Chapter 13: Ptui! This Guy Is Far Too Arrogant

Outside the Xuanwu Gate, under the grand escort of the government troops, Qin Feng led a convoy of a hundred people, including Zhu Biao and the others, arrogantly parading through the imperial city.

Such a formidable procession drew considerable attention amid the bustling crowd. Even a fool could tell from the display that the leader must be someone of considerable standing within the palace.

On either side of the road, the onlookers naturally parted to clear a broad path, fearful of offending these noble figures from the palace.

Apart from Zhu Biao, Zhu Zhu, and Zhu Xiang, who had already been granted their own mansions, the other princes had never seen the scene outside the palace gates before.

Their lingering, wistful gazes revealed just how deeply they yearned for freedom.

The imperial palace was like a vast cage, and they were trapped beasts within it, filled with curiosity about the world beyond.

Qin Feng strode at the forefront, occasionally calling out to the crowd, “The Crown Prince is on official business! Don’t block the way!”

“What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a handsome man before? Go home and look at your wives!”

“For those without wives, don’t even think about ogling or taking photos to post online. Make that clear!”

Seeing Qin Feng's brazen arrogance, Zhu Di grew worried. “Brother, it seems the Master just used your name. Will there be trouble?”

Zhu Biao was no fool—he certainly heard it all. What was Qin Feng’s intention, stirring up the citizens of the imperial city with such bluster?

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t guess.

As the convoy approached the Inner Treasury gate, Hu Nanwang, in charge of guarding the treasury, was still leisurely playing dice with his subordinates.

Hu Nanwang was the legitimate son of Prime Minister Hu Weiyong, the apple of his father’s eye and the sole heir of the Hu family.

From birth, he had been pampered, and his arrogance was well-known throughout the imperial city.

As the Prime Minister's son, no one dared offend him lightly.

Unfortunately, Hu Nanwang was mediocre, having failed the imperial examinations multiple times.

Thanks only to old Zhu’s favor toward his father, Hu Nanwang had been assigned the idle post of guarding the treasury—a respectable enough position to keep the favored son busy within the city.

“Sir Hu, it seems a convoy has arrived at the treasury gate.”

“What the hell do we care about some convoy? Do you even know where we are? This is His Majesty’s private treasury! Who’s got the guts to barge in here?”

Before Hu Nanwang finished speaking, the treasury gates were suddenly blasted open with a loud bang.

The treasury guards all looked stunned, glancing at Hu Nanwang in disbelief.

“You said no one would dare breach the treasury, right?”

Hu Nanwang himself was dumbfounded—his own words were swiftly contradicted.

“Who dares be so bold as to storm the treasury? Are they courting death?”

Qin Feng swaggered inside, a half-smile on his face. “Who’s in charge here?”

Hu Nanwang stood before him, unafraid, cursing, “Who let you in? Do you know where this is? This is the treasury, not a place for riffraff like you to cause trouble. Get lost!”

Qin Feng produced the golden token bestowed by old Zhu, sneering, “His Majesty’s order! We are here to transport grain!”

“Bullshit! What kind of order is that? Who’s to say it’s genuine? Do you know the rules of the treasury? Unless His Majesty himself is present, no one moves a single grain here.”

The two men faced off, their tension frightening many of the treasury guards.

Soon, the government troops surrounded the treasury office, blocking every exit.

Hu Nanwang was stunned. Had he met his match?

“What do you intend? This is armed robbery and a capital offense!”

“And you, for resisting imperial orders, deserve death as well!”

“Brothers, teach this ingrate a lesson to show him the consequences of defying the sacred command.”

The soldiers Zhu Biao brought were all tough men.

Hu Nanwang’s small limbs stood no chance against their blows; after a few hits, he was knocked unconscious.

Zhu Biao and the other princes arrived late to find Qin Feng leading the troops inside the treasury.

Zhu Biao looked at the fallen Hu Nanwang, nearly fainting.

“Mr. Qin, you’ve caused a huge problem! The treasury is strictly off-limits unless the Emperor is present—it’s a capital crime!”

“Master, how could you beat up the treasury’s superintendent? He’s the Prime Minister’s son.”

“This is bad… really bad! We won’t get away with this.”

Qin Feng shrugged. “I’m carrying out His Majesty’s orders. What’s wrong with that? That guy was way too arrogant. Who knew he was the Prime Minister’s precious son?”

He silently added in his mind: If I had known, I would have landed a few more punches—after all, his father opposes me at every turn in court.

...

Inside Wuying Hall, Wang Jinghong rushed to the Emperor’s presence.

“Your Majesty… I have news of the princes. They’re all outside, at the treasury office, accompanying Qin Feng on official business.”

Old Zhu slapped his forehead. “Damn it! I completely forgot the rules of the treasury. Who’s on duty there?”

“The Prime Minister’s son.”

“Quickly prepare to go to the treasury office.”

...

Meanwhile, Qin Feng cared little about the trouble he had caused. After all, this was an assignment given by old Zhu; if anything went wrong, it was Zhu’s responsibility.

“Listen up! By His Majesty’s command, I am here to move grain. Anyone who dares block us will suffer the same fate as this fellow.”

With that, Qin Feng kicked Hu Nanwang’s leg twice.

“Coward! This guy is far too arrogant!”

Qin Feng’s actions stunned Zhu Biao and the other princes.

Aren’t you the most arrogant one here?

Using the Crown Prince’s name to swagger through the city and even raiding the imperial treasury!

No one else could be more brazen than you.

The treasury guards cowered silently in the corners.

Even the Prime Minister’s son was beaten like this—how could ordinary men dare to stop them without being beaten to death?

It was Zhu Biao’s first time involved in such affairs, and he simply couldn’t follow Qin Feng’s lead so freely.

They all stood frozen in place.

“What are you all waiting for? Start moving the grain! This is truly His Majesty’s order. Don’t you want to help the disaster victims in Huai West?”

Mentioning the Huai West victims stirred something in Zhu Biao.

When he read that memorial at court, he was overcome with grief, tears streaming down his face.

The devastation caused by the Yellow River flood was horrific beyond words.

Millions of people had no food and were forced to wander destitute.

As members of the imperial family, they should love their people as their own children.

If he could see for himself the starving, displaced masses, he would surely want to extend a helping hand.

With that thought, Zhu Biao cast aside all his grievances against his father and focused solely on saving the Huai West victims from disaster.

He led by example, rushing into the treasury and lifting a sack of grain onto the carts outside.

Seeing the Crown Prince begin loading the grain, the other princes put aside the treasury’s rules and followed, flooding into the treasury.

At that moment, a figure suddenly burst into the treasury office.

Hu Weiyong, dressed in a blue official’s robe, saw his son Hu Nanwang lying on the ground, his life uncertain, and was instantly horrified.

“My Wang’er! Wang’er!” he shouted hoarsely, rising in fury and yelling at Qin Feng, “If anything happens to my son, you’ll all pay with your lives!”