Lei Wanxi reached the Palace with Zhou Xuweng. The gatekeepers bowed upon seeing him.
"Throw him in prison," Lei Wanxi ordered a soldier, who was lighting the torch bearers.
"Your Highness, please show mercy on me," Zhou Xuweng again pleaded with him.
Lei Wanxi smiled and hit his forehead using the fan. "That's on my Fifth Brother, who is the Emperor of the Empire," He pronounced and then gazed at the soldier, gesturing to him to take him away. The soldier came forward and took Zhou Xuweng to the prison house.
Lei Wanxi opened the fan and started to fan himself. He walked in, towards the Fu Imperial Gates. He turned towards the Northern Palace to report Sheng Li about the incident. Reaching outside the quarters of the Emperor and the Empress, he ordered the maidservant to tell the Emperor that he wanted to meet him.
After a few seconds, the maidservant allowed Lei Wanxi to go inside. He put the fan inside his sash and stepped inside. Reaching the main chamber, he found Sheng Li and Ying Lili on the chaise.
He bowed before them. "Forgive the Sixth Prince to disturb both of you at this hour," he apologized first and then lifted his head.
"Brother Wanxi did not disturb us. I am glad that he came to see us. I have not conversed in the past few days," Ying Lili said humbly.
"Brother Sheng, are you not jealous? Sister Lili was missing me," Lei Wanxi said in a teasing tone.
Sheng Li stood up and walked to him. Flicking his finger at the middle of Lei Wanxi's forehead, Sheng Li said, "I do not get jealous. You still have not left this habit of teasing me."
"Sheng Li, at least ask Brother Wanxi to have a seat," Ying Lili told him.
Before Sheng Li could ask him, Lei Wanxi said, "Sister Lili, I cannot sit. I am here to report an urgent matter to Brother Sheng."
Sheng Li curiously gazed at him and asked him, "What happened? Is everything good?"
"I encountered a disturbing incident while returning to the Palace. Does Brother Sheng remember the woman, whom he asked to rescue from the Brothel house?" Lei Wanxi asked him. Ying Lili confusedly looked at the two Princes as she was unable to understand that.
"Wang Hao's sister?" Sheng Li arched his brow while asking him.
"Yes, Brother Sheng. Sister Yin Na was being harassed by a Fourth Rank Official. Luckily, I was on the same route, so nothing happened," Lei Wanxi stated.
"What? Where is that bastard?" Sheng Li asked him. "Also, where's Wang Hao? Why did he not report me?" He was confused. Ying Lili also stood up from the chaise and came towards them.
"Brother Sheng, General Wang does not know about this incident. I have brought Zhou Xuweng here, who was harassing Sister Yin Na. He put the sword on the neck of Sister Yin Na and pulled her hair. It was a horrific sight for me. Brother Sheng, you must punish him," Lei Wanxi requested to Sheng Li and then narrated to him the remaining incident.
"I will," Sheng Li assured him. He turned to Ying Lili. He held her hand and made her sit on the chaise. "I will be back soon. Court Lady Ki, give the potion to Lili," he commanded her.
"Sheng Li, break the hands of Zhou Xuweng," Ying Lili said with a stern expression. Sheng Li hummed and walked out of the chamber, followed by Lei Wanxi.
Sheng Li reached the prison house and met with Commander Yang. "Where is Wang Hao?" Sheng Li asked him.
"Your Majesty, General Wang left the Palace early in the evening," Commander Yang replied.
"Send a message to his house regarding this matter," Sheng Li ordered him. He stepped forward when a soldier came running to him.
"Your Majesty, the Ex-General of Han, General Wang Fuxing wants to see you," the soldier informed him.
"Brother Sheng, Huo Jin must have informed the father of General Wang," Lei Wanxi stated.
"Commander Yang, bring the Ex-General to the prison where Zhou Xuweng is captured," Sheng Li commanded him, who bowed and left to bring Wang Fuxing with the soldier.
"Brother Sheng, from here I take my leave. Brother Sheng knows that I cannot bear the sight of the torture," Lei Wanxi said. Sheng Li hummed and went inside.
"Poor Fourth Rank Official!" Lei Wanxi muttered and left for the Eastern Palace.
The soldier quickly opened the door for Sheng Li. Zhou Xuweng got terrified and immediately got on his knees seeing the Emperor in front of him.
"Your Majesty, please forgive this subject. I beg for His Majesty's forgiveness," Zhou Xuweng pleaded with Sheng Li.
"How dare you raise the hand of a woman in the middle of a street? It is my first time seeing you and you already got on my bad side," Sheng Li said with a menacing expression and then pulled out the sword from the sheath that soldier was carrying. He pointed it at his neck and Zhou Xuweng's breath hitched because of that.
"Your Majesty, she used to be my entertainer. I had given a huge amount of money in the Brothel House. I did not know that she was the sister of General Wang. If I had, then I would have never done that," Zhou Xuweng put forward his point. He joined both hands and begged Sheng Li to spare his life.
"Your Majesty, I request you to give the death sentence to this person," Sheng Li heard a familiar voice. Wang Fuxing entered and greeted Sheng Li. He bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, this man raised his filthy hand on my precious daughter. I saw her state and it pained my heart. Please, Your Majesty, do not spare this bastard. Also, I want His Majesty to imprison his entire family. This is the second time he tried to molest my daughter. Huo Jin has warned him, despite the fact that he did not stop."
Zhou Xuweng deeply bowed. "I am extremely guilty of my act, Your Majesty. Please spare me and my family," He asked Sheng Li to show mercy on him.
"Sadly, I don't show mercy on those who disrespect women. Respected Former General, I cannot punish his family for the crimes of this man. However, he will surely be punished according to the law. I will announce his punishment in the morning," Sheng Li told Wang Fuxing.
"Thank you for your expeditious decision, Your Majesty," Wang Fuxing accepted the decision of Sheng Li. He lifted his head and was surprised to find that Sheng Li did not punish the family of Zhou Xuweng.
"Don't give him water and food. Send the message to his family that come to the court tomorrow," Sheng Li ordered Commander Yang.
"Please follow me," Sheng Li told Wang Fuxing and lowered the sword from the neck of Zhou Xuweng.
He left the prison with Wang Fuxing and the two stopped near the Royal Garden.
"Your Majesty, may I say something?" Wang Fuxing asked him.
"Please ask," Sheng Li replied.
"It was amusing to see that the Emperor did not punish the family of Zhou Xuweng. Forgive me, but you were not like this. His Majesty was not the type to get soft easily," Wang Fuxing asserted.
Sheng Li smiled a little and agreed with him. "The Empress is the reason behind this change in me. The Former General is absolutely right. I never got soft on people. I like my present self more," Sheng Li answered.
"That's great, Your Majesty," Wang Fuxing stated. "Wang Hao was not at home. I think he is working on ways to make Princess Bai accept his heart for him," he proclaimed.
"Wang Hao chose a woman who is broken from every aspect. Though, I have faith in him. But it will take time to make Princess Bai acknowledge his feelings," Sheng Li informed Wang Fuxing, who nodded his head.
"I want to see my son get married before anything happens to me," Wang Fuxing stated.
Sheng Li tilted his head to gaze at him. "Please do not say that. You will live longer," Sheng Li said.
Wang Fuxing smiled. "I will not take any more time from His Majesty. I will take my leave. Thank you again for acting fast on this matter," Wang Fuxing said. Sheng Li offered him that he would see him off till the main gates.
"Your Majesty, please don't trouble yourself on this trivial matter," Wang Fuxing said politely.
"It's not a trivial matter. You are my master, who trained me this well in warfare," Sheng Li complimented him, and the two went towards the Fu Imperial Gates. Seeing the Ex-General off in the carriage, Sheng Li returned to the Northern Palace. It disturbed him that the women were still treated badly.. It made him upset, thinking many women might be bearing all that in the Kingdom, so he decided to work on it.
