Chapter 229: Chapter 136: To Share Life and Death
It was early spring. The sun was bright, and a gentle breeze carried a touch of warmth.
Celestial Water Pier was bathed in the golden morning light. All sorts of boats shuttled back and forth, and people from every walk of life—peddlers, laborers, and vagrants alike—bustled about, creating a lively scene.
The distant mountains were the color of dark ink. The surface of Jishui Lake sparkled, and near its center, several tall, ornate painting boats drifted.
Chen Cheng, dressed in plainclothes, arrived at the pier. He stood on the embankment, gazing toward the distant painting boats, and shook his head slightly.
’This scene of peace and harmony is ultimately just a facade,’ he thought. ’Who knows what dangers lie hidden beneath the surface?’
’Only the young masters and ladies of the great families have the leisure to admire the lake and enjoy the spring scenery.’
"Sir, are you looking for a ferry?"
Just then, a man in coarse, brown clothes, his face weathered by the elements, rowed a ferry closer, interrupting Chen Cheng’s thoughts.
"To the Yun Meng Painting Boat!"
With a light leap, Chen Cheng landed on the ferry.
"You got it!"
The boatman gave a shout and began to row vigorously, heading toward the painting boat.
Before long, the ferry arrived before one of the painting boats. This one was much larger and more luxuriously decorated than the others. The faint sounds of musical instruments and the melodious laughter of women drifted from within.
Every so often, a lavishly dressed young woman would appear at a window, casting flirtatious glances to show off her charms.
"Sir, we’re here," the boatman called out, stopping the ferry near the painting boat’s deck.
Chen Cheng tossed him a few copper coins. He waited, but no gangplank was lowered from the painting boat. The young women on deck merely smiled at him. Confused, he couldn’t help but ask, "Doesn’t the Yun Meng Painting Boat have a gangplank?"
The boatman chuckled. "You must be new here, sir. The Yun Meng Painting Boat only welcomes Jianghu Martial Artists. If you can’t get onto the deck on your own, you’re not qualified to come aboard for entertainment."
"Of course, a man like you will have no problem. Just go ahead and jump on up."
"Oh," Chen Cheng murmured. ’The deck is over ten feet high. Never mind an ordinary Jianghu Martial Artist, even a Great Success Martial Artist in the Skin Grinding Realm might not be able to make it up without a gangplank. But for me, this height is nothing.’
’Still, testing a guest’s Martial Arts Power before they even board... this rule is certainly strange.’
Chen Cheng stomped hard on the ferry’s floorboard, his body shooting straight up. He executed a quick side flip and landed steadily on the painting boat’s deck.
The first thing he saw was the dazzling, fair skin of several slender-waisted young women, momentarily stunning him.
Chen Cheng quickly composed himself and pushed all distracting thoughts from his mind.
A woman in red with a fair, enchanting face led four women in green forward, their hips swaying gracefully. She gave a deep curtsy, dazzling Chen Cheng all over again.
"This humble one, Ru Yan, greets you, Young Master. Might I ask your name?"
Chen Cheng gave a slight nod. "My surname is Chen."
Ru Yan’s face broke into a smile. "So it is Young Master Chen gracing us with his presence. Are you here alone?"
"I’m meeting a friend," Chen Cheng said. "Her name is Shen Qingxuan."
"Miss Shen is in the Elegant Rhythm Pavilion. Young Master Chen, please follow me." Ru Yan nodded and led Chen Cheng up a mahogany staircase, straight to a spacious private room on the Third Floor.
Inside, a woman in cyan robes played a zither with delicate hands, the music melodious and full of charm.
Several young masters and ladies in fine clothes sat listening to the music while chatting and drinking.
Shen Qingxuan was seated by a window, idly chatting with a handsome young man in his twenties.
She was already quite pretty, but now, having apparently had a fair bit to drink, a blush graced her cheeks, making her look as delicate and vibrant as a flower.
Here on the Yun Meng Painting Boat, however, that loveliness was tinged with a common air. If she weren’t in fine robes, but had instead donned the seductive attire of Ru Yan and the others, one might mistake her not for a young lady of a great family, but for one of the boat’s hostesses.
After all, her looks were hardly superior to those of Ru Yan and the other courtesans.
’We were supposed to be enjoying the spring scenery of Jishui Lake, but instead she’s here on a painting boat in the morning, drinking and listening to music. What kind of strange hobby is that?’
Chen Cheng frowned, wondering if he should just turn around and head home.
Just then, the young man sitting beside Shen Qingxuan noticed Chen Cheng and offered him an exceptionally warm smile.
"Qingxuan, is this Young Master Chen?"
Shen Qingxuan glanced at Chen Cheng, her expression indifferent. She pointed to an empty seat at an adjacent table and said, "Chen Cheng, you’re just in time. Young Master Wang invited us for drinks and music. Go ahead and sit down."
Hearing this, Chen Cheng was taken aback again. He had no idea what Shen Qingxuan was playing at.
’There’s an empty seat right next to her, and she was the one who said she wanted to get to know me and cultivate our relationship.’
’Yet when I come at her invitation, she shunts me off to the side while she chats with some other young master.’
Of course, Chen Cheng was only momentarily stunned; he wasn’t angry. He had no romantic feelings for Shen Qingxuan anyway, so her actions were actually for the best.
’If we just drag this out for a while, it will be perfectly natural for us to decide we’re not a good match and go our separate ways. That would work out just fine.’
At this thought, Chen Cheng smiled faintly. He walked over to the adjacent table and was about to sit when the other young man spoke up. "Qingxuan, Young Master Chen is an honored guest. How can you be so neglectful?"
"Young Master Chen, please, over here. This seat is by the window. It has a better view of Jishui Lake."
As the young man spoke, he stood and pointed to the seat beside him. Seeing the confusion on Chen Cheng’s face, he slapped his own forehead, then clasped his hands in a formal greeting and said with a smile:
"My apologies, I’ve been rude. I am Wang Xiongzhang, a Purple-clothed Guard of the Demon Suppression Department."
"I heard from Qingxuan that you must be Chief Chen, Chen Cheng, is that right?"
"The youngest Chief Constable in the South City District, and the number one Chief Constable of the Lishui Sub-Department. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time."
