Chapter 1721 - 1716: Wedding Banquet in Progress

Qin Xianglan carried the 500 taels silver note given by Mrs. Jin and returned to Mu Danian’s room, which was almost midnight.

Mu Danian hadn’t slept yet. Whether it was because he was especially nervous about escaping tomorrow, or for some other reason, was unknown.

Combined with Qin Xianglan still not having returned, Mu Danian became even more worried.

Finally, when Qin Xianglan returned, Mu Danian shot up from his seat.

"Xianglan, you’re finally back. Where did you go?" Mu Danian asked.

"Brother Danyan, I just saw Mrs. Jin. She was alone in the courtyard!" Qin Xianglan said.

"Mrs. Jin? My sister-in-law? Did she say anything?" Mu Danian looked tense.

After all, having done something guilty, you feel scared without even a ghost knocking at your door.

"She didn’t say much, just chatted with me for a long time.

Said she was very tired and exhausted these days!"

Qin Xianglan naturally wouldn’t be foolish enough to say that Mrs. Jin was suspicious or anything like that. Mu Danian had to stay and endure the suffering, and then there was the money in his pocket...

"Xianglan, don’t get mad when I say this, but from now on when you see my sister-in-law, avoid her if you can! My sister-in-law is no easy person to deal with, to put it vulgarly, she’s no good! Back then, it was she who sold Xiaochu of the fourth household!

No matter how down and out I am, I would never harm my own nephew, but she is something else! Xiaochu was only four or five, so small, and he has never been found!"

Speaking of Xiaochu, Mu Danian’s face showed a rare look of regret.

In his heart, he considered himself as having done petty-thieving.

But he never thought about selling children.

Especially family, back then the idea to sell Mu Shuangshuang came from Mrs. Jin, who promised a lot to everyone.

That’s why everyone decided to sell Mu Shuangshuang in the end.

Even though it was sold, it wasn’t really, because she was still in the same village.

They would see each other often.

But what did his sister-in-law do?

Sold her, and even to an unknown place.

His fourth brother probably won’t ever see his son again in this lifetime.

Mu Danian mentioned Xiaochu being sold by Mrs. Jin, which made Qin Xianglan’s heart, previously closed, feel a tiny bit of compassion.

She remembered how pitiful Mu Xiaxia looked when asking her to find her brother.

Then she thought of her own son.

Not yet born, and already destined to be fatherless!

She definitely wouldn’t let the child acknowledge Mu Dade as the father.

After all, that man could barely fend for himself.

After tonight, Mu Dade and Mu Danian probably wouldn’t have a good outcome?

Should she remind Mu Danian?

Qin Xianglan hesitated in her heart, and Mu Danian suddenly said, "Xianglan, it’s late, let’s sleep, we have a big plan for tomorrow!"

Ultimately, Qin Xianglan didn’t remind Mu Danian.

After all, more people meant more mouths to feed.

In the short term, she couldn’t do any work.

Once the child was born, she had to do the confinement month and take care of the child.

For at least two years, she wouldn’t be able to do any work.

She wouldn’t spend money extravagantly without working, but she couldn’t guarantee what Mu Danian, lazy as he was, would do!

"Ah, good!"

Qin Xianglan lay down on the bed, and right after, Mu Danian blew out the candle.

That night, Qin Xianglan didn’t close her eyes; she kept them open, with one hand always pressing down on the pocket with the silver note.

That was her hope; whether she could leave depended on that money.

Mu Danian seemed nervous too; Qin Xianglan heard his breathing was erratic, guessing he was also thinking about escaping tomorrow!

...

...

The next day, March 28, the day Mu Dandan was getting married.

The Old Mu Family in the county was bustling from early morning.

Gongs and drums were played, trumpets and suonas blared—

The whole street knew that Mu Dade, the County Chief Clerk, was marrying off his daughter.

She was marrying the son of the county government’s steward.

These two families were a strong union, having real talent and eloquence, both the County Magistrate’s right-hand aides.

The people on the whole street prepared gifts and wedding money, all heading to the Old Mu Family in the county.

After breakfast, waves of guests came to offer their congratulations.

Mu Danian, Mu Dazhong, and Mrs. Lin voluntarily took on the task of welcoming guests.

So they could conveniently escape in the chaos.

Each of the three had not a small amount of silver notes hidden in their pockets.

Mu Dazhong’s belly looked rounded; he stuffed all the broken silver he hadn’t exchanged for notes into his clothes’ pockets, which made them bulge.

He was carefree, not even slightly worried about being discovered.

Mrs. Lin was also acting brazenly, making everyone uncomfortable.

But Mu Danian was more experienced; he looked very low-key, with a friendly smile for every guest.

Thus, his presence was significantly lessened.

"Gou Dan’s mother, what about Gou Dan?" Mu Dazhong found a moment to ask Mrs. Lin.

"He’s a kid, not noteworthy! I told him when I came out to leave through the back door!" Mrs. Lin said.

"Then what about us? Should we leave now?" Mu Dazhong asked.

"How about we wait a bit longer? Look, Fifth over there hasn’t moved yet?" Mrs. Lin glanced at Mu Danian and said to Mu Dazhong.

"You’re right!"

The three kept watching each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

In reality, they were being watched by a group of seemingly inconspicuous people on the street.

If they dared to step out of the county gate, those people would jump out and take them away.

Qin Xianglan arrived late, looking just as inconspicuous as Mu Danian.

When she arrived, she said to Mu Danian, "Danyan, I want some candied haws from the street!"

Mu Danian was just about to refuse, then realized there weren’t any candied haws on the whole street.

That meant he had a reason to leave the street.

"Alright, I’ll take you to buy some!" Mu Danian said cheerfully.

He turned to Mu Dazhong and said, "Second brother, you all keep looking after the guests; I’ll take Xianglan to buy some candied haws!"

As soon as Mu Danian finished his sentence, Mu Dazhong and Mrs. Lin got anxious.

This wasn’t about buying candied haws; it was clearly an escape plan.

Mu Dazhong and Mrs. Lin exchanged glances and said, "Fifth, we know which family has the best candied haws; let us take you!"

"Yes, let us take you!" Mu Dazhong said anxiously.

The four of them headed in the direction of another street.

As for those men who had been keeping an eye on the three, they naturally followed along.

Their task was to prevent Mu Dazhong, Mu Danian, and Mrs. Lin from leaving the city. As for Qin Xianglan, they didn’t care.

After stepping out of that street, Mu Dazhong and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Only Qin Xianglan knew that a group of people was following them from behind.

She could leave, but the three with her couldn’t!

However, she still had to figure out a way to get the money from Mu Danian!