Fool Overlord Bears Thorns to Apologize

Feng Ziying, the Young Master of the Divine Martial General's household, was a notorious dandy in the capital. When it came to arrogance and tyranny, he probably far surpassed that pack of young masters from Jia Manor.

If he could help it, Sun Shaozong truly did not want to get too close to that sort.

But one could never escape the four words "connections and favors" in this life. To keep his cheap elder brother from being put in an awkward position before the Divine Martial General, Sun Shaozong could only begrudgingly attend the appointment at noon on the thirtieth day of the first month.

When he arrived before Hundred Flowers Pavilion, he saw dozens of strips of green gauze hanging from the second-floor railing, fluttering in the northwesterly wind and filling half the street with the seductive scent of powder and perfume.

One look at the place told Sun Shaozong that this was no respectable restaurant, and his distaste deepened. Though he was fond of women himself, he had never liked getting involved with women of the pleasure quarters. Even when he went out to play along with his colleagues, he only ever sampled lightly.

"Ah, sir~!"

A pimp in a Blue-Clothed Cap came hurrying over, bobbing and bowing as he cautiously asked, "May I ask whether Your Honor's surname is Sun? Are you here for Yamen Runner Feng's banquet?"

Sun Shaozong gave a slight nod. The pimp hurriedly led him toward a small path on the left. "This way, please, Your Honor. Yamen Runner Feng has rented Yun'er Girl's separate residence for the day, so I must trouble you to walk a little farther."

Tsk~

When the Emperor's consort returned home to visit her family, she had to stay in some blasted separate residence—and who would have thought that even the courtesans in brothels shared the same obsession?

Following the pimp down the path for another hundred paces or so, he saw an estate standing across the way. Its furnishings before the gate were no different from those of any grand and wealthy household, save for the plaque in the center, which bore the three words: Brocade Fragrance Courtyard.

Sun Shaozong was about to take a closer look when someone hurried out from Brocade Fragrance Courtyard. The man was broad and brawny, radiating a simple-minded savagery—and he was none other than the Fool Overlord, Xue Pan!

The last time they met, Sun Shaozong had made this fellow lose a great deal of face. Seeing him come out to greet him, Sun Shaozong could not help raising his guard.

Yet Xue Pan acted as if they were old friends. Without caring about anything else, he stepped forward and seized the reins of Sun Shaozong's mount, saying warmly, "Second Brother Sun, you've really kept me waiting! Come, come, come—your little brother will take you to tie up your horse first. Then we'll go find Brother Feng and have some fun!"

The repeated "Second Brother Sun" and "your little brother" left Sun Shaozong thoroughly bewildered. He let Xue Pan lead the reins over to the Hitching Post, intending to dismount first and then ask what this was all about.

Who would have thought that Xue Pan bent his legs and half-knelt before the horse, apparently intending to serve as a stepping stone?

Sun Shaozong could not hold himself back any longer. He frowned from atop the horse for a long while, yet still could not figure out what medicine Xue Pan was selling from his gourd. So he simply got straight to the point. "Young Master Xue, if you have something to say, say it plainly. Why put on such a hypocritical act?"

"Second Brother, you jest. How would I dare offer you instruction?"

Xue Pan shook his head and dramatically raised a thumb. "In this Imperial City, who doesn't know that Second Brother can kill bandits on horseback and solve cases once dismounted—a hero among heroes! If I'd known that Qianxiang Woman was Second Brother's exclusive possession, I would never have dared to spew nonsense from my filthy mouth!"

Seeing that Sun Shaozong still looked suspicious, he hastily made himself even plainer. "All my life, I've hated spineless cowards most, and admired capable heroes most. If a spineless coward bullied me, even if I slaughtered his whole family afterward, it still wouldn't sit right in my heart! But if I fell into the hands of a true hero, then I would be convinced heart and soul!"

Only then did Sun Shaozong understand that he had encountered a "simpleton." Such people's thoughts could not be judged by ordinary logic. Too lazy to think further on it, he swung down from the other side of the horse and said casually, "Since it was all a misunderstanding, how about we call it no acquaintance without a fight?"

What happened back then had indeed displeased Sun Shaozong, but this fellow had first suffered at his hands, and now he was putting on the posture of Bearing Thorns to Apologize. It would not be easy for Sun Shaozong to continue pressing the matter.

"As Second Brother says!"

Xue Pan sprang up from the ground, grinning like a chrysanthemum as he smugly declared, "I asked around before coming. Yun'er Girl of Brocade Fragrance Courtyard has only just hung out her sign and has not yet been deflowered by anyone. Today, I'll help Second Brother take her first prize, as an apology for offending Sister-in-law that day."

This fellow truly was generous. To claim the first night of the Capital Courtesan, it likely would not come cheap without three to five thousand taels.

Unfortunately, Sun Shaozong truly had no taste for that sort of thing. He tactfully declined. "I appreciate Brother Xue's goodwill, but I truly have little interest in women of the pleasure quarters. You should keep this good fortune for yourself."

"Exactly!"

To Sun Shaozong's surprise, Xue Pan immediately slapped his thigh, leaned in, and gave a lecherous chuckle. "To tell Second Brother the truth, I actually like respectable young wives best. Last time at Xizhi Gate, I set my sights on a beautiful young wife. Since her husband was nearby, she could only shove and struggle, bite and kick, yet she didn't dare cry out even once. In the end, I still got my way. That feeling was truly exhilarating!"

Fuck!

I only said I didn't like women of the pleasure quarters. How had that turned into preferring other men's respectable wives in this bastard's mouth?

Sun Shaozong could not help cursing furiously in his heart. And from Xue Pan's description, he had plainly raped that woman, hadn't he?!

For a moment, Sun Shaozong even wanted to turn on him directly and haul him off to Shuntian Prefecture for prosecution!

"Big-Headed Xue!"

Just then, laughter and a curse rang out from Brocade Fragrance Courtyard. "I told you to greet our honored guest—how did you end up blocking the guest outside the gate?!"

Before the words had faded, a handsome and dashing young master stepped over the threshold. He took several quick strides forward and gave a deep bow. "This must be Second Brother Sun, I presume? I have long heard your great name, like thunder filling the ears. I rashly invited you here today; I hope Second Brother Sun will be generous enough to forgive it!"

Sun Shaozong had not held much of an impression of Feng Ziying before, but at this meeting, he truly found him to be a man of unrestrained spirit and refined charm. No wonder people called him the outstanding one among the dandies.

Sun Shaozong hurriedly returned the bow. And after this delay, his urge to arrest Xue Pan had faded by more than half.

As the Judicial Assistant Magistrate, he received copied case files for every case within Shuntian Prefecture's jurisdiction. Yet since taking office, he had never once seen anyone lodge a complaint against Xue Pan.

Clearly, either Xue Pan had later sweet-talked that woman into silence, or, bound by the word chastity, she had been too ashamed to speak of it and even less willing to alert the authorities. Since the woman herself was unwilling to step forward, why should he risk becoming the target of universal condemnation?

At the end of the day, Sun Shaozong was not the sort who would disregard everything just to seek justice for a stranger.

Thus, after the three exchanged a few pleasantries with laughter and smiles, they were about to enter Brocade Fragrance Courtyard.

But just then, thunderous hoofbeats sounded from the path. Some forty or fifty riders came charging over like a gale sweeping away clouds. Every one of them was a burly, well-fed Soldier carrying a cudgel, except for the pale, fat man at their head, whose face was bruised and swollen.

The fat man saw the three standing side by side ahead of him and immediately gritted his teeth as he barked, "Men, tie up this Feng bastard! If I, Chou Yunfei, don't make him kneel on the ground and call me grandpa today, then I'll fucking take his surname from now on!"

I had something to do this morning, so the update came a little late. The second chapter will probably be late as well.