As a Brother, One Must Worry More

Chapter 16: 16. As a brother, one must always worry more

The cockfighting arena had already determined the winner.

The lackeys of the Wealthy Merchant Guild sighed in disappointment.

Liu Shirong, however, slapped his head and laughed, "We lost, we lost. Brother Ning's Golden Winged Thunder Duke is still superior."

He had clearly lost, yet he seemed happier than if he had won.

Ning Xuan said proudly, "Naturally."

Liu Shirong clapped his hands, and a servant immediately put the "Iron Beak General" back into its cage. Liu Shirong, however, didn't even glance at the defeated rooster again. He walked straight to Ning Xuan's viewing pavilion and said, "Brother Ning, you can send someone to our Wealthy Merchant Guild later. I, Liu Shirong, keep my word. Those two cargo boxes on the Western Regions route will definitely belong to you."

Ning Xuan asked, "Old Liu, what are you up to?"

Liu Shirong smiled, tilted his head, and said, "Let's talk about it at the Drunken Flower House."

He then added, "There are two new Chaste Maidens at the Drunken Flower House. If you and I go today, they will naturally shed their chaste status and become courtesans. It's their good fortune to give their first time to us two noble Young Masters.

Speaking of which, I don't know when my family will arrange a marriage alliance for me.

Once that happens, you and I won't have this freedom. Even if we go to the pleasure districts, we'll have to consider our principal wife's feelings. Heh, let's go!"

Ning Xuan chuckled, "I've been to Chenxiang Pavilion in Prefecture City many times, but I haven't found anyone as good as Xiao Jie."

Liu Shirong said regretfully, "Why don't I have a Xiao Jie as a maid?"

Ning Xuan said, "Old Liu, get to the point. What do you want?"

Liu Shirong gave a meaningful look.

The lackeys understood and dispersed one after another.

Ning Xuan also gave a look, and his people quickly left.

Only the two of them remained.

Liu Shirong then said, "To be honest, brother, my father has given me a non-negotiable task: I must marry my sister to you. The dowry can be discussed."

Ning Xuan asked curiously, "With Yushu's qualifications, shouldn't there be countless men pursuing her? Besides, your Wealthy Merchant Guild is a powerful force in itself. Why would you rush to marry your eldest daughter to me?"

Liu Shirong gritted his teeth and said, "This is my father's arrangement. I don't know his exact plans, especially since he's still alive.

Brother Ning, why don't you try dating Yushu? That girl Yushu is very good."

After speaking, he repeatedly patted his own face and said, "I'm begging you shamelessly, brother, please help me.

Moreover, if you marry Yushu, there will be at least two benefits.

First, Yushu is extremely skilled at managing household affairs, so you won't have any worries;

Second, didn't I just say that after marriage, if you want to go to the pleasure districts, you'll have to consider your principal wife's feelings? You, on the other hand, don't need to consider Yushu's feelings. Go whenever you want. If she gets angry, I, your brother-in-law, will handle her for you."

Ning Xuan asked, "Are you treating your sister well by saying that?"

Liu Shirong replied, "What's not to treat her well? As long as my sister gets into your bed and handles things, even if she makes a mistake, it won't be a big deal. I, as her brother, have to worry much more. I'm truly walking on thin ice.

Sigh. Brother, although we're just drinking and eating friends, we do have some friendship. I'm truly begging you. The old man gave me a strict order to secure you as my brother-in-law."

Ning Xuan said, "Don't beg, don't act shamelessly. That ruins the fun."

He thought for a moment and said, "How about this? When my father returns, I'll mention it to him. If he doesn't object, I'll give it a try."

Speaking of which, Liu Yushu had been quite attentive to him, and he had seen her appearance, which was quite good.

As for her personality, she was virtuous and suitable to be a wife.

Moreover, since she was eager to marry him, she wouldn't restrict him after marriage and would prioritize him.

The trade routes of the Wealthy Merchant Guild could become an intelligence network for him, helping him investigate many demons and monsters, assisting him in understanding this world, and helping him refine the Heavenly Demon Scroll.

If he were to pursue the daughter of a more powerful family, it might seem better, but there would be many troubles after marriage.

Liu Shirong smiled and said, "With Brother Ning's words, I can report back to the old man. Thank you."

Ning Xuan wasn't in a hurry to refine the Heavenly Demon Scroll of the "Ghost Shadow Horse Monkey." He wanted to gather more information first. Horses stumble, and people make mistakes. What if he failed? It would be over. If he could be foolproof, why choose to take risks?

He wasn't in a hurry to worship the "Mysterious Buddha Statue" either. Even if he were to use such a strange demonic and magical method, he would need to understand it thoroughly, then find someone to test it, and only then proceed when it was safe.

The injuries from the Ghost Shadow Horse Monkey's blow were recovering rapidly. Within two to three days, he was basically back to normal.

Ning Xuan moved to a different location and resumed his "daily training."

Weighted long-distance running, rock climbing, push-ups, sit-ups...

He underwent brutal training day after day.

In the blink of an eye, another half a month passed.

His physical fitness had improved from 1.8 to 2.2. The bonus provided by the "Mountain Crashing Bear Demon" Heavenly Demon Scroll had decreased from "2.3" to "2.1."

As for his height when he summoned the Bear Scroll, it had decreased from eight feet to seven feet, becoming increasingly normal.

One day, he returned to the city again and boarded the carriage parked in front of the city gate.

Today, he expected it to be like usual, with Xiao Jie taking him back and some banquets arranged for the evening.

But, something was different.

As soon as he got into the carriage today, Xiao Jie told him solemnly, "Old Master is back."

Old Master Ning had been away for nearly two months, and he was finally back.

Ning Taiyi was a very peaceful man. He had celebrated his fiftieth birthday the year before last. Ning Xuan had calculated that his father must have been thirty-five when he and his mother decided to have him.

Originally, he thought his father was just a busy man focused on his career. He had been striving before he turned thirty-five, then grew tired of the decadent world and came to this remote Prefecture City. After meeting his mother, it was love at first sight, and he settled down here.

However, after meeting Han Ba and the Yellow Robe Daoist who wielded golden snake chains in mid-air, he changed his mind.

There were too many suspicious points about his father.

His father's attitude towards him was also a bit strange.

He did have feelings for his father.

Therefore, the more this was the case, the less he wanted his father to be heartless towards him.

Ning Xuan walked into the study with a complex feeling.

In the study, a figure was sitting quietly with his eyes closed, resting. Hearing footsteps, the figure opened his eyes.

Ning Xuan was startled when he saw his father.

His current physical body had reached 2.2, and all his senses were much sharper. He could hear people talking even through two walls, so he could naturally perceive things he hadn't noticed before.

His father was old.

Aging very quickly.

Although he appeared refined and elegant on the surface, his vitality was declining at an unbelievable rate.

His hair was all black, but white showed at a few roots, indicating he had used "a dyeing method from this world" to color his hair black.

Besides that, his father possessed an indescribable, mysterious majesty. The mere fact that he was sitting there gave people a sense of vastness, immensity, emptiness, and insignificance, as if he were seated on the earth with the sky behind him.

Looking at him was like looking at mountains and rivers.

Ordinary people couldn't see him this clearly; they would just call him "Old Master Ning, Old Master Ning."

But at this moment, Ning Xuan saw clearly.

As he looked at Ning Taiyi, Ning Taiyi was also looking at him.

Ning Taiyi smiled kindly, "Master Zhang said you were lazy, only practicing sporadically. I didn't expect you to be practicing so deeply in secret."

Ning Xuan scratched his head.

Ning Taiyi said, "Your Master Zhang probably can't beat you anymore. I never expected, never expected, that my Xuan'er would actually be a Martial Way prodigy."

Ning Xuan put on a simple and honest look of "being praised by an elder" and smiled, "I just suddenly had an epiphany."

Ning Taiyi clearly hadn't discovered his true level. After all, Ning Xuan's "strength" was restrained. As long as he didn't deliberately unleash it, it was like a calm sea surface; at first glance, it looked like a small river.

Ning Taiyi could see so much with just a casual glance, which already surpassed many people.

At this moment, Ning Taiyi rubbed his forehead and said, "Practicing martial arts is good; it can protect you. But martial artists have strong vitality, are prone to anger and impulsiveness, and easily cause trouble. Xuan'er, you should read more books. For martial arts, just aim for a healthy body. Don't learn any killing techniques from the Jianghu."

Ning Xuan keenly felt his father's disdain for "Jianghu killing techniques" and understood his father's meaning.

His father was afraid that he would be half-baked, stir up trouble, think too highly of himself, and end up causing disaster.

"Your son understands."

He replied, then immediately thought of mentioning "Liu Yushu" and asking for his father's opinion.

Just then, Ning Taiyi suddenly said, "I've arranged a marriage for you during this trip."

Ning Xuan was stunned and asked, "Who?"

Ning Taiyi said, "Qin Jin'er, the illegitimate daughter of the great General Qin Shanjun, the mistress of Hanzhou Ranch. After you get married, you can also go to Hanzhou Ranch. You can ride horses freely in the future."

Hanzhou Ranch?

Illegitimate daughter?

Ning Xuan was taken aback.

Hanzhou was such a faraway place. He had never been there, nor had he ever thought of going there.

"Father, are you sending me off to marry into their family? Don't you want me to stay and care for you and Mother anymore?" Ning Xuan suddenly asked.

Ning Taiyi concisely and clearly replied with one word: "Yes."

The air suddenly became quiet.

Ning Taiyi suddenly smiled.

His smile was like a spring breeze, capable of dissolving all resentment.

"Xuan'er, Father knows you have many questions, but you must believe that this is the best arrangement Father can make for you.

Go back to your room first. Father is a bit tired.

If you want to talk, we'll have time later, son."

Ning Xuan didn't say much more. Since his father had said so, he could wait.

He said, "Father, please rest well," and then withdrew.

He left, but his senses remained keenly locked onto his father's study.

He went far, to a distance where even a martial arts master wouldn't be able to lock onto that study anymore.

Suddenly, he felt someone watching him.

Not nearby, but from afar.

He forced himself not to turn his head, and the prying gaze suddenly vanished.

Immediately, he felt another voice ring out from his father's study.

"Are you really going to let Xuan go to Hanzhou?"

"He doesn't understand, but don't you understand either?"

"I understand. Xuan just needs to be your sole descendant and then go through with the arranged marriage. The more of a wastrel he is, the more he doesn't inherit any of your legacy, the more reassured those above will be. No matter what, it's just family conflict, or perhaps having a few more women, nothing that can't be forgiven. But I, as his older brother, have to worry about so many things. Truly, I tread carefully, as if standing at the edge of an abyss, as if walking on thin ice. Father, I truly don't know if you favor me or him."

The figure let out a long sigh, then said, "Taking advantage of this wave of Dragon Qi from the Bear Demon clan's annihilation, I have already taken another step forward in the Celestial Master realm."