Chapter 20

Chapter 20: The Twentieth Return

Lian Cheng not only hired a carriage but also sent Huqiu to ask the waiter for a set of clean, warm clothes.

On the way back to the mansion, Huqiu saw Lian Cheng about to personally change the old beggar’s clothes and quickly took over the task, though he was utterly disgusted.

The old man, having drunk some wine, leaned against the carriage wall, smacking his lips contentedly, his beard trembling. Huqiu asked curiously, “Who exactly are you?”

“He is Old Master Guan Lian,” Lian Cheng answered from the side.

Huqiu didn’t recognize the name at first, but then it came back to him. His face turned pale, and he nearly jumped out of the window. Swallowing his saliva for a moment, he looked at Lian Cheng. “Young master, how can you just pick up anything and bring it home?”

“Just this once. Don’t be so disgusting,” Lian Cheng said.

Huqiu glanced at the old man and leaned in to whisper in Lian Cheng’s ear, “Young master, this old beggar offended the current emperor last year and was driven out of the imperial city. If we take him back and the emperor blames us, what will you do?”

“If he were truly guilty, would he still be alive to leave the imperial city?” Lian Cheng was not in the mood to discuss scholar-official politics with Huqiu. Since the current emperor valued the daily lectures, established the Grand Secretariat, and constantly reminisced about brotherly love, whether genuine or not, he must care about public opinion.

When a scholar first ascends the grand hall and knows not the weight of his words, a ruler should show leniency to win over the hearts of all scholars. But the emperor directly stripped him of his official title, rendering years of effort meaningless in a single day. Later, the emperor humbled himself three times to invite Guan Lian back into service, which proved that this man was not one to seek fame falsely.

Thus, Lian Cheng wasn’t too worried that the emperor would falsely accuse him or the Lian family. He could only consider limited possibilities, but if the character of Guan Lian in the books hadn’t been deliberately exaggerated by the author, he would never have followed Lian Cheng back to the Lian mansion tonight, lest he implicate others.

For the first time, Huqiu saw such a grave expression on his master’s face and dared not disturb him further. After changing clothes for the old man, he sat quietly in one corner.

As they approached the mansion, Lian Cheng lifted the curtain and looked outside. “We’ll take the back gate.”

“Didn’t you say it didn’t matter?” Huqiu asked.

Lian Cheng shot him a glance. “Have you forgotten that there’s a whole courtyard of people to deal with at home?”

The carriage then turned and entered a narrow alley, sliding noisily beneath rows of festive red lanterns.

Lian Cheng had drunk too much. When Huqiu stood on the ground to catch him, he stepped into the air, missed Huqiu, and tumbled into a patch of bamboo groves by the roadside.

“Young master! Are you hurt?”

“It’s nothing, nothing.” Lian Cheng scrambled to his feet. Across the two stamping horses, he saw Lian Xiusheng standing under the large red lantern at the back gate.

Lian Xiusheng was still wearing the same moon-white robes from the tavern. He didn’t know how long he had been standing there, his expression cold and indifferent. “Third Brother made me wait so long.”

Lian Cheng had no mind to worry about what this little sycophant was thinking. He caught his breath, quickly raised his hand to hold down the curtain, preventing anyone inside from coming out, and said to Lian Xiusheng, “It’s freezing cold. What are you doing here?”

“Third Brother hadn’t returned, so my heart had no peace.”

Lian Cheng’s eyes lit up—ah, the child at home had learned to be considerate!

His heart filled with joy, and he nearly wanted to rush over and give his younger brother a big hug, but he had no time now. He shoved the old man, who was trying to poke his head out from under the curtain, back inside.

“Sixth Brother, I have important matters to attend to. Now that you see I’ve safely returned home, go quickly to your own courtyard and rest.”

Lian Xiusheng lowered his eyes like falling feathers. “Why doesn’t Third Brother call me by my courtesy name anymore?”

Lian Cheng broke out in a cold sweat from anxiety. What’s wrong with this little brat tonight?

He could only put on a stern face. “What’s gotten into you tonight? I’m telling you not to make trouble for me. Don’t make me curse you out.”

Huqiu strode up to Lian Xiusheng and bowed. “Sixth Brother, please hurry off. Don’t anger my master, and don’t ruin his good deeds. That would be another charge of disrespecting your elder brother.”

Lian Xiusheng didn’t insist on staying. Without a word, he turned and walked away.

When he was completely out of sight, Lian Cheng finally lifted the curtain. “Master, hurry and come down.”

The old man clasped his hands, looking utterly aggrieved. “Just now I was about to come out, and you pushed me back! If you think I can’t be seen, why did you bring me home?”

Lian Cheng was equally wronged. “Master must have drunk too much hot wine and gotten confused. Who was there just now?”

“…” Guan Lian saw the young man’s skill at lying through his teeth and realized he had boarded a pirate ship from which it was hard to disembark. Well, since he had already become a teacher, he would pour out all his knowledge, leading his student to the great path and establishing his reputation.

Lian Cheng didn’t let Huqiu help. He personally supported Guan Lian down from the carriage and wrapped him entirely in his own cloak, making Guan Lian even more indignant and yelling.

“Shh… Master, bear with it. Tomorrow, I will inform my parents and will surely treat you as an honored guest.”

And so, an old man and two young ones, furtively and sneakily, entered the Penglai Pavilion.

But none of them noticed the sixth young master of the Lian family following not far behind them.

-

“Ah! Qiong Hua pinched her nose and pulled the cloak off the dirty old man. “This jacket is made of fox fur that the madam went through great trouble to find. Young master really knows how to ruin things.”

Lian Cheng ignored Qiong Hua and told Huqiu to heat water.

Tong Xue curtsied to the old man. “May I ask your honorable name, Old Master?”

The old man quickly clasped his hands, saying he didn’t dare to be so honored. “My insignificant surname is Guan, given name Lian, courtesy name Youqing.”

Tong Xue said, “Greetings to Old Master Guan. I am Tong Xue. The one who just offended you is my younger sister Qiong Hua. Her vulgar eyes failed to recognize a true sage. I beg your forgiveness.”

“It’s nothing,” Guan Lian waved his hand. “You are all fine ladies. I am a lowly mortal; a few words won’t matter.”

Lian Cheng staggered over, carrying tea. He bent respectfully, raising the cup above his head. “Your junior, Lian Cheng, has long admired your esteemed reputation. Today, meeting you, I come with the sincerity of Cheng Yi waiting in the snow, holding the rites of a disciple… hic! Begging for hic! Your instruction!”

Lian Cheng knew that in ancient times, taking a teacher was not so casual. He had a sudden inspiration and decided to give Guan Lian a sense of ceremony to make him feel good.

It worked. Guan Lian was visibly pleased, his beard trembling with excitement as he said “good” three times. “Since you do not disdain me for being old and mired in the mud, I will surely pour out everything I have, baring my heart and liver to teach you.”

With that, he took the tea from Lian Cheng’s hands and drank it in one gulp, smacking his lips, his face glowing red. “So cold! You little brat, giving me such cold tea to drink!”

Tong Xue quickly turned to heat more tea.

Qiong Hua told the young master to stay put in the room while she went to brew hangover tea.

Lian Cheng was truly exhausted to the extreme. This must be what work banquets are like. The hot wine he had drunk was now hitting him. He collapsed into a chair, watching Guan Lian being led by Huqiu to the bathhouse. He stood up and staggered toward the bedroom.

As he walked, he tore off his clothes, leaving a trail of magnificent robes until he was only in his undergarments.

In his daze, he nearly collided with a screen but carefully made his way around it.

He located the bed, and lunged forward.

So comfortable!

But he had only closed his eyes for a moment when they flew open again. He heard an unusually heavy breathing that didn’t belong to him.

Holy crap, an assassin!

Lian Cheng tried to scramble up with both hands and feet. His mind was clear, but his body wouldn’t obey, and he struggled in place on the bed.

The owner of that breathing watched him for a long time before finally moving. He turned and pressed down on Lian Cheng, covering his mouth tightly with a rough palm. The scent of powder and perfume invaded Lian Cheng’s nostrils, making him dizzy.

“My child, my child,” the other’s other hand slithered like a snake from Lian Cheng’s waist upward, kneading his shoulder, then his face, staring at the red moles under his eyes and on his nose bridge, lost in fascination. “My child, how did you grow so beautifully? Even if you didn’t spend money lavishly on us, I would willingly serve you.”

He said, then lowered his head to press cheek against this precious young master, but the person under his hand struggled fiercely, so he had to stop and coax, "Don't throw a tantrum, my child. After tonight, the whole town will know you are my man. Then you'll feel properly ashamed, and that'll make it the right time."

Lian Cheng recognized him—it was actually the more submissive-looking of the two catamites that the original owner kept!

He was speechless. That scumbag original body didn't discriminate between men and women, and he had kindly given this person a meal, how dare he just climb into my bed? Doesn't he feel awkward doing that?

Lian Cheng wanted to have a talk with him, then punch him to death.

No, wait—how was this guy so strong?!

He desperately tried to communicate with his eyes, but the man above him was so excited that drool was dripping. He sucked back his drool, "Don't panic, my child, wait a moment. Daddy will soon leave you too breathless to speak."

Saying that, he pulled down a wide brocade belt from the bed curtains and gagged Lian Cheng's mouth, preventing him from making a sound. He looked down, feeling somewhat regretful, "Now I can't get to taste that little tongue of yours."

With that, he opened his own shirt, revealing his member, which had already stood erect for the beautiful young man beneath him.

Lian Cheng felt his legs being spread, his stomach churned, and tears were forced from his eyes.

Seeing him cry, the catamite stopped his actions, just holding his dick and muttering to himself, "Don't cry, child. I have no choice. I truly adore you, but your heart is split into so many pieces. Tonight you brought another catamite into the door—how can I not be anxious? How can I not fear?"

He kept talking non-stop, originally intending to quickly overpower Lian Cheng, but when he saw the beauty in tears, he couldn't help but be mesmerized—just then he saw Lian Cheng's hair loose, eyes brimming with tears as if carrying romance and allure, cheeks slightly red like a peach with dew, mouth gagged open with a small tongue shyly hiding inside, disheveled undergarments exposing a strip of slender pink-white neck...

This sight of him yielding beneath another was enough to make anyone's soul tremble with desire.

"Child, spread your jade legs a little, let me take you a few times, then you'll know what pleasure is." The catamite had already raised his own member again.

But just as he spat into his hand, the sound of Qiong Hua calling for someone outside was heard.

"Sister Tong Xue, have you seen the young master? I've made him some hangover tea."

"He was in the study just now. Go look in the bathhouse; Mr. Guan and Huqiu are in that room."

Hearing the footsteps fade away, Lian Cheng was despairing inside.

It wasn't that he couldn't accept having sex with a man, but Lian Cheng was an extremely, extremely, extremely picky person. Not to mention being forced, even if it wasn't forced, if it wasn't done beautifully, he would rather not do it.

"My child, this is fate," the catamite said happily.

Fucking fate.

And just as Lian Cheng was speechless and helpless, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a shadow at the edge of the screen—merging suddenly yet gracefully with the light pattern cast by the screen's carvings to form a new image.

Lian Xiusheng walked lightly and slowly, finally seeing the dirty scene on the bed: his third brother pinned beneath a slick-looking catamite.

A sudden, inexplicable jealousy welled up in Lian Xiusheng's heart. In this past month, his third brother had been intimate with him—why hadn't he put on such a coquettish act with him?

On the contrary, he put on the airs of an older brother, keeping his distance.

If he didn't have it, others had even less right to.

Lian Xiusheng's throat burned fiercely. He strode over, grabbed the catamite's neck like a chicken's, easily lifted him up and slammed him heavily to the ground. The catamite rolled his eyes back as if fainting.

Lian Xiusheng didn't look at him but turned to sit on the bed. Instead of hurriedly rescuing his elder brother, he bent down to examine him closely.

"Is third brother having fun?"

Lian Cheng shook his head frantically.

"Why aren't you having fun?"

Untie me first, then we'll talk!

"Why does third brother always play with these dirty things? Isn't it beneath your dignity?"

Are you going to save me or not?

Lian Xiusheng, nonchalantly, wiped his hands with a handkerchief and tossed it to the ground. He took another kerchief and carefully wiped his elder brother's face. When he got to the tears, he finally realized that this was not his brother playing with someone.

He put away the kerchief, untied the wide brocade belt and ropes binding his brother, and helped him up. Lian Cheng jumped to the ground, fiercely kicked the catamite twice, then looked at Lian Xiusheng sitting on the bed and said angrily, "What the hell were you just saying? Who was playing with him?"

Lian Xiusheng knew he was in the wrong and said nothing.

Lian Cheng walked around holding his buttocks, "This is outrageous! I'm going to report him to the authorities and have him flogged eighty times!"

Lian Xiusheng said gently, "Third brother, let me handle it."

Lian Cheng, still angry at him, stepped over the corpse-like body on the ground and stood in front of Lian Xiusheng, furious, "You? You just watched me die and didn't save me—how can I trust you again?"

Then a flash of inspiration came, and Lian Cheng had another idea. He waved his hand dejectedly, "I know we were not born from the same mother, and there is a difference between legitimate and concubine. Now that you have fame and reputation, and I have no power, you don't care for me or think I'm worth anything. Enough, enough, enough. You go back on your own; I'll handle this matter myself. From now on, let's be like before this month—we each go our own way."

After saying this, Lian Cheng burst into tears and turned around sorrowfully.

Lian Xiusheng grabbed his hand from behind.

Lian Cheng was delighted. Gotcha, little Lian Jiao!

But in the next second, Lian Cheng felt his waist tightly encircled. His body trembled, and he looked down to see Lian Xiusheng embracing him from behind.

Lian Xiusheng buried his face in the small of his brother's back, "Third brother, how could I not be intimate with you? Tonight it's obviously third brother who has been giving me the cold shoulder."

And so, without realizing it, he hugged his brother even tighter.