Chapter 55 Such Good Luck

The madam couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense. She waved her hand dismissively and said, "Spare me the threats! Tie him up and sell him to the construction site to dig for ore tomorrow. It'll help subsidize our establishment!"

Several burly men immediately moved in. Despite his efforts, Chu Nan was no match for so many.

Within moments, he was pinned to the ground. As they prepared to tie him up securely, his face turned pale with panic. "Help! Is there no one who cares?"

Just then, a series of heavy knocking sounds echoed from outside.

Startled by the sudden commotion, the madam turned her head toward the entrance.

Looking impatient and annoyed, she cursed, "Who is it? In the middle of the night, can't you see we're busy?"

Silence hung outside the door, but the knocking grew even more insistent.

Muttering complaints under her breath, the madam walked over and flung the door open while scolding, "Who the hell is—" Before she could finish her sentence, she froze completely.

Standing outside was a man dressed in a flying-魚 uniform with an embroidered spring blade at his waist. He had a stern expression and an overwhelming, commanding presence.

The moment she saw this attire, the madam's legs turned to jelly, and she collapsed straight to her knees. "M-My Lord! I was unaware of your esteemed arrival. How may I be of service?"

Pinned to the ground, Chu Nan heard the change in the madam's tone and immediately lifted his head to look.

At the sight, his eyes lit up. The woman standing beside the man looked somewhat familiar. "Lord Shangguan?! Help me!"

The newcomer was none other than Shangguan Ya'er, her hands clasped behind her back.

Looking down at the madam kneeling on the floor, she asked in a flat tone, "What is going on here?"

Panic-stricken, the madam hurriedly plastered on a flattering smile and stammered, "Reporting to My Lord, th-this gentleman had some drinks but claimed he forgot his money. We were merely following the rules to settle the account. We never harbored any disrespect toward him!"

Feeling as though he had caught a lifeline, Chu Nan scrambled clumsily over to Shangguan Ya'er's side.

With an aggrieved expression, he whined, "Lord Shangguan, you've finally arrived!"

"You have no idea, they were just about to tie me up and sell me off as a miner!"

Shangguan Ya'er cast a glance at his disheveled appearance and couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Young Master Chu, how do you manage to get yourself into this state every single time?"

Chu Nan chuckled sheepishly. "Well, this was just an accident! Please help me sort this out quickly!"

Unwilling to waste words, Shangguan Ya'er casually reached into her tunic and pulled out a heavy gold ingot.

She tossed it in front of the madam and said coldly, "Is this enough?"

At the sight of the gold ingot, the madam's eyes went wide. She nodded frantically like a pounding pestle. "Enough, more than enough! Your Lordship honors our humble establishment far too much. This is more than enough!"

"Since it's enough, this matter is settled."

Shangguan Ya'er's voice was cold and detached. "Remember, don't go making trouble for people casually in the future, especially not him."

Hearing this, the madam didn't dare say another word.

She hurriedly picked up the gold ingot with both hands and retreated cautiously to the side. "Yes, yes, yes! My Lord's instruction is well taken. We will definitely reform!"

Shangguan Ya'er glanced at Chu Nan and said coldly, "Aren't you leaving?"

"Coming, coming, coming!" Chu Nan scrambled to his feet, smoothed down his crumpled clothes, and trotted happily after Shangguan Ya'er out the door.

Accompanied by distant, muffled noises, Chu Nan walked behind Shangguan Ya'er, scratching his head with a mixture of guilt and restless curiosity. "Lady Shangguan, thanks to you just now, otherwise..."

Shangguan Ya'er turned her head to give him a faint, sidelong glance, a trace of helplessness in her tone. "Young Master Chu, shouldn't you be wondering why trouble manages to find you every single time?"

Chu Nan waved a hand dismissively, unconcerned. "How can you blame me? Accidents, purely accidents! I really forgot my money!"

Shangguan Ya'er sighed speechlessly. "Chu Nan, I advise you to stay away from such places."

"The imperial capital is not some small town; it's a place crouching with tigers and hidden dragons. One day, when you stir up some massive trouble, there won't be anyone around to clean up your mess every single day."

Chu Nan chuckled, putting on a perfunctory expression that seemed to say, "I'll remember that."

The rest of the journey passed in silence until Shangguan Ya'er escorted Chu Nan to the entrance of his shop.

Stopping in her tracks, she said coolly, "Young Master Chu, we've arrived. Go on inside by yourself."

Seeing her indifferent expression, Chu Nan scratched his head and said with a touch of embarrassment, "Shangguan, thank you for today. Um... would you like to come in for a cup of tea before you leave?"

Shangguan Ya'er gave him a cold look. "No need, I have matters to attend to. Behave yourself and don't cause any more trouble."

Without waiting for his reply,

she turned and strode away, leaving behind only the gentle rustle of fabric stirred by the wind.

Standing at the entrance and watching her receding figure, Chu Nan sighed inwardly, "That Shangguan looks icy cold, but she actually has a pretty good heart."

He turned, pushed open the shop door, and yawned, thinking that after such a thrilling nightlife adventure, he should just wash up and go straight to sleep.

Late into the night, the imperial palace remained brightly lit.

Walking with light steps, Shangguan Ya'er crossed the palace corridors and returned to the imperial study.

Pushing the door open, she saw Cheng Lingyu still seated upright behind the desk, reviewing a memorial.

"Your Majesty." Shangguan Ya'er bowed respectfully, walked up to Cheng Lingyu's side, and whispered, "Young Master Chu has gotten into trouble again."

Cheng Lingyu's hand holding the brush paused slightly. She raised her eyes to look at her. "What happened?"

Shangguan Ya'er recounted everything that had just transpired at the Drunken Blossom Pavilion, adding at the end, "I have already dealt with it. Such a minor matter is not worth mentioning."

"However, for Young Master Chu to actually visit a brothel..."

Listening to the account, Cheng Lingyu frowned slightly.

Noticing the Empress's displeased expression, Shangguan Ya'er couldn't help advising, "Your Majesty, although Young Master Chu is clever, his disposition is lax and he does not understand court protocols. If this continues, he will inevitably attract even more trouble."

"Perhaps I should assign more people to keep an eye on him to prevent further mishaps."

Cheng Lingyu sighed softly and shook her head. "Assigning people to watch him can only solve temporary problems; it cannot resolve the root issue."

Her gaze fell upon a memorial on the desk, and her eyes gradually grew resolute.

"Shangguan." Cheng Lingyu put down her brush, stood up, and spoke in a calm voice that carried an unshakeable majesty, "I have decided to leave the palace for a trip."

Startled, Shangguan Ya'er hurriedly stepped forward.

With a hint of worry in her tone, she asked, "Your Majesty, are you truly leaving the palace in person? Affairs in the imperial capital are pressing at the moment. If you are not here, I'm afraid..."

"Rest assured." Cheng Lingyu smiled faintly, her gaze as soft as water.

"All state affairs are temporarily entrusted to you and several senior ministers. I trust that you can handle them well."

Shangguan Ya'er lowered her head and cupped her fists. "Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust."

Cheng Lingyu nodded, walked over to the nearby armor rack, and stared at the gleaming, cold-glinting suit of armor with a complex look in her eyes.

After a long moment, she softly said, "You all watch over the state affairs, and I have my own matters to attend to. Oh, and..."

Cheng Lingyu turned around, her gaze falling upon Shangguan Ya'er with a slightly softened tone. "Keep a closer eye on Chu Nan as well. I don't want anything truly bad to happen to him."

Understanding her meaning, Shangguan Ya'er nodded with a faint smile. "Your Majesty may rest assured. With me here, Young Master Chu will come to no harm."