Immediately, a group of plainclothes guards rushed in, and among them was even Xiao Yi. They quickly pulled the courtesans away.
RongCheng walked up to Yan Si. He appeared visibly angered as he commanded, "Quickly put on your clothes and let's go back."
Seeing that RongCheng was angry, Yan Si dared not say a word and scrambled up. Xiao Yi helped him gather his clothes and put them back on, then followed RongCheng back to the palace.
Meanwhile, having realized RongCheng had arrived, Qióng Liú Yu had long since fled. Regarding this sensitive matter, he was certain RongCheng would not be able to escalate the situation. At most, he would only be scolded a little, which Qióng Liú Yu was fully capable of handling.
Upon returning, RongCheng made Yan Si lie face down across his lap and struck his backside with his bare hand. As he hit him, he chastised, "Naughty! You even dared to go to a pleasure house! You even stopped Xiao Yi from following you. What if I hadn't arrived in time today? Do you think I've indulged you too much, leading you to become spoiled, is that it?"
Every strike of his hand caused a searing pain in Yan Si's backside. Feeling intensely wronged, silent tears streamed down his face. He shook his head and said, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I won't dare go again next time!"
Suddenly, RongCheng struck Yan Si's backside one more powerful time and scolded, "You still dare to have a next time!?"
Yan Si gave a small cry of pain and immediately shook his head, clamping his mouth shut. His Elder Brother was acting strangely today. He felt that RongCheng seemed to be upset about something and wanted to vent his anger on him.
RongCheng remained silent, pondering for a long while, then suddenly sighed, "That's right, you are of this age now and need to marry and establish a household. If that's what you wish, tomorrow I will send someone to be your matchmaker."
Hearing this, Yan Si immediately shook his head in panic, "Don't... don't... I don't want that... I truly don't! I honestly didn't know the pleasure house was like that; if I had known, I absolutely would not have gone. Please don't do that."
"Didn't know...?" Yan Si's words instantly jolted RongCheng into realization, and he began to inwardly question himself repeatedly, "What... what exactly am I doing? Why am I hitting him like this?"
Someone who previously lived deep in the forest, how could he know what a pleasure house was? If anyone was to be blamed, it should be the person who misguided him into doing wrong, so why was he scolding Yan Si without cause? Although Yan Si was grown in body, his heart was no different from a small child.
Suddenly feeling that his actions were truly inexcusable, RongCheng immediately helped Yan Si up. He then caressed his cheek, comforting him tenderly, "Don't cry. Elder Brother won't hit you anymore."
Seeing RongCheng's anger subside, Yan Si whispered, "Elder Brother, don't be angry with me."
RongCheng gently stroked his head and said, "I am not angry... It is late now, you should go to bed early. In the future, do not listen to such misguided, ill advice."
After this one time, Yan Si certainly dared not do it again. He thought of that damnable Qióng Liú Yu who dared to trick him and then abandon him—he was truly wicked, and Yan Si vowed never to look upon his face again.
Seeing that everything was settled, RongCheng sighed and stood up to leave.
Not long afterward, Liú Yu was summoned to the Zixuan Palace. His countenance was pale and green, and he hurriedly knelt down to acknowledge his fault: "Your Highness, this lower official already knows his mistake! Seeing Lord Yan sad and vexed day after day, I only then thought of the matter of leading him out to play to dispel the boredom; this... this lower official truly knew not that he conversely... feared women... if knowing thus, this lower official absolutely would not dare to act recklessly."
RongCheng let out a cold laugh and asked, "You speak saying you knew not, yet you deliberately let four women besiege and entrap him? Intending to let that crowd of women drain him dry unto death? You are also truly audacious — even the sworn younger brother of this Prince, you dare to plot to entrap?"
Liú Yu's countenance turned even more visibly pale; he continuously knocked his head against the ground: "Your Highness! Pray Your Highness grant forgiveness for the fault! This lower official already knows his mistake! At that time, being endlessly merry and intoxicated, I in no way knew the matter that occurred, nor did I think toward that bad situation! This lower official merely thought he was being joyful by their side, who would have expected — If knowing such, this lower official definitely would have rushed in to give rescue immediately, pray Your Highness examine clearly!"
This type of individual with such a speech and tongue, RongCheng truly wished not to bandy words with; his countenance was dark and black, and he strained his voice: "You, one sentence you knew not, two sentences you also knew not, do you truly regard this Prince as a fool? One sentence of knowing not and you wish to brush away the responsibility? Attendants!"
The imperial guards immediately gave voice in compliance, stepping forward to await the order.
RongCheng spoke, "Drag him outside to penalize with twenty strokes of the staff to serve as a warning; if you still dare to approach him to instigate the performing of absurd and wrong deeds, watch out for the head upon your person! Take him away!"
At this time, Liú Yu knew he could no longer beg further; he merely knocked his head once and complied with the imperial guards leading him away, gritting his teeth to receive the twenty strokes of the staff.
Entrapment failing and furthermore being beaten a bout, Liú Yu not only felt no regret, but conversely his hatred and resentment devoted toward Yan Si became even more deep and profound; he ground his teeth and inwardly swore a poisonous oath: "There will then come a day when I force you to be groveling beneath my frame! Permitting me to trample and insult you!"
Having failed in his scheme and suffered a beating, Qióng Liú Yu not only felt no remorse, but his deep-seated hatred for Yan Si intensified. He secretly made a venomous vow, "The day will come when I make you crawl beneath me! You will be subject to my trampling and humiliation!"
Since the day he was tricked into going to the pleasure house and beaten by RongCheng, Yan Si seemed listless and hid himself away in his room. He did not go anywhere and no longer dared to bother anyone as he had before.
On the third day, Xiao Yi suddenly came and pulled Yan Si out of bed, saying, "Master, wake up quickly and change your clothes!"
"Change clothes? Why?" Why would he suddenly be made to change his clothes?
Xiao Yi presented a set of women's garments before Yan Si and said, "His Highness said he wants to see you wear this set of clothes, so hurry and change into them!"
Seeing the female attire before him, Yan Si looked startled and stammered, "What!? Why... why suddenly..."
Xiao Yi sighed, pulled Yan Si up, and urged, "Hurry up, this servant will help you prepare."
Yan Si lightly scoffed, but finally relented and got up to change...
It was truly outrageous to suddenly make a man wear women's clothing! But this was because it was his Elder Brother's request, so he agreed.
After a period of preparation, Yan Si looked at himself in the mirror and felt a little panicked: "Hey... is this me?"
He truly couldn't even recognize himself, and he secretly thought, "Elder Brother, why does he have such strange hobbies now?"
Xiao Yi stood beside him, admiring Yan Si, and could not help but exclaim, "Master... you are truly beautiful! You look exactly like a peerless beauty!"
Being praised, Yan Si felt a slight blush of embarrassment and scolded, "Hmph, nonsense!"
Despite saying that, he naturally had some inner concerns and hesitantly asked, "Well... how does it compare to the male Empress Consort?"
Knowing he had been cornered again, Xiao Yi was momentarily speechless... He thought silently for a long time before replying, "Each possesses their own beauty; they truly cannot be compared."
Although the Master was beautiful, how could he compare to that man? How could he be compared to the male Empress Consort? It was simply that he did not want to upset Yan Si, so he spoke against his true feelings.
Yan Si naturally understood and let out a soft "Hmph" before standing up and walking away.
He hadn't seen RongCheng for many days, and now, seeing himself like this, he wondered how the latter would react? He was incredibly anxious.
After changing his clothes, Yan Si followed Xiao Yi to the pavilion in the rear garden, where two people were sitting and playing chess.
From a distance, Yan Si could only clearly see RongCheng and the back of the person sitting opposite him, so he didn't know who it was. The moment he happily walked over and called out, "Elder Brother," that person also turned their face to look at him...
Unexpectedly recognizing the acquaintance, Yan Si retreated in panic...
The other person also seemed surprised. He immediately stood up, grabbed Yan Si's hand, and asked, "Wi— Wife, why are you here?"
"Wife...!?" Yan Si quickly withdrew his hand, shaking his head.
The reaction of the two indeed did not fall outside RongCheng's prediction. RongCheng also stood up and said with a smile, "General, you are mistaken. This person is my sworn younger brother."
"Why?" Why did his Elder Brother do this? Why did he make him wear female attire? Make him disguise himself to look exactly like that person? And force him to meet this person?
Shi Nan Xuan... Shi Nan Xuan...
After the terrible treatment he received at the Shi General's Residence, he had vowed never to meet that person again, yet why...
Hearing RongCheng's words, Shi Nan Xuan realized his blunder and hurriedly let go of Yan Si's hand, saying awkwardly, "My apologies. This person truly resembles my wife, and so..."
Although he said that, when Shi Nan Xuan looked closely again, he saw that he didn't really resemble his wife that much.
"Resemble?" That's right, because they shared the same bloodline, and he was even born of that person, so how could he not resemble him?
Yan Si clenched his teeth, saying nothing, his body rigid like a statue.
Despite having cleared up the misunderstanding, Shi Nan Xuan still couldn't help but ask, bewildered, "So this is His Highness's sworn brother, then? I've heard his name for a long time, but only now have I had the chance to meet him... But why is he dressed in female attire?"
Such a sight truly caused others to misunderstand.
Hearing this, RongCheng merely shook his head and smiled without replying. When he looked back at Yan Si, he saw that Yan Si was trembling, and even his legs were about to give way. RongCheng asked worriedly, "What's wrong? You look unwell..."
Yan Si remained rigid, not answering. RongCheng turned back to Xiao Yi and commanded, "Xiao Yi, quickly take your master back to rest."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Xiao Yi accepted the command and did not dare delay, immediately helping and supporting Yan Si away.