The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 66

66: Heavy Drinking

“But haven’t you always wanted a stable life? Doesn’t the general provide that for you now?”

Fu Yu’an struck the bed in frustration, visibly angry: “I’m a man! Why should I rely on another man for these things?! I have hands and feet—I can take care of myself. Besides, is his life stable? He’s off to war, helping the fourth prince fight for the throne… and the second madam still wants grandchildren…”

Xiao Zhu quickly shut her mouth, realizing she had misspoken. She thought perhaps this was also why the two had argued so fiercely.

She let out an almost imperceptible sigh: “I’ll go prepare your medicine. You should rest a bit more.”

Fu Yu’an nodded and allowed her to help him lie back down.

As Xiao Zhu tucked him in and turned to leave, Fu Yu’an suddenly called out to her:

“Remember, don’t mention what I just told you to anyone—not even Li Ke.”

Xiao Zhu’s heart sank with bitterness, her movements freezing for a moment.

She agreed without hesitation and left.

When have I ever gossiped, Master? Have you really lost trust in everyone now?

…

Li Ke eventually found Qi Ren at Huang the bookseller’s shop.

He had stormed in like a madman, bought alcohol, and then forced his way into the backyard, demanding the owner chat with him while he rambled incoherently.

The bookseller, assuming he was having another episode, didn’t dare provoke him and reluctantly sat with him in the courtyard, enduring the drinking session.

Several times, the owner tried to signal his assistant to notify the general’s household to come retrieve him, but each time Qi Ren caught on. By the end, he was slurring threats, warning that anyone who dared report him would be strung up on the city walls.

After saying this, he finally collapsed from drunkenness. Most of the wine had gone into his stomach, and Huang the bookseller—who had spent the afternoon smiling nervously—was somehow more exhausted than the one who had been drinking.

Relieved, Huang stood up and spat in disdain, ordering his assistant to fetch help.

“Coming to my place to throw a tantrum? Pah! What rotten luck!”

…

Li Ke carried Qi Ren back home. Half-drunk and half-delirious, he was still yelling for more alcohol.

Fu Yu’an waved his hand dismissively: “Clean him up and toss him in the side room! Xiao Zhu—”

“I’ll go make sobering soup right away! You should rest!” Before he could finish, Xiao Zhu responded immediately and hurried off to the kitchen.

Li Ke’s gaze shifted between the two of them, his expression complicated as if he wanted to say something but held back.

He carried Qi Ren out and, following orders, delivered him to the side room.

Qi Ren clung to Li Ke, refusing to let go, lost in some dream where he alternated between weeping and laughing.

“Keep drinking, Huang! Yu’an doesn’t want me anymore—how could you be so heartless too? I know you’re close with him, but a man shouldn’t be so shameless!”

“…General? Master?!”

No response, purely his own madness.

He reeked of alcohol. By the time they arrived, the wine jars on the ground had already been cleared away, so it was impossible to tell how much he had drunk.

But it probably wasn’t a small amount.

The maids brought in hot water, and Li Ke shook him awake.

This awakening turned out to be a disaster—Qi Ren immediately started bawling, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Li Ke scratched his head, unsure whether to stay or leave.

What’s there to cry about? Men don’t shed tears easily—is it really worth this? You’re a general, for heaven’s sake, don’t be so… pathetic!

Of course, he only dared say this in his heart.

Between sobs, Qi Ren wailed about all sorts of things—one moment lamenting that Fu Yu’an didn’t want him anymore, the next that his father had abandoned him too, then whining about being the only one in the family left whole and how exhausted he was. In short, he rambled about everything under the sun.

Perhaps the pressure had built up for too long, and this was finally the release?

Li Ke couldn’t take it anymore. He fled the room in misery and turned to Xiao Zhu for help.

“He won’t stop crying—I can’t handle it. Can you go comfort him?”

Xiao Zhu’s face fell at the request. “Huh? What’s he crying about? His Highness was just crying earlier too—he only just calmed down, took his medicine, and went to sleep.”

Li Ke: “…”

Truly, birds of a feather flock together.

“Forget it, forget it. One’s sick, the other’s drunk,” Xiao Zhu said. “They’ll be fine once they sober up. Let him cry if he wants!”

Though Li Ke didn’t agree with her solution, there really was no better alternative at the moment. So he had no choice but to follow her advice. He went back and, through a mix of coaxing and pleading, managed to help Qi Ren bathe before sitting by his bed and listening to him pour his heart out half the night.

The next morning, Qi Ren woke up with a splitting headache and no memory of what had happened after he got drunk.

He called Li Ke over and asked who had brought him back the night before.

Seeing that he had blacked out, Li Ke thought, You really must’ve drunk a lot.

“A clerk from the bookstore called me over to fetch you. Do you feel unwell anywhere else?”

Qi Ren shook his head, then nodded.

“Head hurts, back’s sore, whole body feels terrible… What did I do after getting drunk?” He genuinely couldn’t remember.

Li Ke hesitated, unsure whether to tell him about the hours of crying or just make something up.

Neither seemed appropriate.

So he dodged the question and said, “You came back after getting drunk. Didn’t do much.”

Qi Ren patted his forehead and asked, “Where is Yu’an? I had an argument with him yesterday, and he didn’t look well at the time. I was too angry to comfort him. Where is he now?”

Qi Ren threw off the covers and got out of bed, glancing around before realizing something was off. “Why am I in the side room?”

Li Ke kept his head down, remaining silent.

He slammed his fist against the bedframe and cursed under his breath. “Did he kick me out?”

Li Ke muttered softly, “Haven’t you been kicked out before?”

“What did you say?”

“Ah… This subordinate said His Highness is ill. He was worried about passing the sickness to you, so…”

Qi Ren’s heart skipped a beat. “He’s sick? Did he catch a chill from the wind? What happened? Has the physician seen him yet?”

He hastily pulled on his boots and rushed out, his hair still loose and disheveled, cascading messily down his back.

Li Ke’s next words made him want to slap himself twice over:

“He fainted from rage—because you angered him so much.”

Qi Ren: “?!”

He snatched an outer robe from nearby and bolted outside, nearly tripping over the steps at the door and almost falling flat on his face.

“Master!” Li Ke darted forward to steady him, only to be swatted away.

Qi Ren sprinted and stumbled his way to the main chamber, where the carved wooden doors were tightly shut, faint coughs audible from inside.

This time, however, Qi Ren couldn’t muster the courage to barge in directly.

Li Ke caught up and called out softly, “General.”

Qi Ren raised a hand to stop him from knocking. He smoothed his hair, then glanced down at his own disheveled state, torn with hesitation.

Li Ke immediately ran back to fetch a hair ribbon for him. Qi Ren straightened his robes—though he was only wearing thin inner trousers underneath, but who cared about proper attire in his own home?

He tied up his hair in a few quick motions, the thick black locks still wild and untamed.

As the master and servant fussed around outside, the chamber door suddenly swung open from within.

The two looked up and locked eyes with Xiao Zhu.

Xiao Zhu: “…”

Qi Ren immediately straightened up, clearing his throat and asking, “Is your master awake?”

Xiao Zhu, recalling how his master had been driven to illness by this man, couldn’t muster any politeness. He lowered his head and replied, “He’s awake, but his headache is still severe. Perhaps the General could come back later?”