SBCEJM -Chapter 338 General, The Wife You Slept With For Three Years Is Actually Your Mother-In-Law!

The system, as always, eagerly stepped in to provide live commentary.

【Host, we have to give credit where it’s due—Deputy General Zhao is truly a master of psychological manipulation.】

【On the night of the wedding, General Cheng Ying was completely drunk. Zhao Wu helped him into the bridal chamber, where he collapsed straight onto the bed and immediately fell into thunderous snoring.】

【The bride, Qin Huan, listening to that earth-shaking snoring, abruptly lifted her red veil.】

【And the moment she saw Cheng Ying—burly, bearded, drooling in his sleep—completely unlike the white-armored, silver-spear young general she had imagined—her fantasy shattered on the spot…】

The officials in the room immediately developed strange expressions, many of them casting sympathetic glances at Cheng Ying.

Cheng Ying’s face flushed from his neck all the way to the top of his head.

【At the moment Qin Huan was in despair, Zhao Wu—who was supposed to have left—returned.】

【He brought sobering soup into the room, and upon seeing the beautiful bride, immediately harbored improper thoughts.】

【His first move: sowing doubt.】

【With a sorrowful expression, he said to Qin Huan: ‘Madam… there’s something you should know. The general… sigh, he already has a family back at the border. He even has children old enough to run errands. You… I fear you’ll suffer in the future.’】

This heavy blow turned Qin Huan’s face deathly pale.

The officials in the wooden house collectively inhaled sharply.

Cheng Ying trembled with rage.

What nonsense! He did NOT!

【Tsk tsk, that’s a killer opening move. A psychological ambush right from the start.】

【Second move: attacking personal hygiene.】

【Zhao Wu sighed again and casually added: ‘Also… the general has been on campaign for years and developed a habit… of not bathing for months at a time. He says it preserves the killing aura of the battlefield.’】

Several fastidious officials subtly moved aside, as if they could already smell an imaginary stench.

Cheng Ying’s face darkened completely.

Nonsense! He bathed regularly!

【Ah, slander takes one sentence, clearing your name takes a lifetime.】

【Final fatal blow.】

【Zhao Wu leaned close to Qin Huan’s ear and whispered: ‘Most importantly… the general was injured in battle years ago, so… that thing… is a bit small. You might suffer in the future… sigh.’】

The wooden house fell into dead silence.

A psychological assassination.

Everyone felt that General Cheng Ying had never been so socially destroyed in his life.

A battlefield veteran who had slain countless enemies was now, in just a few sentences, turned into a promiscuous, unclean man with “hidden issues.”

【Hahahaha! I can’t—Zhao Wu is a genius! He’s completely crushing the general’s dignity!】

Cui Zekai’s brush trembled violently before he finally forced himself to write:

“Zhao Wu destroyed the general’s reputation in three remarks. First, private affairs; second, unclean habits; third… unspeakable. A silent killing, truly heart-shaking.”

Cheng Ying no longer cared about anyone’s gaze.

His world was spinning.

【Wait! There’s a fatal plot hole!】

Cui Zexuan’s thoughts suddenly shifted.

【If the legitimate bride ran away with another man, then who exactly was Cheng Ying living with for these three years? Who is the woman in his household?!】

Yes—this question gripped everyone’s hearts like an invisible hand.

The system paused, as if gathering momentum for the final twist.

Then, in an almost chillingly calm tone, it revealed the truth.

【It’s Qin Huan’s mother.】

“Bang!”

Cups shattered, tea spilled across the fur rug.

Officials froze in place, eyes wide, jaws slack.

Their worldview exploded.

Cheng Ying stood completely shattered.

He… married… his mother-in-law?!

Time seemed to slow.

【What the… my CPU is overheating…】

【How does Zhao Wu’s brain even work? He ran off with the daughter, then replaced her with the mother?!】

The system began explaining the absurd scheme.

【Back then, Zhao Wu convinced Qin Huan to elope.】

【But Qin Huan couldn’t bear to leave her oppressed mother behind, crying that she must come too.】

【So Zhao Wu stole the mother-in-law away as well.】

【And when he saw her, he froze.】

【Although in her forties, she was well-preserved, elegant, and bore a strong resemblance to her daughter.】

【At that moment, Zhao Wu had a brilliant idea.】

【He told Qin Huan: ‘If your mother comes with us, she’ll be a fugitive. Why not let her replace you and marry into the general’s household instead?’】

The officials looked utterly bewildered.

【Qin Huan was shocked: ‘How can that be? My mother is so much older…’】

【Zhao Wu immediately retorted: ‘Older? She looks more like a proper matriarch than you do! You’re too delicate to handle a general’s household. But your mother is different—experienced, capable, she’ll live comfortably! The general is drunk anyway—we swap her in before dawn, who would know?’】

【And he even added: ‘This is good for your mother too—she gets security for the rest of her life instead of running away with us!’】

【Perfect logic loop achieved!】

Not only did he get the girl, he also solved the mother’s “retirement and placement problem.”

What kind of mastermind was this?!

Strangely enough, hearing this explanation… the officials found it hard to refute.

From the outcome alone: Qin Huan gained freedom and love, her mother gained wealth and status, Zhao Wu got the beauty.

Only Cheng Ying suffered.

And somehow… people even looked at Cheng Ying with a faint, complicated hint of envy.

After all, the mother-in-law… was reportedly quite charming—more mature and alluring than the daughter.

Cheng Ying… might not even have lost?

【System, what happened after that? Did he never realize?】

【The next morning, Cheng Ying woke with a splitting headache. Seeing the veiled woman beside him, he felt deep guilt.】

【He lifted the veil—and saw a strikingly beautiful, mature woman, far more charming than the rumored gentle noble daughter.】

【He assumed he had struck gold.】

【Meanwhile, Zhao Wu resigned the same morning under the excuse of his mother’s illness.】

【Cheng Ying, grateful for his service, approved it and even rewarded him generously.】

【So Zhao Wu left with Qin Huan and the money, becoming the ultimate winner.】

【Later, Qin Huan developed a sudden interest in treehouses… and that’s how they ended up in the forest.】

After hearing the entire story, Cui Zexuan let out a long breath.

What a rollercoaster of a scandal—twists upon twists.

He wiped his mouth in satisfaction and glanced around the room.

Finally, his gaze locked onto a figure in the corner—completely petrified, as if smoke was coming out of his head.

【If General Cheng finds out the truth, he’ll probably collapse harder than on a battlefield surrounded by 100,000 troops.】

【This gossip is just too delicious—sweet, crunchy, and with a brutal aftertaste.】