Chapter 0204: The Deeply Affectionate Couple and the Ultimate Truth of Discord
“Ziqin!” Hou Wende gazed at her tenderly. “Have you forgotten what I said? None of them will understand you, only I can tolerate you. As long as you come back with me, you’ll still be the Lady of the Hou Manor, and we’ll remain that deeply affectionate couple!”
“What the hell are you talking about!” Qiu Wenqi couldn’t understand what Hou Wende was saying at all, only knowing that he was trying to lure his daughter back to the hellhole of the Hou Manor. He turned to strike Hou Wende, “If you dare coax my daughter again, I’ll fucking beat you to death!”
“Father-in-law! I’ve been tolerating again and again, don’t push your luck!”
Hou Wende, being a frail scholar, was no match for the burly Qiu Wenqi. He could only dodge while making threats, then turned to Qiu Ziqin and said, “Qiu Ziqin! Don’t really think you’ll have a good life after the divorce! I’m telling you, even your own father wouldn’t acknowledge you if he knew about your affairs!”
His words were so convincing that even Xie Chengze felt somewhat uncertain whether Qiu Ziqin was truly hiding something else.
“Daughter! Don’t believe him!” Qiu Wenqi quickly turned back to Qiu Ziqin. “Even if you killed someone, your father would serve the prison sentence for you!”
Qiu Ziqin was the child his wife had died giving birth to, and she was the one who most resembled her mother. He cherished this youngest daughter the most, and today, no matter what, he had to make sure she divorced Hou Wende!
He wouldn’t demand the husband be divorced—a mutual separation would suffice, he—
Just as Qiu Wenqi was about to compromise, he saw Qiu Ziqin’s eyes filled with tears. She sobbed, moved by her father’s love and protection, yet ashamed and remorseful of her own faults. “Wuwuwu, Father, it’s all my fault, all your daughter’s fault!”
Her sobs turned into wails. She covered her eyes with both hands, her entire being exuding melancholy and self-destructive energy. “It’s because your daughter lacks feminine charm, making my husband unable to get hard, that I couldn’t continue the Hou family line… A woman as dull as me deserves to guard the lonely lamp alone and grow old in solitude…”
……
……
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The Ministers: ???
Qiu Wenqi: ???
Xie Chengze: Wow~
Qiu Wenqi was dumbfounded, hardly able to believe such vulgar words had come from his gentle, delicate daughter. And, unable to get hard?
What did that mean?
What did she mean by his daughter lacking charm, making Hou Wende unable to get hard?
His daughter was super charming, okay!
The ministers also found it strange. Qiu Ziqin had looks, figure, and even some skill in the four arts—how could she be so dull as to make a man… impotent?
“Hou Wende, when you mentioned Qiu’s affairs, it wasn’t this, was it?” Xie Chengze said in surprise.
How could this be Qiu Ziqin’s fault? This was clearly Hou Wende gaslighting Qiu Ziqin into thinking it was her problem to cover up his own inadequacy!
Not only domestic violence, but also gaslighting? Have you no shame?
Hou Wende shamelessly said, “That’s right! Qiu Ziqin is truly dull! You can’t blame me for keeping a mistress!”
“Oh?” Xie Chengze turned to look at Madam Lin. “Madam Lin, when Hou Wende shared your bed, was he able to…”
He paused, “…show his masculine prowess?”
Madam Lin trembled. “Th-this…”
She hemmed and hawed, not daring to answer directly. Hou Wende’s face began to darken as he urged, “What’s the matter! Why is it so hard to answer?”
“He was perfectly normal when facing Madam Lin!”
Though it hadn’t happened often, he remembered clearly – he was capable!
“The master is indeed capable,” Madam Lin said timidly. “But that’s because I administered medicine…”
Hou Wende’s eyes widened sharply. “What did you say?!”
“Master, I didn’t mean to do it intentionally! I was just afraid you would abandon me!” Madam Lin began weeping again.
“Then why didn’t you tell me!” Hou Wende was practically furious. If such medicine existed, why would he need to keep a mistress? He could have used it on Qiu Ziqin!
“That medicine shouldn’t be used frequently…” Madam Lin whispered fearfully. “It… it damages the root.”
But Hou Wende’s root had long been damaged, which was why his elder brother and father had allowed her to use the medicine freely.
Hou Wende felt as if the sky had fallen. At this moment, Xie Chengze deliberately reminded, “Oh, so you used that medicine to seduce Hou Wende, presumably to cover up that you were pregnant with his elder brother and father’s child?”
The sky truly had collapsed. Hou Wende glared at Madam Lin with bloodshot eyes. “You slut! That child is really—”
No, how could this be?!
Madam Lin seemed drained of all strength as she wept, “My lord, I’m just a mistress! I was forced into this! I didn’t want this either! Please don’t behead me!”
Now all the ministers understood.
Hou Wende was naturally impotent. After marrying Qiu Ziqin, to cover up his inadequacy, he constantly humiliated her for lacking feminine charm, making Qiu Ziqin believe Hou Wende’s impotence was her fault.
As for Madam Lin, she must have become pregnant with the child of some Hou family elder brother or father first. For some reason, she was pushed onto Hou Wende as the scapegoat. To make the child’s arrival appear legitimate, she secretly administered potent medicine that could make a man perform.
And the second child probably came about the same way.
Explosive.
Absolutely explosive.
This scandal was simply too delicious!
Hou Yuanzhen fainted from rage outright. Hou Wende was beating and cursing at Madam Lin, while Xie Chengze said to Qiu Wenqi, “Your education regarding marital matters is quite lacking. Look at your daughter – she thought it was her fault and has been deceived for so long.”
Qiu Wenqi wiped his sweat in embarrassment. “This old man is merely a male, it’s truly inappropriate for me to teach such things.”
Generally, such matters were taught by one’s mother or mother-in-law. But Qiu Ziqin’s mother had passed away, and the mother-in-law’s side must have deliberately concealed something. Qiu Wenqi hadn’t anticipated this, hence the oversight.
Xie Chengze shook his head.
“Wake Minister Hou up by pinching him. This matter isn’t over yet.” Xie Chengze showed no pity as he ordered someone to pinch Hou Yuanzhen awake. When Hou Yuanzhen regained consciousness, he immediately knelt trembling before Xie Chengze. “This old official… this old official failed to discipline his son properly!”
“Look at this mess you’ve created.” Xie Chengze propped his cheek with one hand, smiling meaningfully. “You’ve harmed Madam Qiu so severely. If they truly divorce, I’m afraid the young lady’s reputation would be ruined for life.”
“Considering this old official has worked hard if not meritoriously, I beg the Prince Regent to spare our Hou family!” Hou Yuanzhen knew that once this matter spread through the court, all of Jingcheng would likely learn of the Hou family’s filthy affairs. He was about to retire – he couldn’t bear leaving office with such a stained reputation!
“So what do you propose?” Xie Chengze raised an eyebrow.
“I am willing to intervene on behalf of the Qiu family to ensure the two successfully dissolve their marriage, and I guarantee the Hou family will never speak a single ill word of the Qiu family!” Hou Yuanzhen vowed. “I also ask my colleagues to grant me this courtesy and refrain from spreading this matter…”
“Hah!” Qiu Wenqi rolled his eyes and sneered, “A man halfway into the grave—do you think you can control others’ tongues?”
“You!” Hou Yuanzhen restrained himself. “Then what do you want!”
“Divorce by repudiation!” Qiu Wenqi declared sternly. “Hou Wende has failed to produce an heir in three years—he deserves to be cast off!”
“You… you… you!” Hou Yuanzhen pointed at Qiu Wenqi, his voice trembling. “Preposterous! Qiu Wenqi, do not overstep your bounds!”
“What attitude is this?” Qiu Wenqi lifted his chin and scoffed coldly. “Is this how you beg for favors? Truly unafraid that I might fail to hold my tongue and gossip about your Hou family everywhere?”
Hou Yuanzhen’s outstretched arm trembled slightly before he clenched it into a fist, turning away helplessly. He addressed Xie Chengze, “I have failed in educating my son and cannot shirk responsibility. I am willing to resign from my official post voluntarily. I only beg the Prince Regent to preserve my Hou family’s reputation and permit the two to dissolve their marriage.”