Chapter 38: Spending Money to Win Followers

The original plan had been disrupted, and now in the Spring Blossom Brothel, a crowd had gathered to watch, making Ma Jun feel terribly awkward! To take the child of a prostitute and recognize him as his own son was already an amusing affair; even more so since it had all turned out to be a misunderstanding. The onlookers, having forgotten Ma Jun's earlier fierceness, now whispered among themselves with laughter.

Ma Jun's face grew darker by the moment. He quickly composed himself, letting his features turn sorrowful as he gazed at Wei Chunhua and said, "Chunhua, although Xiaobao isn't my own flesh and blood, he is your son. You’ve raised him all these years alone—it must have been so hard. I know there’s no hope for the two of us, but could you at least let Xiaobao acknowledge me as his godfather, just as a token for old times’ sake?"

Before Wei Chunhua could reply, Ma Jun turned to Wei Xiaobao and continued, "Xiaobao, if you agree to call me godfather, I'll open a grand brothel for you and make you its proprietor. Your mother need not toil so hard to raise you anymore! What do you say?"

"Godfather!" Wei Xiaobao exclaimed, his lifelong dream about to come true. Without a moment’s hesitation, he fell to his knees and knocked his head on the floor several times.

"Excellent! Good, good!" Ma Jun burst out laughing, repeating himself with delight.

"Oh, Master Ma, how could I possibly accept such generosity?" Wei Chunhua wanted to refuse, but was tempted by Ma Jun’s words and could only force a smile.

"Why not? Come, let’s find a room. I want to reminisce with you and your son properly," Ma Jun said, leaving no room for argument. He slapped a piece of silver onto the table, scooped Wei Xiaobao up, and led Wei Chunhua upstairs.

The other patrons, seeing there was no more spectacle to be had, gathered their girls and returned to their seats, though the conversation still revolved around Ma Jun. None could fathom why this handsome, skillful young man would favor an aging, faded prostitute—it was a curiosity indeed!

In truth, Wei Chunhua was just past thirty; in modern times, she would be considered a mature, attractive woman. But in the old days, with poor living conditions and short life spans for common folk, she was already seen as old and worn. As for whether Ma Jun truly fancied Wei Chunhua? Only if he’d lost his senses!

Once inside the private room upstairs, Ma Jun ordered the brothel keeper to bring up a fine meal. Sitting together with Wei Chunhua and Xiaobao, they chatted as they ate.

After a while, Ma Jun sighed heavily and said, "Sister Chunhua, Xiaobao, it’s not easy for our family to be reunited, but soon I must leave. The rise and fall of the nation is every man’s duty. Millions of my fellow countrymen have been slaughtered by the Manchus; how can I live on in ease and call myself a man? Even though I can hardly bear to leave you, the world must come before my home."

"Yes, yes," Wei Chunhua replied, not fully understanding but not daring to object.

Wei Xiaobao, with an air of righteousness, clapped Ma Jun on the shoulder and declared, "Godfather, you’re a true hero! You remind me of the great men like Xu Da and Chang Yuchun in the Heroic Chronicles!"

Ma Jun chuckled softly, "How could I compare to real heroes like them?" From his Qiankun Ring, he pulled out a gold bar and set it on the table.

At the sight of this treasure, Wei Chunhua and Xiaobao’s eyes reddened with excitement. A gold bar the size of a palm was a priceless thing—something they’d never seen in their lives.

"Chunhua, Xiaobao," Ma Jun said, "You’ve both lived in Yangzhou for many years, so you must have your connections. Take this gold bar, open a grand brothel, and live well. Wait for my triumphant return! Remember, never let word of this fortune leak out, and be cautious in how you use it."

"But—but how could we accept this?" Wei Chunhua stammered, torn between joy and anxiety.

Xiaobao, on the other hand, felt no fear. Having taken Ma Jun as his godfather, he pounded his chest and said, "Don’t worry, godfather! Xiaobao will live up to your trust!"

"Good!" Seeing Wei Chunhua still hesitating, Ma Jun cut her off with a slap on the table. "It's settled! Chunhua, fetch us two jars of wine—I’m in high spirits tonight!"

Once Wei Chunhua had left, moving hesitantly, Ma Jun drew Xiaobao close and whispered, "Xiaobao, do you want to be a hero too?"

Xiaobao was about to say yes, but then thought: heroes have to fight and risk their lives, and if I went to war, my head might come off in an instant!

"You needn’t worry," Ma Jun laughed. "You don’t have to fight, but you can still serve the cause of restoring the Ming dynasty! You’re young but clever, and get along with all sorts. Help your mother, use the capital I’ve given you, and open brothels throughout the Great Qing. Use them to gather information for our anti-Qing efforts!"

"Gather information?" Xiaobao asked, puzzled.

"All kinds of things happening in the world. For example, if the magistrate of Yangzhou comes for a girl and casually admits to bribery or corruption, we can use that against him and make him work for us in the future!"

"Oh," Xiaobao nodded, still half-understanding. "Don’t worry, godfather, I’ll get it done!"

"Good boy! Hahaha!"

Ma Jun never underestimated Wei Xiaobao. In all of Master Jin’s novels, though Xiaobao had no martial skills, he was unbeatable! With his cleverness and wit, he walked a tightrope between the Heaven and Earth Society, the Divine Dragon Island, and the Qing court, always escaping danger and living freely.

Most importantly, despite his many flaws, Xiaobao had one redeeming quality: loyalty and devotion—enough to make anyone trust him.

As for his age, that was no matter. Having grown up in a brothel, Xiaobao had seen all kinds of people. When it came to street smarts, Ma Jun was no match for him! A gold bar in Wei Chunhua’s hands might bring disaster, but in Xiaobao’s, it was far less risky—at worst, he’d squander it all.

Soon, Wei Chunhua returned with two jars of wine, having fetched them herself out of fear that someone might overhear Ma Jun’s rebellious talk and report them to the authorities.

Wine in the old days was not strong but tasted good. Though Ma Jun was no heavy drinker, he downed over a dozen cups. After half an hour, with the meal and wine finished, his expression grew somber. "Chunhua, Xiaobao, I must leave tonight to meet my comrades. I’d hoped to take you both with me, but the path I walk is perilous—I can’t drag you into it. Let us part ways here!"

"Master Ma, can’t you stay just one more night? Let me take good care of you," Wei Chunhua said emotionally, though whether she meant it was unclear.

Ma Jun shuddered and quickly waved his hand. "I hate to part from you, but I must go!" As he spoke, he brushed his sleeve across his eyes, but his acting was so poor that not a single tear appeared—not even a hint of redness.

"Xiaobao, take good care of your mother! You’re a grown man now! And remember, money can bring trouble—never reveal the gold bar. Whenever you need to use it, just break off a small piece." With these final words, Ma Jun waved and strode out.

"Good thing I’m quick on my feet!" Out in the hallway, Ma Jun patted his chest, still unsettled. "Sister Chunhua’s gaze was downright terrifying—like she wanted to devour me! By the way, Xiaohua, did you notice if that brawny Mao Eighteen was in the room?"

"Hehe, Wei Chunhua’s heart was all aflutter and you wouldn’t comfort her. Looking for Mao Eighteen—are you planning something with him?"

"Don’t be ridiculous. Go back to your TV!"