Chapter 288: Peach Blossom (1/2)

Chapter 288: Peach Blossom

The mountain vanished. Far, far off in the distance, a mountain range was just barely visible.

The sky, was no longer blue. Instead, it was as red as flame, because it was dusk.

The dusk carried with it the afterglow of the setting sun, which trickled across the land to blanket over a small county-level city. The walls surrounding the city had existed for many years, which was clear from their ancient appearance. They were covered with blotches and marks, evidence of the passage of time.

Atop the walls, a few guards lazed about. Occasionally the faint sounds of their laughter and chatting would drift down into the bordello below. There was a new girl in town, and their laughter contained the beauty of anticipation which comes in life.

Horse carts lined up to enter through the city gate; atop each cart sat a driver brandishing a whip and bellowing out directions to his horses as they ambled toward the city center.

The sun was setting, but oppressive heat still held sway over the land, turning it into something like an oven that wanted to bake the earth.

There was no wind or rain.

The only thing that existed was arid heat.

This walled city was not very large; it was only a county after all. People walked the streets in groups of two or three, cooling themselves with fans, occasionally cursing the weather.

The most lively places in the town were the teahouses, where a cup of cold tea could dispel a bit of the heat. On a sweltering summer evening like this, gossiping with friends and neighbors there was the primary pastime of the populace.

Other than the teahouses was the town bordello, which was a place for rich people. Many men who passed by couldn’t restrain themselves from glancing up at the gorgeously dressed young ladies who leaned against the wooden shutters up above. It was enough to make any man’s heart burn, and then cause him to think about how unbearable the weather was.

If a man’s wife walked with him past the bordello, her face would twist with jealousy and she would hastily pull him away. A more shrewish wife might look up at the licentious, headstrong girls up above and curse them a few times.

It was said that the girls in the bordello were as delicate as flowers and as refined as jade, almost inhuman. Inside, the rooms were filled with ice cubes and cute servant girls with fans. Because of this, rich customers had the luxury of enjoying an ice-cold breeze.

Supposedly, the bordello also abounded with delicious food and wine…. Every man wished to go there, either for the girls, the food or the ice cubes.

“Look, the point is, this place is awesome!” said Meng Hao in a low, earnest voice to the two kids next to him, clenching his fists tightly. Both the kids were around the same age as him, twelve or thirteen years old. “You guys just don’t have any sense of brotherhood!”

Meng Hao put his arms around their shoulders. One was skinny, the other chubby. Both looked excited, but at the same time, a bit shy and nervous.

Meng Hao gave them a very serious look, as if he were a Sect Patriarch arranging to hand over a legacy. “Tomorrow, I, young master, am being sent away to boarding school. From now on I’m handing over the title of Eastern Emergence County’s #1 Bully to you two. Don’t forget, you can’t do anything to ruin young master’s reputation!”

If… if they were in some sacred location, then perhaps his words would carry some power. But unfortunately, the three of them were currently lying on their bellies atop a wall.

What was inside the wall was nothing other than the bordello, and the wall they were on surrounded it. Further inside was a two-story building, connected to another building which filled the front of the courtyard. From their position on the wall, they could clearly see the shadows of men and women inside the second story windows. The sound of chatting and laughter drifted out.

The fat kid, whose face was covered with freckles, excitedly said, “Young master Fang, don’t worry. The name of the #1 Bully in Eastern Emergence County will always belong to you. As for us two, #2 and #3 Bullies, we will definitely maintain your reputation!” The skinny kid next to him nodded enthusiastically.

“Good, I know I can trust you two,” Meng Hao replied solemnly. “However, you still need your gang initiation plaques. Today, your final test has arrived. Now pay attention. Soon, someone is gonna come out. When that happens, you have to throw these bricks as hard as you can!”

Each of the kids held a brick which was about the size of their own hand.

“That damned bastard!” said Meng Hao through gritted teeth. “He dares to go chasing after my Peach Blossom!? Young master is definitely going to find out who exactly it is who has the gall!” He glared at the second story of the building. Panting, he continued, “Peach Blossom promised me that she would wait until I grew up, and then she would sleep with me. Who could have guessed that some damned son of a b*tch would dare to go pick on her!” His heart filled with rage. When the other two kids saw the look in his eyes, their hearts filled with intense admiration.

“He definitely deserves to be the Elder Brother,” they thought. “The #1 Bully in Eastern Emergence County has a mistress. He’s for sure the only twelve year old kid in the entire county who could pull that off!” They exchanged a glance, and their expressions grew more fanatical. As far as they were concerned, anyone who could enter the legendary bordello and get a mistress, had skill that reached to the Heavens. To be able to talk about it openly made them feel even more proud.

Soon, enough time had passed for an incense stick to burn. Evening had fallen, and the moon was rising. The second floor balcony door opened, and a beautifully dressed young woman led a middle-aged man out by the arm. He appeared to be drunk, and they talked in soft tones as they emerged.

The moonlight was thin, and the sky somewhat dark, making it difficult to see their exact appearance. However, Meng Hao could instantly recognize Peach Blossom. Immediately, his eyes grew red, and he shouted, “You crusty son of a b*tch, young master’s gonna beat you to death! You dare to see my Peach Blossom!” With a howl, he hurled the brick. With equally vicious howls, the two kids also threw their bricks.

“Young master is gonna… huh?” Meng Hao was just about to charge into the courtyard when his body began to tremble. The drunk, middle-aged man easily dodged the three bricks and then raised his head furiously. As soon as he saw Meng Hao, he gave a slight smile. Then, his fury burned hotter.

“You little bastard!” he cried. “This is mutiny!”

Meng Hao instantly began to shiver.

“Father….” All of his ardor and sincerity evaporated, as if freezing water had been poured over his body. He immediately leaped off of the wall and began to run. His two sidekicks’ faces went pale with fear, and their calves burned as they raced off.