Chapter 63: The Man of Her Dreams

Chapter 63

The Man of Her Dreams

Fang Li’s face turned pale immediately. He was merely a low-ranking official, working as a scribe in Huangjing Administrative Office. He had been saving every bit of his earnings to send his son to the academy, hoping that one day his son would pass the exams and become an official like the others. Fang Li had neither money nor connections, and as a result, his position had remained stagnant. Unlike others, he had never aspired to climb the ranks through backdoor dealings. But tonight, something unthinkable happened—his wife had inexplicably tried to drag the General’s wife into the water with her.

"Father!"

His son rushed over, grabbing his arm with worry. Fang Furen had been taken away by the servants to change her clothes. Though he wanted to go after her to ask what had happened, he had no choice but to approach and kneel before Song Qilin.

"I am Fang Li, a scribe at the Huangjing Administrative Office. The woman who fell into the water was my wife. I don’t know what happened, but as her husband, I take full responsibility and apologize to you, General. It is my fault for not educating my wife properly, which led to the Young Furen being hurt."

Song Qilin’s expression remained cold.

"We’ll find out the truth soon enough. For now, you’d be wise not to say anything more."

Moments earlier, Nie Shuang had already anticipated the women’s malicious intentions, so she had feigned weakness. Many of the men present had wives themselves, and from just a glance, they could guess what had happened: this was all jealousy-fueled bullying. It would be best to let the situation speak for itself.

As expected, Song Qilin was furious. At the same time, he was angry with himself for failing to protect his wife. As a soldier, the method he was most familiar with was to punish those responsible. It didn’t matter if the offender was a woman—he was indifferent. Shuang Shuang had done nothing to these women to warrant such malice. Her delicate wrist was now bright red, clearly bruised from being yanked. With such clear evidence of malicious intent, how could he turn a blind eye? If they dared to insult him, they should be prepared for the consequences.

In truth, Song Qilin didn’t need to conduct an investigation—Nie Shuang could easily point out the culprit. What a fool! If that’s all they could think of, then they shouldn’t even think about becoming her enemy. Nie Shuang wasn’t the type to get involved in petty fights with other women over a man. If her man didn’t take the bait, no woman could come between them. And if he did want someone else, she wouldn’t mind letting him go—someone like that wouldn’t be worth her love or time.

These noblewomen might look down on merchants, but they had no idea that the tricks they used in their homes were on a different level than those used by merchants. Every day, merchants dealt with customers, handled problems, and managed a multitude of issues in their shops. It was nothing like the leisurely lives these noble families led, lounging around in their homes. While noble families might excel at seeking political favors and currying favor with those in power, merchants had to fight against risks and competitors—often with much more strategic thinking. In fact, trying to steal her husband wouldn’t anger Nie Shuang as much as insulting the merchant class did. Wasn’t it the merchants who kept the region’s economy running?

Song Qilin made it clear that he had no intention of showing leniency, and Kang Wang’s face was equally tense. They instructed the servants to fetch a doctor, and Song Qilin made a move to carry Nie Shuang back to the guest quarters, but she stopped him. Her wrist hurt, not her legs—there was no reason she couldn’t walk herself. When they arrived at the guest quarters, the doctor was already waiting. After examining her, he reported,

"It’s just a minor sprain of the tendons. Apply some ointment and wrap the wrist. Avoid heavy use, and it should heal in about seven days."

Song Qilin was relieved to hear this and prepared to go deal with the Furens who were still being held in the hall. At that moment, Feng Ying returned, soaking wet, and handed the bracelet to the General.

Song Qilin looked at him with gratitude.

"Go change your clothes, then go back and rest at the mansion first. I’ll handle the rest."

Nie Shuang also thanked Feng Ying, silently resolving to reward him generously for his dedication.

Feng Ying accepted their thanks but refused to leave. After changing clothes, he quietly reappeared in the hall, standing behind the General as usual.

In the banquet hall, the Furens and young misses from the noble families were kneeling before Kang Wang and the General. Other attendees were seated, observing the scene with interest. Half of the academy students were related to these women. Fang Furen, pale and trembling, sat among them. She appeared meek, not someone capable of such audacity. Song Qilin’s voice was sharp as he questioned her,

"Fang Furen, did you intentionally cause what happened earlier?"

"N...No, sir, I felt faint and reached out to the Young Furen, who was standing nearby. I didn’t mean to harm her, truly."

She stammered; her head lowered. Normally, such an excuse might be plausible. Illness could strike without warning, making it seem accidental and excusable. But Song Qilin was clearly dissatisfied with her explanation.

"Nonsense!"

The General’s shout echoed through the hall, causing everyone to jump. Fang Furen was even more startled, her face contorted as if she were about to cry.

"Don’t think you can lie. My wife’s wrist is bruised from being forcefully yanked. If you truly felt faint, how could you have had the strength to pull her so hard that she was injured?"

Fang Furen began to cry, biting her lip and refusing to say more.

"Will you confess or not? Why did you harbor ill intentions toward her? Admit it—who is behind this?!"

She bit her lip and shook her head vehemently, speaking quickly through sobs.

"I did it myself! It was all me!"

Her husband and son were confused. Fang Furen had always been quiet, reserved, and dedicated to her family. How could she suddenly be involved in such a confrontation with the General’s wife?

"Furen...if there’s anything, just tell us,"

Her husband, standing nearby, said softly.

"Very well! Since you’ve admitted that you did it all yourself, you’ll be flogged fifty times. As for your husband, he will be dismissed from the administrative office, and your family will be barred from taking the civil service exam for three generations."

Fang Furen was horrified by the punishment and hastily pleaded,

"Please, General, have mercy. It’s all my fault. You can flog me to death or even execute me, but please, don’t punish them."

"Fang Furen, since you’ve taken full responsibility and there are witnesses, let me ask: you have no personal grudge against my wife, yet you injured her. If she had fallen into the water and become ill or worse, how would you compensate me!? Unless someone else instructed you to do this, only then will I reconsider your punishment."

Fang Furen finally realized how foolish she had been, shouldering the blame for someone else. Not only was no one stepping forward to help her, but her actions were now bringing trouble to her husband and son. She glanced toward the group of noblewomen, but they all averted their gazes. These women had promised her that if she managed to pull the General’s wife into the water, they would help elevate her husband’s position, and her son, who was studying at the academy, would be recommended to Master Wang, ensuring his future success.

Her family had struggled for years, never once receiving invitations to such events. Families like hers were usually avoided by others. Today, thanks to her son’s position at the academy, they finally had the chance to attend such a prestigious gathering. But now, she had humiliated both her husband and son, possibly jeopardizing their futures. It was clear that General Song was not someone to be crossed.

"General, my husband holds only a minor position in the administrative office. If I speak the truth, his future will likely be ruined,"

Fang Furen said. Song Qilin could tell that she was ready to confess, as long as she had some assurance. He nodded, offering her his guarantee.

"Do not worry about that. Kang Wang is also present here. After today, if anyone dares to trouble you or your family, you need only inform Kang Wang or my wife. They will ensure you receive full protection."

Feeling reassured, Fang Furen finally confessed, her face wet with tears.

"Everyone heard it at the time. Wang Furen said that the Young Furen was shameless for being so close to you in front of so many people. She said it was inappropriate for the young misses in presence to witness such behavior and suggested I pretend to fall into the water and pull her in with me. If I succeeded, she promised she would elevate my husband’s position."

Fang Furen didn’t dare mention her son, fearing that he would be ashamed of her trying to secure a shortcut for him as if he were incapable. Fang Li looked dejected. His incompetence had driven his wife to such desperate measures. Meanwhile, Wang Furen’s face was drained of color, and Master Wang, her husband, was even worse. Upon hearing his wife’s name, he broke out in a cold sweat. Everyone knew of General Song’s fearsome reputation—those who crossed him never met a good end. Master Wang immediately knelt and begged for mercy from General Song.

"General, my wife acted without understanding. It is my fault. Please, show leniency and deliver a lighter punishment."

Master He saw the tense situation unfold and couldn’t help but sigh in trepidation. In truth, his own wife and children were no less troublesome than Wang Furen, if not worse. Fortunately, he had sternly warned them before leaving the house, repeatedly reminding them that neither the General nor his wife should be offended. Just look at Ding Tao, the once powerful figure in the local area—he lost his wealth and was now sent off to the southern border, his fate uncertain.

Song Qilin smiled, but his expression was filled with menace.

"Earlier, I ordered that Fang Furen be flogged 50 times and her husband removed from office, with their family barred from taking the civil service exam for three generations. The same punishment applies to your wife."

Wang Furen burst into tears, feeling as if she had been unjustly wronged. Master Wang’s face turned deep green, unsure of what to do. He glanced at Kang Wang, silently pleading for help. Wang Sulie looked toward her brother and saw him looking at her with a fierce expression. He had warned her not to cause trouble for the Young Furen, but she hadn’t listened. When her mother spoke of the plan, she had eagerly supported it. Now, if they were to face real punishment, her family would be disgraced for three generations.

She rushed to embrace her mother, crying and trying to use her charms to sway the General’s heart. Crawling on her knees, she wept before Song Qilin.

"General, it was my fault for not stopping my mother. Please, show mercy and spare my family’s future."

If it had been any other man, he might have softened at her tears. But Song Qilin only smiled faintly at the corners of his mouth.

"Very well! Since you claim it was your fault, you can take the flogging on behalf of your mother to show your filial piety."

Wang Sulie was stunned into silence, stammering, unable to respond. She didn’t dare accept the flogging for her mother, but she was also too afraid to refuse, as it would make her seem unfilial. She sat there, tongue-tied and utterly ridiculous.

Her brother, Scholar Wang, stepped forward. It seemed he was the only one in the family who spoke sincerely. He knelt down and said,

"As the eldest son, I will take the flogging punishment in their place. I will resign from the academy, give up my dreams of becoming a civil servant, and beg you to allow my father to remain in his position and lift the ban on our family taking the exams for three generations."

"Why? Can your family not survive without becoming officials? Just a moment ago, your mother was looking down on my wife’s background as a mere merchant. Now I’m curious to see how your family will fare without the privileges of officialdom. Or do your family only know how to live off the government stipend and not earn a living like the common people? If you’re going to look down on others, you’d better first examine your own abilities. Your mother isn’t even worth the dirt under my wife’s fingernails."

Hearing these words, Nie Shuang’s heart swelled with pride. He had voiced exactly what she felt toward these people. It wasn’t just Nie Shuang who was moved—families of merchants and farmers in attendance were deeply touched by the General’s words. They worked hard to make a living, yet were scorned as lower class, while officials who relied on government salaries had the audacity to elevate themselves above others.Nie Shuang’s gaze toward Song Qilin suddenly shifted. Where had the arrogant, proud General she first met disappeared to? Now, all she could see was Song Qilin as a perfect gentleman, the man of her dreams!