Chapter 230 Linan Wang’s Mansion
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A group of people arrived at Linan Wang’s Mansion in grandeur. Yuwen You had received the news early and greeted them with two mansion Chanshi and a steward. After exchanging pleasantries with Qi Wangfei and Dai Wangfei, it was Mingzhu’s turn. It seemed that everyone quieted down, and Mingzhu remained silent, indifferent whether he greeted her or not.
Yuwen You had said before that the next time they met, they would be enemies. After her joyous occasion with Yuwen Chu, she had encountered him in front of the Great Empress Dowager’s palace before, and Yuwen You harbored deep hatred for her, and she showed no mercy. Now, two people who disliked each other met, it was unlikely that they would have good expressions or moods. Why bother looking at Yuwen You’s ugly face?
Yuwen You stared at Mingzhu expressionlessly. Wasn’t she poisoned? How come she’s not dead yet? She even looked more radiant than when she was newly married, having shed some of her girlish awkwardness, faintly revealing the charming allure of a young woman… Thinking of this, he felt a sudden pain in his heart, so painful it went to the bone. He sneered bitterly, indeed a calamity that survived for a thousand years. Why hasn’t she died yet? With skin this thick, how does she still have the nerve to come here? Is she here to watch him make a fool of himself? He won’t let her see, marrying the Wusun Princess is also his skill!
Yuwen You grinned, revealing a smile as sharp as a knife, his voice coming out with a chill, “Greetings, Sixth Sister-in-law. I heard that you were ill some time ago, not recuperating at home, but coming out to work, how can I bear that? Go back, don’t get sick again, Sixth Brother won’t forgive me.”
His intention was to show that Mingzhu was idle and should leave early, not to poke him in the eye here. Mingzhu understood, it’s fine if he didn’t do this, but since he dared to let her lose face in front of so many people, then she wouldn’t be polite.
Mingzhu raised her eyelids and smiled arrogantly at Yuwen You, “There’s a saying, a sister-in-law is like a Mother, Ninth Brother doesn’t have a Mother, and the Great Empress Dowager is old, so it should be us sisters-in-law who worry for you. I’m sixth sister-in-law, so naturally I have to worry for Ninth Brother. Otherwise, if it offends the Wusun Princess and causes unhappiness between the two countries, it’s not just regrettable for Ninth Brother, I’m afraid you’ll be too weak to get out of bed and won’t even dare to cry injustice. In that case, wouldn’t it be too miserable and pitiful? It’s better for us to take care of things for you first, so you won’t cry for justice.”
Cry for justice!!! Being too weak to get out of bed and not even daring to cry for injustice!!! Too miserable and pitiful!!! One shouldn’t act like this, hurting others when their feet hurt, slapping others when their face hurts!!! Even if everyone knows that he married the Wusun Princess, which naturally makes him even more distant from the court, even if everyone knows that he married the Wusun Princess with ulterior motives, even if everyone knows that it’s because he has no future that he had to marry the Wusun Princess, Mingzhu shouldn’t strip off this layer of skin in front of him.
Yuwen You was so angry that he trembled, raised his hand to point at Mingzhu, wanting to say a few harsh words but held it back, his face turning purple and blue. Mingzhu, however, refused to let him off, laughing brazenly and boldly, “Look, our Ninth Brother has such thin skin, I joke with him a bit, and he can’t stand it. He took it seriously! Who doesn’t know that the Wusun Princess is gentle and kind? Ninth Brother, don’t be scared by me, hurry up and don’t anger the princess, or she won’t spare me!”
Everyone knows that it’s not like that. The past between the two of them is clear to everyone; they’re practically like mortal enemies. Not only did they exchange punches before, but also knives and stones, shedding so much blood. Today, it’s already rare for them to exchange words without resorting to violence. Qi Wangfei led the team out to handle affairs, not wanting a good matter to escalate into a bloody incident.
As for Mingzhu, if anything were to happen under her watch, neither the Great Empress Dowager nor the Fu family would spare her. Passing through Yuwen Chu’s hands wouldn’t be easy either. Speaking of which, Qi Wang’s Mansion still owes Yuwen Chu a good sum of money. As for Yuwen You, although not as crucial, if something were to happen now and he couldn’t marry the Wusun Princess, that would also be troublesome. Qi Wangfei immediately stepped forward to smooth things over, “Just kidding, Old Nine, don’t take it seriously. Your Sixth Sister-in-law is just teasing you. Shenniang can guarantee that the Wusun Princess is gentle, lovely, generous, and understanding. Marrying her will only bring you happiness.”
Dai Wangfei also chimed in, “It’s getting late, let’s hurry and handle the matters. Both Empress Dowagers are waiting for us to report back.”
One shouldn’t ruin grand schemes for small matters. Yuwen You gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger, stepping aside to make way, silently gesturing for the others to proceed.
Mingzhu followed the group into Linan Wang’s Mansion, feeling a sense of nostalgia at the familiar surroundings. She was intimately familiar with this place; almost every inch of it could evoke memories. She had once worked so hard to live peacefully with him, meticulously arranging the modest Linan Wang’s Mansion into a beautiful place filled with birdsong and fragrance. Unfortunately, all of it turned into a nightmare later on.
“The bridal chamber is set up over here. Please follow me, Wangfeis.” Ruan Qingshang, the Changshi of Linan Wang’s Mansion, saw Yuwen You standing aside with a dark face, knowing that all his good mood had been ruined since he laid eyes on Mingzhu. He tactfully said, “There are still male guests waiting ahead…”
Qi Wangfei understood the implication and was keen to separate Yuwen You and Mingzhu to prevent them from getting into another altercation. She smiled, “In that case, Old Nine, you should go ahead to greet the guests. We have Ruan Changshi accompanying us, so we will let him know if there’s anything we need.”
Yuwen You forced a smile, stiffly bowed, and walked away. Once he left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Qi Wangfei glanced at Mingzhu with a hesitant expression. Mingzhu knew that Qi Wangfei, who favored Jiang Shanshan, would think she was too harsh and aggressive, but she had no intention of seeking her approval. Instead, she pretended not to understand and smiled brightly at Qi Wangfei.
Qi Wangfei couldn’t find any words and could only sigh.
History always bears astonishing similarities. The newlyweds’ bridal chamber, intended for welcoming the Wusun County Princess, was the very place where Mingzhu once lived and perished. As each door of the courtyard and room swung open one by one, faintly revealing the freshly adorned interior, Mingzhu stood at the courtyard gate, her steps suddenly faltering amidst the dense shadows of trees, flowers, and the door. It was as if she had glimpsed again the scene of that fateful night when she laid wretchedly on the ground, refusing to close her eyes.
She had thought she would feel pained and unable to bear it, but that place was nothing more than slightly peculiar. It felt like a stray hair inadvertently caught in clothing, rubbing against the skin, causing discomfort that could only be relieved by removing it. She lowered her head, adjusted her dress, and confidently stepped over the threshold. It wasn’t such a big deal after all. She had already experienced the worst outcome once before, so there was nothing to fear.
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