Chapter 30: That Is My Good Brother
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Su Hanwei had summoned the last of her courage before daring to draw her sword against Liang Shucheng.
Yet even before Liang Shucheng, she was nothing but a joke.
She could solve none of her troubles. She had sent her grandfather to prison, yet possessed no way to save him. She was the most useless person of all.
Staggering forward, Su Hanwei managed to walk several dozen steps. With every step, her spirit cracked apart bit by bit.
At last, she could no longer hold on. Blood spilled from her mouth, and she collapsed headfirst onto the ground.
Several beggars approached furtively.
“Dressed so well, yet looking just like a beggar. What happened to her?”
“Perhaps she’s the daughter of some landlord whose family went bankrupt, leaving her homeless.”
“Let’s see what she looks like.”
One of the beggars rolled Su Hanwei over and pushed aside the disheveled hair covering her face.
“Damn, she looks like a pig’s head. She’s hideous!”
“Pah, pah, pah! She makes me sick!”
“She has a decent figure, though. Why don’t we take her back and have some fun?”
“She’s so ugly. How could you even bring yourself to kiss her?”
“Just cover her head with a sack. Wouldn’t it be the same either way?”
“Exactly!”
Su Hanwei had not lost consciousness. She heard every word the beggars said.
She was the granddaughter of the prefect, yet now even beggars thought her too ugly?
What a tremendous irony.
Su Hanwei wanted to speak, wanted to drive the beggars away.
But she had not the slightest strength left, and could not utter a single word.
Just then, several constables came over.
“Get lost!”
The leading constable kicked one of the beggars away, and the others immediately scattered.
“Take her back.”
The constables promptly hoisted Su Hanwei up and carried her away.
Although Zhao Mingshan had captured Su Tong, that stubborn old man refused to confess.
There was only one way left: use Su Hanwei to force Su Tong to admit his guilt.
…
Ever since Li Baofu disappeared and Xu Shuangyi took over the Splendid Brocade Pavilion, the shop’s business had plummeted.
When it came to dirty and exhausting work, she was highly capable. She had done more than enough of it back in the capital.
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But when it came to running a business, Xu Shuangyi was utterly helpless.
Xu Mu had clearly said that once he had enough capital, he would start a new venture. Yet over the past two days, he had done nothing but practice his martial arts or have her spar with him. He showed not the slightest intention of actually doing business.
“Beg me, and I can sell out all the Splendid Brocade Pavilion’s inventory by tomorrow,” Xu Mu said mildly.
“I beg…”
Xu Shuangyi instinctively began to plead with Xu Mu.
She had already developed an immunity to this side of him and did not find it particularly irritating.
The man simply loved putting on airs.
Besides, whenever she sparred with him, she could secretly strike a little harder and vent her frustration.
“Wait. Your surname is Xu, and the money you earn is under your control as well. This is your family’s business—why should I beg you?” Xu Shuangyi finally realized.
“You’re only at the middle stage of the Lesser Grandmaster realm. Don’t you need money to buy rare treasures?” Xu Mu asked with a smile.
“Then we need to make an agreement. Whatever the business earns, we split it fifty-fifty,” Xu Shuangyi said without the slightest hesitation.
“Oh? A few days ago, you were shouting that you wanted to send the proceeds back to the capital to honor your adoptive father. And now you’re thinking of pocketing half of my Xu family’s assets? You’re no different from those powerful clans of Liangzhou.”
Xu Mu smiled.
Xu Shuangyi lowered her head slightly, raising her eyes to look at him. Her expression made her seem as though she wanted to swallow him whole.
“Your adoptive father entrusted you with the business in Liangzhou. Naturally, you have the final say in how the profits are divided. Even if he comes asking questions, you’ll be the one answering him,” Xu Shuangyi said.
“You should keep thoughts like that to yourself. Must you say everything out loud? Can’t you leave yourself a little room for subtlety? Beg me,” Xu Mu said with a smile.
“First agree to give me half the profits,” Xu Shuangyi replied.
“Fine.”
“Consider it my plea, then.”
It was not the first time she had lowered herself before Xu Mu. So what if she had to beg?
Xu Mu’s words might be unpleasant, but they were reasonable.
In the past, all the rare treasures she needed for martial cultivation had come from her adoptive father’s charity.
Now, she could only count on Xu Mu to share the money with her so that she could purchase the resources required for her training.
If she truly wanted to break through into the Grandmaster realm within three years, as Xu Mu had claimed, she would surely have to spend a mountain of gold and silver.
“Your attitude lacks sincerity. Can’t you be a little softer? Put some feeling into it. Tug on my clothes and beg me.”
Xu Shuangyi was instantly speechless.
“If you won’t beg, forget it. Find a way to earn the money yourself. I have twenty thousand taels, which will last me for quite a while.”
Helpless, Xu Shuangyi walked over to Xu Mu. Pinching the corner of his robe between two fingers, she gave it a gentle tug.
“Please, consider it my plea~~ Good little brother~”
“Ugh… shudder…”
Looking at Xu Shuangyi—who normally wore the expression of a dead fish—adopting such a delicate, demure manner and even speaking in such a coy voice, Xu Mu felt gooseflesh rise all over his body.
Then—
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“Bleh!”
Xu Mu pretended to be disgusted.
Xu Shuangyi’s expression darkened, and she immediately kicked him.
“You’re making fun of me? Believe me, I’ll fight you to the death!”
“A young lady should be gentle and graceful. Be careful, or you’ll never get married. I’m telling you, if you used that attitude with every man in the world, you could make them all bow at your feet.”
“So are you agreeing or not?”
“Fine, I agree. From now on, you’ll be my bodyguard and work for me. I’ll give you half of whatever I earn.”
“That’s more like it. Now that’s my good little brother.” Xu Shuangyi smiled triumphantly.
“Since you begged me, I won’t be coming back tonight. I’m going to the Splendid Brocade Pavilion to make the preparations. Tomorrow, I’ll sell off all the inventory. When the time comes, just wait to collect your share.”
After saying this, Xu Mu changed his clothes and left alone.
Watching Xu Mu’s departing figure, Xu Shuangyi suddenly felt a little worried about him traveling by himself.
The last time, Xu Mu had been assassinated, though the assassin had been exceptionally unintelligent.
“Little Jin.”
“This servant is here.”
“Protect Young Master in secret. Do not let anything happen to him.”
“Understood.”
Xu Mu arrived at the Splendid Brocade Pavilion. By then, night had fallen, and the shop was already closed for the day.
He knocked on the door, and several shop assistants were lazily tidying up inside.
“So it’s Young Master Xu.”
“What brings you here so late?”
The shop assistants hurried over to greet him.
After the funeral, everyone in the city knew that Xu Mu had some connection with Xu Shuangyi.
Xu Shuangyi called Zhou Wanlian her adoptive mother, but most people still did not believe that Xu Mu was truly a member of the Xu family.
They assumed only that Zhou Wanlian had once raised Xu Shuangyi, which was why Xu Shuangyi addressed her as her adoptive mother.
But whether or not Xu Mu truly came from the Xu residence, he had clearly managed to cling to a powerful new patron.
In the past, everyone had mocked Xu Mu as a good-for-nothing, saying that any reputation he possessed came solely from relying on his wife.
Now he was still relying on a woman, but the insults directed at him had gradually transformed into envy.
Who would not want an adoptive elder sister like Xu Shuangyi backing them?
To walk freely through Liangzhou in the future, enjoying every luxury and pleasure—what could be better?
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