"Hurry up and punch it."
She didn't agree. Ju Mu'er sighed inwardly, first pounding her fist, then continuing to persuade her.
"Second Master, please let Guard Li recover from his illness tomorrow. Pretending to be sick is tiring, and Qing'er is worried and anxious, which is not good for her either."
"As long as I feel better, that's fine." Long Er remained calm and composed, showing no remorse for having done anything immoral.
"I've already spoken to Qing'er. She won't be here all the time. If you want to come, Second Master, just come without outsiders. Don't hold it against the young lady. Qing'er is good to me."
"Whether she comes again or not is a matter for the future. You can't just take advantage of her now. She's good to you, so how could I not be good to her?" Long Er really holds grudges.
Ju Mu'er was annoyed when her words were all rebuffed. She also remembered being bossed around and lectured by Long Er these past few days. In a moment of impulsiveness, she did something she had thought about many times but never dared to do.
She gave Master Long's buttocks a good slap.
Long Er was lying face down in a perfect position, and she sat on the edge of the bed massaging his back, doing it quite smoothly.
The two "snap" sounds were loud and crisp.
Long Er jumped up suddenly, both surprised and in pain. But he reacted quickly, and as he jumped, he reached out and grabbed the assailant.
Ju Mu'er only realized what she had done after she had struck. Although she had thought about hitting back every time Long Er beat her up, it was just a thought. She really didn't know what had happened when she actually did it.
But in the blink of an eye, she was caught. Before she could even think about what was happening, she quickly begged for mercy. But no matter how much she begged, it was no use.
Long Er grabbed her and dragged her to the bed, yelling angrily, "You've really been spoiled rotten!"
"I didn't, I didn't, the sky is fine."
"The weather's fine, but you're not so good." Long Er pressed her down on the bed, thinking about where to hit her so it wouldn't hurt too much and would save face. As he thought about it, he smelled the fragrance of her hair, and her face was so close to his. He could see her clearly. Her long eyelashes were like two rows of small fans, and her lips were pink and glossy. Had she become more and more beautiful? When they first met, she wasn't so pleasing to the eye.
Long Er lowered his head and kissed her lips.
Ju Mu'er was somewhat surprised, yet not entirely astonished. She wanted to return his kiss, but then felt she should push him away. In the midst of her hesitation, Long Er's kiss became entangled and passionate, leaving her breathless.
If this continues, things will get out of control.
Ju Mu'er was somewhat at a loss.
But Long Er couldn't care less about her chaotic thoughts. He was reckless and impatient. He reached out and pulled open Ju Mu'er's clothes, taking them off halfway, and then hurriedly got up to take off his own.
He half-squatted, half-kneeled, but somehow stepped on something on the bed board, and the fragile board cracked with a "crack." Long Er was startled and instinctively jumped to the side, only to land right on the crack; the two connected boards snapped open with a "snap"...
The bed collapsed.
Author's Note: Second Master is very busy! And you still complain about him.
78. Mutual probing harbors hidden dangers.
Long Er had lived for so many years and seen all sorts of things. But he had never experienced anything like a bed collapsing.
How could a bed collapse?
How could it have collapsed?
"Burnt black" is an understatement to describe Ryuji's complexion.
He stood there, feeling both annoyed and ashamed. He was sitting on the broken bed frame that had fallen to the ground, the bedding and pillows were all jumbled together in a mess, and the bed curtains that had fallen off due to the bed collapsing were draped over him.
At that moment, Long Er heard Ju Mu'er's laughter.
It's a hearty laugh hidden under the covers.
This is simply adding fuel to the fire.
Long Er gritted his teeth, ignoring the curtains binding him, and reached under the pile of bedding and curtains to dig out Ju Mu'er. Her face was flushed, and she was laughing heartily.
She's still laughing! It's all her fault!
Long Er pinched her cheek and demanded, "What kind of bed is this? What kind of broken wooden plank is this?! Is his father-in-law so stingy that he made a bed of rotten wood for his Mu'er to sleep on?"
"A bed that will collapse." Ju Mu'er laughed even harder, making Long Er unable to resist lowering his head to bite her.
The candlelight was dim, and on the broken wooden plank lying on the ground, bedding and curtains were piled up haphazardly, inside which two people were wrapped in a mess. Perhaps it was because he heard Ju Mu'er's soft panting as he was biting, or perhaps it was because her half-naked appearance was particularly eye-catching against the chaotic scene, but in any case, he felt excited in this inexplicable atmosphere.
He was no longer angry or upset. His eyes and mind were filled with Ju Mu'er in his arms.
The weather in July and August was scorching hot. The two huddled together, rubbing against each other, so hot they could hardly breathe. Long Er kissed Ju Mu'er, unwilling to let go, reaching out to touch her, trying to find that soft spot, but the curtains were in his way, so he annoyed and ripped them off. There was a "ripping" sound, and it was unclear what had been torn.
"Tearing down the house?" Ju Mu'er teased him, panting, not forgetting that she was lying on the bed he had broken. But before she could finish her playful remark, she felt a force forcefully push her soft body away.
She took a deep breath and instinctively clutched the tangled blankets beneath her.
"I'll take you down." Long Er, dripping with sweat, draped her legs over his arms. This oppressive posture startled Ju Mu'er, causing her body to tense up involuntarily. She cried out, "It'll collapse, it'll collapse!"
"It's collapsed!" Long Er roared. Her tension made him feel every pore on his body open. He couldn't hold back any longer and began to ride her.
This movement not only caused Ju Mu'er to scream, but also made the bed creak and groan.
The plank supporting the ground trembled precariously, and Ju Mu'er hugged Long Er tightly in fright: "It'll fall, it's going to collapse."
Smoke billowed from Long Er's head. Forget about a bed collapsing; he probably wouldn't stop even if the roof collapsed. But with the slightest exertion, the bed beneath him creaked violently. Fearing the other end might fall and injure Ju Mu'er, he simply channeled his energy and swung his palm, breaking the bed frame that was barely holding the boards together at the head of the bed.
The tilted bed board crashed down with a "crash," and the bed frame, branches, and curtains fell to the ground with a "clatter." Ju Mu'er's scream rang out with the noise of the eldest brother, but was immediately silenced by Long Er.
Debris littered the ground, chaos reigned. Even the candles on the table were knocked over and extinguished.
The moon hid away from the commotion, and the room was filled with darkness, yet the sweet, sensual atmosphere remained unabated. Gasps mingled with moans, grumbled complaints, and the sounds of fabric being torn and ripped, and wood being slapped against the walls.
Long and lingering, chaotic and confusing.
Ju Mu'er lay panting amidst a pile of clutter, covered in sweat, with Long Er, equally drenched in sweat, on top of her. She wanted to kick the guy who had dismantled her bed off, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
"Where are you sleeping tonight?" Long Er asked suddenly, having caught his breath. He was wondering if dismantling all the beds in the tavern would force his Mu'er to come home with him.
Of course, he was just thinking about it.
"Tch..." Before he could finish thinking, he was pinched on the waist, making Long Er grimace and gasp for breath.
“I can sleep in Father’s room.” Ju Mu’er nudged Long Er, signaling him to go down. “You should go back now. I’m so tired, I need to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow to find the carpenter, otherwise I won’t have a bed to sleep in.”
Try to get rid of him? He won't leave.
Long Er was very unhappy: "Why are you sleeping in your father's room? You dare to sleep in another man's room? Sleep in your own room." As he spoke, he recalled the battle that had just taken place, imagining the mess inside the room. He coughed twice and said, "Don't move yet, I'll get up and take a look."
"Okay." Ju Mu'er replied lazily, "Let's see if the wall has collapsed, and if the roof is still there."
Long Er pinched her cheek angrily, then scrambled to his feet in the dark. He took a step and stepped barefoot onto a hard wooden plank. He winced, swallowing back his cry of pain, but quickly told her, "Don't move. Let me light the candles and get ready."
Ju Mu'er agreed. Now, even if she was asked to move, she didn't want to. She was sleepy and wanted to go to sleep.
Long Er found a candle, lit it, and was so disgusted by the mess in the room that he couldn't even sigh. The floor was covered in tattered cloth and broken wood; it seemed he really would have to steal his father-in-law's bed frame as a makeshift solution.
He then told Ju Mu'er not to move. He used the basin of water in the room to wash Ju Mu'er's body with the clean water she had saved for the next morning, changed into the clean clothes he had brought, went out in the dark to fetch more clean water, and when he returned to the pile of miscellaneous items, he found that Ju Mu'er was already asleep.
Master Long stared at the woman who was sleeping soundly, clutching her tattered curtains and worn-out blankets, utterly speechless. You could say she was meticulous, yet at times she was incredibly careless; you could say she was easygoing, yet she could see through so many details.
Long Erye squatted there, poking Ju Mu'er's cheek. He really wanted to bring this woman home as soon as possible. Why was his love life so bumpy among the three brothers? At this moment, he completely ignored the hardships his two brothers had gone through in pursuing their wives and only felt that he was the most pitiful.
He knew very well that if this matter was not completely resolved, if the emperor was not punished and the major hidden danger of being framed by the court was not eliminated, Ju Mu'er would never marry him again.
That night, while continuing to plan his next move, Long Er did something he had never done before—he tidied up the house like a servant.
The night was long, and Master Long was furious.
The new bed was delivered the next day. Although Long Er repeatedly assured her that this matter would not expose his overnight stay and that no one would know that Ju Mu'er was still involved with the Long family, Ju Mu'er still looked unhappy and had a stern face.
After the initial excitement and pleasure subsided, she realized the serious consequences of her continued interaction with him. Therefore, she decided to minimize their contact to avoid attracting the attention of those with ulterior motives.
The conversation ended somewhat unpleasantly. Long Er repeatedly said he was too busy to come over again. Ju Mu'er said she was also busy and told him not to worry.
Despite their bickering, the two managed to discuss and agree on how to solve the mystery. They divided the tasks and each went about their own business.
To avoid alerting the enemy, Ju Mu'er tried her best to maintain her usual solitary lifestyle. She did simple chores, played the piano, and strolled along the thick rope leading from the back door to the woods and stream behind the house. She pretended to be unaware of the guards assigned by Long Er to keep watch over her from a distance. She only occasionally received the neighbor's aunties and wives who came to take care of her after hearing about it, or Su Qing who would visit from time to time.
Long Er would occasionally sneak over to bicker with her, secretly enjoying each other's company. The chances of another romantic encounter were slim; in the past two weeks, he had only succeeded once more. However, the next morning, the neighbor lady came to deliver vegetables to Ju Mu'er. Long Er, feeling helpless, secretly jumped out of the window and escaped, leaving him furious.
Long Er Ye, feeling aggrieved, hadn't come to the Jujia Wine Shop for several days. Ju Mu'er was both annoyed and amused.
It was the fifteenth of August. Early in the morning, Long Er sent Li Ke to quietly ask Ju Mu'er what her plans were. Ju Mu'er said that the neighbor had kindly invited her to her home for the festival, and that this big festival was a good opportunity for Long Er to distance himself from his ex-wife and go out to socialize and make a public appearance, so she shouldn't miss it.
Li Ke returned home dejectedly. In the afternoon, when Su Qing brought food to Ju Mu'er, she said that for some reason, Master Long was in a particularly bad temper today and scolded her master several times for no reason. The servants were also scolded.
Ju Mu'er sighed, thinking about her husband's terrible temper.
Su Qing left, and Ju Mu'er thought for a moment before going to the riverbank to play her zither again. The riverbank was very quiet, easily bringing back memories of the past. Ju Mu'er remembered that she had once sat in this very spot when Long Er threw stones into the water to scare her. At that time, she suspected that the murderer had come, and although she knew that running away was useless, she still instinctively ran home.
So much time has passed, yet it feels like it just happened yesterday. Ju Mu'er couldn't help but chuckle as she thought about it.
"Miss Mu'er."
Lost in thought, Ju Mu'er suddenly heard a voice calling her name. She turned around and was about to respond with "Miss Yueyao" when she remembered that she had been told to call her "Xiao Lan". She quickly smiled and changed her address.
"What are you laughing at, young lady?"
"Even after all these times, I still always forget your name."
Lin Yueyao smiled and sat down next to Ju Mu'er. Ju Mu'er handed her the zither: "Would you like to play?"
Lin Yueyao shook her head and pushed the zither back: "I won't embarrass myself in front of you, Miss. You know my skills."
Ju Mu'er didn't insist, and brought the zither back to continue playing it, plucking the strings. Lin Yueyao sat with her for a while, then asked, "What are your plans for the future, Miss?"
"I don't know either. Let's discuss it when Father comes back from his trip."
Lin Yueyao asked again, "Why did Second Master Long divorce the young lady? I heard a few rumors outside, and they weren't very nice."
Ju Mu'er pondered for a moment, then replied with a bitter face, "What's being said outside may not be false. Although I want to save face, nothing stays hidden forever. Now that the news has spread, I won't try to deny it."
Before Lin Yueyao could answer, she asked, "What about you, Miss Lan? What are you planning to do in the future? Hiding isn't a long-term solution; you have to find some way to make a living."
"I've changed my name and concealed my appearance for future plans." Lin Yueyao looked at Ju Mu'er and smiled. "Don't worry, miss. With my clever disguise, few people on the street can recognize me now. But things are too tense right now, so I don't dare to flaunt myself. However, I recently found an embroidery job that I can bring back to do. The shop isn't conspicuous, and I can go in and out when no one's around, so it's safe. I still have some savings, enough to last for a while. As long as you don't kick me out and give me a place to stay, that's fine."
"Look at what you're saying. With such a close relationship between us, how could I possibly turn you away? I'm just afraid that people will recognize you and won't dare let you stay in the courtyard. You'll be left to make do in that little hut."
"Please don't say you feel wronged, young lady, you've helped me so much." Lin Yueyao sighed, "I just never expected it to end like this. I'm hiding away, and you're all alone and helpless."
The two women sympathized with each other and shared many intimate words. Seeing that it was getting late, Lin Yueyao took her leave. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, neither woman had family by her side, and both felt a sense of melancholy.
Time flies, and August is almost over. Long Erxiang has calmed down and came to find Ju Mu'er.
He insisted that Ju Mu'er pour him tea and massage his back, and after taking good care of him, he announced that he had brought news.
Long Er's news wasn't exactly good. He had investigated several officials who were at odds with Shi Zechun and had various connections to the Ministry of Justice: Liu Meng from the Ministry of War, Chang Zheng from the Ministry of Revenue, and Ji Qingzhong from the Ministry of Works. None of them matched Ju Mu'er's theory about the zither score, and Shi Zechun had no evidence against them. Simply put, there was absolutely no connection between them and the score. Aside from the score, the spies hadn't found any other grudges leading to murder either.
On the other hand, there weren't any particularly suspicious musicians among them. In terms of relationships, they weren't close enough to the authorities to cover up such a significant case.
Long Er added, "Ding Sheng is just as you said. Judging from his status and personality, he is indeed very suspicious. But his relationship with Shi Zechun has always been good; at least on the surface, they have always been on the same side. It was Shi Zechun who recommended Yun Qingxian to Ding Sheng back then. He praised Yun Qingxian highly, and Yun Qingxian quickly became Ding Sheng's right-hand man."