Roaring Dragon-Chapter 33: Mediating a Fight

The Peony Pool was located on the north bank of the Huai River. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, hundreds of pleasure boats, large and small, had gathered around the lake, and the banks were packed with bustling crowds.

From a boat docked near the shore, faint sounds of women's laughter drifted out:

"Cloud shadows and distant mountains enter the painting,

Sunset dyes the flowing clouds.

By a crooked bridge and winding shore—whose home is it?

A neighing horse cries by the fence..."

"Miss Wang’s literary talent is truly exceptional! No wonder she’s the number one big—scholar—of the Academy!"

"Ptooey~"

"Hahaha..."

...

The boat had been fully rented out by the Princess’ Mansion, filled with young ladies from Chongming River and female students from the Academy, while outside, royal guards patrolled to ensure their safety.

Liu Qingzhi, known among the royal guards for being notoriously henpecked, had long been drained dry by his wife’s endless "folk remedies" and was completely uninterested in the flirtatious jokes echoing from the boat. He stood quietly on the deck’s edge, listening to Steward Hou ramble on.

Steward Hou, with his pointed nose and monkey cheeks, looked so peculiar that his mere presence could spoil the mood of the lively young ladies. So now, waving a folding fan, he stood on the deck, gazing at the vibrant life blooming around the Peony Pool, stroking his scraggly mustache, and sighing:

"Each generation brings forth new talents. Back in my day, I wasn’t half bad at the Mid-Autumn gatherings—still counted as a handsome youth. Now, with age and declining looks, I fear I wouldn’t even crack the top ten here at Peony Pool."

?

Liu Qingzhi thought privately that with Steward Hou’s terrifyingly divine features, he could make even the pet monkeys of Wen Cheng Street’s wealthy families look like handsome scholars. Honestly, he might not even place top ten at a monkey beauty contest, let alone here.

But as the chief steward of the Princess’ Mansion and a close confidant of the Princess herself, Liu Qingzhi naturally dared not laugh. Instead, he dutifully flattered:

"Steward Hou need not belittle himself. Pretty faces are everywhere, but how many men can truly win the Princess’ favor? In this world, it’s talent that makes a man. Your talents, sir, are nothing short of once in a millennium!"

And honestly, Liu Qingzhi wasn’t exaggerating—Hou’s god-level ugliness, capable of stunning even Xie Jinhuan, could indeed be called "once in a millennium."

Still, Steward Hou had enough self-awareness to wave his hand:

"I dare not claim so. If there were ten parts of talent in the world, Her Highness would possess eight..."

Realizing mid-sentence he had forgotten the Prince, which was rather inappropriate, he hastily added:

"The Prince would also have eight parts, and Hou here, with the rest of the world, would share the remaining one part."

"Uh..."

Liu Qingzhi thought privately that the seven parts missing were probably all owed by Steward Hou alone—but of course, he didn’t dare say that aloud and kept smiling dutifully.

As they were thus idly chatting, Steward Hou suddenly craned his neck, squinting his beady mouse eyes like a weasel looking for chicks, staring toward the outskirts of the Peony Pool:

"Yo~ That kid Xie from the back alley came to join the fun too. And that lady next to him—isn’t that Doctor Lin?"

"Hm?"

After witnessing Xie Jinhuan’s skills previously, Liu Qingzhi had a good deal of admiration for him. Hearing this, he scanned toward the riverbank and sure enough, spotted a carriage parked near the Peony Pool, with two people and a bird nearby, heading toward a large boat.

The man wore a white robe, two weapons hanging at his waist—clearly Xie Jinhuan.

Beside him, the graceful woman—even at a distance—looked familiar. His wife often ran off to Lin’s Medical Hall, so he recognized her: the famed beauty doctor from the medical hall.

"It really is Doctor Lin. Are they... together?"

"Could be. That kid’s pretty impressive—only a few days here, and he’s already hooked such a big, pure peony—tch tch tch..."

As they were gossiping from afar, they noticed Xie Jinhuan arriving at a large boat, exchanging a few words with someone—and suddenly an argument broke out, looking like a fight might erupt.

"Eh?"

Liu Qingzhi frowned: "What’s going on?"

Steward Hou didn’t know either, just watching curiously—when suddenly there was movement behind them:

Tap tap—

They turned to see Princess Changning stepping out from the boat’s upper floor, accompanied by her maids.

Dressed for the occasion, Princess Changning wore a pale gold high-waisted skirt, her waist adorned with golden pearl tassels, her chest embroidered with peacocks and hibiscus. Petite but full-figured, her curves were abundantly eye-catching.

Naturally, such a breathtaking beauty drew countless admirers. Around the nearby boats and even along the riverbank, young noblemen and scholars stretched their necks, trying to catch her attention—the "number one white-rich-beautiful of Danzhou."

Seeing this, Steward Hou asked:

"Why has the Princess come out? Lost everything again to the Academy’s gambling god?"

Princess Changning had just lost seven rounds of dice in a row and was thoroughly frustrated, ignoring him. Instead, she raised her eyes and gazed toward the riverbank:

"What’s happening over there?"

"Oh. It’s that boy Xie, who rents in the back alley. Not sure why, but he’s gotten into a quarrel with someone."

"Xie Jinhuan?"

Princess Changning’s interest piqued. She took the thousand-mile mirror from her maid, Duo Duo, and peered through it:

"Heh... quite handsome..."

—— A little earlier.

Following the trail, Xie Jinhuan had tracked the fugitive from Rooster’s Comb Ridge all the way to the Peony Pool. Seeing the dense crowds and numerous boats, he couldn’t help frowning:

"So many people?"

In such a public setting, Lin Wanyi dared not recklessly use Witch Sect techniques. Her gaze locked onto a large boat by the riverbank:

"Looks like he fled onto that boat. What now?"

Xie Jinhuan scanned the boat—it bore a flag, and judging by the emblem, it belonged to Jinghua Manor.

Jinghua Manor was a local Danyang power. Though its martial standing didn’t match Zihui Mountain’s, its business reach was vast—almost all shipping along the Huai River carried the Bao family’s mark.

Since Xie Jinhuan had chased the fugitive this far, he had no intention of giving up. Bringing Lin Wanyi and Meiqiu through the crowd, he reached the boat.

Jinghua Manor’s boat was quite grand, laughter and music spilling from within.

Because it hosted the elite sons of Danzhou’s nobility, security was tight: more than a dozen armed guards patrolled the shore and the deck.

Xie Jinhuan first instructed Meiqiu to keep watch overhead, then strode toward the boat. A steward receiving guests under the gangplank quickly approached and asked:

"Young master, may I ask your name?"

Xie Jinhuan, not wanting to force his way aboard, cupped his hands politely:

"Xie Jinhuan. My father was once the County Constable of Wanan County. I just encountered some demon bandits at Rooster’s Comb Ridge. One fled here—I request to board for a search."

"Uh..."

The steward looked confused.

Wanan County, being close to the capital, made the position of Constable quite prestigious—but that ‘once was’...

The steward scrutinized him carefully, maintaining a polite tone:

"Do you have an official warrant?"

"I’m no longer an official—just happened upon a demon bandit and tracked him here..."

"Young master!"

The steward raised his hand, interrupting. Even his previously bowed posture straightened:

"This isn’t some random spot. This boat is under Jinghua Manor, hosting honored guests. Even if your father were truly a County Constable, you—an ordinary civilian—have no right to search or interrogate here."

Xie Jinhuan indeed had no legal authority, so he stayed calm:

"The demon bandit is hiding here. If something happens..."

"What’s going on?"

Before he could finish, a voice called from the boat.

Looking up, Xie Jinhuan saw a window open upstairs, revealing a figure.

A man, # Nоvеlight # about twenty-something, wearing a noble robe—chubby, white-faced, and bearded. In certain circles... could even pass for a cougar queen...

The steward hurriedly bowed toward him:

"Young master, this Xie claims to be the son of Wanan County’s Constable, says a criminal is hiding aboard and wants to search."

"Wanan County’s Constable?"

Bao Fei, young master of Jinghua Manor, frowned and turned toward the room inside.

The room was full of drunk young nobles, many with family ties to officials. Some quickly chimed in:

"The Constable of Wanan County was called Fei Ji. Three years ago, there was a Xie—but he was exiled to Lingnan for embezzlement and bribery."

Xie Jinhuan’s brow furrowed:

"Who’s spouting nonsense up there?"

"You’re out of line!"

Bao Fei, as the host entertaining a boatful of wealthy heirs, couldn’t allow disrespect. His face darkened, and he leapt down onto the gangplank.

Lin Wanyi, watching from behind, hadn’t expected these spoiled brats to be so suicidal. She hurriedly grabbed Xie Jinhuan:

"Xie Jinhuan, calm down! You can’t hit him! Killing him would cause huge trouble—"

"?"

Bao Fei stumbled awkwardly upon landing, and the guards and stewards around were dumbfounded.

After all, they had thought the beautiful woman rushing forward meant to stop this hothead—but it turned out she was egging him on!

Telling someone not to get mad so they wouldn’t kill the young master of Jinghua Manor—this was insane!

Bao Fei, restrained only by the presence of many noble guests, suppressed his fury and ignored Lin Wanyi. Instead, he coldly stared at Xie Jinhuan:

"Do you have any idea who’s on that boat? If not for the Peony Pool’s dignitaries forbidding violence, I’d teach you a lesson right now! I’ll give you a chance: apologize properly to the young lords upstairs—or else..."

But unfortunately for him, Xie Jinhuan didn’t even glance at Bao Fei—instead, he looked back up at the window:

"My father was transferred to Nanning County, Ruizhou. He wasn’t exiled for corruption. Mind your words—or else that guy will serve as an example."

Lin Wanyi sensed things going south and desperately tried to drag Xie Jinhuan away, but—

Unfortunately, it was already too late!