Xianglan quickly turned her back and stood still, pulling her hood even lower to cover half her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the figures pass by, then quietly edged her way outward, thinking, "There's no need to watch this scene of a husband catching his wife in adultery. The real priority now is to stay as far away from this harbinger of misfortune as possible." Unexpectedly, several soldiers were already stationed at the outer courtyard gate, blocking her path and saying, "Young lady, please turn back. The officials are apprehending rebels. No one is allowed to leave, only to enter!"
Xianglan was dumbfounded. Though anxious, she had no choice but to resign herself, thinking, "Lin Jinlou is here for Zhao Yuechan. I'll just find a place to hide and wait until he catches them in the act and leaves. Then I can slip away quietly." She hid behind the lodge, cautiously peeking out to observe.
Accompanying Lin Jinlou were Zhao Xuede and his son, Zhao Gang. Zhao Gang had never been fond of studying since childhood and remained an uneducated commoner. Zhao Xuede bribed the examination officials to secure him the title of Licentiate, then later spent silver to purchase a nominal official rank of the eighth class—merely an empty title for prestige. Zhao Gang spent his days indulging in frivolous pastimes like cockfighting and dog racing, but he was sharp-witted and full of cunning schemes, serving as his father's strategist. Seeing Lin Jinlou surround the lodge, he hurried over and whispered, "How many rebels are hiding here? Do you have any brilliant ideas, brother-in-law?"
Zhao Xuede, a man of the pen who had never experienced such events, also stared eagerly at Lin Jinlou.
Lin Jinlou watched the father and son rubbing their hands in anticipation and inwardly sneered, though he curved his lips into a faint smile and said lightly, "Brilliant ideas? Starting from this room, we'll search every damn one of them." Before the words had fully left his mouth, he had already taken two swift steps and kicked the door open. A scream immediately erupted from inside. Xianglan covered her eyes at once, thinking, "Oh dear, Eldest Master Lou is about to witness his own cuckolding with his own eyes. How pitiful, how pitiful."
The Zhao father and son had never expected Lin Jinlou to act so abruptly. Seeing him charge inside, they froze in shock. Hearing a woman's scream, they exchanged glances and craned their necks to peer into the room.
Zhao Yuechan and Hao Qing were at a critical moment, entwined in a frenzy of passion, completely oblivious to the commotion outside. Suddenly, with a loud crash, the door was kicked open. Hao Qing was so terrified he lost his vigor, and Zhao Yuechan couldn't help but scream, scrambling backward in panic.
Lin Jinlou, clad in a crow-blue fur-lined cloak, swept into the room like a gust of icy wind, his face filled with murderous intent. Zhao Yuechan's heart turned cold with terror, her soul seeming to flee her body as she desperately shrank into the corner. Lin Jinlou saw everything clearly, his eyes nearly bulging with rage. He roared, "You vile, shameless woman!" and slapped her, then viciously grabbed her by the hair. Having followed the trail of the account book, he already knew Zhao Yuechan was sneaking around with another man and playing tricks. Today's events were part of a scheme he had orchestrated to take advantage of the situation and rid himself of the Zhao family. But now, witnessing the vivid green cap of cuckoldry placed squarely on his own head with his own eyes, Lin Jinlou felt nothing but humiliation and stifling anger. His rage threatened to spiral out of control, and he wished he could simply stab them both to death and be done with it.Zhao Xuede and his son had already spotted a couple entangled in intimacy, though they hadn’t clearly seen their faces. Zhao Gang caught sight of the woman’s fair arms and jade-like legs, her breasts bouncing wildly, and felt his mouth go dry and lust stir within him. He thought to himself, "So this temple isn’t so pure after all—a monk bringing a woman here for such affairs... Tsk, tsk, this girl’s delicate skin and tender flesh make her quite a beauty. I’ll find some excuse later to have a taste..."
Zhao Xuede hadn’t expected to stumble upon such a clandestine affair. Under normal circumstances, he would have watched the spectacle with folded arms and later relished recounting it as a joke over drinks. But today was a critical moment in the search for rebels, a matter that concerned his family’s glorious future, so he grew impatient and said, "Son-in-law, this monk has broken the monastic rules. Leave it to others to handle. We have important matters today..."
Just then, Lin Jinlou grabbed the woman by her hair and turned her around, revealing her face to everyone. Zhao Xuede’s words caught in his throat as he saw her stunning, flower-like face, now filled with terror. His face turned ashen, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground, and then a chill ran through his entire body.
Zhao Gang also saw her clearly and thought, "This is bad!"
By now, Hao Qing had regained his senses. Realizing that people had burst in to catch them in the act, he knew things had gone awry. Spotting two figures blocking the doorway—both less burly than him—he seized the moment of distraction, gathered his clothes, and bolted naked toward the exit. The Zhao father and son, stunned, instinctively stepped aside, allowing Hao Qing to dash right out.
Surrounding the monastic quarters were elite soldiers of the Lin Family Army. Seeing a naked man suddenly charge out, they drew their goose-feather sabers in unison with a sharp "clang," pointing the gleaming blades at Hao Qing. Hao Qing froze in disbelief—he never expected a whole troop of imposing, armed officers waiting outside. Even for catching adulterers, this was an excessive show of force! What kind of trouble had he landed in?
The biting cold outside made Hao Qing tremble uncontrollably, whether from fear or the chill. His legs gave way, and he knelt on the ground, wailing, "Spare me, Your Honors! Spare me!"
The soldiers outside were also bewildered. Their general had mustered them to Sweet Dew Temple for a secret mission, strictly confidential. Now, after breaking down the door, they first heard a woman’s scream, then a naked man rushed out. Could it be that the general had sent them to catch adulterers? Yet they showed no expression, still aiming their cold, sharp sabers at the man.
Xianglan, hiding behind the building, covered her face in shame when she saw Hao Qing leap out. Hearing his cries, she cautiously peeked through her fingers. Suddenly, Lin Jinlou’s roar erupted from inside: "Are you all standing there like dead men? Seize him!"
Immediately, soldiers rushed forward, pinning Hao Qing’s shoulders and binding him tightly. Hao Qing shook like a leaf, sobbing and sniveling, "Your Excellency, spare me! I deserve to die a thousand deaths! I deserve to die!"
Another thunderous shout came from inside: "Shut that filthy mouth! Bring him in here!" Hao Qing was gagged and thrown back into the room. Quick-witted Zhao Gang, now grasping the situation, dragged Zhao Xuede inside and slammed the door shut with a loud "bang."Zhao Yuechan trembled uncontrollably on the bed. She knew all too well Lin Jinlou's brutality, and now that she had been caught in adultery, she feared her life would end here. She wept in terror until the door creaked open, revealing Zhao Xuede and Zhao Gang. Startled at first, she was then overcome with relief and cried out, "Father! Brother! Save me!" Only after weeping did she remember she was naked. She pulled the quilt higher, bowing her head, her heart a turmoil of fear, shame, shock, and anger.
Zhao Xuede wished he could strangle Zhao Yuechan to vent his rage. He had come to capture rebels, but instead caught his daughter in adultery in front of his son-in-law. Though no paragon of virtue himself, the situation was unbearably humiliating, shaming generations of his family. Furious to the point of dizziness, nearly fainting, he dared not look at Lin Jinlou's expression. He strode forward and slapped Zhao Yuechan hard across the face, gritting his teeth as he cursed, "You wretched beast! Why don't you just die and be done with it!"
Zhao Yuechan buried her face in the quilt and wailed.
Zhao Gang pulled Zhao Xuede aside and glanced at Lin Jinlou. He thought to himself, "Lin Jinlou rose through military merits, his hands stained with blood—naturally filled with murderous aura. Best not provoke him." Seeing Lin Jinlou's face now dark and icy, his eyes stern with killing intent, Zhao Gang shuddered inwardly. He whispered to Zhao Xuede, "Sister deserves discipline, but right now we should pacify your son-in-law..." and subtly signaled with his eyes.
Zhao Xuede, noting Lin Jinlou's expression, knew things were dire. He hurried over and bowed deeply, saying, "This old man is ashamed for failing to teach his daughter properly." When Lin Jinlou remained silent, he continued, "Noble son-in-law, you have been wronged. I will surely give you an account of this matter, but for now, we must prioritize the greater situation..."
Lin Jinlou instead laughed, revealing a row of white teeth. "You mean we should go catch the rebels first?"
Zhao Xuede nodded vigorously. "Exactly, exactly! This matter concerns the court, the stability of the state, and our duty to serve the emperor loyally. If we truly capture the rebels, your achievement would be no less than quelling the Japanese pirates and bandit rebellions!"
Lin Jinlou smiled faintly. "Oh, I see." His expression abruptly darkened as he sneered, "We've reached this point, and you still call me 'noble son-in-law'? You have the face to say it, but I don't have the face to accept it." He pointed at Hao Qing and said, "You have plenty of sons-in-law—isn't there one lying right there on the ground?"
Zhao Xuede's old face flushed crimson with humiliation, which quickly turned to anger. He seethed inwardly, "This brat is utterly ungrateful! If not for my tip-off, how could you have gotten such a chance to earn merit?" Stuck in an awkward stance, he didn't know how to respond.
Lin Jinlou said coldly, "No great merit can outweigh the weight of a cuckold's hat. Today, this matter won't be settled until every detail is laid bare." He walked over to Hao Qing, who lay crumpled on the floor. Lin Jinlou removed the rag from his mouth, stepped on his face, and said calmly, "Speak. How did you meet this slut, and how long have you been carrying on?"
Before Hao Qing could answer, Zhao Gang stepped forward with an ingratiating smile. "Brother-in-law, don't be angry. There might be something suspicious about this. My sister was probably seduced and raped—otherwise, even with the greatest audacity, she wouldn't dare do such a thing." He turned and winked meaningfully at Zhao Yuechan, asking, "Isn't that right?"
Zhao Yuechan immediately understood and pointed at Hao Qing, crying, "It was him! He forced me!"Hao Qing immediately cried out in grievance: "Unjust! This humble one is wronged! It was the young lady who took a fancy to me, meeting me repeatedly at the temple and even gifting me silver and valuables..."
Zhao Gang cursed fiercely: "Bah! Shameless scoundrel, daring to make false accusations in broad daylight! What punishment do you deserve for defiling a virtuous woman!" Though a civil official, he wore a decorative sword at his waist, and as he spoke, he drew his blade to strike.
Lin Jinlou, quick-eyed and swift-handed, seized Zhao Gang's shoulder and said sternly: "How can you resort to punishment before the trial? Are you trying to silence a witness?"
Zhao Gang indeed intended to kill Hao Qing, planning to fabricate the story for Zhao Yuechan later. But how could he match Lin Jinlou, who was trained in martial arts? He felt his wrist gripped as if by steel claws, nearly crushed, and cried out in pain, pleading: "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! I was merely acting out of righteous indignation. I beg you, brother-in-law, to be merciful."
Lin Jinlou snorted coldly and shoved Zhao Gang aside. Zhao Gang, sweating profusely from the pain, thought to himself: "The nickname 'King of Hell Lin' isn't for nothing! If he interrogates that monk and uncovers some unsavory details, and the Lin Family gets angry enough to report it to Grandfather, our family will be in serious trouble!" Not daring to argue with Lin Jinlou, he could only repeatedly shoot meaningful glances at Zhao Xuede.
Then they heard Zhao Yuechan sobbing: "Husband, please calm your anger! I truly have been wronged!"
Thank you Yunxia Nichang and Taozi Yaoyao 315 for three Peace Talismans, Huaxi Yuexi and yu21yu21 for two Peace Talismans each, and ?﹎DāiSy Xi, Yunxia Nichang, yu21yu21, 130719013010091, Donggu, Xiaoxindapon, Daxiang8911, Wqpaqm, Iwoiw9 for Peace Talismans. Also, thank you to everyone who voted for me with pink votes!!
I wasn't in good health last night, so I didn't update. Sorry about that! Here's a make-up chapter ^_^
Speaking of which, writing intimate scenes really boosts viewership!!!
Give me some motivation, everyone, and keep voting for me ^_^
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