In the eastern Shengshen Continent, there lies an ancient country named Aolai, where people worship the heavens and earth, revere gods and fear ghosts. As a result, the society is orderly, with respect between elders and juniors, and propriety between superiors and inferiors. However, one place stands out from this norm—the “Liulang Town,” located at the coast of the Eastern Sea.
Liulang Town, a vast city spanning a hundred miles.
In the ancient land of Aolai, located in the eastern continent of Shenzhou, the people revered heaven and earth, worshipped deities, and feared ghosts, maintaining a strict hierarchy and decorum. However, the town of Liulang, situated by the East Sea, stood out as an exception.
Liulang, a large town spanning a hundred miles, had been transformed since a sinister light descended from the sky a decade ago. The town became a haven for those chasing fame and fortune, and petty thieves and scoundrels became commonplace. Disregarding laws and deities, the town thrived in various trades but earned the nickname “Rogue Town,” attracting ruffians from far and wide, making it difficult for the local authorities to manage.
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The faint sound of waves ebbed and flowed in the night, while a fierce sea wind howled over Liulang, ten miles from the East Sea.
In a spacious yet dilapidated mansion, the third watch had long passed, and a faint candlelight still glowed in the study.
The weak sound of reading, accompanied by constant coughing and the hiss of the night wind against the windows, painted a desolate scene in the mansion.
“Darling, it’s late. You should rest now,” a gentle voice called as the study door softly opened. A graceful figure entered, her simple attire swaying slightly. Her elegant oval face, tinged with a faint melancholy, exuded a charm that could captivate any man.
“Qingniang, don’t worry about me. Go to sleep,” the frail scholar in his thirties replied, coughing heavily. As he saw his wife’s enchanting figure approach, a wave of bitterness washed over him.
“Darling, the imperial exams are still far off. Don’t exhaust yourself, or our third brother will worry again,” the young wife said, her summer dress revealing her delicate figure under the thin cloak, a sight that stirred the heart.
“Ah… It’s all because of my health, burdening you and making our third brother struggle for a living,” Qiao Da coughed, his face filled with guilt and illness, his once handsome features now dulled by sickness.
A clear laugh came from the slightly open door as a young man in a short, sturdy outfit entered. His tall, broad-shouldered figure stood confidently in the candlelight, his face resembling his elder brother’s but with a distinctly more robust spirit.
“Brother, our father is long gone, our second sister married far away, and our mothers are no longer with us. Only you and I remain in the Qiao family. No need for formalities! Besides, restoring our family’s honor depends on you achieving success in the imperial exams!”
As the door opened and closed, the candlelight flickered, and Qiao San approached the desk. His hair tied casually, with unruly strands framing his face, he spoke with a firm yet gentle tone, “Sister-in-law, help my brother rest. If he ruins his health, our family truly has no hope. Right, brother?”
Since Qiao San entered the room, Qingniang had retreated to the shadows, her figure barely visible in the dim light.
Though they were family, it was night, and she was dressed lightly, so she naturally kept her distance. Hearing her brother-in-law’s words and seeing her husband nod in agreement, Qingniang’s eyes sparkled with relief, her delicate nose wrinkling slightly in a smile, thinking to herself, “Third brother always has a way.”
Qiao Da put down his book but did not leave immediately, sighing again, “Third brother, it’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have become a street ruffian! Back then, at just twelve, you passed the imperial exams as a child prodigy!”
“Why bring up the past? I’m not cut out for studying. The scholar Qiao Sheng is long gone. Being a ruffian isn’t so bad—free and unrestrained, it’s quite nice!”
Qiao San smiled casually, his eyes narrowing slightly, revealing a hint of cunning. His eyes, the windows to the soul, were unique, always shrouded in a mysterious and profound mist, making one curious about the thoughts hidden within.
Qiao Da understood the harsh reality, smiling bitterly with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, “Third brother, it’s been ten years. Have you remembered what happened that day? Maybe our second mother just disappeared!”
“Ah…” Qiao San sighed deeply, his frustration evident as he thought of his missing mother and the fragments of lost memories. He wished he could crack open his own head to remember. “I only recall a sky full of red light. I can’t remember anything else. I don’t know what happened. If only my mother were still alive.”
Pausing, Qiao San unconsciously touched the short knife at his waist, his wild nature barely contained even in the scholarly study. He quickly changed the topic, “Brother, in a few days, it’s the Dragon Mother’s birthday. Isn’t it said that burning the first incense brings good fortune? Let’s go burn the first incense!”
When it came to such rituals, women were naturally more knowledgeable. Qingniang instinctively tightened her cloak, hiding her curvaceous figure, her face slightly red as she added, “The first incense is indeed auspicious, but how could ordinary folks like us get it? Every year, it’s taken by the ‘Li’ and ‘Wang’ families in the city.”
As she spoke softly, her hair, tied up in a cloud-like bun, swayed slightly in the night breeze, accentuating her slender neck.
“Haha… It seems even the gods favor the rich!”
The sigh echoed in the room as Qiao San unconsciously glanced at his sister-in-law, catching a glimpse of her delicate tongue flickering between her cherry lips. Unmarried, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of heat, quickly lowering his gaze to avoid being impolite.
After a moment of silence, seeing the disappointment in his brother and sister-in-law’s eyes, Qiao San had an idea, his ruffian instincts kicking in, “Brother, getting the first incense isn’t that hard. We just need to…”
After some discussion, Qiao Da shook his head, “No, no… We are scholars. How can we stoop to such petty tricks? Third brother, I know you mean well, but let’s not speak of this again. I’d rather die than resort to such methods!”
“Ah…” Qiao San sighed, accustomed to his brother’s scholarly stubbornness, “Alright, but it’s a pity I’m just a ruffian. It’s disrespectful for me to burn incense on your behalf.”
Qingniang’s cherry lips moved slightly, but seeing Qiao Da’s resolve, she too lowered her long, delicate lashes.
The lights went out, and silence fell once more.
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“Crash…” The faint sound of ocean waves ebbed and flowed in the night, while wild sea winds howled, enveloping Liulang Town, ten miles inland from the Eastern Sea.
Inside a large mansion, though spacious, it was old and worn. Long after the third watch bell had rung, a dim candle still flickered with a yellow glow in the study.
Faint sounds of reading mingled with frequent coughs and the whispering wind seeping through the windows, adding to the mansion’s desolate atmosphere.
“Dear, it’s late. Please go to bed early!” The study door gently opened as a graceful figure stepped in. Dressed in a simple robe and skirt, her oval face, elegant and refined, carried a subtle sorrow, her delicate charm stirring the hearts of men.
“No, you go to sleep first. Don’t worry about me! Cough… cough…” The thin scholar, around thirty years old, hadn’t even finished speaking before another violent cough interrupted him. Seeing his wife approaching, he felt a bitter pang in his heart.
“Dear, the imperial exam is still far off. Don’t exhaust yourself, or else Third Brother will worry again!” On this hot summer night, the quiet breeze stirred the thin summer dress beneath her light robe, revealing the rare curves of her graceful figure.
“Sigh… It’s all because of my illness that I’ve dragged you down and burdened Third Brother with making a living…” Qiao Da covered his mouth as he coughed, his gaunt, pale face filled with guilt. His once-handsome features had long been ravaged by illness.
A clear laugh suddenly came from the half-open door as a young man in tight-fitting clothes strode in. Standing seven chi tall, broad-shouldered and long-armed, he stood calmly in the candlelight. His thin face bore a strong resemblance to his elder brother’s, yet his masculine vigor was strikingly different.
“Brother, Father passed away long ago, Second Sister married far away in the eastern lands, and both our mothers are gone too. Now only you and I remain of the Qiao family. Must we still speak in such formalities? Besides, if we are to restore our family’s honor, it depends entirely on you achieving glory in the imperial exams!”
As the door opened and closed, the candlelight flickered, and Qiao San now stood before the desk. His hair was tied loosely with cloth, strands escaping on either side of his forehead, partially concealing his handsome face.
Before Qiao Da could protest, Qiao San’s lips curled into a gentle but firm smile. “Big Sister, please help Brother rest. If he ruins his health, there will be no hope for our Qiao family. Don’t you agree, Brother?”
From the moment her younger brother-in-law entered, Da’s wife, Qing Niang, had retreated into the shadows of the lamp. The dim light barely reached the hem of her skirt and her dainty feet.
Though family, it was night, and she was lightly dressed, so naturally she had to retreat out of propriety. Hearing her brother-in-law’s words and seeing her husband nod in agreement, Qing Niang’s deep, beautiful eyes glimmered with relief. Her delicate nose wrinkled slightly in a faint smile, and she murmured inwardly: “Third Brother really knows how to handle things.”
Though Qiao Da put down his book, he didn’t immediately leave. Instead, he sighed again, saying, “Third Brother, I’m holding you back. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have fallen into the life of a common ruffian! Remember when you were only twelve, passing the xiucai exam as a child prodigy!”
“Forget the past! I was never meant for scholarly pursuits. That young xiucai Qiao is long gone. Being a ruffian isn’t so bad—freedom, no restrictions, it’s not a bad life at all!”
Qiao San smiled casually, his eyes narrowing slightly, revealing a glint of cunning. His eyes, the window to the soul, were unique—always veiled in a mysterious, deep haze, making people endlessly curious about what lay within.
Qiao Da understood the bitterness of reality. With a bitter smile, he said, “Third Brother, it’s been ten years. Have you remembered anything about that day? Perhaps Second Mother just disappeared?”
“A heavy sigh escaped Qiao San’s lips, revealing his deep anguish. Thinking of his missing mother and the gaps in his memory, he almost wished to crack open his own skull. ‘I still only remember that red light in the sky. Everything else is blank. I don’t know what really happened. If only my mother were still alive.'”
Pausing briefly, the free-spirited Qiao San instinctively touched the short knife at his waist. Even in this study filled with the scent of ink, his wild nature could not be contained. He quickly changed the subject: “Brother, in a few days is the birthday celebration of the Dragon Mother. I heard that whoever burns the first incense will have all their wishes granted. Let’s go burn the first incense!”
Of course, such matters of incense and prayers were better understood by women. Qing Niang instinctively tightened her robe, hiding her shapely curves beneath it, her face slightly flushed as she replied, “Burning the first incense is indeed auspicious, but how could ordinary people like us ever get the chance? Every year it’s always the Li and Wang families who take it.”
“Hehe… It seems even gods favor the wealthy!”
A sigh echoed in the room. Qiao San unconsciously looked toward his sister-in-law and caught a glimpse of her delicate tongue flickering briefly across her red lips. Still unmarried, he felt a sudden heat in his eyes, but quickly lowered his gaze to avoid impropriety.
After the sigh, seeing the fleeting disappointment in his elder brother and sister-in-law’s eyes, Qiao San’s ruffian instincts kicked in, and he suddenly had an idea. “Brother, getting the first incense isn’t hard if we just…”
But before he could finish, Qiao Da shook his head and refused, “No, no, no! A scholar must not stoop to such underhanded methods! Third Brother, I know your intentions are good, but let’s never speak of this again. Even if I were to die from illness, I would never do such a thing!”
“Sigh…” Qiao San had heard his brother’s stubbornness many times before. Helplessly, he said, “Fine, I’m just a ruffian after all. It’s disrespectful for me to worship the Buddha. I can’t even burn incense in your place.”
Qing Niang’s red lips twitched slightly, but seeing Qiao Da’s firm stance, she finally lowered her long eyelashes in quiet resignation.
The lamp was extinguished, and silence fell. No more words were spoken.
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