Chapter 515 - 514: Resentment

Chapter 515: Chapter 514: Resentment

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room was silent and strange.

"Hui’er, Hui’er!"

Lian Hui’s voice came from outside.

Mu Lianhui’s face turned even more unsightly. She stared hard at the beaded curtain. Soon, the curtain was lifted, and Nanny Zhu and Zhu Shan helped Lian Hui in, one on each side.

Lian Hui, feeling unwell, was short of breath after the walk. Without pausing to catch her breath, she stepped forward and took Mu Lianhui’s hand.

"My child! What on earth happened? How could your husband die with a mistress?" As Lian Hui spoke, her eyes reddened, and she was about to cry.

"You ask me?" Mu Lianhui sneered, clenching her teeth, "I want to ask Second Brother!"

Lian Hui was puzzled and asked, "What does this have to do with Lian Cheng? Hui’er, did you hear some gossip?"

Lian Hui guessed at random.

She didn’t think Mu Liancheng had anything to do with Jin Shang’s death.

Since Mu Lianhui married into the Pingyang Marquis Mansion, she only returned to her natal home during the New Year, festivals, and when Mu Lianyu passed away. She rarely visited otherwise.

Whether a married daughter visits her natal home depends on her status, and with Mu Lianhui’s status, there was no reason for the Pingyang Marquis Mansion to prevent her.

Because Mu Lianhui was indifferent, Mu Liancheng and Jin Shang also seldom communicated.

Moreover, Jin Shang died with a mistress in the courtyard. No matter how you think about it, it seems unrelated to Mu Liancheng.

This was what Lian Hui thought, but Jiang Yunuan, who was listening on the side, had other thoughts.

She clearly remembered that on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Mu Liancheng had a wound on his face, and it was Jin Shang who had hit him.

At the time, Mu Liancheng said that Jin Shang lost his temper, and after hitting him, realized he was wrong. After that, the matter was settled, and the concealer for Mu Liancheng’s wound was even found by Jin Shang.

The matter was resolved then, and there seemed to be no reason to stir it up again, especially since it had been a month.

Du Yunluo was also pondering this issue.

Jin Shang did hit Mu Liancheng, but Yun Qi didn’t find out why.

However, if they said Mu Liancheng wanted Jin Shang dead just because of that punch, Du Yunluo wouldn’t believe it.

Mu Liancheng is someone who sees the bigger picture and wouldn’t let himself get tripped up by such small matters.

If he really was impatient and wanted revenge after being hit, even to the point of taking a life, in a past life, Mu Liancheng wouldn’t have let the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion flourish for decades.

But Jin Shang was indeed dead, and Mu Lianhui was making a fuss about looking for Mu Liancheng, so perhaps there was some connection.

Mu Lianhui stared at Lian Hui for a long time and said, "That’s right, he is your son. Of course, you’ll protect him. I’m just married out and abandoned, with no place to cry..."

"Hui’er!" Lian Hui raised her voice, interrupting Mu Lianhui, "What nonsense are you saying? When have I ever only cared about Lian Cheng and not you? When have I ever abandoned you? How can you say such things about me? I’m your mother, how could I not care about you?"

Lian Hui spoke tearfully, her shoulders shaking, tears streaming down.

Ever since Mu Lianhui returned from Putuo Mountain, Lian Hui felt her daughter had grown distant.

No matter how distant, Mu Lianhui’s harsh words angered Lian Hui, but to her, there was no overnight grudge between mother and daughter, and she still cared deeply for her daughter.

But the words Mu Lianhui said this time truly hurt Lian Hui.

Lian Hui wished she could open her chest and show her daughter her warm heart, proving she didn’t favor her son at the expense of her daughter.

"Hui’er, how can you say such things..." Lian Hui’s voice trembled as she held Mu Lianhui, "Am I really that kind of person in your eyes?"

Mu Lianhui clenched her fists, lowered her head in defeat, and mumbled a sentence.

Her voice was very soft.

No one heard except herself—even Lian Hui, who was holding her, didn’t hear.

Mu Lianhui said, "When you can’t manage, you simply don’t."

Her eyes were dry, just filled with weariness.

She referred to her past life when in the Imperial Mausoleum for decades; Lian Hui left her unattended, focusing only on Mu Liancheng and the Marquis Mansion.

No one cared for her, not even the Bodhisattva.

No matter how much she chanted day and night, it did nothing to ease her days or cheer her heart.

Mu Lianhui once hated, though she understood well that her mother then could do nothing more.

Just as she was confined in the palace, separated from her son without meeting for decades, Mu Lianhui couldn’t help but yearn and care for him.

She longed to hold her son, no matter the hardship, to protect and care for him, after enduring hardships to bring him into this world.

It’s simply that Lian Hui "couldn’t manage."

Mu Lianhui understood every bit of reasoning: she understood the emperor, gains and losses, adapting to times—hence her sorrow.

She bore no hatred towards Lian Hui, only reproach.

Mu Lianhui understood that in her matters, her past self faced circumstances without choice, just like herself with her son, yet could not repress resentment.

If even such grievances are abandoned, what of decades of past-life torment?

If everything is let go, forgotten, what of the son in a past life?

Awakening in this life, Mu Lianhui could rewrite everything indeed, except that lovely child from her past life whom she would never meet again.

She wouldn’t marry Li Luan, wouldn’t be forced to the Imperial Mausoleum, so their son in that past life wouldn’t be born.

If marrying someone else, any future children, even being hers, wouldn’t be that child.

Mu Lianhui couldn’t just let go, disregard, or forget everything...

She bore resentment towards Lian Hui and herself.

Du Yunluo glanced over Mu Lianhui’s stubborn yet sorrowful face, recalling unbidden words from Cining Palace; standing within the grand hall, Mu Lianhui neither knelt nor worshipped but looked up at the tall Buddha, simply watching.

Lian Hui cried for a while, feeling heavy in her chest, fearing she might struggle to breathe. She wiped her tears and sat on the Arhat Bed.

Sister Niang, although young, was sensitive; Mu Lianhui’s cold words and Lian Hui’s tears made her uneasy, twisting uneasily.

Jiang Yunuan quickly embraced her daughter, gently comforting, prompting a maid to fetch water for Lian Hui to wash her face.

Before the water basin arrived, Banqiao did.

"The Marquis found Second Master to return home, and they are now in Baijie Hall. The Old Madam suggests everyone should go there, as she has questions herself." Banqiao said.

Lian Hui, upon hearing this, turned to speak to Mu Lianhui, but she had already risen and rushed out like the wind.

"Hui’er!" Lian Hui couldn’t stop Mu Lianhui, so she said, "Lian Xiao’s wife, quickly follow her, check on her. Lian Cheng’s wife, hand Sister Niang over to Mrs. Liu Menghai. You help me over there; whatever dispute between the siblings, don’t frighten the child."