatened, "Keep these safe. If even one piece is missing, I’ll be the death of you!"

Seeing the eunuch nod subserviently, he stepped into the side hall. He looked up and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, it's quite a lively crowd."