Chapter Ninety-Two: We’re Here to Challenge the Dojo—Whoever Doesn’t Like It, Tough Luck!

Ugly Matron led the three of them into a luxurious private room, ordered wine and dishes, exchanged a few polite words, and then withdrew.

Though her temper was nothing to boast about, she knew exactly how to conduct herself. No wonder she could serve as the manager of the Fragrant River Pavilion.

After she left, the three sat down. Li Yi was the first to speak.

“What’s the story with that Ugly Matron? Why does she seem so formidable?”

Li Ke gave a faint smile. “I don’t really know. I only know her background is enormous. She came here after the pavilion was renamed. I heard that on her very first night taking guests, someone humiliated her. That same evening, the one who insulted her was found dead in the street.”

“After that, a few others refused to believe the rumors and went out of their way to provoke her, but none of them lived through the night. Since then, no one has dared show her the slightest disrespect.”

Li Yi was startled. “Something that big, and nobody did anything about it?”

Li Ke said, “Of course someone did. The very day the first man died, the constables of Chang’an began investigating. But before a few days had passed, the case was buried. The same thing happened with the others, one after another, and in the end nothing ever came of it.”

“What?” Li Yi stared. “Buried? Your father didn’t know about this?”

Li Ke replied, “How could he not know? He was the one who suppressed it. Of course, only a very small number of people knew.”

Li Yi’s eyes widened at once. “So that’s how it is?”

Only then did he realize he had been thinking about this far too simply.

After a moment of thought, Li Yi asked, “And you never caused a scene here?”

Li Ke said, “Cause a scene? Why would I? If even my father doesn’t ask questions, why should I? I’m only here to enjoy myself. I can’t be bothered with anything else, and I don’t want to be.”

Li Yi paused, then understood.

Li Ke had once wanted to keep a low profile, so naturally he couldn’t get involved. Now that he had no desire to fight for the throne, he was even less inclined to meddle. Just imagine it: a brothel important enough to draw the emperor himself into its affairs. How tangled must the web inside be?

No one wanted to touch that thorn. Everyone feared getting burned.

“Burned?” Li Yi thought with a snort. “Young master loves setting fires.”

He did not care about any of those messy entanglements. All he knew was that Li Er had sent him here. If anything happened, then of course Li Er would bear the consequences. As for consequences themselves, Li Yi had never been fond of thinking about them.

He glanced at Cheng Chumo, who was happily eating beside him, and kicked him sharply.

Cheng Chumo nearly spat out the mouthful of meat in his mouth. “Yi-ge, what was that for?”

“What do you think?” Li Yi said. “Didn’t we agree to go to the inner hall? Why are you still eating? Do you expect me to sit here with you, drinking and feasting in this so-called scholarly, refined place?”

Cheng Chumo grinned. “Well, Yi-ge, it’s not that I didn’t want to take you. I just forgot. Today is the fourteenth. The inner hall doesn’t open until tomorrow. So today we’re just here to get acquainted with the place.”

“Can’t get in? Just getting acquainted?” Li Yi barked a laugh. “Damn it, and you call yourself a wastrel? You’re actually this timid?”

As he spoke, he lifted a dish and smashed it hard to the floor.

Cheng Chumo jumped. “Hey! Yi-ge, what are you doing? You can’t make trouble here!”

Li Ke was also stunned, looking at Li Yi with suspicion. For some reason, today’s Li Yi felt strange, almost like a completely different person. The Li Yi he knew had never been this wild.

“Yi-ge, what is this supposed to mean?”

Li Yi gave a crooked, malicious smile. “Chumo, Weide, today I’ll teach you both a saying: if you find yourself trapped in a muddy pit, then you have to become even filthier than it is. Only then can you seize the initiative. When you’re in unfamiliar surroundings, never let others see through you. Otherwise, you’re finished.”

After speaking, he ignored the dazed Li Ke and Cheng Chumo. Slowly bending down, he picked up another dish and smashed it down as well.

Then he leaned back with a smile, crossed one leg over the other, unfolded his folding fan, and idly fanned himself while watching the doorway.

Li Ke still did not know what Li Yi intended to do, but he knew what he had to do now was cooperate. So he straightened up, then leaned back slightly and yielded the seat of honor to Li Yi, clearly placing him at the center.

As for Cheng Chumo, he was born with reckless nerve. The Cheng family had never produced cowards, and his earlier blankness had only been because he had not reacted yet. Now that he had, he was more excited than anyone. Seeing how much fun Li Yi was having throwing dishes, he actually picked up two at once and smashed them out in rapid succession.

“Haha, this feels different! Hahaha!”

Li Yi gave him a sidelong glance. “Enough. People are coming. Help me out and stand at the back.”

With only a look, Cheng Chumo understood. He did not need Li Yi to say more; he instantly slipped into the role of bodyguard.

The three had only just taken their positions when the private-room door was shoved open with a bang.

A crowd poured in, every one of them a burly brute, all armed.

It had been years. Years since anyone had dared make trouble at the Fragrant River Pavilion. No one had expected it to happen again today, so for a moment they had not even reacted. That was why they had arrived so slowly.

Only after more than a dozen club-wielding servants had rushed inside did Ugly Matron finally arrive, fashionably late.

When she entered, she did not look at Li Yi and the others first. Instead, she scolded the servants.

“What are you doing? Who told you to come in? And with clubs, no less? What do you think you’re doing? Do you even know who is inside? A bunch of blind fools. Get out at once!”

The servant leader bowed apologetically in a very cooperative manner and left with the rest.

Only then did Ugly Matron turn her gaze to Li Yi and the others.

“I wonder whether our pavilion has failed to serve you properly, offending the three young masters. If there has been any lack in our hospitality, I hope you will be generous enough to forgive us.”

Li Yi had watched her performance in silence the entire time, but he had to admit she was truly capable.

Anyone could see she was acting, yet no one could fault her on anything. More than that, she had unknowingly seized control of the situation. She had apologized, and she had frightened them. If Li Yi could not produce a perfect explanation, then she would have the excuse she needed to flare up.

From this alone, it was clear that her ability to respond on the spot was exceptional.

But today, Li Yi had come precisely to cause trouble. No matter how she handled it, he did not care. Ugly Matron, Beautiful Matron, whoever she was—he did not give a damn.

“Ugly Matron, I think you’ve already guessed. We came today for the inner hall. But to leave us cooling our heels like this—wouldn’t you say that’s a little inappropriate?”

Ugly Matron narrowed her eyes.

“Young Master Yi, I’m sure you know as well as I do that our inner hall only opens on the first and fifteenth of each month. If you truly wish to enter, then please come early tomorrow.”

Li Yi leaned back in his chair, fixed his eyes on her, and his whole demeanor changed in an instant. With a snap, he closed the folding fan in his hand.

A cold aura surged out of him.

His voice was calm, yet overbearing beyond doubt.

“What if I want to go in right now?”