The male supporting character was actually myself.

Upstairs in a room meticulously decorated with lace, beaded curtains, and sheer gauze, Ruan Xiangqin, exhausted and aching all over, still forced herself to lean against the man's shoulder, whispering and teasing him.

"Jasmine, you are truly the most gentle and considerate confidante in the world!" Mr. Li sipped his tea and sighed, "I really want to keep you two sisters as my mistresses and prevent other men from touching you, but unfortunately I don't have that much money."

The Paramount Ballroom is asking for way too much!

"You shouldn't have succumbed to the boss's tyranny in the first place. You should have just come to me to buy your freedom. Then I could have rented a small house outside, and we could have lived happily ever after."

Ha, you poor scumbag, you think you can take care of me?

How much money can you possibly come up with?

If it weren't for your connection with the Li family, and the possibility that you might be able to seduce those two young masters from the Marshal's Mansion, I wouldn't bother serving you so diligently.

Despite her disdain, Ruan Xiangqin's face was full of grievance as she pinched the end of her hair and sighed, "What can we do? Orphans like us, without parents or homes, can only end up in prostitution and be bullied by others. If Mr. Li is so kind, perhaps... he could introduce a few more influential friends to patronize the business."

Perhaps someone will take pity on us and rescue these women from this hellish brothel. When that happens, we sisters will never forget Mr. Li's kindness and will certainly repay you.”

Do you have power or influence?

Mr. Li, who was already distracted by the sweet talk from his beautiful wife, suddenly had a bold idea!

Chapter Twenty-Seven: You actually yelled at me?!

I witnessed the big scene of Young Marshal Li punishing the sisters a while ago, so naturally he can't come back to patronize the business and redeem the Ruan sisters. Besides, there's still the eldest son, Li Dongchen, who has been granted a separate household after the family split up.

That guy went from studying abroad to getting married so fast it was ridiculous; we never really had time to get together.

However, given the brothers' long-standing rivalry and irreconcilable differences, there's even less reason for them to be harmonious now. What Li Jiangchen dislikes, regardless of whether he truly likes Li Dongchen, he'll definitely use to deliberately annoy him, especially now that Li Jiangchen holds sole command of the military; the eldest brother is undoubtedly harboring resentment!

If his plan is clever enough, he might be able to use the wealthy and powerful Li Dongchen to redeem the two sisters from their prostitution and keep them as mistresses. He has always been very generous to his friends; they were just prostitutes, and Li Dongchen, who has already married the beautiful Zhang family girl, would definitely be happy to share them.

I won't have to spend a single penny to enjoy the sisters' company, and they'll be incredibly grateful. More importantly, all I need to do is chime in and offer encouragement, so I won't lose anything!

Instead of watching their prices keep rising and them dealing with so many men every day, why not put some effort into getting Li Dongchen involved? Then the beauties would only need to serve two men, wouldn't that be great for everyone?

However, this matter cannot be rushed. Firstly, Li Dongchen had only met him once during his four years of studying abroad, at the wedding, and it would take time to reconnect and build a relationship.

Secondly, the other party is newly married, and the bride is a renowned beauty; he's not that eager for other women right now. He can only wait until Li Dongchen gets tired of his wife and wants something new to try before bringing him over…

Mr. Li thought it over and over and found it increasingly feasible. He was eager to try it and began to plan it seriously.

The Zhang family eventually moved away.

It is unknown what the Zhang couple, who have lived here for generations, intend to do. Despite Jiang Chen's repeated assurances that he holds military power and that no accident would implicate his family, they still thanked him and insisted on leaving for distant lands.

Originally, Zhang Mingyuan wanted his son to leave with him, but after much deliberation, he decided to stay. He wanted to repay his second master's kindness and generosity, and he also wanted to plan for his sister to prevent her from making another serious mistake. How could he abandon his parents and family and leave without considering their feelings?

"Sir, you have truly been incredibly kind to the Zhang family. You took time out of your busy schedule to personally see them off as they left the city. Mr. Zhang was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears. On the other hand, the eldest son didn't even show his face. Those are his father-in-law and mother-in-law..." The newly promoted adjutant Jiang followed beside him as Jiang Chen returned from outside the city on horseback with several attendants.

"Whether he goes or not doesn't affect us. I just have to see Brother Zhang off for his dedication over the years. Besides, the Zhang family is related to the Marshal's Mansion by marriage, so we have to maintain appearances." He replied casually, but in his heart he was planning whether to quickly deal with those stubborn old men and start expanding his territory.

It would be very happy if it expanded its territory into the shape of a fluffy ball.

"Help! Second Young Master, help me!"

"Young Marshal, save me!"

As the horse was clattering down the street, it heard cries for help in the distance.

Jiang Chen looked back and saw a girl being dragged back by several men dressed as brothel servants at the entrance of the red-light district. With just a glance, he thought the girl calling for help looked familiar, so he turned his horse around and rushed over, shouting, "Stop! What are you doing?"

The horse galloped to the entrance of the brothel, where he saw several servants dragging a girl back into the building with her mouth covered. He brandished his whip and shouted, "How dare you abduct a woman in broad daylight in public?"

"No, no, young marshal!" The lead servant hurriedly bowed and explained, "This is a maid who was sold to this brothel by her master. We really didn't steal her. The indenture is in our brothel. You can check it, young marshal. We absolutely abide by the law!"

The girl, her mouth covered, bound, and dragged, sobbed desperately, twisting her body as if trying to grasp at the last straw.

Jiang Chen squinted and looked closely. Her face was flushed with tears, her hair was messy, and her clothes were torn in several places, revealing bruises from being beaten. She looked very disheveled.

This face looks somewhat familiar...

"Are you Xiu'er?" He thought for a moment, then looked up the corresponding face from the original owner's memories. His expression hardened as he asked, "Didn't the Zhang family move away? How come you're here?"

Seeing that even the young marshal had come over to ask questions, the servant who was covering Xiu'er to prevent her from shouting dared not use force and had to let go.

"Waaaaah... Young Marshal, please save me!" Xiu'er sobbed uncontrollably, "I was supposed to go south with Master and Madam, but Miss said that her family had all left and she would be miserable if she stayed behind, so she begged Madam to let me stay."

Madam was initially unwilling, saying that when she asked me to be her dowry maid, Miss was unwilling, but now she has changed her mind and wants me to stay. She is worried that Miss will be in a bad mood and take it out on me.

But the young lady kept giving me assurances and crying her eyes out, so the madam softened and let me go back with her. Who knew... I was kidnapped and taken to a brothel as soon as I entered the city! They said the young lady had sold me!

Young Marshal, please save me! I'd rather die than sell myself into servitude!

"As long as you can save me, Xiu'er's life is yours from now on. I'll do anything for you, even serve you like a slave or fight on the battlefield!"

What kind of trouble is Zhang Ziqiu causing now?

Jiang Chen was completely baffled, feeling utterly unable to comprehend the thought processes of the female leads and supporting characters in this mission world. Why not just let the maid leave if you don't like her? Why go to such lengths to get her and then resell her? Is it because Li Dongchen isn't giving her money due to her financial constraints, and she's so desperate for cash that she's resorting to selling her maid?

"How much did you pay for her? I'll pay double to redeem her." He couldn't understand it at all, but he couldn't just watch a perfectly good girl be ruined, so he waved to his adjutant, Jiang, to go forward and untie Xiu'er, settle the bill, and take away her indenture.

Two silver dollars bought back a life. Jiang Chen led Xiu'er, who was so excited to have survived the ordeal that she kept crying, toward the Reform Bureau, and couldn't help but feel emotional.

In chaotic times, human life is as worthless as grass!

Indeed, we still need to accelerate the pace of revolution, build a society governed by the rule of law, and transform this chaotic world into a harmonious and happy one. This is the most romantic sense of mission for a warlord.

Only after Xiuer had finished washing up, changed her clothes, and eaten did she go to Jiang Chen's office.

"Thank you for saving my life, Young Marshal!" As soon as she entered, Xiu'er knelt down and kowtowed deeply. Then she sobbed, "Second Master, I'm so sorry! In the past... you sent so many things home, and you also gave Xiu'er a lot of reward money. But even though I knew that Miss and the Eldest Young Master... I still didn't tell you the truth. I'm so ashamed!"

Jiang Chen's lips twitched as he waved his hand, saying, "That's all in the past, no need to mention it again. But why did your young lady suddenly sell you? Do you know the reason?"

Xiuer nodded and cried even harder. "Previously, when Miss and the eldest young master had a secret rendezvous at the Zhang family's villa, I felt it was inappropriate and offered some advice. Later, I don't know how the news leaked out and became the talk of the town. Miss thought it was me who secretly caused the scandal to be exposed."

Heaven and earth bear witness! I was sold to slave traders by my own father when I was a child, and I lived a life that was worse than that of a human being. I was so grateful to Madam Zhang for never beating or scolding me. How could I possibly push the Zhang family into the eye of the storm?

But the young lady was convinced I was the one who did it, and she said the new son-in-law thought she had deliberately leaked the news and was quite critical of her, so to vent her anger... she dragged me to the brothel and sold me!

Jiang Chen: (￣ー￣)

I never imagined that Zhang Ziqiu was such a vengeful woman!

However, having almost caused Xiu'er to suffer because of his own rumors, saving her now means he hasn't implicated any innocent bystanders. The question is, what's the best way to deal with her? Could he perhaps use the vengeful Zhang Ziqiu to keep the female lead in check?

Jiang Chen comforted Xiu'er and had someone take her down to rest. He then dealt with military affairs while pondering the new plot that the script team might come up with.

First of all, Zhang Ziqiu did not have the opportunity to drug herself, but the possibility that the script team was determined to arrange a family banquet or similar plot and then issue a task to force her to stay in the marshal's mansion and be drugged cannot be ruled out.

Secondly, since Ruan Xiangqin actively prostituted herself, it's unlikely that the male and female leads would forgive each other and reconcile even if they met again. Unless... Li Dongchen's moral bottom line is unfathomably flexible. If he were really brainwashed by the female lead's "forced" or other sentimental words, he might actually forgive her and continue their relationship.

"I really hope I can get a more normal script next time, at least the protagonist won't be such a troublemaker..." After thinking for a long time, Jiang Chen sighed helplessly.

Sure enough, a new episode was released that afternoon.

A month and a half into the main storyline, Li Dongchen gradually lost interest in Zhang Ziqiu after the honeymoon period. In addition, his work at the school was simple and boring. So, with the help of his long-lost friend Mr. Li, he finally met the Bai Moli sisters.

Upon learning that his former dream girl had been forced into prostitution, Li Dongchen felt both sad and heartbroken.

After a heart-wrenching love-hate relationship, the two finally broke free from societal constraints. After being caught in a downpour together, the female lead declared that she had been cleansed and was no longer dirty, and would belong only to the male lead. Thus, they fell in love again and, after redeeming each other, Li Dongchen took both sisters as his concubines. The two sisters shared one husband, and their joy and harmony made him forget all his troubles.

Surrounded by the protagonist's aura, everyone in the Marshal's Mansion, including Li Tianxing, felt sorry for the two sisters with their tragic past and spoiled them rotten.

Zhang Ziqiu, neglected for a long time and unable to compete with her sisters, was repeatedly humiliated. In her loneliness and despair, she became addicted to gambling and incurred huge debts. Unable to repay them, she used money-making tricks to deceive her brother. Zhang Mingyuan, who was kept in the dark, did not know the truth and embezzled public funds, which implicated Li Jiangchen's army. The army suffered a series of defeats and could only retreat to Yucheng.

Without the support of mineral resources, the previous reforms completely failed. With too many enemies, Li Jiangchen had no choice but to cower in the Marshal's Mansion, afraid to go out. Meanwhile, Zhang Ziqiu was unable to pay her gambling debts and was taken away by her creditors... She dared not make a sound. Afterwards, she became pregnant and was questioned by Li Dongchen. In desperation, she threw mud at Li Jiangchen, who was hated by everyone, and was eventually taken away to be drowned in a pig cage.

Zhang Mingyuan was beaten with sticks and drowned while trying to save his sister from an angry mob.

Ultimately, war broke out, and coincidentally, both Ruan Xiangqin and her sister were about to give birth. To protect their family, Li Tianxing and Li Jiangchen led their troops in a fierce battle and died, while Li Dongchen escaped with the vast wealth of the marshal's mansion, the two sisters, and their newborn son and daughter, and successfully sailed across the ocean to live a happy life.

After closing the script, Jiang Chen resisted the urge to scratch the wall and slammed his hand on the table.

Damn it, can't the male and female leads just let other people go?

As long as someone is considered a villain, their ending must be miserable enough, as if that's the only way to vent their anger. I'm speechless and can only wish them a speedy death and a good rebirth. In the future, I must storm into the scriptwriting team and see what kind of idiots are writing stories!

"Host, I'm back! Did you miss me?" Just as Jiang Chen was feeling sullen, he suddenly heard a familiar soft and sweet loli voice. The next second, he saw a fist-sized fluffy ball of fluff hopping over and jumping into his arms.

The auxiliary system, which had been missing for several days, finally returned, leaving him both overjoyed and furious.

Squeezing the soft texture, Jiang Chen's face darkened as he angrily rebuked, "Where have you been? You ran away from home without a word, you've really grown up, haven't you?!"

The fluffy little ball, enjoying the comfort of being petted, was unexpectedly met with its host's thunderous rage. It looked up, its deep blue eyes widening, its nose twitching, its lips parting in a wide grin, and then burst into tears, wailing, "Waaah~ You yelled at me! Why did you yell at me? Haven't you missed me at all after all this time? You actually yelled at me… Waaah~ Waaah!!!"

Tears as thick as noodles streamed down her face as the fluffy ball cried and meowed, "Meow, I was so worried you'd fall for the female lead! I went to all the trouble of finding you a wife, and... you yelled at me! Meow~ Host, you've changed! You don't love me anymore..."

Jiang Chen: ? ? ?

What kind of wife do you want?

"No matter what you're going to do, you should at least tell me before you leave." He reached out and pressed the little fluffy ball down, raised his hand and gently slapped its round little bottom, saying sternly, "If you leave without saying goodbye again, I'll spank you hard! I thought you'd been discovered and arrested by the bug, and I had to look for you everywhere!"

Realizing that its host was angry because he was worried about it, the little white cat immediately stopped crying and started laughing. Its tears vanished instantly, and it shook its fur, chuckling, "Host, you definitely won't find me! I ran so far this time! But I had a great haul, look..."

It scratched its furry belly and pulled out six or seven photos. "These are the wife candidates I found for you all over the country. Take a look and see which one you like. Don't worry, they are all true ladies from respectable families, elegant, dignified, and virtuous. They are not comparable to the fake lady, seductive and cheap woman like the female lead."

Even the maidservants around her are more knowledgeable and reasonable than the female lead!

Moreover, these girls were all well-read from a young age, and some had even studied abroad and held progressive views. Oh, and one of them even started her own newspaper…”

Seeing the fluffy little dumpling acting as a matchmaker, enthusiastically introducing the photos, Jiang Chen felt too embarrassed to refuse the photo blind date.

As he flipped through the photos, his gaze fell upon one surrounded by flowers—a graceful beauty with an oval face, long hair, and wearing a cheongsam. Her appearance wasn't particularly stunning, but she possessed an irresistible gentle charm.

"Host, this is Lin Wanyan, the third daughter of Lin Yutang, a famous wealthy businessman in the City That Never Sleeps. Don't be fooled by her delicate appearance in the photo; she's actually very fashionable and knows a lot about fashion. She even designs her own clothes."

She can drive, ride horses, loves collecting all kinds of guns, and is an excellent marksman... Oh, and she has a calm and elegant personality, completely uninterested in men who pursue her passionately but lack taste. I also think she and the host are a perfect match!

Jiang Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Xiao Bai, the Lin family is one of the top wealthy merchant families in the country. Do you think I, a small warlord hiding in the mountains, can possibly climb up to them?"

"Policies come from the barrel of a gun!" The fluffy ball puffed out its chest, brimming with confidence. "My host only deserves a lady of high society like this! It doesn't matter if we're far apart now. Aren't you expanding your territory? If all else fails, we'll just throw props at you and push our way through. Once we've brought the City That Never Sleeps under the Li family's control, what can the number one tycoon do? Who will dare say we're not a good match?"

"Alright, alright, let's do our best and leave the rest to fate. I'll take over the City That Never Sleeps as soon as possible." He casually replied, then flipped to the last photo and froze, "What the hell is this?"

The photo clearly shows a gaunt man with a catfish beard, wearing black sunglasses and a small black silk cap. He has shifty eyes and looks like a swindler selling fake medicine.

"Hehehe... Sorry, I took the wrong one." The fluffy little thing blushed slightly with embarrassment, patted the photo with its paw and whispered, "I met this guy on the way, he seems to be a bug! But he didn't have any photos to take, so I found an old-fashioned camera and secretly took a picture of him. The angle isn't very good, he's not actually that lewd."

Jiang Chen asked curiously, "How did you know he was a suspected bug?"

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Reunion with the Understanding Flower

Mentioning the suspected bug, the fluffy dumpling immediately perked up, counting on its paws as it analyzed: "First of all, he's a fortune teller who travels the streets and alleys, which is the bug's favorite profession, bar none."