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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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

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

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Chapter 2

Huo Fenghua had lived more than twenty years in his previous life. Other than gambling, he really didn’t have any skills to speak of.

Even though it was a different era and a different world, the moment he lifted the curtain and stepped into the gambling house, he felt as if he’d come home. It seemed that no matter what time or space, gamblers were the same: bloodshot eyes, bulging veins, staring at a table as if possessed. Even though it was still morning, the foul air inside the gambling house was no different from midnight.

Huo Fenghua had always lived among people like this, yet he was different from them. Gambling was his job; a way to earn money and survive. He understood the truth that nine out of ten gamblers lose, and he’d never believed he could get rich at the table just by luck. Of course, people did hit it big, but that was definitely not due to luck. It was the kind of tricks that many would consider… unsavory.

He didn’t rush into the crowd. Instead, he circled the gambling house once, pausing to take a look at each table. The place wasn’t very big. The two most common games were pai gow and dice.

In his previous life, Huo Fenghua was good at cheating at mahjong and card tables. He rarely touched pai gow, but dice were basic. When he was little, his father had given him a few dice and told him to shake them around and play.

So he stood by the table where people bet big or small on dice, listening and watching for a long time. The dice here were dice made of bones. Different materials meant different sounds, but for an old gambler like Huo Fenghua, there were still patterns to follow.

The cloth of his clothes was fine. The colors weren’t flashy, but among this crowd of gamblers he still stood out. Since he hadn’t placed a bet for a while, the thugs stationed around the gambling house had been watching him the whole time. Huo Fenghua didn’t delay any longer. After listening through a few rounds, he took out a small piece of broken silver. Only when it was time to actually bet did he realize that twenty taels of silver didn’t seem like a small amount, because broken silver was rarely seen on this table. Most people’s stake was nothing more than copper coins.

Huo Fenghua bet big. Bets were final once placed. When the dice cup was lifted, it was big, just as he’d predicted. He collected the silver he’d won, tilted his ear to carefully listen to the sound in the cup, and the second time he bet on small. This time he won again.

Huo Fenghua stayed in the gambling house for nearly an hour. He won some and lost some, but overall, he won more than he lost. Afraid of drawing the owner’s attention, he decided to quit while he was ahead. When his silver had gone from twenty taels to thirty, he stretched and planned to leave.

At that moment, someone behind him suddenly tapped his shoulder with a folding fan. He turned his head and saw a handsomely dressed young gentleman standing behind him, eyes wide in surprise.

“Huo Fenghua?”

Huo Fenghua thought the man’s looks could be considered handsome, but his eye sockets were dark, and even the way he spoke lacked vigor. Huo Fenghua smiled at him and clasped his hands in greeting the way others did.

The young gentleman’s astonishment didn’t lessen at all. His fan fluttered rapidly a few times as he stammered, “You, you, you… aren’t you married to—” Before he could finish, he saw quite a few gamblers nearby turning to look. Realizing it wasn’t the place to talk, he grabbed Huo Fenghua by the sleeve and hurried out. “Come with me.”

Huo Fenghua still didn’t know the man’s name, but he didn’t resist when he was pulled along. Once they exited the gambling house, they were back in the same quiet pleasure quarters. The young gentleman looked left and right, tapping the folded fan against his palm again and again, and in the end he led Huo Fenghua to a brothel called Huayue Pavilion.

Huo Fenghua had never been inside a brothel. He couldn’t help looking around, wanting to see just how pretty the girls were. But the moment he stepped through the main door, the madam of the brothel came up to greet them and exclaimed in surprise, “Young Master Wang, why are you back again when you just left?”

So the Young Master Wang beside him had left this brothel early this morning, then gone to the gambling house next door. Seeing Huo Fenghua there, it hadn’t been convenient to speak, so he brought him back here.

Young Master Wang flicked his fan and said to the madam, “Get me a quiet private room.”

The madam hadn’t even had time to put on powder and rouge. Her face was wrinkled into a knot as she said awkwardly, “The girls haven’t gotten up yet.”

Young Master Wang said, “No need. Just bring me some wine, dishes, and pastries. Have the girls come serve after they’ve gotten themselves ready.”

The madam repeatedly agreed, then she leaned in to look at Huo Fenghua, and her face immediately turned as if she’d seen a ghost. She couldn’t even get her words out clearly. “Th-this… Isn’t this Young Master Huo?”

Huo Fenghua froze. Only then did he realize he was probably a regular here in the past. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, he gave the madam a smile. Up ahead, Young Master Wang was already hurrying upstairs, so Huo Fenghua could only follow after him.

The private room in the brothel was actually plain and clean, but a perfumed breeze lingered around his nose the entire time. The moment Huo Fenghua entered, he couldn’t help sneezing.

Young Master Wang reached out and shut the door, then leaned against the back of it and said in a secretive tone, “Huo Fenghua, tell me honestly. Did you run away from the Feng residence?”

“What?” Huo Fenghua was still rubbing his nose.

Young Master Wang said, “People say the Feng family’s rules are strict. How would they allow a mere concubine to linger in the pleasure quarters and gambling dens? And you’re telling me you didn’t sneak out?”

Huo Fenghua slowly sat down by the round table and examined this Young Master Wang. After hesitating a little, he said, “A few days ago, I accidentally fell into the water.”

The sudden statement left Young Master Wang completely at a loss. “What?”

Huo Fenghua held two fingers together and pointed at his own head. “After I came out of the water, I haven’t been very clear-headed. There are a lot of things I can’t remember.”

“Can’t remember?” Young Master Wang’s voice shot up. He stepped forward and grabbed Huo Fenghua’s shoulders. “Then do you still remember me? I’m Wang Anzhi. Don’t tell me you don’t even remember me?”

Huo Fenghua smiled. “I do have some impression, but I can’t recall many things clearly.”

Wang Anzhi’s expression turned serious. He gripped his fan and paced a few steps around the room, then moved close and sat down beside Huo Fenghua. Carefully, he asked, “How did you end up falling into the water for no reason? Could it be that Feng Tianzong’s male wife deliberately harmed you?”

Huo Fenghua looked at him and tested him. “Oh? Why would he harm me?”

Wang Anzhi’s eyes flickered, and he said slowly, “Maybe he was jealous that General Feng favored you.”

Huo Fenghua had grown up mixing with all kinds of people on the fringes of society, and reading faces and moods was his strongest skill. Just from Wang Anzhi’s expression, he could tell the man’s words were probably unreliable. He’d originally planned to fish more information out of him, but now he changed his mind.

Just then, a servant from the brothel brought up wine and dishes. Wang Anzhi had them put everything down, chased them all out, then personally poured Huo Fenghua a drink, sighing as he did. “I thought once you married into the Feng family, we’d never have a chance to sit down and share a drink again. Who’d have thought I’d run into you here today?”

“We used to drink together often?” Huo Fenghua asked, puzzled.

“Of course,” Wang Anzhi said. “You and I have known each other for years. Ever since you came to Donglin, we’ve been close.”

Huo Fenghua suddenly recalled what Qingqing had told him: that he’d originally been from Xichou, and Xichou had already been destroyed by Feng Tianzong’s army. Why he’d married Feng Tianzong as a concubine must have involved many twists and turns.

Wang Anzhi had already drunk quite a bit last night, and now after two more cups his face flushed from his eyes down to his jaw. He suddenly leaned close and asked Huo Fenghua, “We’re brothers, so tell me straight. Has Feng Tianzong taken your virginity yet?” As he spoke, one finger pressed against Huo Fenghua’s back and slowly slid downward.

Goosebumps erupted over Huo Fenghua’s skin. He shifted aside to dodge Wang Anzhi’s hand. When he turned to look at him, he saw Wang Anzhi wearing a lewd grin, and the words at Huo Fenghua’s lips were swallowed back down.

Wang Anzhi didn’t seem to notice at all. He teased, “Seriously, it’s only been a few months, and your eyes and brows are full of charm now. Looks like Feng Tianzong really does have some skill.”

Huo Fenghua had no idea where he was seeing “full of charm.” Ever since he’d woken up in this body, he’d been sickly. Even this morning, before he left his room, he’d looked in the mirror and seen his face was still pale. Qingqing had even said he’d gotten noticeably thinner.

He didn’t get angry with Wang Anzhi. He just smiled and said, “Feng Tianzong has a proper spouse who’s as beautiful as an immortal. How would he ever look at me?”

“Su Zeyang?” When Wang Anzhi mentioned the name, his mouth twisted, and he let out a cold laugh. “So what if he’s good-looking? So what if his martial arts are strong? He’s willing to marry someone as a male concubine. That’s just self-degradation and shamelessness!”

Huo Fenghua picked up a pea between his fingers and popped it into his mouth, chewing lazily. Wang Anzhi didn’t seem to realize that his words had insulted Huo Fenghua too. He lifted his cup, wanting to clink it with his, and said, “Come, come, drink.”

At that moment, the door was gently pushed open from outside. Two beautiful women, carefully made up, appeared in the doorway. The first had a light, graceful figure and threw herself into Wang Anzhi’s arms, speaking softly and sweetly. “Young Master Wang, Zhu’er knew you couldn’t bear to leave.”

Wang Anzhi wrapped an arm around the woman named Zhu’er. He’d spent the night in her room last night. Grinning, he said, “Yeah, see? I’m back again.”

The other woman shut the door and came in. She first looked at Huo Fenghua over cautiously, then her eyes widened in shock. “Th-this… isn’t this Young Master Huo?”

Wang Anzhi chuckled. “It is indeed Young Master Huo. Get over here and serve. Why are you standing there like an idiot?”

The woman went over to Huo Fenghua, still not fully recovered from her surprise. She said, “Didn’t Young Master Huo marry into the General’s Manor? How dare you come back to Huayue Pavilion?”

A fine sheen of sweat suddenly rose on Huo Fenghua’s forehead. So he wasn’t just a regular in places like this, everyone here even knew he’d married the General as a male concubine. Was he the impressive figure, or was General Feng the impressive figure? Had the whole Donglin Kingdom heard about the fact that he’d married a man?!

Wang Anzhi wore an expression like he was watching a play, smiling as he said, “Why can’t he come back and have a drink with a beautiful woman just because he married the General? Hurry up and feed Young Master Huo a drink.”

The woman came close to Huo Fenghua, soft and light as she leaned into his arms. All at once her face turned red as she said, “General Feng is such an extraordinary man. I don’t dare feed his person wine.”

Even as she said that, she pressed up against Huo Fenghua and sat down on one of his thighs.

Huo Fenghua caught the thick smell of powder and perfume, and his nose started itching again. Before he could speak, Wang Anzhi said, “What, you’re eyeing General Feng too?”

The woman hurriedly said, “How would a humble girl like me dare?”

Wang Anzhi teased, “It’s a pity General Feng only likes men and not women. You can ask Young Master Huo for advice. See if General Feng is just as fierce and domineering in bed.”

Even though Wang Anzhi was bantering with a prostitute, every sentence kept circling back to Huo Fenghua’s identity as General Feng’s male concubine, and his tone was full of contempt and lewdness. And after what he’d said about Su Zeyang earlier, Huo Fenghua completely understood: this man had never regarded him as an equal at all, let alone as a “brother.”

But Huo Fenghua had been bullied and looked down on since childhood. He wasn’t angry over it. He just wanted an excuse to leave. Yet before he could even open his mouth, there was a loud sound at the door. Someone kicked it open from outside.

Huo Fenghua saw that the one who kicked his way in was Liu Yong, a servant from the General’s Manor. He stormed in aggressively, and the moment he saw Huo Fenghua he shouted, “Young Master Su, he really is here!”

Right after that, Su Zeyang walked in from outside. The moment he saw Huo Fenghua, his brows furrowed tightly.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

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

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Chapter 1

“He’s awake.”

Before he could even open his eyes and fully come to, this was the first thing he had heard. It was a man’s voice, soft and unhurried, gentle and calm, and it made him unable to resist opening his eyes to see who the person behind that voice was.

So he struggled, forcing his eyes to open. The first thing he saw was heavy bed curtains hanging all around. Someone sat at the bedside, intently watching him.

That person had fair skin and handsome features, brows and eyes like a painting, like a landscape sketched in ink. Long, black hair cascaded down with the tips curled over the fine silk quilt.

He felt one of the man’s hands resting on his wrist. Then the man asked him, “Are you alright?” It was the same voice as before.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was so hoarse he couldn’t make a sound.

The man released his wrist and stood. He saw the man was dressed in a loose, soft white robe that made his ink-black hair stand out even more. The man didn’t linger in the room, walking straight out. Only a maid remained inside, coming to the bedside to look at him with worry.

After a moment, an old man came in to take his pulse. Then he sat at the table, wrote out a prescription, handed it to the maid, and packed up and left as well.

His throat suddenly seized with pain and itchiness. He couldn’t hold it back and started coughing hard. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth, and only then did he notice his hand was pale and slender, the nails clean and rounded, and there wasn’t even a single callus on his palm. When he lowered his hand, he accidentally pressed on the hair by his pillow. He picked up a lock between his fingers and stared at the pitch-black long hair for a moment in a daze. Only then did he realize he wasn’t himself anymore.

He’d originally been a gambler. He’d had no mother since childhood. After graduating middle school, he’d drifted around with his father, who loved to gamble, and later he never learned any real skill. He often made a living cheating at gambling tables with other people.

That day, he and two others had colluded at the card table to swindle money from a middle-aged man. He hadn’t expected the scam to be exposed. The man was a wealthy influential figure and sent people to come after him. His last memory before losing consciousness was someone smashing a brick into the back of his head. When he woke again, he was lying in this bed.

He figured he’d died and somehow reincarnated into the body of someone from ancient times. He just didn’t know what dynasty or era this was, or what household’s young master he’d become.

Luckily, there was a little maidservant in the room named Qingqing. He pretended he’d lost his memory, claiming he didn’t even know his name. Qingqing told him his name was Huo Fenghua. Everyone here called him Young Master Huo, but his true status wasn’t any kind of “young master” at all. He was merely one of the masters of this residence’s male concubines.

This was the General’s Manor. The master of the manor was naturally a general, but the first person he’d seen when he opened his eyes hadn’t been the general. It had been the general’s properly married male wife, named Su Zeyang. The servants all called him Young Master Su.

One Young Master Su, one Young Master Huo. Lying in bed, he couldn’t help laughing out loud, wondering whether, the next time they met, he should call him “older brother¹” or “older sister².”

¹[Gege] (哥哥)
²[Jiejie] (姐姐)

Huo Fenghua. Now he was Huo Fenghua. He didn’t have many strengths, but if there was one, it was probably being adaptable. After learning the general was away leading troops and not in the manor, he decided to accept things as they came. He stayed in bed, ate and drank well as he was waited on, and after two days he had enough strength to get up. He opened the window, sat on the cushioned daybed, and looked at the scenery outside.

In the courtyard outside there was a servant sweeping. The servant looked young, small and skinny, and the clothes on his body were still a bit loose.

As the young servant swept, he suddenly turned his head and saw Huo Fenghua leaning by the window watching him. His face immediately turned red. He turned around with his back to him, his movements becoming flustered.

Huo Fenghua found it amusing. He was just about to tease him a little when someone behind him reached out and shut the window for him, saying, “Young Master, you haven’t recovered yet. You’ll catch a chill.”

Huo Fenghua turned back with a smile. “It’s not like I’m confined due to postpartum. You think I can’t handle a little breeze?”

His personal maid Qingqing shrank her neck at his response and said, “It’s Young Master Su’s instruction. I wouldn’t dare disobey.”

Propping his cheek with one hand, Huo Fenghua thought of Su Zeyang. Since the day he woke and saw Su Zeyang once, he hadn’t seen him again. What remained in his memory was someone like an immortal, not the least bit delicate or weak. He couldn’t understand why such a person would be willing to marry a man as a wife.

As for the master of this General’s Manor, Feng Tianzong, he was out leading troops and wouldn’t be back anytime soon. Huo Fenghua didn’t miss him either. He’d never planned on being a man’s concubine. No matter what had happened before, before General Feng returned, he would recover and leave this manor. After that, he probably wouldn’t need to meet them again.

That afternoon, Huo Fenghua went out into the courtyard and walked around for a while. When he tried to leave through the courtyard gate, he was stopped and sent back. The young attendant who stopped him was extremely rude, saying Young Master Su wouldn’t allow him to go out and that he should stay inside and recuperate properly.

Later, Qingqing told him that attendant was Su Zeyang’s personal servant, named Liu Yong.

Huo Fenghua didn’t understand. “That General’s wife sure has an overbearing air. Is he taking advantage of the General being away to bully me on purpose?”

Qingqing said, “Young Master Su isn’t that kind of person.”

Huo Fenghua thought about it, looked at his own refined but weak appearance in the bronze mirror, and said, “Then it must be because the General favors me and that wife is jealous.”

“Peh!” Qingqing couldn’t help spitting. “The General and his wife have a great relationship. Don’t you go talking nonsense.”

Seeing even a maid treat him like this, Huo Fenghua figured he really wasn’t favored. And when he heard that his earlier coma had been because he’d thrown himself into the lake to commit suicide, he couldn’t make sense of it at all. If General Feng didn’t even like him, why bring him into the manor in the first place?

But none of that mattered. He was leaving anyway. Once he left, there’d be no more entanglements.

During these days of confinement to recuperate, the only person Huo Fenghua could talk to was Qingqing. He wanted to learn more about himself, but Qingqing always spoke vaguely.

Sometimes he felt it wasn’t because she was ignorant, but rather she didn’t dare say. He pressed her for a long time, and in the end the only thing he learned was that he originally wasn’t from this country.

Right. This was the Xuanming era of the Donglin Kingdom, a dynasty that wasn’t recorded in any history. Maybe it was a parallel world. And Huo Fenghua was from the Xichou Kingdom. Xichou and Donglin had been in constant conflict for years. A few days ago, Grand General Feng Tianzong had marched west, struck straight into Xichou’s capital Caiyun City, and destroyed Xichou.

Huo Fenghua couldn’t understand it. As someone from Xichou, why would he be willing to marry the enemy who’d destroyed his country and become a male concubine? Of course, there were many things he couldn’t understand but there was no need to rush to understand them. What he needed to focus on was how to leave this General’s Manor.

Huo Fenghua spent each day drinking broths and tonics, and even he felt his complexion had improved greatly. On the fourth day, Qingqing came early to knock on his door and wake him to wash up, saying that today was the first day of the month and, according to the Feng family rules, they needed to pay respect to the ancestors.

She hurried him through rinsing his mouth and washing his face, then had him sit at the table while she gathered up his long hair and tied it into a topknot.

Huo Fenghua asked, “Can I cut my hair?”

Qingqing looked shocked. “What are you saying? The body, hair, and skin are received from one’s parents—”

“Okay,” Huo Fenghua said, lifting a hand to cut her off. “I get it.”

In ancient times there were rules like this. For the sake of living here more conveniently in the future, he’d naturally have to get used to certain annoying customs.

With his hair and clothes neatly arranged, Huo Fenghua pushed the door open and went out. Liu Yong was waiting outside again, inviting him to go to the ancestral hall to offer incense to the ancestral tablets.

On the surface, Liu Yong was respectful, but in truth he wasn’t polite to him at all. Huo Fenghua didn’t care. He followed behind Liu Yong toward the outer courtyard.

This was the first time, after taking over this body, that he’d left his small courtyard. The outer courtyard was much larger, with flowers and trees, rockeries and lakes—everything really. Looking up, he saw a clear sky and dispersed clouds. Beyond the green tiles and upturned eaves, distant mountain silhouettes were visible. The air was clean and bright. For Huo Fenghua, who’d spent his whole life in a big city, this kind of scenery was truly rare.

He couldn’t help slowing his steps.

But as soon as he slowed down, Liu Yong tensed and asked, “What are you trying to do?”

They were walking on a winding wooden bridge over the lake. He lowered his head and saw his reflection in the water and immediately remembered what Qingqing had said about him throwing himself into the lake. Only then did he realize Liu Yong was afraid he was about to jump in and dry to drown himself again. So he smiled, lifted a hand, and patted Liu Yong on the back.

“Nothing. Don’t be scared, little brother. If you survive a great calamity, you’re bound to have good fortune later. I’m not seeking death again.”

Liu Yong looked at him with a startled expression, probably not used to his way of speaking. He froze for a moment, then turned back around and continued leading the way.

When they reached the ancestral hall, Huo Fenghua saw Su Zeyang again.

Su Zeyang was still dressed all in white. His black hair was tied into a topknot, yet a few strands still fell from his temples and hung over his chest. Standing there, his posture was straight, hands folded before him. When he saw Huo Fenghua enter, he didn’t speak. He only turned, lit a stick of incense, knelt to worship, then rose and placed the incense into the burner bowl on the altar.

From behind, Huo Fenghua sized up Su Zeyang and thought this “General’s wife” truly was a beauty. Huo Fenghua didn’t consider himself gay, but beauty transcended gender. It was simply pleasing to the eye, so he couldn’t help looking a few more times.

After offering incense, Su Zeyang stepped aside and said to the dazed Huo Fenghua, “It’s your turn.”

Huo Fenghua came back to himself, stepped forward, took the incense the steward handed him, and imitated Su Zeyang, lighting it and kneeling. He knew when to yield and when to stand tall. Kneeling to a Grand General’s ancestors wasn’t a big deal. He just didn’t have much sincerity in his heart. When he stood and went to place the incense into the burner bowl, Huo Fenghua couldn’t resist sneaking a look at Su Zeyang’s profile. His arm lifted, and he accidentally knocked the burner bowl to the ground.

The ceramic burner bowl shattered into pieces, scattering ash everywhere.

Behind Su Zeyang, Liu Yong shouted, “You!” Then he realized he’d overstepped, quickly shut his mouth, and only glared fiercely at Huo Fenghua.

Su Zeyang didn’t get angry. With a calm expression, he glanced at Huo Fenghua and asked the Feng household steward, “Uncle Lu, according to the family rules, how should this be dealt with?”

Steward Lu Xi was over sixty. He stroked his grizzled beard and said, “If one is not sincere or respectful to the ancestors, the punishment is to kneel in the ancestral hall.”

Su Zeyang asked, “For how long?”

Lu Xi said, “Until he sincerely admits his fault.”

Hearing that, Huo Fenghua immediately knelt on the kneeling cushion and loudly said, “I was wrong!” He thought he sounded sincere enough that Su Zeyang would forgive him.

But Su Zeyang only looked at him and said, “Without my permission, you’re not allowed to leave.”

Huo Fenghua froze. He wanted to argue a little, but when he saw Su Zeyang’s solemn expression, he could only close his mouth again and bow as if sincerely at fault.

Su Zeyang then turned and left the ancestral hall.

After that, Lu Xi also led the others out one by one. The last person reached out and shut the main doors to the ancestral hall, leaving only Huo Fenghua behind, kneeling alone in the dim, empty hall.

Huo Fenghua let out a heavy sigh, feeling quite frustrated. The candles on the altar were still burning, casting light on the Feng family ancestral tablets behind them. The faint, flickering shadows swayed restlessly, and it was oddly frightening. He wasn’t the real Huo Fenghua, and he’d never even met his so-called husband. He felt no sense of belonging to this “Feng family” at all. Instead, he felt like all these Feng ancestors were staring at him, as if they might recognize him as an imposter. After wrestling with it in his mind for a long time, he couldn’t keep kneeling. He rose from the cushion.

He walked softly to the tightly closed main doors of the ancestral hall and tried the door. He found it wasn’t locked from the outside. He opened a narrow crack and saw no one guarding outside, so he opened the doors and walked out.

Huo Fenghua made up his mind to leave the Feng household.

He deliberately took secluded side paths the whole way, afraid of being spotted. He wasn’t familiar with the manor’s layout, but his sense of direction was decent and he didn’t loop back. At last, he found the secluded back gate of the General’s Manor.

The back gate was bolted from the inside, and no one was guarding nearby. Huo Fenghua didn’t know whether anyone had seen him, but since no one came out to stop him, he opened the back gate and fled.

Outside the back gate was a narrow alley with high walls that lined both sides; probably two estates built right up against each other. He hurried out of the alley, and after walking not far he saw pedestrians on the street. He turned back to glance at the General’s Manor’s green high wall, then headed straight toward the crowded main road.

Inside this ancient body was a modern soul. He’d been here for quite some time already, but he’d been trapped in the General’s Manor with no chance to come out. This was his first time walking through a lively street like this.

He couldn’t help looking around. Everything felt novel, and he wanted to move closer to look at it all. Then he caught the smell of steamed rice cakes from a roadside stall and finally felt hungry. He went over to look, and when he heard the vendor say one rice cake cost only two copper coins, he reached into his clothes to search himself. Only then did he realize how penniless he was. He hadn’t brought a single coin with him.

His hand found a jade pendant hanging at his waist. Qingqing had helped him put it there this morning. He didn’t know its origin or value, but it definitely wasn’t worth only two copper coins. So he looked up and asked the vendor where the nearest pawnshop was.

The vendor pointed him in a direction. On the way to the pawnshop, Huo Fenghua saw a gambling house by the road and immediately stopped.

He stood at the entrance and stared for a while. Then he turned and slipped into the pawnshop next door, slapped the jade pendant down on the counter, and said, “Pawn this!”

The pawnbroker lifted his head, and when he saw the emerald-green, crystal-bright jade pendant, his eyes lit up. He didn’t speak, only picked it up and rubbed it carefully.

Just from its quality, Huo Fenghua could tell it was valuable. He asked, “How much can I get for it?”

The pawnbroker examined it for a long time, then said, “I’ll pawn it for twenty taels of silver.”

“Only twenty taels?” Huo Fenghua was instantly disappointed. He didn’t know current prices, but he’d assumed it would be at least one or two hundred taels. Twenty sounded far too little.

The pawnbroker said, “I can’t offer more.”

Huo Fenghua sighed to himself and reached a hand toward the counter. “Give it to me.”

He pawned the jade pendant for twenty taels of silver. He tucked the silver and the pawn ticket into his chest and left the shop. Standing at the roadside, he looked left and right. He first went to the corner and bought a meat bun to eat. Before he’d even finished it, he casually grabbed a passerby and asked, “Is there a gambling house around here?”

That passerby looked him over, and seeing his neat clothes and handsome face, raised a hand and pointed him toward a direction.

Huo Fenghua followed the directions all the way until he reached the pleasure quarters. Since it was still early, the street was cold and quiet. Looking down the way, all the doors were shut tight. Only two gambling houses at the ends of the street had their doors open, and lively shouting spilled out from behind cloth curtains. As a gambler himself, he knew a gambling house probably never closed day or night.

With a small smile, Huo Fenghua reached into his chest to feel the silver, then walked with steady steps toward one of the gambling houses.

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Kinky Thoughts:

I was in the mood for a threesome novel, and a friend recommended this to me. It’s not often I encounter a danmei that has a threesome (and quite explicit to boot). So yes, be sure you’re at the appropriate age to read this. 

I also happened to like another work by this author (The Star Around The Sun) so I decided why not give this a go. Besides, I often get asked, why is my alias Kinky, but I never actually do any projects that are kinky? So hopefully a threesome is kinky enough.

Regarding the title of this novel. It’s [Feng Shuangfei] (凤双飞) which translates to A Pair of Phoenixes Flying Together (or something along those lines). But there’s a hidden meaning behind the title.

On the surface of the title, it’s meant of a symbolism of a romantic pair (two phoenixes flying together), but removing the phoenix from the title, and you get [Shuangfei] (双飞), which, in terms of slang, refers to a threesome (lol). You can guess who the two phoenixes are referring to and who the third party is.

Anyways, happy reading.

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