Chapter Seventy-Five: Life Is Full of Unexpected Encounters

Boats of all sizes traversed the Long River ceaselessly from dawn to dusk.

Because this great river linked the north and south, serving as a vital artery in the intricate network of waterways crisscrossing the Great Qian, the area bustled with more prosperity than many other prefectures.

Amidst the countless vessels gliding along the river at this very moment, an official boat painted bright yellow was departing from the Long River, bound northeast for the imperial capital of Great Qian.

"Get out! How dare you bring me such foul tea?"

On the prow’s deck, a richly dressed young master lounged in a grand armchair, his furrowed brow betraying deep impatience.

"Young Master, after we return, how are we to explain this to the master?" asked a servant, bowing low as he carefully gathered the shattered teacup.

"Explain? How do you expect me to explain? I haven’t even reached the capital yet, but you lot have surely already sent word ahead, haven’t you?"

The servant hurried to clarify: "No, Young Master, without your instructions, we would never dare."

"Hmph, get out of my sight. Don’t disturb my peace!"

This ill-tempered youth was none other than Shi Guangjun, son of Shi Wanli, the esteemed Minister of Revenue. His journey south was meant to negotiate a marriage alliance with the influential Lin family, but an embarrassing scandal along the way left his plans in ruins.

On the day Shi Guangjun fled the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, he thrust five hundred silver taels into the hands of the charming widow, hoping to seal her lips.

Yet even so, word of his escapades at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion spread swiftly to Ziyang, and would no doubt be carried all the way to the capital, drifting inevitably to his father’s ears.

Ashamed and disgraced, Shi Guangjun found himself unwelcome in Ziyang, and had no choice but to return to the capital in humiliation.

After much brooding, he realized he must have been the victim of a scheme—someone had orchestrated his downfall—but no matter how he racked his brains, he couldn’t fathom who could be behind it.

"Hey, is there someone in the river?"

The boatman seemed to spot a pair of people struggling in the water and quickly tossed a rope, intent on rescuing them.

Shi Guangjun heard the commotion and rose, strolling toward the railing. He had never been one for charity, and the idea of saving lives was as distant as the sun rising in the west.

---

"What are you fools up to? Let them die, why bother saving them?"

As Shi Guangjun berated his men, a nimble figure caught his eye—this young man cradled a drenched maiden, both of them smeared with mud and weeds.

"You are..."

The sight of Jiang Chen’s face sparked a faint glimmer of recognition in Shi Guangjun. They had crossed paths once outside Ziyang city, but for the proud Shi Guangjun, a down-and-out scholar encountered by the roadside hardly merited a lasting impression.

"Young Master, these two fell into the river and were on the verge of drowning, so we hauled them aboard," explained a servant.

"Well done, indeed! How dare you rescue anyone without my command? Who’s the real master of this boat?"

Already seething, Shi Guangjun lashed out at the well-meaning boatman and resolved to throw Jiang Chen and Wu Yue off the vessel at once. Their misfortune was none of his concern; he cared only that they sullied his boat and offended his sensibilities.

"Throw them off the boat at once!"

At this command, the servants exchanged confused glances—wasn’t it a simple act of kindness? If they could help, why not do so? Did wealth and power exempt the sons of officials from cultivating virtue and earning the gods’ favor for their family’s prosperity?

Yet the orders of the master could not be defied. Even if they felt the command was shameful, they were but humble servants, and had no right to protest.

At this moment, Jiang Chen, heedless of the others, placed Wu Yue in the grand armchair Shi Guangjun had vacated. The audacity of the act left the latter gaping, his rage mounting.

Shi Guangjun could scarcely believe someone would dare behave so disrespectfully in his presence—was this deliberate provocation?

"My, Young Master Shi, you’ve always enjoyed a good jest, haven’t you?"

"It’s quite the stroke of luck to meet you here—fate works in mysterious ways. How wonderful to see you again!"

Jiang Chen suddenly beamed, radiating a warmth so baffling that Shi Guangjun was left utterly confused. As he stared, Jiang Chen did something astonishing.

Jiang Chen embraced Shi Guangjun, chattering with effusive concern.

---

"You’ve made it all the way to Ziyang—why didn’t you seek me out for a reunion? Now you’re headed back to the capital, I see?"

"Send my best regards to Uncle Shi when you return. On festival days and birthdays, you can count on generous gifts from me—surely you’ve received them before, yes?"

Jiang Chen greeted Shi Guangjun with the familiarity of an old friend, as if they had known each other for years.

The others on the boat, seeing Shi Guangjun offer no denial and even allowing Jiang Chen, filthy as he was, to embrace him without protest, began to believe these two must truly be close friends.

In truth, Shi Guangjun was not silent by choice. He desperately wanted to cry out, to tell his servants he was being subdued and to urge them to come to his rescue.

When Jiang Chen embraced him, he had pressed his knuckles into Shi Guangjun’s abdomen with a precise force.

A stabbing pain shot through Shi Guangjun, his face contorting in agony. Yet when he opened his mouth not a single word emerged, and his limbs seemed to betray him, refusing to obey.

He was left standing rigid and helpless, forced to watch Jiang Chen enact a reunion for the crowd.

Soon, the others dispersed, and Jiang Chen released Shi Guangjun, returning to Wu Yue’s side.

"You... what did you do to me just now?"

Jiang Chen replied, "Don’t panic. I used a special technique to administer a dose of poison, Young Master Shi. If you behave and follow my instructions, I’ll guarantee your safety."

"But if you think you can escape my control, then even without my intervention, the poison I’ve injected will easily end your life."

Cold sweat streamed down Shi Guangjun’s face as he stammered, "You claim you’ve poisoned me—how could you have done it? Don’t think you can fool me!"

Jiang Chen pointed to his abdomen. "If you don’t believe me, press on it and see."