Chapter 371: Fight! They

At the sound of this, E Huang withdrew her finger and leaned against Pan Yun, gently tapping her chin with her little finger in a pout: "Young Master, aren't our many sisters enough for you?"

Pan Yun caught her finger and laughed: "Of course I'm delighted to have my sisters with me, but I see there are many people inside, music and dance all ready—so I'm curious."

"Curiosity is right," E Huang whispered close to her ear: "Inside is far more fun than out here; the sisters inside are prettier too. But to pass that screen, you need at least a hundred taels of silver."

She lightly tapped Pan Yun's lips with her index finger and smiled softly: "Young Master, you're the latecomer to this flower boat. You won't even get inside—once Mother has attended to the VIPs inside and comes out, she'll ask you to leave the boat. Unless…"

Pan Yun turned her head to study E Huang's eyes, then smiled after a moment, lifting her chin: "Sister, if we had money, we wouldn't need to sneak aboard. But why are you and the others so eager to serve guests even the madam won't take? Aren't you afraid your mother will be angry?"

"Of course I'm afraid," E Huang pleaded pitifully: "But I have to eat. If I don't take another customer, we'll be thrown off the boat. Young Master, just pity us a little…"

Pan Yun gripped her hand, lost in thought, then smiled gently: "Fine."

E Huang beamed, picked up the wine jug, and poured for her: "Young Master, this flower wine isn't strong—it suits you perfectly. Come, take a sip…"

Wang Cong hurried to stop her, but Pan Yun had already tilted her head, clamping the cup between her lips, watching E Huang as she slowly drank it down. After finishing, she nodded: "Indeed, fine wine."

Wang Cong: …

Suddenly, his anxiety vanished. Whatever. Let this boat sink already. If we wait any longer, I don't know what else my little master aunt might do—it's like she's more at home on this flower boat than I am.

Inside the screen, Xiao Hong danced to the music, half the guests watching her, the other half staring at the beauty leaning against a young man's chest.

The beauty's clothes were half-unfastened, revealing one bare shoulder; behind her curled three fluffy, fiery-red tails, now held in the young man's hands.

A middle-aged man finally couldn't hold back. He set down his cup and called the madam: "Sister Xue, you really know how to entertain—but why only one fox spirit? You could dress more girls up too—rabbit spirits, scorpion spirits, anything!"

"Hahaha, Uncle Lyu, are you hoping to hold a scorpion spirit?"

Uncle Lyu said: "I'd hold the fox spirit too, but I'm afraid Young Master Chen won't let her go."

Young Master Chen, holding the beauty, frowned coldly: "Who do you think you are, trying to steal my woman?"

Uncle Lyu had only been testing—yes, he was envious. Women were everywhere. Young Master Chen had been playing with her for days—why not let him have her for a few more?

He hadn't expected Young Master Chen to refuse, let alone refuse so brutally. Uncle Lyu's face darkened instantly.

He slammed his cup down, gathered his breath, and sneered: "Young Master Chen, before the festival, the Prefect gave me a Huang Gongwang painting—'Dan Ya Yu Shu.' I wonder if the Prefect liked it?"

The Prefect was Young Master Chen's father.

Young Master Chen's face darkened. His grip tightened on the beauty, and his fingers clamped harder on the tails.

The beauty glanced over, instinctively lowering her real tail and lifting the fake one higher, afraid he might slip and grab her true tail.

Uncle Lyu had regained the upper hand. He smiled smugly and boasted to those around him: "Speaking of paintings and beauties, Yang Gong of Ji'an adores both. I once gave him 'Dan Shan Ying Hai,' and he was generous—he gave me his favorite concubine. She still lives in my backyard, hahaha…"

"Are you speaking of Yang Ji, the son of Grand Secretary Yang?"

Uncle Lyu said: "Precisely—Young Master Yang."

Hearing he had ties to Yang Ji, everyone immediately raised their cups to toast him.

Young Master Chen's face grew even darker. He dropped the tail and sat up, sneering: "Uncle Lyu, if you admire Young Master Yang so much, why are you still in Changzhou? Why not go to Ji'an?"

"Ah~ Is it because you can't go—or because you're too afraid to go?"

Uncle Lyu's temper flared. He shot to his feet: "What do you mean? What do you mean I can't go? Aside from the imperial palace, is there anywhere in this world I can't go?"

Young Master Chen: "Then go. Don't end up murdered, chopped up, stuffed into jars, and buried—without even knowing how you died."

Those nearby whispered: "Is the rumor true? That Yang Ji kills people and buries the pieces in jars?"

"This… this is too terrifying."

"So inhumane. Doesn't Grand Secretary Yang do anything?"

"Grand Secretary Yang probably doesn't even know. One's in Ji'an, the other in Jingcheng—and such things are always the last thing the victim finds out."

Uncle Lyu roared: "Stop slandering him! Grand Secretary Yang lived his life upright and just, humble and pure. His eldest son would never commit murder. Rumors hurt people! You're both sons of officials—you don't defend him, you lead the slander!"

Young Master Chen: "Upright and just? Didn't you just say you gave Yang Ji a famous painting? And even if his father is upright, what does that have to do with this old playboy?"

"You're the playboy! How dare you insult the Yang family? Chen Han, your father's just a petty Prefect—I advise you not to be so arrogant." Chen Han kicked over the low table with a crash: "So what if I'm arrogant? This is Changzhou, not Ji'an. If you don't like it, you'll still have to swallow it!"

The guests watching them erupted into conflict, rushing to intervene: "Calm down, calm down—it's just an outsider who's not even here. Why ruin your harmony over him?"

Madam Xue hurried forward to soothe them: "Speak calmly, gentlemen. Don't rush. Girls, come quickly—serve wine to Young Master Chen and Uncle Lyu to cool their tempers…"

Wine isn't only something that makes tempers flare—it can also get people drunk. Once they're passed out in a room, nothing happens.

Madam Xue's plan was perfect: the girls coming over, whether coaxing them to drink or whispering sweet nothings, would distract them.

But tonight, Uncle Lyu's anger had been simmering. He glanced at the beauty and Xiao Hong only trying to restrain Chen Han—and his fury surged, burning his reason to ash.

He'd long coveted the beauty and Xiao Hong, especially the beauty—her fox eyes slightly curved, brimming with seduction.

Since she appeared on this painted boat, he'd wanted to take her—but Young Master Chen had claimed her outright.

Not even a drink together—he hadn't seen her since. The resentment had been building in Uncle Lyu for days.

Tonight, the beauty was even more alluring. Uncle Lyu's itch was unbearable. He'd already resented Chen Han—now his hatred peaked.

Since the words had come this far, Uncle Lyu had nothing left to fear. He jabbed his finger at Chen Han's nose: "What are you pretending? Do you really think Changzhou is ruled by you, Chen Han? Pah—open your dog eyes! Everything you wear, wear, eat, use—every single thing—is paid for by my money!"

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"Your father's annual salary barely covers your servants' wages. Yet you drink, gamble, chase women—how dare you even step on this boat? I tell you, you sit here drinking with us only because of me—you live off my money!"

His friends gasped in horror and rushed to cover his mouth: "Lü, are you mad?"

"I'm not mad—he's the mad one! Eating my food, drinking my wine, and still talking back to me? Plainly put, I'm your father, and you, and you, are his second and third fathers! Who hasn't fed the Chen family?"

Chen Han laughed bitterly, shoved the beauty and Madam Xue aside, turned, and snatched a wine jug and cup from the table. He forced a smile: "Fine. If I don't toast you, it'd be rude."

"Young Master Chen, Uncle Lyu's drunk—he's just joking…"

"It's not a joke—it's not a joke!" Uncle Lyu shoved away those trying to hold him, unfastened his belt, flung open his robe, and left it hanging. He stomped onto the low table and shouted: "You want to toast me? Come on! This cup—I, your father, can drink it!"

His friends couldn't stop him.

Young Master Chen also pushed aside those trying to block him, shook his hand as he poured a cup, and stepped forward: "I toast you!"

Everyone watched, hearts pounding. Only the beauty and Xiao Hong, who had drifted close together, watched with keen interest, almost wishing they had peanuts to crack.

With them were Pan Yun and her five companions, clinging to the edge of the screen.

As the shouting inside grew louder and Madam Xue joined in trying to mediate, Pan Yun sprinted to the screen with lightning speed, leaning in to peek—her movements so agile she dodged twelve rushing beauties along the way.

The beauties, seeing they couldn't stop him, also leaned forward curiously to peer behind the screen.

At this moment, everyone was watching with curiosity as Chen Young Master, his face flushed purple, still stepped forward with wine in hand.

Half of them wondered, 【Could Chen Young Master really be offering wine to Elder Lu? It doesn't look like it~~】

The other half thought, 【Is Chen Young Master going to splash the wine in Elder Lu's face?】

But no one expected Chen Young Master to actually hand the wine cup to Elder Lu.

Elder Lu let out a self-satisfied roar of laughter, reached out to take it, and was just about to drink it all when Chen Young Master lifted the wine jug and slammed it repeatedly against his head, "I told you to offer wine, I told you to offer wine…"

Blood sprayed out, screams erupted; people scattering to flee collided with those rushing forward to stop Chen Young Master, and the scene descended into chaos.

Elder Lu's head reeled from the blows, the jug dented inward, and so did his forehead—but he quickly recovered, gritted his teeth, bent down, seized Chen Young Master around the waist, and shoved him backward.

Chen Young Master tripped over fleeing people and crashed with a splat onto the boat; Elder Lu reached out and struck him across the face…

The boat rocked from the scrambling crowd; guests and Misses inside the screen rushed out again, causing those outside to panic too—everyone tried to flee to the deck, blocking the guards and servants who had rushed over at the screams from entering the cabin.

Pan Yun and her four companions swiftly scrambled to the window, pulling aside the curtains to continue watching the spectacle.

One more missing

(End of Chapter)