Chapter 118 Fan

Chapter 118: The Fan

Cheng Ge spent another five or six days in the imperial prison, and by then, most of the officials who needed to be arrested had been captured.

On this day, the day he was finally released, Lin Nanshu, Lü Rou, and the others arrived early at the prison gate to wait for him.

Of course, somehow word had gotten out, and the long street in front of the prison was packed with people.

Even the jailers were stunned—these were the same people who usually wouldn't come within a mile of the place.

What's gotten into them? What were they all doing here at the crack of dawn? Watching a circus?

Cheng Ge was munching on a piece of sugar cake that Funiang had made for him as he walked out, flanked by several guards.

But the moment his right foot crossed the prison threshold, a clamor erupted around him.

"Look! It's Cheng Xiezhi!" someone shouted.

The crowd immediately knelt before Cheng Ge, crying out, "Lord High Magistrate!"

Cheng Ge: "!!!"

Startled, he nearly choked on the cake. He quickly swallowed it down and darted back inside.

The guards behind him were alarmed and charged forward with swords drawn, shouting, "Where are the assailants?!"

The kneeling commoners were baffled.

"Didn't he just come out? Why doesn't it seem like him?"

Cheng Ge hid behind the prison gate, patted his chest, and looked up at Lin Nanshu in a panic.

"Brother, quick, quick! Is my hair okay?"

He then hurriedly adjusted his collar and brushed at the nonexistent wrinkles on his robe.

Lin Nanshu watched Cheng Ge's nervous behavior with a helpless smile.

He stepped forward and carefully smoothed the pale blue ribbon in Cheng Ge's hair, saying, "Don't worry, you still look as dashing as ever."

Cheng Ge took a deep breath, recomposed himself, and slowly stepped out of the prison gate.

When the people saw him emerge, they shouted again, "Lord High Magistrate!"

Cheng Ge raised his hands slightly, signaling everyone to rise, and put on a gentle smile as he nodded to the crowd.

"It's just my job. Don't worry about it."

Sobs broke out among the crowd. A choked voice cried out, "If it hadn't been for Cheng Xiezhi, my son would have died in vain."

"Thanks to Cheng Xiezhi, the emperor punished those corrupt officials! We got our farmland back thanks to him..."

Endless words of gratitude filled the air, and Cheng Ge's heart swelled with emotion. He had only intended to seek justice for his predecessor's father.

But unexpectedly, his efforts had also helped so many wronged and suffering commoners.

"Master Cheng! This is a pear from my family's orchard—please take it and try it!" a sharp voice rang out from the crowd.

Before he could react, a young woman carrying a large basket charged toward him.

The guards immediately drew their swords to block her, but Cheng Ge was quick to whisper to them, "Don't hurt the commoners."

The woman tried to reach Cheng Ge but was stopped, though she still pushed the basket toward him.

One of the pears fell out and rolled right to Cheng Ge's feet.

Blushing, she called out, "Master Cheng, these are the finest pears from my family. You must accept them."

Cheng Ge bent down and picked up the large pear. It felt heavy in his hand. He smiled at her and said, "Thank you."

Caught off guard by his smile as bright as spring, the woman felt her breath quicken and her heart race. She was so overwhelmed that her eyes rolled back, and she nearly passed out.

At that, the other commoners swarmed forward, thrusting their prepared gifts toward him.

Some offered eggs, some handed over homemade pastries, and others gave pickled vegetables—you name it, they had it.

Cheng Ge didn't dare linger, afraid of causing a traffic jam. Under the cover of his guards, he quickly climbed into his carriage.

The scene felt just like a modern-day celebrity being mobbed by fans at the airport.

As the carriage slowly moved off, Cheng Ge lifted the curtain and waved goodbye to the people outside.

"Oh! So this is the famous Cheng Xiezhi? He's nothing like the storytellers described—such a handsome young man!"

"I thought he'd be a burly fellow, but he's actually a tall, handsome, and refined young man."

"I heard Master Cheng placed sixth in the imperial exam—truly both talented and good-looking. And they say he's not yet married!"

At that, the crowd stirred again, the way they looked at Cheng Ge suddenly changed.

Cheng Ge clutched the big pear, getting a bit dizzy with excitement.

Just then, a peach-colored sachet landed squarely on his chest.

He picked it up instinctively, but before he could examine it, a sweet voice came from outside the carriage: "Master Cheng, this is a gift from me!"

But before Cheng Ge could see the girl's face, more sachets and handkerchiefs flew toward the carriage like falling petals.

Cheng Ge had never experienced anything like this, and he was almost buried under the avalanche of gifts.

He frantically waved back at the young ladies outside, couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

Yeah, yeah! I'm still single—if you're interested, hit me up!

Just as Cheng Ge was lost in the shower of praise, a folding fan landed right in his arms.

He looked down. The fan was light in hand, its ribs likely made of white ivory.

A white jade pendant with tassels hung from the handle—clearly valuable.

He instinctively looked up, following the direction the fan came from.

At a tea house not far away, an open window on the second floor.

There, Yun Xunyu was lazily leaning on the window sill in a red robe, his dark hair loosely tied back. He rested his elbow lazily on the sill, one pinky finger hooked around a matching pendant, smiling slyly at Cheng Ge.

The tassel pendant swayed by the window, making the heart itch with restlessness.

Cheng Ge hadn't expected to see that bastard here, and his good mood instantly evaporated.

Naturally, his face showed no kindness as he glared fiercely at the other guy.

Yun Xunyu, seeing this, wasn't angered at all. He mouthed a few words to Cheng Ge.

Though they were far apart, Cheng Ge, as if by telepathy, actually understood what he said.

He wanted him to open the fan.

Cheng Ge gripped the fan tightly. After hesitating for a few seconds, he finally couldn't resist and, as if possessed, opened it.

When his eyes fell on the fan's surface, they flew wide open.

What was depicted on the fan was a figure painting: two handsome men were leaning together, hidden inside a stone cave.

One of them was holding the other tightly, their lips pressed against each other.

Cheng Ge's mind went blank, as if struck by lightning, and in a panic, he flung the fan away.

"Holy shit! Something filthy!! There's something filthy!!!"

Damn it! Wasn't this what he and that pervert had done in the cave that day? That bastard had even shamelessly painted it!

"Made with love—give it a click!"