Several servants standing in the courtyard scrambled forward to pull apart the two figures wrestling on the ground. Jing Luoluo stood up, sporting a bruised and blackened eye, and angrily dusted the dirt off his body.
His moon-white long robe was already a complete mess from being pinned to the ground by Zhao Huaiyuan. Realizing that a few slaps of his hand couldn't possibly brush away the ingrained mud, an expression of intense annoyance appeared on his handsome face.
He pointed a finger at Zhao Huaiyuan and raged, "Well, well, Zhao Huaiyuan! We've eaten and lived together for so long, and you actually beat me up over an aunt! Just you wait, I'm going to report this straight to the Emperor!"
With that, he flicked his sleeve and turned on his heel, intent on storming out of the courtyard.
Zhao Huaiyuan, being supported by the estate servants, wasn't faring much better. His chubby face was covered in bloody scratch marks, making him look truly terrifying.
Hearing Jing Luoluo's threat, he felt a surge of indignation and barked back, "Go on, then! See if I care!"
As he spoke, he accidentally pulled at a wound on the corner of his mouth, causing a sharp pain that wrung a gasp from him: "Hiss!!! Jing Luoluo, you little bastard, you really know how to throw a punch. We were just fighting, so why did you have to scratch me?!"
Tan Yujiao, supported by a maid, hurried over anxiously. Seeing the bloody gashes on Zhao Huaiyuan's face, she felt a wave of secret satisfaction.
*Hmph! It would be even better if your face were permanently ruined!*
Yet, she kept her expression entirely unconcerned, assuming a look of deep worry instead: "Oh dear! Huaiyuan, your face! Come here quickly and let your aunt have a look! What on earth will we do if this leaves scars?"
Zhao Huaiyuan walked closer, looking thoroughly reluctant, though he patted his chest dismissively and said, "Don't you worry, Aunt! This little scratch is nothing at all!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something, jumped in place, and hollered, "Oh no! I need to get into the palace right now, or there's no telling how that rascal Jing Luoluo is going to spin this to the Emperor!"
"Xiaofuzi, get the carriage ready at once! We have to catch up with him!"
Xiaofuzi acknowledged the order with a shout and scurried off toward the stables. Zhao Huaiyuan strode forward with heavy steps, rushing toward the main gate of the Prince An's Estate. Before long, Xiaofuzi drove the carriage over, sitting perched on the edge of the driver's seat.
Zhao Huaiyuan urged him on, "Quickly, hurry to the palace! We must catch up to Jing Luoluo!"
The driver brought the whip down hard with a sharp crack. The horse let out a loud whinny, threw open its hooves, and bolted away at a gallop.
Leaning against her maid, Tan Yujiao watched the receding carriage with a complex look in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Jing Luoluo sat comfortably inside his own carriage, leisurely arriving at the palace gates. The guards holding long spears recognized the carriage instantly—they were clearly very familiar with this frequent visitor to the imperial palace—and stepped forward out of routine to greet him.
Jing Luoluo poked his upper body out of the carriage window, exposing his blackened eye, which momentarily stunned the guard, who then exchanged pleasantries: "What on earth happened to you, Young Master? Who could be so bold as to beat you into such a state?"
Jing Luoluo let out a helpless, wry chuckle. "Ah, don't even ask. I'm here precisely to ask the Emperor to dispense some justice for me!"
"Yes, of course. Please go right on in, but this carriage..." The rest went unsaid; palace rules were strict, and ministers and nobles were never permitted to ride carriages directly inside.
"I know, I know." Jing Luoluo had no intention of making things difficult for a mere gate guard. He nimbly wormed his way out of the carriage compartment and hopped down to the ground.
An imperial eunuch then led him inward on foot, while a fast-footed young eunuch ran ahead to report the matter to Emperor Hengwu.
Chasing furiously behind, Zhao Huaiyuan finally caught up. The moment he reached the palace gates, he scrambled off his carriage in such a rush that a misstep nearly sent him crashing face-first into the dirt.
The guards, who had spotted the Prince An's Estate carriage approaching from afar, had already stepped forward. One of them had quick hands and sharp eyes, catching Zhao Huaiyuan just in time to help him stand steady.
Zhao Huaiyuan raised his head gratefully, preparing to thank him, but when the guard saw that face covered in angry claw marks, he couldn't help sucking in a cold breath: "Hiss... Heir, what happened to your face?"
Zhao Huaiyuan's expression darkened instantly. "How long has Jing Luoluo been inside the palace?"
The gate guard was no fool; hearing this question, understanding dawned instantly. "Reporting to the Heir, Young Master Jing left about a quarter of an hour ago! If you walk quickly, you might still catch him!"
"Damn it!" Leaving behind a cold snort, Zhao Huaiyuan strode toward the palace. Xiaofuzi and the driver were left behind to wait outside, as minor attendants were not permitted to casually follow people into the palace.
Led by a eunuch, Jing Luoluo arrived outside the Imperial Study, only to be informed that Emperor Hengwu was currently occupied with state affairs, leaving him with no choice but to wait outside with his blackened eye.
Along the way, the passing eunuchs and palace maids were all drawn to his wretched appearance. After all, Jing Luoluo spent a fair amount of time in the palace, and seeing the pampered Duke's Estate young master covered in dust naturally prompted the gossipy ones to steal a few extra glances.
Jing Luoluo stood calmly in place. That was precisely his intention—he wanted these people to see him, and the bigger the fuss made, the better.
True to his expectations, it wasn't long before the news that Jing Luoluo had been beaten up and was seeking justice from the Emperor spread throughout the entire palace.
When the Empress received word of this, she happened to be strolling through the Imperial Garden with several imperial concubines, and she immediately led her retinue toward the Imperial Study.
"Jing Luol：!"
Zhao Huaiyuan's furious roar successfully interrupted Jing Luoluo from his daze. He turned his head to see the little fatty running up panting, completely out of breath, and a mocking smile curled across the corner of his mouth.
"Look at you panting like a dog. I've been waiting here forever, and you're only just catching up?"
Disregarding his dignity entirely, Zhao Huaiyuan plopped himself down onto the stone steps, gasping heavily for air. "You... don't be so smug... You're just jealous of this Heir..."
"Oh? Me, jealous of you? Ha! Jealous of your rolls of fat?" Jing Luoluo chuckled in amusement.
Sitting on the ground to catch his breath for a long moment, Zhao Huaiyuan finally started to feel a bit better. He pointed at Jing Luoluo and accused, "You're just jealous that this Heir has an aunt who dotes on her! Your own birth mother died when you were little, and your father is stationed away from the capital year-round, so nobody cares about you at all!"
The young eunuch stationed outside the Imperial Study heard this and wished he could plug his ears shut. *Heaven help me, if these two start fighting, am I supposed to try and break it up or not?!*
Jing Luoluo was predictably provoked. Knowing full well that he couldn't possibly win a physical brawl against Zhao Huaiyuan's thick-skinned frame, he glanced around and spotted a few palace maids sweeping the grounds not far away.
He trotted over to the maids. Dumbfounded, Zhao Huaiyuan watched Jing Luoluo walk away, assuming he had hit a nerve, and burst into loud laughter. "Ha! Did I hit too close to home? Hey, don't run off! If you've got the guts, come back over here!"
The maid stared blankly at the sudden appearance of the bruised-eyed young master, and before she could react, her broom was snatched right out of her hands. She hastily dropped to her knees in a panic. "Young Master, th-this... this is a menial sweeping tool, how could you possibly touch it?"
Ignoring the maid entirely, Jing Luoluo grabbed the broom and executed a swift about-face. As he drew near, he roared at the top of his lungs, "Zhao Huaiyuan, you bastard, you're asking for a beating!"
Zhao Huaiyuan was still sitting on the stone steps, exchanging smug remarks with the eunuch behind him, and even chuckled when he heard the approach. "Hah! A defeated opponent dares to come back for more?"
Before he could finish, a large broom came sweeping straight at his face, instantly showering him in dirt and leaves. A mouthful of debris landed right in Zhao Huaiyuan's mouth and all over his body, causing the already raw scratches on his face to flare up with a sharp, burning agony.