Chapter 26: The Sorrowful Geng Employee

  Seeing that gaze, Xia Xun immediately felt a sense of foreboding in his heart. However, when he looked again, he saw Madame Sun standing there quietly, with a dignified and elegant expression on her face, without any hint of flirtation or seduction. Had he misjudged the situation?

  Madam Sun smiled lightly and said, "I heard that the master has returned, so I waited for a moment in the rear residence without seeing the master's face. I thought there was some urgent matter, so I hurried over to take a look, but didn't know that the master had made an agreement with Young Master Yang."

  Geng Yun smiled unnaturally and said, "Oh, this... my husband just returned to the city and happened to meet Young Master Yang on the way. Since we haven't seen each other for a long time, I invited him over for a chat. I've already ordered the kitchen to prepare wine and dinner, and soon I'll join Young Master Yang for a couple of drinks."

  "Ah!" Madam Sun gave Xia Xun a deep glance and said, "Since that's the case, Master can chat with Young Master. I'll head back to the rear residence."

  "Be careful on your way, sister-in-law."

  Xia Yu bowed deeply, and when he looked up, Mrs. Sun had already turned around and left. She was in her thirties, but her figure was well-maintained, with curves in all the right places. As she turned around slowly, her slender waist swayed gently, like a willow branch swaying in the wind, and she walked away with a gentle, elegant demeanor.

  Xia Liu and Geng Yuanwai sat down again, with all sorts of doubts and worries swirling in their minds. For the time being, they couldn't clear things up, so they put it aside for now. Xia Liu brought up the loan he had given to Geng Yuanwai: "Brother Geng, you and I have a good relationship, but the money I lent you is not just mine. Some of it belongs to temples, monks, officials, and scholars who trusted me with their spare cash to invest and earn interest. If you don't repay it for a long time, I can tolerate it, but... I'm also in a difficult position. I'm just a temporary god of wealth, with a good reputation on the surface, but actually, I have no control over my own situation..."

  "Gong Xin listened, his face suddenly turned red with anger, and he stammered: "This... brother isn't... isn't it said that we can give some more time? You also know, since... since the last time we sold fake medicine, we lost a lot of money. Now our small business has just barely recovered, if we have to pay back now, I can barely scrape together the money, but this way, all my shops will go bankrupt because they won't even have enough money to buy medicine! How can you be so heartless? Didn't you agree last time to give me an extension until August and let me pay back 30% first? Why are you..."

  Xia Xun's mind suddenly turned: "So Yang Wenyuan had already agreed to extend the repayment period? In that case, as a proper businessman, it seems unnecessary for him to take such a risk."

  Xia Fu thought for a moment, then smiled wryly and said: "Isn't this also making things difficult for me? Alright, let's stick to the original agreement. By August, you can't delay paying back these three tenths of principal and interest, Brother Geng!"

  Geng Xin's expression relaxed, and he said in a series of connected tones: "That's natural, that's natural..."

  At this time, the lame man came in to report that the wine table was ready. Geng Xin hurriedly put on a happy face and said: "Brother, you and I have been separated for a long time, today we must drink until we can't return home."

  Out of the study is the banquet hall.

  As soon as the wine was opened, Xia Xun was shocked. This old man can really drink! Looking at his warm and gentle temperament, he didn't expect to see him drinking like a whale swallowing a cow, with a heroic spirit. Xia Xun was the guest, but he was urging Xia Xun to drink, while Xia Xun only took a few sips and didn't drink much. The host, however, didn't need anyone's encouragement, and after a round of drinks that lasted for more than half an hour, Xia Xun's eyes were still clear as before, but Geng Yuanwai was already drunk, lying on the table unable to get up.

  If Geng Yiniang was drunk and liked to talk, Xia Yu would be happy to see it. The problem is that Geng Yiniang's wine quality is very good, after drinking a lot of wine, his eyes turn straight, he doesn't say a word, and he falls asleep on the table, not even caring about the guests. Seeing this situation, Xia Yu couldn't help but laugh and cry, and hurriedly walked to the corridor, just seeing the lame footman trimming the flowers, Xia Yu quickly beckoned: "You come, your master has drunk too much wine, hurry up and support him to rest."

  The lame man's hands stopped moving, and then seemed to be too late to withdraw his hand. With a "crack" sound, he cut the main trunk of a flower tree in half. Only then did he turn around, smile humbly, and respond with an "Yes!"

  In a moment, several servants rushed to the hall, and Madame Sun also hurried from the backyard. Seeing her husband's drunken appearance, she scolded: "This good-for-nothing, as soon as he sees wine, his appetite is stirred up. The guest is not drunk, but he himself has lost all sense of propriety. Quickly, help the old master up."

  As she spoke, Mrs. Sun personally came forward to support Old Man Geng, and Xia Liu sat shoulder to shoulder with him. As she leaned in close, she caught sight of Mrs. Sun's slender waist, probably due to the fact that she was wearing a corset underneath her clothes, which accentuated her seductive figure. Her breasts were almost bursting out of her dress, and especially the alluring scent emanating from her body, Xia Liu couldn't help but be drawn in by the enticing aroma despite trying to subtly lean back and avoid it.

  Carefully appreciating, this is indeed a charming beauty with a full flavor, her hair combed neatly, light eyebrows, shallow red lips, a sprig of jade hairpin on her bun, delicate skin set off by exquisite and elegant features, her face is charming and her figure is slender, although she is just a merchant's wife, her charm and flavor are extraordinary, Geng Yun is indeed blessed with good fortune.

  Madam Sun helped up the drunken Geng Er and handed him over to two family members, instructing them: "Take him back and serve him well, feed him some hangover soup."

  Two house servants responded, supporting the official to walk towards the back residence. The male host left, and only Xia Yu and the female host were left in the hall. Seeing this situation, Xia Yu hastily stood up to bid farewell: "Sister-in-law, it's all my fault. Brother Geng had just returned to the mansion, but I got him drunk. I'm really sorry, please forgive me. The sky is getting dark, and I should also go back. Sister-in-law, goodbye."

  "Wait!"

  Mrs. Sun sidled up and took a step forward, barely blocking his way, her full breasts almost pressing against Xia Xun's body, forcing him to take a big step back to avoid those deadly weapons.

  Madam Sun gave him a glance, her eyes gleaming with a foxy charm, her pearly teeth lightly biting her red lips, as she said with a hint of a smile: "That dead drunkard has passed out, isn't that just what you wanted? There's no one else here, so why are you still pretending?"

  "Huh? Sister-in-law, you..."

  "Get out."

  "Ah, you scoundrel, you're thoroughly rotten! When I sent someone to invite you over in his name, you didn't know where to run off to and have fun, but you had to choose the one time he's at home to come. Do you really enjoy making him a live cuckold like this?"

  Xia Fu's face was covered in cold sweat as he stuttered: "Sister-in-law... you... you..."

  "Still calling me sister-in-law!"

  Mrs. Sun softly nestled into his arms, her slender and delicate hands gently grasping his hand and placing it on her chest, shyly saying: "You like to call me 'sister-in-law', but I prefer you calling me by my given name."

  She lifted her delicate face with a spring-like charm, and softly murmured: "When you call me Lian'er, I forget my own identity, as if my body, my heart, all belong to you..."

  Xia Liu's hand landed on the plump jade peaks, only to scare away one Buddha and ascend another: "It's ruined! Disaster has come!"

  The lame family servant led the way, two house servants half-supporting and half-carrying the paralyzed Geng Yu outside. When they arrived at the back house, they put him on a couch. One of the house servants wiped his sweat and smiled: "Li Shu, do you want to give Mr. Geng some hangover soup?"

  "Damn you!"

  That lame-footed man, Da Hui, scolded him in a bad temper. Li Da Hui knew that this DIng was just joking. The affair between Yang Gongzi and Sun Furen was unknown to outsiders, but there were very few people who didn't know about it within the inner courtyard of the Sun family. Everyone only kept it from Ewai, Geng Weng, and Little Miss. When Madam ordered someone to wake up the wine soup, it was just a polite phrase, who would take it seriously?

  He glanced at Gong Yubin with a faint look and said coldly, "Let this waste sleep, don't bother with him."

  There were not many servants in the Sun Mansion who took Geng Yiniang seriously, even if they were polite on the surface, they were full of disdain in their hearts. Li Da'an was the confidant of Madame Sun, and if it weren't for outsiders, Geng Yiniang wouldn't have dared to order him around, let alone put her in his eyes.

  A few people left the room, and Geng Yun, who was originally sleeping soundly, suddenly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the dusty ceiling for a while, before two lines of turbid tears slowly flowed down from the corners of his eyes...

  He was originally a child of an official family, his father was the Cang Dashi of Ying Tianfu Longjiang Wei, a ninth-grade official in charge of military grain storage. Although the official position was not high, there were many benefits and the family was wealthy. At that time, he was in his prime, had passed the imperial examination as a scholar, and had a bright future ahead of him.

  However, due to his rampant corruption and theft of military rations, his father was punished by the imperial court with severe penalties, including having his Achilles tendons severed, his kneecaps removed, and a convict's mark branded on his face. Because military and civilian craftsmen were hereditary professions, his father, despite being severely punished, remained a soldier, only demoted from being in charge of the granary to being a gatekeeper who oversaw the collection and expenditure of grain. Nevertheless, his father continued to steal grain despite his physical disability, and was eventually discovered by a newly appointed granary official.

  At this time, Geng father was a small warehouse slave, because the power was limited, so the amount of stolen grain was extremely small, originally no need to reach the heavenly hearing, just a beating with a board would be settled. However, because he had a previous conviction, the Jin Yiwei reported the case to the emperor. Zhu Yuanzhang heard it and simply didn't dare believe his own ears.

  He furiously said to the ministers on his left and right: "I know that you all secretly condemn me for using severe punishment. I use severe punishment in order to warn the world, to prevent corrupt officials, and to benefit the people. But look, even with such severe punishment, this man's body is crippled, but he still has not changed his ways, and continues to sell official positions. The heart of man is never satisfied, it is so stubbornly cruel, what other method can I use to eradicate this?"

  If they didn't embezzle, would the officials not be able to make a living? No, they just wouldn't be able to live in luxury and extravagance, but it's absolutely not that they would become destitute and turn into beggars. Officials have their own dignity, Zhu Yuanzhang's salary may not be generous, but it's absolutely not the case that officials would be reduced to poverty. He simply abhorred the idea that "being an official is for getting rich".

  Is it only for wealth that one becomes an official for a thousand miles? He was forced to have no food to eat, and then he gathered the courage to rebel. He hoped that his people would not be displaced, so he established a household registration system for soldiers, civilians, artisans, and farmers, allowing them to pass it down from generation to generation. He hoped that all his people would have food to eat, so he formulated taxes and fees that were lower than those of Qin, Han, Tang, and Song, and also made an agreement with the people to never increase taxes. He hated corrupt officials, so he established the most severe laws. He hoped that this would allow the country to be forever stable and passed down for ten thousand generations.

  His methods may not have been entirely correct, but the effect was still great. The Hongwu era lasted for thirty years, only occupying one-tenth of the three hundred years of the Ming dynasty, but the number of clean officials in the Hongwu era accounted for two-thirds of the total number of clean officials in the entire Ming dynasty. His cruel punishment was a blessing to the people, but a nightmare for corrupt officials. For Geng Jin, it was a nightmare. His father was stripped of his military status, and he was also stripped of his honors and never reused, and the two were expelled from Ying Tianfu, left to fend for themselves.

  The owner of Shengchun Tang pharmacy, Old Sun, had only one daughter. His son-in-law had passed away after marriage, so he wanted to find another son-in-law. Although the Suns were wealthy, they were still a lowly merchant family and Sun Xuelian was a widow. Most men who were willing to marry into the family were of poor quality, so Old Sun couldn't find one that met his expectations until Geng Xin appeared.

  Geng Xian was a talented person who had once obtained honors, although his family had fallen on hard times. As a former official and scholar, he still possessed knowledge and skills, which made him an attractive candidate for Sun Laopan to recruit as a son-in-law. At that time, the Geng father and son were in dire straits, so they readily agreed, and from then on, they had a place to settle down.

  But in the Sun family, he had no status. Mrs. Sun ordered him around, and his stepdaughter Miao Yi also looked down on him with disdain. Over the years, he had been suppressing his anger and humiliation, and his masculinity had slowly disappeared. He himself felt that he was not like a man anymore. Wasn't that so? Even when he knew that his wife was having an affair with Yang Wenxuan, what did he do? He just pretended to be deaf and dumb.

  "Today, I ran into Yang Wenxuan on the road, and he brazenly said in front of me that he wanted to go to my mansion for a 'visit'. Who does he want to 'visit'? This is an outrageous insult! Even when I mentioned that I had left Qingzhou more than ten days ago, Yang Wenxuan deliberately brought up the invitation from my wife nine days ago to humiliate me. And I...I still have to swallow my pride and lie for Yang Xuanyuan, being a cuckold has reached this point, I'm probably the number one in the world!"

  Hahaha...

  Geng Yuanwai let out a sob-like laugh: "That bastard, he humiliated me to my face! I want to kill him, I really want to kill him, cut him into a thousand pieces!" Geng Yuanwai pounded the bed, raging in his heart: "Someone wants to assassinate him? Who is that person, why didn't they really kill him?! Heaven, you're not just!

  Geng Yun lay on the bed, wailing and crying, gasping like a wounded beast: "Those two dogs must be rolling around together now? Adulterers, may they not die a good death! May they not die a good death..."

  In the flower hall, Madame Sun leaned into Xia Ke's arms and suddenly became as soft as if all her bones had been extracted. Her delicate body, like a snake, nestled against Xia Ke's, her jade-like arms wrapped around his neck, her eyes slightly closed, her lips raised, and she whispered: "Good man, why don't you take me to the room..."

  Currently ranked second on the recommendation list, the first book is being heavily promoted and it's a bit difficult to catch up. However, if everyone votes with their recommendation tickets, there's still hope to catch up... So, please save your promotion votes for today!!!

  In addition, let me mention that "crossing over" is a game played among authors who are close friends and can communicate well with each other. You can see Mo Guan and Li Guanyu appear in many authors' books, often with miserable identities and endings, but we just laugh it off when we see them. It's just a joke, and although it's a joke, most of the time we won't deliberately add plotlines, but rather coincidentally write about a certain character and borrow our friend's name at that moment, as long as it doesn't affect the work itself.

  Guo Degang is always making fun of Yu Qian, and some people are criticizing them with their words. The two of them had to go on stage to make a statement: "Once we're on stage, I'm not me, he's not him, we're just filming a movie." You watch movies, she's having an affair, he's killing his parents... it's all fake, it's acting. How come when it comes to us, everything becomes real? My brother and I aren't in a hurry, what's the hurry about? A special announcement: I'm not attacking Guo Degang's friends.