Chapter 1

"Master... Master, you're in trouble. You ate, drank, whored, and gambled in Suzhou. How are you going to explain this when you get home?"

"..."

"Master... Master, Madam said that if you don't change, Father will kick you out of the house."

"..."

The little maid, carrying a bundle, chattered incessantly. Her bright, large eyes stared at the young master walking in front of her, complaining non-stop. These past seven or eight days, following the young master on a long journey was the most painful time for Little Fragrance. The young master's bad habits never changed; once out of the house, he was like a bird out of a cage, always heading to brothels or gambling dens. In just three days, he spent all his money and even accumulated a large debt. A couple of days ago, the young master, perhaps fearing he couldn't explain his actions, suddenly fell seriously ill. But he recovered overnight and then made a decision—return home!

The young master walking in front, dressed in a scholar's robe with a high nose and arched eyebrows, was none other than Hao Fenglou, the only son of the Hao family. The Hao family was a wealthy household in Songjiang Prefecture, with a distinguished lineage.

Hao Fenglou ignored Little Fragrance's scolding. He was depressed because he had somehow been transported to a strange place, and coincidentally, this person looked exactly like him and was also named Hao Fenglou.

After a few days of adjustment, he had a general understanding of this Hao Fenglou's background. This was a complete wastrel, and Hao Fenglou didn't mind being a wastrel. In fact, as the 18th-generation disciple of the Love Saint, his goal was to be a wastrel to the end.

However, this young master's wastrel behavior lacked any sophistication. He couldn't even come up with any new tricks, which troubled Hao Fenglou greatly.

Fortunately, this person's identity was not bad. At least the family was wealthy, and he was still a young master. Hao Fenglou felt this was a significant advantage. However, it was now the third year of the Jianwen era, and even a history ignoramus like Hao Fenglou knew that the Jingnan Campaign had already begun, with the Prince of Yan marching south toward Nanjing.

Was this a time of chaos? If so, why was there such a peaceful and prosperous scene in Songjiang Prefecture? Hao Fenglou looked at the passersby and couldn't help but think resentfully, "At least give the little Emperor Jianwen some face, will you? His uncle is coming, and you're still smiling? Be a bit more serious."

It was autumn, and the cold wind was blowing. The yellow leaves kept falling from the trees by the road. It had been drizzling for several days, and the air was filled with a damp, earthy smell. Fortunately, Songjiang was a major city in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and even in the cold winter, the streets were still bustling with people.

Relying on the memories of the body he inhabited, Hao Fenglou finally stopped in front of a large mansion.

The mansion was quite spacious and located in a prosperous area of Songjiang. Through the gaps in the walls, one could still see the tall pavilions and rooftops inside.

Hao Fenglou, fanning himself, said with enthusiasm, "What a grand place."

Suppressing various fantasies, he went to knock on the door. The doorkeeper, an old servant of the Hao family named Hao Wu, opened the door slightly and poked his head out. Hao Fenglou had some memory of him.

Seeing Hao Fenglou, Hao Wu was pleasantly surprised, "Young Master is back? Didn't you say you were going to the academy in Suzhou? Oh, Young Master, come in quickly. It's windy outside. San'er, go and inform Father and Madam."

San'er, Hao Wu's son, was strong and healthy. He inherited his father's job and was now responsible for guarding the gate. Hearing his father's call, he ran into the inner courtyard like the wind.

Hao Fenglou entered, fanning himself and looking around at his future estate. The gray brick walls, huge wooden pillars, three courtyards, and dozens of rooms on either side were impressive. A moon gate divided the mansion into inner and outer courtyards. Behind the screen wall was a courtyard. Hao Fenglou roughly estimated and couldn't help but think, "If this mansion were in the modern world, especially in a bustling area, it would be worth more than 100 million. Rich, so rich. Haha... Being transported here isn't bad; I've picked up a rich person for free."

Little Fragrance followed in, but she poured cold water on Hao Fenglou, "Young Master, Father will break your legs. But... I'm hungry now. I'll go to the kitchen to see if there's anything to eat."

"Leave me some, thanks." Hao Fenglou realized his stomach was also growling.

Little Fragrance made a face at him, "Young Master will get a beating." Then, she walked away with her hands behind her back, looking like a little adult.

Hao Fenglou smiled bitterly. The girl had taken good care of him on the journey, but she never admitted defeat verbally, not acting like a proper maid at all.

Hao Fenglou, looking cool, fanned himself as he entered the courtyard.

In the back garden, Hao San made a face at him, "Young Master, Father and Madam are waiting inside. Please go in and talk to them."

Hao Fenglou put away his fan, feeling good. In his previous life, he was an orphan raised by his master. Although he had no experience with parents, as a Love Saint, he was confident. He stepped over the threshold with enthusiasm, but before he could see his new parents, he heard a loud roar, "Wretch, you dare to come back? You useless thing, kneel down!"

Hao Fenglou was stunned and saw the angry old man, Hao Zheng. Hao Zheng was a dignified man with a square face and a fine beard, but his eyes were like those of a predator, glaring at Hao Fenglou fiercely.

Sitting beside him was Hao Madam, Hao Fenglou's mother, looking worried and pained. Her face showed a mix of love and disappointment.

"What did I do in my past life to deserve a son like you? You wretch, how dare you stand there?"

Faced with Hao Zheng's aggressive attitude, Hao Fenglou was embarrassed. Wasn't he just a bit of a wastrel? And according to his memory, the Hao family's discipline wasn't very strict. As the only son, Hao Fenglou was always pampered by both Hao Zheng and Madam. Usually, they would just scold him for his mistakes, but today's severity was unprecedented.

Hao Fenglou hesitated for a moment and then knelt down, saying obediently, "I know I was wrong."

A man's knees were worth their weight in gold, but since he was now in someone else's body, these emotional parents would be his parents from now on. Kneeling was no big deal.

"Tell me, where did you go wrong!" Hao Zheng was still furious, glaring at Hao Fenglou. Hao Madam, unable to bear the sight, turned her face away.

Hao Fenglou felt bitter. The original Hao Fenglou had lived a carefree life, but now all the mess was on his shoulders. He thought for a moment and said sincerely, "I shouldn't have neglected my duties and spent my days..."

Before Hao Fenglou could finish, Hao Zheng angrily interrupted, "You only realize this now? It's too late. Hmph, the Lu family has already heard about your behavior. Yesterday, they sent someone to terminate the engagement between you and Miss Lu. Generations of friendship, all ruined by you. Not only have we lost face, but you should know how important the Lu family is to us. We rely on them in every aspect. Now, you, this disobedient son, have ruined everything!"

Hao Zheng was so angry that he pounded his chest and stumbled, his speech becoming incoherent.

Hao Madam's brows furrowed even deeper, clearly worried.

Hao Fenglou suddenly remembered that the Lu family and the Hao family were old friends. His grandfather had been the governor of Yingtian Prefecture, while the Lu family held a hereditary title. Despite their different paths, they had a close relationship. When Hao Fenglou was born, the two families agreed to a marriage alliance.

However, after Hao Zheng's death, the Hao family gradually declined, while the Lu family remained powerful. The Lu family didn't look down on them, and the two families continued to interact. But recently, Hao Fenglou's behavior had become so bad that it reached Zhenjiang. The Lu family, unable to tolerate it, sent someone to terminate the engagement. Miss Lu, the Lu family's beloved daughter, couldn't marry such a scoundrel.

Hao Zheng couldn't bear it. The Hao family had only one heir, and although the son was a failure, at least they had a good daughter-in-law. The future daughter-in-law was said to be beautiful and well-mannered, embodying the Lu family's values. But now, even the daughter-in-law was gone.

Hao Fenglou finally understood why the old man was so angry today. Years of frustration had finally erupted over the Lu family's engagement.

"You wretch, how have I treated you? You've disgraced our family. Now you realize your mistake, but what good is that? Can Miss Lu come back?" Hao Zheng's lips trembled with anger.

Hao Fenglou didn't really agree. As a Love Saint, he wasn't worried about finding a wife. With the Hao family's wealth, what kind of woman couldn't he find? The old man was too narrow-minded, thinking only of one tree. Hao Fenglou wanted to tell him to broaden his horizons, but he didn't dare. It would be suicidal to say such things when the old man was so angry.

Hao Madam finally softened, "My lord, can we find a way to resolve this? We should go to the Lu family and plead for mercy. After all, Lou'er is still young. Scolding him won't help. Oh..." She wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

Hao Fenglou felt moved. He had no parents in his previous life, only a master. Seeing Hao Madam cry, he felt a pang of sorrow and said, "Yes, I'll go to Zhenjiang and try to mend things. Please don't be angry, Father, and don't be sad, Mother."

Hao Zheng's expression softened slightly. He seemed to sense Hao Fenglou's sincere repentance, which was new.

Just then, the doorkeeper Hao Wu rushed in, saying cautiously, "My lord, Madam, there are visitors outside."

Hao Zheng's face turned cold, his eyes narrowing. "Who is it? Could it be the Lu family, returning?"

Hao Madam's eyes lit up with hope.

Hao Wu hesitated, "This... this..."

"What is it? Speak up!" Hao Zheng demanded angrily.

Hao Wu, caught between laughter and tears, said, "They're from Suzhou, claiming to be collecting a debt for the Lihong Brothel. They say the young master spent three days there and owes over 400 taels of silver. They've come to collect..."

Hao Zheng's face darkened, and his eyes, which had softened, suddenly turned fierce. "Get out, get out! From now on, the Hao family has no such son. I, Hao Zheng, would rather have no descendants than a useless son like you. Hao Wu, what are you waiting for? Throw this scoundrel out and never let him step foot in the Hao family again!"

Hao Fenglou had a premonition that he was about to face a tragedy. His heart was bleeding. What was this? The original Hao Fenglou was really a mess. Big brother, you had your fun, but could you at least leave a little for your little brother?

It's one thing to indulge in personal interests, but why did you have to run up a debt?