Chapter 58#

Who is Whose Stand-in#

Blind Lu looked at Han Ye and Su Ruhui, a cold sneer appearing on his face, as if watching a comical play. Blind Lu said, “Han Ye, look at your conduct. You, wanting to replace the Young Master?” He scanned the hall, every word as if carved with fresh blood, “It’s you black-hearted scoundrels, believing Han Ye’s one-sided words, saying that since the Young Master is already critically ill, it’s better to hand him over in exchange for Black Street’s survival. Open your dog eyes and see, it was the Young Master who poured his heart and soul into Black Street, falling gravely ill and dying. It was the Young Master who developed puppet fire guns, allowing you fools without secret arts to also go to battle. What did the Young Master do, and what did Han Ye do? He only embraces men for pleasure, letting you die for him!”

Han Ye’s face was ashen, veins bulging on his forehead.

Alas. Su Ruhui sighed repeatedly, what was to be done? It was he who had deliberately exposed Black Street’s location back then. Before leaving, he had intended to hand over the reins to Han Ye, but who knew Han Ye would get ahead of him and become the leader of the rebellious thugs. Now, he could somewhat guess why Han Ye had suddenly betrayed him back then. Perhaps it was because he was critically ill, and Black Street had no cure. This child thought long and hard, and came up with a way to send him to the Secret Sect for treatment. Han Ye’s position was ill-gotten, and he must have suffered many years of hardship. In the end, Su Ruhui had inadvertently put him in a difficult position.

Blind Lu’s words swayed many people, and even Red Ghost no longer tried to mediate. Everyone’s gaze, dark and deep, fixed on Han Ye in the center of the crowd. Indeed, sacrificing one person for revenge was always better than sacrificing countless lives.

“Han Ye,” Blind Lu’s eyes were cold as ice picks, “This boy named Ah Qi is fickle, playing both you and Sang Chiyu. Why are you keeping him? Either you hand over Ah Qi, or you step down from your position as the master of the Pleasure Quarter. However, you must understand one thing, no matter what, Ah Qi will wear this gunpowder vest.”

Han Ye stared intently at Su Ruhui and said, “Come here.”

Su Ruhui didn’t move.

Han Ye was so angry that his vision blurred. He was already tired of Blind Lu’s heart-piercing words, far less angry than Ah Qi’s sudden betrayal. He had thought this boy was wholeheartedly devoted to him, but it turned out to be all an act. Rage burned in his chest, and he wished he could kill this little scoundrel.

Han Ye tried to calm himself and said, “Ah Qi, you have a glib tongue. If I hadn’t sent people to watch your residence, even I would have been deceived by you. Sang Chiyu has never been to your residence; there’s only you and your cat in your residence. Where did Sang Chiyu come from? Even if you think of him in your heart, do you think he truly cares about you? He already has someone else in his heart; you’re just a fake stand-in.”

Su Ruhui was stunned. Sang Chiyu had someone in his heart?

He had once suspected that Sang Chiyu liked him; otherwise, why would that guy risk his life for him, breaking into the Secret Sect at night? But if Sang Chiyu truly liked him, why would he be so heartless, ignoring him for so long? Moreover, when that guy was facing him, he always had a cold expression, his dislike for him was truly obvious.

But if Sang Chiyu had someone else in his heart and was using him as a stand-in, everything would make sense. He resembled Sang Chiyu’s beloved, but he wasn’t that beloved, which was why Sang Chiyu was so conflicted. Thinking of this, Su Ruhui was truly sad. Sang Chiyu had no friends since childhood, only Su Ruhui constantly trying to get close to him, annoying him and getting beaten by him. His social circle was so narrow; he had fallen for some vixen, keeping it hidden in his heart, and Su Ruhui, who had known him for so many years, knew nothing about it.

Han Ye said bitterly, “I’ll settle today’s matter with you another day. First, come here, young man.”

Su Ruhui wondered, “But you also treat me as a stand-in.”

Han Ye choked, suddenly stuck. Perhaps at first, he did treat Ah Qi as a stand-in, but Han Ye always remembered Ah Qi’s brilliant smile when he looked back on the street of the market that day. Falling in love only takes a moment, and Han Ye couldn’t escape it. Asking himself, he had already fallen.

His words became a bit awkward, “Didn’t I say it? You don’t have to compare yourself to Su Ruhui, you’re not bad.” He gritted his teeth and said, “Anyway, I’m not like that hypocrite Chiyu. Stop talking nonsense, who else do you think can protect you here besides me?”

As soon as he finished speaking, before Su Ruhui could reply, another cold voice answered him.

“And me.”

Everyone looked up, following the sound, and saw a man dressed in black, wearing a hood, walking down the wooden stairs step by step. The prostitute puppets and the thugs of the Pleasure Quarter unconsciously made way for him. He came into the light, took off his hood, revealing his stern face.

Everyone around gasped softly, “Sang Chiyu.”

Ananda stood on the second floor, dumbfounded. He hadn’t reacted yet, how did Young Master Sang go down?

“Sang Chiyu, why are you here?” Red Ghost asked in surprise.

Sang Chiyu glanced at him lightly and said, “Passing by.”

Such a perfunctory excuse was simply unheard of. Who would pass by and turn into someone’s brothel? He might as well say he came to have some fun!

Red Ghost’s eyes widened, “Are you really Ah Qi’s good brother, doting on him like his life, seven times a night?”

Sang Chiyu was silent.

Su Ruhui was also surprised; he really didn’t expect Sang Chiyu to appear here. He seemed to have changed little since he last left, his features cold and aloof, his expression indifferent, like a cold moon on a snowy mountain, detached and unattainable.

Sang Chiyu’s sudden appearance put the thugs of the Pleasure Quarter on alert. This guy was now the master of the Great Compassion Hall; it was unlikely he was here to pay a New Year’s visit to the Pleasure Quarter. Su Ruhui was first happy, then guilty. He had just been talking nonsense, and he didn’t know how much Sang Chiyu had heard, so he felt a bit awkward. After feeling guilty, he remembered Han Ye’s stand-in theory and asked, “Brother Sang, I heard you have someone in your heart and are using me as a stand-in. Is that true?”

“You are not a stand-in.” Sang Chiyu’s words were concise.

Su Ruhui felt relieved. He knew it, where would Sang Chiyu, this rigid ascetic, have a beloved?

“Then what are you doing here?” Su Ruhui blinked and asked with a smile, “Did you come specifically for me?”

Sang Chiyu didn’t answer, only said, “Come here.”

Su Ruhui subconsciously wanted to trot over, but then stopped himself.

He insisted on getting an answer, “Did you come for me or not? If not for me, why protect me?” He deliberately provoked Sang Chiyu, “Do you really have someone in your heart, and they don’t like you, so you settled for me? Who is it? Bring them to me. We’ve been married, so my ‘sister-in-law’ might misunderstand our relationship. Perfect, I’ll help you explain.”

Sang Chiyu frowned, “Don’t overthink it.”

Han Ye was so angry he almost spat blood, “Are you two treating me as if I’m dead?” He said coldly, “Ah Qi, don’t waste your efforts. His beloved is long dead. If you want to see them, you can only go to the underworld. I’ll say it one last time, come to my side.”

Han Ye spoke with such certainty that Su Ruhui also began to waver. Could Sang Chiyu really have a stand-in?

Su Ruhui looked at Sang Chiyu, “They’re dead?”

Sang Chiyu’s brows furrowed even tighter, and he subconsciously denied, “Not dead.”

Su Ruhui’s face stiffened, and he couldn’t smile anymore, “Brother Sang, you let it slip. You just said you didn’t have a beloved, but now you’re saying they’re not dead. You clearly do, why lie to me?”

Han Ye scoffed at Sang Chiyu, “You dare to be fickle, but you don’t dare to admit it. Are you even a man? Or do you want to have two boats, thinking of someone else in your heart, yet still wanting Ah Qi to be infatuated with you? Hypocrite, let me speak for you. Your beloved…”

Blind Lu interrupted him, saying with a forced smile, “The Pleasure Quarter is not a place for you to flirt. That’s enough. Sang Chiyu, I heard you killed Black Guanyin and took his place. I thought you were an extraordinary person, but it turns out you’re just a lust-struck fool. Ah Qi is, after all, a person of the Pleasure Quarter. Whether he lives or dies is decided by our Pleasure Quarter. You can’t run wild here.”

Sang Chiyu gently pushed out the horizontal knife from his waist, and a section of its autumn-water-like blade entered everyone’s sight. This was a gesture full of threat and killing intent, meaning Sang Chiyu was not afraid of battle. Sang Chiyu was not a reckless man with only courage; his swordsmanship was renowned throughout the world, and no one doubted his strength.

He said calmly, “I’m taking him, and you can’t stop me.”

How arrogant! Everyone’s scalps tingled, and they stood ready, reaching for the fire guns at their waists. The atmosphere in the arena was tense, and the air seemed filled with sticky propolis, making it impossible to breathe.

With things escalating to this point, Su Ruhui had no time to think about who Sang Chiyu’s vixen was. Sang Chiyu was his nemesis, Blind Lu was his old servant, and he really didn’t want these people to come to blows. He was utterly helpless and asked loudly, “Old Lu, how is your old leg injury from the fight at Baoshan Alley in Black Street ten years ago?”

“What does my old leg injury have to do with you?” Blind Lu’s eyes were cold and sinister, “Child, don’t think that just because you try to get close to this old blind man, you can escape your duty.”

Su Ruhui smiled and said, “Old Lu, I told you back then that your leg ailment shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to often apply hot compresses with safflower, cinnamon, and menthol, supplemented with white Poria cocos to dispel wind and dampness, and slowly recuperate. You probably didn’t take it to heart. I just saw you walk, and your left leg showed signs of weakness. You’re old, and you must have suffered a lot these past few years.”

After saying all this, Blind Lu was dumbfounded and said in surprise, “The Young Master told me these things. How do you know?”

Su Ruhui didn’t answer, then turned to Red Ghost, “Big Ghost Head, long time no see, your temper has mellowed quite a bit. I suppose it’s because five years ago, you were rude to me, mocking me for not washing my socks, and I punished you to carry manure for three days, which taught you a lesson.”

Only Red Ghost and Su Ruhui knew about this incident. Red Ghost had gone out to a banquet, drank too much, and mocked Su Ruhui for being from a noble family and not doing mundane tasks. The words reached Su Ruhui’s ears, and Su Ruhui sent word to him, telling him to do three days of mundane tasks. Carrying manure was not a respectable job, so Red Ghost secretly did it for three days with his face covered, then came to Su Ruhui to report.

As soon as this was mentioned, Red Ghost’s face also changed, and he pointed at Su Ruhui, stuttering “You, you, you” for a long time without being able to form a coherent sentence.

Su Ruhui turned his head and looked at Han Ye. This child was the most difficult to deal with, and Su Ruhui felt a headache coming on.

Han Ye’s gaze slowly changed from anger to surprise, “Ah Qi…”

“My name is not Ah Qi,” Su Ruhui said calmly, “I am Su Ruhui.”

Author’s note:

“You are not a stand-in.”

Meaning you are the beloved.