Chapter 121: The Arrogant Bailiff (Bonus Chapter for Recommendation Votes)

Zhu Hao did not stop Qin Hui from scolding the two bailiffs. As a prince, there were times when certain matters had to be left to subordinates; handling everything personally would not only diminish his stature but also deprive those beneath him of opportunities to demonstrate their worth.

Zhu Hao had expected the two bailiffs to go inside and announce his arrival after being rebuked, but to his great surprise, the guards at the Provincial Administration Commission were arrogant beyond measure. Far from fearing Qin Hui’s reprimand, they offered a look of contempt, clearly holding neither Qin Hui nor the prince he served in any regard.

Moreover, after Qin Hui finished speaking, one of the bailiffs pointed at Zhu Hao and retorted with a sneer, "He is the Prince of Xin? If he is the Prince of Xin, then I am the Emperor! Go on, get lost! Keep causing trouble here, and you’ll find out just how ruthless my staff can be!"

Qin Hui’s face flushed with rage, and he was about to step forward to argue further, but Zhu Hao held him back. It was not that Zhu Hao was unaffected by the insults; on the contrary, he had been so furious upon hearing the bailiff’s words that he had nearly struck the man himself.

However, just as he was about to act, a thought struck him: *The behavior of these bailiffs is highly irregular. Even if they didn't recognize me, they should have gone inside to report it after Qin Hui’s warning. They shouldn't have the audacity to take it upon themselves to drive us away and mock us. In this day and age, few people would dare impersonate an Imperial Envoy or a prince, as it is a capital offense. Guards at a provincial office are usually shrewd; even if they were skeptical, they would err on the side of caution and report it. Yet, this man not only failed to report it but mocked us in return. There is something strange here, and where there is something strange, there is usually a culprit behind it.*

Convinced that the bailiff had been instructed by someone else to behave this way, Zhu Hao suppressed his urge to retaliate and stopped Qin Hui. "Let us go," he said.

Qin Hui was stunned. "Your Highness, but..."

Zhu Hao interrupted sternly, "Enough. I said we are leaving."

Seeing Zhu Hao’s rising anger, Qin Hui dared not speak further and followed him away from the Administration Commission. Watching them retreat, the bailiff who had mocked Zhu Hao scoffed, "Look at that! The forest is big enough for all kinds of birds. Trying to pass himself off as a prince! He should take a look at his own pathetic reflection. If I had let him in, I’d be blind as a bat!"

His companion immediately chimed in with flattery, "Exactly, Big Brother is absolutely right. Such clowns could never escape your discerning eyes. Our office is safe precisely because you are guarding the gates."

***

Zhu Hao heard their mutual fawning and continued ridicule, and though he was incensed, he did not turn back to settle the score. Instead, he gritted his teeth and strode toward his temporary residence.

Would Zhu Hao let this slide? Certainly not. Back when he had no power, he dared to stand up to Empress Guo; now that he was a prince and an Imperial Envoy, he was not one to let an insult pass. However, as a prince, it was beneath his dignity to brawl with common bailiffs. Furthermore, he did not know who was pulling their strings, and if he were to act rashly only to be checked by their superior, it would be humiliating. He chose to leave to make thorough preparations.

Less than a quarter of an hour after Zhu Hao departed, a grand procession marched from the Imperial Envoy’s residence toward the Administration Commission.

Led by two men beating gongs, the group was followed by attendants carrying placards reading "Imperial Envoy" and "Clear the Way." Behind them were thirty guards on horseback, followed by a sedan chair covered in yellow silk and topped with silver, carried by twelve men, and another thirty mounted guards bringing up the rear.

As the procession arrived at the gates, the two bailiffs who had mocked Zhu Hao recognized the display and realized the Prince of Xin had arrived. They immediately knelt. "We pay our respects to Your Highness! May you be blessed with longevity and peace!"

Qin Hui, walking beside the sedan chair, let out a cold huff. The bailiffs glanced up and turned pale with terror, recognizing Qin Hui as one of the men they had driven away earlier. They realized who was inside the chair.

But the world does not stop its turning just because one is afraid. Zhu Hao ordered the chair to be lowered and stepped out. Unlike his previous appearance, he was no longer in civilian clothes. He wore the winged crown, a stone-blue robe embroidered with four-clawed dragons, a gold-inlaid jade belt, and boots adorned with auspicious clouds.

Seeing the man they had humiliated, the two bailiffs collapsed in a heap.

Zhu Hao looked down at them with a faint smile. "Well, gentlemen? Do you recognize me now? How do I look? Is it still not like a prince?"

He pointed at the one who had mocked him. "You said if I were a prince, you would be the Emperor. Such treasonous talk—are you planning a rebellion?"

The two men scrambled to their senses. They knelt, exchanged panicked looks, and then, gritting his teeth, one of them slapped his own face hard. "Your Highness, this lowly one was blind and failed to recognize greatness! Please, have mercy!" They began to slap themselves frantically.

The other followed suit, wailing, "Yes, Your Highness! We had no eyes and dared to offend you. Please, have the heart of a great man and spare us as if we were nothing but a foul gust of wind!"

Zhu Hao had no interest in bickering with these bullies, but he needed to know who had ordered them to treat him this way. He ignored their pleas and said coldly, "I could overlook your insults toward me, but you dared to insult the Emperor. If I let you go today, I would be unfaithful to His Majesty!"

He turned to his guards. "Seize these two and take them to my residence. I will interrogate them thoroughly to see if they have any accomplices!"

As the guards moved to bind them, the main gate of the Administration Commission swung open. A voice boomed, "Wait!" The guards hesitated, looking to Zhu Hao for instruction. He gave a slight nod, signaling them to pause.

The man who had shouted was Xiao Jingao, the Left Commissioner of Zhejiang. He had heard the gongs and came out to greet the envoy, only to witness his own men being arrested. As the head of the office, he could not allow his staff to be taken away without intervention; to do so would make his office the laughingstock of the Zhejiang bureaucracy.

Zhu Hao looked at Xiao Jingao and thought to himself, *The old fox finally shows his face. Let’s see how long you can keep hiding.* He instinctively assumed the bailiffs’ actions were orchestrated by Xiao Jingao to give him a cold reception.

Maintaining a composed expression, Zhu Hao smiled at Xiao Jingao. "Commissioner Xiao, you stop me from detaining these criminals. What advice might you have?"