Old Charlatan (2)

Rip!

Du Chen tore open the sack. Sure enough, nestled within a wad of cotton, a head of reddish-purple hair peeked out. He slipped the sack off completely, and a young maiden limply collapsed into his arms.

Just one glance at the rescued maiden, and Du Chen involuntarily drew a sharp breath. What was natural grace? What was a beauty destined to cause ruin? This girl was the very embodiment of both! Though young, she already exuded the potential to bewitch nations. She wore a simple white gown, utterly devoid of makeup, yet possessed a face of ethereal beauty, skin like frozen jade, and bones like carved ice. Her frame, leaning against Du Chen's shoulder, was so slender it seemed devoid of flesh, so pliant it seemed without bones. A faint, almost imperceptible scent of violets emanated from her, cleansing to the soul.

Taking another look, that exquisite face framed by reddish-purple hair stirred a powerful criminal impulse within him, even as a celibate cultivator of the Pure Yang Scripture.

*She better not fall in love with me at first sight like Avril did after being rescued, otherwise, it would be truly difficult to resist! Avril was merely a beauty. This one, ‘celestial maiden’ seemed a more fitting term.*

Du Chen suppressed his thumping heart and snapped, "You've all seen it! You're seasoned dock-runners, well-traveled and worldly. I don't need to spell out what this old scoundrel was doing, do I?"

"No need!" someone shouted from the crowd. Immediately, a flurry of indignant chatter erupted.

"This shameless old man, trafficking women while dressed as a cleric! He should be sent to the execution pyre!"

"No, flay him alive, rip out his tendons, and light him as a sky lantern! Such a tender young lass, almost ruined in his grasp!"

"Hah, look at this old coot! Even if he dragged this lady back, could he even 'perform'?"

...

"You… you ignorant whelp, you've ruined my grand plan!" The Old Charlatan let out a long sigh to the heavens, then pointed at Du Chen, so enraged he couldn't speak.

"Oh ho, so your venerable self means I shouldn't have saved this young lady?" Du Chen sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're six or seven decades old, how can you still do such things? Have you forgotten the Holy Church's teachings? Sigh, Big Brother, help her stand."

Du Chen handed the maiden to Steve.

"Everyone, come bear witness to this old scoundrel's shamelessness!" He shook his head in feigned regret.

The cold taunts from the crowd, coupled with Du Chen's venomous jeers and laughter, infuriated the old man. He clutched his chest, his goatee trembling uncontrollably.

"You, you…"

"What about me? People shouldn't be as shameless as you are, should they?" Du Chen pointed at him, his lecturing words flowing smoothly. "I once heard an old saying, 'Lust rides on a blade's edge.' This young lady is indeed beautiful, but at your age, to commit such filthy and despicable acts? Do you not fear the Holy Church's retribution? Besides, just look at your old frame…"

Du Chen scolded him for over a full minute. The Old Charlatan was rendered speechless, his face turning ashen as he glared indignantly at Du Chen. Suddenly, his body trembled, and a flush of red spread across his ashen face. Then, *Pth!* — he was so thoroughly berated by Du Chen that he spat blood!

"Good! What a sharp tongue this young master has! He actually shamed him so much he spat blood!" someone loudly praised, though it sounded more like playful jeering.

The Old Charlatan nearly died of shame. *Sigh, to think I've lived righteously my whole life, only to gain a reputation for trafficking women today! As if I spat blood from being scolded! It was clearly due to my agitated state, causing an old injury to flare up and make me vomit blood! If not for being weakened by severe injuries, this… this scoundrel wouldn't dare be so aggressive! Never mind, the greater matter was at hand. He wouldn't quibble with this brat now!*

At that moment, soldiers from within the city gates noticed the commotion on the drawbridge. A squad of over twenty soldiers charged into the crowd, forming a cordon with their spears. The leading officer barked, "What's going on? No loitering before the gates of Antwerp Port! This is Imperial Law!"

Du Chen chuckled as he explained the situation, then pointed at the onlookers. "Everyone here can testify! Brave warriors, please deal with this justly!"

The officer glanced at the Old Charlatan and the unconscious maiden Steve was supporting. No further evidence was needed; common sense dictated it would be strange if this old scoundrel wasn't problematic. In broad daylight, to stuff a beautiful young maiden into a sack, concealing her presence with cotton? Not even a ghost would believe he was innocent!

The officer nodded and drew his saber. "Good people, this man is trafficking women and is clearly impersonating a cleric. He is guilty of heinous crimes! Please make way so our brothers can escort him to the Holy Church's Tribunal!" He then held his drawn saber in his left hand, his right fist thumping his chest, and saluted Du Chen. "Young Master, please accompany us to the Tribunal to give your testimony!"

"Gladly!" Du Chen smiled.

As the soldiers closed in, the Old Charlatan sighed, then flung a metal plaque from his sleeve, which struck the officer squarely on the chest. His breath ragged, he abruptly commanded, "Take… take me and this woman to your City Lord!"

The officer caught the plaque. *Clang!* His saber clattered to the ground. "You, you are…"

"Silence! Do not utter my name!" *His dignity was already shattered. If his name were known too, wouldn't that just ensure his 'woman trafficking' infamy spread far and wide!?*

The officer was quick-witted. He urgently commanded, "Brothers, take this young lady and escort this elder to see the City Lord!" The soldiers swarmed forward, took the young lady from Steve, and then hurriedly escorted the Old Charlatan into the city. However, the officer himself remained behind.

Seeing all this, Du Chen's heart tightened. The two brothers exchanged a look. "Big Brother," Du Chen murmured, "we're in trouble!"

Steve had a wry smile on his face. "That's not right. His steps were unsteady, not like a Battle God, and his clothes were too plain to be a person of great importance!" He pondered for a moment, then suddenly chuckled and patted Du Chen's shoulder. "It's fine. This is Lanning Empire territory. Who are we? Why should we fear him?"

Hearing Steve, Du Chen inwardly scoffed at himself. He was no longer just a thief; he was an Imperial Scion, an Imperial Lord, with a secret position within the Enforcement Temple, and behind him, the Flaying Battle God, whose power rivaled that of the Pope! With all that, what was there to fear?

At this point, the remaining officer called out to them. "Young masters, you appear to be nobles and have done no wrong. We brothers dare not make trouble for you. Please, hurry and leave! Lest that old gentleman return to cause you trouble."

The onlookers, seasoned merchants and worldly wanderers, had already dispersed, sensing trouble. Those who had echoed Du Chen's insults against the Old Charlatan had fled with astonishing speed. Behind them, the Saint Sigurd Cain family's carriage procession slowly approached.

Du Chen pointed to the mercenary group behind them and smiled. "Brave warrior, I am Lord Francis of the Saint Sigurd Cain family. I am here on behalf of His Majesty and the Holy Church to provide disaster relief, and I also need to report to the Battle God Academy. How can I simply leave?"

Steve added, "You've heard of the Saint Sigurd Cain family, right? Never mind that. Who was that old man anyway?"

The officer's expression turned peculiar. He first knelt in salute, then chuckled apologetically. "So it is the Divine Scions of Sigurd Saint-Shine! We were blind not to recognize you, and have regrettably mistreated two Divine Scions! But… you really should leave Antwerp Port for now!"

"What? Does that man dare threaten the Saint Sigurd Cain family?" With a hint of displeasure, Steve demanded, "Who exactly is he?"

"He… alas, young masters, you committed no offense in saving that person. That elder cannot blame you, nor would he easily provoke the Saint Sigurd Cain family. But… you are students of the Battle God Academy!" He bowed deeply to Du Chen, his face a mix of a grimace and a laugh. "Lord Francis, you haven't even enrolled yet, and you've already cursed your own headmaster until he spat blood…"