Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 8 - Young Master-in-law, It's Time to Undress

The three Luo brothers left. Gu Banxia remained by Song Yan's side, her delicate head slightly lowered. Although she was older than Song Yan, she was docile and well-behaved.

Song Hongtao also let out a small breath. When he turned to look at Song Yan, his face had already switched to a gentle smile. That expression almost made Song Yan feel overwhelmed by the favor. In fifteen years, the number of times they had met did not exceed ten, and as for a smiling face, that was something he had never seen before.

"Yan'er, move to the Green Bamboo Courtyard. Although it's not a first-class courtyard, the environment can be considered elegant."

The Green Bamboo Courtyard was where some of the head handmaidens lived, some of whom were also related in some way to the Song and Yang families.

"Once you're settled, come to my place."

Having spoken, Song Hongtao turned and left. Song Yan went to the small courtyard to pack his things. Gu Banxia had wanted to follow him, but was stopped by Butler Wang, who had a maid lead Gu Banxia to the Green Bamboo Courtyard first, probably not wanting Gu Banxia to see the place where Song Yan lived.

Song Yan didn't mind. He returned to the small courtyard, tucked the 'Hundred Treasures Compendium' into his robe, then put some scattered pieces of silver into his pocket. As for the rest of his things, he left them all to the servant boy who had followed him.

Seeing Song Yan's cautious manner, the servant boy rolled his eyes several times. A concubine's son is a concubine's son. It's just a few pieces of silver, look how careful you are. As if I would steal your few pieces of silver? Hmm, if Song Yan weren't here, he probably really would.

The moon was bright and the stars were few. Milky-white moonlight floated over the ancient mansion, and the roof tiles seemed to be covered in a layer of white frost. The night was quiet, with the occasional chirping of a few crickets, which was rather pleasant to listen to.

When Song Yan went over, Song Hongtao was dining with Yang Shi and his three legitimate sons... Because they had been entertaining the three Luo family young masters, today's meal was a little late.

This kind of thing had nothing to do with Song Yan. As a concubine's son, he was not qualified to sit at the table.

Yang Shi had eight sons. The three currently staying at the Duke's mansion were:

The fifth son, Song Zhen; the seventh son, Song Yun; and the eighth son, Song Lu.

The first and second sons had already entered the court as officials, the third son had joined the army, the fourth son was skilled in business and was away from home for most of the year, and the sixth son, Song Zhe, was intelligent since youth, quick-witted and fond of learning. He had been chosen by the dean of the White Egret Academy in the imperial capital and accepted as a closed-door disciple, and was known as the Qilin Son of the Song family, with limitless future prospects.

Song Yun and Song Lu were also quite talented. Although not comparable to Song Zhe, they had also obtained the rank of Elementary Scholar and would probably be heading to the prefectural academy to study in the coming year.

Most of Yang Shi's sons had some ability, with the sole exception of the fifth son, Song Zhen... how to put it, even good bamboo can produce bad shoots.

Although he was not young, he had accomplished nothing.

After studying for many years, he couldn't memorize a single chapter of the Analects. He tried to learn martial arts from the household guards but couldn't endure the hardship. A typical case of being inept in both literary and martial pursuits.

Strangely enough, although Song Zhen was the most incompetent of the eight Song family sons, Yang Shi doted on him the most. Even Song Zhe couldn't compare.

Thinking this, Song Yan couldn't help but look at Song Zhen a few more times. Then his gaze suddenly became strange. He looked at Song Zhen, then at Song Yun and Song Lu, and finally his gaze fell on Song Hongtao.

Song Yun and Song Lu both bore some resemblance to their father, Song Hongtao. But upon careful inspection, one could find almost no resemblance between Song Zhen and Song Hongtao.

Could it be that this old bastard Song Hongtao had been cuckolded by Yang Shi?

Song Yan thought with some malice, while bowing in greeting.

Song Hongtao didn't speak. Yang Shi didn't even raise her head. Song Zhen, however, glanced at Song Yan, picked up a chicken leg with his chopsticks, and walked towards him. He had a smile on his face, but this person had a face full of surly flesh, and his smile-that-wasn't-a-smile was even more unsettling.

"Ninth Brother, we are blood brothers. Why be so distant and restrained like a servant? In three days, you will be married. The airs of a Song family young master should still be put up when needed. Don't let people think our Song family is easy to bully."

"Ai, speaking of which, that Luo family's eldest young miss was supposed to be your sister-in-law, but now you are the one marrying her. Your Fifth Brother here also feels quite bad about it."

"But, in the end, you've helped me out this time. In the future, you'll marry Luo Tianxuan, and I'll marry Luo Tianyi, and we'll still be brothers."

It was this Song Zhen; ever since seeing Luo Tianyi a few days ago, he had been stunned by her beauty as if she were a celestial being. He had never seen such an otherworldly and elegant woman. He reckoned that even Chang'e of the Moon Palace was no better.

These past few days, he had been begging Yang Shi to see if they could propose another marriage to the Luo family and marry Luo Tianyi.

"Here, a reward for you."

Saying this, Song Zhen held out the chicken leg in his hand towards Song Yan. The posture was clearly that of rewarding a dog.

Just as the chicken leg was passed in front of Song Yan, Song Zhen's hand shook, and the chicken leg fell to the ground. The splashing juices landed on the cuff of Song Yan's pants.

"Oh, look at my hand, so careless."

Song Zhen clicked his tongue: "Such a good chicken leg. Although our Song family is large and wealthy, we can't be so wasteful. Ninth Brother, don't you agree?"

A pair of sinister eyes stared at Song Yan. The meaning was obvious: he wanted Song Yan to pick up the chicken leg from the ground and eat it.

It wasn't just Song Zhen. Even Song Hongtao and Yang Shi raised their heads to stare at Song Yan. Song Lu and Song Yun had faces full of schadenfreude.

Song Yan's body trembled slightly. Relying on immense willpower, he finally suppressed the instinct to clench his fists.

A naked humiliation.

It seems that Song Hongtao was truly preparing to use him to do something in the Luo family, but was also worried that he would be uncontrollable after leaving the Duke's mansion, which is why he had to conduct this obedience test.

Otherwise, there would be no need for these little tricks. I'm afraid Song Hongtao's scheme is very significant. If I show any resistance or dissatisfaction at this time, I'm afraid blood will be spattered on the spot.

Of course, Song Hongtao wouldn't be so foolish. To humiliate him so harshly just as he was about to leave the Duke's mansion would easily arouse a rebellious spirit. Therefore, at the critical moment, Song Hongtao should speak up to stop it, as a show of grace.

Thinking this, the expression on Song Yan's face showed no change, as if he were already accustomed to this kind of thing. He bent over and prepared to pick up the chicken leg. As expected, just as he started the motion, Song Hongtao's voice came from behind the dining table:

"That's enough."

Song Hongtao was quite satisfied with Song Yan's reaction. This youngest son was still within his control. It seemed that more than a decade of imprisonment had already cultivated a sense of servility and fear towards the Duke's mansion in Song Yan. This servility would become an instinct that bound him.

And by stopping Song Yan from actually picking up or even eating that chicken leg, he was preserving Song Yan's dignity. For this youngest son who had been neglected, bullied, and even nearly died several times since childhood, to the point of having some mental problems, this slight protection from his own father could make him feel immense warmth, and even re-establish their thin father-son bond.

Although Song Hongtao couldn't compare to those old foxes in the imperial court, he was still shrewd and calculating. Every move had its own purpose; he would never do anything useless.

"Song Zhen, I often teach you to be friendly to your brothers and respectful to your elders. Is this how you treat your younger brother?"

Song Hongtao seemed very angry, gave Song Zhen a good scolding, and then drove everyone out, with no exception for Yang Shi. Then he raised his hand and beckoned:

"Yan'er, come over and sit.”

Next, it was probably time to start an acting showdown and play the emotion card. If his guess was correct, Song Hongtao should push all the blame onto Yang Shi's head. Thinking this, Song Yan on the surface put on a frightened and apprehensive appearance, repeatedly saying he wouldn't dare.

This posture made Song Hongtao very satisfied internally, but on his face, he appeared somewhat sad. He sighed softly:

"We are father and son. Why be so distant?"

"I know all about the hardships you've suffered all these years."

"Do you suspect that your birth mother was killed by Yang Shi?"

Song Yan repeatedly said he wouldn't dare.

Song Hongtao, however, let out a self-deprecating laugh:

"There's nothing to not dare. You know this matter, I know it, everyone in the entire Duke's mansion knows it. My four dead concubine-born sons, your lost elder sister, and the concubines who have died of illness over the years—they were all Yang Shi's handiwork."

Song Yan also had an elder sister, who got lost when he was three.

Song Hongtao held his wine cup, the liquid trembling slightly: "I know it all, but there's nothing I can do."

"Did you know that although the Song Mansion is still a Duke's mansion, in reality, it's just an empty shell? And the Yang family is a first-rate powerful clan in the Ning Kingdom. The influence of these aristocratic families is something not even the imperial family dares to underestimate."

"For three generations, the emperors of Ning have married into aristocratic families. One of the current Ning Emperor's noble consorts is Yang Shi's younger sister."

Yang Shi, Noble Consort? Noble Consort Yang? It can't be that her name is Yang Yuhuan, right.

Song Yan complained internally, finding it amusing.

Just as he had predicted, Song Hongtao started to play the emotion card, pushing all the blame onto Yang Shi's head, while cleanly extricating himself. He even portrayed himself as having suffered endless grievances, tortured by pain day after day.

His eyes even turned slightly red, and he even squeezed out a single tear.

It's just acting, as if anyone can't do it. In the dozen or so years of imprisonment, Song Yan's acting skills had long been cultivated. Even pretending to be a lunatic whose mind wandered from time to time was something he did with ease. He cooperated very well, putting on an angry expression, his fists clenched so tightly they creaked:

"Father, you have suffered."

Song Hongtao was satisfied in his heart. Sure enough, a fool. Imprisoned since childhood, with only a few days of schooling, his mind is probably immature. This kind of person is the easiest to fool. For someone like this who has lacked love since childhood, forceful commands would often have the opposite effect. But using emotions to tie him down would have a much better effect.

He paused for a moment, then said again:

"But now, there is an opportunity before us. As long as we accomplish this matter, the influence of the Duke's mansion will rise with the tide. We will naturally no longer need to worry about Yang Shi. The insignificant Yang family will be of no concern."

"When that time comes, I will divorce Yang Shi and have her drowned in a pig cage. Your mother's spirit in heaven will also be able to rest in peace."

"I will also move your mother's grave into the Song family's ancestral tomb, move her spirit tablet into the Song family's ancestral hall, and elevate your mother to the position of main wife. At that time, you will be the legitimate son of the main house."

Song Yan's gaze became fervent, and a blush appeared on his face in cooperation, as if the temptation of being the legitimate son of the main house was making him lose control.

A trace of pride flashed in the depths of Song Hongtao's eyes. This world advocates for filial piety. Moving the grave into the ancestral tomb, the spirit tablet into the ancestral hall, plus the temptation of being the legitimate son of the main house—an immature fool would absolutely be unable to resist.

It's just...

Filial piety?

As someone who had transmigrated, Song Yan didn't care at all about any ancestral tomb or ancestral hall. The person was already gone, so what was the use of all the pomp and circumstance? Compared to the Song family's ancestral hall, Song Yan would rather carry his mother's spirit tablet with him and pay respects to it daily.

"Father, what exactly is the matter? Please just say it. I will definitely do it." Song Yan patted his chest and guaranteed with a trembling voice.

The corners of Song Hongtao's mouth finally curved into an irrepressible arc:

"Very simple. After you enter the Luo family, you must find a way to clearly investigate the true relationship between the three sons and four daughters of the Luo family and Luo Yuheng!"

"You don't need to feel sorry for the Luo family either. Although you are marrying into the Luo family, in the end, your surname is Song, not Luo. You have the blood of the Song family flowing in you. We are the real family."

These words made Song Yan slightly surprised in his heart. Investigate this for what? Everyone knows that Luo Tianquan, Luo Tianyi, and the others were all adopted by Luo Yuheng. Could it be that there's some secret behind this?

Speaking of which, the Luo family has so many children, and all of them have the surname Luo.

This is not normal!

Luo Tianquan, Luo Tianyang, Luo Tianyi, Luo Qingyi, Luo Caiyi—it's one thing for these adopted ones. But Luo Tianshu and Luo Tianxuan are the biological children of Luo Yuheng and the Prince Consort. Why do they also take Luo as their surname?

Song Yan felt he had discovered a blind spot.

The outside world rumored that Luo Yuheng and the Prince Consort were deeply in love. If the Prince Consort hadn't been killed by the Ning Emperor, they would surely have been a celestial couple envied by all. But now it seemed that wasn't the case at all.

If Luo Yuheng was truly so deeply in love with the Prince Consort, why would she immediately change the children's surname right after he died? In this world, changing the surname, how was that any different from cutting off the Prince Consort's family line?

Thinking back carefully, the three Luo brothers all bore some resemblance to each other. Luo Tianshu was the biological son, but Luo Tianquan and Luo Tianyang were adopted. This wasn't scientific.

Could it be that these young masters and misses of the Luo family are, in reality... all Luo Yuheng's biological children?

And Luo Yuheng's opposition to the Ning Emperor was just an excuse to raise her own biological children by her side?

Goodness gracious, that already dead Prince Consort, just how many green hats was he wearing on his head?

Thinking this, Song Yan couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for the father-in-law he had never met and who had already been beheaded.

But soon, Song Yan's brow furrowed slightly. This matter probably wasn't that simple. Even if Luo Yuheng really did cuckold the Prince Consort, what did this have to do with Song Hongtao?

This matter, at most, was just an imperial family scandal. Throughout history, such scandals have been innumerable. The matter of princesses keeping pretty-boy lovers happened endlessly, just like Princess Yincheng and Princess Fengyang of the Han Dynasty. Which one of them didn't play around a lot... It's said that Princess Fengyang actually dared to have her Prince Consort help push her butt.

A princess keeping lovers, at most, would just cause the imperial family to lose a bit of face. It's not a major issue.

Perhaps there were other secrets involved in this. The waters of the Luo family were probably far deeper than imagined.

While Song Yan was pondering, Song Hongtao spoke again:

"You are a live-in son-in-law. I've arranged for four old servant women to follow you. With them to take care of you, it will also save you from being bullied."

Take care of me?

More like monitor me, right?

The father-son night talk was also about over. Song Yan got up to leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped:

"Father, when the time comes, will you really make me the legitimate son?"

"Of course, of course. After the matter is accomplished, you will be my only legitimate son, the future Duke.”

"I understand."

Watching his youngest son's back, the smile on Song Hongtao's face gradually faded, leaving only disdain. Pah, just a concubine's son, and he really thinks he can become the Duke?

On the other side, with his back to Song Hongtao, the flush on Song Yan's face also quickly subsided. The corners of his mouth curled into a disdainful sneer. Pah, you really think this young master is so easy to fool?

Outside the main courtyard were four old servant women, Yang Guifang among them. These were the people Song Hongtao had arranged, all of them his trusted aides.

Both arranged people for him. His future mother-in-law arranged a twenty-five-year-old gentle big sister in the prime of her youth. Song Hongtao arranged four old cabbage stalks.

The difference, ah.

Song Yan smiled and shook his head. He said nothing and walked straight towards the Green Bamboo Courtyard.

The Green Bamboo Courtyard was in an uproar. The expressions on many of the handmaidens' faces were somewhat unhappy. After all, having to suddenly move out of the Green Bamboo Courtyard where they were living comfortably, no one would feel good about it.

Some people were muttering in low voices, their words full of complaints, but they didn't dare to say too much. Yet one voice was particularly sharp:

"How dare they make us give up our place for him? On what grounds? I am the Fifth Young Master's handmaiden. He's just a bastard born from a lowly concubine. Does he really think that by marrying into the Luo family, he has climbed a high branch and become a phoenix? I spit on him. In the end, he's still a live-in son-in-law, someone who isn't even qualified to sit at the table to eat."

Song Yan raised his eyebrows and looked in the direction the voice came from. It was a handmaiden of eighteen or nineteen. The young woman's body exuded the temptation of youth. Her face was fair, and her brows held a hint of wantonness. Although she was a handmaiden in a large household, she carried a bit of the flirtatious air of a woman of the demimonde. It seemed she had served Song Zhen quite a bit in her daily life.

Seeing Song Yan appear, the other handmaidens beside her immediately fell silent. But the handmaiden named Xiao Cui was clearly different. Perhaps from being by Song Zhen's side for so long, she had also developed an arrogant and domineering character. So what if she offended someone? The Fifth Young Master would stick up for her. At worst, she would just have to be a bit more dedicated the next time she served the Fifth Young Master with her mouth.

When she noticed Song Yan staring at her, Xiao Cui's willow-leaf brows shot up:

"What are you looking at? Believe it or not, the Fifth Young Master will gouge your eyes out!"

She was clever, at least. She didn't dare to say that she would gouge out Song Yan's eyes.

Song Yan wasn't angry either. He chuckled, took a step forward, and walked up to Xiao Cui. Although Xiao Cui was tall, she was ultimately a bit shorter than Song Yan. Looking down at the handmaiden who was glaring with wide eyes in front of him, Song Yan's lips curled:

"Just now, was it you who insulted my birth mother?"

Xiao Cui snorted coldly: "So what if it was? Your mother was originally just a handmaiden. Who doesn't know she shamelessly climbed into the Old Master's bed..."

Slap!

Before she could finish, Song Yan fiercely slapped Xiao Cui across the face, hitting her so hard her body tilted and she fell to the ground. The slap was extremely heavy. Half of her face instantly swelled up, and a trace of bright red blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

In an instant, the surroundings became dead silent. All the handmaidens looked at Song Yan with astonished eyes. Who could have thought that this Ninth Young Master, who was usually timid and cowardly, would actually dare to hit someone, and one of Song Zhen's people at that.

Did the sun rise from the west? But it's night now.

Song Yan had his own plans. Since you want to use me, and it has to be me, then what's the harm in showing a bit of an edge?

Perhaps this kind of arrogant behavior upon gaining a bit of power was more in line with the role he was currently playing.

Xiao Cui lay on the ground, clutching her burning face. Her mouth tasted of blood. She even felt a tooth had become loose. She was at once shocked and furious:

"You, you dare to hit me…”

"I am the Fifth Young Master's handmaiden! The Fifth Young Master won't let you get away with this!"

Song Yan's gaze was ice-cold: "For insulting my mother, what's the harm in killing you?"

Xiao Cui clutched half her face, staring at Song Yan with a face full of hatred, and shrieked. The commotion here quickly attracted others. Not long after, an old man in his fifties or sixties appeared. It was the Duke's mansion's Butler Wang.

This Butler Wang was the trusted aide of Song Hongtao's trusted aides. In the Duke's mansion, even Yang Shi had to give him some face. But Butler Wang was as cunning as an old fox. He always placed himself in the position of a servant. Not to mention the legitimate sons of the mansion, even towards the concubines, concubine-born sons, and concubine-born daughters, he would not show the slightest neglect, giving people no fault to find.

Seeing Butler Wang appear, Xiao Cui thought her backer had arrived. She scrambled up from the ground, grabbed Butler Wang's arm, and began to list Song Yan's wrongdoings.

As he listened, Butler Wang's brow had already furrowed. The look in his eyes as he looked at Xiao Cui was like looking at a stupid pig.

"Butler Wang, how do you think this matter should be handled?" Song Yan asked in a cold voice.

Butler Wang sighed, no longer bothering to entangle himself with a handmaiden. He waved his hand casually, and two household guards who had followed him came up:

"A mere handmaiden, who gave you the guts to insult a young master of the Duke's mansion?"

"The Duke's mansion doesn't need a servant like you who doesn't know her place. Drag her away and beat her to death."

The excited expression on Xiao Cui's face suddenly stiffened. She looked at Butler Wang in disbelief, unable to imagine that the usually smiling Butler Wang would directly order her to be beaten to death. It wasn't until the two guards grabbed her arms and started dragging her away that Xiao Cui finally reacted.

Under the extreme fear, Xiao Cui couldn't help but scream: "No, you... you can't do this to me! I am the Fifth Young Master's handmaiden, you can't..."

To lose one's life over a single sentence—this world was just that cruel.

Xiao Cui's indenture contract was held by the Duke's mansion. Even if she were beaten to death, the authorities wouldn't inquire. In a large household like the Duke's mansion, which year didn't see the death of a few handmaidens or house-servants?

If it were a normal day, with Butler Wang's personality, he would have mostly just reprimanded her and appeased Song Yan with a few words, and the matter would have been considered over.

But right now, it was a time when the Duke needed to use Song Yan, and Song Yan had clearly been so thoroughly fooled by the Duke's grand promises that he couldn't find his north. At a time like this, if the matter was handled lightly, there was no guarantee that Song Yan wouldn't have some second thoughts.

A group of timid handmaidens was already trembling with fear. Who could have thought that just for complaining a little, it would end with losing one's life.

The skies of this Duke's mansion are probably really about to change.

A scream came from the distance, and then it quickly ended. Xiao Cui was probably dead.

"Ninth Young Master, are you satisfied?" Taking a deep breath, Butler Wang then looked at Song Yan, his old face blooming like a chrysanthemum.

"Satisfied, very satisfied."

Song Yan laughed heartily and turned to leave.

Inside the Green Bamboo Courtyard, there were also a few new handmaidens to serve him. These handmaidens had clearly also seen what just happened. They all kept their little heads lowered, not daring to make a sound.

Song Yan didn't care about them. He pushed open the door directly and entered his bedroom.

The bedroom was spacious; this single room was as large as the entire small courtyard he had been imprisoned in before. A few beeswax candles were lit in the room. The dim yellow candlelight flickered gently, casting shadows throughout the room. A special fragrance drifted in the air, like the pure body scent of a young woman, adding a touch of enchantment.

A figure sat quietly by the bedside. It was the bed-warming maid left by the Luo family, Gu Banxia.

Her beautiful eyes lifted slightly, and they seemed to be covered in a layer of mist. Her fair and tender cheeks carried a hint of blush, as if she were shy and timid. Lightly pursing her cherry lips, Gu Banxia slowly spoke:

"Young Master-in-law, it's time to undress.”