Zhao Hanzhang rode with Wang Xuan straight to the Inspector Mansion. Before they dismounted, they saw two guards dragging out a young man dressed in a pale-cyan robe. The garnt had wide sleeves and a large collar, and as the guards pulled him, it slipped halfway down, exposing a swath of pale shoulder. Beneath, he wore only a camisole, leaving the outer garnt loose and almost half off.
The guards were about to throw the man out when they noticed Zhao Hanzhang on horseback. They imdiately stood him up properly instead, but before they could greet her, the man began struggling violently. With his back to Zhao Hanzhang and Wang Xuan, he shouted toward the entrance of the Inspector Mansion, "I am Wang izi, I am Wang izi! Let in, this na was given by my father, how am I not the person the Inspector is looking for? You won’t let see the Inspector, you corrupt officials, deceiving the Inspector. Once I see the Inspector, I will surely denounce you!"
Wang Xuan’s face darkened entirely. Although he was covered in gri and hard to recognize, it didn’t prevent him from exuding a chilling aura. "You claim to be Wang izi? Then what’s your na?"
Zhao Hanzhang closed her gaping mouth and silently watched Wang Xuan berate the man.
The man turned around and, seeing Zhao Hanzhang on horseback, his eyes lit up. Ignoring Wang Xuan’s question, he rushed toward Zhao Hanzhang but was restrained by the guards after just one step.
He struggled defiantly, "Let go of , let go of ! In front of the Inspector, how dare you be so bold!"
Zhao Hanzhang waved her hand silently, and only then did the guards release him.
He swung his arm with satisfaction, huffed softly, and then looked hopefully at Zhao Hanzhang, trying to perform a formal bow, "Wang izi greets the Inspector. Inspector, these corrupt officials are deceiving the higher-ups and lower, not allowing to see you."
Zhao Hanzhang glanced toward Wang Xuan.
Wang Xuan took a deep breath, half-turning his horse to block the young man’s view, forcing him to look directly, "You claim to be Wang izi, so what’s your full na?"
The other man frowned slightly, displeased by Wang Xuan’s ragged, beggar-like appearance. Nevertheless, because he was on horseback and Zhao Hanzhang, blocked to his rear-side, along with the surrounding personal guards didn’t refute him, he reluctantly responded with irritation, "Are you deaf? My na is Wang izi, naturally, my na is izi."
Wang Xuan turned back to look at Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang instructed Zhao Yunxin, "Go to the announcent wall and bring the proclamation over."
Zhao Yunxin agreed, nudging his horse’s sides to depart.
The announcent wall wasn’t far, just on the plaza beside the Inspector Mansion. Zhao Yunxin tore it down and turned his horse around to return. When he was about to hand it to Zhao Hanzhang, she lifted her chin to indicate, "Give it to him."
Zhao Yunxin cast a glance at the young man, dismounted, and unfurled the proclamation before him.
The youth dumbly took it, looking at Zhao Hanzhang in confusion, "Inspector, this is..."
Zhao Hanzhang: "Read it aloud."
The young man, bewildered, began to read the proclamation, "Wanted Person Notice, seeking a young man, six feet eight inches tall, face like silver moon, sword eyebrows, starry eyes, high nose, native of Lin Yi, Langya County, son of Wang Yan, Wang izi. Any information brought forth, if accurate, will be rewarded ten thousand. If you can escort him to the Inspector Mansion, the reward is a million..."
When he finished reading, he looked up innocently at Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang paused, then asked him incredulously, "Understand now?"
The young man shook his head in confusion, saying, "Inspector, I am Wang izi, native of Langya County."
Zhao Hanzhang: "...Is your father Wang Yan?"
The young man hesitated, but under Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze, still shook his head slightly, so subtly that if Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t been watching him closely, she might not have noticed.
Zhao Hanzhang snorted, pointing to the announcent wall not far away, "Take this proclamation and recite it a hundred tis over there."
She instructed the guards, "Keep an eye on him. Don’t let him leave if he hasn’t recited it enough tis."
The guards responded in unison with a loud voice.
The young man’s mouth trembled slightly as he watched Zhao Hanzhang and Wang Xuan enter the Inspector Mansion, muttering softly in grievance, "But my na is Wang izi..."
Wang Xuan indignantly remarked, "Do I look like that? With a rodent face, disheveled clothes, and even if soone were to impersonate , they should at least choose soone similar, right?"
Zhao Hanzhang laughed, "Dear brother, isn’t this disheveled look what your noble sons are currently into? Now, with how hot it is, dressing like this seems quite cooling."
It’s just not known why wearing it gives an unpleasant feeling.
An image of the young man being half-pulled out of his clothes flashed in Wang Xuan’s mind, causing him to shiver unwittingly, saying, "I have never been like that."
So prefer wearing just an undershirt beneath their robe, and others like to bare their chest and abdon, but he never aligned with those preferences.
The most he fancied was going barefoot with wooden clogs, not wearing socks nor cloth shoes. He simply could not appreciate the style of his father and uncles.
Zhao Hanzhang nodded with satisfaction before saying, "I heard that Governor Wang of Jingzhou not only likes to bare his chest and belly but also enjoys running around naked. Ah, by the way, he dispatched an envoy to find you, intending to take you to Jingzhou."
Wang Xuan abruptly halted, turning to Zhao Hanzhang, "Did sothing happen in Jingzhou?"
Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him, gesturing at Uncle Cheng who was approaching, "Dear brother, go freshen up first. I’ll have the kitchen prepare so food for us to talk over while we eat."
At the ntion of freshening up, Wang Xuan felt itchy all over; while he was wandering, even going a month or two without bathing didn’t bother him that much.
He squird a little, hurrying after Uncle Cheng, "Then wait for ."
Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t inclined to wait for him; just like any noble youth, given the chance, would naturally want to take elaborate care of themselves.
So Wang Xuan ended up occupying the bath for more than half an hour.
He washed his hair four tis, refilled the water three tis, and bathed thrice. If conditions allowed, he would have wanted a floral bath or sothing similar.
Unfortunately, the staff at the Inspector Mansion seed to have so misunderstanding about n and refused to provide him with flowers for a bath.
Wang Xuan sat before the mirror, examining his face ticulously, and sighed, "Coarsened quite a bit."
The servant assigned to attend him hesitated for a mont but still ran out to fetch so powder from the maidservants he knew.
Wang Xuan took one glance at it and shook his head, deciding not to use it.
The servant sighed in relief, thinking this young master was indeed similar to their eldest and second sons, only to hear him say, "This looks like inferior quality powder."
The servant swallowed his words, thankful he didn’t remark that Wang Xuan was just like their eldest and second sons, vigorous young n.
Wang Xuan stood up, "Let’s go, shouldn’t keep Governor Zhao waiting."
Zhao Hanzhang had already run to hold a short eting with Zhao Ming and the others and returned just in ti for dinner, with Fu Tinghan returning from work to join the al.
Mrs. Wang, discovering that Wang Xuan had been found, made a special trip to see him. Knowing they had matters to discuss, she left after just one eting to give them space.
Zhao Hanzhang set the chopsticks for Wang Xuan, saying, "My dear brother, after your arduous journey, you shouldn’t go straight to heavy ats, so tonight we’ll have more vegetables."
There was only one dish of boiled eggs on the table, hardly considered at, but the cook’s skills were excellent, making the dishes very tasty, especially the fried tofu and boiled tofu, bringing Wang Xuan much joy.
After eating a bowl of rice, Wang Xuan, with slightly reddened eyes, said, "The hardships of the populace are many. Though we knew of the common people’s hardships before, we didn’t know it was this severe, taking for granted what we read in books, thinking how different is it from Emperor Hui’s not eating minced at? Only now do I know their suffering is such that even living is a luxury."
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