Chapter 8: Once a Person Begs for Affection, They Become Cheap

"I don't care who you are. If you dare to forcibly abduct a common woman in the street, I dare to arrest you."

The man taking action was Shi Sheng, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard whom Ye Liuyun had met not long ago. At this moment, Shi Sheng was firmly gripping a scrawny, foppish young man dressed in fine silk robes. No matter how much the young man struggled, Shi Sheng’s grip remained unshakable, rendering the resistance completely futile.

"Let me go! My father will not let you get away with this!"

The young man was clearly accustomed to arrogance and bullying; even under arrest by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he continued to bluster.

"Men, tie him up!"

Shi Sheng could not care less. He had caught the man red-handed abducting a civilian, and he was certainly not going to let him go. He immediately ordered his subordinates to bind the youth. Seeing that the man still intended to spout more nonsense, Shi Sheng grabbed a piece of cloth and gagged him.

Just as he was about to haul the prisoner away, one of his subordinates noticed something and leaned over to whisper in Shi Sheng’s ear.

"Sir, look over there!"

Shi Sheng, who had been puzzled, immediately frowned upon seeing Ye Liuyun standing among the onlookers. "If he dares to ask me to release the prisoner this time, I will certainly not spare him!"

It was not as if Shi Sheng had never arrested such young nobles before. Whenever Ye Liufeng saw them, he would inevitably intervene to snatch the prisoners away and set them free, all for the sake of becoming a familiar face to these young lords and currying favor. Although it had never yielded any results, Ye Liufeng seemed to derive great pleasure from it.

"Why is he looking so fierce?" Ye Liuyun had been enjoying the show, but he noticed Shi Sheng’s hostile glare and the aggressive posture he was taking.

"Uh!" Si Nan, standing beside him, was at a loss for words. "Sir, are we going over there now?" Having followed Ye Liufeng for so long, Si Nan was well aware of his past habits.

"Go over? Why would I go over? Let’s go!" Ye Liuyun had no intention of inserting himself into the situation. Seeing that the show was over, he turned and walked away.

"???"

This reaction left Si Nan completely baffled. By the time he realized what was happening, Ye Liuyun was already walking away. He didn't have time to overthink it and hurried to catch up. "Sir, wait for me!"

***

Had he really just left? Watching Ye Liuyun depart, Shi Sheng felt equally confused. He had prepared himself for a confrontation, only for the other party to simply walk away.

"Sir, do you think there’s some kind of conspiracy here?" his subordinates asked, having also dealt with the previous Ye Liufeng many times.

"Whatever the scheme, if they dare to cause me trouble, I’ll make sure they taste my fists!" Shi Sheng clenched his hand. He couldn't be bothered to care what Ye Liuyun was plotting; he simply ordered his men to take the son of the Marquis of Wanshun back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters.

***

Si Nan, walking alongside the indifferent Ye Liuyun, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Sir, are we really not going to help the son of the Marquis of Wanshun this time?"

"???" The way he asked made it sound as if he had done such things frequently. Ye Liuyun asked calmly, "How many times have I done such a thing in the past?"

Assuming Ye Liuyun was testing him, Si Nan replied, "At least ten times. Besides the son of the Marquis of Wanshun, there were other heirs of dukes and marquises. You used to say that helping them at such times was the best way to win their favor!"

Few in the Embroidered Uniform Guard dared to arrest these people, and Shi Sheng was one of the few who did. It was no wonder Shi Sheng had looked so ready to fight; *I’m making an arrest, and you’re letting them go—what is this, some kind of joke?*

*‘How pathetic, like a bootlicker,’* Ye Liuyun couldn't help but mutter to himself. It was clear that the former Ye Liufeng had truly wanted to curry favor with these spoiled brats. But Ye Liuyun already knew the outcome.

"And did it work? Not a single one, right?"

"Uh!" Si Nan smiled awkwardly. It was true; they had helped many noble heirs, but not one of them had ever looked at Ye Liufeng with genuine respect.

"So, Sir, are we just going to ignore it this time?"

"I will handle it, but not like that." Ye Liuyun realized that while his brother’s goal wasn't inherently wrong, his methods were flawed. He wasn't these people’s nanny; if he kept rushing to their side the moment trouble arose, wouldn't that make him a sycophant?

"Once you start debasing yourself, you become cheap. If they want my help, they can come find me themselves."

Upon hearing this, Si Nan immediately understood. So, it was a change in strategy. "As expected of you, Sir! Your words are truly pearls of wisdom!"

***

It had to be said that Si Nan was quite skilled at flattery. "I believe you must have come to this realization through your experiences over this period, Sir."

"..." *Heh! Do you want me to tell you that I spent some time acting like a bootlicker myself?*

"Enough. Tell me about this Marquis of Wanshun. Let me know if there’s anything I don't know." Ye Liuyun didn't even know who the Marquis of Wanshun was.

"Understood!" Si Nan didn't hesitate and carefully relayed everything he knew to Ye Liuyun.

***

After listening, Ye Liuyun nearly burst out laughing. The ancestor of the Marquis of Wanshun had followed the former Emperor to conquer the empire; he had been a mere foot soldier who, by luck, earned enough merit to be granted the title of Marquis. Unfortunately, over the years, while the title had been hereditary, the descendants had achieved absolutely nothing.

In fact, the current Marquis of Wanshun, aside from the hollow title, didn't even have a decent estate. And yet, the former Ye Liufeng had been perfectly willing to debase himself for them.

Having heard this, Ye Liuyun cared about the matter even less. After patrolling the area and finding no issues, he signaled for Si Nan to return, while he went back to practice his martial arts.

The next day, the Marquis of Wanshun did indeed send someone to find Ye Liuyun. However, the messenger approached Si Nan first, who then reported to Ye Liuyun.

After hearing Si Nan’s account, Ye Liuyun, who had barely settled into his chair, burst into laughter. "I helped them so many times, and they never showed any gratitude. But the one time I don't immediately release his son, he starts scolding me?"

According to Si Nan, the servant sent to deliver the message had been incredibly arrogant, using almost commanding language to demand that Ye Liuyun release the Marquis’s son immediately.

Sure enough, people never remember the favors they receive.

"Did he say how much money they’re offering?"

"Money?" Si Nan was visibly stunned.

"What? They expect me to do them a favor without paying?"