Since his youth, Officer Mu had followed Wang Commander, rising from an ordinary soldier to the rank of Hundred-Household Commander, all thanks to Wang Commander's personal promotion. Wang Commander had shown him great kindness and recognition.
After losing his wife, Officer Mu never remarried and had no children. He lived alone, dedicating himself to being Wang Commander's right-hand man. Wang Commander provided him with a courtyard in the Wang residence to live in. During festivals and holidays, Officer Mu would celebrate with the Wang family as if he were one of their own.
In Wang Daxia's eyes, Officer Mu was like a beloved uncle.
Madam Wu was also very familiar with Officer Mu. Since he lived in the Wang residence, she ordered the servants to take good care of his daily needs, treating him like a younger brother-in-law.
After Wang Commander was dismissed from his post, Officer Mu lost his backing and was quickly pushed out of the Northern City Military Command, stripped of his rank and reduced to a commoner.
Following Wang Commander's death, his widow Madam Wu was at a loss, only able to cling to her toddler son Wang Daqiu and weep. Wang Daxia, ignorant of household affairs and worldly matters, was of no help. The funeral arrangements were entirely handled by Officer Mu.
At Wang Commander's memorial hall, Madam Wu and her stepson Wang Daxia unsurprisingly had a fierce argument that nearly delayed the burial. Fortunately, Officer Mu rushed in to "put out the fire," pulling the two apart, and Wang Commander's coffin was buried on time.
In his grief and anger, Wang Daxia took an extreme step and castrated himself with a knife. Officer Mu scolded him for his foolishness, saying he had disgraced the Wang family name. Nevertheless, Officer Mu used all his savings and called upon his former connections to bribe powerful eunuchs in the palace, securing Wang Daxia a position as a eunuch.
Thus, Wang Daxia always felt grateful to Officer Mu.
Madam Wu, now a widow, returned to her maiden home with her young son to observe the mourning period. However, her family saw them as freeloaders and grew increasingly disdainful.
Madam Wu's entire family were snobs—and of course, having grown up in such an environment, Madam Wu was no better herself. She was not a good person.
Back then, the Wu family knew full well that Wang Daxia, the stepson, had the notorious reputation of being one of the Four Pests of the North City. Yet they still married their beautiful young daughter to Wang Commander, who was old enough to be her father, just to climb the social ladder and gain the Wang family as a powerful ally. It was almost like selling their daughter.
Madam Wu was also tempted by the prospect of immediately taking charge of the household as the mistress, enjoying wealth and power, and holding the title of a fourth-rank noble lady. Moreover, after secretly catching a glimpse of Wang Commander from behind a screen, she saw that although he was as old as her own father, he was tall, imposing, handsome, mature, and steady. She shyly nodded in agreement to become his second wife, marry into the Wang family, and be stepmother to Wang Daxia, one of the Four Pests of the North City.
At first, Madam Wu was satisfied with her new married life. But human greed knows no bounds, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. After giving birth to Wang Daqiu, she began to see her stepson Wang Daxia as a thorn in her side—because the family title and inheritance would go to the eldest legitimate son, leaving her own son with no claim.
Wanting to push Wang Daxia out, Madam Wu started frequently complaining to her husband, accusing Wang Daxia of disrespecting her and driving a wedge between father and son.
Of course, Madam Wu was not lying. Wang Daxia did look down on her and repeatedly showed her disrespect. He had also guessed her scheme to oust him and secure the inheritance for her own son Wang Daqiu, which only made him treat her with even greater contempt.
On one side was a young, delicate wife who was gentle and attentive; on the other was a prodigal son who caused trouble every day. Naturally, Wang Commander's heart leaned toward his young wife.
When Madam Wu expressed concern that Wang Daxia spent money like water and frequented gambling dens, worrying that he might squander his birth mother's dowry, Wang Commander asked Madam Wu to take custody of it.Madam Wu intentionally rented out the house at a low price precisely to provoke Wang Daxia into harassing tenants, further tarnishing his already poor reputation.
Wang Daxia, of course, refused to accept this and repeatedly drove away potential tenants while secretly stealing his mother’s property and land deeds.
In truth, Madam Wu was well aware of Wang Daxia’s actions. She deliberately "carelessly" revealed the hiding place of the deeds, luring him to steal them. After all, they weren’t her own property. Once the matter came to light, how disappointed would her husband be with Wang Daxia!
Once Wang Daxia exhausted his father’s patience and was driven out of the family, his name struck from the clan registry, the noble title would fall into the hands of her own son, Wang Daqiu.
However, Wang Commander was no fool. As everyone knew, disinheriting the eldest son in favor of a younger one was a grave taboo and a recipe for family chaos. He merely hoped to discipline his prodigal son strictly, mending his ways and setting Wang Daxia on the right path.
Back when Madam Wu was still the wife of Wang Commander, she could swagger about her maiden home with impunity. Every time she returned with her young son, she treated her sisters-in-law like servants, demanding the moon if she asked for the stars. She reveled in flattery, turning her visits into a spectacle reminiscent of an imperial consort’s homecoming.
The Wu family, eager to bask in the Wang family’s influence, had long tolerated and humored this domineering aunt. But now that the Wang household had fallen, "when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter"—who would still cater to this aunt dragging along a burden?
When Madam Wu picked faults at her maiden home, her brothers, sisters-in-law, and younger siblings no longer indulged her. Even the servants followed suit, currying favor with those in power and snubbing the weak. Madam Wu complained that the meat the kitchen prepared for Wang Daqiu wasn’t stewed tender enough and scolded the cook, who retorted:
"...I advise you to calm down, Madam! Widows in mourning usually abstain from meat and devote themselves to prayer. You’re lucky to have meat at all!"
Madam Wu lunged to strike her, but the watching sisters-in-law stopped her. "You’re no longer a titled lady, Madam. Stop throwing your weight around. You eat our food, live under our roof, and now you want to beat our servants? How improper!"
Her family might as well have written the word "disdain" on their faces.
After that, Madam Wu’s life grew even harder. Even the servants looked down on her, sneering and mocking. Her brothers and sisters-in-law offered no support. Living under someone else’s roof, raised in luxury and unable to support herself and her child outside, she had no choice but to endure.
When Wang Daqiu fell ill with a persistent high fever, Madam Wu insisted on summoning an imperial physician—back in the Wang residence, even minor ailments warranted expensive visits from royal doctors.
The Wu family mocked her, "What does a child need an imperial doctor for? Don’t tempt fate!"
Madam Wu’s dowry had long been half-swindled, half-seized by her siblings, leaving her without savings. Unable to locate Wang Daxia deep in the palace, she sought help from Officer Mu.
After handling Wang Commander’s funeral and spending his own funds to secure Wang Daxia’s position as a eunuch in the palace, Officer Mu had little left. He joined the Three Links Escort Agency as a guard to earn a living, traveling far and wide escorting goods. He had just returned to the capital.
Officer Mu immediately used his salary to hire an imperial physician for Wang Daqiu. Seeing the orphan and widow struggling under the Wu family’s mistreatment, he rented a house in the countryside, moved Madam Wu and Wang Daqiu there, and supported them through his escort work.
Every time he returned to the capital and received his pay, Officer Mu delivered money to the orphan and widow.Having endured this hardship, Madam Wu saw her family's true colors and had an epiphany. She no longer clung to her former vanity and arrogance, nor did she scheme for petty gains. Instead, she began living a grounded life.
Madam Wu raised pigs and chickens, cultivated a vegetable garden for self-sufficiency, and spent her spare time spinning thread and weaving cloth. The silver Officer Mu gave her, aside from what was spent on essentials like grain and a spinning wheel, was saved for Wang Daqiu’s future education.
Officer Mu was astonished by Madam Wu’s transformation. He had been well aware of the underhanded tactics she had previously used to spoil Wang Daxia with excessive praise, but as an outsider, he couldn’t openly discuss it with Wang Commander. He could only strive to mediate between father and son.
When Madam Wu was scorned and humiliated by her family, Officer Mu thought she deserved it—her deceitful nature had brought this retribution upon herself.
Later, when Officer Mu stepped in to help Madam Wu and her son become self-reliant, it was solely out of concern for Wang Daqiu, the orphan left by Wang Commander. After all, the child was innocent, and Wang Commander had once shown him kindness.
Now, Madam Wu had changed completely. Every time Officer Mu returned from escort duty, she would give him newly made shoes and homemade pork jerky. "...My needlework is poor; I can’t sew clothes or embroider, but I can make shoes. You travel far and wide, often missing meals—this jerky will keep for a month on the road."
Hearing that Officer Mu was about to embark on another escort mission, she would stew a pot of tea eggs overnight and bring them to him. "...These are from our own chickens—no cost."
Thus, three years of mourning passed, and Officer Mu and Madam Wu developed mutual affection.
But her family had no intention of leaving her alone—at just twenty-one, she was beautiful, fertile, and now boasted the added virtue of thriftiness. Her brother and sister-in-law planned to "sell" her once more to secure a hefty betrothal gift.
They brought gifts to the countryside to see Madam Wu. Her brother said, "Why stay a widow at your age? While you’re still young and pretty, marry some older man as a second wife. Enjoy fine food and drink, with a crowd of servants at your beck and call—surely that’s better than slaving as a peasant woman feeding pigs and chickens here."
Her sister-in-law added, "A woman with a burden like a child finds it hard to remarry—no man wants to be a cheap father. Let me solve this for you: I’ll raise Daqiu and ensure he turns out well."
In the past, Madam Wu would have been tempted, but now she saw through her family’s scheme: marry her off for a betrothal gift, then keep Wang Daqiu as a hostage. If they later demanded anything, how could she refuse? Refusal would mean mistreating Daqiu.
Tsk, aiming to "kill two birds with one stone"—steam one fish, braise the other.
So, Madam Wu brandished her laundry club and drove her brother and sister-in-law away.
Undeterred, they sent matchmakers to persuade her, but Madam Wu chased them off with curses and blows.
By then, her brother and sister-in-law had already chosen a sixty-something old officer, captivated by Madam Wu’s charm, who was willing to pay five hundred taels of silver to marry her.
They even handed over Madam Wu’s birth horoscope to the old man, intending to finalize the engagement and force her compliance through a fait accompli.
At that time, Officer Mu was away on escort duty and unable to help. With no one to rely on, Madam Wu resolved to save herself. She entrusted Wang Daqiu to a village family and, armed with a kitchen knife and a cutting board, returned to her maternal home.
Right at the entrance of the alley near her family’s home, Madam Wu began publicly cursing and denouncing them for all to hear!With a knife in her left hand and a cutting board in her right, she punctuated every curse by slamming the knife's back fiercely against the board like rhythmic accompaniment. As she chopped, she hurled a continuous stream of vulgar insults, vehemently denouncing her brother and sister-in-law as heartless beasts who sold their young sister for glory and wealth, wishing them a wretched death and so on.
The once delicate, arrogant, and malicious stepmother had now become a shrew cursing in the streets just to survive.
A massive crowd gathered, leaving the streets practically empty, and the Wu family was too ashamed to even open their door.
When the old man heard about this, he thought to himself, "How can an old bag of bones like me control such a shrew? Wouldn't I just get chopped up by her? Forget it, forget it." He told the matchmaker to retrieve the betrothal gifts and cancel the marriage.
With the cooked duck flown away and their dignity in tatters, the brother and sister-in-law vowed to teach this shrew a lesson. "We gave you face, but you didn’t want it. Since that’s the case..." They instructed the matchmaker to spread the word: if anyone was willing to marry Madam Wu, the Wu family would not only waive the betrothal gifts but also provide a dowry.
Trouble often follows a widow’s door. From then on, Madam Wu’s home knew no peace. Idle men from the streets who couldn’t find wives, old bachelors from the village, and local ruffians all came to harass her.
When Madam Wu refused to open her door, they stole her chickens, destroyed her vegetable garden, and even drove her pig into the river to drown.
Madam Wu was on the verge of breaking down. Adults might endure, but children could not. Four-year-old Wang Daqiu, terrified by the commotion outside, developed a fever again. After much deliberation, Madam Wu realized this couldn’t go on. Taking advantage of the quiet late night, she carried her child and secretly left the village. By daybreak, she reached the city and arrived at the residence of the eunuch who had previously helped her stepson Wang Daxia enter the palace. She begged the eunuch to send a message to Wang Daxia, pleading with him to save his younger brother.
By this time, Wang Daxia had already graduated with honors from the Inner Study Hall of the Directorate of Ceremonial and had been chosen by Wei Caiwei to form a Eunuch and Maid Pairing.
Of course, in the eyes of the palace staff, the seventeen-year-old Wang Daxia was merely a "pretty boy living off his wife." Relying on his wife Wei Caiwei, who was the chief maid of Consort Shangshou, he had just graduated from the Inner Study Hall when Consort Shangshou recommended him to serve in the imperial presence, handling tasks for the Jiajing Emperor.
Wang Daxia was both skilled in civil and martial arts, quick-witted and capable, pleasing to the eye, and with Consort Shangshou as his backer, he quickly won the Jiajing Emperor’s favor, becoming a rising star in the palace.
An ordinary eunuch wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of the emperor without decades of struggle!
Ah, women are so shallow, judging only by appearances and choosing whoever is good-looking.
When Wang Daxia learned of his stepmother and half-brother’s plight, he first went to Wei Caiwei and told her about it. "...After all, we are husband and wife. I shouldn’t hide my family’s messy affairs from you, for fear someone might use this to scheme against you."
Wei Caiwei, who had suffered hardship in her childhood and lived in the countryside with her elder sister as two young official slaves, enduring endless bullying, said, "Go handle it. Bullying orphans and widows is intolerable."
Wang Daxia left the palace, found a place to settle Madam Wu and her son, and then set about dealing with the Wu family.
He had always disliked these cheap uncle and aunt who frequently came to the Wang residence to freeload and had even instigated his stepmother Madam Wu to scheme for his inheritance. Now, with free rein to retaliate, he felt immensely satisfied.
Uncle Wu worked in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, overseeing the Grand Pasture. He often secretly took fine horses from the pasture to mate with mares from livestock traders for profit.Military horses were vital national assets, and stealing their semen was a grave crime. To cut costs, stud farms kept a limited number of stallions, with each stud horse servicing hundreds of Dayuan mares to maintain the purity of the bloodline.
With Dayuan mares already in short supply, Uncle Wu had the audacity to lead a Dayuan stud horse to mate with outside mares. This was akin to "prostitution"—forcing noble horses into debauchery!
Wang Daxia "caught the horse in the stable," with irrefutable evidence. Uncle Wu lost his position, had his property confiscated, and his entire family was exiled to the frontier to tend horses. Madam Wu and her son were finally able to live a stable life.
Madam Wu kowtowed to Wang Daxia, admitting her mistakes and repenting for having driven a wedge between him and his father in the past.
Wang Daxia still could not forgive Madam Wu's actions. "I did this for Daqiu, not for you. You’d better tread carefully."
Madam Wu refused to live in the house Wang Daxia offered and returned to the countryside with Wang Daqiu.
By year’s end, Wang Daxia brought a wedding invitation to Wei Caiwei. "Officer Mu is getting married the day after tomorrow. I need to send a gift and attend the banquet. The wedding is at night, so I won’t be able to return to the palace and will have to stay at the outer residence."
For a Eunuch and Maid Pairing of Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei’s status, they maintained residences both inside and outside the palace. When off duty, they lived in their luxurious outer mansion, attended by servants, much like high-ranking officials.
Wang Daxia was a straightforward man. If he was going to live off his wife, he might as well do it properly—serving her as his superior, reporting his actions promptly and explaining everything clearly.
When faced with sarcastic remarks, he would reply without batting an eye, "Living off my wife is quite enjoyable. Pity you can’t have a taste."
Wei Caiwei opened the wedding invitation. "Your Uncle Mu is nearly fifty, isn’t he? Who is he marrying?"
Wang Daxia hesitated for a moment. "He’s marrying my stepmother, Madam Wu."
Pfft!
Wei Caiwei, who was sipping tea, nearly spat it out. But constrained by etiquette, she forced her mouth shut, causing the tea to go down the wrong pipe.
She burst into a fit of coughing. Wang Daxia gently patted her back. "To be honest, I don’t approve of this marriage, but they’re both willing and deeply in love. Uncle Mu treats Daqiu as his own son, so I can’t really object. Besides, Uncle Mu has been kind to me. Since he sent me an invitation for his remarriage, I can’t refuse to offer my blessings."
Wei Caiwei grew curious about this unlikely couple—the older man and his younger bride—and wanted to see them in person. Closing the invitation, she said, "Let’s send an extravagant gift in our names as a couple. I’ll join you the day after tomorrow to liven things up."
Wang Daxia was taken aback. He had always seen himself as inferior, living off his wife, but Wei Caiwei’s gesture showed she respected him as an equal husband. She was willing to attend the wedding of the only elder he acknowledged, giving him face.
The two attended the wedding hand in hand. The groom and bride—an older man and a younger woman, with the bride being the former wife of the groom’s superior—naturally drew many peculiar stares.
But the moment Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei, the Eunuch and Maid Pairing, appeared at the wedding, they instantly stole all the odd glances!
The Eunuch and Maid Pairing and the older man-younger wife couple were equally unconventional, like trying to decide whether arsenic or red-crowned crane poison was deadlier.
Seeing Wei Caiwei’s elegance and grace, Officer Mu began to doubt whether Wang Daxia’s decision to self-castrate had been right or wrong. This rascal he’d watched grow up had, in his own way, built a family and climbed the ranks, now bringing his wife to see him.In the bridal chamber, Wei Caiwei saw the bride Madam Wu and understood why Wang Commander had always been so protective of his young wife back in the day: she was beautiful indeed, a real beauty. Men are so consistent—no matter their age, they all prefer young and pretty women.
Having been married twice and endured many hardships, Madam Wu was not the least bit shy. She attended to the female guests with graceful ease. Watching the busy Madam Wu, Wei Caiwei couldn't help but think of her own poor sister.
Madam Wu had struggled to make a living in the countryside alone with her four-year-old son.
Back then, her sister had also taken seven-year-old her to the countryside to learn farming and become self-reliant.
If someone had helped her sister escape Chen Dalao's clutches in the countryside, just as Madam Wu had received assistance, her sister wouldn't have been violated by Chen Dalao and died in agony on the childbirth bed...
If her sister were still alive, she would be thirty-two this year, likely married with children, surrounded by her little ones.
But seven-year-old me back then was just a burden, unable to help my sister.
That night, Wei Caiwei drank quite a bit and was helped into the carriage by Wang Daxia.
Returning home, Wang Daxia carried the drunken Wei Caiwei to the bedroom. They were merely an Eunuch and Maid Pairing united for their respective interests and had always slept in separate beds.
Wei Caiwei slept in the bed, while Wang Daxia, being the one who lived off his wife, would hold his bedding at night and sleep on the large kang by the window like a chamber maid, always on call.
Whether Wei Caiwei needed to get up at night, wanted water to drink, or had mosquitoes in her bed curtain to swat, it was always Wang Daxia who attended to her.
Wang Daxia carried Wei Caiwei to the bed, skillfully removed her shoes, took off her hairpins and jewelry, removed her outer garments, covered her with a quilt, and placed a hot water bottle at her feet. Then, holding his own bedding, he prepared to sleep on the kang.
"Stay here tonight."
Suddenly, Wei Caiwei stretched out her fair hand from under the quilt and grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Wang Daxia stiffened and said, "I'll be sleeping on the kang by the window. I'm not going anywhere."
His wife must be drunk out of her mind. As long as I'm not away on business, I sleep in the same room with her every night.
Wei Caiwei said, "Sleep in the bed."
Since he was living off his wife, of course he had to listen to her.
Wang Daxia spread his own quilt on the bed and lay down beside Wei Caiwei. "Call me if you need water or feel unwell."
Wei Caiwei said, "I'm a bit sore. Give me a massage."
Living off his wife, mastering the skill of massage was a must.
Wang Daxia immediately got up, knelt on the bed, reached under the quilt, and began massaging Wei Caiwei. He asked, "Is this pressure okay?"
Wei Caiwei hummed in response, indicating it was just right.
Wang Daxia gently kneaded from her shoulders down to her ankles. When he reached her toes, he asked, "Your feet are a bit dry. Should I apply some scented balm and rub them?"
Wei Caiwei hummed again.
Wang Daxia massaged her jade-like feet until they were fragrant. Wei Caiwei's breathing gradually became even. Thinking she had fallen asleep, Wang Daxia stopped, got off the bed to wash his hands, and then lay back down beside her.
Wei Caiwei turned over, her head rolling into the hollow of Wang Daxia's shoulder.
Living off his wife, it was only natural to offer his shoulder as a pillow for her.
Wang Daxia, fully aware of his role as the one living off his wife, didn't push Wei Caiwei's head back onto her own pillow.
Wei Caiwei then stretched out her right arm and wrapped it around his neck, as if using his head as a pumpkin-shaped pillow. Her disheveled black hair brushed against his neck, tickling him—a tickle that went all the way to his heart.That wasn't all. Wei Caiwei's breath was directed right at his ear, causing the tip to instantly change color, turning crimson as if about to drip.
Wang Daxia began to entertain improper thoughts, but being a man who lived off his wife's wealth, he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of her while she was drunk. So he gently pushed Wei Caiwei back toward the inner side of the bed.
As her head returned to the pillow, Wei Caiwei opened her eyes.
Their gazes met, and sensing a hint of murderous intent in his wife's eyes, Wang Daxia hurriedly explained, "I didn't do anything. You were the one who asked me to sleep on the bed. Don't deny it just because you're drunk—you really said it."
Wei Caiwei said, "Come closer."
Wang Daxia leaned down. "What is it? Just tell me what you need."
Wei Caiwei said, "Closer still."
Wang Daxia continued leaning forward, face to face, their noses almost touching.
Wei Caiwei: "A little closer."
Any closer and he'd bump his wife's nose. As someone living off her, how could he risk hurting her nose?
Wang Daxia consciously shifted upward slightly until their noses aligned perfectly.
Wei Caiwei thought to herself that if she kept hinting like this, they'd probably drag on until dawn. **The night is short.
Wei Caiwei lifted her head and captured his lips.
Author's note: Lan Zhou: Is living off your wife enjoyable?
Wang Daxia: Absolutely delicious! Another bowl, please!
Thank you for subscribing. Delivering 6,000-word fat updates daily.
OpenNovel