Chapter 40: A Big Fight Breaks Out

  "What... Sa?" Xu Peng's throat moved involuntarily, a subconscious physiological phenomenon.

  "Pizza, a dish with an unpronounceable foreign name." Qin Kan explained calmly.

  "Is it delicious?" He swallowed saliva again.

  "No spoilers."

  Xu Pengju stood outside the prison gate for a moment, then suddenly bellowed like thunder: "You, you come out! Get out!"

  Qin Kan sighed: "Young Master, I'm more eager than anyone to get out of here, but unfortunately, I couldn't roll out..."

  Xu Peng shouted loudly: "Come on, come on! I want to go in, I want to go in!"

  The prison head rolled and crawled to open the gate, and with a creaking sound, he opened the prison door.

  Xu Pengju waved his hand and dismissed the guards and attendants, limping into the prison cell, rolling up his sleeves as he walked.

  "I don't like bullying people, but you're so annoying and ugly too. I have no choice but to teach you a lesson myself..."

  Qin Kan smiled bitterly: "You're the second person to say that, am I really born with a face that's asking for a beating?"

  Xu Peng raised his sleeves and said in a fierce tone, "Don't mention that I bullied you. If it hurts, just fight back. Today, if I don't give you a good beating, this bad temper of mine will be hard to dispel."

  Xu Pengju couldn't help but feel indignant, he felt that until now, this damned Qin Kan was still playing him like a fiddle, and had even used that thing called "pizza" to lure him in. What made him even angrier was himself, why did he have no backbone, why couldn't he control his own mouth...

  Such intense negative emotions cannot be left unvented, or else one will go mad.

  He said he would hit him, and the young master didn't hesitate at all. With a horse stance, his energy sank into his dantian, and with a loud "hiss", a heavy fist fiercely punched Qin Kan's handsome face.

  "Damn it!"

  He also followed up with a punch, hitting Xu Pengju's stomach. Xu Pengju was beaten back, stumbling and retreating, arching his body in pain and groaning, his eyes disbelieving: "You damn, actually dare to fight back?"

  Qin Kan cursed and said: "I've already made a big mistake, what's the harm in making another one?"

  "Bastard!" Xu Peng shouted as he jumped up.

  Qin Kan didn't show any weakness either, and so inside the prison cell, they exchanged blows, with one person punching and the other kicking, the two of them fiercely fighting, the situation extremely dire.

  …………

  …………

  The two of them lay down side by side on the damp and moldy straw in the cell, panting heavily.

  Xu Peng sneered: "Qin Kan, you really have guts, actually daring to fight me, aren't you afraid of being beheaded?"

  "The jar is already broken, what's the harm in smashing it again." Qin Kan rubbed the red and swollen corner of his mouth, that little scoundrel had a heavy hand, and one of his teeth seemed to be loose...

  Xu Pengju glared at him fiercely: "How dare you scheme against me?"

  "More than a hundred catties are piled up here, Young Master can choose to steam or braise them, as you please."

  Qin Kan's nonchalant and arrogant attitude made Xu Peng feel a bit alienated, was this still the same bookworm who used to be so timid in front of him?

  After a long time, Xu Pengju suddenly burst out laughing, his laughter getting louder and louder, pulling at the wound on his face, and he yelped in pain.

  "Qin Kan, I acknowledge you as a friend from today." Xu Peng said with a serious tone.

  Qin Kan was unhappy and a bit dissatisfied: "I've made so many delicious dishes for you before, can't you consider me as a friend? It wasn't until today when I beat you up that you suddenly came to your senses?"

  Xu Pengju's response was quite arrogant: "The one who cooks for me is called a chef, does the chef dare to hit his master?"

  Qin Kan rubbed the bruise on his face, secretly sighing. The powerful and wealthy are also cheap, remembering to hit but not to eat. If he had known earlier, he would have beaten him up when they first met.

  Life has taken such a long and winding road...

  In the cell, two men covered in scars stared at each other, then burst out laughing, a faint warmth flowing between them.

  A man's friendship is so direct, scolding or fighting with fists and feet can add more feelings.

  The children of the wealthy and powerful are also human beings, they too need friends.

  Qin couldn't help but ask curiously: "That Tong Yinglong also beat you up, why don't you acknowledge him as a friend?"

  Xu Peng raised an eyebrow and glared at him: "Think I'm inferior, huh? That guy's already been crippled by me, now he's wailing in the Shaoshing prison."

  Qin Kan sighed, the thinking of the powerful is unpredictable and elusive, really making it hard to grasp. Do they have any standards for being human and doing things?

  After the excitement has passed, one cannot help but face some very practical problems.

  "Little Lord, you... how did you get so many injuries?" Qin Kan only felt a sense of unease at this moment, realizing he had done something very impulsive.

  Xu Pengju angrily said: "Now you know to be afraid? When you were hitting me just now, did you ever think of the consequences?"

  "You'd better be grateful, little lord, a humble commoner like me was just about to unleash a devastating kick..."

  "You... Ah, never mind! I know why you want to take advantage of me. To be honest, I've always wanted to help you, but it's not convenient for me to show up. You taking advantage of me this time is also good, I'll take a beating to help you and that tall woman, and also accumulate some good karma for myself. Let's just forget about this matter."

  Xu Pengju felt a bit uncomfortable and said: "As for the injuries on my body, cough... I'll go back and tell Grandpa that during the process of capturing Tong Yinglong, I was beaten up by him again, cough..."

  "This excuse of yours..."

  Xu Peng suddenly said: "It's really cool, right?"

  "Cough, young master's wonderful plan brings peace to the world..." Qin Kan wiped his sweat.

  "When will you make pizza for me?"

  "I don't want to do it for you."

  Xu Pengju was anxious: "Why?"

  You remember beating him for eating, doing many good things is like throwing meat buns at a dog...

  Qin Kan really couldn't bear to tell the truth, because he didn't have the strength to fight again.

  Tong Yinglong's beating of Xu Pengju was blown out of proportion by the old Duke Xu, and a memorial full of grievances and resentment was submitted to the Grand Council and placed on the dragon case of Emperor Hongzhi. Emperor Hongzhi and the three elderly officials Liu, Xie, and Li were at a loss whether to laugh or cry. We are busy every day dealing with major national affairs, and you bother us with such trivial matters as children fighting? Is Duke Xu becoming more muddle-headed with age?

  The Hongzhi Emperor was originally prepared to issue an edict of reprimand, but still had the temperament of a good old man, not biased or partial, and decided that both sides would be punished with 50 blows, as for the old Duke of Guo's move to bring troops into the city to avenge Tong Zhifu, the Hongzhi Emperor also didn't take it to heart. Military power is a sensitive thing, but the Duke of Wei was different, this family's loyalty couldn't possibly be in question, otherwise successive emperors wouldn't have trusted the Xu family to guard Nanjing for generations, at most he was being arrogant, so punishing him by withholding his salary for a year would suffice.

  The only trouble is those six officials and thirteen censors who won't stop talking for a while.

  By the next day, another message came that tens of thousands of taels of silver, countless deeds to land and houses, and even privately stored tribute porcelain were found in the warehouse of Tong Zhifu's mansion.

  The Hongzhi Emperor was furious at once. Other things can be forgiven, but what is the intention of hiding tributes? Who do you think you are?

  The imperial censors, who originally accused the nobles of being lawless and taking revenge on court officials, also unanimously shut up and disappeared. Who would have thought that such a thing would come out of the civil official group, daring to privately store tribute goods and even getting caught? They brought about their own downfall.

  The views of Hongzhi and the inner court were extremely consistent.

  Remove Shaoxing Prefecture Governor Tong Zhen, exile the entire Tong family to Qiongnan, transfer troops into the city under the command of Prince Wei, this case cannot be reopened, issue an edict to reprimand and deduct one year's salary.

  Yuanshan Yin Zhi County Du Hong had excellent performance in the exams for two consecutive years, and the Minister of the Ministry of Officials Ma Wensheng had submitted a memorial to commend his achievements. Du Hong was promoted to Shaoxing Prefecture Governor.

  P.S. There is another update tonight.....