"Good! ... Since that's the case, I won't force you, my dear brother. Come, come, accompany me in a sword dance to sober up..." Edward Lincoln looked completely insane, gesturing wildly for a while before pulling a chopstick from his belt. Which scoundrel did this...

Another, even more shameless scoundrel, William Clark, appeared, bringing two long swords. He grinned lewdly, baring two rows of fangs, laughing like a dog on fire. I really wanted to snatch the sword and chop this guy up, but unfortunately, this isn't my turf.

It's so hard for me. That scoundrel William Clark desperately shoved the sword into my hand, chattering away: "I've long heard that the second young master of the Fang family is both brave and skilled, able to break a three-stone bow. Today, we can feast our eyes—hope you won't let down the Fang family's reputation..."

"Wait!" Amid the heckling and cheers of the other playboys, I sprang up, glaring and shouting, "Let’s have a battle of wits, not a battle of force!" That shout had all the flavor and momentum of a Beijing Red Guard.

"..." The whole place fell silent, only the snoring of some drunkard could be heard.

Chapter 9: Am I Fighting Alone?

"Is that so?... I'd like to hear, what kind of battle of wits?" Emily Lincoln, the little loli, appeared behind me like a ghost and said this.

"A... a... a singing contest!" I glared fiercely at Emily Lincoln. Damn you, if I go down, we all go down. Let everyone suffer the torment of these tone-deaf drunks' demonic singing.

"Hahaha... Good idea, but there should be a prize." Handsome Lincoln clapped along drunkenly, while William Clark sulkily tossed the sword to a servant and ordered the band to be brought out. Too bad he didn't get to see me and Edward Lincoln put on a monkey show. I despise people like that.

"This!" Emily Lincoln rolled her eyes back at me, like a victorious general, raising a round little object dangling from a chain, swaying gently in the air, with a delicate fragrance wafting over. "A few days ago, my father gave me this filigree golden birdsong incense ball." Emily Lincoln was very pleased with everyone's reaction.

"Good! ... As expected of His Majesty's most beloved Princess of Hepu, this prize is truly... I'll go first." William Clark's eyes flashed with gold as he jumped out first. The other playboys were all eager to try, hands and feet ready.

William Clark truly lived up to his reputation as the flower of famous generals. He sang a long ballad, making all the playboys roll their eyes and their faces change colors. Even William Clark felt a bit embarrassed, laughing, "Too much wine, my throat, hmm hmm... You there, it's your turn..."

"I admit defeat, I'll pass..." one playboy said weakly. It's not that he didn't want to compete, but William Clark's singing was just too unbearable—he still hadn't recovered.

"No way, except for the princess who put up the prize, no one gets to skip." William Clark's face darkened, cheeks puffed out, his whole body shaking in a show of force. Letting me be the only one to make a fool of myself? Impossible. That's definitely what William Clark was thinking...

Next, it was a cacophony of beasts. The servants in the back hall of the Duke of Lu's mansion, who were serving food and wine, scattered in panic, covering their ears as they fled. Pity the musicians, whose faces turned all sorts of colors—blue, red, purple, green—forcing themselves not to vomit, yet still having to keep up with the drunken singing.

The little loli already had black lines on her face, her eyes glazed, on the verge of collapse. I hid stealthily behind the pillar next to Edward Lincoln, my eyes gleaming with malice: "This is the price you pay for messing with me." Wahahaha...

"Stop! ... Don't you all think it's time to hear from the second young master of the Fang family..." Edward Lincoln had just finished vomiting, his face pale.

"Ah!" The boss actually betrayed me? I couldn't believe it, pointing at Edward Lincoln, my finger trembling, veins bulging on my forehead. Edward Lincoln gave a helpless, bitter smile: "Brother, I really can't take it anymore... hehehe..."

With everyone gloating, what could I do? William Clark cracked his knuckles menacingly, glaring at me as if he'd leave my corpse in the Duke of Lu's mansion if I didn't sing.

I stood up, flung my long sleeves, downed two more big cups of sanle brew, and glared with already reddening eyes: "Listen up..." Sing, then! Who's afraid of whom!

Sing an English song? Afraid that I'd be chopped up by William Clark and his gang of foreign-language-illiterate brutes. Sing a modern national anthem? I'd probably be dragged off and executed on the spot by Edward Lincoln, Emily Lincoln, and the other die-hard Tang loyalists.

I took a deep breath. Here goes... soul possession...

"Proudly I laugh at the countless waves

My hot blood burns brighter than the sun

My courage is forged of iron, my bones of steel

A heart as vast as the sky, eyes that see for miles

Sworn to strive and be strong, to be a true man

To be a good man, every day I must be strong

A passionate man, burning brighter than the sun

Let the sea and sky gather energy for me

To carve out the world, to chase my dreams

(Rising blue waves)

Again I see the vast blue sky, my spirit soaring

As a man, I must be strong

Stride forward, chest out, let us all be pillars, be good men

With a hundred points of passion, shine a thousandfold

Be a good man

With a passionate heart

Burning, burning brighter than the sun..."