Everyone Was Shocked, the Matter Was Settled

"What?!"

After hearing Jin MuLan's words, the Earl's hair practically stood on end.

The Earl's Wife completely thought she had misheard. The Earl's trusted aides and advisers beside him were utterly astonished as well.

"MuLan, have you gone mad?" the Earl said. "You refused to choose any of the others, all so outstanding, and actually chose Shen Lang?"

Everyone present stared at Jin MuLan in disbelief.

Among these six men, Shen Lang was the worst. Not only was he no match for Wang Lian or Mo Ye, nor for the five outstanding talents of the Earl's Manor—he was not even comparable to an ordinary person.

He was a Second Fool with deficient intelligence. After ten years of studying, he had not even graduated from the village school. His shoulders could not bear a load, his hands could not lift a thing, and he could not even take care of himself.

"MuLan, why?" the Earl asked. "Wang Lian and Mo Ye are so exceptional. Why did you not choose one of them?"

Jin MuLan said, "Father, the two of them are indeed excellent. When I asked what they could bring me in the future, one answered that he would complement me in literature and martial arts and govern the Earl's Manor with me. The other said his martial prowess was unmatched, and that he would lead the Earl's Manor's army into battle in all directions and win great merits!"

Hearing this, the Earl fell silent in contemplation.

Yet everyone else felt there was nothing wrong with those answers. They were very good.

MuLan said, "While Father is alive, of course there would be no problem. But one day, when you are gone and Younger Brother inherits the earldom—what if my husband develops ambitions for the Earl's Manor's power? What should I do? What should Younger Brother do?"

As soon as she said this, the Earl fell even more silent, while the people around them suddenly understood.

It had to be said that MuLan had thought things through exceedingly well, and her loyalty to the family was absolute.

Jin MuLan said, "Shen Lang's answer was that he would give me freedom. As long as I did not seek other men, I could do anything I wanted!"

"That shameless wastrel has no restraint in his speech! What does he take my daughter of the Earl's Manor for?" the Earl roared. Then he said, "MuLan, your father understands your intentions. But... there is no need for you to wrong yourself like this. Even if you do not choose Wang Lian or Mo Ye, you could still choose one of the three young men from our Earl's Manor."

"No, I cannot hold them back," Jin MuLan said. "Besides, they were once my subordinates. We know each other too well."

The Earl's Wife said, "But this Shen Lang is simply too terrible. You have no idea what sort of reputation he has in Xuanwu City."

The Earl said, "He was once the Xu Family's Live-in Son-in-Law. After being thrown out of their home, he immediately became a Live-in Son-in-Law of our Earl's Manor. This... how are we of the Jin Clan supposed to hold our heads high? This concerns your lifelong happiness. Your father would rather have you marry a heaven-blessed prodigy like Zhu Hongxue than sacrifice you for the family and push you into a pit of fire."

Jin MuLan said, "Shen Lang's reputation is terrible. Doesn't that happen to let Lord Zhu Lin vent his anger? If I marry too well, I fear the Zhu Family will refuse to let the matter rest. But if I marry someone with a notorious reputation, the Zhu Family's resentment toward us will lessen somewhat. After all, seeing one's enemy fall on hard times is always a happy thing."

Her words made a great deal of sense. MuLan was very clever and deeply understood the human heart.

Jin MuLan added, "I think Shen Lang is quite good. In truth, I have only one requirement for my future Husband: he must be handsome. In that regard, Shen Lang is unquestionably first!"

"But, but..." The Earl's Wife's heart felt as though it were being flayed by knives. Her son had failed to live up to expectations, and now her daughter had to sacrifice her happiness by taking such a useless lump as a Live-in Son-in-Law. What sin had the Xuanwu Jin Clan committed?

The Earl said, "MuLan, how about you think it over again?"

"No, it is settled," Jin MuLan said. "Time is pressing. Father, immediately send out wedding invitations far and wide. Prepare the wedding at once, and make the ceremony as grand as possible. It would be best if Lord Zhu Lin arrived at the Earl's Manor just in time to attend the wedding."

"Father, Mother, I have been traveling outside with the troops these past days and am somewhat tired. I will go rest now."

Then she bowed and withdrew.

The Earl felt miserable inside, yet had nowhere to vent it. He could not take his anger out on Shen Lang, so he could only vent it on his own biological son.

"Where is that unfilial brat?" the Earl roared.

"The Young Lord is studying," an adviser said.

"Studying what? He has studied for over ten years and is still a good-for-nothing! Drag him out and make him kneel outside." The Earl snapped, "Worthless thing! If he had shown any promise, why would my MuLan have had to make such a huge sacrifice?"

"Yes!" His trusted attendants hurried off.

"No, I will go myself," the Earl said. "Where is the whip? Today, I will whip him ruthlessly."

"Husband," the Earl's Wife said.

"Are you going to stop me?" the Earl asked.

"I am going with you to whip him!" the Earl's Wife said.

In another study at that moment, a fat young man was bent over his books, studying diligently, while feeling secretly moved.

As the Young Lord of the Earl's Manor, I am working so hard. I got up to study at the crack of dawn. When Father and Mother see this, they will surely be especially pleased and praise me. They will say this is exactly what I should do—this is the kind of diligence the Young Lord of Xuanwu Earl's Manor ought to have.

Just then, the Earl and the Earl's Wife burst in.

The fat young man said, "Father, Mother, look at you two. I merely got up early on purpose to study, yet you came all the way here to praise me. This is what your son ought to do. As the Young Lord of Xuanwu Earl's Manor, I should be this diligent."

"Praise you?" The Earl suddenly pulled out a whip.

A moment later, waves of miserable screams echoed through the Earl's Manor.

"Father, Mother, why are you beating me? I did not do anything wrong today! I got up early to study!"

"Do I need a reason to beat you?" the Earl said, continuing to lash him with the whip.

The Earl's Wife gripped a ruler and viciously struck her son's buttocks and thighs. "That's right. Do we need a reason to beat a worthless thing like you?"

"Ah... ah... ah..." the Young Lord of the Earl's Manor wailed. "Sister, save me! Save me!"

After learning the result, Shen Lang let out a long breath of relief!

At last, he had succeeded. From one Live-in Son-in-Law to another Live-in Son-in-Law.

From now on, he would feast on fine food and drink, enjoying glory and wealth.

Was there anything in this world more delicious than living off a woman? There was not!

He had originally been facing a dead end. The Xu Family, the Lin Family, and Tian Heng had joined forces to destroy him.

Now, this crisis had directly been Reduced to Ashes.

After becoming the Live-in Son-in-Law of Xuanwu Earl's Manor, neither the Xu Family, the Lin Family, nor Tian Heng would dare lay a hand on him or his family, even if they had the courage of heaven itself.

Just wait for me. I, Shen Lang, will let you know what revenge is.

Tian Heng, Lin Family, Xu Family—I will not spare a single one of you. If I do not make your families shatter and your people perish, I will not bear the surname Shen.

The Earl's trusted aide, Jin Zhong, stood before Shen Lang.

His expression was foul, as though someone owed him a thousand gold coins.

Jin Zhong had been at Xuanwu Earl's Manor from the day he was born. He was not merely a servant, but family—a man utterly loyal to the Jin Clan.

Moreover, he had watched Miss Jin MuLan grow up. Yet now this phoenix was being forced to marry the piece of trash before him. How could he not be furious?

After all, he was the loyal servant of a noble house that had stood for a hundred years. Thus, no matter how angry he was, no matter how much he despised Shen Lang, he still did not speak rudely. His attitude was cold, but not lacking in courtesy.

"Scholar Shen, come with me. I will take you to the guest room."

Shen Lang followed behind him. They walked for a full ten-odd minutes before reaching the guest room, and only one sentence remained in his heart.

This Earl's Manor is really... fucking huge.

Even the richest people on modern Earth did not possess mansions this large.

"Oh, right. Please send someone to my home and tell my parents not to worry," Shen Lang said.

"Someone has already been sent to notify them," Jin Zhong replied coldly.

Shen Lang added, "Could you bring my parents and younger brother here for tonight's wedding as well?"

"I will personally lead people to bring your family here," Jin Zhong said. Then he shut the door and left directly. He was unwilling to look at Shen Lang's face for even half a minute longer.

"Please hurry," Shen Lang said. "Someone is about to harm my family."

Jin Zhong's gaze turned cold. However useless Shen Lang might be, he was now the Earl's Manor's son-in-law. And someone in Xuanwu City actually intended to harm Shen Lang's family? Had they eaten a bear's heart and leopard's gall? "Understood. I will ensure your family remains unharmed. Scholar Shen, rest well and prepare to bow before Heaven and Earth tonight."

At the same time, inside the Black Clothes Gang, Tian Heng said calmly, "The time is about right. Shisan, take some men and capture Shen Lang's family. If he hands over the Dye formula, kill them cleanly. If he refuses, kill them painfully."

"Yes!" Tian Shisan said.

Then he led more than a dozen warriors out of the Black Clothes Gang and headed toward Shen Lang's home.

Note: Bosses, I beg for recommendation votes to give me some encouragement!