Chapter 3 Punishment

"Mother, help me! I'll be beaten to death." Yun Canglan pleaded, "Father, what I did was good, why can't you see that!? If that girl had married Squire Wang's stupid son, Squire Wang would have raped her, which is incest. What I did improves social morality and removes the black sheep hiding in our society." Yun Canglan took a gulp of air as his father continued, "Ouch! Father, stop. Mother, help me!"

Lin Wan'er couldn't bear to watch this continue and stepped forward, stopping Yun Yajun's punishment. She pointed out to her husband, "Yajun, stop before you will kill your son." After stating her piece to him she turned attention to Yun Canglan. "You should have learned kung fu hard, and then you can fight back."

"Humph, he is too disrespectful to be my son." Yun Yajun said to her back. He stopped though he kept a scowl and cursed his son under his breath.

"Your Lordship." The gentle, timid voice from the crowd was the stolen bride.

The veil no longer covered the girl of 12 years old. She stood, bathed in tears and wearing an ill-fitting red wedding gown.

She found the courage to walk over to Yun Yajun and Lin Wan'er and saluted them with formal bows. "Your Lordship, Your Ladyship, please don't send me back. I don't want to marry Squire Wang's son. Please." She begged as she dropped to her knees.

How wretched this slip of girl looked. Steward Yun thought of his granddaughter, as she was about the same age. He wouldn't marry the girl to Squire Wang's stupid son. Steward Yun didn't have the heart to refuse her.

"Your Lordship, Your Ladyship, please spare the young Master. What he did wasn't sound, but his actions have saved this girl."

Steward Yun pleaded his case, while Yun Canglan straightened his wrinkled clothes before he looked up at Yun Yajun.

Yun Yajun glared at him and then turned to the little girl. He felt pity for the child, but Yun Canglan took her back by force. The truth was Lady Rou, Squire Wang's distant relative, was one of the most favorite concubines of His Majesty.

"Your Ladyship, please don't send me back. I can help you wash clothes, do other chores or anything! Please help me." The little girl cried bitterly. The outside world didn't speak highly of Yun Canglan, but his parents were known to be kind hearted and generous.

"Yajun, what do you think?" Lin Wan'er felt for the girl's plight and looked at Yun Yajun begging him silently. Yun Yajun could not bear to see the look in his wife's eyes.

"Fine, she will stay, but Canglan still has to go to the palace to apologize to His Majesty. He may have saved the girl, but he was still in the wrong."

"Yajun…" Lin Wan'er looked sadly at her young son Yun Canglan...She had only one son...

"Enough of this! Ready the horses." he commanded, to his son, "Your brat, follow me to the palace and apologize to His Majesty." Yun Yajun loved his son dearly, but had to follow the laws too, after all, he was the Huguo General*.

(*TN: This is a title granted to the one who has made great contributions to the kingdom.)

At the Zhengyang Palace in Can Kingdom.

Shengtian Emperor, clad in a yellow robe, was sitting square on the golden throne. He was only about 40 years old, but he was graying at the temples. Obviously he strained himself.

Huo Yang, with a faintly cunning look,

gazed at the naughty boy who knelt there. "Canglan, what did you do?" He asked gently.

Yun Yajun was kneeling respectfully beside Yun Canglan. He glared over at his silent son and apologized, "Your Majesty, please forgive my lacking discipline. Canglan forcibly retook someone. I ask you to discipline him."

"Oh? Canglan, which man was it this time?"

Huo Yang's implications sent the crowd into a titter. Yun Yajun was embarrassed, and glared down at Yun Canglan again.

"Your Majesty." Lady Rou pouted as she flung herself into his arms. She felt wronged and pouted. "Your Majesty, as I told you last night, he took a girl this time, not a man." She sneered at Yun Canglan.

"Oh?" Canglan finally took a girl. I'm glad to hear that. Yajun, why should I punish him?" he casually asked, while turning his head to inquire, "Canglan, what are your thoughts?

Yun Canglan laughed proudly. "Your Majesty, " he began, "I just took a girl. I don't know why my father made a fuss about it. You grant me the title of Royal Highness and that no one may deny me, well, I took a girl, because I liked her. She is neither common nor ordinary, I have excellent taste."

Hearing that, Huo Yang hid his thoughts well.

"Impertinent child! Stop, you're being rude." Yun Yajun shouted and turned respectfully to Huo Yang, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry. Please punish him for his gaffe."

"Yajun, don't be so strict with him. I know him well. He is as straightforward as spoiled. Forget it."

"Your Majesty, please don't. You appoint me as Dingguo Duke and show me honor. Furthermore, you bestow the title of Royal Highness on my son while allowing him to retain his surname, and I'm humbled and grateful for that. My son has done wrong in the name of his title though and humiliated you. Please, I implore you to punish him."

"Well, I have an idea." Huo Yang offered a resolution in a casual way. "Canglan, you should ponder over your mistakes for a month in your home. Got it?"

"Your Majesty, do you mean I will have to remain indoors for a month? I may not visit the vendors selling flowers and jewelry? They depend on me to visit and buy things. Why, just recently a pretty young girl began selling her paintings on Chengdong Street. If I am away for a month, their business will suffer. Your Majesty, could you please punish me in another way?" Canglan's handsome face contorted as he tried in vain to squeeze out teardrops.

"Brat, you're only 5 years old, and you are harassing the girls on the streets too. Yajun, you have to control him, or else he will grow to be a good-for-nothing scoundrel." Huo Yang looked down sternly as he said his piece.

Yun Yajun replied with gratitude, "Yes, Your Majesty, I won't let you down."

"Your Majesty, please no. I don't want to stay in my room for a month."

"Canglan, you have to shut yourself away and ponder the error of your ways. Come visit me another day and I'll prepare something tasty for you." Huo Yang smiled like a loving father, but his insidious look betrayed him.

"Your Majesty, please punish me in another way. You can punish me by ordering me to eat green peppers or depriving me of candies. You can even ask me to kneel in the ancestral hall. Please don't leave. Don't you love me?"

Ignoring his pleas, Huo Yang left with his Lady Rou at his side.