Chapter 517 - 516: Collapse

Chapter 517: Chapter 516: Collapse

Mu Liancheng’s eyes flashed with a trace of ruthlessness. He raised his hand to discipline Mu Lianhui, but upon meeting Mu Lianhui’s fierce gaze, he eventually lowered his hand.

"This is Grandmother’s room, and you’re so unreasonable, even smashing things!" Mu Liancheng pointed at Mu Lianhui, saying, "I won’t discipline you, go explain yourself to Grandmother."

Madam Wu’s face of concern completely cooled down. She looked at the mess on the floor and said, "Explain slowly, make everything clear. If you can’t, go back to Pingyang Marquis Mansion. If the family can’t discipline you, then go back and kneel in the Pingyang Marquis’s ancestral hall."

Mu Lianhui suddenly turned around, tears brimming in her eyes, tilted her head, and said, "I just smashed something and should roll back to Pingyang Marquis Mansion, yet Mu Yuanjing was promiscuous even with her own nephew—how is she not rolling back to the Liu Family!"

"You!" Madam Wu drew in a sharp breath.

Lian Family entered from outside, just catching that line, she faltered and nearly fell.

"Ancestor!" Lian Family rushed in and hugged Mu Lianhui tightly, "Watch your mouth! Whatever it is, let us talk it over properly!"

Mu Lianhui, held by the Lian Family, did not struggle but lowered her eyelids, saying, "Talk about what? Oh, how Jin Shang died?

Ha...

The personal attendant beside Jin Shang said that day Mu Liancheng saw Jin Shang keeping a mistress and tried to talk him out of it by appealing to reason. In the end, he convinced that fool Jin Shang.

Jin Shang intended to give that mistress a sum of silver, enough for her future living, to cut ties once and for all.

The mistress agreed, even dismissing the maids and servants. Yesterday was the mistress’s birthday, and she asked Jin Shang to accompany her one last time, and afterwards, they would go their separate ways.

Yet, poison was added to the meal. The two of them took the road to the underworld together. Having crossed the Bridge of Sighs, they truly parted ways for good, each heading to their next reincarnation."

Mu Liancheng was stunned to hear this. So, Jin Shang died like this? The mistress, not wanting to be abandoned, poisoned Jin Shang and chose to die together?

The Lian Family shook her head: "Is this certain? Since that mistress also died, who could know?"

"A letter was left behind, which that personal attendant kept," Mu Lianhui said, "The maids and servants have been brought back to the mansion and they recognized the handwriting; it is indeed the mistress’s."

The Lian Family swallowed, seeing that Mu Lianhui’s tone had calmed down. She pulled Mu Lianhui to sit on the side couch: "All the mistakes, they were caused by the poisoner, the mistress. If you must curse, curse her. You shouldn’t speak against your brother. Liancheng cares for you, that’s why he reasoned with Jin Shang for your sake."

Mu Lianhui looked straight into the Lian Family’s eyes: "That mistress is dead, can I flog her corpse?

He cares for me, so he must meddle with the women around Jin Shang?

I’ve known from the start about Jin Shang’s mistress, not only a mistress but concubines too. After I entered the family, he had many women, that’s my business, I didn’t care, so why are you all so anxious for me?

Those women, they are all decent, nothing untoward, and did not transgress norms, is it necessary for others to pontificate?

Besides, Ay is dead, I have to mourn for Ay, he doesn’t need to, isn’t it natural for him to be with women?

You say it’s for my good, but did anyone ask me how I wish to act?

Jin Shang is single-minded. He was persuaded to meddle, and if he encounters trouble, isn’t it me who suffers?

That mistress was crazy, when Jin Shang didn’t want her, she poisoned him.

In the end, who loses face is me, who suffers is me, who remains a widow childless is me!

Mu Liancheng, you just think Pingyang Marquis Mansion isn’t as glorious as Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. You control Jin Shang, and Pingyang Marquis wouldn’t dare do anything to Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.

What if it was different?

In the past, without any problems, had I married Li Luan or Li Yu, and they kept women outside, would you dare say such things?

If one day, Pingyang Marquis Mansion loses favor with the Holy Emperor and is disdained by Him, when I have no way out, how will you treat me?

Now those who claim to care for me, how will they treat me?

Just like squeezing soft persimmons.

Mu Liancheng, by moving your lips, you destroy me."

The more Mu Lianhui spoke, the sadder she became. Her body trembled, and memories of her most painful past came flooding back to her.

All her emotional defenses collapsed in that moment, and she seemed to transform back into her helpless and powerless self from her past life.

After Li Luan killed his father, she went to see the Imperial Consort.

She could only plead with the Imperial Consort.

The Imperial Consort said: "Jiarou, you have been by my side for three years. I consider you my own granddaughter. If I can help you, I certainly will not abandon you. Prince Rui’s rebellion is a grave sin, but I will do my utmost."

In just a few words, Mu Lianhui was moved to tears.

Whether true emotion or false, in a time when she didn’t know what tomorrow held or where a path lay, a few warm words were enough to stay with Mu Lianhui for a very long time.

Such warmth, Mu Lianhui only felt with the Imperial Consort; her family, her parents, her brothers only brought her cold memories.

Position, future, difficulties, and the future of the entire Dingyuan Marquis Mansion—all matters that Mu Lianhui understood too well, leading only to resentment.

What she wanted was not heaven, not earth, merely a few warm words, that’s all.

In this life, she does not wish to place her life’s happiness on others. The only thing Mu Lianhui seeks is to live her own life, to have a child, teach them to read and write, and that would be enough.

Men, merely a necessity for bearing children; once they have the child, they can be disposed of any time.

Whether he’s living indulgently or dies falling from a temple, Mu Lianhui doesn’t care.

It’s just that now, without having a child yet, that man is dead!

How, by herself, is she to bring a child into this world!

This life, how is she to go on?

Mu Liancheng clenched his fists tightly, sitting in the chair, quietly contemplating Mu Lianhui’s words. He wanted to argue for himself, but didn’t know how to begin.

If her brother-in-law were Li Luan or Li Yu, then?

Would he still so bluntly dictate how they should be?

Mu Liancheng hadn’t found his answer when Lian Family already pulled Mu Lianhui into an embrace, gently comforting her: "Child, why speak such foolish things, about having no way out, why say such pessimistic things today? We won’t abandon you, nor will we..."

"Will you care for me?" Mu Lianhui lifted her hand, wiped her tears, her makeup already smudged, "Then tell me, what should I do now? I say, I won’t remain in mourning for Jin Shang for a lifetime, I want to remarry, would you agree? I want to have a child, would you consent?"

"This..." Lian Family was taken aback, seeing Mu Lianhui doesn’t seem to be joking, she turned to look at Madam Wu for guidance.

Mu Lianhui closed her eyes, a sarcastic smile on her lips: "When I needed your care, no one cared for me; now that I only ask you not to meddle, suddenly, you all appear, ha..."