You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 25

The next morning, Song Xuwan left in a huff. Ji Moyang waited until the sound of her carriage faded before pushing open his door.

He gazed at the room Song Xuwan had occupied—the room he had visited the night before—and suddenly felt an urge to go inside. He wanted to see the bed she had slept in and the blankets she had used.

“Mo’er, what are you doing?!”

Min Rongxue had seen Song Xuwan off and then noticed Ji Moyang’s door was ajar. She had come to call him for breakfast, but found him missing. Song Xuwan’s room, which had been closed moments ago, was now half-open.

She approached the doorway and saw Ji Moyang staring intently at a cushion, his hand resting on it.

Ji Moyang stroked the cushion, imagining Song Xuwan holding it in her arms, as if he could still feel her warmth lingering there.

Suddenly, a startled cry from behind made him break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, his years of cultivated composure allowed him to slowly turn around and calmly explain, “I saw a rat scurry in here and run under the bed. I was just moving the cushion and blankets to look for it.”

The strange feeling in Min Rongxue’s heart vanished. She knew her son well—he was too rigid in his studies to harbor any inappropriate thoughts.

It was partly her fault for not teaching him enough. She rarely spoke with such tenderness, saying, “Mo’er, this is Madam Song’s private chamber. Men shouldn’t enter without permission, even to chase away mice. You could have asked a maid or servant to handle it.”

Ji Moyang nodded, replying calmly, “I hadn’t considered that, Mother.”

Watching Ji Moyang’s retreating figure, Min Rongxue felt a pang of sorrow. Once, she had been a delicate young lady from a noble family, her family fussing over even a mosquito bite.

But after their family’s fall from grace, they were exiled to a remote, impoverished village. In her room, mice scurried about all night.

At first, she had been terrified. But what could she do? Apart from her loyal wet nurse and her family, she had no resources left to indulge in such fears.

Gradually, she grew accustomed to it, maintaining a stoic composure in the face of snakes, rats, insects, and ants.

Yet seeing Ji Moyang helping Song Xuwan chase away the mice just now stirred a sudden ache in her heart. Had Ji Moyang ever asked her if she was afraid of mice?

She felt like a spear, everyone assuming her to be unbreakable. But deep down, she too yearned for someone to cherish and protect her.

After breakfast, Ji Moyang went to Fuyun Temple as usual. In the afternoon, Zu Hongyuan and Xia Yongyan mysteriously pulled him aside.

“We’ve got something amazing to show you,” Zu Hongyuan said earnestly. “A painting personally done by the Master of the Peach Blossom Hermitage.”

“What is it?” Ji Moyang asked, puzzled by the scroll in his hand.

“An erotic painting!” Zu Hongyuan declared solemnly.

“We’ve been studying these together for days,” Xia Yongyan added excitedly. “It’s strange—we haven’t found any new ones for ages, and suddenly today we stumble upon a masterpiece by a renowned artist!”

“We’re sharing this with you because you’re a true brother,” Xia Yongyan continued. “Open it up and take a look. It’ll help you unwind.”

In the past, Ji Moyang had always glanced at erotic paintings with indifference, flipping through them quickly. But this time, he examined each image with intense focus, as if each scene were playing out vividly before his eyes.

Suddenly, a drop of bl00d trickled from his nose, sending Xia Yongyan and Zu Hongyuan into a frenzy.

“The little monk’s about to break his fast!”

Ji Moyang wiped the bl00d away with a handkerchief, his face flushed with embarrassment. “It’s just the dry weather,” he said calmly. “I’m a bit overheated.”

“Exactly, exactly! It’s just heatiness,” Xia Yongyan said immediately. “You need to clear that heat, or it’ll build up and damage your body.”

“What do you say? Don’t say I’m not looking out for you, brothers. How about I treat you to a night at the brothel tonight?”

Zu Hongyuan was eager but hesitant, constantly nudging Ji Moyang with his eyes, as if Ji Moyang’s approval would be as good as an Imperial Edict.

Unfortunately, Ji Moyang remained cool and indifferent. “No interest.”

Xia Yongyan frowned. “Hey, you little ingrate! You don’t know what’s good for you. Proper women aren’t the same as the girls in the brothel.”

“How are they different?” Zu Hongyuan asked, genuinely curious.

Xia Yongyan pointed to the erotic painting, explaining with the air of a seasoned teacher instructing his students.

“These positions? Proper women would never do them. Only brothel girls, who are trained in all sorts of tricks, can pull them off. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—enjoy yourselves while you’re still single. Once you’re married, your wives will turn into tigresses and you’ll never get to try these moves again.”

These words made Zu Hongyuan and Ji Moyang blush crimson. Just then, Lu Zhengwen happened to walk by, and they quickly changed the subject, avoiding any further mention of brothels.

From that day on, Ji Moyang’s erotic dreams grew even more vivid.

After two days of revelry, Ningning returned home and dutifully practiced her zither and calligraphy. Song Xuwan kept a close eye on Ji Moyang’s movements in the Annex, waiting for the right moment to visit him again.

Taking advantage of a few days of leisure, Song Xuwan returned to the Song Residence to inquire about the Sterility Potion, but unfortunately, Song Zhili had made no progress.

By chance, she encountered her elder brother, Song Zhijian, and a thought struck her. She hurried over to ask:

“Brother, have you heard that the Emperor issued an Imperial Edict before the New Year, allowing those implicated in the Gande Palace Coup to participate in this year’s Imperial Examinations?”

Song Zhijian nodded. Every official had heard of this edict, but he wondered why his sister was so concerned about it.

“Is something wrong?”

Song Xuwan shook her head, carefully choosing her words. “Several Imperial Princes were implicated in the coup. If their descendants also plan to take the examinations, do you think associating with them might displease the Emperor?”

She needed multiple ways to address the problem—not only to control Min Rongxue but also to restrain Zhou Minghai. However, their fates were intertwined: his success was her success, and his downfall would drag her down with him. She couldn’t act rashly.

Song Zhijian studied Song Xuwan intently. “Has Zhou Minghai been associating with such people?”

I knew my brother was sharp, Song Xuwan thought, realizing she couldn’t hide the truth. She replied vaguely, “I heard he’s been sponsoring scholars, possibly including descendants of Imperial Princes. I’m not entirely sure.”

“Hmm,” Song Zhijian murmured, considering how to explain things simply. He cleared his throat and asked, “Do you know why the Emperor issued such an Imperial Edict?”

“No, His Majesty didn’t tell me before issuing it!” Song Xuwan shook her head.

Her words softened Song Zhijian’s stern expression considerably. He decided to cut to the chase, explaining bluntly, “Back then, the Late Emperor had no sons and intended to adopt an heir from the Imperial Clan. This led to the Gande Palace Coup, as the Imperial Princes fought fiercely for the position of Crown Prince. The Late Emperor executed some, exiled others, and demoted the rest.”

Song Xuwan had learned the details of this event thoroughly in recent days. She nodded to show she understood, signaling her elder brother to continue.

“Afterward, His Majesty, who had kept a low profile, reaped the benefits like a fisherman who waits patiently for his catch.”

“Before his death, the Late Emperor, fearing His Majesty might neglect the Empress Dowager in the future, granted her immense power. Her family controls the Metropolitan Garrison, and she also oversees the Ministry of War.”

“Although His Majesty has secured the throne over the years, he remains constantly constrained by the Empress Dowager. After all, they are not mother and son by bl00d, so these power struggles play out frequently.”