Chapter 30

Cheng Guang strained to pull his foot away, but discovered that this Qiao Songshan’s strength was surprisingly great, and he couldn’t break free at all.

He looked at him with a speechless expression on his face.

“Why have you come back?”

Qiao Songshan clung to Cheng Guang’s thigh, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face.

“Boss, you don’t know, my dad sent me to the battlefield, and I thought I’d just be cheering on the soldiers from behind, but who could’ve imagined that my dad, that heartless man, actually put me into a squad made up of death row prisoners!”

“I stayed in that squad for an entire year!”

“If it weren’t for my good luck, I might not have been able to return at all!”

Cheng Guang listened to Qiao Songshan’s story, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but twitch slightly.

You managed to stay in the death squad for a whole year??

Cheng Guang didn’t believe he did so without his father’s protection.

However, it seemed Qiao Songshan himself hadn’t realized this and was instead angrily denouncing his father, Shenyong Duke Qiao Zhongqin’s, wicked deeds.

“Boss, I’m definitely going to take revenge for this. Once he’s old, I’ll send him to the brothel and have the oirans dance for him every day, letting him only watch but not touch, hahahaha.”

Cheng Guang: “…”

Cheng Guang didn’t know what to say.

Based on his understanding of Qiao Songshan’s character, he was stubborn, a bit simple-minded, and for some inexplicable reason, reminded him of Lin Cheng’s similarly dim-witted nature. What was going on?

Cheng Guang thought to himself with disdain, no wonder Qing Luan told him just to go along with anything, for even if his actions greatly contrasted with the Princely Heir’s, Qiao Songshan was unlikely to notice anything odd.

“Alright, leave the matter of taking revenge on your dad for later. Don’t bring it up now, or else your dad will definitely string you up and beat you,” Cheng Guang commented.

Before the words were even finished, Qiao Songshan’s face suddenly lit up with joy.

“Boss, you’re really awesome, heh!”

“I really was hung by my dad at the gate and got whipped.”

“But the old man doesn’t dare to kill me outright since I’m his only son; otherwise, I reckon I’d still be hanging there right now.”

“Luckily, after this incident, I reckon I’ve turned misfortune into a blessing, and the old man let me come back. Otherwise, it would have been a long while before I could see you again, boss!”

Cheng Guang heard this with a strange expression.

Is this what you call turning misfortune into a blessing?

It’s just that your father is really afraid that once he gets old, you’ll play some tricks on him.

For his and your own good, that’s why he had no choice but to let you come back early.

Cheng Guang shook his head and chuckled, “Alright, the fact you could come back is good news.”

Upon hearing this, Qiao Songshan nodded vigorously, his fists clenched a little tighter.

“Yes, boss, it’s all because of Wen Qinghe and those bastards daring to compete with us for the oiran, not knowing their own limits. Even if it happens again, I’d fight them without hesitation,” he declared.

With that, an excited Qiao Songshan stood up and asked, “Boss, are we going to the brothel to have fun today?”

“Brothel?” Cheng Guang thought for a moment and then shook his head, “No.”

He really wasn’t interested in brothels.

Not to mention he now had Qing Luan, a woman worth countless times more than any brothel girl. Even without Qing Luan, he didn’t have much interest in brothels at the moment.

What he most wanted to experience was the customs and people of this world, the smoke and fire of human life, not the scent of rouge under silks and red canopies.

At that moment, Cheng Guang felt he had become much more refined.

By his side, Qing Luan, seeing that Cheng Guang had turned down Qiao Songshan’s suggestion to go to the brothel, immediately felt a bit relieved.

Although she didn’t have a particular aversion to brothels, when a woman cares about a man, she inevitably feels uncomfortable about him seeking the company of other women, regardless of the era. It’s just that the way they show it can be quite different.

Upon hearing Cheng Guang’s refusal, Qiao Songshan sighed with a touch of disappointment. With his straightforward nature, his thoughts were plainly written on his face, unable to hide his emotions.

Such people are easy to understand; there’s no need to worry about them stabbing you in the back.

Qiao Songshan let out a sigh, then said with slight regret, “Big brother, it’s said that Wanhuatower has a new Oiran named Bai Shuxuan. Recently, there’s been a fantastical buzz about her, claiming she is exceptionally beautiful, so much so that she’s called the number one Oiran in the Capital city.”

“I was thinking we brothers could join in the fun, but since you don’t want to go, I won’t go either.”

“Good brother, that’s solidarity. I can’t enjoy it all alone.”

No sooner had Qiao Songshan finished speaking than Cheng Guang’s brow furrowed slightly.

What the heck?!?

Bai Shuxuan?!?

The new Oiran?!?

Cheng Guang remembered the name of the bad woman from his mission, the one who played with the Princely Heir’s emotions, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

He had been thinking about where he might encounter this Bai Shuxuan, but he had not expected that this woman would turn out to be an Oiran…

And considering that the Princely Heir was known to enjoy frequenting brothels, Bai Shuxuan, being in a brothel, would naturally have ample opportunity to make contact with him.

What followed was that she could use certain means to make the Princely Heir fall deeply in love with her.

She even managed to get the Princely Heir to willingly give up the marriage arranged by Mrs. Wu and marry Bai Shuxuan instead.

However, given Bai Shuxuan’s public identity as just a brothel woman, even as an Oiran, she would still be considered an unworthy presence in the eyes of the noble families.

One can imagine the immense external pressure Duke Zhen’s Mansion faced when the Princely Heir insisted on marrying an Oiran from a brothel.

If things had worked out smoothly without any ripples, it might have been fine. After all, given the power of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, there was no one bold enough to gossip profusely.

But…

Who could have expected that Bai Shuxuan would turn out to be the Saintess of the Green Hill fox clan, contacting the Princely Heir only to swindle his wealth. On her wedding night, she took the money and ran away.

Once this happened, Duke Zhen’s Mansion lost all face in the Great Zhou.

Thinking of this, Cheng Guang roughly understood why Duke Zhen Guo, Cheng Shiyuan, seemed to become so dissipated overnight after that day.

It wasn’t because of Bai Shuxuan, nor was it because of the resources and treasures.

It was simply because…

The Princely Heir was too pathetic, having been toyed with by a woman in such a manner.

In the meantime, they had probably tried countless times to advise the Princely Heir.

But in the eyes of the infatuated Princely Heir, his world consisted of only Bai Shuxuan.

Compared with Bai Shuxuan, everyone else was insignificant; naturally, the advice of Duke Zhen Guo, Cheng Shiyuan, and Cheng Zhihai and others had no effect.

Cheng Guang’s thoughts churned, and he immediately clarified some aspects of the situation.

His mission was to take revenge on Bai Shuxuan; although he still didn’t know the best way to exact revenge, making contact with her for now didn’t seem to be an issue.

Cheng Guang placed a hand on Qiao Songshan’s shoulder, and said with a serious expression, “Songshan, what are you saying? We’ve said good brothers should show loyalty. If you want to go, then let’s go!”

Qiao Songshan blinked in surprise and quickly waved his hands, “No, no, it’s not right. Big brother, if you’re not going, how could I possibly feel good about going? I know it’s been a long while since you went to a brothel, stuck in the mansion this whole year.”

Cheng Guang shook his head: “No, no, no.”

“Who said I’m not going?”

“I’m going too!”

Cheng Guang stated solemnly, “Of course, I’m not interested in that Oiran. I just want to accompany my brother, that’s all!”

Cheng Guang’s words, so full of righteous integrity, left Qiao Songshan momentarily dumbfounded on his rugged face.

Meanwhile, the fair Qing Luan right beside them slowly puffed up her cheeks, her gentle smile turning noticeably stiffer.