Chapter 28: I’m Doing This for My Brother!

Cheng Guang tried to pull his leg free, but discovered that Qiao Songshan’s strength was astonishing—he couldn’t break away at all. He looked at him, speechless.

“Why did you come back?” he asked.

Qiao Songshan clung to Cheng Guang’s thigh, sobbing and sniffling. “Boss, you have no idea. My father sent me to the battlefield. I thought I’d just be cheering the soldiers on from the rear, but who could have guessed that that heartless old man would throw me straight into a death squad made up of condemned prisoners!”

“I spent a whole year in that death squad! If I hadn’t been lucky, I probably wouldn’t have made it back alive!”

Cheng Guang’s lips twitched involuntarily at his words.

You managed to survive in a death squad for an entire year? If you didn’t have your father’s protection behind you, I’d never believe it.

But Qiao Songshan didn’t seem to realize this. Instead, he kept gritting his teeth and complaining bitterly about his father, the Marquis of Valor, Qiao Zhongqin.

“Boss, I swear I’ll get revenge for this. When he’s old, I’ll have him sent to a brothel, surround him every day with courtesans dancing seductively, letting him watch but never touch—ha ha ha!”

Cheng Guang was left utterly speechless.

He didn’t know what to say. He’d already gotten a good sense of Qiao Songshan’s character—straightforward, a bit simple-minded, strangely reminiscent of that big lug Lin Cheng. No wonder Qingluan had told him to just go along as he pleased; no matter how differently he behaved from the real heir, Qiao Songshan probably wouldn’t notice anything off.

“Enough. You’ll have plenty of chances to take your revenge on your father later. Don’t bring it up now, or he’ll have you strung up and beaten,” Cheng Guang said.

He’d barely finished when Qiao Songshan’s face lit up.

“Boss, you really are something! He actually did string me up and whip me. But the old man doesn’t dare kill me outright—after all, I’m his only son. Otherwise, I’d probably still be hanging on that door.”

“But in the end, I guess it was a blessing in disguise. After that, the old man let me come back. Otherwise, who knows how long it would’ve been before I saw you again!”

Cheng Guang’s expression grew odd.

A blessing in disguise? Your father’s probably just worried you’ll come up with new tricks to torment him when he’s old. For both your sakes, he had no choice but to let you come home early.

Cheng Guang shook his head and chuckled, “Well, it’s good that you made it back.”

Qiao Songshan nodded vigorously, clenching his fist. “Yeah, Boss. It’s all Wen Qing and those idiots’ fault, trying to compete with us for the top courtesan. They should look in the mirror and see what they’re really worth. If it happened again, I’d beat them up all over.”

He jumped up, excitement written all over his face. “Boss, are we going to the brothel tonight?”

“The brothel?” Cheng Guang considered, then shook his head. “No.”

He truly had no interest in brothels. Not only did he now have Qingluan by his side—a woman a hundred times lovelier than any courtesan—but even without her, he still felt no particular desire to visit such a place. What he most wanted was to experience the true customs and daily life of this world, not the perfumed haze behind silk curtains.

For a moment, Cheng Guang felt he’d become rather refined.

Standing nearby, Qingluan relaxed a little when she saw Cheng Guang refuse Qiao Songshan’s invitation. She didn’t particularly dislike brothels, but when a woman cares for a man, seeing him seek out other women is never pleasant, no matter the era; only the way she shows it might differ.

Qiao Songshan looked a little disappointed when Cheng Guang declined. He was the sort who wore his heart on his sleeve, unable to hide his emotions—a man easy to read, and not one you’d worry about stabbing you in the back.

He sighed in regret. “Boss, I heard there’s a new top courtesan at the Wanhua Pavilion—her name’s Bai Shuxuan. The word on the street is she’s astoundingly beautiful, the most stunning courtesan in the capital. I thought the two of us could go see what all the fuss is about, but if you don’t want to go, I won’t either. We’re brothers—I can’t enjoy it alone.”

But Cheng Guang’s brow furrowed at that.

What the—?

Bai Shuxuan? The new top courtesan?

Cheng Guang immediately recalled the name of the wicked woman from his mission—the one who had toyed with the young lord’s affections. He’d wondered where he might encounter her, but never imagined she’d be a courtesan.

It made sense, though. The esteemed heir was known to frequent such places, so Bai Shuxuan would have ample opportunity to meet him, and later use whatever means necessary to make him fall hopelessly in love with her—even to the point of giving up his arranged marriage with the Wu family and bringing her home as his bride.

Yet Bai Shuxuan’s outward identity was merely that of a courtesan; even as the top courtesan, she was someone no noble family would accept as a proper match. One could imagine the pressure the Zhen Guo Duke’s household endured when the heir insisted on marrying a brothel girl.

Had nothing more come of it, the family’s influence might have stifled any gossip. But—

Who could have foreseen that Bai Shuxuan was in fact the holy maiden of the Qingqiu fox clan, who only approached the heir to swindle him? On their wedding night, she made off with his fortune and disappeared.

The entire capital was scandalized, and the Zhen Guo Duke’s household lost face throughout the land.

Now Cheng Guang understood why, after that day, Duke Cheng Shiyuan seemed to age overnight. It wasn’t because of Bai Shuxuan herself, nor the lost wealth and resources.

It was because the heir was so hopeless—so thoroughly deceived by a woman.

No doubt they’d tried to talk sense into him countless times, but in the eyes of this love-struck fool, his world held only Bai Shuxuan. Compared to her, everyone else was meaningless, and so neither the Duke nor Cheng Zhihai’s advice could sway him.

Cheng Guang’s thoughts whirled as he pieced together the story. His mission was to take revenge on Bai Shuxuan, and while he didn’t yet know how best to do so, there was no harm in getting close to her first.

He clapped Qiao Songshan on the shoulder, his expression serious. “Songshan, what are you saying? Brothers stick together—if you want to go, then we go!”

Qiao Songshan blinked in surprise, waving his hands. “No, no, Boss! If you’re not going, how can I go by myself? I know you haven’t been to a brothel in ages—you’ve been cooped up in the manor for a year.”

Cheng Guang shook his head. “No, no, no. Who said I’m not going? I’ll go too!”

He declared righteously, “Of course, I’m not interested in the courtesan. I’m only going to keep my brother company!”

The nobility of his words left Qiao Songshan momentarily stunned.

Meanwhile, Qingluan’s lovely face puffed up ever so slightly, her gentle smile stiffening noticeably.