Chapter 678: Sworn Brotherhood

Amidst the clinking of wine cups, Song Qingshu gradually discerned Tang Kuo Bian’s intentions.

It turned out that the other man secretly looked down on him, seeing him as nothing more than a delicate pretty boy. However, unwilling to embarrass his sister, he decided to drown him in strong liquor instead.

‘People from the grasslands really have simple minds. Do you think just because you’re a rugged brute, your alcohol tolerance must be higher than mine?’

Song Qingshu sneered inwardly. Having been tempered by the high-proof spirits of the modern era, the alcohol in this world was nothing but child’s play to him.

Seeing Song Qingshu downing each large bowl of strong liquor without hesitation, a trace of admiration flickered in Tang Kuo Bian’s eyes. He gradually developed a liking for this so-called pretty boy, but at the same time, his competitive spirit flared. With a hearty laugh, he threw himself into a drinking contest with Song Qingshu.

Madam Tang knew her brother loved drinking, and she did not wish to dampen his enthusiasm. However, she couldn’t help but feel a little resentful.

‘I finally reunited with him after so much effort—if he drinks himself unconscious tonight, who am I supposed to pour my heart out to?’

The drinking contest between Song Qingshu and Tang Kuo Bian continued endlessly. Neither knew how long they had been drinking. Song Qingshu felt like stars were spinning before his eyes, yet Tang Kuo Bian remained composed as ever.

Song Qingshu was shocked.

‘What kind of monstrous alcohol tolerance is this?!’

Ordinarily, with his martial prowess, he could subtly expel the alcohol from his body as he drank. It wouldn’t have been difficult. But at the start, he had been so confident in his drinking ability that he saw no need for such trickery. As their bond grew stronger, he became even more unwilling to deceive his newfound drinking companion.

“Brother Tang Kuo Bian’s… ugh, drinking prowess… I… truly admit defeat…” Song Qingshu slurred, his speech already beginning to falter. “Slaughtering lambs and butchering cattle, drinking merrily, one should down three hundred cups at a time… I used to think such things were mere legend… but Brother Tang… your drinking ability… far surpasses three hundred cups! Respect… utmost respect!”

Tang Kuo Bian burst into hearty laughter, shaking the table with its force, making the wine cups rattle. It was evident his joy was genuine. “These years… I’ve never met… never met a drinking match like Brother Song… My sister’s eyes did not fail her. Brother Song, you are truly… truly a man among men!”

Hearing the other man’s slurred speech as well, Song Qingshu felt a great sense of relief.

‘Looks like I’m not the only one drunk. He’s not much better off either!’

Suddenly, Tang Kuo Bian stood up, staggering toward Song Qingshu before throwing an arm around his shoulders. “It’s rare to find such a kindred spirit. Let’s swear brotherhood today! What do you say?”

“Sworn brothers?” Song Qingshu was taken aback.

‘These people from ancient times sure are something else. We just met once, and now he wants to become sworn brothers?’

“What, are you looking down on me?” Tang Kuo Bian’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Song Qingshu with a hint of displeasure.

“Not at all! Being sworn brothers with Brother Tang is something I could only dream of—I just fear I may be unworthy.” Song Qingshu laughed heartily. In truth, Tang Kuo Bian held an important position, and forming a bond with him would greatly increase his chances of uncovering Song Yuanqiao and the others’ whereabouts.

“Enough of this ‘unworthy’ nonsense!” Tang Kuo Bian was the first to kneel. “I, Tang Kuo Bian, swear brotherhood with Brother Song today. From this day forth, we shall share wealth and hardship alike… If I should meet misfortune one day, all my wealth shall belong to Brother Song, and my wife shall also be his wife!”  (G: foreshadowing.)

Drunk as he was, he momentarily forgot Song Qingshu’s name and, unwilling to ask, simply glossed over it.

‘He’ll have to swear the oath soon anyway—I’ll just remember it then.’

Song Qingshu had initially assumed a solemn expression, but upon hearing the last part, his entire being froze.

‘What the hell kind of oath is this?!’

‘Fine, I can accept the part about wealth, but what’s this about wives?’

He broke into a cold sweat.

“This is the most solemn vow among us Jurchens,” Madam Tang giggled beside him. “It signifies that both parties are willing to sacrifice everything for each other. For us Jurchens, wealth and wives are the most precious things. By making this vow, my brother is showing just how much he values you.” ℞𝘈ΝОᛒЕŚ

‘What kind of absurd vow is this?!’

Song Qingshu exclaimed. From Madam Tang’s tone, it seemed as if both parties were expected to take the same oath.

Smiling, Madam Tang explained, “You may not know this, but our nomadic traditions differ greatly from those of the Han people. Due to natural disasters and war, population is the most crucial resource for a tribe. The more people a tribe has, the stronger it becomes. If a man dies in battle, his widow is not permitted to remain alone like Han women. Instead, she must remarry and continue bearing children. Over time, this custom evolved—if an elder brother dies, his wife is inherited by his younger brother; if a father dies, his wives and concubines are inherited by his sons—of course, one’s birth mother is excluded.”

Seeing Song Qingshu’s look of utter disbelief, Madam Tang continued, “Even one of the Han people’s Four Great Beauties, Wang Zhaojun, experienced this. She was married to the Xiongnu leader Huhanye Chanyu, but after just two years, he passed away. She then married his eldest son, Fu Zhulei Chanyu, and lived with him for eleven years. When Fu Zhulei Chanyu also passed away, thirty-three-year-old Wang Zhaojun married his son. Isn’t that perfectly normal?”

Song Qingshu furrowed his brows and let out a long sigh. “Alas, if only I had been born in that era, I could have saved that poor woman.”

“Hmph!” A heavy snort interrupted him. Tang Kuo Bian glared at him furiously. “Song! I treated you with sincerity, yet you hesitate and dodge—could it be you find my wife unworthy and are trying to cheat your way into taking mine instead?! Ask my sister! In all of Jin, which woman is more beautiful than my wife?”

“Brother, Young Master Song is Han. It’s natural for him to find our customs unfamiliar,” Madam Tang explained before turning to Song Qingshu. “Young Master Song, my brother is the imperial son-in-law, and his wife, Gebi, is the most beautiful woman in Jin. Countless men have wished to form a brotherhood with him, yet he has never agreed. The fact that he has taken the initiative today shows his sincerity.”

Song Qingshu felt a headache coming on. Now he was riding a tiger and couldn’t dismount. If he refused, he would surely offend the siblings, making it impossible to investigate Song Yuanqiao’s whereabouts. But making such a vow? He wasn’t nearly that magnanimous.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. Pulling Madam Tang aside, he whispered, “Have you ever told your brother my real name?”

Madam Tang instinctively shook her head. “You’re a wanted criminal of the Qing court—how could I dare reveal your true identity? I told him your name is Song Siming. Since you carry the banner of ‘Resist Qing, Restore Ming,’ I thought you wouldn’t mind such a name.” She looked at him nervously, worried that she had offended him by changing his name without permission.

‘Song Siming?

‘ A thousand mythical beasts rampaged through Song Qingshu’s mind.

‘What kind of name is that?!’

But this solved his problem perfectly. He immediately ran back to Tang Kuo Bian and swore, “I, Song Siming, swear brotherhood with Tang Kuo Bian today. From this day forth, we shall share wealth and hardship alike… If I should meet misfortune one day, all of Song Siming’s wealth shall belong to Brother Tang Kuo, and Song Siming’s wife shall be his wife!”

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