Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Lian Cheng's blood ran cold, his legs went weak, and it was as if someone had dumped ice water over his head—his mouth gaped open, unable to close.

No, no, this isn't right. Lian Cheng shut his eyes, telling himself a thousand times, "I must be dreaming," and when he opened them again, Lian Xiusheng was still above him, his eyes already heavy with lust, and his hand still inside Lian Cheng's clothing.

Lian Cheng fought back with hands and feet against Lian Xiusheng, but after struggling for a long time, his clothes and cap were in disarray, yet he remained pinned beneath Lian Xiusheng—as long as Lian Xiusheng didn't intend to let him leave, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Lian Xiusheng, Xiu Sheng, Sixth Brother, listen to me," Lian Cheng said, his face pale. "You must have had too much to drink and lost your mind. I'll have Jin Cai send you home at once. Sleep a good, long sleep, and when you wake, you'll surely not speak such nonsense again."

"Third Brother, I haven't had any wine." Lian Xiusheng brushed a strand of hair from Lian Cheng's lips with his fingers and leaned down, but Lian Cheng hastily turned his head away.

This time, Lian Xiusheng stopped and did not force him. He asked, "Third Brother?"

The more he called him that, the more uneasy Lian Cheng felt. Lian Cheng turned back to look at him and said, "I am your elder brother, your big brother. You even call me Third Brother—how can you still... still..." The young gentleman was so indignant he could not finish his sentence.

"So what if I do?"

"?"

Lian Cheng's heart pounded like a deer's, and his palms were clammy and cold. Yes, he had almost forgotten—Lian Xiusheng was of that treacherous minister's bloodline, a man who respected neither the laws of heaven nor the ways of earth, nor Confucius or Yao and Shun. How could he listen to words like "incest between blood relatives is a capital crime punishable by hanging"?

What if, pushed to the edge, Lian Xiusheng rushed headlong down the path of the treacherous minister?

Lian Cheng's mind was a tangled mess. The situation had completely spiraled beyond his expectations—neither the fact that Lian Xiusheng was fond of men, nor that he dared to set his sights on his own elder brother, was something Lian Cheng could understand or accept. His lips still throbbed with pain, and his heart ached too. If things had come to this, how could he and Lian Xiusheng ever be brothers again?

"Lian Xiusheng," Lian Cheng hardened his heart. Pressing his hands against the other's chest, he said coldly, "I can treat today's events as if they never happened, and I will tell no one else. But such words and actions must never happen again."

With that, Lian Cheng tried to rise.

He failed again.

"Lian Jiao!" Lian Cheng shouted, his eyes red with anger.

"Jiao is the courtesy name my grandfather gave me. In the whole family, I allow only Third Brother to call me that." Lian Xiusheng caressed Lian Cheng's warm, soft cheek, pressing his fingertip against the small red mole beneath his eye.

Lian Cheng had no idea what he meant, but he was furious. He should have had some kind of system, like in those stories, otherwise he wouldn't have been kept in the dark about such deviations in plot and character. He glared up at Lian Xiusheng—no hatred, no disgust either. He looked more like a tolerant elder brother than he himself had imagined, as if he were indulging his little brother's unreasonable behavior.

"Profound and still, it is the standard of the world." Lian Xiusheng murmured. "When my grandfather gave me the character 'Jiao,' he already knew that our Cai clan would be wiped out utterly. The greatest sound is soundless—he hoped I would live a life of purity and non-contention, at peace with the world."

Lian Cheng's pupils reflected the carp-shaped lantern hanging from the beam. He blinked, and the lantern seemed to go out and relight in his eyes. 'My Cai clan'? Which Cai clan?

"In the thirty-eighth year of Yongchang, my grandfather and twenty-six of his colleagues and disciples were betrayed by a treacherous villain. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon was full, imperial agents broke down the gates. Anyone who resisted was killed on the spot. My father, because he dared to question aloud, was run through by the double blades of the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at the time, Meng Chong, his intestines spilling out. My mother immediately drew a knife and took her own life. Blades flashed across the courtyard, and hot blood splattered over the entire household. Twenty-seven families, one thousand three hundred and sixteen people—all thrown into prison."

Lian Xiusheng's fingers slowly slid downward, gently gripping his third brother's neck. The blood beneath his palm was that of the man he loved—and also of the man he hated.

"In an instant, the men were beheaded in the marketplace. The beautiful women and young girls among the women and children were sent to the Music Bureau (a government-run brothel). The elderly and the servants were branded on the face and became slaves of the lowest class."

"My grandmother could not bear the disgrace; she bit off her tongue and died in prison. My sister-in-law miscarried and died in prison. My elder brother's corpse hung at the Meridian Gate for over a month. My grandfather's body was never found."

"Heaven's way is unjust—the present emperor slaughtered my entire clan without cause. The world is unfair—those who had received my family's favors shunned us as if fleeing a plague. I would rather die than live, so I have hidden myself among the common people, determined to make heaven return the favor, to repay blood with blood."

Lian Xiusheng never tightened his grip. Tears spilled from his eyes. "Third Brother, do you think I should hate you for your goodness, or love you for it?"

Lian Cheng's face turned paper-white, as if struck by a thunderbolt. "Cai Hao was your grandfather? You have no connection to the Lian family at all?"

Lian Xiusheng smiled and shook his head. "Third Brother is mistaken. The former crown prince died in the Eastern Palace, and the present emperor, his younger brother, was then established as crown prince. Lian Ming violated the covenant my grandfather made—'never to serve a usurper'—and gained merit with the present emperor by offering a self-incriminating edict, betraying the twenty-seven families including my Cai clan. In exchange, the Lian family has enjoyed glory and honor ever since. Lian Ming is enshrined in the Imperial Temple, posthumously named Prince Mingxin. My relatives were exterminated to the last descendant, cut off from all ancestral sacrifice. Third Brother, do you call that no connection?"

So it really was revenge. Lian Cheng's earlier guess had been correct. The only thing he hadn't anticipated was that Lian Xiusheng was not born of Lian Pu!

This is a disaster!

Without blood ties, revenge would be straightforward, smooth as flowing water, with no obstacles or moral qualms!

"Xiu Sheng, Xiu Sheng, give me a moment to collect myself. I—I don't know what you're talking about," Lian Cheng said, almost in tears, grabbing the other's forearm. "How can you not be my brother? How can I not be your big brother? Why are you telling me all this? I truly don't understand."

Lian Xiusheng wiped away the tear at the corner of Lian Cheng's eye. "Third Brother, what don't you understand?"

Lian Cheng didn't truly not understand—he didn't want to understand, couldn't allow himself to understand. Not to mention, the mere fact of Lian Xiusheng's identity, if known to even one more person, would bring immense danger.

He could certainly share his hardships and stand by his brother no matter what. But living by that required two conditions: first, that they were blood brothers; second, that they were brothers closer than real brothers.

But what was the situation now? They weren't blood brothers, and the other said he wanted to repay blood with blood. How could Lian Cheng trust him? He dared not believe a single word.

Seeing his elder brother's mournful expression, Lian Xiusheng felt uneasy himself. He bent down, ignoring his brother's resistance, and pulled him into an embrace. "Third Brother, you don't need to worry about the family enmity between us. You are different from them—your blood is warm; theirs is cold."

Lian Cheng was bewildered. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I love Third Brother. So I say it. What's wrong with that?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll expose you?"

"Third Brother, go ahead and expose me. If anyone believes even half a word from you, then I have planned poorly, and I will accept my loss without complaint."

Lian Cheng thought: Lian Xiusheng was right. He was now a rising star in the court, heavily supported by the emperor. The emperor's aim was obvious—to balance other forces in the court, whether to divide power or to spy. He had his uses. If Lian Cheng rashly reported him, the crafty emperor might twist things and claim Lian Cheng himself was a Cai remnant, neatly solving the problem of how to deal with the survivor, and perhaps even doing Lian Xiusheng a favor.

Even in the worst case—if the emperor valued his own hatred above all else and, upon learning Lian Xiusheng's true identity, immediately decided to hang him to eliminate future trouble—Lian Cheng couldn't bear that. How could he? Even though Lian Xiusheng had changed in his eyes, he still saw himself as the other's elder brother.

Having no other recourse, Lian Cheng could only say, "If anyone else knows of this matter, then don't tell me any more. I don't want to know. I'm tired. I want to go home. Let me go."

But Lian Xiusheng persisted, "Third Brother hasn't answered me yet—do you have feelings for me or not?"

Lian Cheng was silent for a long time. Finally, he lowered his voice and roared, "I am your elder brother!"

"So, Third Brother does love me?"

Lian Cheng didn't believe Lian Xiusheng couldn't understand plain English. He was doing it deliberately, trying to corner Lian Cheng. Lian Cheng was both helpless and furious. He used all his strength but couldn't break free. Finally, he grabbed the chess container from the table and smashed it on Lian Xiusheng's head. While the other winced and loosened his grip, Lian Cheng broke free from his arms and ran, not forgetting to grab the apricot blossoms.

As Lian Cheng's figure disappeared into the distance, Jin Cai clasped his hands and turned around. Seeing that his young master was calmly picking up the scattered chess pieces, he frowned. "Young master, you were too rash tonight. You frightened Third Brother."

"I have too many secrets. Third Brother knows nothing—that's unfair to him." Lian Xiusheng picked up the twisted gold sash that had fallen from his brother's waist from among the chess pieces and tied it around his wrist.

"Still, you should have proceeded step by step."

Lian Xiusheng got annoyed at being lectured. He raised his eyes. "You talk a good game. But you're not consistent with Man Cai, are you?"

"..."

Lian Cheng ran out of the tavern, his clothes loose. Only then did he realize his belt had been left upstairs. Not daring to go back up, he bought a cheap belt on the street and called Huqiu over to pay, sighing endlessly.

-

Huqiu asked what had happened.

Lian Cheng's face was bitter. That bastard Lian Xiusheng should be struck by lightning! Why dump such heavy, bitter secrets on him? Now he couldn't even feel happy.

Seeing his master unhappy, Huqiu, bad with words, didn't know how to comfort him. So he pulled his master along and turned the corner to see the Great Turtle Mountain.

The Great Turtle Mountain was set up in the liveliest district. Several stories high, it was adorned with exquisite craftsmanship—figures like Xi Shi, whose beauty sank fish and felled geese, Pangu splitting heaven and earth, Chang'e flying to the moon amid the blue sea and azure sky, Jiang Taigong fishing, Wu Song fighting the tiger—all stacked to form a mountain of lights. Ten thousand lanterns blazed at once—what a sight to behold!

Lian Cheng gradually got caught up in the excitement, setting aside his unhappy thoughts, and even spent some silver to buy a lantern depicting Confucius lecturing under an apricot tree.

When he got home, he planned to hang the lantern quietly on the window of Lian Xiusheng’s study, so he wouldn't forget the founding father of Confucianism.

After viewing the Ao Mountain, there were still fireworks to enjoy—things like “Ground Rats,” “Silver River Meteors,” and “Jade Cups and Jade Terraces” flooded the night sky, complementing the Ao Mountain and illuminating the night as bright as day.

Lian Xiusheng was not one for lively crowds; he sat alone on a nearby tower, leaning on the railing and gazing at the beautiful silhouette among the crowd below. Though the distance was great, it could barely be considered a small reunion with his third brother.

By the third watch, the people of the Lian Mansion gradually returned home. Lian Cheng, who had come back later, was caught by the seventh young lady. The little girl tugged at his sleeve, turning the grievances and longing of the past few months into tears, asking if her third brother truly disliked her now, for not watching the Ao Mountain with her tonight. Lian Cheng hurriedly said no, and the seventh young lady cried again, saying she would never speak ill of him in front of outsiders again. If she hadn’t brought it up, Lian Cheng would have almost forgotten the matter. After comforting the seventh young lady, he had Huqiu escort her away.

Lian Cheng himself then went around to Liufang Pavilion. With such a big matter, his first instinct was still to seek out the person who had personally brought Fourth Madam and Lian Xiusheng into the family.

Seeing that Lian Pu was still awake, Lian Cheng paced back and forth in the courtyard, hesitating. He didn’t know whether he should ask Lian Pu if he knew about Lian Xiusheng’s background.

Lian Cheng had suspicions; he believed Lian Pu was likely aware. Lian Xiusheng remembered the events of the Cai family clearly—when the Cai family’s downfall occurred, Lian Xiusheng must have been at least two years old. It was unlikely that Lian Pu could have been deceived by Fourth Madam’s pregnancy into mistaking the child’s identity.

Thus, Lian Cheng felt conflicted. He had thought Lian Pu was useless and cowardly, yet he dared to take in a survivor of the Cai family and raise him, even pretending as if nothing had ever happened. But if he rushed in today and laid everything bare, what would be the point?

And if Lian Xiusheng hadn’t voluntarily told him, Lian Cheng would have never guessed that he was adopted by Lian Pu rather than his biological son. All his previous speculations had only led him to think that the Cai family might be his maternal grandparents' family, or that his maternal grandparents were among those from other families that had been wiped out.

Lian Cheng didn’t think himself unintelligent—he had racked his brains—but this secret was something even the author didn’t know. How could he have figured it out?

After pacing for a long time, Lian Cheng wrapped his cloak tighter and finally left. Forget it; from now on, he would pretend to know nothing and continue walking his own path. No matter what Lian Xiusheng planned to do, he only needed to protect himself.

Protect his life, and also his ass.