Let Eldest Brother Take the Blame

The Capital City, Marquis Yong'an's Estate, main hall.

"Mother, Sister Xi, I—I truly didn't mean to..." Zhang Heng knelt on the floor, looking pitiful. "It was that wastrel from the Wang Family who insulted Father first. I was so angry I gave him a shove, but who knew he'd be so unsteady? He actually fell and broke his leg."

After his explanation, Zhang Heng stood up and declared, "One must take responsibility for one's own actions. I shall go to the Jingzhao Prefecture to confess and accept my imprisonment; I will not implicate the family."

"Don't talk nonsense." The Marquis's Wife, Qin Xuehua, chided him. "You are the Second Young Master of the Marquis's Estate. With your status, how could you possibly go to a filthy place like the Heavenly Prison?"

Zhang Heng's sister, Zhang Wanning, added with great urgency, "Mother, Brother Heng has been frail since childhood. That prison is damp and foul; how could he ever endure it?"

"But the Wang Family are Imperial Relatives, and they have a blood feud with our Zhang Family. If there is no explanation for this, I fear it will alarm Your Majesty." Qin Xuehua's face was full of worry. The Wang Family was not to be trifled with; someone had to take the blame.

Zhang Wanning sneered, "Let Zhang Yu go. Let him take the fall for his brother... Besides, it was dark that day. The other party didn't see my brother's face clearly; they only know it was a young master from the Marquis's Estate who struck him." She spoke the name "Zhang Yu" with utter disdain.

Throughout the entire estate, who didn't know that the Eldest Young Master, brought back from the countryside manor three years ago, was a "sycophant" through and through? To gain a foothold in the estate, Zhang Yu wore a fawning, obsequious face for everyone. If the Marquis's Wife frowned, he would kneel for an entire night; if Zhang Wanning sneezed, he would scour the Capital City for a physician. For such a spineless creature, wouldn't letting him take the fall be a heaven-sent opportunity to prove his worth? He would likely be kowtowing in gratitude, thinking the estate finally valued him.

Lady Qin's heart stirred at these words. That was true; Zhang Yu had been raised in the manor since childhood and was accustomed to hardship. Spending a few days in prison wouldn't be a big deal. If she let him take the blame, he would surely see it as performing a service for the estate and a chance to truly integrate into the family. "At worst, I'll just give him a few words of praise," Qin Xuehua decided silently.

"Nanny Zhou," she said, regaining the poised composure of a mistress of the house, and instructed her confidante, "go and summon the Eldest Young Master."

"Yes." Nanny Zhou responded and retreated, a flash of understanding and contempt crossing her eyes. She thought to herself that the Eldest Young Master would finally get his wish.

Kneeling on the ground, Zhang Heng allowed a cold, triumphant smirk to touch his lips, hidden from everyone's view. Zhang Yu, oh Zhang Yu, you've spent these past three years groveling like a dog—wasn't it all for this pathetic scrap of recognition? Today, I shall grant your wish. Go to prison and perform well. It would be best if you... stayed there forever and stopped being an eyesore.

About half a cup of tea later, a figure followed behind Nanny Zhou and stepped silently into the main hall. The man wore a faded indigo cotton robe; he was tall and slender, his gait steady as he walked. It was none other than the Eldest Young Master, Zhang Yu, who had been brought back three years ago.

"You're here." Lady Qin sat upright, her tone one of distant warmth, as if she were bestowing charity. It felt as though Zhang Yu were not her own flesh and blood, but rather a servant.

Zhang Yu stepped forward and bowed, his movements impeccably standard. "This son greets Mother, and greets Sister Xi and Brother Heng." His voice was steady, his tone respectful, without a single flaw.

Watching his submissive demeanor, the last bit of hesitation in Lady Qin's heart vanished. She picked up her teacup and spoke in the tone one might use with a servant: "I called you here today because there is a matter that requires you to share the burden for the Marquis's Estate." She spoke lightly, as if discussing a triviality.

Zhang Yu replied with a respectful expression, "Please speak, Mother. This son will certainly do his utmost."

"It is nothing major." Qin Xuehua recounted the incident dismissively, finally adding, "Your brother has run into some legal trouble, but he has been frail since childhood and cannot endure the hardships of prison. You go and confess to the matter; serve a few days in jail in your brother's stead."

Zhang Wanning crossed her arms and watched with leisure, waiting to see how this "good big brother" would perform his "loyalty" and "gratitude." Zhang Heng bowed his head slightly, his shoulders shaking as if he were suppressing "guilt," though in reality, he was desperately stifling a triumphant laugh that threatened to spill from his throat.

Under everyone's gaze, Zhang Yu slowly raised his head. On his face, there was none of the expected panic, struggle, or the ecstatic, hysterical joy of finally "being needed."

Zhang Yu naturally had no desire to go to prison. He was a transmigrator; the Eldest Young Master who had been abandoned at the manor by the Marquis's Estate had died three years ago—starved to death. His original parents had favored their younger son, Zhang Heng, and because of a single false accusation from Heng, they had abandoned the original owner at a country manor for ten years.

The people at the manor were sycophants who fawned over the powerful and trampled the weak, relentlessly mistreating and tormenting Zhang Yu until the original owner of this body had been tortured to death by the servants three years ago.

Even at the moment of death, the original owner had only hoped that his parents might come to see him one last time.

After Zhang Yu transmigrated, his first thought was how to retaliate against the Zhang Family and avenge the original owner.

Yet, as luck would have it, Zhang Yu awakened the Persona System, and his first persona was the "Pleaser"—a role that required him to desperately curry favor with everyone in the Marquis Estate and his Fiancée.

At that moment, Zhang Yu was stunned.

Transmigration was one thing, but why did he have to play the role of a bootlicker and fawn over that cold-blooded family who had caused the original owner's death?

His first instinct was to refuse, and he even considered fleeing immediately.

However, faced with the system's terrifying punishments, he had no choice but to bow his head.