Volume 1, Chapter 18: Leaving the Palace (2)

Beneath his mask, Zhao Yuanzhuo pressed his lips into a thin line.

The tyrant was undoubtedly a master who was extremely difficult to serve, and the questions he threw out were consistently impossible to answer. A penalty too light would leave Shen Ran dissatisfied, while a penalty too heavy would be a hardship for himself—one he might not even be able to endure.

Even though his own life was of little consequence, he now bore the weight of his father and brother's honor, as well as his sister's safety. Unless absolutely necessary, he had no desire to provoke Shen Ran.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Yuanzhuo’s eyelashes fluttered as he whispered, "The thunder and the dew are both the grace of my master, but this servant dares not presume to guess your thoughts."

Shen Ran did not insist on an answer, merely saying indifferently, "Forty strokes of the court cane."

"Thank you, Master," Zhao Yuanzhuo replied.

Forty strokes was no small number, yet Shen Ran had handed down the sentence decisively, and Zhao Yuanzhuo had accepted it just as readily.

Shen Ran’s lips curled in a mirthless smile. "The person you protected didn't even see who you were, and they certainly won't feel indebted to you. Is it worth suffering such a severe punishment for them?"

Zhao Yuanzhuo lowered his eyes. "As long as my conscience is clear, it is worth it. I never intended to make anyone feel obligated to me."

How could a high and mighty tyrant ever understand the suffering of the world? How could he grasp the original intent of the countless soldiers who stood firm at the borders, refusing to retreat a single step?

Shen Ran did not comment, merely casting a meaningful glance at Zhao Yuanzhuo before deciding not to press the matter further. "Fine. Let’s go."

***

The moonlight hung like a hook.

Shen Ran stopped in front of the largest music academy in Shengjing City. The sound of singing and laughter filled the air, a world of decadence and intoxication. Carriages and horses bustled back and forth, even more lively than the market they had just left.

As his gaze fell upon the plaque of the academy, Zhao Yuanzhuo’s pupils contracted, and his body trembled involuntarily.

*Heaven on Earth.*

His sister was inside.

Shen Ran seemed completely oblivious to Zhao Yuanzhuo’s distress. He whispered a few words into Li Jiuxiao’s ear, then, with his robes trailing across the moonlit ground, he walked into the bustling den of hedonism without looking back.

Li Jiuxiao followed close behind.

A flicker of dark, indecipherable light passed through his eyes, but Zhao Yuanzhuo bit his lip hard and followed.

Places like this music academy naturally catered to the status of their guests. Shen Ran was dressed quite modestly for this trip, so their entry caused no stir among the wealthy and noble young masters inside. This was exactly the effect he wanted.

Li Jiuxiao discreetly found the manager, Mother Liu, and arranged for a quiet, secluded room for Shen Ran. He used the identification token of a high-ranking officer of the Imperial Guard. Although Mother Liu did not know that Shen Ran was the Emperor, her years of experience told her that he was someone of extraordinary status. She promptly arranged for four beautiful young maidens to come and play music for them.

The girls, holding lutes and zithers, performed after offering their greetings. While both the people and the music were quite exquisite, Zhao Yuanzhuo was in a state of utter turmoil and had no heart to appreciate them.

Shen Ran watched with little interest for a while before waving his hand to dismiss them.

The room fell silent once more. Shen Ran leaned lazily against the window, looking down. The view was excellent, and the room was cleverly designed; one could see the entire main hall clearly while remaining hidden from the view of those below, ensuring perfect privacy.

Often, wealth and power meant privilege.

Shen Ran curled his lips coldly, his peripheral vision catching sight of Zhao Yuanzhuo beside him. Despite his best efforts to restrain himself, the youth’s trembling fingertips betrayed his agitation.

Shen Ran smirked. "Do you know what day it is today?"

It was obvious to any observer that this place was far more crowded than usual. In just a short time, they had already spotted several familiar faces—all of them high-ranking officials at court, some of whom were even on good terms with Zhao Shoude.

Zhao Yuanzhuo lowered his head in silence for a long while before finally saying, "I do not."

"Today, *Heaven on Earth* is auctioning off Zhao Qinglan’s first night," Shen Ran said. "The rules are simple: the highest bidder wins."

At these words, Zhao Yuanzhuo looked up at Shen Ran sharply. He had not looked at him with such eyes since that day in the imperial study. The gaze, however, vanished as quickly as it appeared; one with poor eyesight might have thought it a hallucination.

Unfortunately, Shen Ran’s eyesight was excellent. He was not offended, however. Even a wild beast will bare its claws when it stops pretending to be tame, and this was merely a cub. Only when Zhao Yuanzhuo could remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him would he truly begin to be wary.

Shen Ran chuckled softly. "I permit you to bid."

Zhao Yuanzhuo was slightly stunned. "But I have no money."

The Zhao family had been completely ransacked, and he had been dragged into the palace unexpectedly. Aside from money, even the clothes on his back had been purchased from a shop by Li Jiuxiao at the last minute—effectively paid for by Shen Ran himself.

Shen Ran gestured to Li Jiuxiao, who understood immediately and produced a small box from his robes, placing it on the table.

Shen Ran said, "Open it and see."

Zhao Yuanzhuo: "..."