Chapter 515 - 509_1
A tall man thus began brawling with a weak woman right on the street. In the process, the cloth that the masked man had used to cover his face was torn off by Lin Yue, and onlookers standing afar immediately recognized the masked man’s identity.
"Look at that face, isn’t that the brother of Li, the arrest officer from the Government Office? Just recently, I saw him at the entrance of the gambling house, having lost all his money and being chased out penniless. I never expected him to be up to such deeds in the blink of an eye. I wonder which unfortunate young lady caught his eye this time. But this young lady is pretty fierce too, to be fighting with this tyrant," one of the bystanders, recognizing Li Jiansan, commented, expressing amazement at how times had changed. Yet, he showed no intention of stepping forward to help, nor did he think of reporting the incident to the government office, completely adopting a bystander’s attitude to enjoy the spectacle.
Although Li Jiansan was not skilled in Martial Arts, he was physically strong and still formidable despite his injuries, not someone the average person could match. Lin Yue had used all the moves she had learned, but still could not gain an advantage over Li Jiansan. She was beaten until her face was a mix of blue and purple bruises. Lin Yue, not caring about her own pain after being accosted by Li Jiansan for no reason, and now beaten into this state, was all the more enraged and wished nothing more than to tear Li Jiansan to pieces. Disregarding her injuries, she fought him fiercely, causing Li Jiansan to sustain quite a few wounds as well.
Doctor Zheng was returning from the north of the city after treating a patient and came upon this ’scene.’ Hearing that it was the brother of the arrest officer Li making trouble on the street, he hesitated over whether to intervene. It was quite rare to see a woman brave enough to fight Li Jiansan. Before he could step forward, he realized the woman fighting Li Jiansan was Lin Yue, which alarmed him. He immediately had his servant rush to Jimin Hall to send a message, while he himself prepared to break through the crowd and dash forward.
"Stop! Li Jiansan, have you no regard for the law, daring to commit such atrocities in broad daylight?" Doctor Zheng spoke while seizing the opportunity when Li Jiansan stopped and looked at him to step forward and pull Lin Yue behind him, placing himself in front of Li Jiansan.
"So it turns out to be Doctor Zheng from Jimin Hall. I see you’re so full that you’re meddling in my affairs. Move aside quickly, or I’ll beat you up along with her," Li Jiansan, who had initially concealed his identity to avoid his brother’s reproach for causing trouble, became even more arrogant with his identity exposed. Certain that having his brother, the arrest officer, to back him up at the government office meant these people couldn’t touch him, his attitude towards Doctor Zheng grew increasingly impolite, and he indeed seemed ready to start a fight.
"Li Jiansan, I advise you to restrain yourself and not be too arrogant. Though your brother holds some power as an arrest officer at the government office, it’s not enough to cover the sky with one hand. If you provoke someone you shouldn’t, even your brother won’t be able to protect you," said Doctor Zheng, who was only a physician and of no young age besides. He surely would not prevail in a fight, but he could only try his best to delay, waiting for the people from Jimin Hall to come to the rescue.
Li Jiansan, upon hearing these words from Doctor Zheng, hesitated. Though he looked down on Doctor Zheng, considering him nothing more than a local doctor with some medical skill, his brother had warned him not to provoke the people from Jimin Hall, as the backers behind the hall were influential individuals that even the Magistrate dared not provoke, let alone themselves.
Although Li Jiansan hesitated and did not lay a hand on Doctor Zheng, the thought of letting off the woman who had plotted against him and caused his injuries was something he found hard to swallow, leading to a deadlock.