The primary reason was seeing that the two were fighting fiercely, and at least it was certain that they were both injured. Xie Jiang wished they would both perish, but knew it wouldn't be that easy.
Even if no one could stop Yi Yan Gen and Xu Heng Yan, if enough lives were sacrificed, wouldn't that be enough to stop two men gone mad?
Wen Feng hurriedly asked, "What method?"
Guang Bai perked up his ears. As the two waited expectantly, they couldn't help but be filled with doubt.
Marquis Xie had already advised them three times. When had his advice not been like adding fuel to the fire?
Was Marquis Xie going to bring out a cauldron of oil this time and throw their master and the young lord into it to fry?
Xie Jiang beckoned to the two with a flick of his finger, "This method requires the cooperation of you two."
Wen Feng and Guang Bai, half-believing, half-doubting, leaned their heads closer.
After Xie Jiang instructed them in detail, he casually brushed the dust off his clothes and turned to leave without a second glance.
He didn't even look back at the two men fighting like madmen.
Guang Bai and Wen Feng exchanged a look of skepticism. Although Marquis Xie's method was somewhat outlandish, it was undeniable that it would work on those two.
After Xie Jiang's figure disappeared from the garden, and it was estimated that he had already left the Duke of Wei's manor, Guang Bai moved a heavy stone and threw it forcefully into the lotus pond.
Wen Feng, standing beside him, cooperated by shouting, "Young Master Xie fell into the water! Young Master Xie couldn't bear it and jumped in—"
The shouts were laced with a hint of fear and anxiety, creating an atmosphere of panic.
Guang Bai, after throwing the stone, also raised his voice in a scream, looking towards the two men who were fighting fiercely.
As expected, upon hearing that Xie Jiang had jumped into the water out of despair, both men immediately stopped fighting.
Just as Wen Feng was silently marveling at how effective the trick was, he saw the two fly towards the edge of the lotus pond as if they had grown wings.
Plop, plop—
Perhaps because Xie Jiang's figure was nowhere to be seen in the garden, and the ripples on the surface of the lotus pond clearly indicated someone had fallen in, two figures swooped down and plunged directly into the pond.
"Young..."
Guang Bai's hand had already reached out, trying to stop them, but it was too late.
The two jumped into the pond without hesitation, as if afraid that Xie Jiang would drown if they were a moment late.
They didn't consider that their capable subordinates were watching them, and how could they possibly let their precious charge come to any harm?
However, at this moment, one couldn't expect the two men, blinded by rage, to have such clarity.
Guang Bai and Wen Feng could only follow them into the pond with resignation.
Plop, plop, they fell like dumplings.
The onlookers were utterly bewildered.
The Regent and Young Lord Xu, who had been fighting intensely, stopped so abruptly.
The way they plunged into the lotus pond was too neat and bizarre.
The guests craned their necks, staring at the surface of the lotus pond, and it took a long while for them to react.
"What? Are the two of them planning to compete in swimming?"
"Didn't you hear someone exclaim just now, saying Marquis Xie jumped into the water out of despair?"
"Marquis Xie has too much pride. If he couldn't persuade the Regent and Young Lord Xu, he decided to threaten them with his life?"
The attention of everyone was on the two men locked in combat, and they were unaware of what had happened on Xie Jiang's side.
Xie Tai Hong, who was silently watching the show, scoffed at these remarks.
How could that demon Xie Jiang despair? Even if he did despair, he wouldn't jump into the water himself; he'd be more likely to push others in.
He knew that today's feast wouldn't go smoothly.
But how had she managed to make Yi Yan Gen and Xu Heng Yan fight like this?
She was, after all, the Xie demon who, with a single cough, could cause tsunamis and landslides across the four southern seas.
Lu Zhi Heng, who had come looking for her after a long detour, saw Xie Jiang's elegant departure and understood the trick being played out before him.
He had already sensed that Xu Heng Yan was showing signs of falling for her, but he hadn't expected Yi Yan Gen to embark on the same path of no return. The trend of same-sex attraction had never been rare, but when had it become so widespread?
Guang Bai and Wen Feng each pulled their respective masters and young lords, who had gone mad, out of the murky water. Looking at their dripping, mud-covered appearances, Lu Zhi Heng was simply...
This must be the first time in their lives that Xu Heng Yan and Yi Yan Gen had made themselves look so pathetic! And they had half the capital's dignitaries witnessing their disgrace.
All for the sake of one Xie Jiang!
Lu Zhi Heng didn't know what to say, other than to roll his eyes.
Xie Jiang's exceptionally radiant and outstanding appearance flashed before his eyes. Lu Zhi Heng wondered if he had overestimated Yi Yan Gen and Xu Heng Yan. Were these two ever people of firm resolve, unmoved by beauty? Perhaps the allure of past beauties was simply not enough.
"Are you sure she didn't jump in?"
Xu Heng Yan's gaze quickly swept across the entire lotus pond. The water level was low in autumn, and the lotus pond was not deep. With a single glance, Xu Heng Yan had a general idea.
It was good that she hadn't jumped; the water was too cold.
Guang Bai said, "How would we dare neglect Marquis Xie's safety? She truly didn't."
Yi Yan Gen withdrew his gaze and looked at Wen Feng. Wen Feng quickly lowered his head and explained in a low voice, "It was Young Master Xie who told us to say that. Although Young Master Xie didn't jump into the lotus pond, Young Master Xie was genuinely angered..."
Guang Bai chimed in, "Neither the Young Lord nor the Regent listened to Marquis Xie's advice. Marquis Xie was so angry that he turned and left, but he was worried that the Young Lord and the Regent would both be injured, so he taught us this method..."
Wen Feng and Guang Bai shared a brief moment of tacit understanding.
After being soaked in the cold water of the lotus pond, Yi Yan Gen and Xu Heng Yan's minds, which had been boiling with rage, finally cleared a little.
Xu Heng Yan could not kill the powerful Regent within the Duke of Wei's manor, just as Yi Yan Gen could not kill the Duke of Wei's heir within the Duke of Wei's manor.
The two exchanged a deep look, which made Wen Feng and Guang Bai hold their breath, almost to the point of death, before they each dragged their mud-covered bodies ashore.
Yi Yan Gen instinctively looked around for Xie Jiang's figure.
Wen Feng said, "Marquis Xie has left the Duke of Wei's manor."
Yi Yan Gen sneered and glanced at Xu Heng Yan, who was climbing ashore from the other side, "She ran away so quickly, isn't she afraid her beloved will be utterly destroyed?"
Wen Feng said, "Young Master Xie was mainly worried about you, Master, fearing that your old injuries would relapse, and also fearing that you would become even angrier upon seeing her and lose control, so Young Master Xie chose to temporarily withdraw."
Previously, they had indeed felt that Young Master Xie was stirring up trouble, fearing that their master and Young Lord Xu weren't trying hard enough to kill each other, but for the master's physical and mental health, they had to ignore it.
They would just pretend those were illusions.
And they had to brainwash themselves, constantly telling themselves that Young Master Xie cared most about their master.
Yi Yan Gen said coldly, "When did you change your surname to Xie?"
Wen Feng felt wronged, "What I said is true. Young Master Xie was extremely worried. When you didn't stop when he advised you, he cursed at you."
Under the icy gaze, Wen Feng's words were exceptionally firm, "Young Master Xie is as angry with you as he is concerned about you!"
In any case, he was certain that Young Master Xie didn't care much about Young Lord Xu.
Their master didn't need to take Young Lord Xu too seriously.
Lu Zhi Heng and the Duke of Wei, who had appeared from somewhere, both smiled and nonchalantly stepped forward to separate the two, not even leaving them a chance for their gazes to clash, acting as if Yi Yan Gen and Xu Heng Yan had merely been sparring.
The Duke of Wei subtly invited Yi Yan Gen to the guest room to change.
Lu Zhi Heng, on the other hand, pulled Xu Heng Yan back to Shi An Yuan.
Only the gossips among the onlookers standing at a distance felt a sense of regret.
"It's over just like that?"
"Who was superior between the Regent and Young Lord Xu?"
The ladies did not care whether the Regent and Young Lord Xu had decided the outcome, nor did they have the time to think about the changes in the court's power dynamics after today. Their worried gazes never shifted from the patch of murky water.
"Where is Marquis Xie? Wasn't Marquis Xie still in the lotus pond? Aren't they going to fish him out?"