Chapter 105: A Minor Incident

In the waiting hall for the girls on the first floor of Intoxication Pavilion, Liu Liwa brought along Leftover Warrior. They drank the cheap liquor they had just bought and gnawed on roasted chicken, enjoying themselves in a way that made others envious. The other servants watched with jealousy. Everyone knew that Liu Liwa had risen to power completely, and the attitude he showed from the start was even more impressive than Yang Xiaosi’s back in the day. Moreover, he was eating meat and drinking alcohol in broad daylight, and high-ranking officials like Shen Zuijin turned a blind eye to it, which showed how different he was.

A new broom sweeps clean, and the supervisor of the Pleasure House was no exception. In the past, Yang Xiaosi loved gambling and often extorted money from the servants and maids. Now that Liu Liwa had taken over, things were unlikely to get better. So, before work hours, these people tried their best to avoid gathering around Liu Liwa.

This made it convenient for Liu Liwa and Leftover Warrior to discuss their plans for the evening. Before long, the sky gradually darkened, and Intoxication Pavilion was about to open for business. However, the girls and servants watched as the newly appointed supervisor, Liu Liwa, swaggered off with his group of five, acting even more arrogant than those guests who left right after pulling up their pants.

The opening ceremony and the new collection launch of An Luwei had ended. On the way, Liu Liwa ran into the girls who had temporarily worked as models. Each of them carried a few dresses and was heavily drunk. Given Miss Zhao’s generosity, they must have earned a good amount today. The only one suffering was the recently promoted Yang Xiaosi, who, as the head supervisor, had no girls under his command. How miserable was that?

One girl had drunk too much and was retching by the roadside, taking a break. Liu Liwa approached her and found out that they had just finished drinking at a tavern nearby. They had left early because they needed to rush back to Intoxication Pavilion for work, while Miss Zhao and the group of merchants, gentry, wives, and young ladies were still in the middle of their grand banquet.

Although the grand banquet was still ongoing, it was nearing its end. After all, in these times, there were no nightclubs or nightlife. Once it got dark, people mostly went home to “live.” So Liu Liwa had to hurry.

They easily found the tavern. Only Miss Zhao’s table of guests remained, and the staff was preparing to close up after serving them. The tavern was not large and was located in a relatively remote area, though it was close to An Luwei. The quickest way to get to the main street from the front door was to pass through a narrow alley. The back door also led to an alley that went in another direction. The sky was already dark, and the alley was pitch-black, with no visibility at all. Additionally, the Leftover Warriors had changed into black clothes and pants, completely blending into the darkness.

Liu Liwa took Xing Shi and Bing He and hid in the front alley, while Zi Long and the other two waited in the back alley. Soon, everyone quietly lay in ambush. Watching them hold their breath, blending into the night while barely containing their excitement, Liu Liwa felt emotional—these brothers really had the potential to be ruffians.

Before long, people started coming out of the tavern one after another. The night grew darker, with a chilly wind blowing and gloomy weather. There were no stars or moon—it was truly a night of darkness and wind, perfect for murder and kidnapping in a remote alley.

They watched as the invited merchants and gentry came out with their radiant, cheerful wives and ladies. However, these people didn’t need to pass through the alley, as carriages were already waiting outside. As for the Young Lady of the Zhao Family, she would need Young Master Ye to coordinate from inside and out.

The last to come out were Young Master Ye and a woman. Though they couldn’t hear what was said, they saw him look around and gesture politely in Liu Liwa’s direction. The alley was about twelve meters long and two to three meters wide, enough for three people to walk side by side. However, it was filled with clutter and reeked of a foul, stinky odor. Usually, the tavern used it as a garbage dump, and guests treated it as a public restroom. Liu Liwa and his group endured the humiliation while lying in wait there.

They positioned themselves in the middle of the alley, giving the targets some time to approach. This made it seem less like an ambush and more like a chance encounter, allowing them to appear as drunkards who had passed out in the alley.

Liu Liwa signaled Xing Shi and Bing He beside him to get ready. The two immediately perked up. Since they had indeed been drinking earlier, the strong smell of alcohol made their act more convincing.

The three held their breath as they listened to the footsteps slowly approaching. Suddenly, Liu Liwa made the retching sound of a drunkard, startling the newcomers. The two beside him followed suit, staggering to their feet and swaying as if they might fall at any moment. The alley was pitch-black, with no light at all. They could only see the vague outlines of people but couldn’t make out their faces clearly.

Liu Liwa could tell that one of them was definitely Young Master Ye because they had agreed beforehand that Young Master Ye would wear a hairpin adorned with a glowing pearl when it was time to act. Since the target had appeared, it was time to make their move. But before Liu Liwa could act, the glowing pearl ahead shimmered, and Young Master Ye unexpectedly rushed forward first…

Liu Liwa was startled. Even though this was a staged hero-saving-the-beauty act, the hero was in too much of a hurry. No one had even harassed the beauty yet, so why was he making a move? This wasn’t hero-saving-the-beauty; it was indiscriminate violence!

However, Young Master Ye wasn’t in a hurry to play the hero. Instead, he wanted to convey important information to Liu Liwa. He rushed over like the wind, not bothering to see who was who, and whispered urgently, “Wrong, wrong…”

What was wrong? His vague statement left Liu Liwa confused. Just then, a woman’s scream suddenly came from the opposite alley: “Ah… What are you doing? Let me go…”

Both Liu Liwa and Young Master Ye were stunned. What was going on? At the same time, another woman’s voice rang out nearby: “Ah? Third Sister, it’s Third Sister! What’s happening to her?”

The speaker was the woman who had come with Young Master Ye. Her steps were unsteady, her movements sluggish, and she reeked of alcohol. In her panic in the darkness, she stumbled and fell to the ground.

Young Master Ye was equally anxious. Without saying more to Liu Liwa, he hurried over to help the woman up. But she insisted firmly, “Don’t mind me, go check on Third Sister first.”

Young Master Ye was only too happy to oblige. He nodded immediately and dashed into the opposite alley like the wind. Before he even reached it, they heard him roar, “You bold thieves! How dare you bully my Third Sister? It’s your bad luck that I ran into you today. I will uphold justice, punish evil, and bring righteousness to light…”

He must have practiced this line for a long time, as he delivered it like an announcer. Just from their earlier conversation, Liu Liwa immediately understood the situation. The woman Young Master Ye had brought in was Miss Zhao, Zhao Jiabi. Because she was a bit drunk, Young Master Ye was escorting her. But the real target, Third Miss Zhao, had somehow ended up in the other alley. Fortunately, Liu Liwa had prepared for both scenarios, so Young Master Ye could still play the hero over there. But what about Miss Zhao here?