Such thoughts had never crossed his mind before. Who cared if someone was heartbroken or not? He could always meet another girl—one who wasn't heartbroken, one who was passionate, eagerly awaiting him, filled with endless admiration for him.
But after the fire broke out in the mansion, Ji Bozhai suddenly realized that someone like Mingyi truly couldn’t be replaced anytime soon. Forget finding anyone as charming and adorable as her—even if such a person existed, they certainly wouldn’t have her cunning.
He had been somewhat agitated earlier, distressed at the thought of her going to the Hall of Judgment. But now it seemed she must have had her own plans all along.
Night fell, and Star Yearn City was awash with stars. The Flower Full Tower was alive with flirtatious laughter and song, while not far from the Ji residence, a lone beauty stood trembling, tears in her eyes, her slender waist swaying faintly.
"Young lady, you should go back," Granny Xun said, steadying her. "The master won’t be returning tonight."
"I don’t believe it. He promised he’d come back every night to be with me," Mingyi sobbed, wiping her tears. "This is his main residence—where else would he go?"
A few nosy servants from nearby officials’ households, eager for gossip, chimed in from a distance, "He’s at the Flower Full Tower. Just won over the Courtesan’s favor and tossed out handfuls of celebratory coins to the people on the street."
Mingyi froze, her gaze snapping toward the speaker before Granny Xun could stop her. "Which Flower Full Tower?" she demanded loudly.
The servant shrank back, hesitant to stir trouble, but mumbled, "There’s only one Flower Full Tower in the main city."
A fire ignited in her eyes. Mingyi grabbed Granny Xun. "Take me there."
Granny Xun frowned deeply. "That’s a den of vice—a place no proper lady should go."
"We’re dancing girls—hardly any different from those women in status. Why shouldn’t I go?" Mingyi fumed, raising her voice. "I want to see what kind of seductress could make him forget his own home is burning!"
"Young lady, young lady!" Granny Xun pleaded, unable to dissuade her. She watched helplessly as Mingyi grabbed a horse to mount, then quickly swapped it for a steadier beast-drawn carriage, accompanying her on the journey.
The spectacle drew even more onlookers. Several servants who loved poking into others’ affairs trailed behind the carriage, laughing and jeering, drawing curious stares from passersby on both sides of the road.
By midnight, the Flower Full Tower had quieted down. Ji Bozhai, settling into sleep in a guest room, was abruptly roused by a piercing cry tearing through the night:
"Ji Bozhai, you heartless scoundrel—!"
"…" He sat up, silent for a moment, wondering if he’d imagined it. After all, in all his years of dalliances, he’d always treated the ladies well—never once had he been cursed like this.
But the ensuing uproar outside yanked him back to reality. He sprang out of bed and, under cover of darkness, slipped into the neighboring room of the Courtesan to swap places with Buxiu. Only then did he step to the window to look down.
Mingyi stood atop the carriage in the middle of the road. When she spotted him, her eyes reddened. "Why must you treat me this way, my lord?"
Still groggy, he wasn’t quick enough to play along before she collapsed onto the carriage roof, wailing as if her heart were breaking. "When you took me in, you swore I’d be the only one! Yet now, after so little time, you’ve gone and bought a Courtesan!"
Qingli, startled awake, threw on a robe and joined Ji Bozhai at the window, clinging to his arm as she peered down.
Her appearance was the final straw. Mingyi’s sobs grew even more hysterical, her voice cracking with despair. "My lord… you don’t want me anymore…"Ji Bozhai took a moment to process the situation before coldly slapping the windowsill. "What disgraceful behavior!"
Mingyi trembled at his shout, collapsing weakly onto the carriage roof, sobbing pitifully. "My lord promised me, you promised me..."
The spectacle was too riveting—not only did it rouse those still awake in the brothels and taverns, but even those who had already fallen asleep were shaken awake by their companions to witness the commotion.
Soon, windows along the entire row of lofts began to creak open one after another, sounding like a string of firecrackers.
Encouraged by the audience, Mingyi wept even more dramatically. "There was a fire in the residence today, and I was so frightened, hoping my lord would return to comfort me. But who knew my lord had already found a new love? I might as well have burned to death in that house—it would be better than suffering like this now!"
"Granny Xun!" Ji Bozhai roared in fury. "Take her back at once!"
Granny Xun hastily complied, urging the beast-drawn carriage forward. The sudden movement sent Mingyi stumbling, her body sliding perilously close to the edge of the roof.
His heart clenched at the sight, and he instinctively raised a hand to steady her before forcing himself to stop, his body stiffening slightly.
"My lord?" Qingli looked at him in confusion.
"Out of sight, out of mind," he muttered, pulling the window shut and guiding her back to the bedside. "Go rest."
"But this public scene is so humiliating. By tomorrow, the gossip will be unbearable." Qingli's eyes brimmed with tears. "I've brought trouble upon you."
Ji Bozhai shook his head, suppressing his anger. "It's not your fault."
He shot another glare out the window. "I detest unreasonable tantrums the most."
"My lord..." Qingli leaned against him, her voice trembling with hurt.
Outside, the sobbing gradually faded. Ji Bozhai gently urged her to sleep while he sat stiffly at the table, feigning anger.
Afraid of provoking him further, Qingli dared not move, watching his back until she drifted off to sleep.
By dawn, the entire city was abuzz with the previous night's scandal. The tale spread like wildfire, and by the time Ji Bozhai entered the inner courtyard, Liang Xiuyuan, Shu Zhonglin, and others had already gathered around him with worried expressions.
"Bozhai, are you alright? We heard it got quite heated last night."
Ji Bozhai found it amusing. "She made a scene, but what does that have to do with me?"
"You don't understand," Liang Xiuyuan sighed. "Wasn't Xu Lan the one who, after being caught with a new lover by his woman, stormed off to the Hall of Judgment to expose everything in a fit of rage?"
"Only if there's something to expose." Ji Bozhai glanced at Zhao Si Pan, who was eavesdropping nearby, and scoffed. "My conscience is clear."
Reassured, the others began teasing him. "Who knew Ming Guniang had such a fiery temperament?"
"Bozhai, you're too heartless. How could you let Ming Guniang find out about your dalliances? After treating her so well, suddenly changing your heart—who could endure that?"
"Ah, hasn't Bozhai always been like this? He loses interest after half a month. It was about time anyway."
Zhao Si Pan observed from the side, thinking Ji Bozhai truly had a heart of stone. Laughing and joking, he showed not a shred of concern for Mingyi—worse even than Xu Lan.
At least Xu Lan was in the Hall of Judgment, begging Zhang Tai to forgive him and retract his testimony. But Ji Bozhai, with his high status and power, seemed utterly unbothered.
Could it be that Prince Ping's matter truly had nothing to do with him?
Puzzled, Zhao Si Pan turned and hurried toward the Hall of Judgment.
Mingyi was already seated inside, facing Zhang Tai, whose eyes were swollen from crying. Kneeling beside Zhang Tai was Xu Lan.As if she had been crying all night, Zhang Tai's tears had dried up. She just sat there in a daze, silent. On the contrary, it was Xu Lan who kept chattering incessantly: "That was just a distant relative my mother forced me to marry. You're the only one in my heart. Once the child in your belly is born, I'll give you your rightful status. Didn't we agree on this?"
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