Chapter 407 Running Amok

Chapter 407: Causing Trouble

The heat in Lin'an was different from Shengjing—it was a damp, humid heat. Even though it wasn't yet midsummer, the journey from Suzhou Prefecture to Lin'an Prefecture had been torture for Meng Wan. There wasn't even a breath of wind—pure sauna weather.

When Chi Yu came in carrying a bucket of water in each hand, Meng Wan's eyes lit up at the sight of him.

Chi Yu suddenly felt like a savior. He puffed out his chest, raised both arms, and steadily poured the two buckets of water into the bedroom's bath tub. "Sweetheart, come take a bath! Are two buckets enough? If not, I'll go grab more from the kitchen."

Meng Wan untied his own sash. "Enough, enough. You go get cleaned up too—got enough clean clothes? If not, you can wear some of mine first."

Summer travel was rough on clothes. Clean garments would be soaked through with sweat before half a day had passed, sticking to you all sticky and damp. And it wasn't always possible to do laundry on the road—they had several large bundles of dirty clothes piled up already.

Chi Yu turned and swaggered out. "I'll just rinse off right at the well."

Meng Wan, one foot halfway into the tub, froze mid-step. "Stop! Go get some water and wash up in the side room!"

Even if Na Tuo and the others were in the front courtyard and the well was in the back, he couldn't just be that careless!

What if that gorgeous muscle show of yours ends up bewitching Zhifan and Zhimao!

After his bath, Meng Wan felt like a new man. Na Tuo wasn't the most detail-oriented guy, but maybe Tang Jinshuang had left orders before she went, because ice was still being delivered to the house. They put the ice in basins, and once the doors and windows were shut, the cool air started spreading through the room in no time.

Chi Yu moved the daybed from under the window to a spot out of the sunlight. Meng Wan changed into a light gauze robe and lounged on the daybed. Zhifan had made cold noodles with a sauce of fresh bamboo shoots, shrimp, and water chestnuts, with a bit of chicken fat for richness—clean, fresh, and not greasy at all.

Fang Jinrong was in a room at the other end of the main hall and had just finished washing up too. Instead of sitting at the octagonal table like normal people, they set up a low table on the daybed and sat across from each other to eat.

It was too hot on the road and neither had much appetite. The first bowl went down in silence—both of them just focused on eating.

The whole basin of noodles got wiped out. Fang Jinrong set down his bowl and chopsticks, flopped onto the daybed, propped his feet on the pale blue silk lotus rug underneath, and let out a satisfied sigh. "How come every one of your servants is so talented? Any one of them could be a head chef anywhere."

Zhifan and Zhimao pushed open the door and walked in just in time to hear Fang Jinrong's words. Both of them laughed. Zhimao cleared away the basin and bowls from the table, while Zhifan brought over a pot of cold tea and poured some for Meng Wan and Fang Jinrong. His little face was all red from the blazing sun outside. "As long as Master Fang doesn't think we're too clumsy, we're good. What do you want to eat tomorrow? I'll pick it up on my way back from the market in the morning."

There were two maids in the courtyard who did the sweeping and heavy lifting. Meng Wan didn't need his food to be fancy, but it had to come from a trustworthy source. Since coming south, Zhifan and Zhimao had done all the grocery shopping themselves.

Fang Jinrong had never heard of standing on ceremony, and with his relationship with Meng Wan, when Zhifan asked, he actually thought about it seriously. "I heard the drunken crabs in Lin'an are really good—the ones from West Lake are fat and tasty. Let's have crab tomorrow, yeah?"

Meng Wan took a sip of his green tea. "You really know how to eat. This time of year, the crabs are at their thinnest—the texture's no good. And of course you had to pick drunken crab."

Fang Jinrong had never lifted a finger in the kitchen; he only knew what tasted good, not that there was a right season for everything. He turned to Meng Wan and asked, "Then what's the best thing to eat, huh?"

Meng Wan slipped on his shoes and walked around the room. "Zhifan, go out tomorrow morning and buy a few chickens—young roosters under a year. Also get some lotus leaves. I'll make you guys lotus-leaf chicken. And buy a lot of bamboo shoots too. Summer food should be light—I'll pickle some sour bamboo shoots to go with the meals."

By the time his bamboo shoots were pickled, Song Tingzhou and the others should be back by then.

That night, Meng Wan slept like a log. When he woke up, Fang Jinrong's room was still quiet.

The sun was already bright and high—no point in lying around. Meng Wan changed into light silk robes and went to wash up. The main courtyard was quiet—Zhifan and Zhimao must have gone out to shop. Chi Yu was still asleep too—Meng Wan could hear him snoring from the corridor.

There was food left in the kitchen, but Meng Wan had no appetite right after waking up. He grabbed two boiled eggs and sat on the stone bench in the hallway, slowly peeling them.

There was a nice little garden in the courtyard, connecting the main hall in front to the main courtyard in back. Water from the canal outside flowed into the garden, making a little pond so clear you could see the bottom—but it was empty, unfortunately.

Meng Wan slowly nibbled on his two hard-boiled eggs, thinking that once Jinrong woke up, he could take him out to buy some koi to put in the pond.

Fang Jinrong's little rabbit from Suzhou had been set free halfway through the trip. At the time, Fang Jinrong had looked all reluctant to let it go, but then Chi Yu hunted two wild rabbits on the road, and after Meng Wan roasted them with his secret spices, Fang Jinrong ate them up with more enthusiasm than anyone.

"Husband! Something bad happened, husband!" Zhimao came rushing in through the back gate, running into the main courtyard, his voice all choked up.

Meng Wan saw he'd come back alone and already guessed half of it. "Where's Zhifan?"

Of the two brothers, Zhifan was the more careful and thorough one, while Zhimao was bolder and quicker with his mouth. Since coming south, the two rarely went out, and when they did, they went together to the nearby market and never wandered far.

"Zhifan's been stopped by someone! That group of people looks vicious—clearly not to be trifled with. I... I managed to slip away and come back to find you." Zhimao was, after all, still a young lad. As bold as he might be when by Meng Wan's side, when faced with truly unreasonable bullies out in the world, he immediately lost his composure.

"Don't panic. Tell me slowly what happened." Meng Wan rose calmly, stepped into the room to hang a pouch at his waist, and picked up a folding fan. Zhimao buzzed around him like a little bee, rapidly recounting the whole story.

Chi Yu heard the commotion and came out of his room too, a bit of white foam still at the corner of his mouth, standing by Meng Wan's side to listen to the full account.

Yesterday Meng Wan had mentioned wanting chicken, so Zhifan and Zhimao had gotten up early to head to the market. They'd already asked the two maids for directions—there was a market just west of their courtyard, one of the largest in the area, convenient for buying groceries and meat.

Meng Wan was never harsh with his servants. Everyone had been tired yesterday, so Zhifan and Zhimao had also slept in today. After throwing together a quick meal, they'd hurriedly grabbed their bamboo baskets and headed to the market, bringing one of the maids along to guide the way since they weren't sure of the route.

But somehow, the West Street market was unusually crowded today—people packed shoulder to shoulder, barely room to set foot down. Zhifan and Zhimao stuck close to the maid, afraid of being separated in the crowd.

The maid was a local herself and was also puzzled. "Usually it's busy at this hour, but never this crowded..."

Just as she was speaking, someone bumped into Zhimao, nearly knocking him over. The woman who'd bumped him wore a sapphire-blue satin overcoat with an ivory token at her waist—clearly a head stewardess from a wealthy household.

Zhimao was furious, but Lin'an wasn't Shengjing—he couldn't go causing trouble for Meng Wan. Besides, the place really was crowded; maybe it hadn't been intentional. So he swallowed his anger.

But even as he held back, the woman who'd bumped him adjusted the gold hairpin at her temple and sneered at him with a sidelong glance. "Where are you from, you little brat? Don't watch where you're going? Bump into me, and I'll have your hides!"

She looked down her nose at them with such arrogance that Zhimao was about to burst with frustration. If this had been Shengjing or Lingnan, he'd have been cursing her out already.

Zhifan spotted a stall selling live chickens and quickly pulled him away.

But the woman was relentless. Just as Zhifan reached the chicken stall and before he could even ask the price, she tossed out a string of copper coins. "I'll take all the chickens at this stall. Deliver them to the Tang family."

With such a big sale on offer, how could the stall owner refuse? He quickly agreed and began tying up the chickens with practiced speed.

Zhimao couldn't take it anymore. He stepped forward with a cold face and complained, "We clearly saw them first! This is too much—just snatching them away like that!"

To his surprise, the woman had sharp ears. She whirled around, pointed at Zhifan and Zhimao's noses, and began cursing. "You little wretches dare to talk back? Do you know who I am? The Tang family of Guangpu Lane is my household—all their purchasing goes through my hands. On this West Street market, who dares not show respect to me, Mama Tang?"

Zhifan didn't want to make a scene, so he pulled Zhimao to leave. But Mama Tang wouldn't let it go. She reached out to grab Zhimao's arm. "If I don't teach you ill-mannered brats a lesson today, soon every stray cat and dog will be acting bold in front of me!"

Zhimao had had enough and was about to fight back when he found himself surrounded by four or five household guards in short jackets—the guards the Tang family had sent to accompany Mama Tang on her shopping trip.

The scene descended into chaos, with onlookers gathering all around. Meng Wan's maid saw the danger and quietly shielded Zhimao, letting him slip away. That was how Zhimao had managed to run back to report. As he was escaping, Mama Tang was shoving Zhifan around, shouting arrogantly, "Dare to challenge me? Take him into the alley and teach him a proper lesson!"

"Those people... those people are vicious! Zhifan... he's definitely going to suffer!" Zhimao's eyes were red with anxiety, his voice choked with tears. "Husband, let's go save Zhifan!"

Chi Yu kicked his legs a couple of times to warm up. "Husband?"

Fan in hand, Meng Wan was already walking toward the gate. His voice was calm as still water. "Go to the front courtyard and fetch Na Tuo and the others. Let's go."

The West Street market was indeed very close to their residence—Tang Jinshuang had thought of everything. By now the sun had climbed high, and most of the crowd around the market had dispersed, leaving only a few bold and idle souls still watching from a distance.

"I already apologized! What more do you want?!" Zhifan's voice was hoarse, his eyes red and swollen, one hand covering half his face as he spoke through gritted teeth.

Before him stood a woman radiating arrogance—not tall, but with a voice that was shrill and piercing. "Apologize? You think a flimsy apology settles this? Our family is one of the most prominent in Lin'an Prefecture! You little outsider wretch—you bump into me and then dare to talk back?"

Spittle flew from the woman's mouth as she jabbed her finger almost into Zhifan's face. The household guards behind her cracked their knuckles, glaring at Zhifan with murderous intent.

They shoved him, sending him stumbling back several steps. Half his face was swollen, and there was a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth—clearly he'd suffered plenty already. He bit his lower lip hard, defiance burning in his eyes mixed with helplessness. "I never even touched you! You bumped into me yourself, and then you stole the chickens we were buying!"

Mama Tang stood with her hands on her hips in front of the chicken stall. "Just a servant from out of town—so what if I hit you? Is two taels of silver enough? The Tang family has plenty of money to pay for that sorry face of yours!"

With that, she pulled out some loose silver and hurled it at Zhifan with force. The humiliating gesture was so blatant that even the nearby vendors and onlookers found it hard to watch—but the Tang family was a prominent name in Lin'an, and no one dared to interfere. As she threw the silver, Mama Tang raised her other hand to strike again. Zhifan instinctively closed his eyes to brace for the blow, but the expected pain never came.

With a crisp "crack" and a miserable shriek, Chi Yu had already cleanly dislocated one of Madam Tang's arms.

"Lin'an truly lives up to its reputation as a famed southern city—even its servants are this arrogant."

Meng Wan fanned himself with his ornate ivory and jade fan, his upturned, peach-blossom-shaped eyes carrying a cold gleam. His fair skin, red lips, and strikingly refined features were striking, and his casual smile was laced with danger. His mere presence instantly cowed Madam Tang and her group.

With Chi Yu, Na Tuo, and the others following close behind—all tall and imposing, their eyes sharp as eagles—it was clear at a glance they were not to be trifled with.

Madam Tang was momentarily stunned, then observed Meng Wan's exquisite attire and commanding bearing, guessing he was a man of status. But under the public gaze, sweat beaded on her face from pain and heat, and she dug in her heels. "I am the head steward of the Tang household. Dare to harm me, and the Tang family will not let this go easily!" She assumed that since they were newcomers with accents unlike the locals, they must be wealthy out-of-town merchants trying their luck in Lin'an's bustling waterways—surely they would fear the influence of established local clans.

Meng Wan strolled forward slowly, gently waving his folding fan to stir a faint breeze, though it offered little relief. His gaze landed on Zhifan's swollen cheek, eyes frosty, yet the corners of his lips curved upward. "The Tang family's rules?"

Madam Tang saw him smile and felt more terrified than if he hadn't. Belatedly, she feared that offending Meng Wan might bring her mistress's wrath down on her at home. Her voice trembled with pain as she forced a smile, her facial muscles twisting into a grotesque expression.

"Indeed, while the Tang family isn't among the top great houses of Lin'an, we do hold some standing. In recent years, our household has produced high officials of several ranks—your husband could easily ask around town. Today's matter was my rudeness, and I've already compensated the young man with silver. Might you show some leniency, sir? Why make a fuss over a mere servant boy?" Her tone had lost its earlier arrogance, softening considerably—even the wicked know when to yield.

Meng Wan ignored her, slowly bending down to pick up the silver she had thrown at Zhifan. Zhifan couldn't hold back a stream of tears, his lips trembling uncontrollably. "Master..."

Meng Wan patted Zhifan's shoulder reassuringly. "How many times were you hit?"

Zhi Mao stepped over to hand Zhifan a clean handkerchief. Zhifan dabbed at his tears, his voice thick with a stuffy nose. "Twice."

Madam Tang had struck with considerable force, and with others holding Zhifan back, two slaps had swollen his cheek badly.

Meng Wan weighed the silver in his hand. "Twice..."

He undid his money pouch. The Yu Kingdom's banknotes didn't come in large denominations—one hundred taels was the max—and silver was still the most common currency.

Since Meng Wan was traveling and didn't care for depositing money in banks, he had specifically exchanged some banknotes.

Now he pulled out ten hundred-tael notes from his pouch, raising his eyes with a murderous glint. "Na Tuo, tie them all up and let Zhifan strike them. If they survive a full thousand hits, this money is yours—how about that?"

This last remark, Meng Wan directed at the terrified Tang household members.