My worthy son-in-law

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Just as Mu Wanqing was idly leafing through Lingbo Steps, footsteps suddenly sounded in the distance, followed by a group of people emerging from around the corner.

At their head were two middle-aged men. Their features bore some resemblance, and they looked like brothers.

One wore a white robe embroidered with dragon motifs, with four burly men accompanying him.

The other wore a purple robe embroidered with serpentine dragons, accompanied by three beautiful women who still retained their mature charms.

"Wan'er, what are you doing here?"

The beautiful woman in black beside the purple-robed man froze briefly upon seeing Mu Wanqing, then could not help frowning. "Where is your veil?"

"Master, my husband has already removed my veil."

"What did you say?!"

At those words, the woman in black's expression changed drastically.

Qin Hongmian had never imagined that, after only a few months apart, her daughter would already have a husband.

"Yu'er!"

Before Qin Hongmian could ask for details, Dao Baifeng, who wore a white Daoist robe, cried out and rushed toward Duan Yu, who was trussed up tightly.

Duan Yu's skin was flushed red. He wriggled across the ground like a caterpillar, his eyes unfocused and his mind seemingly clouded.

"I advise you not to untie him. Yun Zhonghe dosed him with an aphrodisiac."

Just as Dao Baifeng was about to untie Duan Yu, Mu Wanqing suddenly warned her, "If my husband hadn't had him tied up, he would already have committed an illicit act with Zhong Ling."

"What? Those beasts! What vicious intentions!"

Even Duan Zhengchun felt his scalp prickle at her words.

If Duan Yu and Zhong Ling really had consummated a union, not only would the entire Duan Royal Family have been disgraced, but the two of them would probably have been too ashamed to go on living.

"Wan'er, where is Ling'er? How is she?"

Seeing Duan Yu's dazed state, Gan Baobao could not hide her anxiety and hurriedly asked Mu Wanqing about Zhong Ling's whereabouts.

"Martial aunt, don't worry. Zhong Ling is fine."

Mu Wanqing first reassured Gan Baobao, then pointed to the stone house from which sultry sounds kept drifting. "My husband is helping her purge the poison!"

"That's a relief."

Gan Baobao immediately let out a relieved breath.

It was not that Gan Baobao was thoughtless. Compared with the scene she had imagined, this was already a very good outcome.

Had Nalan Sheng and the others not arrived in time, Zhong Ling would not only have consummated a union with Duan Yu, but might even have become Yun Zhonghe's plaything.

Now, Zhong Ling had merely lost her virginity to Nalan Sheng. At worst, she would share a husband with Mu Wanqing. It was already a blessing amid misfortune.

"What's so good about it?!"

Qin Hongmian shot Gan Baobao an irritated glare, then asked Mu Wanqing, "Wan'er, just what has happened during this time? What's all this about a husband?"

Mu Wanqing had no intention of concealing anything from Qin Hongmian. She promptly recounted the whole story, from Nalan Sheng rescuing her from the South Sea Crocodile God to his accidentally removing her veil.

Once she understood the entire sequence of events, much of Qin Hongmian's initial anger dissipated.

After all, without Nalan Sheng's intervention, Mu Wanqing would have died at the South Sea Crocodile God's hands. It was only natural for her to pledge herself to him.

Seeing that Duan Yu's nose had begun to bleed, Duan Zhengchun could no longer sit still. He hurried to Gan Baobao's side and said, "Baobao, Yu'er can't hold out much longer. Could you have one of the maids in your valley help purge his poison first?"

"We won't save him!"

Before Gan Baobao could answer, Qin Hongmian snapped furiously, "That woman Dao Baifeng made my junior sister and me suffer so terribly, and now you want us to save that bitch's son? Dream on!"

In truth, neither Qin Hongmian nor Gan Baobao minded Duan Zhengchun's womanizing. Had he been willing, they would even have shared him as their husband.

Unfortunately, Duan Zhengchun was henpecked and did not dare bring Qin Hongmian and Gan Baobao home as his wives. Otherwise, it would have been perfectly normal for a prince like him to have three wives and four concubines.

"Hongmian, I wronged you and Baobao, but Yu'er is innocent. He's my only son. Must you make me kneel and beg you?"

With that, Duan Zhengchun bent both knees, preparing to kneel before Qin Hongmian in front of everyone.

"Darling Duan, don't!"

Seeing this, Qin Hongmian and Gan Baobao hurriedly reached out to support Duan Zhengchun.

It had to be said that Duan Zhengchun's skill at wooing women far exceeded what ordinary people could imagine.

Although Qin Hongmian and Gan Baobao had suffered terribly back then, they did not blame Duan Zhengchun in the slightest. They hated only that tigress, Dao Baifeng.

Qin Hongmian and Gan Baobao could not bear to let Duan Zhengchun kneel in public. That would have damaged his dignity far too much. Kneeling in private would suffice.

After helping Duan Zhengchun up, Gan Baobao immediately sent someone to summon a maid and had her take Duan Yu to another stone house to purge the poison.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later, the maid responsible for purging Duan Yu's poison emerged looking unsatisfied, with a hint of disdain in her eyes.

Of course, Duan Yu could hardly be blamed. After all, he was a little Chu Lan.

If Nalan Sheng had not cultivated the Six Vault Immortal Thief, which allowed him to replenish his stamina without limit, his first performance would not have been much better than Duan Yu's.

Another half hour or so soon passed. Under Duan Zhengchun's somewhat envious gaze, Nalan Sheng finally emerged from the stone house in a black robe, looking thoroughly refreshed.

"Husband!"

When Mu Wanqing saw Nalan Sheng come out, she immediately threw herself into his arms. After sharing a tender moment with him, she began introducing everyone present.

"Husband, this is my martial aunt, Gan Baobao. She's also Zhong Ling's mother."

Mu Wanqing first introduced Gan Baobao to Nalan Sheng, then pointed to Qin Hongmian and Duan Zhengchun. "Th-this is my mother, Qin Hongmian, and my father, Duan Zhengchun."

During the past half hour or so, Duan Zhengchun had already guessed Mu Wanqing's identity. When he questioned Qin Hongmian, she had not tried to conceal it any longer, so the family of three had already acknowledged one another.

"I am your son-in-law, Nalan Sheng. My respects to my father-in-law and both my mothers-in-law."

After hearing Mu Wanqing's introductions, Nalan Sheng promptly cupped his hands and bowed to Duan Zhengchun and the others.

Duan Zhengchun hurriedly smiled and raised a hand as if to help him up. "No need for such formalities, my worthy son-in-law."

Under normal circumstances, a father-in-law would find his son-in-law an eyesore, like a thief who had stolen his cherished little padded jacket.

Nalan Sheng's circumstances were rather special, however. Not only had he saved Mu Wanqing, Zhong Ling, and Duan Yu, but he had also thwarted the wicked scheme of Duan Yanqing and the others.

Duan Zhengchun could hardly thank Nalan Sheng enough at that moment. How could he possibly dislike him?