The Facade of a Wastrel

Chapter 1 At the State of Zhao In the early winter of the Zhao state, the land across the entire state resembled a vast white expanse of cotton fluff. Trees and grass were covered in snow. The winter wind carried a moist chill to the ground. The forests around the capital were veiled in a light white mist. The songs of wild birds heralded the dawn, adding to the atmosphere of abundance and vitality. Even in winter, the air was not dry, but bitingly cold, touching the skin and truly making one feel the power of nature and the transition of the seasons. The Zhao state, under the rule of Emperor Zhao Wenyong, aged forty-seven, was a prosperous and flourishing state due to his strict yet benevolent administration. He possessed profound wisdom and knew how to place people in suitable positions, allowing the Zhao state to stand firmly among the surrounding states. With sustainable agricultural development, a stable economy, and a strong army, Emperor Zhao was accompanied by Empress Huang, Huang Yilan, his beloved Empress of forty-five years. She came from a lineage of great civil officials, a woman of intelligence who loved justice and was respected by the ladies of the court and the common people alike. Emperor Zhao Wenyong had three younger half-brothers, all of whom played significant roles in the stability of the Zhao state. The first brother, holding the title Prince Qin, named Zhao Suyin, was only one year younger than the Emperor. He was the great general who governed the southern border adjacent to the Tang state. Prince Qin was a solemn and decisive man on the battlefield and a brilliant strategist. Prince Qin governed the southern army with discipline and loyalty to the state. Amidst the delicate political situation between the Tang and Zhao states, Prince Qin was the first line of defense that could not be overlooked. The second youngest brother, Prince Wei, named Zhao Yonghe, was only thirty-one years old. Although he held the same title of Prince as his brother, he had not yet been given any significant duties in government. Prince Wei resided in the capital, but not within the imperial palace; he had his own private residence outside the palace walls. Prince Wei's life was full of luxury and pleasure. Prince Wei favored games, music, and wine and women. He was beloved by the upper class of the capital but was not respected by military or civil officials. Due to his youth and lack of experience in state affairs, the public's perception of Prince Wei was that of a nonchalant young Prince who indulged in temporary pleasures. Although both of them shared the same blood as the Emperor, they had different mothers, backgrounds, and ideologies. Their existence was like a hidden power that could one day become either a strong support or a silent threat to the throne. In the midst of the peaceful winter of the Zhao state, no one knew that beneath the sky filled with thin mist and the scent of damp grass, silent waves had begun to form beneath the surface. The Hou Clan Manor Amidst the flourishing capital of the Zhao state, there was a great clan that people talked about for its wealth, good looks, and close ties to the royal family—the Hou clan. The manor of the Grand Minister of Revenue of the Zhao state, the Hou manor, was located to the west of the capital city. It covered a vast area of more than fifty mu, with three main residences, servants' quarters, stables, warehouses, and a magnificent peony garden arranged in front of the manor, as beautiful as an ancient palace. The Hou clan had a main family of seven people and over forty servants who had lived and worked there for a long time. Some were born in the manor, while others had served since their parents' generation. Grand Minister Hou Jing'an, the head of the clan, was a forty-five-year-old man who was intelligent and decisive. He grew up in a merchant family but served in the Ministry of Revenue until he was promoted to "Grand Minister of Revenue," a significant position that controlled the state's finances. Although he appeared polite and simple on the outside, he was a man difficult to read. He had a main wife, Madam Hou Xiulan, of the same age, a woman who was perfect in both her manners and conduct, and was respected among the high-ranking women. They had two sons together: the eldest young master, Hou Wenshan, and the second young master, Hou Yan'yu. Both were handsome and well-educated young men. The eldest young master, Wenshan, twenty-six years old, was tall and elegant with a gentle way of speaking. He was a close friend of the Zhao state's eldest prince, which almost certainly predetermined his future position. The second young master, Yan'yu, forty-five years old, though not as prominent as his brother in terms of connections, was exceptionally clever. He was interested in strategy and would read books all night, also suitable for government service. In addition, Grand Minister Hou also had a concubine named Hong Jinyin, who, though not as famous as the main wife, was a charming woman with whom he had two children: the third young master, Hou Jianrong, and the youngest daughter, Hou Meiling. Hou Meiling, aged seventeen, had just passed her hair-pinning ceremony not long ago. She was stunningly beautiful, and it was rumored that even without makeup, she could easily make young men in the capital fall in love with her. She spoke softly and gracefully, and wherever she went, she was praised. However, among the Grand Minister Hou's children, there was only one who was talked about the most, both for good and for bad. Hou Jianrong, the third young master of the Hou clan, was only twenty-three years old. He was the most handsome among his siblings. He was tall and slender, with sharp, fierce eyes, thin lips, and an aloof demeanor. He had a charm that attracted both high-born ladies and common women. However, he led a dissolute life. He frequented gambling houses every night, losing money daily. Brothels knew him well by the name "Young Master Hou of the Night." Wine and women were his pursuits. But what people did not know was the depths of his heart. Hou Jianrong grew up in a concubine's quarters, which was not accepted by the townspeople. Although Grand Minister Hou did not abandon him, the strict class hierarchy in the manor made him be seen as "a concubine's son born at the wrong time." He was educated on par with his brothers, but he never received praise from his teachers. When he tried to succeed, he was criticized. When he failed, he was mocked. He therefore chose to "not fight" for anything anymore and became a wastrel to hide the disappointments of his youth. At the "Hongxian" Tavern, at Dusk That night, at a roadside tavern in a small alley away from the city gate, Hou Jianrong sat in the deepest corner of the shop, wearing a dark cloak. His eyes were fixed on the wine glass in front of him, while the common folk at the nearby table were talking enthusiastically, unaware that the "person they were talking about" was sitting just a hand's breadth away. Old man: "Last night, I saw it with my own eyes! The third young master of the Hou clan was more drunk than a drooling dog, staggering out of the Hall of Yu Lan. The one who dragged him back to the manor must have been his personal servant." Middle-aged woman: "The Hou clan is full of good people. It's only that third young master who's a plague. A concubine's son, born without a sense of shame!" Young man: "But he is quite handsome. I think if he put his mind to it, he could become an official like his brothers." Middle-aged woman: "Looks don't fill the stomach! He just indulges in pleasure. I heard he lost a thousand taels to the gambling table. Doesn't Grand Minister Hou feel ashamed?" Old man: "He must be ashamed, but he probably loves his son too much to abandon him. I'd say that one day, that third young master will get what's coming to him!" Jianrong lifted the glass and drank it all. A slight smile appeared on his face as he clearly heard those words. He did not show the slightest sign of anger. On the contrary, he was calmer than ever, as if the gossip had become a familiar poem he had memorized. "Hmm... A thousand taels?" he muttered softly to himself before letting out a lonely chuckle. Perhaps, for Hou Jianrong... the insults hurt less than the silence of his own family. The Past At the Grand Minister of Revenue's manor of the Hou clan, not far from the center of the Zhao capital, there was a boy who, despite being born of a concubine, had bright eyes, a handsome face, and a joyful smile that filled the entire residence with cheerfulness. That boy was the third young master, Hou Jianrong. When he was just seven or eight years old, he was the heart of the manor. Whether he passed through the main or side residences, every servant and maid loved him. Because of his innocence, his mischievous yet sincere nature, he would often sneak snacks from his own quarters to share with the young servants and loved to climb plum trees with the gardeners. Whenever the people in the manor were tired, his laughter always helped to ease the weariness of the adults. But because he was born of a concubine, no matter how much Grand Minister Hou loved all his children equally, it was difficult to erase the scorn of high society. Other children from official families his age would always look down on him. Every time he went out of the manor to study or participated in literacy ceremonies with children from other clans, he would always be whispered about and come back with bruises. "Just a concubine's son, yet you dare to walk ahead of me." "Your father is great, but your mother is just a concubine. No matter how handsome you are, one day you will be driven from the house." Those words were like sharp thorns that pricked the boy's heart over and over again. As a child, he did not understand, so he would just cry and go home, hiding in the embrace of his mother, Hong Jinyin, who would gently stroke his head and only say, "Don't mind them, my son. My Jianrong is already good and capable enough." But that could not erase the fact that... compared to Hou Wenshan, the intelligent and handsome eldest brother who was a close friend of the eldest prince, or Hou Yan'yu, the calm, stable, and knowledgeable second brother, Jianrong was just a shadow in the eyes of outsiders. He began to feel the difference. As he grew older, people's words became knives that cut deeper every day. At the age of thirteen, he could still endure it. At fourteen, he started to lash out by teasing others aggressively. He began to change. His smile turned into a sneer. His clear laughter became a mocking one. If anyone said he was just a concubine's son... he would throw a punch without hesitation. If anyone compared him to his brothers... he would retort with rude words. If anyone looked him in the eye without flinching... he would stare back with a fierce look, like a wild beast guarding his inner wounds. At that time, he truly became a "wastrel." Many of the servants in the manor were heartbroken but still loved him the same. Everyone knew that beneath his aggressive exterior was the same boy's heart, which was extremely sensitive. He was merely... protecting himself from an outside world that never truly accepted him. In Hou Jianrong's heart, he didn't want to be a wastrel. He didn't want to be drunk. He didn't want to be gossiped about. But when the pain gnawed at him until there was no way to vent, he chose a path where outsiders would stop having any expectations of him. And that was the beginning... of the infamous third young master of the Zhao capital.