Chapter 69 I heard that the bed in Dan Yue Xuan collapsed last night…

You wouldn't know unless you asked, but Lu Chong, the magistrate, is actually a brother-obsessed man.

After a few rounds of drinks, Lü Chong seemed to have opened a floodgate of words, praising his elder brother Lü Lin for his diligent governance, his love for the people, his hands-on approach, and his encouragement of agriculture and sericulture...

“My elder brother was more promising than me from a young age. He studied hard and was upright. The year he passed the imperial examination, he was sent to a low-ranking county in the northwest to serve as magistrate. That place... was simply a desolate and treacherous place. It was said that bandits had been entrenched along the official road for many years, robbing passing caravans. Over time, people would rather take a long detour than go near it. The previous magistrates had failed to suppress the bandits several times. My elder brother's predecessor was even assassinated by spies sent by those bandits. His body was just thrown in front of the county government office. Can you believe how terrible that was?”

"Wow, Brother Lü, this is a disastrous start!"

Shen Lingyue listened attentively, proving herself to be a very competent straight man.

This made Lü Chong very talkative. He blushed and slammed his hand on the table, saying, "That's right. When my father received the appointment and dismissal documents from the Ministry of Personnel, he went out to inquire around and that night a big blister appeared on his lip. He was so worried! My mother even hugged my older brother and wouldn't let him leave, saying that we should give up this official position. At worst, we could never enter officialdom again and just open a school at home to teach."

Shen Lingyue frowned with concern and asked Pei Jinghuai in a low voice, "Isn't this considered disobeying the imperial decree?"

Pei Jinghuai replied in a low voice, "That depends on how it's done. For example, bribing the imperial physician to fabricate an illness, saying that one is too ill to get out of bed and unable to travel long distances, thus delaying the journey as long as possible. Or, deliberately committing a minor crime before taking office, forcing one to stay and undergo investigation..."

Although the Lü family did not hold any noble titles, Lü's father was the Minister of Justice before retiring from officialdom, and he only retired last year due to illness.

Ten years ago, Lü Lin, the eldest son of the Minister of Justice, was assigned to a low-ranking county in the northwest as a magistrate. This was partly due to his father's involvement in factional struggles and being tricked by his rival in the Ministry of Personnel.

Lu Chong shook his head and sighed, "If we had received the news before the appointment and dismissal documents were issued, the family could have tried to help my elder brother. But the other party was too experienced and kept it a secret. My father only heard false information and thought that my elder brother would be assigned to a wealthy place in Jiangnan."

Once the official documents are issued, it means that the list of officials has already been submitted to the Emperor and has been formally approved. At this point, feigning illness or resorting to underhanded tactics would truly be considered disobeying the imperial decree.

“At that time, my elder brother and sister-in-law had been married for less than three months. He said that his sister-in-law should stay at home to take care of his parents while he went to take up his post. He would send someone to pick up my sister-in-law and reunite with her once he was settled there and sure there was no danger.”

Lu Chong said, "You didn't expect this, did you? My elder brother is a true gentleman! From the moment he received the document, he never thought of running away and has already silently started packing his bags."

He was clearly a bit drunk, chuckling to himself. "I still remember what my elder brother said to my father: 'Ten years of hard study, isn't it all for the sake of passing the imperial examinations, becoming an official, and bringing benefits to the people? Although Xichuan County is a poor and remote place, isn't it still part of my Daye territory, and the people of Daye? If I, the local official, am too scared to take up my post, who can pull them out of this quagmire?'"

—Some things always have to be done by someone. What difference does it make whether it's me or someone else? Is the son of the Minister of Justice more valuable than other Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations)?

Lu Chong still remembers the words his elder brother spoke in the hall of their home; every word carried immense weight and resonated deeply.

Shen Lingyue clapped enthusiastically, "Brother Lü is indeed a true gentleman! What happened next?"

Lu Chong proudly raised his head, "My elder brother went there for only half a year, but he figured out where that bandit gang was hiding in the deep mountains, the route into the mountains, and the traps and mechanisms. He even bribed a bandit to be an inside man, mobilized the local garrison, and personally led a team into the mountains to destroy the bandit gang's den in one fell swoop!"

Shen Lingyue's eyes lit up as she listened, and her hands clapped until they ached. When she turned her head, she saw that Pei Jinghuai was not very interested, so she bumped his shoulder and said, "Hey, be more enthusiastic."

Pei Jinghuai pretended to pick his ear, looking helpless: "I've heard this story at least eighty or a hundred times, how can I still be enthusiastic?"

He got up and dragged Lü Chong outside, saying, "That's enough, it's getting dark, you should go home now."

"I haven't finished yet... Sister-in-law, my older brother did a lot more things after that, I'll tell you about them next time!"

Lu Chong waved to Chen Lingyue in a daze, but Pei Jinghuai turned his head back.

“I can recite your older brother’s glorious deeds by heart. I can tell her about them myself. You don’t need to do it.”

This talkative Lu, you can't let him drink alcohol, he gets all talkative when he drinks too much.

...

After stuffing Lü Lin into the carriage and instructing the driver to make sure he got the man home safely, Pei Jinghuai turned and went to the private room to take a bath.

He rinsed himself three times, emptying almost half a box of bath beans, and only after confirming that he could no longer smell any alcohol on himself did he mysteriously take a small box into the bedroom.

Shen Lingyue finished washing before him and was already lying in bed wrapped in a quilt, warming her feet with a hot water bottle filled with hot water.

We finally made it through the summer without air conditioning, but it turns out winter is just as tough...

She also drank two glasses of fruit wine tonight. It was sweet and not very intoxicating, but her face was still rosy after her bath. Her big, round almond-shaped eyes were moist and bright, and her hazy eyes added a touch of naivety.

A charcoal brazier was lit in the room, but the floor tiles still exuded a cold, hard chill. Pei Jinghuai opened the bed curtains, bringing in a gust of cold air, which was quickly covered by his burning body temperature.

Pei Jinghuai lifted her blanket and squeezed in, enveloping Shen Lingyue completely in his arms. He let her icy feet warm themselves by stepping on his calves, while he quietly kicked the hot water bottle out of the blanket.

That thing is cold and hard, how can it be better than this?

Behind her was a large, warm, human-shaped hand warmer, which was both squishy and comfortable to lean on. Shen Lingyue sighed comfortably, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the warming service provided by someone. "Alright, now tell me the story of Brother Lü."

What a wonderful bedtime story!

Pei Jinghuai was speechless, and squeezed her hand lightly.

"Are you sure you want to hear about other men's glorious deeds so late at night?"

Shen Lingyue immediately retorted, pinching his little finger. "Otherwise what? I'd like to hear your glorious deeds. Where are they?"

"Oh, so you're taking this opportunity to make fun of me again."

Pei Jinghuai pretended to tickle her, and Shen Lingyue quickly dodged. The two of them struggled for a long time wrapped in a blanket. Finally, Pei Jinghuai seized the opportunity to tie her up and kissed her sensitive spot on the side of her neck.

Shen Lingyue was ticklish, but she was even more afraid of this. Suddenly, she lost all strength to struggle. A jolt of electricity coursed through her body, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Pei Jinghuai's neck, pressing herself against him softly.

Half a year after their marriage, Pei Jinghuai had enough time to figure out every weakness in his opponent.

He slowly kissed her, lingering by her ear for a moment before taking her hand as if presenting a treasure.

"I've got something good for you."

Shen Lingyue looked down in a daze and saw Pei Jinghuai place a long, white, semi-transparent, soft object in her hand.

She struggled to identify it for a while, and then, drawing on the frivolous books she had read, she finally recognized it: "This is... sheep intestines?"

Pei Jinghuai was even more surprised than her, "How did you know?"

Shen Lingyue: "...Where did you get this?"

Pei Jinghuai chuckled and lowered his voice, "Brother-in-law Wei gave it to me. He said it's a special craftsmanship from the palace, much more durable and useful than the crudely made ones outside. He and the princess have only one son and one daughter in over ten years of marriage, all because of this..."

Shen Lingyue exclaimed "Wow!" feeling a little excited.

Now I shouldn't have to worry about accidentally becoming a mother.

A little drink is delightful, the atmosphere is just right, why not tonight?

The two of them put their heads together and started examining it. "How do you use it? You just... slip it on?"

Wei Shao gave Pei Jinghuai a complete set of "supplies." The sheep intestines were dried and had to be soaked in warm water to soften them before use. They also had to be coated with a slippery, semi-transparent liquid of unknown origin.

Pei Jinghuai uncorked the bottle, poured out some water, rubbed it in his palm, and muttered to himself, "It looks like I'm rubbing safflower oil on my hands."

However, when it came to the actual operation, his hands, which were two sizes larger than Shen Lingyue's, were really a bit unruly, and several times they slipped through his fingers before he could even get the aim right.

Shen Lingyue was getting impatient. "Idiot, watch me."

She's never used that stuff before... Hasn't she seen it yet?

...But she doesn't have any practical experience either!

The two of them, with their four hands, clumsily struggled for a long time before finally managing to slip it on a little. In her haste, Shen Lingyue carelessly pushed it further inside.

Pei Jinghuai's brow twitched violently, and he grabbed her hand, "Wait."

Shen Lingyue blinked and asked him what was wrong.

Pei Jinghuai gritted his teeth and said with difficulty, "...It's a little...it's too tight."

Shen Lingyue reached down and touched it, circling her index finger and thumb to measure it, then pondered seriously: "Could it be that this sheep intestine is too thin?"

But I've never heard of sheep intestines being differentiated by size...

Pei Jinghuai had reached his limit. He tore off half of the sheep intestine and threw it aside, then leaned on Shen Lingyue's shoulder with a pitiful expression. "What should we do then?"

He had even planned a surprise for her, but now he's completely ruined it.

Shen Lingyue gave him two quick kisses on the cheek and smiled, "It's okay, we'll get a bigger one next time."

Pei Jinghuai was easy to coax and immediately perked up again, "That's right, it's all that sheep's fault!"

"Yes, yes, it's all because the sheep aren't good enough. Our little Zhou brother has always been great..."

There was a rustling sound inside the tightly sealed bed curtains, and the atmosphere was getting intimate.

—Bang!

"Ha ha ha ha!"

The familiar, maniacal laughter, accompanied by the sound of a window with a large hole punched in it collapsing, brought in the howling wind of the winter night.

A crimson figure rushed into the bed curtains like lightning, wagging its large tail and jumping around excitedly on the bed.

“scarf, neck, hair”.

Pei Jinghuai's face was so dark it could drip ink, and he reached out to grab it, "I think you really want to be a Weibo user!!!"

He rushed out of bed, disheveled, and chased after Scarf on the floor.

Shen Lingyue wrapped herself tightly in the blanket and peeked out, looking at the fallen half of the window and the large, gnawed hole below, her expression bewildered.

...When did this little rascal discover his talent for digging holes?!

After the lights were turned off, Dan Yue Xuan returned to chaos, with Pei Jinghuai's roars echoing in the courtyard for a long time.

Qingchan and Shuangxu yawned as they helped Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai "move".

Since it was late at night and no craftsmen could be found to repair the windows, the two of them had no choice but to make do in the next room for the night.

The uninhabited room was cold and chilly; even with a charcoal brazier lit, it would take time to warm up.

Pei Jinghuai and Shen Lingyue wrapped themselves in blankets and huddled together for warmth, with two hot water bottles stuffed under their feet.

The romantic atmosphere from before was completely gone. The culprit had already fled under the cover of night. The two of them huddled together, discussing whether to stir-fry or stew the fox tomorrow.

"I was wrong, I was really wrong," Pei Jinghuai murmured. "I shouldn't have brought the scarf back in the first place. If I hadn't brought it back, we wouldn't be freezing here in the middle of the night..."

Shen Lingyue nestled in his arms, chuckling softly, and patted his back to comfort him, "Alright, alright, you raised this fox yourself, so you have to keep raising it even if you're crying."

Pei Jinghuai snorted, "Luckily, this isn't our son."

Shen Lingyue kindly reminded him, "Your son isn't going to chew a hole in the window."

...

The next day, Yan Yi came to find Shen Lingyue with a strange and subtle expression on her face.

"What happened? Rumors are spreading throughout the manor that you... broke the bed last night and had to change rooms overnight?"

Shen Lingyue covered her face in despair: "My lifelong reputation..."

Ugh, Weibo has ruined everything!

She pulled Yan Yi to look at the fallen window, which had a large hole chewed out by the scarf, her expression filled with grief and indignation. "I'm going to make Pei Jinghuai carry it around the mansion three times!"

After Yan Yi heard the whole story, she tried to suppress her laughter, but finally couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

"You're still laughing at me." Shen Lingyue tugged at her clothes, looking aggrieved. "Your Honor, I'm innocent!"

Yan Yi coughed a few times to barely stop laughing, and then earnestly comforted her, "It's okay, a lifetime will pass by quickly."

Shen Lingyue: No, not at all.

Embarrassing as it may be, I still want to share good things with my girlfriends as soon as possible!

She leaned close to Yan Yi's ear and whispered, "...Let's study it some more, and once we solve the size problem, we'll give you a few!"

Yan Yi blushed and gently patted her.

She came to see Shen Lingyue today for important business. "My mother said that the New Year is just around the corner, and the Marquis's mansion has several shops in the capital. She wants us to take some time to visit them and see how the business is doing."

Shen Lingyue nodded, "I understand, it's to prevent the manager from deceiving his superiors and embezzling funds by falsifying accounts."

There's no time like the present. Since she'd only be doomed if she stayed at the Marquis's residence today, she might as well go out for some fresh air.

Just as the two were about to leave, the scarf suddenly appeared out of nowhere and bit the hem of Shen Lingyue's skirt, whimpering and refusing to let go.

"You little rascal, you dare to come here on your own?" Shen Lingyue gently patted its head. "Let go of me."

The scarf loosened its grip, but still wouldn't let go, circling around Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi, its big tail wagging incessantly, its big, round, black eyes looking at them pitifully.

Yan Yi tried to analyze the fox's words, "Is it tired of playing in the manor and wants to go out with us?"

The scarf straightened its upper body, "Chirp!"

It even bowed to Yan Yi with its two front paws, no one knew where it learned that.

Yan Yi smiled and discussed with Shen Lingyue, "Why don't we take it out for some fresh air?"

Shen Lingyue thought about it and realized that this made sense. No matter how big the Hou Mansion was, it couldn't be bigger than the mountain where Weibo'er used to live. The fact that it could stay within the walls and not sneak out was already a testament to its obedience and understanding.

...if it hadn't chewed on the window last night.

"Qingchan, where are the suspenders I asked you to make for the scarf?"

Shen Lingyue asked a question, and Qingchan quickly went into the room and found a strange-looking suspender with a long rope tied to it.

"Hehe, this is a fox leash that I had them make." Shen Lingyue winked at Yan Yi. "I was thinking that maybe one day I could walk a fox, and here it comes in handy."

The baby carriers were shaped like the letter "I". Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi worked together to grab the scarf's two front paws, put the carriers over the baby's head, and then stick out the two paws.

The scarf initially resisted and struggled a few times, but after Shen Lingyue held the rope in her hand and led it back and forth a few steps, the little fox understood and obediently followed her side, step by step.

Shen Lingyue picked it up and kissed it, "What a smart baby."

"Chirp!"

The two rode out of the carriage. Shen Lingyue lifted a corner of the curtain to let in some air, and the little fox with the scarf squeezed its head through. The fox stood in front of the window, its two front paws gripping the window sill, jumping around happily.

Yan Yi sat opposite her, covering her mouth and laughing, "Like master, like pet."

The way Weibo looks now is exactly the same as how Xiaoyue always looks when she goes out in the car.

Shen Lingyue retorted, "I don't have legs as short as its, so I don't need to jump up to see."

It said one thing but did another, placing a snack box under its scarf so it could perch on it and enjoy the view.

At each shop, Shen Lingyue would tie the scarf's leash to the carriage, instructing it to behave and not move, before she and Yan Yi would get out of the carriage to inspect it separately.

After visiting the last shop, and with time to spare, the two decided to stroll around outside and let their scarves out for some fresh air.

As the Lunar New Year approaches, the festive atmosphere in the streets and alleys is gradually getting stronger. The streets are lined with stalls selling food and sundries, and the vendors' shouts create white breath that drifts and falls on eyebrows and beards, turning into frost.

The scarf was finally released and excitedly tried to rush forward, but Shen Lingyue grabbed the rope and pulled it back. This was repeated several times until the scarf was strangled and it finally realized that it couldn't run around. It then obediently followed at Shen Lingyue's feet.

These past few months, having been well taken care of in the Marquis's mansion, Wei Bo'er has grown quite a bit, especially her big, fluffy tail, which is entirely red without a single stray hair. It stands out even more on the cold winter streets, like a small, warm flame.

Passersby quickly recognized it as a fox, not a dog. The fact that the owner could keep such a wild and untamed fox following closely behind was a testament to his skill.

Shen Lingyue received many envious glances along the way, which greatly satisfied her vanity.

While others walk their dogs, I walk my fox – it's such a source of pride!

After strolling around for a while, a family of three walked towards us from the opposite direction. A middle-aged couple was holding the hand of a seven or eight-year-old boy, who was wearing thick fur coats and looked like a little ball.

He spotted the scarf immediately, then suddenly broke free from his parents' hands and rushed over, grabbing the rope from Shen Lingyue's hand and ordering righteously, "How much for your fox? Sell it to me!"

Shen Lingyue was stunned for a moment. Where did this little brat come from?

She didn't say anything, and the little boy tugged at the rope again. "Hey, are you deaf? I'm telling you to sell it to me!"

Before Shen Lingyue could answer, he reached out to grab the tail of the scarf.

As soon as he got closer, Scarf smelled the scent of one of their own on him, and immediately bristled, baring her canine teeth menacingly, "Chirp!"

Shen Lingyue snapped out of her daze, quickly picked up the scarf, wrapped its head in her cloak, and whispered soothing words to it.

Despite her shock, Wei Bo'er didn't lose her temper and didn't bite her. She just nestled in Shen Lingyue's arms and whimpered menacingly.

Yan Yi frowned slightly and explained to the little boy seriously, "Little friend, we don't sell foxes. As you just saw, they recognize their owners. If you suddenly get this close, they will bite or scratch you."

The little boy stomped his foot angrily, "I want this! I'm going to pull out its teeth and claws so it can never bite me again!"

Shen Lingyue was displeased and glared at her: "How dare you talk like that? Didn't your parents teach you not to be so possessive of things that aren't yours? Move aside, a good dog doesn't block the way."

The little boy angrily clenched his fist, ready to hit her. "How dare you! Do you know whose son I am? How dare you talk to me like that? I'll have my dad arrest you and put you in jail—"

“Brother Zong”.

The little boy's parents finally arrived. The middle-aged man picked him up, his eyes full of doting affection, and scolded him gently, "Why are you running around like that? What if you get kidnapped?"

The little boy wrapped his arms around his neck, turned around and pointed at Chen Lingyue, "Daddy, I want her fox, you have to buy it for me!"

"What fox?"

The man looked puzzled, and then he saw the scarf poking its head out from under Shen Lingyue's cloak, humming unhappily.

He understood immediately and nodded to Shen Lingyue: "Madam, my son is very fond of this fox of yours. I wonder if you would be willing to part with it?"

Shen Lingyue remained expressionless: "No."

The little boy's mother also caught up and, upon hearing this, said, "Name your price, is one hundred taels enough?"

The foxes that hunters catch in the mountains can only fetch a maximum of ten taels of silver each.

If it weren't for the fact that the fox was relatively clean and clearly had been domesticated, the little boy's mother wouldn't have asked for such an exorbitant price.

However, Shen Lingyue just rolled her eyes impatiently, "No, no, no, not for any price. Can't any of you three understand human language?"

It's true what they say, where there are unruly kids, there are unruly parents. It's so annoying.

Shen Lingyue tugged at Yan Yi, then turned to leave, clutching her scarf.

"Madam, please wait."

The middle-aged man quickly caught up and blocked their way. "It's just a fox. Madam, name your price, and everything is negotiable."

The little boy, called Zong Ge'er, nestled in the man's arms, feigning tears, his chubby body squirming and twisting. "I want a fox! I want a fox..."

Hearing his son crying, the man's tone grew even more serious, "Madam, can you bear to watch our child cry incessantly? It's so cold outside, what if he ruins his voice by crying?"

Shen Lingyue said earnestly, "He's not my son, why would I be reluctant to do this?"

"you--"

The middle-aged man's face showed displeasure until a figure quickly caught up behind him and exclaimed "Eh!" when he saw Shen Lingyue.

"Sister-in-law, you're out shopping too?"

Shen Lingyue glanced at him, then at the middle-aged man, and gave a mocking twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"Brother Lü, this wouldn't happen to be your eldest brother, would he?"

Is it Lü Lin, the legendary hero who bravely fought against bandits?

-----------------------

Author's Note: Yuezai: My lifelong reputation is ruined by that fox! [crying][crying]

Weibo: Some canine instincts have awakened XD