You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 47

Madam Ma strained her eyes in the moonlight, her face quickly turning ashen. “The Young Master chased her out,” she said dejectedly. “Nothing could have happened in such a short time.”

In normal circumstances, Min Rongxue would have been overjoyed by Ji Moyang’s composure, proud to have raised such a virtuous son.

But now that she knew her son preferred men and had firmly refused the maid’s advances, her inner turmoil overwhelmed her. She collapsed heavily into a chair, burying her face in her hands and sobbing softly.

Over the years, she had endured countless hardships. The thought of her exceptionally intelligent son achieving greatness—whether as an official or a renowned scholar founding his own school—had given her hope for the future.

Now that the Imperial Examinations were open, promising limitless prospects, this revelation felt like a dagger to her heart.

Her grief was inconsolable. Madam Ma stood helplessly by, offering silent companionship as Min Rongxue wept through half the night.

The next morning, Ji Moyang ate breakfast as usual and set off for Fuyun Temple.

He noticed Min Rongxue looked even worse than the day before. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but he feared she would say she had dreamed of her late father again, leaving him at a loss for comfort.

“It’s better to focus on your studies,” Madam Ma advised. “Once you pass the Autumn Provincial Exam, Min Rongxue will naturally stop worrying so much.”

After Ji Moyang left, Min Rongxue burst into tears again. Her son used to tell her everything, but now he could pretend nothing had happened even after someone had climbed into his bed in the middle of the night. It was clear how distant they had become.

“Perhaps the Young Master didn’t want to worry you, so he kept last night’s incident a secret?” Madam Ma suggested.

Min Rongxue’s slender fingers dug into her palm. She knew perfectly well that if her son didn’t care, he would have told her directly. His silence meant he was afraid she might ask questions that would accidentally reveal his feelings for another man.

“Is he spending every day with Xia Yongyan at Fuyun Temple?”

Madam Ma, terrified that Min Rongxue would confront him, quickly pleaded, “Madam, the Autumn Provincial Exam is just around the corner. Even if the Young Master loses face, that’s a small matter. But if this affects his performance on the exam, it wouldn’t be worth it!”

Min Rongxue smiled bitterly. She knew it would be best to pretend ignorance and address everything after the exam. But the thought of Ji Moyang spending every day with Xia Yongyan made it impossible for her to remain oblivious.

“I understand everything you’re saying. Don’t worry, I won’t reveal anything now. Go tell Feng Shi to follow him. With someone watching, they won’t dare to act so recklessly.”

Madam Ma knew she couldn’t persuade Min Rongxue. Any further arguments would be futile. She sighed and left to find her husband.

She found Feng Shi and said vaguely, “The Autumn Provincial Exam is just a few days away. Madam has been worried about the Young Master lately and instructed you to accompany him whenever he goes out.”

“Very well,” Feng Shi replied.

He thought this was perfectly reasonable. Every young master had a servant following him. He had hesitated to do so earlier because of his age, fearing it might annoy the Young Master. Otherwise, he would have been shadowing him all along.

Just as he was about to leave, Madam Ma called him back. “Wait.”

“Is there something else?” Feng Shi asked, puzzled. Why was Madam Ma being so hesitant today? He frowned. “Just spit it out! What’s with all this womanly hemming and hawing?”

Regarding Ji Moyang’s attraction to men, she believed the fewer people who knew, the better. Even her own husband shouldn’t find out.

It wasn’t that she feared Feng Shi would reveal the secret, but once he knew, he would inevitably scrutinize the Young Master whenever they spoke, his tone and gaze becoming strange. If the Young Master noticed this shift and realized his privacy had been invaded, it would likely cause trouble.

She glanced at Feng Shi and ultimately decided not to be too explicit.

“You know how our Young Master has always traveled to the academy alone since childhood. Suddenly having someone follow him might make him uncomfortable and ill at ease. But Madam has specifically ordered this…”

Feng Shi finally grew impatient. “I understand,” he snapped. “Follow him secretly and only appear when necessary. Fine, fine, go report back to Madam.”

At the Zhou Residence on Academy Lane, Song Xuwan listened to Min Rongxue’s elaborate arrangements from the previous night and early morning, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Didn’t Min Rongxue used to guard against maids getting too close? Why is she now sending someone to Moyang’s bed? This sudden reversal is so drastic—what could have triggered it?

And why have him followed? What did they discover?

After pondering for a long time, she still couldn’t make sense of it.

Though she couldn’t decipher Min Rongxue’s motives, one thing was clear: Min Rongxue was now restless and anxious, each day dragging on like a year. Rumor had it she had wept half the night.

At this thought, Song Xuwan nearly burst out laughing. Seeing Min Rongxue’s reaction, she knew it wouldn’t be long before she discovered Ji Moyang’s affair.

Ideally, it would happen a few days before the Autumn Provincial Exam, Song Xuwan thought. That way, Ji Moyang would be so humiliated he’d lose all focus and fail the exam. That would be perfect.

Just as Song Xuwan was smiling to herself, the curtain suddenly rustled. Zhou Minghai entered with a deep frown, sat down with a sigh, and slammed his hand on the table, shouting, “Where’s the tea? Can’t anyone even serve tea around here?”

Her good mood vanished instantly. “Master, did you swallow gunpowder or something?” Song Xuwan snapped. “Why are you venting your anger in my room?”

Zhou Minghai clearly had no patience for arguing. He waved her off, gulped down a bowl of tea, and began to pour out his grievances: “In this sweltering heat, the Minister ordered us to the Imperial Mausoleum to inspect the Empress Dowager’s burial chamber. How’s the construction progressing?”

“The Empress Dowager’s burial chamber?” Song Xuwan asked, puzzled. “When she passes, isn’t she supposed to be buried in the Late Emperor’s mausoleum?”

“Exactly!” Zhou Minghai grumbled. “The Emperor just wants to appear filial. Sending us to the Imperial Mausoleum in this heat is nothing but a superficial gesture. After years of feuding with the Empress Dowager, where’s the filial piety in that? It’s all for show, making outsiders think he’s so devoted.”

“Master, be careful what you say,” Song Xuwan warned. “You mustn’t speak disrespectfully of the Emperor.”

After learning the reason for Zhou Minghai’s anger, Song Xuwan felt no sympathy for him whatsoever. Even if the Emperor had punished him by making him stand in the scorching sun, she would have sat nearby, enjoying a slice of chilled watermelon and watching the spectacle with amusement.

Hearing Song Xuwan’s lack of comforting words, Zhou Minghai lost his energy for complaining. He slumped dejectedly and said, “I’m just venting at home. I wouldn’t dare criticize the Emperor in public. Tell the maids to pack my things quickly—I have to leave this afternoon.”

“So soon?” Song Xuwan asked, signaling a maid to start packing immediately. “When will you be back?”

“The Vice Minister gave us five days,” Zhou Minghai grumbled.

“Five days? The Imperial Mausoleum isn’t far—three days should be enough for the round trip. Besides, didn’t you say this was just a formality? Why so long?” Song Xuwan pressed, firing off questions one after another.

This gave Zhou Minghai another opportunity to pour out his grievances. He spat angrily, “The Minister knows the Emperor is putting on a show, so he wants to make it a grand performance. He’s making us survey the Imperial Mausoleum for extra days to make the Ministry of Works look diligent. That way, we’ll have a proper report to present to the Emperor upon our return.”