Chapter 154: Retaliation

The six fops lying on the ground had no idea that they had already been sold off to the Water Pavilion. In the blink of an eye, they had been transformed from high-and-mighty young masters into indentured laborers—a decision made by their very own fathers.

When they were fished out of the water and caught sight of their fathers, they assumed they were safe. After shivering on the ground for a while, they passed out cold. Their bodies, hollowed out by a life of debauchery and indulgence, could hardly withstand the slightest ordeal.

When they eventually awoke, they found themselves huddled together in a small room. Although their injuries had been tended to, the bandages were rudimentary—hardly befitting their status as young masters! At the very least, there should be a maid to pour them water; were they expected to lift a finger themselves?

Little did they know that they would not only have to fend for themselves, but also serve others. Failing to do a good job meant criticism, and if they didn't work, they went hungry. Threats were constant. Compared to their previous lives, this was truly a descent from heaven to hell.

Once Li Wei regained consciousness, his young master’s temper flared immediately: "Damn it! Where is everyone? Are you all dead? Can't you see that the young master needs attending to?"

The door was shoved open with a crash, and Tie Wula strode in with a grim expression. His tone was cold enough to freeze blood as he remarked, "Which one of you was calling himself 'young master'? Do you really think this is your own home?"

Upon catching sight of the terrifying Tie Wula, Li Wei and his cohorts were paralyzed on their beds. Li Wei, in particular, was so startled he nearly fell off the cot. What was going on? Why did this man keep haunting them?

From the moment they woke up, something had felt wrong, and with Tie Wula's arrival, the situation turned even more bizarre. Trembling, Li Wei pointed at him and asked, "Who are you, and why are we here?"

"I'm just a guard. What, do you want to find out who I am so you can seek revenge later?" Tie Wula stared at Li Wei with a mocking glint in his eyes. He sounded as if he were wary, but in reality, he was telling them to bring on whatever they had—he would welcome their retaliation.

Li Wei offered a dry laugh. "My good man, you’ve misunderstood. I wouldn't dare seek revenge against you! I only wish to ask, where is my uncle?"

A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him. Though Li Wei was a fop, he was not entirely brainless. Even if he lacked sense, he knew better than to act like the master of the world when facing an unknown and dangerous situation.

"Your uncle? You mean Li Danqing? He came and left. He is the Prime Minister, after all—a busy man!" That single sentence from Tie Wula left the fops feeling chilled to the bone. Although Tie Wula had only mentioned Li Danqing, anyone could figure out that the other fathers had arrived with him. If the Prime Minister had left, surely the others had as well.

Li Wei’s mouth went dry, his heart a chaotic mess. "My good man, why didn't my uncle take me back with him?"

Seeing his anxiety, Tie Wula stopped teasing him. "Take you away? Then who would compensate for the losses of the Water Pavilion? After some discussion, your uncle decided to pledge you to work at the Water Pavilion for a month. Naturally, that applies to all of you. So, from now on, you are the busboys of the Water Pavilion."

What? It was like a thunderclap to the forehead. His uncle was the Prime Minister—a figure of immense power! In the past, no matter what trouble he caused, his uncle had always cleaned up the mess. How could things have changed so drastically?

The other fops were equally baffled. Even if their own fathers weren't as powerful as the Prime Minister, they were still high-ranking court officials. Could it be that the Water Pavilion was owned by the Emperor himself? Good heavens! That had to be it! Why else would they have ended up in such a miserable state? If they had known, they would have steered clear of the Water Pavilion from the start.

They had guessed wrong, but they weren't far off the mark. Liu Ling'er was the Princess Consort of the Virtuous Prince, so the Water Pavilion could indeed be considered an imperial enterprise. Otherwise, why would Baili Hai have presented that gold-inscribed plaque?

Seeing their pallid faces, Tie Wula snorted. "What are you still doing in bed? Get down here and start working! If you don't work, there’s no dinner tonight. And don't even think about running away; you can imagine the consequences for yourselves. What happened at noon was just a light drizzle—any further punishment will surely be something you'll never forget for the rest of your lives."

How could they resist in such a situation? Since they were powerless to fight back, they had no choice but to accept their fate. And so, a miraculous scene unfolded in the Water Pavilion: the six tyrants of the Imperial Capital, who usually oppressed the common people, were now lower than the errand boys, relegated to clearing tables and cleaning up the debris of the meals.

Li Wei could never have imagined that he, who had always been pampered and waited on hand and foot, would one day be cleaning up other people's leftovers. Could life get any more miserable?

This was big news. Indeed, by the next day, the story of the six tyrants of the Imperial Capital being reduced to busboys at the Water Pavilion had spread through every street and alley. Many people came to the Water Pavilion, not for the decor or the food, but to witness the pathetic state of the six tyrants.

Of course, these people weren't just bored; they had often been bullied by the group, and seeing them brought low felt like a long-awaited release of pent-up anger.

The guests at the Water Pavilion arrived in an endless stream until, by evening, the ingredients prepared over several days had been completely exhausted. The establishment stopped taking new customers and asked them to take their reservation tickets and return the next day.

However, even though they stopped serving meals, they kept the doors open to the public, for the Water Pavilion had announced that there would be a free performance in the evening.

When night fell, the lanterns of the Water Pavilion were hoisted high. With lanterns placed every three steps, the place was illuminated as brightly as day.

The Water Pavilion was packed to capacity, with many people standing. There were men, women, children, and even young ladies from sheltered families. Recognizing that they could not appear in public, Liu Ling'er had set aside the entire third floor specifically for them.

To everyone’s surprise, the stage was built on the water surrounding the pavilion. Naturally, the performers weren't expected to jump into the water; instead, wooden platforms had been constructed, and the performers danced upon them.

From the dazzling opening variety show to the graceful dances by the performers of the Moon Phoenix Pavilion, the atmosphere grew increasingly heated. The audience applauded continuously, especially during the final musical performance by the Ice Phoenix of the Moon Phoenix Pavilion, which drove countless men into a frenzy—they nearly jumped onto the water stage right then and there.

Fortunately, there were enough guards at the Water Pavilion to prevent such chaos. Otherwise, a good event would have been ruined, turning a triumph into a laughingstock.

That same day, Liu Ling'er went to the bamboo forest, disguised Chu Sheng, and brought him back to the Water Pavilion before returning to the manor with peace of mind. It was only the next day that she realized how wise her decision had been. If she hadn't brought Chu Sheng, that gold-inscribed plaque would have been stolen a hundred times over.