Chapter 55
Chapter 55
The Count spoke to Shen Lang.
“Lang, you have rendered a great service this time. Not only did you recover over ten thousand gold coins for our family, but you also helped us capture that great pest, Xu Wensuo. What reward do you desire?”
To be honest, having been betrayed by his own subordinate and made to look a fool, the Count was in no mood to be cheerful, but he managed a gentle expression for Shen Lang.
At this, Shen Lang thought to himself.
*‘I want to sleep with my wife. We're married in name, yet we still haven't consummated our union.’*
Of course, such words could only be spoken in his mind. If he said them aloud, the Count would surely give him a harsh scolding or laugh it off as a joke. And even if the Count let it slide, his life would later be in peril at the hands of Jin Mulan.
“As your son-in-law, I only did what was expected of me. I did not do it for a reward.”
“Then I will entrust the entire accounting office of the estate to you. How would you like to manage our finances from now on?”
“That is far too great a responsibility. Please, I must refuse...”
*‘I came to the Count's estate to live a life of leisure and luxury. Leave a busy job like managing the accounting office to someone else. Besides, I hear people who do that kind of arithmetic work often work late, stay up all night, and are exhausted every day. How could I possibly do such a mentally and physically draining job?’*
“In my opinion, Old Master Lin would be the perfect candidate. He is exceptionally loyal and a man of integrity. Moreover, he is well-versed in arithmetic, so entrusting the accounting office to him would be most suitable. I will teach the people in the office a new accounting method. Then, all future entries will be recorded with clarity and precision. Not only will it yield great results with little effort, but it will also largely eliminate the possibility of pests lining their own pockets.”
The Count was speechless. Xu Wensuo had called Shen Lang ambitious, but look at him now. Anyone could see he had no desire to work, just making up excuses to avoid it. To the Count, a man's laziness was harder to tolerate than his ambition. He was very fond of his son-in-law, but at moments like this, he wanted to smack him. Of course, this was different from how he felt about his own son, Jin Mucong, whom he didn't like at all and simply wanted to beat. The two situations were fundamentally different.
“A great deed must be rewarded. Tell me what you want.”
Shen Lang thought for a long time but couldn't think of anything he wanted. He only wanted to sleep with his wife. But that wasn't something his father-in-law could arrange; it was a matter he had to settle with his wife directly.
Shen Lang quickly thought of something he wanted.
“Father-in-law, if you wish to reward me, please lift my confinement.”
The father-in-law's face instantly filled with suspicion as he asked.
“What are you planning now?”
“Nothing in particular. I just want to go home and see my parents. I've been dreaming of them recently. I wonder if my father's cough has improved, if my brother's broken leg is healing, if my mother is still sewing clothes late into the night... Thinking of such things, I can't sleep peacefully.”
Hearing Shen Lang's earnest voice, the Count was deeply moved but didn't show it, quickly retorting.
“But Shen Lang, didn't you just go home a short while ago?”
“Oh, did I? I forgot. So much has happened these past few days, it feels like a long time has passed.”
“Perhaps a day in our estate feels as long as a year to you?”
“Not at all. Father-in-law is generous, Mother-in-law is benevolent, and my brother-in-law... Ahem, anyway, I am as happy as if I were in paradise here.”
“If you're so happy, then stay quietly within the estate. Don't go out and cause trouble.”
At the Count's firm refusal, Shen Lang looked dismayed.
“Xu Wensuo's son, Tian Heng, and even the Prefect's household all bear a grudge against you. It is too dangerous for you to leave the estate. As your father-in-law, I cannot let you go out and stir up trouble as you please.”
“But you promised to reward me, Father-in-law.”
“Since you performed a great service, I have decided to reward your father with three hundred *mu* of fertile land. Do not mention lifting your confinement again.”
With that, the Count strode away, leaving Shen Lang to mutter to himself.
“If you already had an answer in mind, why did you even ask?”
* * *
Jin Mulan returned. She had spent two days and nights bustling about outside, leading her cavalry on a patrol of the entire domain, driving out dozens of lawbreakers and miscreants.
Having returned home after her long duties, she was taking a bath when Xiao Bing, unable to hold back any longer, chattered on about everything that had happened that day.
“The Young Master is truly amazing! He took down a big shot like Xu Wensuo in a single day. All the servants are now in awe and respect of him. Xu Wensuo just scolded the Young Master a little during class, and for that, he was targeted, all his weaknesses exposed, and he died a miserable death. Still, the Young Master has done a great service for the estate. He recovered over ten thousand gold coins, after all.”
The more Mulan listened, the redder her face became, and a glimmer appeared in her eyes. She had married a dim-witted fool for her family's sake and had accepted it as her fate, but what woman would want her husband to be an idiot? Yet, unexpectedly, her husband was not only not a fool but was in fact exceptionally brilliant.
More important than his brilliance was the fact that his actions and antics were so interesting. And more, more, more, even more important than that was how he seemed to get more handsome every time she looked at him. In that moment, a subtle ripple spread through Mulan's heart without her realizing it, and her skin tingled slightly all over.
Xiao Bing said.
“All the servants in the Count's estate are busy talking about what reward the Master will give the Young Master for his great service.”
Hearing this, Mulan suddenly frowned.
“Xiao Bing, from now on, tell the servants not to speak of my husband causing Xu Wensuo's death or performing a great service within the estate.”
Xiao Bing asked in surprise.
“Why?”
“Xu Wensuo died because he deserved it, not because my husband deliberately harmed him. If people say that, they will think my husband is petty and vengeful over small matters, and the people of the estate will fear him and keep their distance.”
“Yes. But why can't we say the Young Master performed a great service?”
“My husband is part of our family, so this estate is his home. Subjects perform services, not masters. Where have you heard of a master performing a service? If you keep saying the Young Master performed a great service, it will feel like you're treating him as an outsider, and he won't be pleased.”
“Ah... I see. It seems you're overthinking it, my lady, but now that I hear it, it makes sense.”
Then, Xiao Bing remembered something and began to speak excitedly.
“That's right, the Young Master asked me a riddle yesterday.”
“What riddle?”
“He asked why the white tiger is the most precious.”
“And how did you answer?”
“I said that most tigers are yellow, and white ones are very rare.”
“That's correct.”
“But the Young Master said the reason the white tiger is precious is because time is like a thousand pieces of gold, but gold cannot buy time. No matter how I think about it, it sounds like nonsense from him. What does a white tiger have to do with time? In your opinion, my lady...”
Suddenly, Xiao Bing stopped talking. When she looked at Jin Mulan in the water, she saw that her lady's face had turned completely red. Mulan had finally understood the connection between the preciousness of the white tiger and time. The meaning was that time is precious, so white tigers shouldn't waste time and should mate to increase their numbers. In the end, not just her face, but her ears and her entire body turned red, and she instinctively ducked under the water.
*‘That damned rascal, how dare he tease me? And how did he find out that secret? Did he spy on me? No way!’*
Her husband had no integrity, so he was capable of anything. But my martial arts are so formidable... if he had spied on me, I would have definitely noticed. Could that scoundrel have stolen a look at my diary?
“Where is my husband?”
“The Master summoned him, so he went to see him. He should be... back soon.”
Mulan rose from the water, revealing a figure so stunning it was hard to look at.
“Bring me my clothes.”
Xiao Bing asked in a frightened voice.
“My lady, wh-what are you going to do?”
“Punish evil and promote good! Remember this, Xiao Bing. A wicked man must be dealt with. Leave a man be for three days, and he's bound to cause trouble.”
“Ah, my lady, you're not going to hit the Young Master, are you?”
“Hmph, the women of our Jin Clan never hit their husbands.”
* * *
Hearing that his wife had returned, Shen Lang rushed back to his quarters. It had only been a day since he'd last seen her, but it felt like three years. Although they were married and had not yet shared a bed, she was already deeply engraved in his heart. For the past few days, her face and figure had constantly appeared in his mind, even showing up in his dreams. The previous night, something had happened that forced him to wake up in the middle of the night. Of course, he had immediately burned the evidence to destroy it.
Just as Shen Lang entered the garden of his quarters, his steps instinctively halted.
*‘Strange... There's a murderous aura!’*
Then, Mulan's face appeared before him.
“My love, you've returned! I was just looking for you about something.”
Her voice was so full of charm, it was unprecedented. Suspicious! There was definitely a conspiracy afoot!
“My wife, you're back? You must have suffered, rushing around outside for two days. As your husband, my heart truly ached for you.”
Shen Lang said this with a sincere expression, then clasped his hands together and added.
“My wife, please rest well. I have a few books I haven't finished, so if you'll excuse me...”
With that, Shen Lang tried to make a quick escape to the study.
*Whoosh.*
A fragrant breeze swept by. With a swift movement, Jin Mulan gracefully bounced in front of Shen Lang.
Mulan said in a soft voice.
“My husband, don't be in such a hurry. There's still time before dinner. I have a game I'd like to play with you.”
“A game?”
Various images flashed through Shen Lang's mind. All of them were the kind of games(?) that every man has dreamed of at least once. He glanced at the clothes Mulan was wearing. A tight-fitting snakeskin light armor. It suited her perfectly.
Shen Lang asked, his heart fluttering.
“What kind of game are you talking about, my wife?”
“A game of intense physical collision, like primitive animals.”
Shen Lang stood there stunned, as if struck by a sudden shock, unable to say a word. But his heart was pounding harder than ever, and his breathing grew ragged. He did his best to hide it, however, and replied with a nonchalant expression.
“My wife, I don't think so. We'll be having dinner soon, so it's not a suitable time for strenuous exercise.”
He bowed his head and tried to leave. A second later, he found he couldn't move forward, and a nosebleed threatened to erupt. Jin Mulan had pressed her body against his, blocking his path. She stood before him, head tilted back, chest thrust forward.
To be honest, that sight alone was enough to make Shen Lang's heart yearn so much he would have jumped into a pit of fire, but he held back and screamed inwardly.
*‘Get out of here, quick. Otherwise, who knows how you'll die in a little while.’*
But contrary to his thoughts, the words that came out of his mouth were,
“Since my wife has extended such a passionate invitation, how could I, as her husband, refuse? I shall decline no longer.”
* * *
Three minutes later.
“Ah, aaargh! Ugh, ugh. My wife, be gentle, be gentle! This is my first time. It's going to break! It's really going to break!”
In that moment, Shen Lang knew what hell was. His body was pressed down, his legs forced into a split wider than they had ever been in his life, to the point where his private parts touched the floor. The pain was beyond description.