The most dissolute couple in the capital

In the flower hall of the inner courtyard of the He residence, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense. Madam He was comfortably reclining on a soft couch, in a pleasant mood.

Back then, she and her husband started from humble beginnings, working their way up through thick and thin. Now, Lord He has risen to the position of Prefect of the Capital, enjoying the Emperor's deep trust, and his future is undoubtedly bright. As Lord He grows older, those concubines and mistresses who used to swagger around because of his favor now all keep their tails between their legs, living their lives by watching her every whim.

Her eldest son was even more promising, progressing smoothly from the imperial examinations to entering officialdom, requiring absolutely no effort from her. Her younger son…

The youngest son hasn't caused any trouble lately, so life has been unusually peaceful.

But people just can't stand being nagged.

"Madam, there's news outside..." Madam He's nanny came to report.

Mrs. He sighed. Whenever a story started with "there's news outside," none of the subsequent content was ever comforting.

"explain."

The old woman carefully considered her words: "It's said outside that the second young master is kind-hearted and rescued a girl a few days ago, even settling her down and making her his confidante."

Mrs. He took a deep breath: "A confidante?"

The old woman didn't dare to raise her head: "Everyone says that Young Master He is generous and chivalrous, and that the girl is very beautiful. She is grateful to Young Master He and serves him diligently every day."

Mrs. He closed her eyes in pain, feeling a throbbing sensation in her temples.

She knew her own son best. He Li was indeed filial, and had a gentle and unpretentious personality, but his heart was ridiculously soft. When he was seven, he gave all the gold melon seeds she had given him for the New Year to a beggar on the street; when he was twelve, he exchanged half a year's worth of monthly allowance for charcoal and took it to the city gate to give to the refugees.

In order to cure his habit of "treating money like dirt" and after repeated attempts to correct his behavior failed, Madam He had no choice but to ruthlessly reduce his monthly allowance and implement an economic blockade.

She thought that this silly boy only liked to do good deeds outside, and he was neither addicted to gambling nor frequented brothels. As long as he didn't squander the family fortune, she would turn a blind eye and let him be.

But no matter how much they planned, they never expected that this silly boy would actually keep a mistress outside.

The old woman whispered, "Perhaps it's just a rumor..."

Madam He suddenly stood up: "Go! Bring that unfilial son back to me!"

As soon as He Li stepped into the inner courtyard, he sensed that something was amiss.

The maids in the corridor all lowered their heads and dared not speak.

Just as he was wondering what was going on, he heard his mother's strong voice coming from the flower hall.

"He Li! Get your ass in here!"

He Li instinctively wanted to slip away, but before he could even take a step, two burly old women appeared behind him and pushed him into the flower hall like ducks.

"Mother, Mother, please calm down. Let's talk this out..."

"Speak properly?" Madam He sat at the head of the table, a ruler beside her. "Tell me first, what's the deal with your confidante?"

He Li paused for a moment, then smiled with a sigh of relief: "Oh, you mean Miss Su! That's... "

"You're still laughing!" Madam He slammed the ruler she was holding onto the table. "The whole of Chang'an is buzzing that your second son, He, is keeping a mistress outside, and you still have the nerve to laugh!"

"Hidden beauty in a golden house..." He Li's expression changed from bewilderment to grievance. "Mother! Who told you that! It was purely to save people, okay! Miss Su's family was being bullied by her second uncle, and her mother was seriously ill and bedridden. I just helped out, there was no such thing as hiding a beauty in a golden house!"

Madam He sneered, "Helped you? How much silver did you give?"

He Li looked somewhat aggrieved: "I...I didn't give any money."

"No money? You think I believe that? How could such rumors spread without any money being given?" Madam He scolded as she hit him, "Your elder brother toils day and night in the yamen, your father trembles with fear in the court, and you, on the other hand, are out there giving me a handout and bringing home extramarital affairs! Where will the He family's face be then?"

He Li covered his head and ran away like a madman. When he couldn't escape, he skillfully covered his head with his hands and squatted on the ground, wailing and crying out his innocence: "Mother! Have mercy! I was really just helping! I swear! I did lend some small change at first, but after Miss Su took back her family's property, she returned all the money! Not a single penny was shortchanged from our family!"

Madam He was panting heavily. The ruler she had raised high froze in mid-air. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to bring it down.

Seeing that Madam He had stopped, He Li hurriedly recounted the whole story.

Upon learning that the other party was a respectable woman from an official family, and that the two were no longer entangled in financial matters, and with Prince Liang also intervening, Madam He finally felt relieved.

Looking down at her youngest son, who was gazing at her pitifully, Madam He couldn't help but soften her heart again: "Let me see if he's hurt."

Seeing his mother's tone soften, He Li quickly leaned closer, "No, no, look at me, your son is tough, how could he be so easily broken?"

Mrs. He looked him up and down to make sure he wasn't hurt anywhere before she felt relieved.

She then put on a stern face and poked his forehead in an annoyed tone: "You little devil, can't you give your mother a break?"

He Li pouted, obediently knelt down again, and hung his head: "Mother, your son knows he was wrong."

Looking at his humble admission of wrongdoing and resolute refusal to change, Madam He sighed deeply.

She had tried beatings and scoldings, but the worry in her heart for her foolish son's future wouldn't go away. How would this simple-minded boy ever survive in Chang'an, a place that devours people without a trace?