“A tavern?” The group of thugs froze, looking at each other before bursting into laughter.

Shao Mingyuan, accustomed to his high position and though gentle in temperament, rarely had anyone dared to laugh so brazenly in his presence. The young general couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

The lead thug, catching the sharp scent of alcohol on him, laughed: “I say, friend, you’ve had too much to drink, haven’t you? Can’t even recognize a brothel?”

A brothel?

Shao Mingyuan’s expression went blank as he looked up.

So this was the legendary brothel?

The lead thug reached out to pat Shao Mingyuan’s shoulder: “Looks like you’ve never been here before, friend. Come, come, first time gets you a discount!”

Shao Mingyuan quickly dodged. The young general who commanded thousands of troops with composure now felt quite embarrassed: “Sorry, I mistook the place.”

After speaking, he led his horse away, turning to leave. After a few steps, he simply mounted his horse and galloped off.

The thugs stood stunned, looking toward their leader: “Boss, we’re just letting that kid go?”

The leader withdrew his gaze and sneered: “What else? You think that kid is someone to mess with?”

They all looked down at the staff broken in two and shook their heads in unison.

The hostess who had been greeting customers finally recovered, rubbing her wrist: “So he was a virgin. What a pity!”

The leader laughed: “A pity? What’s the pity? That kind of clueless kid doesn’t know how to cherish women like us brothers do—”

The woman swatted away the lead thug’s hand, waving her handkerchief: “Go, go, go, hurry back inside. Standing here, you’re scaring away the customers.”

The front of Bichun Brothel returned to its peaceful bustle.

Shao Mingyuan rode his horse back to the Marquis Jing’an’s residence. Dismounting at the gate, a servant came forward to take the reins, respectfully saying: “Second Young Master, you’ve returned.”

Shao Mingyuan nodded in acknowledgment and walked inside.

His alcohol tolerance wasn’t shallow, but today he had been drinking with worries on his mind, and facing his good friends, he had drunk openly. By now, he was half-drunk. Fortunately, his self-control was strong, and he walked as if he were sober, though the sharp scent of alcohol on him couldn’t be hidden.

Someone quietly went to report to Marquis Jing’an’s wife, Lady Shen: “Madam, the Second Young Master just returned and seems to have drunk quite a bit.”

“Drunk?” Lady Shen’s eyes flashed as she asked the messenger, “Is he intoxicated?”

“He appears sober, but he reeks of alcohol.”

Lady Shen thought for a moment and instructed a matron: “Go ask the Second Young Master to come over. Tell him I have something to discuss with him.”

The matron left on her orders, and Lady Shen immediately said to her trusted aide, Nanny Hua: “Go arrange what your husband bought.”

“Yes.”

After Nanny Hua left, Lady Shen pointed to the duck-billed incense burner on the fragrant table and instructed her chief maid, Sudie: “This incense is getting weak. Add a few drops of the rose essence that Nanny Hua brought back the other day.”

Sudie quickly fetched the rose essence, dropping several drops onto the incense spoon and adding it to the duck-billed incense burner.

The charcoal fire in the burner never died, and soon fragrant wisps of rose scent began emanating from the golden duck’s beak.

As Sudie tidied up the incense spoon and other items, she praised: “Madam, this rose fragrance smells wonderful. This servant heard that such essences are quite precious, imported from overseas.”

Lady Shen smiled deeply: “It does smell good. Now go wait by the door. When the Second Young Master arrives, lead him in.”

Sudie responded and twisted away to leave.

Lady Shen leaned against the grand chair, curving the corners of her mouth.

That cold-hearted thing drank alcohol? This truly was heaven’s assistance.

About a quarter-hour later, Sudie called from the doorway: “Madam, the Second Young Master has arrived.”

“Have him come in.”

Soon after, Shao Mingyuan entered and bowed: “Mother.”

“Why are you returning so late?”

“I gathered with a few friends.”

Lady Shen’s tone was displeased: “With the household in such chaos with so many matters, you should go out wandering less in the future.”

Shao Mingyuan said nothing.

The habitual irritation surged up, and Lady Shen secretly took a breath to calm herself, saying flatly: “I called you here today to ask about the day of Lady Qiao’s funeral procession—what are your thoughts on who should carry the banner and hold the spirit tablet?”

Shao Mingyuan was startled and asked Lady Shen, “Has mother discussed this matter with father?”

According to Great Liang customs, the person who carried the banner and held the spirit tablet for the deceased would be recognized as the heir.

Lady Shen sneered: “Don’t I know your father? Naturally, he listens to everything you say, so it’s simpler to ask you directly, and more convenient.”

“We have no children.” Shao Mingyuan lowered his eyes and said slowly.

“It’s precisely because we have none that I’m asking you!” Lady Shen raised her voice, already becoming impatient.

Shao Mingyuan lifted his eyelids and quietly looked at Lady Shen.

Lady Shen lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze and picked up her teacup for a sip.

“I’ll do it myself.”

“Cough, cough, cough—” Lady Shen choked and began coughing violently.

The chief maid, Sudie, quickly came forward to pat her back.

Lady Shen recovered somewhat and glared at Shao Mingyuan: “What did you say?”

“I can do it myself.” Shao Mingyuan’s tone was calm.

“Silence!” Lady Shen slammed the table heavily, her face full of anger. “Your father and I aren’t dead yet! What kind of nonsense are you speaking!”

She paused and said coldly, “Your elder brother has two sons. Dong Ge’er is the eldest son, so he’s not suitable. Let Qiu Ge’er do it. Qiu Ge’er is four years old this year.”

Shao Mingyuan listened quietly to Lady Shen’s words, his heart growing colder.

He held a noble title—was his mother forcing him to pass his title to his nephew in the future?

These two words, “noble title,” truly clung to his life like maggots to bone, never dissipating.

In his youth, hadn’t his elder brother also been wary of him everywhere, fearing he would steal the heir’s position?

Perhaps, if not for the desperate situation back then, he wouldn’t have had the courage to travel a thousand li to rescue his father and kill enemies.

“What do you think?”

Shao Mingyuan’s brows and eyes were indifferent. Perhaps because he had been drinking, his self-control was slightly reduced, making the firmness in his tone more distinct: “Though Qiu Ge’er is good, he is elder brother’s child. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to carry the banner for Lady Qiao. It should be me instead. Mother, perhaps forgot that if the deceased has no sons or daughters, the closest person can serve as substitute.”

He paused here and said flatly: “Who could be closer than me?”

He would never remarry in this life. The noble title wasn’t something he couldn’t give to his nephew, but it couldn’t be because others forced him to give it, not even his mother.

Lady Shen hadn’t intended to settle such a major matter by calling Shao Mingyuan here today—it was just a pretext. Her second son was too scheming; without a proper reason, he would surely become suspicious. But she did indeed consider it this way, and seeing him flatly refuse now, she couldn’t help but be furious.

His wings had truly hardened!

“Most intimate with you? Didn’t you personally kill her, too?” Lady Shen said lightly.

Shao Mingyuan felt a dull pain in his heart and looked at Lady Shen, asking softly: “Did I have any other choice?”

And who was it that insisted on forcing him to such a desperate situation?

Dizziness struck, and Shao Mingyuan raised his hand to support his forehead, feeling his brow ice-cold.

Lady Shen curved the corners of her lips and waved her hand: “Enough. I see you’ve drunk quite a bit today. Let’s discuss this matter another day. Sudie, escort the Second Young Master back.”

“No need. I’m fine. Mingyuan takes his leave.”

Shao Mingyuan habitually returned to his study. As the dizziness hit, he removed his outer robe and lay down directly. In his dazed state, he heard someone calling from outside the door: “Second Young Master, Madam has sent this servant to bring sobering soup.”