You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 16

Realizing what Xia Yongyan was doing, Lu Zhengwen and Zu Hongyuan cursed him for his shamelessness. Xia Yongyan remained unfazed, retorting, “What? You’ve all seen it, but I can’t talk about it?”

The atmosphere was heating up. Ji Moyang had been gradually adjusting his social interactions over the past few days, realizing he couldn’t afford to put on airs if he wanted to truly integrate into officialdom.

He raised his wine cup, drained it in one gulp, and declared, “The nineteenth posture of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra.”

“Hahahaha…”

A burst of laughter echoed through the rear mountains. Xia Yongyan laughed so hard he collapsed to the ground. After scrambling back to his feet, he pointed at Ji Moyang and said, “You’re no fun, seriously no fun at all.”

“We’re discussing such scandalous topics, and you answer with such solemnity! You talk about the positions in those erotic illustrations as seriously as if you were reciting classical texts for the Confucian scholars.”

Another wave of raucous laughter erupted. Xia Yongyan draped an arm around Ji Moyang’s shoulder and said earnestly, “Brother, you’re just theorizing on paper. You need real-world experience, you know? Once you’ve had some practical experience, I guarantee you’ll be burning the midnight oil, studying the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. When you look at those words and illustrations, they’ll come alive as real beauties.”

Ji Moyang’s face flushed crimson to his neck from the teasing. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, but he felt dizzy and disoriented. In his mind, the beauties from the erotic scrolls seemed to come to life, rising from the pages to torment him.

“I need to sober up,” he mumbled, stumbling to his feet.

Xia Yongyan scrambled up to stop him, but Lu Zhengwen held him back.

“Given his temperament, he’s already endured enough these past few days—watching those erotic scrolls with us and putting up with your teasing. If you push him any further, he might snap.”

“You’re right,” Xia Yongyan grumbled before collapsing back onto the ground, already half-asleep.

Ji Moyang walked a considerable distance, but instead of clearing his head, the beauties in his mind began to dance wildly.

He knew this was bad. He’d clearly spent too much time studying those erotic scrolls, stirring up his primal urges.

Gazing around blankly, he headed toward the Library Pavilion, intending to find a copy of the Heart Sutra and recite it to banish the demonic desires from his mind.

Dazed and disoriented, he wandered aimlessly until he overheard two novice monks discussing Grand Academician Min behind a wall.

Isn’t that my maternal grandfather?

He leaned closer to listen. One voice said, “Grand Academician Min used to live there. He would rise at the fourth watch every day to study. They say when he grew tired, he would strike his head with a wooden fish until it broke.”

“Grand Academician Min was truly diligent. No wonder he became the Top Scholar and later a Grand Academician.”

Ji Moyang shook his head, trying to dislodge the image of the beauty undressing in his mind. He felt that even the Heart Sutra might not be enough to banish her from his thoughts.

Perhaps visiting Grand Academician Min’s former residence to pay his respects would help him remember the virtues of loyalty to ruler, teacher, and family, and thus preserve his integrity.

Rounding the wall, Ji Moyang clasped his hands in a respectful bow. “Masters, could you please tell me where Grand Academician Min used to reside? I wish to pay my respects.”

Such requests were common; students often visited to honor Grand Academician Min. The two novice monks pointed, and Ji Moyang clearly saw the courtyard. He stepped forward.

After only a few dozen paces, Ji Moyang arrived at a secluded courtyard. He pushed open the gate.

The small courtyard contained three or five side rooms, all with their doors tightly shut except for one on the left, which stood half-open.

Without a second thought—or rather, without the beauty in his mind giving him a chance to think—he found himself standing outside the door of the side chamber.

He reached out, gently pushed the door open, and a scene of a beauty in slumber greeted his eyes.

The woman lay on a soft couch, her cherry-red gauze dress cascading to the floor, exuding an effortless elegance. Her delicate hand, pale and smooth as snow, hung limply at her side.

Ji Moyang’s throat tightened. He must be seeing things—the beauty from his mind had somehow materialized before him.

He wanted to turn and leave, but…

His gaze drifted upward. A pale yellow silk scarf covered the woman’s face, concealing her peerless beauty.

Just like the women in his mind, the figures in his dreams, whose faces always remained indistinct.

Driven by curiosity, he decided to take a closer look—just a quick glance.

The summer sun outside was blindingly bright, but as Ji Moyang leaned forward, a sudden coolness enveloped him. Without realizing it, he found himself drawn closer to the beauty.

He reached out and gently tugged at a corner of the silk scarf. It slid down from the woman’s face, revealing her eyebrows, her features, and her cherry-red lips.

So this is what the beauty truly looked like!

Now that he had seen enough, it was time to leave.

He was a gentleman and could not defile such beauty.

Song Xuwan had instructed her attendants to guide Ji Moyang to her room. She clearly sensed him enter, remove the veil from her face, and then… nothing. Aside from the sound of him swallowing nervously, he remained motionless.

Could it be that the erotic illustrations he had studied had failed to teach him practical application?

Impossible! He was said to be a quick learner. The illustrations were so detailed—how could he not have grasped the techniques?

Fine, I’ll just have to teach him myself.

Raising her hand, Song Xuwan replaced the veil over her face and murmured, “Too bright.”

The beauty speaks?

This was the first time the woman in his dreams had ever spoken.

Then he saw her soft, delicate hand caress his, pulling him closer.

“Don’t leave.”

This must be a dream, he thought.

Just like the ones he had every night.

Or perhaps a demon? Like the fox spirits in those illustrated tales—creatures that transformed into women to seduce scholars traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations.

“Husband~”

That coquettish murmur shattered Ji Moyang’s remaining rationality.

The young women at the temple had only ever shyly called him Young Master Ji. But this woman addressed him as Husband. There could only be one explanation.

This must be a dream, he thought. How else would someone call him “Husband”?

As his body went numb with confusion, he saw the woman on the soft couch slowly rise. Her face was still covered by a pale yellow handkerchief, and her boneless hands gently climbed around his waist. Within moments, she had draped herself around his neck, the jade-smooth skin beneath the silk brushing against his chin.

A caged beast seemed to roar within his chest, its ferocious form straining to break free from the scholar’s robes.

Finally, the restraints vanished. The woman beneath him dissolved into a pool of water, drawing his scattered consciousness back into focus.

A demon! he murmured inwardly.

A scholar must not refuse such ardent affection!

In the ancient temple, the faint sound of chanting drifted from afar, mingling with the ethereal strains of Buddhist hymns.

The vision of the beauty in Ji Moyang’s mind gradually faded, leaving only the woman beside him, her eyes brimming with tears as she gazed at him in terror.

“Young Miss, I swear I will marry you,” Ji Moyang declared immediately.

Tears streamed down Song Xuwan’s face. “I am already married.”

Ji Moyang froze in place. No wonder she had called him “Husband”—she must have mistaken him for her own husband.

Despite having devoured the wisdom of sages and saints, he had taken advantage of a young woman in her sleep, defiling her innocence.

Now, he finally understood with stark clarity that this was no dream, no seduction by a fox spirit. It was his own clouded judgment and reckless passion that had led to this absurdity.

In his half-conscious state, he had initially believed a young woman was enamored with him. What harm could come of marrying her? he had thought, especially since he found the woman beside him quite pleasing.

Little did he know, the woman beside him was already married.

“Regardless, I am the one who erred. Whatever you wish to do, Madam, I will not resist.”

Ji Moyang, a man of honor, would never flee from the consequences of his actions. He was prepared to face the scorn of the world, even if it meant his utter ruin. He would not evade his responsibility.

Song Xuwan lowered her head, sobbing silently. She wiped away nonexistent tears, her only desire to ruin Ji Moyang’s reputation without tarnishing her own.

“Please leave at once, Young Master, and tell no one of this.”