Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 3

For some reason, in a situation like this, Huo Fenghua was actually a little afraid of Su Zeyang. The moment Su Zeyang stepped into the private room, Huo Fenghua instinctively stood up. Outside the room, the brothel madam followed behind Su Zeyang, wanting to come in as well, but she was stopped by a servant from the General’s Manor.

The madam could only look into the room with a troubled expression.

Behind her were several maids and male attendants from the brothel, craning their necks to peer inside. It wasn’t out of concern. They were just here for the spectacle.

“Come back with me.” After entering, Su Zeyang said only that. He didn’t even call Huo Fenghua by name.

Huo Fenghua didn’t speak. The woman who’d been sitting on his lap had already slipped behind him, poking her head out to size up Su Zeyang.

Beside him, Wang Anzhi suddenly slapped the table and stood. With a whoosh he snapped open his folding fan and said in a mocking, sing-song tone, “What’s the meaning of this? You think you can just barge into my room whenever you want?”

Only then did Su Zeyang look at Wang Anzhi. His tone was neither servile nor overbearing as he said, “Young Master Wang, this is the Feng family’s private matter.”

Wang Anzhi scoffed. “The Feng family’s private matter? Su Zeyang, are you talking to me as the General’s wife?”

Su Zeyang said calmly, “Yes.”

The sneer on Wang Anzhi’s face deepened. “Neither man nor woman, willingly debasing yourself like that.”

Su Zeyang didn’t react, but when Liu Yong heard that, he slammed a palm on the table and snapped, “You—!”

“What about me? You lowly servant think you can be rude to me?” As he spoke, Wang Anzhi suddenly leaned forward and lifted his hand, about to slap Liu Yong across the face.

Huo Fenghua noticed the movement and hurriedly reached out to stop him, smiling as he said, “Brother Wang, calm down. Do me a favor and let it go.”

Wang Anzhi looked at Huo Fenghua and gave an uncomprehending, contemptuous snort, but he did lower his hand. He pointed at Liu Yong and said, “I’m giving your master face today. I’ll spare you for now.”

Liu Yong’s face shifted between pale and livid. He seemed to feel Wang Anzhi wasn’t someone to provoke, so he retreated half a step and fell silent.

Su Zeyang had watched the whole thing coldly. Now he said to Huo Fenghua, “Can we go now?”

Huo Fenghua naturally didn’t want to go back to the General’s Manor with Su Zeyang, but he also didn’t want to stay and keep listening to Wang Anzhi insulting Su Zeyang. After all, every insult aimed at Su Zeyang also landed on him. So he hurriedly said, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let’s go home.”

Wang Anzhi asked him, “You’re really going back with him?”

Huo Fenghua gave Wang Anzhi a wry smile and clasped his hands. “We’ll get together another day when I’ve got time.”

Wang Anzhi gave a lukewarm laugh. “Suit yourself.” He waved his folding fan, putting on a show of nonchalance as he fanned himself vigorously.

Huo Fenghua walked up beside Su Zeyang and said under his breath, “Sister, let’s go back.” He kept his voice low so only Su Zeyang heard it.

Su Zeyang had been expressionless all along but hearing him being addressed as “sister” made his face darken at once. He shot Huo Fenghua a cold look but didn’t explode. He turned and walked out.

Huo Fenghua immediately followed. The moment he stepped out of the private room, he froze.

The brothel had three floors, and the railings on every level were packed with people, all looking over at them.

Besides the brothel’s maids and attendants, the rest were prostitutes and clients who’d only just woken up. No one dared speak loudly, but they whispered among themselves.

As Huo Fenghua went downstairs, he heard someone murmur, “That’s the male wife General Feng married, Su Zeyang.”

A woman said, “It’s my first time seeing a man that good-looking.”

“So that’s why General Feng endured all the opposition to marry a man. Even among women, you rarely see someone that beautiful.”

Even with Huo Fenghua’s thick skin, being stared at and gossiped about by so many people made his ears heat up. He couldn’t help looking at Su Zeyang, only to find Su Zeyang calm and composed, as if he weren’t affected in the slightest.

When they left Huayue Pavilion, Huo Fenghua saw a carriage stopped by the road.

The driver jumped down to lift the carriage curtain for them. Su Zeyang didn’t even use the driver’s hand. He lightly vaulted into the carriage. Huo Fenghua followed, looked left and right, and saw there was no step. He could only grab the bottom edge with both hands and climb.

Su Zeyang stood by the doorway, crouched halfway, and held out a hand.

Huo Fenghua paused, then took it. Su Zeyang’s fingers were pale and supple, but his palm had rough, thick calluses, and he was far stronger than Huo Fenghua had imagined. With a single pull, he hauled Huo Fenghua up into the carriage.

As they brushed shoulders passing each other, Huo Fenghua caught a faint sandalwood scent. His thoughts started to wander, but then he heard Su Zeyang say coldly, “What did you call me just now?”

That “sister” had been Huo Fenghua teasing Su Zeyang’s status. It hadn’t just been teasing Su Zeyang, either. He’d been teasing himself right along with him. He’d heard Wang Anzhi insulting Su Zeyang nonstop and hadn’t seen Su Zeyang get angry. He hadn’t expected that his own casual word would make Su Zeyang’s face turn cold.

Huo Fenghua felt a little uneasy and forced a smile. “It’s just a joke.”

Su Zeyang sat down opposite him in the carriage and asked in a low voice, “Is it funny?”

Huo Fenghua didn’t answer, only smiled, trying to ease the awkwardness.

Su Zeyang continued, “Do you think your status is funny, or mine?”

This time, Huo Fenghua really couldn’t smile. He weighed his words and said, “Neither is funny. Since the General and his spouse truly love each other, why bother with what others say? As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. What’s funny about that?”

He thought to himself that these people kept making a point of Su Zeyang’s identity as a male wife. It seemed that in this world, marrying a man as one’s spouse was considered something outrageous. The man who married into that role probably bore even more pressure.

On the surface, Su Zeyang had seemed indifferent to Wang Anzhi’s mockery, but maybe he did care deep down.

After Huo Fenghua finished speaking, both of them fell silent.

The driver urged the horse forward at a slow pace. It was already the busiest, hottest part of midday. The capital’s streets were packed with people, and the carriage could only crawl forward. The wheels rolled over the stone road, bumping and jolting. Before long, Huo Fenghua’s backside was aching from the jolts.

It was because this body was too skinny, he thought. There wasn’t even two ounces of flesh back there. He tilted his body to lift one side off the seat, rested a bit, then switched to the other side.

When he happened to look up, he saw Su Zeyang watching him the whole time, which made him feel even more awkward. He sat properly again with both sides down, and then he heard Su Zeyang ask, “Your maid said you’ve lost your memory?”

Huo Fenghua nodded and tapped his forehead with two fingers, indicating his head really wasn’t too clear.

Su Zeyang said, “Do you remember who Wang Anzhi is? And you dared drink with him?”

Huo Fenghua asked quietly, “Who is he?”

Su Zeyang said expressionlessly, “He’s the son of Wang Chu, the Right Prime Minister.”

“Oh.” Huo Fenghua nodded, then sorted out the relationship in his head before saying, “So he’s the prime minister’s son?”

Su Zeyang studied his expression and suddenly said, “Looks like you really have turned stupid.”

Huo Fenghua froze, then defended himself. “I just have amnesia, I’m not stupid. You said he’s the son of Right Prime Minister Wang Chu, but I don’t know what kind of grudge he has with me— with our Feng family. How am I supposed to react?”

Hearing that, Su Zeyang let out a long sigh. He didn’t seem willing to explain the feud with the Wang family in detail. He only said, “Just remember this: don’t associate with the Wang family, and don’t go to places where all sorts of lowlifes gather. You’re part of the Feng family now. Every word you say and every action you take concerns the Feng family’s reputation. Tianzong, he—” He stopped abruptly there and clearly didn’t intend to go on. He pursed his lips slightly and furrowed his brow.

When Huo Fenghua heard the name “Tianzong,” Su Zeyang’s voice had softened. It immediately made Huo Fenghua itch with curiosity. He wanted to hear what Su Zeyang was going to say about Feng Tianzong. But seeing the worry on Su Zeyang’s face and his faraway look, Huo Fenghua figured he was missing Feng Tianzong. Embarrassed to interrupt his thoughts, Huo Fenghua fell quiet too.

A carriage was still faster than walking on two feet. Before long they returned to the General’s Manor. The carriage drove straight into the residence before stopping.

As soon as Su Zeyang got down, he said to Huo Fenghua, “Come with me.”

Huo Fenghua jumped down, realized there was no room for discussion, and followed Su Zeyang toward the main hall.

The moment he stepped inside, Huo Fenghua saw the hall was packed with people. His steps stalled at once.

At the very front stood the manor’s steward, Lu Xi. Though Lu Xi’s beard and hair were already white, he still looked vigorous. His shoulders were broad, his arms full, and when he saw Su Zeyang enter, he bowed slightly and stepped aside.

Su Zeyang moved to the front and said to Huo Fenghua, “Come over and kneel.”

Huo Fenghua cursed inwardly, ‘Kneeling again!.’ But he didn’t dare disobey Su Zeyang. He went forward two steps and knelt in the center of the hall. After kneeling, he still wasn’t very well-behaved, lifting his head to glance around. He saw it was all the manor’s maids and servants, and Qingqing was among them too. She kept her head down in silence, not even daring to look at him.

Su Zeyang said to Lu Xi, “Steward Lu, Young Master Huo left the manor without permission and mixed in brothels. How should he be punished?”

Lu Xi said in a deep voice, “According to Feng family rules, twenty lashes.”

Huo Fenghua jerked his head up, staring at the two men in shock.

Su Zeyang’s expression remained flat. “He fell into the water a few days ago and hasn’t recovered. I’m afraid he won’t be able to endure twenty lashes.”

Lu Xi stroked his long beard and pondered. “An exception can be made to cut it in half. Ten lashes.”

Su Zeyang nodded. “Then ten.”

Lu Xi stretched a hand to the side. A servant carried over a wooden tray. Only then did Huo Fenghua see a long whip coiled atop it.

Lu Xi took the whip in hand, gripping the handle with one hand and running the other hand down the length of the leather.

The whip looked far thicker than a finger. It was braided oxhide, rough on the surface. Huo Fenghua’s heart leapt into his throat. He couldn’t help standing up and saying, “Wait—”

“Huo Fenghua!” Su Zeyang suddenly barked.

Huo Fenghua’s heart trembled. The words in his mouth slowly died, and he knelt back down with difficulty.

Su Zeyang held out his hand to Lu Xi. “Steward Lu, let me carry it out.”

Lu Xi looked a little surprised. After a brief hesitation, he bent and handed the whip over respectfully. “Young Master Su, please.”

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