The male supporting character was actually myself.

It is said that the four siblings of the Ruan family lost their father and home, and had no relatives to turn to. With nowhere else to turn and no work to make a living, they had all been reduced to singing for money at the Paramount Ballroom!

The sisters had signed a contract to perform but not sell their bodies, hoping to earn money to support their younger siblings. In that kind of situation, the two girls still managed to maintain their dignity and not sell their bodies like those depraved singers. What a rare and admirable quality!

But Li Jiangchen, that bastard, saw that the two sisters were beautiful and tried to forcibly take them as his own. When he failed, he was so angry that he ordered his soldiers to tie up the two sisters and parade them through the streets. He even fabricated a crime to insult his reputation.

On one side is the second young master of the Marshal's Mansion, who holds military power;

On one side is an orphan girl with no parents to rely on and who has to support her younger siblings.

How could the Ruan sisters possibly resist? Forced into a corner, they had no choice but to agree to the increasingly exploitative demands of the Paramount Ballroom, and were locked up in the Qinxiang Xiaozhu to serve customers, unable to even leave the main gate!

The two sisters were so pitiful that they cried out to heaven and earth in vain. If I hadn't been taken to enjoy music by a friend by chance, I would never have known that Li Jiangchen would do such a heinous thing under the name of the Marshal's Mansion!

That's right, I did spend thirty yuan a day at Qinxiang Xiaozhu.

I did that so that the two weak and helpless sisters could have some breathing room, so that they wouldn't have to spend more than ten hours a day submitting to different men and suffering humiliation!

Li Jiangchen, I will pay back the money I borrowed from you.

That money is meant to atone for your sins, to rescue the innocent girls you've driven to prostitution from their hellish lives, and to give them a place to live soothe their wounded bodies and souls.

How could you be so vicious? You wouldn't feel right unless you drove those two sisters to their deaths, would you?

Can't you have a little compassion? Seeing such a beautiful girl reduced to that state, don't you feel even a shred of remorse in your cold heart?

Velvet dumplings: (OдO；)

"Host, what he said is so righteous and reasonable! If I hadn't read the script and witnessed firsthand how disgusting the male and female leads are, I might actually have believed him!" It rubbed its ears and face, its big eyes filled with deep confusion. "Could it be... that the protagonist was tricked by the female lead this time?"

Jiang Chen's face showed surprise, and he forced a laugh and shook his head, saying, "Big brother, you're too naive. In places of pleasure, who doesn't just act and spout nonsense?"

Go ask around in the building, which of the prostitutes doesn't have a tragic backstory?

How can they make money off you if they don't play the victim? Do you think Ruan Xiangqin and her sister would tell you the truth, that they find hard work tiring and that selling their bodies is the easiest and fastest way to make money, and that they are just being self-degrading?

Are you just going to take one side of the story as gospel without bothering to verify it?

That won't do!

Father, from now on, let our eldest brother go with the money shop's clerks to see what it means to be able to talk to people in a human language and to be able to talk to ghosts in a ghost language. Otherwise, he'll be tricked into being sold off sooner or later and still be counting money for the seller.

Brother, don't be angry or glare at me. I'm only doing this for your own good!

Since we're setting aside the debt collection issue, let's leave it at that and just talk about the situation of the four Ruan sisters entering Yucheng after the burning of Qinya Manor.

When I went to the Paramount Ballroom to ask the manager to arrange for Red Rose and others to entertain my brother's friends on the night of his wedding, I bumped into the disheveled Ruan sisters at the entrance. They were dressed in red and green, wearing gold jewelry and silver bracelets, and begging Manager Lin to give them a chance to become singers at the Paramount Ballroom.

If Father doesn't believe me, just send someone to inquire in the brothels of Yucheng. Back then, those sisters went to every brothel, and when the madams heard that they even dared to steal our family's IOUs and wanted to renege on their debts, they refused to accept them no matter what.

Some people suggested that they could sell their gold and silver jewelry, rent a small courtyard, and start a small business, but they absolutely refused and insisted on going to brothels, saying that they could play instruments and sing and were best at doing that kind of thing.

I felt sorry for them and figured they probably hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society, so I told Manager Lin to take them in first, and specifically instructed him to allow them to perform but not sell their bodies.

If the Ruan sisters discover that being a singer isn't such a good profession, they can leave whenever they want, at least preserving their innocence.

To my surprise, not long after I returned and passed by the Paramount, I heard that the Ruan Xiangqin sisters had become an overnight sensation.

How did it become famous?

I only found out after asking around: the two of them were acting arrogantly and domineeringly in my name, telling everyone that I had my eye on Ruan Xiangqin and would marry her into the Marshal's Mansion as the second young mistress sooner or later! So many people were flattering them, but they were all there to play with the future second young mistress of the Marshal's Mansion!

From the managers and stewards to the singers, maids, and servants at the Paramount Ballroom, who hasn't been bullied by them because of my power?

To openly smear my reputation and frame the Marshal's Mansion is intolerable!

If I don't punish them for their blatant disrespect, wouldn't that be tacitly condoning the rumors that I'm going to marry a singer and make her the head of the household? Parading them through the streets and slapping them was already showing mercy. These ungrateful bastards should be shot dead!

Li Tianxing's face darkened further upon hearing this, and he sneered, "They really know how to pat themselves on the back. They helped out of kindness but were then falsely accused and turned around to accuse them. They don't deserve to die, but just parading them through the streets and slapping them is too lenient for them."

My child, you are still too young and too kind-hearted.

In the future, we must not be soft-hearted and leave behind trouble, especially those of us leading troops into battle. It's better to kill three thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free, otherwise the consequences will be endless!

"Well, I thought they would calm down once they realized their mistake. But not long after, Manager Lin from the Paramount told me that Ruan Xiangqin stripped naked, climbed into his bed, and begged to sell herself, saying that performing was too tiring and didn't pay enough."

Nobody at the Paramount Ballroom forced them, and I certainly wouldn't give a damn about two pieces of trash that others have already used. Do you think they're worth me taking time out of my busy schedule to force them into prostitution? Stop trying to make yourself look good!

Brother, if you still don't believe me, you can call Manager Lin over for a face-to-face confrontation.

"If I utter even half a wrong word, no matter how my father punishes me, I never utter a single complaint!"

Faced with Jiang Chen's "sophisticated" rebuttal, Li Dongchen was so angry that his hands trembled. "Nonsense! Let Manager Lin come and confront us? The Paramount Ballroom is in cahoots with you, how could they possibly admit to forcing women into prostitution?"

Not only will they not tell the truth, but even if you called Xiangqin and her sister over, in front of you powerful and influential villains who could crush them, they still wouldn't dare tell the truth!

"So all that talk was just nonsense. You've concluded that everyone is bad, and only the Ruan Xiangqin sisters are good people forced into this situation, right?" Jiang Chen ignored him and looked at her father with concern, saying in a deep voice, "Dad, I suspect that my eldest brother has been brainwashed by those two women."

Lieutenant Li must still remember what happened that night when Qinya Manor was collecting debts. Given the sisters' vicious and treacherous nature, I am completely convinced that this was a planned and targeted act of revenge.

They targeted the eldest brother's simple-mindedness and lack of suspicion, as well as his sentimental nature and empathy for tragedy, deliberately distorting the facts and fabricating tragic experiences to win him over.

They targeted him to squander the Marshal's family fortune, sow discord among the brothers, and cause the Marshal's family to be divided and not work together, leading to chaos and even turning the brothers against each other, all in order to achieve their goal of taking revenge on the Marshal's family!

Ha, maybe Ruan Xiangqin will even use sweet words to say that she doesn't want a title and just wants to stay by your side forever.

Once they successfully lure their eldest brother into their trap, the two sisters might cry and feign weakness and have another child. If you soften your heart a little, Father, they can enter the mansion and become concubines.

That would truly be like letting a wolf into the house!

Using their beauty to conceal their venomous hearts, they can easily manipulate their elder brother to unleash a bloody storm in the general's mansion.

As the saying goes, "The innocent are easily frightened by the guilty, and the hidden arrows are hard to guard against." These two are lurking in the shadows, plotting against our family. In the end, the vast Marshal's Mansion will be under the control of our eldest brother, the legitimate son. And if the sisters control him, wouldn't they indirectly seize the mansion for themselves? Father, we must be wary of traitors within our own ranks; you must be extremely careful!"

"You, you're spouting nonsense! You're making false accusations!" Li Dongchen was furious that Jiang Chen could twist the truth like this. He stepped forward to slap him, but Jiang Chen grabbed his arm and pushed him to the ground.

Li Tianxing sighed as he recalled Lieutenant Li's previous concerns and advice.

Judging from his current performance, the eldest son is lacking in intelligence, methods, and the ability to judge right from wrong. With Zhang Ziqiu in front and Ruan Xiangqin behind, he will eventually fall for women sooner or later!

“I’m going to throw a celebration banquet for Jiang Chen. Tonight, all the guests will be prominent figures from Shanbei. Dong Chen, you’re not presentable in your current state, so you should leave.”

Li Tianxing gave his adjutant a wink, and the adjutant, with a cold poker face, stepped forward, pulled Li Dongchen up, and said in a cold voice, "Young Master, you should go back to your room and rest. I will have the servants keep quiet so as not to disturb you while you think things through."

After escorting him into the courtyard and seeing that the west wing was locked, Lieutenant Li turned and left through the back door.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Setting a trap for him!

As night fell, the entire Marshal's Mansion was filled with a lively atmosphere.

The victory banquet was just a gimmick; in reality, it was a formal ceremony to acknowledge the youngest son's status as the young marshal and hand over power.

Li Tianxing watched him grow from a greenhorn into an invincible general who conquered the entire northern region. Whether it was land reform, mining management, or encouraging the development of factories and manufacturing, his management skills and vision far surpassed his own.

He wasn't a rigid, senile old man; when it was time to step down, he naturally had to admit his age and let the younger generation take the lead.

Now that his youngest son has set his sights on unifying the country, all he can do is sit in the north of the mountain and guard the land for him, so that if the situation changes in the future, his son will have a safe way out.

"The Marshal's Mansion is so lively tonight..." Ruan Xiangqin, who had been waiting for her beloved for so long but never saw him, stood on the balcony clutching her handkerchief, gazing at the most dazzling lights in the distance.

That was the Marshal's Mansion, brightly decorated and filled with distinguished guests, looking extremely lively.

She stared blankly at the image of Li Dongchen flashing before her eyes, and couldn't help but murmur sadly, "Brother Dongchen, you must be enjoying the flattery of the guests right now, amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, have you ever thought that I am still waiting for you in vain?"

"Sister, what are you looking at?" Ruan Xiangyun pushed open the door, glanced down, and exclaimed excitedly, "Look downstairs! Isn't that the adjutant next to the commander-in-chief... what's his name... Li? Yes, that's him!"

He was there that night too. I made a point of remembering his appearance and asked around. Apparently, Lieutenant Li was the Marshal's most capable assistant and confidant. The Marshal trusted him even more than his two sons!

How strange... Why would Lieutenant Li come to our Qinxiang Xiaozhu?

Are you going to spend the night here? Surely you can't..."

She watched as the other person talked to the guards downstairs and suddenly became excited. "Could it be that Li Dongchen sent Lieutenant Li here?"

He represents the Marshal's Mansion, the Marshal himself! As long as Lieutenant Li speaks up, even the owner of the Paramount Ballroom wouldn't dare to ask for an exorbitant price.

Li Dongchen is indeed a smart man who has studied abroad; this move was brilliant.

He's really good at using someone else's power to his advantage! If we send Lieutenant Li to demand our release, the Paramount owner might not even ask for a ransom and just send us sisters to the Marshal's mansion. That's a favor from the Marshal's mansion; they're businessmen who know how to take advantage of anyone, right?

Ruan Xiangqin blushed; she really hadn't expected this day to come so soon!

Sure enough, Dongchen was completely focused on him. Ever since he cried out and begged him to redeem him yesterday, Dongchen hadn't shown up again, probably busy with this matter.

Could it be... that tonight I can escape this misery and regain my freedom, and even be carried into the Marshal's Mansion?

"I heard that the rules in the Marshal's Mansion are very strict. Concubines are carried in through the side gate without any ceremony, unlike in ordinary wealthy families where concubines are married. Only the matriarch of the Marshal's Mansion, who has been formally betrothed through the traditional matchmaking process, can be carried in through the main gate wearing bright red."

Ruan Xiangqin sighed softly, "It seems we sisters can no longer enter this family with dignity..."

Ruan Xiangyun, who was keeping a close eye on Lieutenant Li's every move downstairs, revealed a confident smile, "What's impossible? Just bear with it for now and go in through the side gate as a concubine. After Li Dongchen deals with Zhang Ziqiu and Li Jiangchen, won't the Marshal's Mansion be under our control?"

When the time comes, let him remarry with all the proper betrothal and wedding rites, and let him be carried in through the main gate in a bright red sedan chair to become the matriarch!

As long as we're favored, let alone holding another grand wedding ceremony at the Marshal's Mansion, we'll also have a magnificent ceremony at the renovated Qinya Manor so our parents' spirits in heaven can witness it!

A cold wind whistled as the two stood in the wind, dreaming of a bright future. Whether it was the cold wind or their excitement, their faces were flushed.

"White Jasmine, White Flower Fragrance, hurry up and come to greet the guests!" After a while, Lieutenant Li still hadn't left, when the steward's shouts rang out from inside the house.

The two sisters, who had already started imagining how many children they would have and what names they would give them, were suddenly taken aback. They looked at Lieutenant Li with some disbelief, and indeed, they could hear the heavy thuds of guests walking up the wooden stairs.

"What's going on?" Ruan Xiangyun's face immediately fell. "The people at the Paramount Ballroom are so bad at business! They're making us entertain customers right in front of Lieutenant Li? They're so greedy they don't even care about their heads!"

Ruan Xiangqin's heart, which had been full of anticipation, was immediately disappointed. The thought of being manipulated by those disgusting men again made her feel extremely wronged. "Perhaps... we sisters are overthinking it. Maybe Lieutenant Li isn't here to take us to the Marshal's Mansion?"

"Then what is he doing here?" Ruan Xiangyun's voice rose sharply as she said sternly, "He can't possibly know that the young master's beloved woman is at Qinxiang Xiaozhu, and he, a mere servant, would try to get close to her? If he touches the young master's woman, will he have a good future?"

The rollercoaster of emotions, from elation to despair, coupled with her sister's complaints, brought tears to Ruan Xiangqin's eyes, who was already filled with bitterness. "Why is our life so miserable!" she cried.

"Can't you two hear me?" the steward asked anxiously as he pushed open the door.

The guests have all gone upstairs and these two sisters still haven't made a move, it's really infuriating!

He could clearly sense recently that the Bai sisters were becoming somewhat passive and unmotivated at work.

Damn it, it's all that bastard Li Dongchen's fault! He's stingy and unwilling to give any tips, yet he always hogging the spot. It's only because the other party is the young master of the Marshal's Mansion that no one dares to mess with him, otherwise he would have already given him the cold shoulder and raised the price. Look at how he's spoiled these two bastards so much that they're completely out of line.

They were incredibly enthusiastic and had a variety of tricks when they first started seducing men, and they had a great reputation!

Now, perhaps feeling that he's become valuable because he's associated with the eldest son of the Marshal's family, he treats other guests very perfunctorily. Many of his regular customers have complained that the prices are too high and the service isn't worth the money at all.

If this continues, the signboard that we worked so hard to build up will be ruined!

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guest. The two young ladies must have prepared a surprise for you. I'll go check and give them my regards." As soon as the steward entered the room, he found that nothing had been arranged. He quickly reassured the customer and asked him to wait in the living room, while he angrily pushed open the door to the bedroom.

The manager immediately noticed that the two women were not dressed up, and Ruan Xiangqin even had teary eyes. He burst into anger and scolded them in a low voice, "Know your place! You two are here to sell yourselves!"