Chapter 151: Seeking Trouble Only to Invite a Slap

The last thing Manager Hua wanted to see today was that band of dissolute young aristocrats. His visceral fear of them was a testament to the sheer misery they had inflicted upon him over the years.

However, today was different. He recalled what the Princess Consort of Xian had said yesterday: if these people dared to show their faces, she wouldn't mind teaching them why flowers bloom so red. With the Princess Consort backing him, what was there to fear?

With this thought in mind, Manager Hua walked forward, head held high and chest puffed out, shedding his previous cowardice entirely. "What is the meaning of this? Are you unaware of the rules at the Flowing Water Pavilion?"

The six young aristocrats were stunned; they had never encountered such a situation. They had been running rampant for ages—who would dare speak of rules in their presence? It was like a dog entering an outhouse; they were just asking for trouble.

The leader of the group laughed on the spot after his initial shock, patting Manager Hua’s potbelly. "Hey, old man, are you talking to me? Ha! You’re killing me! Don't you know that here in the Imperial Capital, we are the rules?"

One of the men behind him squinted, finding the manager vaguely familiar. He tapped his head, suddenly realizing, "Oh, isn't this Manager Hua, who we collect protection money from every few days? Haven't seen you in a while, and you've upgraded from a pea-shooter to a cannon! Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’ve even upgraded from a small tavern to a large one. Why didn't I realize you were so wealthy before?"

Though his legs were trembling, Manager Hua did not dare let his face betray his panic. "I am warning you: if you dare to cause trouble here, you will pay a heavy price. You cannot afford to offend the owner of this establishment, so you had best leave now!"

"Oh, ho! So there is someone in our Imperial Capital that we, the Six Young Masters, cannot afford to offend? Are you trying to scare me, Manager Hua? Oh, I'm so terrified! Pfft! Stop spouting nonsense. If you're smart, hand over the protection money, or I can't guarantee the safety of your shop. Seeing as your business is doing so well, a thousand or eight hundred taels won't hurt. Give it to me, Li Wei, and I’ll ensure you stay safe and sound."

*A thousand or eight hundred taels? Why don't you go rob the Imperial Palace instead?* Manager Hua was so angry he nearly fainted. It seemed these aristocrats truly believed this pavilion belonged to him, and Li Wei, in particular, was trying to fleece him for all he was worth.

From the top floor of the Flowing Water Pavilion, Liu Ling'er watched everything clearly. It seemed these young men were indeed no good. She turned to Tie Wula and said, "Go down there and tie them all up."

Tie Wula acknowledged the order, grabbed six lengths of rope, and strode toward the group. Liu Ling'er couldn't help but think that Tie Wula couldn't stay at the pavilion forever. How would they maintain security later? Someone had to be able to hold down the fort. Especially with that gold plaque bestowed by the Emperor hanging out front—who knew how many thieves were eyeing it? If the pavilion lost the plaque, it would be a minor issue, but losing their reputation would be a disaster.

After some thought, she settled on a person: Chu Sheng, the Shadow Dragon Twin Swords. He had nothing to do right now, and guarding a restaurant was the perfect fit. If she helped him disguise himself, no petty crook would dare cross him.

Decision made, Liu Ling'er watched the scene below with glee. She wanted to see how these aristocrats would try to stir up trouble. They hadn't even bothered to find out what kind of place the Flowing Water Pavilion was before acting wild on her turf. She would turn their attempt to cause trouble into a lesson they wouldn't soon forget—killing the chicken to scare the monkeys was an opportunity they had handed her themselves.

Watching Tie Wula approach with the ropes, Li Wei’s eyelid twitched. "Damn it, I didn't think you had a guard, old man. But you think you can challenge us with just one guard? Are you stupid or just brain-dead? Have you never heard that the six of us together are invincible in the Imperial Capital? Hiss—who the hell hit me?!"

Seeing his pathetic display, Liu Ling'er couldn't stand it. She picked up a peanut and flicked it directly at Li Wei’s head, leaving him seeing stars.

Tie Wula picked at his ear; it was his turn. Liu Ling'er had only thrown a peanut, but it was a reminder to move quickly.

As Li Wei continued to spew obscenities like a fountain, Tie Wula threw his rope. It caught Li Wei perfectly. With a sharp tug, the young man was dragged forward like a bundle of firewood. Tie Wula’s hands moved with the grace of a butterfly, and in moments, Li Wei was trussed up like a rice dumpling.

Only then did Li Wei start to feel fear. He shrieked, "Let me go! Do you know who my uncle is? Xiao Liu, Xiao Wu, come save me..."

Before he could finish, Tie Wula ripped off a piece of Li Wei’s own clothing and stuffed it into his mouth. The cacophony of noise was instantly cut off as if a pause button had been pressed.

The remaining aristocrats stared at each other, their leader captured. They were cowards at heart, their claims of being "invincible" nothing but hot air; they were merely paper tigers relying on their family power.

Now that someone wasn't bowing to them, what were they to do? They couldn't win a fight, so they resorted to the thirty-sixth stratagem: running away.

Terrified, they turned to flee, wishing their parents had given them extra legs to run faster so they could return later with a larger gang to settle the score.

Tie Wula sneered. If he let these cowards escape under his watch, he’d be the laughingstock of the other guards. He flung the remaining five ropes out; they acted like homing hooks, instantly ensnaring the fleeing men. With another practiced tug, he pulled them back like kittens. The move was so elegant that the onlookers, who had been watching like it was a street performance, broke into applause.

Whether they were customers inside or people waiting in line outside, everyone had suffered at the hands of these aristocrats at some point. Tie Wula’s actions provided them with a long-awaited sense of justice.

After subduing them, Tie Wula returned to Liu Ling'er. "Princess Consort, how shall we deal with them? Should I do this?" He drew a hand across his throat, asking if he should kill them.

Liu Ling'er shook her head and offered a mischievous smile. "Tie Wula, killing them would only dirty your hands. It’s better to torment them, then wait for their families to come and extort a fortune from them until they’re sick to their stomachs. Go down now, strip them of their clothes, tie their hands and feet, and toss them into the water surrounding the pavilion. Then, release the water snakes we caught the other day. Let the people watch a show of bullies dancing with snakes."

A chill ran down Tie Wula’s spine. While the water snakes weren't poisonous, a bite still hurt, especially on men who weren't wearing clothes. *Princess Consort, does your family know you’re this devious?*