Chapter 3, It is better to resolve enmities than to deepen them

Wei Sikong sat there drinking by himself, seemingly oblivious to the situation before him. He was not one to meddle in others' affairs. Moreover, the person across from him had a foul temper and was clearly looking to vent his frustrations on someone after having a bad day; even if he wanted to intervene, he would be unable to.

Before long, Cai He, led by the maid, approached gracefully, parting the flowers and brushing the willows. She lowered her head and offered a respectful greeting, "I have met the young master." When she raised her eyes again, they sparkled like the West Lake under a full moon, where water and sky blended seamlessly, shimmering with light. Wei Sikong raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "Indeed, your features are filled with emotion, like the spring mountains smiling. This is Young Master Yan; you must attend to him well tonight"

Young Master Yan raised his teacup and smashed it forcefully, saying, "It's so hot on such a scorching day, how can one drink it! Change the pot." Seeing her still jumping around and shouting loudly, his expression darkened: "Are you deaf? What use are those two ears of yours!" Yun'er desperately reminded herself that a small tolerance can prevent great chaos, and she swallowed her anger while cleaning up the shattered pieces, muttering indignantly, "Let's ride the donkey and watch the show, we'll see how long you can be so arrogant and pleased with yourself!"

Wei Sikong stood outside the latrine, repeatedly asking, "Young Master, are you alright?" The young master Yan pushed the door open, gasping for breath, and shook his head, saying, "I am fine—" However, after taking just a couple of steps, a tumultuous gurgling arose from his stomach, prompting him to turn back and return to the latrine. Seeing this, Wei Sikong sighed and remarked, "It seems someone has played a prank by putting laxatives in the tea."

When Young Master Yan saw that she was fine after drinking, he finally felt at ease and took a sip, nodding as he said: "Indeed, it is different from ordinary green tea. Sikong, you should have a cup as well." Wei Sikong waved his hand: "I have enough to drink already."

Even a dog, when pushed to the limit, can jump over a wall; let alone a human! Cai He did not know where she found the strength, but she clung tightly to the table leg, her fingers bleeding from the grip, and cried out: "Cai He does not know who the young master is, but I am merely a weak woman, lonely and destitute, who has been forced into a life of hardship for survival. I am looked down upon and subjected to humiliation. If I have offended in any way, I hope the young master can show mercy and spare my life." After saying this, she knelt and repeatedly bowed her head, weeping uncontrollably, her voice choked with tears.

The madam wept for a while and then said: "Although the Tianxiang Courtyard is a brothel, it has its own rules. Regardless of who the young master is, even if he is a prince or noble, coming to the Tianxiang Courtyard is merely for seeking pleasure. There is no need to cause such anxiety among the people..."

Then Young Master Yan pondered for a moment and asked, "What does that person look like?"

Young Master Yan let out a heavy "hmph" and said: "It seems that the ones who will save the person are this Dongfang Qi and that androgynous Yun'er beside him—" The mere thought of Yun'er brought to mind laxatives and slop, and in an instant, he was filled with uncontrollable rage, his face turning crimson. Clenching his fists tightly, he declared fiercely: "I will definitely make these two suffer a thousand cuts and be torn to pieces, to vent the hatred in my heart!"

After punishing that Young Master Yan, Yun'er felt greatly pleased and then remembered Dongfang Qi. It had been so long since she last saw him, and he did not seem to miss her at all. Hmph, he probably did not even know where he was hiding, indulging in pleasures. The thought of this made her a bit gloomy, wondering how she would deal with him later. As she passed through the corridor, Dongfang Qi suddenly appeared from somewhere, grabbing her and saying: "Yun'er, where have you been? I searched for you everywhere, upstairs and downstairs, inside and out."

Cai He saw a sinister look in his eyes, and in an instant, he seemed to transform into a different person, exuding a menacing aura as if possessed by a ghost. Although she was someone who had seen her fair share of situations, she was now so frightened that her delicate face turned pale, and she dared not move. Realizing she had misspoken and wanting to salvage the situation, she forced herself to remain calm and said: "No, no—what Cai He meant was that the young master is truly handsome"

Young Master Yan was so enraged that his face turned green. Upon catching a whiff of the odor on his body, he couldn't help but vomit with a loud "wow." Having been pampered and cherished since childhood, surrounded by numerous servants, he had never endured such hardship, let alone this immense humiliation. Wei Sikong and Jiang, Shen, Han, and Yang, who had come searching for him, were taken aback by his appearance and quickly arranged for him to wash up, bathe, and change clothes.

She listened, her heart filled with joy, and laughed, saying: "Really? I thought you had left me to seek pleasure on your own." Turning around to look at him, she was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter, pointing at his clothes and saying: "Hahaha—where did you find that outfit? It's so colorful, why don't you hurry up and go entertain some guests!" The long red robe with green leaf trim and the dazzling golden belt clearly belonged to a performer. For a man of upright character with a broad forehead and wide angles, wearing such attire felt utterly ridiculous.

Before Dongfang Qi could finish his words, he acted swiftly and took the initiative. A gust of wind whooshed past his ears, and a powerful airflow stirred up a whirlwind. Feng Chen and the others were caught off guard by this sudden change, and in a moment of panic, they found themselves at a disadvantage. In just a few moves, Dongfang Qi had rescued the person and whistled to signal a retreat. Yun'er, hiding behind him, pulled the staggering Cai He and whispered, "Run quickly!" In just a few moves, Dongfang Qi had rescued the person and whistled to signal a retreat. Yun'er, hiding behind him, pulled the staggering Cai He and whispered, "Run quickly!"

Young Master Yan looked at the tea in his hand and exclaimed, "Oh, why is this tea this color?" After sniffing it, he remarked, "It smells quite peculiar." Yun'er, fearing that he might not drink it, hurriedly said, "This is our local specialty tea, made with milk. It has a fragrant aroma and a rich, delicious taste, unlike anything you can find elsewhere."

Dongfang Qibian said, "How do you know that they are forcibly abducting a woman? Clarify the situation before rescuing anyone." Yun'er patted her chest and replied, "No one understands the ins and outs of this matter better than I do. That young lady, her name is Cai He, is the top courtesan of Tianxiang Courtyard, and she is as beautiful as a national treasure, evoking pity at first sight. Tonight, because of a few words, she has offended someone and is to be branded on her face and exiled a thousand miles away. Don't you think she is pitiful?"

Hearing this, Wei Sikong asked, "What kind of technique is that person using?"

Yun'er saw him drink a large cup of tea and felt secretly pleased. She stepped out, quickly spat out the tea she had been holding in her mouth, wiped her mouth, and snorted: "Even if you are as cunning as a ghost, you still have to drink my foot-washing water. Dare to hit me? Just wait to have diarrhea until your intestines are in shambles and you break the toilet!"

Yun'er lost her balance and her knee slammed hard against the grayish-blue floor tiles. She inhaled sharply, tears streaming down her face with a "pop" as the pain hit her, her heart racing violently, and it felt as if her blood had stopped flowing in an instant, leaving her entire body numb. The hot tea in her hand spilled all over her chest, scalding her and causing her to cry out in distress, desperately shaking her clothes while standing there. This was exactly the kind of person who was tyrannical and disregarded human life.

Wei Sikong put away the fan in his hand and said, "So it's him! I was wondering, it turns out to be a girl." Young Master Yan weakly waved his hand, "New grudges and old debts, even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I will find her, skin her, fry her bones, and swallow her whole—Sikong, have Jiang, Shen, Han, and Yang bring a sedan chair over." He no longer had the strength to walk.

Young Master Yan, half believing and half doubting, raised his eyes and said, "Oh? Is that so—then let me see you take a sip." Yun'er immediately felt a silent despair, not expecting him to be so suspicious. Gritting her teeth, she took the cup from his hand, steeling herself with the thought of going down together, and tilted her head back to drink it all down.

Young Master Yan let out a soft "oh" and said, "I didn't expect that in the small city of Lin'an, there are indeed hidden talents and such skilled individuals. What happened next?" The more elusive and inscrutable it became, the more formidable it was.

Young Master Yan, feeling completely exhausted and with stars in his eyes, had just managed to emerge from the latrine. Before he could step onto the platform of the corridor, a bucket of foul-smelling slop fell from above, drenching him from head to toe. Due to his loss of strength, his reaction was somewhat sluggish; upon realizing what had happened, he immediately froze like a stone statue, unable to move another step.

The commotion in the room had already attracted the attention of others. The madam, upon hearing the news, hurried over, fell to the ground in despair, and tearfully said: "Young master, if my daughter has offended you in any way, you may strike or scold her as you wish. You are magnanimous, so why must you drive her to her death?" A delicate young girl, unable to carry anything or bear any burden, with tattoos on her face, exiled a thousand miles away, what difference is there from death?

In the room, only Young Master Yan and Secretary Wei were conversing. This time, Yun'er had learned her lesson; she poured the tea and knelt on the ground, holding the cup high above her head. Young Master Yan made a sound of acknowledgment and took it in his hand. Secretary Wei laughed and said, "This girl is quite clever; she knows her mistakes and corrects them. A child who can be taught indeed." Yun'er secretly cursed him as a bird of a feather.

The techniques employed were ordinary, such as the falling flowers and flowing water, and sweeping through thousands of troops, making it difficult to discern the martial arts school. What appeared to be an unremarkable move, however, carried the force of surging waves, rendering the subordinates no match for it

As soon as Yun'er thought of the disheveled appearance of Young Master Yan, she let out a chuckle. Dongfang Qi then inquired about the reason. Yun'er explained, and Dongfang Qi found it both amusing and exasperating. Given Young Master Yan's temperament, he feared that he would not easily let the matter rest. Yun'er, unfazed, rubbed her eyes and said: "It's getting late, and I'm feeling sleepy. Let's go."

As he walked unsteadily, feeling the night breeze, Zhou Yunlong suddenly realized that his clothes were already soaked with sweat. He secretly shook his head and sighed, thinking that Lin'an Temple was too small to accommodate such a great deity. If anything were to happen to this person within the borders of Lin'an, not to mention the black gauze cap on his head, it was likely that his head would also have to relocate.

Yun'er woke up from her slumber, and the first person she saw upon opening her eyes was Dongfang Qi, yet she had lost her memory. According to Dongfang Qi, he encountered her unconscious while gathering snow lotuses on Tianshan Mountain, and thus he rescued her. When she inquired further, he claimed that while crossing the river by boat, he happened to see a floating corpse on the shore, still with a faint breath, and he acted to save her. After some time, he then said that while passing through a deep mountain forest, he encountered a group of bandits and found her fainted on the ground, so he carried her back. In short, how Yun'er was saved remains uncertain between the two of them to this day. Eventually, Yun'er decided to stop asking about it; sometimes, it is valuable to remain blissfully ignorant. From Tianshan, she followed him all the way to Lin'an. After traveling thousands of miles, overcoming mountains and rivers, they could be said to have shared joys and sorrows, standing together through thick and thin.

Dongfang frowned and said, "It is easy to save a person, but what happens after that? Just like you, always causing me trouble?" Yun'er glared and replied, "Of course I am different! Oh, let's not worry about that for now, let's save the person first and then make plans and arrangements.

Then Young Master Yan said indifferently: "I did not seek your life, so where does the notion of sparing your life come from? Drag him away—"

Wei Sikong smiled while fanning himself and said, "Young master, speaking of the young man who successfully ambushed you at 'The Wild Goose Comes to Visit' using only a single chopstick, I have inquired about him. According to the disciples of Wu Butong, his name is Dongfang Qi. He has wandered the rivers and lakes for many years, and his life story is not well known. He specializes in associating with various characters from all walks of life. From what Feng Chen said, his martial arts skills are quite remarkable, yet for some reason, he remains unknown to the public."

Upon seeing Zhou Yunlong leave, Young Master Yan took a sip of ginseng soup and said, "How does Feng Chen handle matters? He sent someone to the yamen, yet they still haven't returned?" He couldn't help but frown. No sooner had he finished speaking, and before he could catch his breath, a servant reported that Feng Chen had urgent matters to report.

Having changed the pot of tea, I feared that the young master Yan would again be picky and complain about it being too hot. I used well water to cool it down and poured the entire remaining large bag of Ba Dou into it. After shaking it well and taking a whiff, it seemed to have a smell. I needed to think of a way to mask this unusual odor. Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I poured a small cup of milk into it. Once it had cooled sufficiently, I brought it back in.

Young Master Yan shook his head and staggered out while holding onto the door, his face pale and waxy, his hands and feet icy cold, almost unable to walk steadily. He said with resentment: "It must be that little maid who served the tea! I felt she looked somewhat familiar when I first saw her, as if I had seen her somewhere before, but I couldn't recall at that moment. Do you remember that foul little brat who attacked me with a sword at 'Hongyan Laibin' during the day? It was only when I recalled the blue tear mole under his left eye that I realized."

Unexpectedly, this praise touched upon his greatest taboo. Young Master Yan despised being told that he was handsome, as it made him appear less imposing and majestic, causing others to lose their sense of awe and fear upon seeing him. At that moment, his gaze turned cold, and he said in a chilling voice: "Aren't you relying on your good looks to seduce men everywhere? I wonder how you will seduce - Feng, Chen, Chu, and Wei in the future!"

Yun'er, hiding in the room across, couldn't help but clap her hands and laugh heartily. One reaps what one sows, they deserve it! Hmph, it would be best if they were stuck in the latrine and could never get up again

Feng Chen, with his hair disheveled, suddenly knelt on the ground and refused to rise, saying, "I have failed in my duties, please punish me, my lord." Young Master Yan stared at him and coldly asked, "Are you injured? What exactly happened?" He was somewhat surprised, as Feng Chen, being his top personal bodyguard, was agile and highly skilled in martial arts; it was not easy for ordinary people to injure him.

It is indeed a case of enemies meeting, which makes them particularly resentful

Young Master Yan suddenly felt something was wrong with his stomach, his face turning pale in shock as he pointed at the cup and said, "This tea—" Wei Sikong, seeing his ashen complexion and the cold sweat beading on his forehead, hurriedly stood up and asked, "Is this tea poisoned?" Young Master Yan focused his internal energy to investigate, finding that his vital energy flowed smoothly within him, and he shook his head, saying, "It doesn't seem like poisoning—" In an instant, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, unable to endure it any longer, he rushed outside and grabbed a passing maid, asking, "Where is the restroom?" He dashed out without hesitation.

He lay gasping in the bath of the mansion, repeatedly shouting, "Change the water, change the water, change the water!" He yelled at the maidservants until his skin turned pale and the skin on his fingers wrinkled before he was willing to get up. With his long black hair draped over him, he lay weakly on the large, ornate, carved copper bed, barely alive. It was a perfect depiction of a "beauty reclining on a couch," but unfortunately, his temper was a bit foul. He said to Zhou Yunlong, the governor of Lin'an, who had come to visit and was kneeling on the ground in great fear, "Convey my oral decree, order the arrest of these two individuals, and search every household for them!" He tossed two portraits of the individuals to him.

Yun'er entered with the freshly brewed tea, lowered her head to place it on the table, and quietly made a face, thinking to herself how she would show him later. Suddenly, Young Master Yan shouted, "You blind dog servant, can't you even pour tea?" Yun'er had no choice but to turn back, pick up the cup, and respectfully said, "Young Master, please." Unexpectedly, Young Master Yan kicked her knee, saying, "Can't your legs bend? Kneel down!"

Feng Chen and Chu Wei dragged the unconscious Cai He out, and the room immediately fell silent. The young master Yan shouted at Yun'er, who was kneeling on the ground: "Why aren't you quickly serving tea? Do you want to be punished as well?" Yun'er secretly cursed his ancestors eighteen generations in her heart, trembling with fear as she got up, repeatedly nodding: "Yes, yes, yes—" She turned and left. You want good tea, do you? ... Then I shall add a little more to it, with color, aroma, and flavor, heh heh ...

Dongfang shrugged, ignoring her and not taking it to heart, allowing her to mock him, saying: "When I was looking for you just now, I heard a commotion here, as if something had happened, and I was still worried about you."

The handsome young man did not appear as enchanting and eye-catching in his deep red robe during the day, but instead changed into a plain long shirt with wide sleeves, looking ethereal and almost ready to fly. At this moment, he stood up and walked to the window, raising his head to gaze at the moon in the sky. Under the clear and bright moonlight, he appeared even more extraordinary, untainted by dust, resembling a celestial being.

Yun'er silently transformed her appearance, stealing clothes and disguising herself as a maidservant serving wine and dishes. She knelt behind the door with her head down and shoulders hunched, pretending to be terrified and trembling, clearly observing the scene before her. She thought to herself, this Young Master Yan, though he has the appearance of a human, is like a demon or a ghost, exuding a menacing aura. Not only is he ruthless and cruel-hearted, but he is also narrow-minded and vengeful. That young lady merely spoke a few words he disliked, and he turned cold-hearted, intent on putting her to death. She thought again, this Young Master Yan, though he has the appearance of a human, is like a demon or a ghost, exuding a menacing aura. Not only is he ruthless and cruel-hearted, but he is also narrow-minded and vengeful. That young lady merely spoke a few words he disliked, and he turned cold-hearted, intent on putting her to death. Just thinking about how she nearly lost her life at his hands during the day made her grit her teeth in hatred.

The maiden lifted her delicate jade-like hand, poured a cup of wine, and handed it over, smiling as she said: "When describing a handsome person, they often say he resembles Pan An, but in my eyes, Pan An cannot compare to your looks, Young Master Yan. Even we women, upon seeing you, feel ashamed in comparison"

Wei Sikong poured himself a drink and laughed, saying: "Young master, the women in this brothel must have a different kind of charm, right?" As he spoke, he clapped his hands, "Call in the girl who just sang to serve us." The old madam standing nearby responded with a sound, tucked the stack of banknotes she was holding into her bosom, and left with a cheerful demeanor

In an instant, the cries and shouts from downstairs erupted like the sound of slaughtering pigs, piercing and heartrending.

Dongfang Qi awkwardly said: "It seems that the door attendant took the wrong clothes—" Yun'er covered her mouth and chuckled, saying: "Not wrong, not wrong, it suits you perfectly, it suits you perfectly, hahahaha—" She pointed at him, laughing so hard that she nearly couldn't catch her breath.

Zhou Yunlong was short and stout, with small eyes and a narrow forehead, giving off an impression of being sycophantic and cunning. He repeatedly bowed his head in acknowledgment. He cautiously picked up the items and opened them, revealing a teenage boy disguised as a girl, with striking features and a blue beauty mark at the corner of his eye; the other was a young man in his twenties, with a handsome appearance and a long scar on the right side of his face, extending from the brow bone to the edge of his ear, measuring about two inches in length. However, rather than appearing ugly, the scar added to his heroic demeanor. Although described in just a few strokes, the expressions and actions were vividly portrayed. He hurriedly said, "I will ensure that these two individuals are apprehended as soon as possible." After a long silence, he slightly raised his head and saw that the person lying on the bed had their eyes closed, seemingly tired, so he tiptoed away.

Yun'er hid behind the distant rockery, peeking out cautiously. Seeing Wei Sikong leave, she revealed a smile of triumph, as he left just in time; she had been worried about not having the opportunity to act. Even the heavens could not tolerate this person's arrogance, so she could only follow the will of heaven and act on its behalf

Two guards dressed in blue entered while standing outside the door, bowing their heads in silence, awaiting orders. Cai He immediately sensed the danger and hurriedly knelt down, sobbing, "Cai He has offended the young master with her words, I implore the young master to forgive me." Two streams of clear tears rolled down her face as she quietly wept, evoking pity in anyone who saw her; any man would find it hard to remain unyielding in such a moment.

Before the words were finished, Young Master Yan's expression had already changed. He reached out and swept his hand, causing the wine cups and teapots on the table to fall with a crash. His voice was cold as he said, "What, do you say I look like a woman?" His gaze narrowed, and his expression shifted between gloom and brightness. Truly, it was like a June day, a child's face, changing in an instant.

A group of people, taking advantage of the cover of night, arrived at an unremarkable and ordinary residential alley in Lin'an City

Yun'er stood on the rooftop with her hands on her hips, holding a wooden bucket filled with waste. She tossed it down with a flourish and said proudly, "Young Master Yan, Yun'er has a saying for you: When one drifts in the rivers and lakes, how can one avoid being cut? You might as well accept your fate!" After saying this, she clapped her hands and skipped away, laughing and jumping. She felt an immense sense of relief as she released the pent-up frustration in her heart.

There was also a person accompanying that individual, slender in build, and from the voice, it was a young woman. After the two rescued the person, they left. The subordinate was unable to catch up, so he hurried back to report.

The subordinates took the woman named Cai He to the magistrate's yamen, but unexpectedly, halfway there, a man named Cheng Yaojin appeared, injuring several people and rescuing the woman.

Dongfang Qi then said: "To save someone, one cannot be so blatant about it; it is necessary to conceal it a bit to avoid future embarrassment." Yun'er glanced around, snapped her fingers, and said: "I've got it—" As she spoke, she forcefully tore off the hem of her shirt, grinning as she said: "Tonight, we shall have a hero saving a beauty, and later, let that old man Wu Butong write extensively about it. The title will be 'Yun the Heroine Acts Righteously, Dongfang Qi Heroically Saves the Beauty'..."

The young master Yan not only remained indifferent but also revealed a look of disdain, snorting, "To use beauty to seduce people's hearts is to bring disaster to the country and its people, to corrupt morals, a crime that cannot be forgiven. Such a person should be taken out, branded on the face, and exiled for a thousand miles." Feng and Chen, along with Chu Wei, did not even blink, dragging Cai He out.

The two of them came out together and, unfortunately, ran into Feng Chen and others who were escorting Cai He to the yamen to report. Yun'er then said, "Dongfang, those people are brazenly abducting a common girl in broad daylight—" Realizing it was now night, she changed her words, saying, "Bullying the weak and acting recklessly, is there still any law? When one sees injustice on the road, one should draw their sword to help. Dongfang, let us rescue her from the depths of suffering." In truth, she was not a warm-hearted person with great compassion; at times, she could even be described as selfish and cold-hearted. The reason she was so determined to save Cai He was merely to oppose that Young Master Yan.

With a covered face, the subordinate could not see clearly, only knowing that the person was tall and possessed exceptional lightness of movement

Then, Young Master Yan, not waiting for her to finish speaking, became furious and said: "Impudent! A mere brothel dares to be so rampant; there must be someone behind it orchestrating this. Jiang, Shen, Han, Yang, drag her out and give her twenty strokes of the cane!" The other two guards, expressionless, entered, paid their respects, and dragged away the disheveled madam, who looked like a female ghost.