Wife, I Was Wrong!

My wife, indulgent mothers spoil their sons, indulgent mothers spoil their sons!

But normally, you were pretty harsh on your own son too. You hit him whenever you felt like it.

Why did you lose all your authority in front of your son-in-law? Was it because he was handsome? Because his mouth was sweet? Seeing Shen Lang look at his Mother-in-Law as meekly as a lamb, the Earl's anger surged.

You little bastard, did he really think there was nothing I could do to him? The Earl said, "Shen Lang, from today onward, you are under house arrest again."

"Huh?" Shen Lang froze. Hadn't his house arrest just ended? The Earl said, "You may move around within the manor, but you are not to leave Earl's Manor by a single step. Do you hear me?"

Shen Lang asked timidly, "Father-in-Law, then... then how long will this house arrest last?"

The Earl said, "Until I believe I can rest easy about you."

That condition was far too vague.

Shen Lang said, "How about Father-in-Law set a condition? Once I fulfill it, the house arrest will be lifted. For example..."

"No reciting books, no learning characters—there are no conditions..." the Earl hurriedly shouted, crushing Shen Lang's hopes outright.

At the mere mention of the word "condition," Father-in-Law's mind was hooked by certain unpleasant memories.

Then the Earl said, "No tricks you come up with will work. Starting today, stay in the manor and cultivate yourself properly. When I think you won't go out and wreak havoc anymore, that is when I'll let you out."

Father-in-Law, you had changed. You used to be so straightforward! Now you had become scheming too.

Could the Earl possibly fail to learn his lesson? Yesterday, he had just ordered Shen Lang confined and told him to recite the Jin Family Instructions, thinking it would keep Shen Lang honestly at home for a month or two.

Who could have expected that in a single night, he would finish reciting it? The Earl had gritted his teeth and restored his freedom, because he could not go back on his word.

Yet he had never imagined that Shen Lang would cause such a huge incident the very day he went out.

Even though he had won, and fought that battle beautifully.

But...

It was far too dangerous! The Earl had always been conservative and could not stand taking the army down a perilous path.

Besides, he truly feared that Tian Heng might go all the way and directly attack Shen Lang.

But he would absolutely never speak such concern aloud.

If that bastard Shen Lang found out that he cared about him, wouldn't he fly straight into the sky?

"Everyone, heed my order! Starting today, the son-in-law is not permitted to leave Earl's Manor by half a step. No matter who sees him trying to go out, stop him and bring him back. Do you hear me?" the Earl shouted. "This remains in effect until I formally lift his House Arrest Order."

"Yes!" everyone shouted in unison.

Then they looked at Shen Lang with strange expressions.

They were gloating. Absolutely gloating.

Young Lord Jin MuCong was reading a military text.

That morning, his mother had beaten him. The Young Lord felt that it must have been because he had been reading the Book of Songs.

After all, the Book of Songs contained many poems about love between men and women.

So the Young Lord decided to study Military Strategy.

Surely that could not be wrong.

"Father and Mother must want me to inherit the legacy of our ancestors, so reading military texts will definitely please them."

Sure enough, before long, his parents came in.

"Father, Mother, your son is reading a military text. I will surely carry on our ancestors' aspirations and study Military Strategy well," the Young Lord said ingratiatingly.

"Stop reading. Get down," the Earl's Wife said.

A moment later, the fat fellow was expertly pinned to a large chair by the man and woman.

The man used a whip; the woman used a ruler.

Smack, smack, smack—they began beating him.

"Ah, why? Was reading military texts wrong too? Do I have to be beaten for that as well?" the Young Lord howled.

He really had done nothing wrong. He had obediently been reading military texts the whole time, though he truly had not absorbed a single word.

Why had they beaten him in the morning, then come to beat him again at night?

"Ah, ah, Father, Mother, why are you beating me again?!"

The Earl and his Wife did not answer. Once they finished beating him, they simply left.

Leaving the Young Lord choking back wordless sobs.

In truth, the Earl and his Wife had come to beat their son entirely on a whim, their hearts moving in perfect unison.

Because the more clever and outstanding Shen Lang appeared, the more foolish and dull their son seemed.

The Earl had originally wanted to give Shen Lang a proper lesson, but before he could even begin, every move had been blocked. His Wife had even taken Shen Lang's side, and he simply had to vent this anger.

So their biological son became the unlucky one.

After Shen Lang returned to the courtyard.

MuLan stood inside, clad in full armor.

"Husband is back. Then let's eat," MuLan said.

Shen Lang was startled. "MuLan, why are you wearing armor while you're at home?"

MuLan said, "In case Husband got into trouble in the city, I would lead troops into the city to seize him back."

Shen Lang was stunned, warmth filling his heart.

Though MuLan's tone was calm, Shen Lang was truly deeply moved by her words.

"Come, let your husband remove your armor. Let's eat," Shen Lang said gently.

MuLan was slightly startled, then spread her arms for Shen Lang to remove her armor.

"Thank you, my wife, for waiting at home for me and worrying that something might happen to me," Shen Lang said.

MuLan said, "It is only right. Husband's great victory today came as a very pleasant surprise to me, and I share in the glory. But Husband should still think thrice before acting in the future. Remember that Father, Mother, and I will worry about you."

"I understand." Shen Lang was even more moved, and gently wrapped MuLan in his arms.

MuLan was slightly startled. Her body stiffened a little, but she did not stop him.

Because Shen Lang's embrace seemed warm and touching, full of familial affection.

"Husband, where are your hands going?"

Shen Lang hurriedly put his hands back where they belonged, his face solemn. "My wife, you cannot blame me for this. Blame only your skin for being too smooth. I had absolutely no intention of doing it."

"Mm. Let there not be a next time," MuLan said.

Shen Lang declared righteously, "My wife, I swear that if there is a next time, you may chop these hands of mine off."

Three seconds later.

MuLan directly seized Shen Lang's hands as they began to slide downward and said seriously, "Husband, a real man keeps his word. These hands of yours should be chopped off."

Shen Lang said, "My wife, I was only saying that casually. How can a man's words be taken seriously? Better believe a hundred-year-old man is having an affair than believe the mouth of a man."

MuLan looked helplessly at her husband's incomparably beautiful face. It was hard to believe that such a handsome face could contain skin so thick.

"Eat!" MuLan escaped Shen Lang's demonic claws and went to the table to eat.

MuLan was certain that if not for Shen Lang being so handsome, she would have already started beating him.

After eating, MuLan washed up simply, cleaning her pearly teeth spotless, then took a sip of rose floral water and held it in her mouth.

Her mouth was instantly filled with a pleasant fragrance, but sadly, she could not touch him.

Then she put her armor back on.

"My wife, where are you going this late at night?" Shen Lang asked.

MuLan said, "To lead the cavalry on night patrol and inspect the coastline."

Shen Lang's heart ached.

MuLan said, "Husband, stay home and do not cause trouble."

Inside the Young Lord's room, he was receiving extra lessons.

An arithmetic lesson.

The imperial examinations did not test arithmetic, so although arithmetic was one of the six arts of a gentleman, most scholars did not study it much.

Noble families, on the other hand, placed great importance on it, especially old noble houses with fiefs, because it was truly practical and could also make one smarter.

Young Lord Jin MuCong sighed. "Teacher Xu, why is my life so hard? In the past, Father and Mother at least had reasons for beating me. Now they do not even bother finding one."

The Teacher Xu he spoke of was named Xu Wenzhao, the most renowned master of arithmetic in Xuanwu City.

Xu Wenzhao held considerable weight in Earl's Manor. Not only was he Jin MuLan and Jin MuCong's arithmetic teacher, he was also responsible for settling all of Earl's Manor's money and material accounts, trade dealings, and more.

He was one of the Earl's aides and also the powerful chief steward of Earl's Manor. He had overseen the entire Accounting Room for over twenty years.

"Teacher Xu, do you think I might not be Father and Mother's biological son?" the Young Lord asked.

Xu Wenzhao smiled elegantly and continued his work with meticulous care.

His work was important. The fief's output, external purchases, and every monetary transaction all had to pass through his accounts.

Thus, in Earl's Manor, he was also a man of high position and great authority.

Xu Wenzhao paused his brush. Shen Lang's face surfaced in his mind, and a shadow immediately flashed through his eyes.

Whoever blocked my path was my enemy!

After hesitating for a moment, Xu Wenzhao said, "Young Lord, the Earl beat you because of Shen Lang."

The Young Lord cried out in alarm, "Why?"

Xu Wenzhao said, "Shen Lang has a poor reputation. He stole the Xu Family's money and molested a Xu Family maid, so he was driven out. Then he came to marry into Earl's Manor. Because Lady MuLan personally chose him, the Earl had no way to refuse. He was troubled at heart and blamed you for being so unpromising that Lady MuLan had to marry such a notoriously disgraced man. That is why he beat you a few days ago."

Young Lord Jin MuCong abruptly sat up. "So that's how it was!"

Xu Wenzhao continued, "The Earl beat you again today because Shen Lang went to a gambling house and damaged Earl's Manor's reputation. But he defeated Tian Heng, and since he is, after all, a live-in son-in-law, the Earl could not easily beat him. So he vented his anger on you instead, Young Lord."

The Young Lord flew into a rage and sprang to his feet. "Good! I've finally found the true culprit behind my beatings. So it was because of that bastard!"

Just then, the bookboy beside Xu Wenzhao said, "Oh, Young Lord, I saw Bing'er secretly crying today too. When I asked what was wrong, she would not say."

The Young Lord grew even angrier. "It must be because of Shen Lang. He molested the Xu Family's maid before, and now he has come to molest my family's maid? You ruined country bumpkin, and you dare bully your way onto my turf? I will never let you off!"

Then the Young Lord charged out.

"Shen Lang, I'll beat you to death!"

Then the Young Lord asked, "How are Shen Lang's Martial Arts?"

Xu Wenzhao said, "He knows no Martial Arts. He cannot even truss a chicken, and after walking a few steps, he is already panting for breath."

The Young Lord's courage swelled, his rage shooting to the heavens. He roared, "Someone, come with me to handle some business. Let's teach him a lesson."

Then the furious Young Lord Jin MuCong led more than a dozen people as they charged angrily toward Shen Lang's courtyard.