Jiang Yuancheng also wanted to take his little sister out for a walk, but their mother wouldn’t allow it.

“Yuanxi, it’s not that I don’t want to help you, but Mother won’t allow it,” Jiang Yuancheng said with difficulty.

He still remembered vividly the time his father had beaten him up for sneaking his sister out. Even now, his backside still burned at the thought.

The last two times he secretly took his sister out, he was caught and beaten by both his father and second brother. The memory was still fresh.

Jiang Yuanxi pouted.

Since her fourth brother wouldn’t help, she had to find their mother instead.

“Mother, please~” Jiang Yuanxi hugged Madam Chen’s leg and gently swayed.

The tiny child, with her big, innocent eyes, melted Madam Chen’s heart.

【Mother, please let me go out! I want to see the lanterns and solve riddles with Fourth Brother!】
【Please, Mother!】

Madam Chen pinched Jiang Yuanxi’s chubby cheeks with a smile.

“Alright, but you can’t go with Yuanchen.”

The Shangyuan Festival was the most lively time of the year in the Yufeng Kingdom.

The streets were filled with performances, snacks, and dazzling sights.

Jiang Yuanxi nestled in Jiang Yuansheng’s arms while Jiang Yuanwu held Jiang Yuancheng’s hand, looking displeased.

Why couldn’t he be the one holding their soft and adorable little sister?

Jiang Yuanxi’s bright eyes curiously observed the world around her.

This was her first time truly experiencing the outside world.

“Look, Little Sister!” Jiang Yuancheng pointed ahead excitedly.

Jiang Yuanxi raised her tiny hand to her lips.

“Wow!”

It was beautiful!

The firelight illuminated the faces of the onlookers, their smiles warm and bright.

Jiang Yuanxi suddenly felt her heart fill with an unknown emotion.

Back then, the King of Hell had tirelessly persuaded her to reincarnate, describing the human world in glowing terms.

She hadn’t believed him.

But now, it seemed that the mortal world was far more interesting than heaven.

Not only were there fire breathers but also performers jumping through rings of fire.

So many dazzling spectacles!

【Wow!】

Jiang Yuanxi stared at one performance, exclaiming in amazement again.

Jiang Yuansheng chuckled as he gazed at his little sister, thinking that nothing could be cuter than her.

As soon as Jiang Yuancheng was let loose, his mischievous nature took over, and he dashed around recklessly.

Jiang Yuanwu was so frustrated he wanted to knock him out and drag him back home.

“Yuanchen,” Jiang Yuansheng warned, “there are a lot of people out tonight. Be careful.”

“I got it, Big Brother,” Jiang Yuancheng replied absentmindedly, not taking the warning seriously at all.

Jiang Yuanwu finally understood why their mother had insisted they accompany Jiang Yuancheng.

He turned to Jiang Yuansheng. “Big Brother, how about we switch?”

Jiang Yuansheng immediately turned away.

No way was he giving up his cuddly little sister!

The crowd grew denser, and for safety, Jiang Yuansheng carried Jiang Yuanxi away from the most crowded areas.

Jiang Yuancheng had already slipped out of Jiang Yuanwu’s grip and vanished somewhere.

Once they reached a quieter place, Jiang Yuansheng set his sister down.

She was just over a year old—though still a bit wobbly when she walked, she wouldn’t fall easily.

Jiang Yuanxi spotted something she liked and clung to a vendor’s leg, refusing to let go.

“Gourd candy! Gourd candy!”

As a devoted big brother, Jiang Yuansheng naturally had to satisfy his sister’s wishes.

Before long, Jiang Yuanxi grabbed another vendor’s leg.

Jiang Yuansheng paid again.

Eventually, Jiang Yuanxi figured out a trick: if her brother refused to buy something, she would sit on the ground and pretend to cry.

This tactic worked every time.

In the end, Jiang Yuanwu ended up carrying all the purchases like a servant.

Suddenly, the crowd became restless.

“What’s happening up ahead?” someone asked.

Another person replied, “It seems three young masters got into an argument.”

“I heard one of them is that troublemaker, Jiang Si-Waste. Let’s go watch!”

“Wait, I think there are two Jiang family sons involved.”

…

Jiang Yuansheng’s expression darkened upon hearing this.

Jiang Yuanwu, with his tall and sturdy build, pushed through the crowd to clear a path.

In the middle of the commotion, Jiang Yuancheng stood protectively in front of a young man.

Three others confronted them.

“If you want to bully him, you’ll have to get past me first!” Jiang Yuancheng declared.

Qian Tong sneered. “You? Do you even know who you’re talking to? This is the heir of the Duke of Li’s household!”

Jiang Yuancheng retorted, “Well, I’m also a noble heir! I am Jiang Yuancheng, the direct grandson of the Duke of An!”

“Hahaha!” The other young men burst into laughter.

Jiang Hui stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Sun Enguang. “Apologies, Young Master. This is just my incompetent cousin from the main family.”

“So you’re the famous ‘Fourth Jiang Waste’?”

“I’ve heard the main branch of the Jiang family isn’t favored. How noble could a discarded heir like you possibly be?” Sun Enguang mocked.

Jiang Yuancheng fumed, but he had no way to refute it.

Still, he never expected Jiang Hui to side against their own family.

“I don’t care! You’re not allowed to bully him!”

Wu Haoran lay on the ground, covered in blood. His injuries were severe.

“Jiang… Young Master Jiang,” Wu Haoran gasped. “Leave… now… It’s not worth it.”

But Jiang Yuancheng stood firm, shielding him.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I may have a bad reputation, but I despise people who abuse their power!”

Sun Enguang lifted a wooden staff.

“If you don’t step aside, I’ll beat you too!”

Jiang Hui watched expectantly.

Jiang Yuancheng suddenly felt nervous.

He wasn’t afraid of authority, but these were fifteen-year-old boys holding weapons.

He looked around but couldn’t find anything to defend himself with.

“B-Bold words!” he bluffed. “This is Shengjing! Aren’t you afraid of the patrol officers?”

Qian Tong and Sun Enguang stepped closer.

“Even if the emperor himself came, he wouldn’t save you!” Sun Enguang sneered, his eyes dangerous.

Just then, Jiang Yuansheng and Jiang Yuanwu arrived.

【Someone is bullying Fourth Brother! We must stand up for him!】

Jiang Yuansheng recognized Sun Enguang instantly—he was the Duke of Li’s grandson.

“Stop!” Jiang Yuanwu barked coldly.

Sun Enguang turned and sneered. “Oh? Another Jiang family disgrace has arrived.”

Then he noticed Jiang Yuansheng.

His eyes flickered with admiration.

So this was the famous, elegant eldest son of the Jiang family.

Thinking of something, Sun Enguang chuckled darkly.

Jiang Yuanxi suddenly noticed thick, ominous black energy swirling around Sun Enguang and Qian Tong.

【Such heavy black energy! I can’t even see Sun Enguang’s face!】

The three brothers turned to look at Sun Enguang.

Black energy?

They couldn’t see anything.

【This guy likes men. Big Brother is too handsome—I must protect him!】

Jiang Yuanxi covered Jiang Yuansheng’s face with her tiny hands, leaving only his eyes visible.

Jiang Yuansheng chuckled, then noticed Jiang Hui standing behind Sun Enguang.

His eyes narrowed.

Why was the second branch mingling with these people?

At that moment, someone screamed.

“Someone fell into the river!”

A panicked look flashed across Sun Enguang and Qian Tong’s faces.

Jiang Yuanwu immediately dove into the water.

The person was pulled out but had already died.

Jiang Yuanxi noticed a dark red strangulation mark on the corpse’s neck.

【That’s not a drowning victim…】