Chapter 232 The Vicious Husband Enters the House
On the 22nd day of the twelfth month of the first year of the Chengjing era, it snowed heavily.
Kyoto was covered in a blanket of white snow. Ordinary people stayed at home to hibernate, while high-ranking officials and nobles, draped in cloaks, gathered in the suburbs to enjoy the snow and admire the plum blossoms.
Amidst ice and snow, deep within a sea of plum blossoms.
"Finally, I can get some fresh air! Those stinky women only know how to fight all day long, keeping us from even leaving the house!" said the handsome young man, wearing an indigo cloak, as he cheerfully walked through the forest.
“Watch your mouth, don’t drag His Majesty into this.” Another person said, dressed in a dark green fur coat, with a quiet demeanor, dignified bearing, and an undeniable air of nobility.
Both were handsome young men, but the one in dark green clothes was clearly superior in both appearance and demeanor.
The young man in the indigo cloak, Ji Ming, smiled knowingly. "Fang Yazheng, you're using His Majesty as a shield again. Who doesn't know that you're secretly eyeing Lord Zhang?" They come from noble families and have no shortage of marriage partners, but someone so outstanding is hard for one not to have designs on.
Fang Yazheng was embarrassed and ashamed. She ran over and hit him, "What nonsense are you talking about, Zhang?" She couldn't finish her sentence, and her face turned red again. Just mentioning her surname made her heart pound wildly.
He suppressed his excitement and said seriously, "Lord Zhang already has a husband, how can you involve us?"
Ji Ming replied without hesitation: "So what if I have a husband? As long as he's Lord Zhang, I'd be happy to have him as a concubine."
Fang Yazheng: "As the second legitimate son of the Duke's mansion, how can I stoop to be a servant?" A concubine, a concubine, it sounds nice, but isn't she still just a lowly servant? If only Lord Zhang were still unmarried.
Ji Ming said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Since you are of noble status and cannot tolerate humiliation, then wouldn't it be perfect for me, the legitimate son of the Marquis's family, to become Lord Zhang's concubine?"
Fang Yazheng's expression changed, and she quickly changed her words again: "Who said I didn't want to..."
Ji Ming laughed loudly, "What did you learn from those brothel boys? You're such a show-off." He took two steps back, but accidentally bumped into someone and tripped, almost falling flat on his face.
He flew into a rage: "Which bastard dares to trip me? I'll rip your dog's head off—" He suddenly turned around, and his voice immediately stopped.
His face paled, and he moved his lips, "Your Highness."
The air froze instantly, as if a layer of ice had formed.
Zong Suyi slowly walked over, looking back and forth at the two young men who were huddled up like quails. They were quite good-looking. Suddenly, he laughed, laughing so hard that he was shaking with laughter.
He pointed at Ji Ming with a flower branch, "Whose head do you want to pluck?"
Ji Ming's face was deathly pale, and his body trembled slightly. "I misspoke and did not know that the Duke was coming. Please forgive me for my ignorance." If he had known this person would come, he would never have gone to the appointment.
Zong Suyi ignored him and asked with a smile, "Do you want my wife to take you into the family?"
Ji Ming couldn't say he didn't want to, nor could he say he did. He stiffened his neck and gave an ambiguous answer: "Marriage between a man and a woman is a matter of parental command and matchmaker's words. It is not something that I, a young man, can decide alone."
Zong Suyi then pointed at the terrified Fang Yazheng and said, "You also want my wife to take you into the family?" This little slut openly said she was willing.
Fang Yazheng's knees buckled, but he steeled himself and knelt down. "I admire Lord Zhang's demeanor and am willing to serve him, to ensure the Zhang family's ancestral temple is preserved and its descendants continue. I beg Your Excellency to grant my request!"
"You're quite frank," he said calmly, his tone unreadable, but his words were a compliment, igniting a fire in Fang Yazheng's heart and giving her a sense of hope.
Fang Yazheng was overjoyed and kowtowed to him, "Please grant my request, Your Highness! I am deeply grateful. After entering your residence, I will certainly pay my respects to you morning and evening and serve you faithfully."
Zong Suyi's lips curled into a slight, disdainful smile. She scoffed softly, looking at the serene and beautiful young man on the ground with icy eyes.
Not hearing a response for a long time, Fang Yazheng was surprised. Looking up, she was suddenly kicked over by a strong force and fell into the snow. She struggled in a disheveled manner but could not get up.
A cold, slightly disdainful voice echoed from the silent snowfield, "You dare to covet my wife?"
Fang Yazheng was stunned. Then a beautiful figure walked over. He was wearing a long, red and gold satin robe with shimmering gold in the sunlight. His face was fair and handsome, his eyebrows were thick and deep, and his whole demeanor was noble and unparalleled. Even though he was twenty-seven years old, he was still stunningly beautiful.
He smiled, then his gaze hardened as he stomped Fang Yazheng deeper and harder into the snow.
"Ah!!" Fang Yazheng cried out in pain, her ribs feeling as if they had been crushed, almost unable to breathe. "Zong Shi, you've gone too far! Aren't you afraid of the Zheng State Duke's Mansion's wrath?"
A cheerful laugh echoed throughout the plum grove. "You've reminded me," Zong Suyi said slowly, turning around. "Send someone to invite Duke Zheng over to take away her dissolute son—no, no, no," he suddenly laughed again, "invite the Duke and his husband as well. Let them see what kind of son he's raised, gossiping about women in private, wishing he could wrap himself in a blanket and go to bed right then and there!"
Endless snow seeped into Fang Yazheng's collar and cuffs, making him shiver violently. He looked at the other person with trembling eyes, wanting to shout and retort to stop him, but when the other person looked back, that look filled him with dread, as if his whole body was being wrapped by countless venomous snakes, and he couldn't utter a single word.
Zong Suyi took two steps forward. Ji Ming, who had been so confident and righteous just moments before, was now trembling. There was a faint smell of urine around them, and he waved his hand in disgust at the tip of his nose.
He frowned slightly and uttered a vicious curse: "You filthy slut, if I ever hear you talking about another man's wife again, you won't need to keep your mouth shut."
Having said his piece and done his job, Zong Suyi snorted coldly and led a large entourage back to the mansion. The grandeur of the procession was as if some important sacrificial ceremony was being held, leaving everyone in awe and awe at his imposing presence and arrogant demeanor.
Yes, his maternal grandmother was the emperor, his maternal grandfather was the empress, his wife was the powerful Minister of Personnel, and he himself was granted the title of Duke of a Commandery with a fief of a thousand households. Throughout history, he is the only one like him.
Zhang Ting knew that Zong Suyi was a bit spoiled, but she never expected that she would be reported to the authorities by her parents one day.
The victim claimed to be the Duke of Zheng and his husband, accusing Zong Suyi of plotting to murder their son.
Zhang Ting frowned and pondered for a long time before saying, "Gentlemen, have you mistaken me for someone else?" Her Xiaoyi was a bit temperamental and liked to make a fuss. She would occasionally bite you for no reason. She was a little clever, but not much, and she was definitely not a malicious husband who would intentionally harm others.
Take the example of being wronged in the palace. He only dared to run back to his room and crawl under the covers, crying silently until he was exhausted. He wanted to take it out on her but couldn't bear to. In the past, when pushed too far, he would only say harsh words. He was not like a rabbit that would bite.
How could a husband who is all bark and no bite, who only cries when bullied, do such a thing?
When the aggrieved party saw that she did not believe him, he summoned the servant beside his son and told him the truth.
Zhang Ting didn't take it seriously and reasoned with her, "Duke, these are servants from your household. How can you believe my one-sided story? You say my husband plotted to harm your son, but your son hasn't come to the door. Why can't we confront each other? What do you mean by that?"
The son offered himself as a concubine but was rejected. He then shut himself in his room, ashamed to be seen by anyone. How could they possibly say such a thing?
Duke Zheng said, "Lord Zhang, you are so young yet you have become the Minister of Personnel, and you boast that you are unparalleled in wisdom and can hold the world in your hands. Yet you have a vicious and unruly wife by your side. I wonder if you really dare to sleep soundly at night?"
The other party repeatedly smeared her husband, so Zhang Ting immediately turned cold and said, "Duke, I respect your dedication to the country and treat you with great courtesy. But you have slandered my wife time and time again, so don't blame me for being ruthless."
The Duke of Zheng pointed at her, his hand trembling, and said, "I cannot associate with such a person!"
Zhang Ting said coldly, "Goodbye, and don't bother seeing me out."
The Duke of Zheng's husband suddenly stood up, his aura fierce: "No, my son has become neither human nor ghost because of you. You must marry him and divorce that lowly servant!"
What an arrogant tone! She can marry whomever she wants and divorce whomever she wants.
Zhang Ting lifted his eyelids and said indifferently, "As a descendant of the royal family, the Duke is loved and respected by His Majesty. Does the Duke's husband know the crime of disrespect?" His eyes were as cold as ice.
Both men from the Duke's mansion turned pale.
"Furthermore, my marriage is not something your family can decide."
"see a visitor out."
After the two slunk away, Zong Suyi peeked out from the shadows, bowed his head, and knelt before her without uttering a sound, accepting the beating and punishment.
Zhang Ting was sitting there, throwing aside the book beside him without even looking up. "Someone said they were going out to fold plum blossoms for me to make sachets, but they ended up bringing back a mess."
Zong Suyi crawled closer on his knees. Seeing that she didn't stop him, he mustered his courage and reached out to tug at her sleeve, weakly saying, "My lady, I was wrong..."
Zhang Ting brushed his hand away.
Zong Suyi grabbed her hand again, not wanting to let it slip any further, and took her hand along her sleeve, pleading and acting coquettishly: "Please pay attention to me, please." She leaned her head against Zhang Ting's back and gradually wrapped her arms around her, "You can hit me or punish me, just pay attention to me."
Zhang Ting was completely entangled, feeling like Zong Suyi was a dodder clinging to her. She couldn't help but chuckle. She wasn't angry with him at all. "What did the young master of the Duke of Zheng do to offend you?" She had heard that the young master was quite young, about two generations younger than Zong Suyi. How could they be at odds?
Zong Suyi muttered, "He has such a foul mouth, he's so annoying." How dare that mistress barge into the house right in front of the wife! She wished she could beat him to death!
Zhang Ting understood that it was just a quarrel, the kind of thing men do when they fight. She wasn't interested in knowing about it, and just told Zong Suyi to be careful.
"That's it?" He blinked in surprise. They just let it go so easily, without any punishment whatsoever?
Zhang Ting rubbed his head, just like many years ago, "You are my husband, Tun Tun's father, the master of the Zhang family, and I will always stand by your side."
Her unconditional trust filled him with deep apprehension. "What if... what if I were truly vicious and wicked, acting recklessly?"
Zhang Ting nodded again.
Zong Suyi suddenly threw herself into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
How could such a ruthless and tyrannical man be worthy of her love and respect?
"Always crying, you haven't improved at all over the years." Wiping away his tears, she gently stroked his pert nose. "Go wash your face, the palace banquet is about to begin."
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