Chapter 394 - 393: Blood Ties

Chapter 394: Chapter 393: Blood Ties

The Madam of the mansion passed away, and although she was merely a daughter returning to her family, the customs weren’t particularly strict, yet the necessary preparations and arrangements were still not to be overlooked.

Nanny Shan called in a brave servant woman to come and dress and groom Mu Yuanjing.

Looking at Mu Yuanjing’s final appearance, Nanny Shan couldn’t help but think, if people really have souls, if the dead really have awareness, what would Mu Yuanjing be doing right now?

Maybe, Mu Yuanjing was standing in this room, laughing heartily at the Lian Family’s anger that could not be expressed.

A mourning hall was set up in Manhe Garden, draped with white silk.

When Mrs. Zhou and Mrs. Lian returned to Baijie Hall, Madam Wu had just woken up.

The elderly lady lay on the bed, spirit listless, eyes red. Seeing Mrs. Zhou return, she inquired with her eyes.

Mrs. Zhou stepped forward to report, "Nanny Shan dressed Yuanjing, Madam. Please take care of your health."

Madam Wu opened her mouth as if to speak, but it resulted only in a bout of coughing.

After taking quite a while to catch her breath, Madam Wu said, "Bring Ah Dan to see me."

Nanny Shan arrived quickly, tears streaming down her face, "Madam, it’s my fault for not serving the Madam well."

Madam Wu waved her hand and said, "You all leave, Ah Dan can stay with me. With the household dealing with a funeral, refrain from going out much during this New Year."

The others agreed.

When the Lian Family returned to Fengyu Courtyard, she could no longer hold her expression and scoffed, "Refrain from going out? With such bad luck, where else can we go?"

When there is a funeral at home, one is not to visit other mansions before the seventh day.

By the time forty-nine days have passed, let alone New Year’s Eve, even the New Year would have ended.

Mu Yuanmou sat at the table with a tense face and said in a deep voice, "Everything was fine, why did Yuanjing suddenly just..."

"Today, Madam Wu and the fourth sister-in-law went to Manhe Garden; who knows what they talked about," Mrs. Lian replied.

Mu Yuanmou’s eyes were filled with gloom.

Mu Yuanjing couldn’t speak now, and neither Madam Wu nor Nanny Shan could be questioned. Mrs. Lu, who seemed gentle and slow, was actually sharp-witted; rashly trying to get information from her would only make her more vigilant.

Especially since none of them knew whether Mu Yuanjing had said anything reckless.

"Lian Cheng and Hui’er are both going to be delayed," Mrs. Lian said, massaging her chest.

Mu Yuanmou poured a cup of hot tea and after a while, said, "It has come to this, what else can be done? Hui’er doesn’t mind waiting a few months, and as for Lian Cheng, just pretend his wife hasn’t conceived yet."

Mrs. Lian wanted to say something but caught sight of Mu Lianhui in the yard from the corner of her eye.

Mu Lianhui was wrapped in a blue snow jacket.

Mrs. Lian’s head buzzed in pain, "She really is something, usually dresses like a nun, the plainest she could be, and today wears a blue one, trying to catch everyone’s eye!"

Nanny Zhu, standing under the veranda, noticed and approached Mu Lianhui, "Lady, the Madam has passed. I fear your attire is inappropriate?"

A flash of doubt crossed Mu Lianhui’s eyes, and after a moment she clicked her tongue and said, "She really picked her day."

Finished speaking, ignoring Nanny Zhu’s reaction, Mu Lianhui turned and went back to the East Cross Courtyard.

Seeing this, Mrs. Lian had no way to vent her anger building up in her chest, unable to release it, turning to see Mu Yuanmou drinking tea leisurely, she couldn’t hold it in and said, "Lord, aren’t you worried at all?"

"Getting worried would bring Yuanjing back to life?" Mu Yuanmou glanced at Mrs. Lian.

"But Lian Cheng..." Mrs. Lian frowned and said.

Mu Yuanmou laughed, his eyes gloomy and dark, "After all these years waiting, what’s another year more?"

Mrs. Lian had no words left to say and turned to the inner chamber.

In Baijie Hall, Madam Wu was sipping herbal medicine with the help of Nanny Shan.

After rinsing her mouth, as Nanny Shan was about to fetch honey to mask the bitter taste, Madam Wu stopped her, "It’s not that bitter."

Nanny Shan sighed inwardly, thinking how could this medicine not be bitter, it was Madam Wu’s heart that was too heavy with bitterness to taste anything else.

"Ah Dan," Madam Wu’s voice was low, as if coming from deep within her chest, "After I left, did Yuanjing say anything?"

Nanny Shan sat down on a stool and said, "The Madam only said she was tired, nothing more."

"Has Yuanjing always said such things this past year or so?"

Nanny Shan pressed her lips together and respectfully answered, "Yes, every day the Madam would say such things, she was always suspicious of the other ladies..."

Madam Wu smiled bitterly, "And you, Ah Dan, what do you think?"

This question put Nanny Shan in a difficult position.

As a servant, though trusted greatly by Madam Wu, saying certain things was still risky, especially concerning this matter.

The difficulty faced by Nanny Shan was the same as that faced by Madam Wu.

On one side was a daughter who behaved unpredictably and was dissatisfied with everyone, on the other was an honest, upstanding, and the only surviving son.

Not daring to trust, unable to trust, with no reason to trust, yet a large part of their hearts felt hollow, seemingly dug out by Mu Yuanjing.

"Madam," Nanny Shan cautiously said, "it has come to this, let’s wait for good news from Lindong. If the Heir’s Wife can bear a son, and the second young lady only has one daughter, when the Princely Heir succeeds in a couple of years, everything will be settled."

Madam Wu closed her eyes, not responding.

The Dingyuan Marquis Mansion was engaged in mourning, the news of Mu Yuanjing’s death had to be sent to the Liu Family in Shu and Lindong.

Such urgent news must be delivered swiftly, and Xuancheng received the message even before New Year’s Eve.

Du Yunluo looked at Mrs. Zhou’s letter, stunned and unable to recover for a while.

She initially thought that Mu Yuanjing would live until next summer, that she would have the chance until Madam Wu acted personally, but who would have thought, Mu Yuanjing took her own life by swallowing gold.

Mrs. Zhou mentioned in the letter that Mu Yuanjing had spoken about Mu Liankang before her death, about the interests of the legitimate and second branches, intending to incite intrigue within the mansion.

Du Yunluo could somewhat guess what Mu Yuanjing might have said, and was even somewhat grateful for Mu Yuanjing’s unfounded allegations.

As a daughter-in-law and the heir’s legitimate wife expected to manage the household, without evidence, she could not speak.

However, Mu Yuanjing was different, she didn’t care about her reputation or the outcome, only the satisfaction of speaking her mind.

Mu Yuanjing saying it would cause Madam Wu to hesitate, because Mu belonged to the Wu family, she was Madam Wu’s own flesh and blood.

That’s the power of blood relations; for Du Yunluo, just by presenting Doctor Xing, she could have Mrs. Xia, Mrs. Zhen, and the entire Du Family support her solely for her surname Du.

Regarding this matter, in both past and present lives, Du Yunluo would not blame Madam Wu or Mrs. Zhou.

They did nothing wrong.

If it weren’t for memories of a past life, even Du Yunluo wouldn’t know how many underhanded tricks the second branch pulled behind the scenes, how could she expect Madam Wu, Mrs. Zhou, Mrs. Xu, Mrs. Lu, and everyone else in the family to see through the second branch thoroughly?

This was not due to negligence or foolishness, but a trust in the family and relatives.

Only someone like Mu Yuanjing who disregarded familial norms could judge others by herself.

And Madam Wu, open and principled, righteous and resolute, not understanding the hearts of petty people, was that truly a fault?