Chapter 99: I want your wife

Liang Xu had held his rank and title for two years. He had been promoted from Zhū Bān Zhǐhuīshǐ to Zhū Bān Dū Yú Hòu. Unlike his career advancement, however, his marriage prospects had stagnated.

Most of the young women he had met had long since married off, yet he remained single.

Though he was desperate for a son, he was unable to produce one alone.

He thought about simply closing his eyes and marrying anyone at random, but then dismissed the idea. After all, a wife was someone he would spend his life with. To marry recklessly would not only doom his own future happiness but also be unfair to the girl and her family.

Torn by this contradiction, he often found solace in drinking with his subordinates.

He had twice spoken recklessly after drinking. Once, in front of Pei Huaijin, he confessed his feelings for the wife of one of his subordinates. Pei Huaijin, perhaps feeling guilty, refrained from scolding him on the spot, which was a display of gentlemanly tolerance. Another time, while drinking with three or five friends, the topic of why he was still unmarried came up. He sighed and said the woman he liked had already become another man’s wife…

Somehow, these words twisted into a rumor that he was infatuated with his subordinate’s wife.

Liang Xu regarded it as a harmless gossip and paid it no mind.

One evening, his subordinate invited him to warm a pot at his new residence.

Liang Xu brought a gift and attended the gathering. After three rounds of drinks, he suddenly felt unwell. His subordinate had the servants help him to a guest room to rest.

He was known for his strong tolerance for alcohol, and the unusual heat coursing through his body didn’t feel like typical drunkenness, but he didn’t think much of it. He allowed the servants to lead him into a fragrant side chamber.

Just as he loosened his clothing to ease the heat, the door was pushed open, and a woman dressed in a blue robe entered.

Liang Xu recognized her as his subordinate’s wife—she had been present at the banquet, even toasting him alongside her husband.

She lowered her eyes timidly and stepped forward, raising her hand to undo his clothes. “Master, allow me to serve you and help you rest…”

Though his mind was fuzzy from the wine, Liang Xu was still clear enough to grasp her wrist firmly, stopping her touch, and asked coldly, “Mistress, what is your intention?”

“Master…” she whispered painfully, her eyelashes trembling as she looked at him. “My husband sent me.”

“Don’t speak nonsense!” This new residence was not lacking in servants, and there was no way her husband would send her to serve another man.

Liang Xu gripped her wrist and pulled her toward the door, pushing the servants out.

A strange heat surged through his limbs, and the palm of his hand still retained the slippery softness from when he had held her wrist…

He wiped the strange sensation harshly with his sleeve, staggered to the bedside, pulled aside the brocade curtain, and lay down, hoping to rest.

Yet once he closed his eyes, his mind filled with the image of that shy, tearful woman’s face…

He had never expected that this seemingly gentle and demure woman would be so fickle and unchaste, attempting to seduce him while he was drunk.

The more Liang Xu thought about it, the more he resented his subordinate, so he forced himself to get up despite the discomfort, intending to find him and expose the woman’s true nature.

By the time the banquet had fully dispersed, the subordinate had already retreated to the back courtyard.

The new residence was small, with three courtyards in sequence. Liang Xu quickly found the courtyard where his subordinate and wife resided.

There were no servants guarding the courtyard. As soon as Liang Xu stepped inside, a woman’s sharp scream pierced the air, followed by the furious voice of his subordinate: “Useless woman! You can’t even handle this simple matter properly…”

Liang Xu froze and glanced at the shadowy figures against the window paper.

The tall silhouette was his subordinate; the woman covering her face and crying was the very same wife who had tried to “seduce” him in the guest room.

So it was true.

Indeed, her husband had sent her to the guest room.

Before Liang Xu could fully process this, he saw the subordinate loosen the leather belt at his waist and raise it to strike…

“Stop!” Liang Xu shouted sharply, calling out his subordinate’s name. “Qin Bei, come out here!”

The figure inside trembled, then Qin Bei hurriedly emerged, still clutching the leather belt, looking flustered.

He clearly hadn’t expected Liang Xu to show up: “Boss, why are you here?”

Liang Xu’s expression darkened. “Qin Bei, you schemed against me, and you beat your wife?”

Qin Bei hastily dropped the belt. “Boss, please let me explain…”

“Then explain!”

Qin Bei’s eyes darted nervously before he finally spoke: “I-I swear it’s her who’s unfaithful, trying to get close to you, Boss. It has nothing to do with me. You know I’ve always been a decent man…”

“Decent?” If you had told the truth earlier, I would have respected you. But now that the facts are clear, you still dare to shift the blame? Qin Bei, if you won’t speak honestly, then have your wife come out and explain to me.”

“All right, all right, I’ll call her out now…”

Qin Bei went back into the house. Shortly after, he brought out the meek-looking woman, who kept her head lowered, too afraid to meet Liang Xu’s gaze.

Qin Bei roughly pushed her forward and ordered her to explain properly: “Why did you go to the Boss’s guest room?”

The moment Qin Bei touched her, she instinctively shrank away. Her voice was strained and trembling, “I… it was me…”

“Madam Qin,” Liang Xu said, seeing how timid she was and realizing she must be under Qin Bei’s tyranny and afraid to tell the truth, “Qin Bei is my subordinate, but after tonight, I will no longer acknowledge him, and I won’t come to your home again. But if you suffer injustice, I can help you seek justice.”

Though her head was bowed, Liang Xu could still see the redness and swelling on one side of her cheek.

He could never tolerate men who abused women.

“Madam Qin, think carefully before you speak…”

“Master…” she lifted her eyes, her tear-filled gaze flickering with a hint of hope.

“Wife!” Qin Bei hissed a warning from the side.

Her expression turned hesitant again.

Liang Xu locked her eyes firmly. “Madam Qin, this is your one and only chance to tell me the truth. I can help you.”

Her eyes quivered, her lips trembling. After a long moment, she made up her mind and knelt down. “Master, please see clearly. It was my husband who knew of your preference and forced me to serve you, hoping to gain favor for a Fù Dūzhī position…”

After Liang Xu was promoted to Zhū Bān Dū Yú Hòu, a Fù Dūzhī position had indeed opened in Zhāojiàn Bān, and Qin Bei, as Yābān, was one of the candidates.

If it were purely on merit, Qin Bei had a real chance, but the problem was…

“Qin Bei, you are far too impatient.” To coerce your wife into such an immoral act for a position is shameful and reveals your corrupt character. You’re utterly unfit to be a Fù Dūzhī.”

“What nonsense are you talking?” Qin Bei snapped angrily, raising his hand to strike.

Liang Xu shot him a cold glare, and Qin Bei sulked and lowered his hand but tried to defend himself: “Boss, don’t listen to her lies. I’m not that kind of man…”

“I only found out recently myself. I can’t believe you are.” Liang Xu motioned for Madam Qin to stand and asked, “Madam Qin, does he often hit you?”

“At first he didn’t, but later on…”

“Lin Xiyue!” Qin Bei’s face contorted into a terrifying scowl as his eyes glared viciously at her. “How dare you? Do you really think Master Liang will protect you? Once he leaves, you’ll still have to live with me!”

Lin Xiyue shuddered, opening her mouth but hesitated to continue.

Liang Xu stepped forward, blocking Qin Bei’s loathsome face. “Madam Lin, say what you want. I will stand up for you.”

Lin Xiyue’s throat tightened, and she burst into tears: “My husband is a celestial eunuch who cannot consummate our marriage. After unsuccessful treatments, he vented all his anger on me. Tonight, he forced me into the guest room, not just for the Fù Dūzhī position, but also to borrow seed from Master Liang to cover up his hidden ailment…”

Exposed, Qin Bei revealed his true nature and roared, “Lin Xiyue, I’ll kill you!”

Liang Xu had never expected this hidden truth.

If a man was impotent but treatable, perhaps there was hope. But if he was a celestial eunuch, what was the difference from a palace eunuch?

Moreover, Liang Xu harbored a grudge against men who were impotent because Pei Huaijin suffered the same condition. If not for Pei Huaijin’s cure, he wouldn’t have given up urging Shen Youyan to divorce.

Looking at the fragile woman before him, Liang Xu felt momentarily dazed, as if he was seeing Shen Youyan through her.

“Since that’s the case, would you be willing to divorce him?”

Lin Xiyue bit her lip and timidly replied, “He said if I dare to divorce him, he won’t spare my family…”

Liang Xu gave her a resolute look, then turned and completely shielded her behind himself. “Qin Bei, I do have a preference for my subordinates’ wives. Your wife, I want.”

Qin Bei would never easily let go of his wife. Seeing the situation deteriorate, he gave up and threatened, “Master Liang, you’ve just been promoted to Zhū Bān Dū Yú Hòu. Aren’t you afraid that if news spreads of you stealing your subordinate’s wife, your position will be unstable?”

Liang Xu was a warrior, not as cunning as a scholar, but warriors had their own ways. He wasn’t versed in subtlety, but he was straightforward and brutal.

“Even if I lose this position, there are other ways to make a name for myself. But if you get ambushed and stripped naked in the street, I wonder if you’ll still have any face to be a man?”

Qin Bei’s face instantly turned pale.

Liang Xu glanced at him coldly. “Go write the divorce papers. She leaves with me tonight.”