Chapter 492: Chapter 491: Variables
The night gradually deepened.
Lamps were lit in Fengyu Courtyard.
When Mu Yuanmou and his son Mu Liancheng entered, they were immediately met with the strong scent of medicine.
Mu Liancheng furrowed his brows as he followed his father inside, looking towards the Lian Family, who was leaning against the couch.
"Is Mother ill?" Mu Liancheng approached, asking softly to Jiang Yunuan.
Jiang Yunuan, with a somber expression, nodded and said, "After Lady returned this afternoon, Mother’s chest has been tight, and she said she couldn’t breathe. We called a doctor, and he prescribed some medicine. The smell of medicine in the room is intense, so I asked Mrs. Liu Menghai to take Sister Niang back first."
Mu Liancheng gently patted Jiang Yunuan’s shoulder to comfort her, then casually pulled over an embroidered stool to sit down: "Mother, are you feeling any better?"
The Lian Family’s face was pale, and her head was tied with a headband. She said nothing, only shook her head.
Mu Yuanmou came out from the inner room and seeing the Lian Family in this state, couldn’t help but soften his tone: "Did Hui’er say something unpleasant again?
That mouth of hers, rarely says anything worth hearing. Since you can’t get through to her, just let it go in one ear and out the other.
If nothing else, her husband’s family will discipline her."
The Lian Family opened her mouth as if to say something, but all that came out was a low cough.
Jiang Yunuan pursed her lips. Some things weren’t appropriate for her to say, but with Nanny Zhu gone and only Zhu Shan inside, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Mother is upset about Sister-in-law’s matter."
As soon as she spoke, both Mu Yuanmou and Mu Liancheng looked at her in surprise.
Mu Yuanmou was purely puzzled, but Mu Liancheng’s mind was filled with tumultuous thoughts.
Since Mu Liankang returned, even without Jiang Yunuan saying anything, Mu Liancheng could sense her emotional changes.
It’s not the so-called inability to forget old feelings.
The person she was once engaged to marry, who had disappeared for many years, was back. Anyone would be disoriented for a while, but that’s all it was.
The better he was to Jiang Yunuan, the less likely Jiang Yunuan would ever betray him.
Mu Liancheng understood what kind of woman Jiang Yunuan was more than anyone, so he was never worried she would take a wrong step.
What concerned him was Jiang Yunuan finding out the truth about Mu Liankang’s disappearance.
When all the facts were laid bare, what would Jiang Yunuan do?
She would blame him and hate him, but she would never hurt him; she would only torture herself.
Mu Liancheng couldn’t bear that.
Thus, they never mentioned Mu Liankang, and Mu Liancheng dared not bring it up with her, fearing that delicate Jiang Yunuan might notice something suspicious.
They also didn’t mention Zhuang Ke.
Therefore, when Jiang Yunuan uttered the words "Sister-in-law," Mu Liancheng was taken aback.
He looked silently at Jiang Yunuan.
Mu Yuanmou pressed for answers.
Jiang Yunuan lowered her gaze and said, "Nanny Zhu heard from the palace that they recognized Sister-in-law, saying she is the Fifth Prince of the late Emperor, Prince Shun’s daughter. Lady said, such things wouldn’t be said lightly in the palace, so if they recognized her, Sister-in-law must indeed be the Commandery Princess."
Mu Liancheng froze entirely.
Mu Yuanmou, about to drink tea, was startled by the news. The steam blurred his vision, and he didn’t blow it away, but sipped instinctively, nearly causing him to drop the tea cup from the burn.
"Commandery Princess?" Mu Yuanmou hissed, his tongue stinging with pain.
Upon hearing these words, the Lian Family’s chest tightened once more, and she clutched Mu Liancheng’s hand, forcing herself to sit up: "A blue-eyed Commandery Princess, how disgraceful!"
Mu Liancheng helped the Lian Family catch her breath, his heart sinking bit by bit.
In the capital, nobles keeping barbarian women, and the palace having concubines from outside the pass was not uncommon. Years ago, a favored noblewoman was also a barbarian.
Among the Princes, only one of Emperor Gaozu’s sons had a concubine mother who was a barbarian, adopted by Lady De Fei, living as a fringe member of the Imperial Family.
According to old precedent, such a case could be found, and a blue-eyed Commandery Princess was not such an oddity for the Imperial Family.
Moreover, Prince Shun had already passed, leaving behind a daughter, not a son, so the palace wouldn’t be so particular.
But while the palace didn’t mind, the situation in Dingyuan Marquis Mansion was vastly different.
The title, which was once within the reach of the second house, suddenly became a distant moon, turning all these years of scheming into mere illusions.
Even if neither Mu Lianxiao nor Brother Yan existed, the title would never fall to the second house.
He, Mu Liancheng, had a brother who died in battle, yet it paled in comparison to Mu Liankang marrying a Royal Princess.
Mu Liancheng gritted his molars tightly.
Mu Lianyu had died in battle, leaving him without any support, facing two enemies...
Could it be that he truly was not destined?
Mu Yuanmou stood up and paced back and forth in the room, his gaze heavy.
Zhuang Ke being a Commandery Princess caught him off guard.
No, rather, too many things now were beyond his expectations, engulfing Mu Yuanmou in a sense of loss of control, making him restless.
He didn’t like this.
He preferred orderliness, with everything unfolding along predetermined paths, every step controlled.
And now, everything had descended into chaos.
For years, ever since Mu Yuanan died in battle, all his efforts over the past ten years seemed about to become futile in the end?
All variables stemmed from Mu Liankang.
He didn’t die, he went outside the pass, he married a Commandery Princess, he was found and brought back, became a guide, led Mu Lianxiao to capture Ancient Meili, secured military achievements and reputation for Mu Lianxiao, the barbarians retreated to the Northern Border, and it was Mu Lianyu who died.
Mu Yuanmou couldn’t help but want to chuckle darkly three times.
It was Mu Liankang’s mere existence that led to so many consequences!
If Mu Liankang had died nine years ago, none of this would have happened!
"Damn Mu Tang!" Mu Yuanmou gnashed his teeth.
At the mention of Mu Tang’s name, a fierce look flashed in Mu Liancheng’s eyes. He wanted to say something, but upon seeing Jiang Yunuan serving tea and water to the Lian Family, he swallowed all his words.
After careful consideration, Mu Liancheng said, "Anuan, go back to Shangxin Courtyard to attend to Sister Niang first. I’ll be back later."
Jiang Yunuan glanced at Mu Liancheng, and seeing him nod, she obediently put down what she was holding and said, "It’s almost time for dinner. I’ll go set the table, and you should come early." ℴ
After leaving Fengyu Courtyard, Jiang Yunuan wrapped her cloak tighter, looked back at the brightly lit courtyard, biting her lower lip hard.
She had heard Mu Yuanmou’s words.
He had said, "Damn Mu Tang."
She recalled what the Lian Family had said that day...
All these thoughts swirled in her mind, and an answer emerged.
Back then, Mu Tang was supposed to have caused Mu Liankang’s death, but Mu Liankang survived.
Was that what the Lian Family and Mu Yuanmou meant?
Mu Tang, a mere servant, did such a thing under his master’s orders. The only ones who would do that were the Mu Yuanmou couple, who knew about this.
Jiang Yunuan clutched her collar tightly and hurried towards Shangxin Courtyard.
The truth, like the northern wind, pierced through her no matter how tightly she wrapped herself.
Did Mu Liancheng know about all this?
Back then, Mu Liancheng was only thirteen years old. Did he know what his parents had done?
Jiang Yunuan didn’t know the answer.