"A spirit fox and a Dragon-Qilin caused a huge commotion at Jade Dragon Lake? Not only did they bathe in the lake, but they also beat you up?"
Leonard Goodwin had just returned from the imperial palace when the Daoist guarding Jade Dragon Lake came to lodge a complaint. Leonard was so shocked that he blurted out, "The fish king among the Crimson Dragon Carp was also taken by that Dragon-Qilin? Whose spirit fox and Dragon-Qilin are so bold? I've only just taken office for a month, and already this kind of mess happens—who's deliberately making things hard for me?"
He hadn't even had time to process this news before someone else reported, "Grand Rector, the Academy Fellow Quinn Shepherd from the Scholars' Quarters has a spirit fox that chopped down the Aspiration Tree and used it to grill fish. That fish looks like the fish king from Jade Dragon Lake—it was roasted and eaten! Academy Fellow Quinn Shepherd and scholar Wes Young are currently cleaning up fish bones, trying to destroy the evidence."
Leonard Goodwin was both startled and delighted, laughing, "That brat—I was just fretting over how to get a hold over him, and now he's delivered himself right to my door. This is enough to execute him a hundred times over. Now that brute Barrett has nothing left to say, right?"
His spirits lifted, Leonard immediately stood up and ordered, "Come, follow me to arrest them right now! We need both physical evidence and witnesses—send them straight to the Justice Ministry for interrogation and sentence them to extermination of the entire household! And submit a memorial to the palace to report this matter!"
"And that scholar named Wes Young..."
"Arrest him too—charge them together!"
Leonard Goodwin chuckled, "I was just wondering who was making things hard for me, but now it seems these 'small shoes' fit perfectly."
Leonard and his group barged into the Scholars' Quarters, but found that Quinn Shepherd was not in the courtyard—only a fox and a napping Dragon-Qilin. Leonard woke the Dragon-Qilin and asked, "Where did that Quinn brat go?"
The Dragon-Qilin lifted his head, glanced at them, and drawled, "He was just here. Someone from the palace came and invited him away."
"Could it be that the emperor already knows about this and has dragged him into the palace for execution?"
Leonard Goodwin chuckled, "That brat still has my Grand Guardian's Sword. Even if he's executed, it's too easy on him. What are you all standing around for? Seize the fox and the Dragon-Qilin! I'm going to the palace to see for myself how he dies." With that, he hurried off.
The libationers and the Daoist who guarded Jade Dragon Lake quickly activated a chain, locking up the Dragon-Qilin. Lina the Spirit Fox tried to escape but was caught as well.
Leonard Goodwin rushed into the palace and requested an audience with the emperor. After a moment, a guard announced, "His Majesty is in the imperial garden—please proceed, Lord Leonard."
Leonard was surprised, "Executing Quinn in the imperial garden? His Majesty must truly be furious."
He entered the imperial garden and heard laughter. Leonard, filled with doubt, approached and saw Emperor Evan supporting the Dowager Empress, followed by several officials. Quinn Shepherd was just behind and to the left of the Dowager Empress, saying something that made her laugh.
Emperor Evan spotted him, waved, and called him over warmly, "Lord Leonard, what brings you here?"
Leonard hesitated, then said, "Academy Fellow Quinn Shepherd allowed a Dragon-Qilin to jump into Jade Dragon Lake and seize the fish king, then ate it. Jade Dragon Lake is the royal water source, and the Crimson Dragon Carp are imperial delicacies. Quinn acted recklessly—this is a capital crime. I dare not conceal it, so I've come to report it to Your Majesty."
"Is that so?"
Emperor Evan turned to Quinn Shepherd. "What do you have to say for yourself, Quinn?"
"This humble servant is a foreigner and doesn't know the rules of the capital, so I acted rashly."
Quinn Shepherd said, "I truly didn't know Jade Dragon Lake belonged to the crown, nor that the fish in the lake couldn't be eaten. I feel deeply guilty and ask Your Majesty to punish me as you see fit."
"This is a capital crime."
Emperor Evan glanced at him. "I do admire you, but the law is the law. How am I supposed to deal with you?"
Leonard Goodwin forced a smile, "Your Majesty, according to the law, the entire household should be put to death..."
The Dowager Empress smiled, "Your Majesty, I also think the little divine physician should be beheaded."
Emperor Evan was taken aback, then laughed, "Mother, why do you say that?"
The Dowager Empress strolled forward leisurely, "Of course he should be executed. If you don't behead the little divine physician, how will the world know the emperor values fish above human life? If you don't execute the Academy Fellow, how will people know the emperor values water above human life? If you kill him, everyone will know the emperor slaughtered the famous doctor who cured me over a mouthful of water and a single fish, and they'll see you as a muddle-headed tyrant."
Emperor Evan burst out laughing and waved his hand, "Lord Leonard, this is a trivial matter. Why bother me with it? Withdraw."
Leonard Goodwin was stunned. "This..."
"You may go."
Emperor Evan waved his hand, "You failed to keep watch over Jade Dragon Lake, but I won't punish you—after all, you've only just arrived at the Academy. What you did today has already given me enough of a headache. You even got into a fight with Barrett the Libationer, embarrassing me greatly. If you'd won, that would be one thing, but you went missing and the Grand Libationer couldn't beat the Libationer—my reputation is ruined. Go back and reflect on your actions."
"As you command."
Feeling wronged, Leonard was about to leave when Quinn Shepherd said, "Lord Leonard, please don't make things difficult for my fox and the Dragon-Qilin."
Leonard's heart skipped a beat, just as the Dowager Empress smiled and said, "He wouldn't dare. By the way, Your Majesty, you still haven't rewarded the little divine physician for curing me."
"Mother, he's already an Academy Fellow—a sixth-rank official. I can't promote him any further; he's still young. Let's wait a few years, otherwise the court will say I'm playing favorites."
"Little divine physician, tell me more about your childhood adventures..."
Leonard walked away, left the palace, and returned to the Academy, simmering with frustration. The Daoist who guarded Jade Dragon Lake hurried over, "Grand Libationer, has the criminal been executed?"
"This is all your fault—if you'd watched your lake properly, none of this would've happened. Now I'm covered in disgrace!"
Leonard glared at him and barked, "Release the fox and the Dragon-Qilin!"