677: Chapter 458 677: Chapter 458 The horses, either crazed or spooked, had already trampled people; not only had people been injured, but others were continually being thrust forward by the surging crowd.
“Ah…”
In that brief moment, many onlookers were injured, whilst some innocent bystanders were shoved backward.
The street vendors along the road were even unluckier, as their goods were trampled and smashed to pieces.
Feeling like weeping but unable to shed tears, they harbored resentment towards the Brothel for suddenly orchestrating such an event.
Watching the misfortune unfold below, Du Jiaolan’s face portrayed not a hint of sympathy.
She believed the onlookers deserved their fate for coming to watch the commotion.
Ye Shi, who was already in the air to patrol and prevent chaos, had no choice but to descend a bit due to the disturbance below.
Along with other men, he utilized Cultivation Techniques and Spells to immobilize the horses.
They also subdued the crowd, admonishing them to avoid crushing one another to prevent further injuries.
Observing from above, Du Jiaolan saw the people finally descend.
This was precisely the outcome she desired, to draw Ye Shi down.
She was devoid of sympathy for those injured, feeling smug in the belief that her embroidered ball was not so easily attained.
She wasn’t really the top courtesan from the Brothel, but her actions had attracted Ye Shi and she had also spotted Tang Feiyang.
Her plan had been half-successful already; the rest was about maintaining their attention.
Tang Feiyang, meanwhile, was moving the injured to a quieter street, and some of his fellow scholars had also been hurt.
Sighing internally, Tang Feiyang wondered what all this trouble was about.
To think so many injuries could occur just from watching an event, his frustration with the people from the Brothel grew.
After the series of calamities, many who were spared injury felt lucky and a little afraid, distancing themselves from the area.
Those who were injured and carried aside had no concern for admiring beauties anymore; they just wished to be quickly taken to a clinic.
Tang Feiyang, along with some uninjured scholars, lent a hand moving people, transporting the injured to the clinic.
Ye Shi and his men continued to disperse the onlookers eager to catch sight of the Brothel, preventing them from drawing too near and inciting further incidents.
Seizing the moment, Du Jiaolan took advantage of Ye Shi’s arrival below the Brothel—her opportunity to act had come.
She leapt from the upper floors, her movements feigning an accidental fall, prompting screams from her maidservant and those within the Brothel, both women and men.
“Quick, save her!
Someone has fallen from the building!”
Ye Shi, looking up, recognized the woman from the embroidered ball tossing.
With a swift wave of his sleeve, he stopped her right above him, sparing her a fall and himself physical contact.
Then, using his Flying Treasure, he ascended slightly to gaze intently at the lady before him.
Du Jiaolan…
failing to scatter the powder, what was she to do?
She was just a moment too late; his reflexes were too sharp.
Had it been any other man, he surely would’ve caught her in his arms.
She had anticipated one reaction but was wrong; not every man was driven by lust.
Her prepared poison and aphrodisiacs went unused, leaving her only to gaze, eyes wide and innocent, blinking at the man above her!
Ye Shi, who was below, had seen the woman’s face clearly when her veil was blown away during her fall—a fair and pretty face, not stunningly beautiful but neither seductively enchanting.
This woman did not seem like one from the Brothel, yet here she was.
Ye Shi had never attended the banquets of princesses and ladies, and certainly had not met Du Jiaolan.
The Guardian God General’s family was not one that just anyone could enter, nor could just anyone invite them to a banquet.
Du Jiaolan was merely a daughter of a Marquis Mansion, and they did not practice the Cultivation Spells of the Cultivation World.
Their different Cultivation Techniques could not catch the eye of the Guardian God family’s women, and they didn’t even qualify to recognize such formidable ladies.
If Tang Feiyang were there, he would definitely recognize Du Jiaolan and know of the sinister plot she intended to carry out.
Regrettably, he was currently preoccupied; some men with him were hurt, crying out as loudly as women, bemoaning their pain.
Other injured people were also calling out for help.
Many were sent to the clinic following this riotous incident, sparked by a woman throwing an embroidered ball.
The injured received no compensation, having to pay for their medical expenses themselves, and could only accept their misfortune.
As for the other scholars, many of them, already pampered as offspring of government officials and the wealthy, lacked strong abilities while possessing delicate constitutions.
Ye Shi directed more guards to this street, asking them to locate the families of those trampled to death and arrange for their consolation, as for how to deal with the matter, it was no longer his concern.
After all, the Government Office in the Capital City was responsible for handling such matters.
Ye Shi then flew up high, ready to ignore this place.
Du Jiaolan…, this young master is too careless, isn’t he?
Haven’t you noticed how delicate a lady I am, stopped here by you, unable to get down, lying at this neither high nor low height, and also in such a state of anxiety?
As Du Jiaolan sighed, she cried out, “Young master, save me!”
Ye Shi did not look back; with a flick of his sleeves, Du Jiaolan was released and began to fall toward the ground.
The people from the brothel had already come downstairs, and Du Jiaolan’s maidservant nervously caught her mistress.
Du Jiaolan…, when she looked up, the young man was already nowhere to be seen.
This plan had been well-conceived at first, but it seemed that the possibility of a young man not being lustful had not been anticipated, leading to its failure.
The primary goal of Du Jiaolan’s plan this time was Tang Feiyang, and the sudden change in strategy not only failed but also caused a riot.
Du Jiaolan saw some Government Officials approaching to investigate the riot.
“Miss, it’s not suitable to stay here.”
The maidservant feared that her mistress would be arrested.
Being caught at the brothel was a serious matter.
Of course, Du Jiaolan understood this and had already thought of a strategy if the plan failed: they would leave through the back door.
They absolutely could not be caught or suspected of not belonging to the brothel.
Du Jiaolan then went back into the brothel with the people who had accompanied her, exited through the back door, and got into the carriage there.
Just after they had left, Tang Feiyang led his students to coordinate with the Government Officials to investigate the brothel,
Tang Feiyang moved quickly, searching among the women of the brothel for that familiar lady.
The Government Officials questioned the brothel’s madam to understand why such an incident occurred and where the top courtesan was.
Of course, the madam of the brothel wouldn’t tell the truth, looking aggrieved, “My lord, our top courtesan throwing the embroidered ball was meant to be a joyous occasion.
We had no idea why the people on the street started rioting!”
“Where is that top courtesan?
The commotion started because of her!” Tang Feiyang also inquired.
“Alas, young master, our lady was frightened and is in her room!”
“You’d better take me to her quickly, or I’ll shut this place down!”
The Government Official, under Tang Feiyang’s gaze, stepped forward and grabbed the madam.
“Ah, my lord, we’ll take you to see our lady, but please don’t frighten our girls.”
The madam signaled someone with her eyes, and the men of the brothel dared not stop them.
Those people already knew that the lady behind the scheme had left through the back door.
Tang Feiyang led his students and the Government Officials to the room of the top courtesan that the madam had guided them to.
Someone knocked on the door: “Knock, knock, knock”
Another person who seemed to be a maid of the lady opened the door, stepping aside timidly, as if afraid of the many men.
In the room, a lady with her face covered, her hair and clothing matching the style of the one who had thrown the embroidered ball, sat on a stool.
Tang Feiyang stared intently into the lady’s eyes, seeing that she was not the same one from before.
“No, it’s not her!” Tang Feiyang could tell from the lady’s eyes and figure that she was not the same one who had been upstairs earlier.
There wasn’t that familiar feeling; this person was definitely not the lady who had thrown the embroidered ball.
“Young master, this is our brothel’s top courtesan.
Would you and these gentlemen like to hear a song?”
Tang Feiyang, along with his students, ordered his subordinates to search under the lady’s bed and in her wardrobe to see if there was anyone hiding in her room.
His intuition told him the person had already left.
These students, usually forbidden from visiting the brothel as per strict academy rules—lacking classes would mean losing the privilege to study—
Now showed excited expressions as they searched the lady’s possessions, wondering if they could uncover a man there.