Chapter 43: Villain vs Villain (Part 1)

The commotion came from the second floor; Zhan Peng wouldn't have looked, but once he did, his lungs felt like they'd explode with anger. He saw the Fang father and daughter surrounded in the center by a group of rich young masters in splendid robes. The blind girl, Fang Fang, hid timidly behind her father, while Fang Zhitang kept apologizing to the leader. The leader, a young man in a green brocade robe, tall and pale‑skinned with swollen eyes, clearly a body ruined by drink and lust, leered past Fang Zhitang and fixed his gaze on the blind girl Fang Fang, saying: 'Girl, you broke my treasure—how do you intend to compensate me?'

Scattered on the floor were several shards of jade. It turned out this group had been preparing to go up to the third floor to drink. The Fang father and daughter came down the stairs and met them head‑on. Seeing people approach, Fang Zhitang took his daughter's hand and stood sideways at the stairwell to let them pass. He never expected that when the green‑clad young master brushed past her, he bumped her, and her jade pendant fell to the ground, shattering into several pieces.

Then the crowd came forward, surrounding the father and daughter to demand compensation. Fang Zhitang, frightened, hurriedly shielded his daughter and, trembling, offered the money he had earned today, holding it out to the green‑clad young master: 'Sir, do you think this amount is enough?'

The green‑clad young master glanced at his hand, snorted coldly, and slapped his palm. The silver coins in Fang Zhitang's hand flew out, scattering across the floor, many clinking as they rolled down the stairs. He seized Fang Zhitang's collar and snapped: 'Do you realize that jade pendant is an imperial gift, worth a city? How dare you offer such paltry silver as compensation?'

Fang Zhitang pleaded: 'Young master… my daughter is blind and cannot see things. Just now I was holding her by the stairs, waiting, and we did not bump into you…'

'Old fogey, are you saying I deliberately framed you?' the green‑clad young master snatched Fang Zhitang's collar and jerked him back and forth. Fang Zhitang, already old and frail, could not withstand the tugging; he lost his footing and tumbled down the stairs with a rumbling thud. Hearing her father's anguished cry, the blind girl Fang Fang, unaware of what had happened, screamed, 'Father!' As she tried to reach him, someone stepped in front of her; she couldn't stop in time and plunged straight into that person's arms.

The green‑clad young master burst out laughing, arms spread wide in a 'wait‑for‑the‑rabbit' pose. Fang Fang collided with his chest, and he shamelessly cried, 'Ouch, I got hit in the chest, it hurts, it hurts…' His cronies around him joined in with lewd laughter.

Fang Fang darted backward, trying to go around him to look for her father, but wherever she turned, the green‑clad young master blocked her path, chuckling: 'Throwing yourself into my arms, hehe—you're an entertainer, so you know how to flirt. Since you're fairly pretty, why not come home with me and stay three days? If you serve me well and make me happy, I might let you off the hook for the jade pendant.'

His gang of sycophants chimed in: 'Master Shi truly has a tender heart—cherishing fragrance and valuing jade, you're a model for our youth!' Another added, 'You've been given a chance; why aren't you thanking the master? Hurry up and pleasure him!' It was clear these men were no good; they spewed vulgar talk while emitting lewd laughter.

Fang Fang heard her father's groans, anguished that she could not see his condition, she burst into tears and begged: 'Please, masters, show mercy and let me go to him, please…'

The green‑clad young master leered, 'Why not? Just spread your legs and climb over me!' The crowd erupted in wild laughter.

Fang Zhitang had rolled down from the stairs and fallen onto the second‑floor floor, unable to rise. Although many diners were present and felt righteous indignation at the scene, most kept silent, daring to be angry but not to speak, because they could tell from the group's attire that they were not ordinary people, and there were six of them—no one wanted to risk a beating by intervening.

Even before Zhan Peng had reached the scene, the incident had already blown up. He shouted, 'In broad daylight, you harass respectable women—do you still have any law?' As he spoke, he leapt from the third‑floor railing, soaring down like a great bird.

The green‑clad young master was taken aback, but this fellow's martial arts were not weak; he swung his right fist and threw a punch at Zhan Peng.

Zhan Peng met the punch with his own; the fists collided with a dull 'thud!' The green‑clad young master staggered back step by step, only stopping after several paces, his face changing. The five companions who had come with him rushed forward to surround him.

Zhan Peng rescued Fang Fang from the gang's grasp and said softly, 'Miss Fang, are you all right?'

Fang Fang recognized Zhan Peng as the person who had been listening to music in the private room earlier; she shook her head, tears in her eyes, and whispered, 'My father…'

Zhan Peng brought her to the second floor, where Fang Zhitang lay motionless on the ground, as if dead, his head lolled to the side, a pool of blood seeping from the back of his head. Fang Fang clutched her father's hand and burst into loud sobs.

At that moment Hu Xiaotian, Murong Feiyan, and Yuan Shiqing also heard the commotion and rushed out, all shocked by what they saw. Yuan Shiqing immediately went to Fang Zhitang's side, exclaiming, 'Brother Fang, Brother Fang!' He felt the back of Fang Zhitang's head and came away with a hand full of blood. Seeing fresh blood still oozing from the right side of his forehead, Yuan Shiqing hastily pressed his hand to the wound—a correct move, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

Hu Xiaotian came up beside him and urged, 'Press hard!' Judging from Fang Zhitang's symptoms, it appeared to be a rupture of a branch of the superficial temporal artery, which explained the severe bleeding.

At that moment Hu Xiaotian's household servants also heard the noise and came running; they had recently been frightened by this young master, so any stir made them suspect it was related to him. Hu Xiaotian ordered Liang Da Zhuang and Hu Fo to help move Fang Zhitang into a nearby room, and to bring along the wooden box containing the surgical instruments.

Seeing that they might have caused a death, the green‑clad young master's gang dared not linger; taking advantage of the crowd's focus on Fang Zhitang, they turned to slip away—but after just two steps they heard an angry voice roar: 'Everyone, stop right there!'

Zhan Peng pointed at the green‑clad young master and said, 'You've caused a death—do you think you can just walk away?'

The green‑clad young master sneered, 'Mind your own business! Are you tired of living?'

Zhan Peng let out a great shout and charged forward.

Murong Feiyan almost reached him at the same time; seeing the green‑clad young master, she couldn't help but start, for he was no ordinary person—he was the sole son of the Minister of Personnel, Shi Bu chui, Shi Xuedong. The Ministry of Personnel oversees the promotion and demotion of officials, holding a lofty status among the Six Ministries; even first‑ and second‑rank officials treat the Minister of Personnel, Shi Bu chui, with great courtesy. Upon recognizing Shi Xuedong, Murong Feiyan secretly thought today's affair would likely become troublesome. In the capital there are three great scoundrels, and Shi Xuedong is one of them. Although Hu Xiaotian has recently committed many misdeeds, compared to Shi Xuedong he is merely a latecomer—nothing more than a petty witch facing a great sorcerer. During Hu Xiaotian's sixteen years of feigned idiocy, Shi Xuedong had already committed countless evil deeds, his wickedness overflowing, to the point that his fame spread far and wide and his notoriety became notorious. Moreover, the few companions accompanying Shi Xuedong are all sons of officials; this gang of idle nobles spends its days loafing about, acting with impunity, and has stirred up no small amount of trouble in the capital.

As the capital's enforcer, Murong Feiyan naturally had many dealings with him. If one were to say she feels a slight contempt for Hu Xiaotian, toward Shi Xuedong she harbors deep hatred and wishes she could eliminate him at once. Although they have clashed many times, Murong Feiyan always ends up defeated. His backing is too strong: not only is his father a Minister of Revenue, but several uncles and cousins also hold office in the court, and his second uncle serves as a Vice Magistrate in the Jingzhao Prefecture. Even if he were arrested and taken to the Jingzhao Prefecture, the outcome would still be nothing. Because of this, Murong Feiyan has been rebuked by her superiors more than once; it can be said she feels deep hatred toward these official's offspring. Murong Feiyan is the sort who cannot tolerate injustice; seeing this scene, she could not stand idly by. She was about to step forward to enforce the law when Zhan Peng had already rushed out and clashed with Shi Xuedong's gang.

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