Song Fengsui had slept fairly well, considering everything, but after the long exile journey, he had grown so accustomed to being on edge that his sleep had become as light and fragile as a silken thread, unable to withstand even the slightest disturbance.
A faint noise outside stirred him awake.
He opened his eyes, and the sharp sting on his arm was the first thing he noticed—the wound he had inflicted on himself the previous night. Now, at least, he could feel the pain.
He had obediently taken the medicinal broth and slept for a while, which helped bring down his fever. His body, heavy like it was filled with lead, felt much more at ease.
An Ge’er, who had been guarding the room, was nowhere to be seen. From the courtyard, Song Fengsui caught the sound of voices—loud, sharp, as if a commotion had broken out. That was what had woken him.
He didn’t know what was going on, nor whether Duan Yan had returned.
Worried about his home, fearing something might be amiss in the countryside, he couldn’t remain lying in bed. He picked up the clothes Madam Li had brought in, dressed carefully, and steadied himself as he prepared to step out of the bedroom to take a look.
Just then, Madam Li was tidying up the midday meal in the back kitchen when a sudden, heavy knocking sounded at the door—loud as if a bull were ramming it. She hurried over to open it.
As the door swung open, two burly men stood there, one behind the other, their brows furrowed and faces stern. She barely had time to whisper a question about who they were before the lead man barked sharply, demanding to know who she was.
Before she could utter a word, the triangular-eyed man at the front roughly shoved her aside, tilted his head, and pushed into the house, shouting for Brother Duan.
Madam Li nearly lost her footing and almost fell.
An Ge’er came out carrying water and, seeing these two fierce-looking men barging in and shoving her, rushed over with a stern face, warning them that breaking into a private home was a matter for the authorities.
The man following the triangular-eyed leader sneered and cursed, “Who do you think you are, calling for the law on us? This is Brother Hu, Brother Duan’s close friend!”
Neither Madam Li nor An Ge’er recognized the two men, but seeing how familiar they were with the household and how they called out to Master Duan as “Brother,” they found it difficult to say anything harsh.
An Ge’er was inwardly displeased with this so-called Brother Hu’s attitude. Their master appeared to be a gentle and upright man—how could he have such questionable associates?
Yet, no matter how unhappy he felt, An Ge’er was just a servant, and a newcomer at that. He dared not make a fuss.
He spoke politely, “So you are friends of Master Duan. Madam Li and I were hired by Master Gou San only today to work here at Master Duan’s residence. We don’t know many people yet. We hope Master Hu will not be angered.”
“Master Hu, may I ask if there is something urgent? Master Duan has gone out and hasn’t returned yet.”
Hearing this, Chen Hu snorted coldly.
“Gou San’er, what kind of scum are you?”
“Who dragged you all here and stuffed you into my brother’s house? Some poor relative of his?”
After saying this, Chen Hu shifted his gaze from Madam Li to An Ge’er. “Or perhaps his mistress?”
Both An Ge’er and Madam Li felt deeply insulted, their faces darkening. Madam Li dared not utter a word in response to Chen Hu and the other man, Wang Quan.
Only An Ge'er smiled apologetically and replied, “Master Hu, you must be joking. Neither of us knew Master Gou San before. Staying here in the mansion to serve was all with Master Duan’s approval.”
“You, little brat, sure have a sharp tongue. I say one thing, and you answer with ten! I think keeping you in the mansion is a waste of talent. Tomorrow, I’ll send you to the brothel instead, that’s where you belong…”
Chen Hu was already displeased. How dare this young kid talk back to him? But just as he raised his eyes, a slender, well-proportioned figure slowly emerged from the inner courtyard.
In an instant, his eyes were completely drawn to the newcomer, and the scolding words he had been about to spit at An Ge’er died on his lips.
Chen Hu’s stern face twisted, instantly replaced by a sly grin as his tone shifted: “Well, well, isn’t this Young Master Song~”
He scanned the beautiful face up and down, especially noting Song Fengsui’s pale complexion and somewhat unsteady steps, a clear sign of weakness. Without hiding his lecherous delight, he licked his lips.
Song Fengsui frowned deeply. Coming out only to be greeted by that disgusting face was hardly a pleasant experience.
But Chen Hu, having spotted him, buzzed around like a fly drawn to meat, waving dismissively at Madam Li and An Ge’er, telling them to busy themselves elsewhere.
Madam Li, fearful and new here, dared not speak up. An Ge’er, however, refused to move, insisting on attending to Song Fengsui. Wang Quan was dragged off to fetch some tea instead.
With everyone else gone, Chen Hu shamelessly approached Song Fengsui, nostrils flaring as if intoxicated by the scent. “Truly fragrant, indeed. The noble sons of the capital are nothing like us country boys from the mountains. I wonder what this taste is like…”
With a sudden clang, Song Fengsui drew the dagger he carried on his person. Chen Hu caught the flash of cold steel and took a half step back.
His eyes fixed on the sharp blade in Song Fengsui’s hand, he narrowed them. “He actually gave you his knife.”
After a moment, he sneered, “Looks like you’ve served him well in bed. You used to pretend to be so strong, refusing to yield even unto death. Now I see you’re just a weakling with a lustful bone.”
Holding the dagger, Song Fengsui glared coldly at Chen Hu. “How I live is no business of yours to judge.”
Chen Hu stared into Song Fengsui’s ice-cold eyes, undeterred and only growing more infatuated. He lasciviously scanned him from head to toe, then said in a low voice, “Had I known you were this irresistible, I wouldn’t have sent you here.”
“But sooner or later, you’ll end up in my bed.”
Song Fengsui’s cold gaze flickered, and with a quiet sneer, he said, “You drugged me and brought me here to please yourself. You’re nothing but a dog wagging its tail for scraps. And now the dog wants to bite its master.”
Chen Hu’s face flushed as if he’d been spat upon. Unable to hold back his anger, he grabbed Song Fengsui’s arm tightly.
“What is he to you? You really think calling him ‘big brother’ means anything? He’s just a brainless fool. You think following him means safety? In no time, everything will be mine!”
Song Fengsui frowned deeply, trying to pull his arm free in anger, but his frail body couldn’t match Chen Hu’s brute strength.
The more he struggled, the more triumphant Chen Hu’s face became, his smile growing increasingly brazen. Just as he recklessly lunged forward with a dagger, heedless of the risk of injuring himself, a brutal kick intercepted him before he could strike.
The moment Song Fengsui broke free from his captors, his body swayed slightly. Only with a gentle steadying hand did he regain his balance. Tilting his head, he met a face taut with tension, cold and stern.
Chen Hu, who had been thoroughly enjoying tormenting Song Fengsui, was completely unaware of when someone had slipped into the courtyard.
It wasn’t until he suddenly felt as if he’d been struck by a hundred-pound meteor hammer, his legs uncontrollably buckling beneath him, that he realized Duan Yan had returned.
Probably because he had never before been treated like this by Duan Yan, Chen Hu, kneeling on the ground, was more shocked by Duan Yan’s actions than by the pain in his legs.
He tilted his head back, mouth agape in disbelief: “B... Big brother.”
Even Wang Quan, who came running over after hearing the commotion, was taken aback by the scene.
Duan Yan hadn’t actually heard the conversation between the two; he’d only noticed the gate left ajar and walked in, surprised to see Chen Hu holding Song Fengsui with ill intent, his expression lewd and shameless.
Even if it wasn’t Song Fengsui being restrained like this, Duan Yan couldn’t bear to watch any delicate young man or girl being tormented by such a brute. Seeing Song Fengsui treated this way not only made him unable to stand it but also ignited a fierce anger within him.
When he left, it had taken great effort to soothe Song Fengsui’s ruffled nerves. Yet, in the blink of an eye, Chen Hu had provoked him again, raising his hackles and drawing his dagger.
This was supposed to be the aftermath of dealing with Chen Hu’s poisoning scheme—still unresolved—and the bastard had the nerve to stir up trouble again. How could Duan Yan not be furious?
Whether it was anger clouding his mind or something else, he suddenly felt dizzy.
“Are you hurt?” Duan Yan ignored Chen Hu on the ground and first checked on the weakened Song Fengsui.
Song Fengsui said nothing, only pressing his lips together tightly.
He was somewhat displeased with Duan Yan, all because of Chen Hu.
Given the earlier events, he no longer felt any resentment toward Duan Yan, though he still couldn’t quite grasp the true purpose behind his help. But now, facing Chen Hu again and witnessing his disgusting, shameless behavior, his heart couldn’t help but be unsettled.
Chen Hu was so arrogant and morally corrupt, acting more domineering in the Duan household than in his own. Wasn’t Duan Yan, as the eldest brother, responsible for keeping him in check?
If you don’t enforce discipline, sooner or later someone will ride roughshod over you. The fact was, Chen Hu was already set on doing just that.
Looking at Duan Yan’s stunned expression, Song Fengsui guessed he probably still didn’t realize the dark thoughts brewing in his trusted comrade’s mind. Despite his strong and robust physique, Duan Yan was uneducated and lacked common sense, destined to be drained dry by others sooner or later.
It was enough to make Song Fengsui feel a bitter frustration, like hating a blacksmith for not forging stronger steel.
Seeing Song Fengsui remain silent, Duan Yan didn’t know what he was thinking but noticed his poor expression and furrowed his brow even tighter. “Are you feeling unwell? I’ll call a doctor.”
“No need.”
Song Fengsui had just uttered two words when he saw An Ge’er running over. He had no interest in facing Chen Hu’s unpleasant face any longer. Since the master of the house had returned, and he was just an outsider, whatever he said wouldn’t matter. So he simply said, “I’m heading back to my room.”
Wang Quan, standing nearby, noticed that Duan Yan was ignoring Chen Hu, and he felt a bit uneasy. Seeing Song Fengsui calling An Ge’er to leave, he quickly stepped over and helped Chen Hu up, trying to smooth things over. “Brother Duan, you must have misunderstood Brother Hu.”
“Since Jiangcai isn’t here, Brother Hu saw that the precious dagger you always carry was in Song Ge’er’s hands and thought something had happened. That’s why he went to ask Song Ge’er. Brother Hu’s nature is straightforward, sometimes lacking tact. Without knowing the full story, it’s easy to misunderstand when coming in like this.”
Duan Yan relied on the muddled memories of his former self, knowing that his original self trusted Chen Hu deeply, always seeing things through a biased lens. But judging by Chen Hu’s behavior, any clear-headed person would know he wasn’t a good man.
In the past, the original self trusted this scoundrel, but Duan Yan himself didn’t share that trust.
However, to avoid raising suspicion, Duan Yan suppressed his anger and said, “The knife was given to him by me.”
Hearing this, Wang Quan quickly changed his tone, “So it really was Brother Duan who gave it to him. Then it’s just a misunderstanding on Brother Hu’s part. Brother Duan, don’t be angry. Brother Hu is only worried about you.”
Duan Yan shot a glance at Wang Quan. This guy had been brought to the iron workshop by the original self, but now he was completely on Chen Hu’s side.
In fact, it wasn’t just him; most of the brothers at the iron workshop had probably already been bought over by Chen Hu. There were hardly two left who remained loyal to the original self.
Normally, with his old temper, Duan Yan would have folded his arms behind his back and given a stern lecture to someone who had made a mistake.
But for someone like Chen Hu, who was beyond redemption and full of wickedness, he didn’t even bother wasting words.
Duan Yan ignored Wang Quan’s remarks and fixed his cold, silent gaze on Chen Hu.
His tall frame and the intense, chilling look he gave off were highly intimidating.
Earlier, Chen Hu had been silent and looked as if he was accepting punishment for a mistake, but in truth, he had been secretly scrutinizing Duan Yan. Seeing how radiant and vigorous he appeared, combined with the strong leg he had, doubt filled his heart.
His suspicion wasn’t that Duan Yan was no longer the person he used to be, but rather, how was Duan Yan unharmed?
He had been given various medicines one after another. No matter how healthy and strong he was, he should have been weakened by now.
The barefoot doctor had explained clearly: yesterday, the dosage was increased, and after downing strong liquor and having sex, the excitement would cause a blood vessel to burst, leading to death. And even if an autopsy were done, it would be hard to prove the cause was the drugs.
Chen Hu had accompanied Duan Yan through most of a jar of wine, and Duan Yan was already a bit dizzy, clearly not his usual tolerance. The medicine must have taken effect.
To avoid suspicion during any investigation afterward, Chen Hu even had Gou San’er escort Duan Yan back to his room while he and some brothers continued drinking in the front yard. So if the drugs were discovered later, the blame could be pinned on Gou San’er.
From last night until half of this morning, he had been waiting for news from that side. He waited and waited, but the result he hoped for never came. Unable to bear it any longer, he came to see for himself—and never expected things to turn out like this.
He didn’t know which part had gone wrong. Could it be that he hadn’t made a move on Song Fengsui? Or was that barefoot doctor just a fraud, only after his money, with no real skill at all?
But neither of these possibilities made sense to him. Song Fengsui’s looks—how could any man resist? Besides, Song Fengsui was still standing by him so loyally; there was no way nothing had happened between them.
And as for that barefoot doctor, the medicine he’d given before had indeed shown some effect.
Chen Hu couldn’t figure out the reason. Now, when his eyes met Duan Yan’s gaze, his heart gave a sharp jolt.
His mind was in turmoil, even wondering if he had somehow leaked something.
Duan Yan said nothing, leaving Chen Hu no chance to wriggle out of the situation through words. So, cautiously, he looked into Duan Yan’s eyes and spoke:
“Big brother, what happened just now was my fault. You can hit me or punish me as you like, but please don’t let this reckless mistake of mine cause any rift between us brothers.”
At this moment, Duan Yan still didn’t know that Chen Hu, whom the original self regarded as a brother, was already scheming maliciously against his life. But he was well aware that Chen Hu’s nature was not only something to guard against but also required a proper way to get rid of him.
Yet, based on what happened today alone, it wasn’t enough to deal with him.
If Song Fengsui truly was his lover, that would give some grounds to act. But Song Fengsui had to leave, and once that happened, the two of them wouldn’t have that kind of relationship anymore. Chen Hu would surely take the opportunity to cause trouble for Song Fengsui again, and others would have their own suspicions.
Duan Yan looked at Chen Hu, already making some plans in his mind. Then, suddenly calming his tone, he said, “It’s good that you know your mistake. From now on, no more reckless actions.”
“You came at the right time. There’s a fierce epidemic raging in the countryside. Take some people and go to the tenant farmers’ place to bring back some grain and livestock to the city to store safely. That way, if the disease gets out of control, and the town gets locked down, we’ll still have supplies.”
“Besides grain, try to buy some commonly used medicinal herbs at a good price. In a while, the two pharmacies in town might not even have ordinary herbs available.”
Hearing this, Chen Hu felt a sudden sense of relief.
Since Duan Yan was still willing to let him handle tasks like before, it meant he hadn’t exposed his secret.
“Yes, big brother.”
Chen Hu quickly added, “I’ll close the shop this afternoon and take people to the countryside to handle this.”
He put on an obedient face, but secretly sneered. With Duan Yan’s mind, there was no way he’d suspect a thing. The epidemic was raging; if he went to the tenant farmers to collect grain and stored it, he could then raise prices like that butcher did and make a good profit.
Duan Yan responded with a grunt and reminded him not to take advantage of the current epidemic situation, then sent Chen Hu and Wang Quan off.
Watching them leave, his eyes flickered slightly. Though he couldn’t get rid of this malignant tumor immediately, at least he could give him some tasks to keep him occupied, which would help keep him in check and prevent him from scheming around Song Fengsui.
Once outside the gate, Chen Hu and Wang Quan immediately dropped their respectful demeanor.
Wang Quan said angrily, “Big brother, you really are something—getting into a fight with Brother Hu all over a little brother, it hurts the bonds between us. If it weren’t for Brother Hu’s skills, would you have been able to get that Song Fengsui?”
Chen Hu also felt that Duan Yan was just putting on a show for Song Fengsui and that little brother, after all, he used to be someone who’d go to any lengths for love. It wasn’t surprising that now he was just trying to save face.
He narrowed his eyes and said, “That temper of his has always been like this; he’s not destined for great things.”
When they returned, they’d have to drag that barefoot doctor over and question him thoroughly—figure out exactly what went wrong that Duan Yan was still alive today.
His leg was still throbbing faintly. That blow wasn’t something a frail body like his should have been able to withstand.
