Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Shen Lang returned to his courtyard. Jin Mulan was standing inside, clad in armor and a helmet.
"My lord, you've returned. Let's eat."
Shen Lang was taken aback.
"Mulan, why are you wearing armor at home?"
"If something had happened to you in the city, I was prepared to lead the soldiers to rescue you."
Shen Lang was surprised, but his heart warmed. Mulan spoke in a calm tone, but her words moved him deeply.
"Come here. Let me help you out of your armor. Let's eat together."
Shen Lang said in a soft voice. Mulan was surprised but opened her arms to let him unfasten the armor.
"Thank you, my lady."
"It's only natural. You've made a great name for yourself today, bringing me unexpected joy. I feel honored."
As Shen Lang removed Jin Mulan's armor, his breathing began to quicken. His gaze was fixed on her figure, clad in a form-fitting snakeskin light armor that clung to her body. The serpentine curve of her slender waist was particularly energetic and alluring. Below her waist, her rounded, upturned bottom had a curve more exquisite than that of a dancing woman, its shape so perfect it was maddening to behold. Her remarkably long, powerful legs were such that one would willingly give their life just to be caught between them once.
"However, my lord, you must be more careful in the future. Father, Mother, and I are all worried about you."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Shen Lang gently wrapped his hands around the small of Mulan's back. Mulan was slightly startled by his sudden action but didn't stop him. This was because Shen Lang's expression was one of deep emotion, and the embrace felt like a gesture of familial affection. Before long, however, Shen Lang's mischievous hands began to wander where they shouldn't.
"My lord, where are your hands going?"
Shen Lang quickly returned his hands to their original position and said with a solemn face.
"My lady, it's not my fault. Your skin is so smooth that my hands slipped. It wasn't my intention at all."
"I see. I'll let it go this one time."
Shen Lang put on a righteous expression.
"My lady, I swear. If it happens again, you can chop off my hands."
But a moment later, Shen Lang's hands slipped again. Mulan immediately grabbed his hands, which were resting on her bottom, and said seriously.
"My lord, a man must keep his word. I suppose I'll have to mince these hands of yours."
"My lady, I was just saying that. How can you truly believe a man's words? You'd be better off believing a hundred-year-old man had an affair than trusting what comes out of a man's mouth."
Mulan looked at her husband's handsome face with a sense of regret, finding it hard to believe that someone so good-looking could be so thick-skinned.
"Let's just eat!"
Mulan broke free from Shen Lang's grasp and returned to the table to eat. She thought that if Shen Lang were even slightly less handsome, she would have hit him without hesitation.
After eating, Mulan quickly washed her face, brushed her pristine white teeth, and took a mouthful of rosewater—a fragrant distilled water made from boiling rose petals. The floral scent that filled her mouth delighted Shen Lang's heart, his only regret being that he couldn't taste it. Then, she put her armor back on.
"My lady, where are you going so late?"
"I'm leading the cavalry on a night patrol. We'll be patrolling the coastline."
Hearing this, Shen Lang's heart ached for her.
"And you, my lord, stay home and out of trouble."
***
The heir of the Count's estate was in his room, receiving supplementary lessons. The subject was arithmetic. Since arithmetic was not part of the imperial examinations, most scholars did not study it separately. However, arithmetic itself was one of the Six Arts a gentleman was expected to learn. Therefore, noble families, especially established ones with fiefs, considered it a highly practical discipline and placed great importance on it.
Jin Mucong sighed.
"Teacher He, why is my life so hard? In the past, my parents at least had a reason when they hit me, but now they hit me for no reason at all."
The teacher here was named He Wenzhao, the most renowned master of arithmetic in Xuanwu City. He Wenzhao held an important position in the Count's estate. Not only was he Jin Mulan and Jin Mucong's arithmetic teacher, but he was also in charge of the estate's entire finances, material settlements, and trade dealings. He was one of the Count's advisors and, as the chief steward with real power, had been managing the entire estate's accounts for over a decade.
The heir, Jin Mucong, asked.
"Teacher He, do you think maybe I'm not their real son?"
He Wenzhao smiled elegantly and continued his work without missing a beat. All financial transactions, from the sale of the estate's fief products to the purchase of external goods, had to pass through his accounting, making his work extremely important.
He Wenzhao paused his brush. The moment Shen Lang's face came to mind, a sinister glint appeared in his eyes.
*'Anyone who stands in my way is an enemy!'*
He Wenzhao hesitated for a moment, then said to Jin Mucong.
"Young Master, the Count hit you because of Shen Lang."
"Why?"
"Shen Lang had a bad reputation. There were rumors that he was kicked out of the Xu Clan for stealing their wealth and harassing a maidservant, yet he still became the Count's live-in son-in-law. Because Lady Mulan chose him as her husband herself, the Count couldn't refuse. His Lordship believes that Lady Mulan married someone with such a poor reputation because you are unimpressive. That's why he hit you out of frustration a few days ago."
Jin Mucong shot to his feet.
"So that's what it was!"
"The reason the Count hit you again today is that Shen Lang went to a gambling den, tarnishing the estate's reputation, but then he ended up defeating Tian Heng. Since he's the Count's son-in-law, His Lordship couldn't bring himself to hit him, so he took his anger out on you."
Jin Mucong was furious.
"Right, I've found the real culprit behind my beatings. It was all because of that wretched bastard."
Just then, a servant boy next to He Wenzhao spoke up.
"Oh, Young Master, I saw Bing'er crying secretly today. I asked her why, but she wouldn't tell me."
"It must be Shen Lang. They said he harassed a maidservant at the Xu Clan, and now he's trying to harass one in our house? A dirt-poor country bumpkin dares to cause me trouble? I'll never forgive you."
Jin Mucong hurried to leave.
"Shen Lang, I'm going to beat you until you piss your pants."
Then, he asked He Wenzhao.
"By the way, does Shen Lang know any martial arts?"
"He doesn't know any martial arts. He doesn't even have the strength to wring a chicken's neck. He gets out of breath after just a few steps."
This answer gave Jin Mucong a huge boost of courage. He roared in fury.
"Men! Come with me and let's take care of that bastard."
***
After Jin Mulan left, Shen Lang was spacing out alone in the study. He couldn't stay cooped up in the house under confinement. He had to figure out a way to regain his freedom from his father-in-law. He had important business to attend to in a few days. But he couldn't defy his father-in-law's order, so he had to find a way to resolve this issue naturally. Just then, Xiao Bing rushed in.
"Young Master Shen, we have a problem! Hide, quickly! Young Master Jin is coming with people to beat you up."
Shen Lang was stunned.
*'Jin Mucong, that dumb fatty? He's coming to beat me up?'*
"Young Master, hide quickly. I'll go tell the Countess right away."
"No, don't tell my mother-in-law."
"Young Master, our Young Master Jin Mucong is a blockhead; he doesn't care about the circumstances. If he hits you, you'll be the one who suffers. Even if the Count punishes him later, it won't do you any good."
"It's fine. I'll handle it. You can go first."
"Young Master, don't be foolish!"
Hearing Shen Lang say he wouldn't hide, Xiao Bing anxiously stomped her feet.
*'A 34D, I see. And for someone with such a petite frame, the effect of her stomping is quite something. Two peaks rise majestically, like fragrant waves cresting and falling.'*
Seeing the look in Shen Lang's eyes, Xiao Bing instinctively covered her chest and forced herself to stop stomping.
"Hmph, I tried to warn you out of the goodness of my heart. I don't care what happens now."
Xiao Bing shot Shen Lang a glare and quickly ran outside. However, she decided to tell the Countess. Young Master Jin Mucong was so foolish he didn't know when to stop. If he seriously injured Young Master Shen, things would get complicated.
After Xiao Bing left, Shen Lang finally let out a small laugh. If he had to hide from a single dumb fatty, how could he ever make a life for himself in the Count's estate? He had never met Jin Mucong, but he had gathered enough information about him. Not agile, not smart, and loves to bluff. Dealing with someone like that was all too simple.
Shen Lang took out a brush and began writing name after name on the white wall. A moment later, a ruckus could be heard from outside. The voice arrived before the person.
"Shen Lang, get out here! For a mere live-in son-in-law, you've got some nerve. How dare you bully a maidservant of our Count's estate? Xiao Bing is like a sister to me. You dare to bother her? Do you have a death wish?!"
The heir, Jin Mucong, roared.
*'You're the cause of all this.'*
Shen Lang saw a fat man storm into the room, fuming and holding an iron rod. A dozen or so servants who had followed Jin Mucong stood guard outside the door. After entering the room, Jin Mucong found Shen Lang standing on a stool, writing characters on the wall—the names of many people.
"Shen Lang, what are you doing? Get down from there, now!"
Shen Lang remained on the tall stool. Why would he get down? He had no reason to obey Jin Mucong's command.
"Brother-in-law, I'm writing names."
Many names were written on the wall: Thirteen, Fourteen, Tian Heng, Lin Mo, Xu Qianqian, Zhang Jin, Xu Guangyun...
Jin Mucong's curiosity was piqued, and he asked.
"Why are you writing names on the wall?"
"These are all my enemies. I write their names on the wall so I don't forget, to constantly remind myself that I must have my revenge, that I absolutely must have my revenge."
Then, Shen Lang dipped his brush in red ink and drew a large X over the names of Thirteen and Fourteen.
"Then what does the X over those two names mean?"
"Those two, I've already dealt with. I've had my grand revenge."
Jin Mucong was curious. Just how deep was the grudge that he would write their names on the wall?
"I remind myself every hour that I must get revenge. I chant the names of my enemies three times every morning when I wake up, and three times before I go to sleep."
Jin Mucong couldn't help but shudder.
"What kind of grudge do you have with Thirteen? Did he kill your father, or steal your wife?"
Jin Mucong assumed it had to be a major grudge of that magnitude for him to be burning with such a desire for revenge. He had heard of Thirteen and Fourteen. He'd heard they were very frightening people, and highly skilled in martial arts.
"Thirteen threatened me once. I demanded that Tian Heng break both his legs, and thanks to that, both his legs were snapped."
A muscle twitched in Jin Mucong's face at Shen Lang's answer.
"Th-then what about Fourteen?"
Shen Lang said in a furious voice.
"That one was even worse. Not only did he threaten me, but he also pointed his finger at my head. I hate it when people point at my head more than anything. So, both his hands and feet were broken to pieces."
"Uh..."
Jin Mucong noticed the iron rod in his hand was pointing at Shen Lang and quickly pulled it back. He was completely dumbfounded.
*'For... for a grudge that small, Shen Lang, you wrote their names on the wall and chant them three times every morning and night? To insist on avenging such a trivial slight, just how petty can you be? Are you a demon? I've never met anyone in my life who holds onto such a small grudge.'*
Jin Mucong saw Shen Lang look him up and down with a cold gaze, then move the hand holding the brush.
He couldn't help but ask.
"Th-that wall is still mostly empty. Why didn't you write their names bigger, to fill the wall?"
Shen Lang sneered coldly.
"A person's life is very long. Who knows what other enemies might appear? I've left this space blank to write down the names of new enemies when they emerge."