The Most Romantic Husband Ever

Women in ancient Chinese society adhered to the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, which regulated their behavior and conduct in every stage of their life : as a maiden daughter, as a wife, and later on as a mother.

While numerous high-born ladies were taught the proper etiquette and thus led their life in accordance with society's demand, their standing once they got married into their husbands' family, unfortunately, was measured only by their ability to produce children; sons in particular.

Long Zhao Xue's two wives if combined into one woman would be any man's dream spouse. There was the First Madam who was the epitome of a dignified wife : smart and good at managing the household, and that included bookkeeping. She was also a wise reasonable woman who did not get jealous and was nothing but a great help to her husband at all times.

And then there was the Second Wife, a pretty young thing who was an excellent bed companion (she must be) and managed to get a son shortly after marrying into the household. Long Zhao Xue's private life was picture-perfect, save for one little detail : he was dead.

In his place, his brother took his position secretly and married a first wife who was unfortunately referred to as Long Zhao Xue's Third Madam. As if his misfortune was not enough, Long Zhao Feng's wife was murdered and her body was taken by Xiao Yue who tried to kill his brother and ended up attacking him.

>>It is all so messed up.<<

Xiao Yue did feel sorry for Long Zhao Feng, but she was more sorry for herself because by then she had suffered one loss after another.  her intention was fully exposed, and thanks to Long Zhao Feng, the good relationship she had with the other two madams had practically evaporated into thin air.

The way of human interaction was such, that people scarcely remember the good things, but always the bad things that others did. Xiao Yue had been very obedient save from trying to help Uncle Ma back then. She agreed to First Madam's every request and helped to take care of Second Madam until after she gave birth but look what she got back in return

She was the shameless competitive woman who took the husband's attention away from Second Madam who deserved his loving care at the very moment.

Sigh.

The First Madam, bless her heart, did not mind much. She was so generous that she did not even slap Xiao Yue for "sleeping with their husband" in her manor. If she had done so, Xiao Yue might offer her the other cheek to slap as well. She even sent over some leftover red ginseng to make a ginseng soup to nourish Xiao Yue's body after weeks of hard work to prepare medicinal soup for Second Madam.

The Second Madam on the other side, was the complete opposite. Whether it was for appearance or for real, she truly wanted her husband to take care of her, love her. Long Zhao Feng had barely finished with breakfast before maids from the Second Madam's manor showed up one by one, one more desperate than the other. Each of them could barely hide their disdain for the wicked Third Madam, causing Xiao Yue to sigh over and over again in desperation.

"Master, Second Madam is not feeling well..."

"Master, the Little Young Master misses you so..."

"Master, Second Madam cannot leave the bed..."

Long Zhao Feng who always had to wear the silver mask again and again every time a maid came over slowly lost his patience. He waved the last maid away without even listening to her plea and repeated the same line over and over again.

"I will come by soon to take a look. Leave."

One could not force a man to leave when he did not want to. Long Zhao Feng did not want to leave yet. And not because he wanted to be with his beloved Third Madam longer. It was because he was not done with the interrogation. Xiao Yue sat at the chair, while Inspector Long Zhao Feng worked hard to wring her dry like a piece of wet cloth.

Xiao Yue did not know much about the circumstance of her revival, so there was nothing she could tell Long Zhao Feng no matter how many times he asked. But, she did know that the shaman was involved to some extent, whether she was the true culprit or she worked together with the true culprit.

The shaman was also a person of her tribe. While Xiao Yue was not sure how to take Long Zhao Feng's side of the story that his brother was the true victim, she knew that she should not openly betray her own tribesperson. And that was why her explanation had a lot of plot holes.

Xiao Yue kept telling the lie that she did not know how she ended up being in possession of Chun Ya's body, only that she was determined to take revenge on Long Zhao Xue, especially after being fueled by having to watch Uncle Ma being paraded in a humiliating way through the town like that. Long Zhao Feng stared at her, clearly suspicious of her lacking explanation. Xiao Yue stared back at him, determined not to spill another word.

"I wonder," Long Zhao Feng said slowly after he was done with the day's round of questioning, "What that person who did all this plan to do with you once you are done, whether or not you succeed."

"..."

Long Zhao Feng stood up, one hand behind his back as he made some rounds around Xiao Yue the criminal.

"Honestly, your chance at succeeding is horribly small. You are no martial artist, whether in your original body or this body. The little knowledge you have about swordsmanship came from me. If I had wanted to, I could have killed you that night."

His words made sense. The shaman had urged her to kill him with no preparation whatsoever. She got the amulet to pinpoint Long Zhao Xue's location, but she could not have trusted that Xiao Yue had the ability to kill a general who was seasoned in countless wars, could she?

Also... if the shaman was still alive, why did she not help to save the Tribe Chief? Why... why was she even alive? A little hope grew in Xiao Yue's heart like a little flame in a snowstorm.

"Hey, Long Zhao Feng. Did you take some of my tribespeople back to Hong Kingdom as war prisoners?"

Her voice trembles, accompanied by a pair of hopeful eyes. Long Zhao Feng sneered.

"Only your Tribe Chief, to dig out any information he might have about my brother's death. He did not spill a single word until he died."

The little hope Xiao Yue had was immediately gone, extinguished brutally by Long Zhao Feng's answer. She and the shaman were the only two people left from Xi'an tribe. No, incorrect. The shaman was the only person left. After all, Xiao Yue had died. It was exactly because of that, that she even more so had to protect the shaman. That was the last thing she could do. For the last living kin of her tribe.

Long Zhao Feng thus left to console the Second Madam. He was gone for the whole day, and then he came back to Xiao Yue's manor after dinner time.

"... Why are you here again?"

"Why not?"

The man took off his cloak and outer robe, yawned, stretched himself, and plopped down Xiao Yue's bed. When Xiao Yue went to Yu Fen for an extra blanket and pillow, the maid ruthlessly told her that all extra blankets and pillows had been distributed to the maids and it would take a while to get new ones. Xiao Yue could either sleep on the bed with her husband or sleep on the carpeted ground. Naturally, she picked the first one.

For one whole week, Long Zhao Feng came to spend the night in her manor. Every night, Xiao Yue had to sleep in his arms because she could not stop staring at the man and the man could not sleep while being stared at. Every morning, Xiao Yue who lacked sleep had to undergo a round of questioning before Long Zhao Feng again had to tend to the Second Madam and visit the baby.

When Long Zhao Feng had to resume his duty back at the palace, Xiao Yue was the happiest person to hear the news. At least for a little while.