“I…”
Any normal man wouldn’t be able to bear hearing others say he couldn’t do it, especially when that person was his own wife.
Xie Wenzhao was so angry he felt like stars were popping in his head, his mind went completely blank. He stammered on the “I” for a long time before finally forcing out one sentence:
“It’s not that I can’t.”
Li Yue gave an “En” and said: “Then there’s no problem. Let’s do it this way. Considering your physical condition, you can rest one day every nine days. That’s lenient enough, right? Don’t tell me you can’t even handle nine days?”
Xie Wenzhao really couldn’t believe such words could come out of Meng Fu’s mouth.
He slammed the table hard and shouted: “Meng Fu!”
Li Yue raised his eyebrows and said: “No way? You really can’t handle it? Then change it to eight days? Don’t tell me you still can’t?”
Xie Wenzhao was so angry his head hurt, his brain buzzed. He questioned: “In this household, is it you who has the final say, or is it me?”
Li Yue slightly lifted his chin and looked at Xie Wenzhao.
How could he even ask such a stupid question?
He countered: “You don’t actually think it’s you who has the final say, do you?”
After speaking, Li Yue instinctively raised his hand, about to slam the table, but when it was halfway up, he suddenly remembered: this lady’s skin was delicate. If he slammed the table, his palm would definitely turn red.
Today, he had merely picked up a bamboo stick and played with sword moves for a while, and already had several bruises on his body. Meng Fu’s skin was fair to begin with, and under such contrast, it looked even more shocking.
Li Yue pursed his lips and withdrew that hand, then said to Xie Wenzhao: “I don’t care who used to have the final say. From now on, it must be me.”
Xie Wenzhao said: “Utterly laughable.”
“Laughable?” Li Yue also thought switching bodies with Meng Fu was somewhat laughable.
As for Xie Wenzhao, in the future, there would certainly be even more laughable things.
What could be done? Just endure it obediently.
Xie Wenzhao took a deep breath and said: “Meng Fu, I shouldn’t have married you that day.”
Regarding this sentence, Li Yue was still in agreement for now. He nodded and said: “What a coincidence, isn’t it? If I had foreseen this day, I wouldn’t have let this marriage happen either.”
But Xie Wenzhao didn’t want to hear Meng Fu agree. He had more to say—
Before he could speak, Li Yue stood up and waved his hand, ready to send him off: “Don’t talk about useless things. It’s getting late. Hurry up and go to Linglong Hall.”
Xie Wenzhao gritted his teeth and said: “That is absolutely impossible.”
Li Yue snorted, completely dismissing Xie Wenzhao’s feeble resistance.
If it really came to that, he could just have the shadow guards knock Xie Wenzhao out and carry him over.
At that moment, a servant came in from outside and said to him: “Madam, the Old Madam requests your presence.”
Li Yue immediately recalled the letter Meng Fu had asked the shadow guards to deliver earlier today. In it, there was a reminder that the Old Madam had learned he scolded Xie Wenzhao and might come looking for trouble.
Now, it seemed, trouble had come.
But why did she send jewelry over in the afternoon then?
This whole household is just strange and bizarre.
Li Yue couldn’t figure out what was going on in that Old Madam’s head, but it probably didn’t matter.
He said to Qingping: “Let’s go. Go take a look.”
Qingping felt that their Madam didn’t look like she was going to visit the Old Madam, but more like she was going to discipline her.
Such a terrifying thought—
She quickly shook her head and chased the idea from her mind.
Xie Wenzhao also thought for a moment, then headed toward Luoyu Hall.
He wanted to see what his mother wanted with Meng Fu.
Also, with Meng Fu’s current “anyone blocks me, I kill them” attitude, he was honestly worried Meng Fu might just start cursing out his mother too.
The Old Madam and the Old Marquis lived in Luoyu Hall on the eastern side of the marquis residence.
Hua Xiaoling had been summoned by the Old Madam and hadn’t left yet. She was currently chatting with her.
When she saw Meng Fu and Xie Wenzhao come together, the Old Madam smiled, thinking the two had reconciled.
It seemed those rumors from the servants were really baseless.
If Meng Fu had really cursed at Xie Wenzhao, how could they have come together?
Thinking of what Hua Xiaoling told her about switching Qu Hanyan to another courtyard, the Old Madam looked at Xie Wenzhao with a trace of blame in her eyes.
She reprimanded him: “You’re already this old, yet still act willfully and mess around. You have no sense of propriety at all. Only Meng Fu can endure you.”
Li Yue nodded— This Old Madam may be old, but her eyesight was still pretty sharp.
A little man full of confusion slowly crawled out from the top of Xie Wenzhao’s head—
What did his mother just say?
She said he had no manners? Said Meng Fu could endure it?
Then who was the one yesterday at Jixue Courtyard getting scolded like a grandson?
Did his mother hear some nonsense gossip from the servants?
Xie Wenzhao said: “Servants always like to spread wild talk. Some things are not as you think they are.”
The Old Madam nodded and said to Xie Wenzhao: “The servants indeed have been talking nonsense. I’ve already sent someone to discipline them. Don’t worry, they definitely won’t dare to speak carelessly again. Really—what kind of behavior is that? Even the master’s private affairs are something they dare to gossip about?”
“Really?” Xie Wenzhao was half-skeptical, always feeling something was a bit off.
Had his mother misunderstood something?
Then what exactly had the servants been spreading around?
He subconsciously opened his mouth to rebut, but the Old Madam continued: “I know what you’re thinking, but everything has its limits. Once you cross that line, it’s not good anymore.”
Xie Wenzhao was utterly speechless.
This line should be told to Meng Fu!
She gave him a thorough tongue-lashing—hadn’t she gone overboard at all?
Where’s the justice in this world?!
“Meng Fu, ah—”
Li Yue was happily watching the drama when the Old Madam suddenly turned her head toward him and said: “You’ve married into the marquis residence for several years now. You should have had a child by now. Why is there still no movement at all?”
Li Yue: “Ah?”
Meng Fu had only mentioned that this Old Madam might be picky and would lecture him, but didn’t say she might also urge him to have children!
Too terrifying.
The smile on the Old Madam’s face became even more benevolent, and she gently asked: “Is there some problem with your body? I have a few remedies here, would you like to try them?”
Li Yue: “……”
He turned to glance at Xie Wenzhao and saw that this person had a cold face, looking completely detached like it had nothing to do with him at all—
As if Meng Fu could conceive a child on his own.
Li Yue scoffed silently in his heart and said to the Old Madam: “Old Madam, you see, the backyard doesn’t only have me, but up to now not even a single child…”
He paused for a moment, shook his head and sighed: “It’s clearly not my problem.”
Xie Wenzhao glared at Meng Fu, his lips trembling twice—
But he forgot what he wanted to say.
The Old Madam was also stunned.
She hadn’t expected Meng Fu to say such a thing.
After a while, she nodded and said: “What you said… makes sense too.”
Li Yue continued: “Right? So how about we find a couple of doctors from outside to take a look at him?”
The Old Madam couldn’t make a decision immediately—after all, this concerned Xie Wenzhao’s reputation and wasn’t something to easily let outsiders know.
Li Yue then added: “If that’s not possible, then how about letting the imperial physicians from the palace have a look?”
“Let me think about it.” said the Old Madam.
She was actually seriously considering Meng Fu’s suggestion now.
Xie Wenzhao couldn’t take it anymore and shouted: “Mother!”
The Old Madam raised her head to look at him, lightly sighed, and said: “I know you’re feeling upset, but you can’t avoid treatment just because you’re ashamed of the illness. I’ll find a few tight-lipped doctors and have them keep this confidential.”
Xie Wenzhao, feeling extremely stifled, said: “I didn’t… I didn’t even do it with them, how could I possibly have children!”
The Old Madam looked at Xie Wenzhao in surprise.
She had known that he didn’t like Meng Fu or Hua Xiaoling, but Sun Yulian and Qu Hanyan were women he himself had insisted on taking into the household— Given that, how could he not have done it?
After saying this, Xie Wenzhao felt regret.
This whole mess was because of Meng Fu.
He turned to look at her, just in time to see her calmly watching him—
There was a mocking look in her eyes, as if saying: “So you really are incapable.”
Xie Wenzhao’s fists were truly clenched hard.
The Old Madam solemnly asked: “Are you speaking the truth?”
Upon meeting his mother’s eyes, filled with disappointment, Xie Wenzhao found himself unable to say anything.
“You, ah, you, ah! What can I say about you? You’re already over twenty, yet still playing house?”
The Old Madam was so angry that her chest heaved continuously. Hua Xiaoling, who was beside her, tried to soothe her for a long time but to no avail.
Hua Xiaoling was also very surprised. She had originally thought that only she hadn’t slept with Xie Wenzhao. Turns out, the other women in the residence hadn’t either. Suddenly, she felt much better.
“Is there really something wrong with your body?” the Old Madam asked worriedly.
“No, I just…” Xie Wenzhao paused and said, “I just don’t want to.”
Li Yue thought to himself, Isn’t that still being incapable?
The Old Madam sighed: “You child, ah…”
Seeing the Old Madam’s dejected expression, Li Yue coughed and stepped forward, saying: “Old Madam, here’s what I think. From now on, let Xie Wenzhao spend nine days each month with the concubines, spend more time with them. Perhaps, after developing some feelings, he might want to.”
Xie Wenzhao hadn’t expected Meng Fu to still not give up on that idea at this point. He said: “You’re dreaming!”
Li Yue wouldn’t bother speaking with such an incapable man!
After pondering for a long time, the Old Madam felt this wasn’t a bad idea. She asked: “Each of them nine days, then what about you?”
“I’m not in good health during this period,” Li Yue said.
“Good child, you’ve worked hard,” the Old Madam looked at Li Yue with even more loving eyes. She just wanted to see a grandson as soon as possible. In the past two years, the Old Marquis’s health had been deteriorating. He also wished to see the birth of a grandson before he passed away.
She turned to Xie Wenzhao with a stern face and said: “We’ll proceed as Meng Fu suggested.”
Xie Wenzhao frowned and said: “Mother, how can it be like this?”
The Old Madam pressed her forehead and said: “Enough, this matter is settled. If you still consider me your mother, then listen to me.”
Xie Wenzhao opened his mouth. He truly didn’t want to be treated like an object to be arranged at will. But if he said he couldn’t do it now, his mother would immediately label him unfilial.
What kind of situation is this!
Hua Xiaoling, who had been standing behind the Old Madam, looked at Li Yue with admiration.
Madam is just too formidable.
This matter actually succeeded!
Awesome!